Id rather be diving

Unfortunately, none of the Princess ships have the automatic openers. One of my biggest disappointments on the new Sun Princess.  We will be sailing on the Sun next year but after that we may have to take our vacation dollars elsewhere.  I love Princess but the fact that they didn’t add them on the newest and grandest of their fleet makes me rethink my loyalty to them.  My husband cannot get out of our cabin by himself.  He can make do getting in, but it’s difficult.  But there is no way on his scooter, he can open the door, pull it back and maneuver his scooter to get out.  This seems like such an easy fix and the fact that other cruise lines have it just makes me ready to go elsewhere.

Hello!  Some of our family members are thinking about booking the Mardi Gras TA in 2025.  We have sailed once on Carnival before - the Vista - when she was brand new.  The one thing we did not like on the Vista was that there was nothing, other than the pizza place, open for food options during the afternoon.  The Blue Iguana, Guys Burgers, and another place all were closed at 1.  So, nothing available other than pizza in the afternoon.  the line for pizza was over 50 people deep every time you looked at it.  Can you tell me if the food options on the Mardi Gras do the same?

Thanks

Thanks for a great report.  I gasped out loud with excitement when I read that the Catch by Rudi signs were up. We board this coming Saturday and I was really hoping The Catch would be onboard!  We visited The Catch twice on the Sky in August and it was the BEST!!!!

We did a family portrait shoot this summer on the Caribbean.  It was $250 and we got 10 8 x 10 prints plus the digital copies of those 10 pictures.  We thought it was worth it.  We had different family groups, then all the families together.

Yes, on the Princess ships they have a pull down one too (bigger than the Celebrity one), but if it’s just my husband and I, I usually bring one from home as I need one that is adjustable in height so I can help him stand up.  We used to have one like the picture above (no back or side arms) at home, but he’s decided he doesn’t like that one as well as the one we have. so, I just take the one from home that I can easily take apart and put in a suitcase.  I put his medical supplies in that suitcase and then don’t have to pay for it as it is medical equipment.

GRBlizz, was that shower chair in the cabin?  Did you have to ask for it or did you rent it?

Thanks

We have used Princess Transfers from Southampton to London twice now.  The first time we were doing a tour to Stonehenge on the way to the airport.  When the vehicle showed up it was only large enough for my husband (scooter user) and myself.  None of our luggage would fit in it.  My sister who was traveling with us (and shared our cruise cabin) had to go on a separate bus with all our luggage.  We had to meet up at the airport.  I did not like this as it left her all alone to handle luggage for three of us.  This last trip I started talking to guest services on day 2 of a 14 day cruise about the transfer.  I wanted to make sure they knew that they had to get a vehicle big enough for three of us and nine pieces of luggage.  I spoke to someone at guest services on at least 6 add’l trips to ensure this.  They did not contact the accessibility company early enough, despite all of my  conversations to ensure this…and we did not get confirmation until 9:30 PM the night before we got off as to what time the vehicle would be there.  They couldn’t get it there until 10:30 AM - it’s at least 90 minutes to Heathrow - and in this case it was 2 hours.  The vehicle didn’t arrive until 11:15 AM and we didn’t get to Heathrow until 1:15 for a 2:50 international departure.  I will never let Princess handle my handicap transfers to Heathrow again.  I will contract with Transmobility myself and pay the extra.  The difference in the cost of Princess handling it and myself arranging it is not worth the stress and anxiety that I went through with this last trip.  We barely made our flight home.  It was NOT the way to end our trip. So, going forward I will budget extra for arranging my own transfers.

I’ve never used it out of Seattle before but used a similar one out of FLL last month.  It was great.  Where did you sign up for it online ahead of time?  Is it in the Personalizer?

If you had booked your cruise before the change date in December (the 15th maybe) 2022, and you place your medallion order before 2/20/23, the shipping is free.  After that date, you pay un less you have the new princess plus or premier package.  We have a family cruise in June of 2023 so I ordered the medallions for all the cabins yesterday, no charge.

Tickets are now available.  I bought ours right before Christmas for August 2023.

I paid for the transfer with final payment (you can probably still do it by calling your TA or Princess) and was told to go to baggage claim to meet the Princess rep the next day.  We have done this before at other ports too, so I know it works.  We did it in LA a couple of times and in Galveston once before.

20 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

We're doing the same, flying in the day before we sail, and staying that night near in a hotel not too far from the IAH airport. Your $27; that was from where to the ship? I think I read you stayed the night in Galveston, correct? I am still trying to get confirmation on our transport from our IAH hotel to the pier....it sure as heck won't be $27 per person!😩

 

 Doug

We are flying in the day before and staying at the HIlton at the IAH airport.  We will then go back to baggage claim the next day to meet the Princess rep to get on the Princess transfer. Actually we will likely be on a separate transfer as we need handicap transfers, so likely a handicap van taxi will take us to the ship.  

