Canuker

Great job, 2 to Sea. Keep it coming. Best, Canuker

Reminds me of two ladies cruising together who were both oenophiles, with enviable wine cellars at home. They brought with them several well-chosen bottles of rare and expensive wines, specifically to enjoy with their evening meals on board. Given the original price of each bottle, they were not the slightest bit concerned about having to add another $20 corkage fee to its cost. And, no, I didn't partake, unfortunately!

I recall, many years ago, going to a variety show at a (land based) theatre in which most seats were empty. Before curtain-up, the manger invited everyone to come to the front stalls to watch the show. All did; we moved from the balcony to the third row. We were surprised and very happy about that, and enjoyed the show the more for it. And, clearly, I remembered their good gesture after all this time*. I'm wondering if a cruise line like Princess might operate on the same principal, i.e. if there are larger, higher-priced cabins available just before the embarkation date, they move people into them from smaller, lower-priced cabins. From their perspective, the operating cost increase is virtually zero but in terms of goodwill towards their brand, the delight of those passengers and the post-cruise word-of-mouth publicity they may get, it seems a very good idea, not to mention the opportunity to perhaps perform needed maintenance work on a whole block of now empty cabins all at the same time (they are otherwise rarely empty). As one who owned a business before retiring, exceeding the expectations of the customer - even in a just a small, but meaningful, way - is a great way to build customer loyalty and repeat business. They remember that*.

Agreed, Em. Try them out. If they are not built exactly right or have been jolted, the image may be either blurry and/or doubled ; not good. Ensure the focusing works properly by focusing on something very far away (over 100 yards/metres) and something close by (say about 10 yards/metres). Generally, you get what you pay for. Since they will last a lifetime with proper care (always use the neck strap and keep a lens cloth in the case) think of it as an investment rather than an expense. They are priceless for getting that bear/crocodile/whale/bird/ so much closer to observe and enjoy.

I pack a mono-pod. Not as stable as a tripod (you have to hold on to it) but good enough (the ship is moving anyway) plus a gizmo that allows the binos to be mounted to it (essentially a right angle bracket with threads). The mono-pod is also good for taking jog-free camera photos, of course, particularly when the light is poor and the exposure relatively long.The big advantage over a tripod is size and weight - both for packing and for toting. And less expensive than a tripod. The other advantage is that it is easy to tilt to any angle you want. It telescopes in and out, rather like a radio antenna; I can extend mine far enough that I can rest it on the floor and have the binos or camera at eye level while standing up. Handy.

Given your distinction (+/- 1,000 pax), nbt, in what ways (other than mere size) are they materially different? E.g.: Accommodation F&B Entertainment Well-being Itinerary Calendar Crew (naval, hotel) Seaworthiness Other? Best, Canuker

By no means unique, but one of the ways to keep track of your cruises is the "Signature" feature in your Profile account for this Cruise Critic website. For brevity, I have my signature closed (i.e. it does not appear at the foot of my posts). If I toggled it to open, it would like like this: Enchanted Princess: Fort Lauderdale - S. Caribbean - New York, 24.08...Celebrity Silhouette: Miami - W. Europe - Southampton, 23.04... Queen Elizabeth: Vancouver - Alaska - Vancouver, 22.07...Independence of the Seas: Fort Lauderdale - E. Caribbean - Southampton, 19.05…Celebrity Reflection: Fort Lauderdale - NOLA & W. Caribbean - Fort Lauderdale, 19.03...Queen Mary 2: Southampton - New York, 18.07...Queen Mary 2: New York - Southampton, 18.07...P&O Aurora: Southampton - Baltic - Southampton, 17.05...Norwegian Jade: Tampa - Cork, 17.04...Queen Mary 2: Southampton - New York, 16.08...Queen Mary 2: New York - Southampton, 16.07...Queen Mary 2: Southampton - New York, 15.08...Queen Mary 2: New York - Southampton, 15.08...Norwegian Pearl: Miami - E. Carib - Miami 15.03...Queen Victoria: Ft. Lauderdale - Southampton, 14.04...Queen Mary 2: Southampton - New York, 13.08...Queen Mary 2: New York - Southampton, 13.07...Rotterdam VI: Ft Lauderdale - Rotterdam, 12.04...Crown Princess: New York - Quebec, 11.09...Serenade of the Seas: San Juan - E. Caribbean - San Juan, 11.05...Ocean Princess: Dover - Greenland - New York, 10.06...Splendour of the Seas: Lisbon - Sao Paulo, 09.12...Emerald Princess: Ft Lauderdale - S. Caribbean - FL, 08.11...Celebrity Galaxy: Miami - Rome, 08.05...Carnival Spirit: San Diego - Hawaii, 07.06...Legend of the Seas: Tampa - Southampton, 06.05...Carnival Holiday: Mobile - W. Carib - Mobile, 05.04...QE2: Southampton - New York, 02.05...M.S. Odessa: New York - Montreal, 76.06 So many wonderful memories are elicited from this list. Best, Canuker.