I bought pillpanion https://www.pillpanion.com.  I loved it!!  We could just take the morning pills to breakfast with us.  It helped us remember when to take the pills and if we missed any (which we didn’t).  I ordered ours from QVC then ordered an extra pack of bags from the manufacturer website.

Thank you!  Can’t wait until February!

Hello!

if you have time and feel like checking, could you see if the handicap stair lift that goes up to the sanctuary deck is working?  On our last cruise in March 2020, it wasn’t working.  Hoping after all this time off, they got it working again.

thanks, Kari

It was not available when we got off the Panama Canal full transit last month.  I don’t know if that’s because it was the first sailing back to FLL.  I hope it comes back!

I don't know how big the GO GO scooter is.  You may have to break it down or at least part way.  My husband has a Luggie scooter and I just had to fold it down when we used a Princess bus.  Now, he is no longer able to manage the stairs onto a lift, so I contact the Princess accessibility office and tell them that I need a handicap transfer.  Last month we went a day early and then came back to the airport to catch the transfer.  The Princess rep took our luggage from us and then walked us over to the taxi stand to get a HC taxi.  However, since we had no luggage with us and I could fold his scooter flat, we did not need a HC taxi.  We just got in a regular taxi, I put his scooter in the trunk and we were off!  It was probably a little more expensive to do the transfers than a taxi, etc, but it was so nice not to have to deal with all the luggage.  🙂

Can you confirm that the ADA pool lift is set up each morning and left out for the day?  It should have a note around that says see deck hand for assistance to get the battery…or along those lines.  After many issues last cruise, they told me they were implementing a new policy to leave the lift up all day.  Just wondering if that is happening before I finish my post cruise survey!  Thx

His name is Dieune (pronounced Dion).  954-706-5295.  Best to call him rather than texting. We just used him this past Saturday when we got off the Emerald.  He took us to a restaurant to meet our friends.  Then I called him when we were done and he came and picked us up to take us to the airport.

Mine finally has the right itinerary for our 10/15 cruise.  But we are 14 days from boarding and still can’t select arrival groups!  It’s crazy that they only have a handful of ships sailing and can’t get this piece fixed.

we have a 15 cruise tour to Alaska next summer and instead of one booking for it, there is one that says it’s for the first two days, then one booking for another day, then another one for two days.  I can’t even look at that one anymore!

I can see my new cabin number today.  Ummmm I had a three person handicap cabin booked and got moved to a non handicap room!  How does that happen????  I waited on hold for 90 minutes before I had to give up for today.  I’ll be back on first thing in the morning!!

As long as you don’t need a handicap accessible taxi, it should be a quick wait.  Last year when we traveled in February and needed a handicap accessible taxi it took over an hour for the taxi coordinator to get one.  The concierge at the hotel ordered the handicap accessible taxi the next morning for us and the taxi driver gave us his number and name and told us to call him directly anytime we are in FLL.

We have gone to Mr. Sanchos in Cozumel.  They have a beach wheelchair where they will take you to your beach chair and help you get to the restroom, etc.  You need to take a taxi to the resort but it’s a great day.

On our last trip, we had the half day when we arrived and then another full day the next day at McKinley.   We didn’t do any excursions.  The half day after arriving we walked up to the treehouse built by the Discovery Channel’s Treehouse Masters.  There is a path but it is a little challenging if using a chair or scooter.  Gene took it very slow and was able to do it.  Though I have to say quite frankly you wouldn’t be missing anything if you can’t get to it.  I was disappointed with it.  We did laundry one day as we had been gone for a week already.  We took the full day as a relaxing day.  We sat on the deck of the lodge and played games.  We went to a movie presentation about Mt. Denali.  

We were excited to see that the tour next year swapped days out and took the full day from McKinley and added a full day to the Kenai Lodge.  The Kenai was our favorite lodge. It is so quaint and beautifully set in nature.   We would have loved a full day there to just hang around the lodge and soak in the views.  On our full day, we did the Kenai Fjords boat tour so by the time we returned it was time for dinner.  Then the next morning it was breakfast and then board the bus to head to the ship.

Will you have someone traveling with you?

Kari

I take  it on the plane.  I have a fireproof bag that I purchased on Amazon that I put the battery in.  I also take a spare battery in a fireproof bag.  I have the information regarding the watts, etc from the battery company that I have laminated and carry in our medical bag.  I whip it out when we get the gate check tag from the gate agent.  I had one gate agent tell me she wished everyone carried their info like that.  It made her job much easier.  The only airline I’ve ever had problems with it is Luftansana.  Had to get a supervisor but eventually we were allowed to board.