Cruise ships are far more remarkable for their similarities than their differences. Much of the 'differences' are artificially created niche marketing devices.

If anyone has experienced a genuine muster call (not a check-in or drill), how did pan out?

If my ship docks at the Brooklyn cruise terminal, about how long before that docking time will we pass under the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge, please?

DRO stands for Director of Restaurant Operations. Mr. Nicola Furlan is above the Maitres d'Hotel

Voyager1964, thank you for your detailed review. May I ask, can you share where you enjoy snorkeling in Curaçao, please - and why?

I'm sure this question has been addressed but I can't find anything specific. We are on the ship 24-08-10. Which of the 3 MDRs offer fixed time dining, please? We much prefer a large table, making friends and discovering their stories and to kick the day's activities around with them. We will plump for the late shift supper. Seems they all offer the same menu, so any one will do, as long as it has big (about 8 people) table seating.. Thanks for your input. Canuker

Talkorpi: thank you for all your wonderful, up-to-the-minute information and tips and views. Greatly appreciated. I know you're going to be busy with many things then, but if you could post your debarkation day Patter, it would 'complete the set', as it were. Best, Canuker (EP, 2024-08-10)

We're new to booking this ship. Looking at the deck plans, I don't see a forward-facing observation lounge. Am I not looking hard enough? There appears to be an outdoor forward-facing area on deck 19? Thanks, Canuker

This looks to be just what we're looking for. Thank you to all who have shared this. Can anyone state whether day visitors have access to snorkel gear and to bicycles. If so, I'm guessing there'll be an extra fee?

Let 'er rip, talkorpi. Looking forward to your posts while aboard. And should we not hear from you, we'll know you're having way too much fun! More interested in the ship and what it offers, than the ports of call. Happy sailing, Canuker.

Sailing the Caribbean, we really don't want to pack loads of formal wear that will see little light of day. Can I get away with darkish slacks and lightweight jacket? Or even no jacket at all, just a formal shirt & tie? Cocktail dress OK for the ladies? If so, we might just get away with not having to schlep checked baggage at all...

If you expect to make this journey (about 30 miles or 50 km.) plan very carefully. A 5 mile stretch of the M25, between junctions 10 and 11 is set to close in both directions on five weekends between now and September 2024. The first closure will be from 9pm Friday March 15 to 6am Monday March 18. Other closures are TBD. This notoriously crowded stretch of motorway (highway) is going to get a lot worse, with diversions through rural roads. Best suggestion: avoid this whole area, between Wisley (junction 10) and the intersection with the A3 (junction 11). You have been warned!

Southern Railway, who operates this very handy - and inexpensive - service is making changes. There is good news and bad news. First the bad news. The hourly direct service between Southampton Central station (10 minutes tops by taxi from the ship) and Gatwick Airport, then on to London Victoria station is to cease. This is a shame since, for cruisers with baggage it is a very handy service, with Gatwick station directly under the airport concourse. The good news is that the rail journey is still possible, but with a single, straight forward change, which might even shorten the overall journey time. Take the Brighton train (this service is doubled to 2 per hour). Change to another 30-minute service (Portsmouth Harbour to Victoria) at Havant station, where both services use the same platform (either direction). Expect a wait at Havant of about 18 minutes between trains - time to grab a coffee. From Southampton, Havant is about 40 minutes; Havant to Gatwick is about 70 minutes. another 35 minutes if going on to London Victoria. Both Southampton Central and Gatwick Airport stations have elevators. Service may vary somewhat on Sundays and holidays. Note: there is no straightforward rail service between Southampton and Heathrow. Better to use the direct bus service, which leaves/arrives at the bus terminal near Southampton Central station.

The organizer of our on board slot pull has alerted us to the possibility of suffering (I'm guessing) withholding tax, of 15%, payable to the IRS should we hit the big time. We will be in international waters at the time. To any tax experts out there (I'd prefer facts rather than opinions, please): 1. Does this sound both reasonable and required? 2. Does it apply to participants who are not resident in the USA? 3. Who, on board, assumes custody of the 15% and responsibility to remit it? Thanks, Canuker

River cruise.

The app for our cruise shows the 'officers' soirée' at 8:00 pm in the Grand Foyer. It also shows it finishing at 8:15 pm. There is no second event shown, so the invite covers all passengers. For 15 minutes. to those who have attended similar events recently, does this sound reasonable / typical, please? Or could there be a mistake in the app's wording?

From the OP: Thank you, I'm grateful for all the positive feedback. Canuker