4 minutes ago, PhotogrFrGal said:

@Loveh2ofl Glad you received quick resolution.  I received a call from refund department yesterday.  She has to discuss with “leadership”. I forwarded all documentation again.  Supposed to receive call by tomorrow.  Really how difficult is this?

Princess crew onboard are wonderful;  wish I could say the same about corporate responsiveness.  At least the twitter approach seems to get someone to respond - whereas the emails/forms take forever, if ever.  Forget trying to reach customer solutions via phone - never sure you'll ultimately reach the right person.

Good luck!

On 7/3/2023 at 8:56 PM, kiwimum said:

Comment on Twitter.   More responsive than most avenues.

@kiwimum - Thanks for the tip! - I'd tried the customerrelations email address, copying Princess execs, as well as 'other' refund form w tracking number with no success for weeks, on a different kind of request.  I sent a twitter msg referencing the date of the original email as well as the tracking number for the refund form - both of which had all the documentation.  I got an immediate response to the twitter DM, plus action/satisfactory resolution  by customer relations the next day.   I wouldn't use twitter as my first method, but it was excellent as a backup!

We're boarding the world cruise in LA tomorrow,  The wellness section clearly states how to upload one's self-test.  So YES self test is OK within 24 hrs of boarding on this australia_enhanced protocol cruise,

58 minutes ago, Jemnibabe said:

The language relating to covid testing on Enhanced Voyages needs to be corrected.  It has and still is causing much confusion since the directive says two opposite things.  First sentence says "must be medically observed" and last sentence says "medically observed OR self- administered and take a picture of results."  Since testing has been cancelled for most cruises except Enhanced Voyages, Princess needs to clarify just what exactly they need.

 

Judy from SW Florida

For the enhanced_Australia - The pcr test must be medically given/observed.  That is within 48 hours.  The antigen test must be taken within 24 hours and can be medically observed as you stated OR self administered which is where you must take the picture with id and date/time.  You don't do both and I believe the wording has stayed constant since 12/2?  

48 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Yes...but were you out of the US at the time?

I had medical expenses on our last cruise out of the US while at sea.  Medicare Plan F reimbursed 80% after deductible.  So that's another way to get out of country coverage.  Lifetime max is $50K tho.

5 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

The free bottle of wine is only if you "actually" have specialty dinner the first night or only need to "make reservation" on the first night, but the reservation can be for any other nights of the cruise?  

My interpretation (which may be wrong) is that one must have a specialty dinner on embarkation night.

9 minutes ago, Ombud said:

No idea.  When I last got one it was a printed pamphlet 

We received a link to one in December for our trip in Jan - however it says it expired at end of Dec - it was a link to a downloadable pdf in an email from Princess.  Just checked the link again and it has been refreshed to expire 12/23!

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

😅🤣😂

 

Does it work if I don't buy wifi?? 

Isn't it a .pdf?  Just put it on your device?

1 hour ago, Tantei said:

Hi, I’m currently on the Royal Princess doing San Francisco - Hawaii (Dec 22, 2022 - Jan 6, 2023). My last cruise was in the very pre-Covid times of 2018. I’ve noticed things have changed, starting with the non-existent muster drill. It was good you have to proactively go to the muster station to tag in, but pretending to watch a safety video in the cabin was not the same as commiserating through 15 minutes of drudgery in the Princess Theater.

 

I’m wondering how disembarkation is done in post-Covid (haha, not really) 2022/2023. Do we still gather in Princess Theater with carryon for our disembarkation turn, or do we wait in our cabins now? It’s just detail, but it’s killing me not knowing what to expect.

 

It’s day 11 today. I’m pretty sure I’m not imagining that I’m hearing more passengers coughing now than on embarkation day. I’ve overheard as much while checking in for dinner at Allegro someone casually small talking, “My roommate has Covid, it’s just me tonight.” It’s good to know most everyone gets it light these days, but it’s definitely going around on this ship. My masking does not seem to offend non-maskers so I’m good.

I know on Enchanted a year ago and on Island Princess in May it was as it had been previously - waiting in various lounges depending on your disembarkation time.  No waiting in rooms because one has to vacate cabin much earlier than when one debarks.  

5 minutes ago, WheresWalter said:

International Cafe is supposed to be 24 hours. Coffee and snacks in the Piazza

Sorry - no International Cafe on the Island Princess!

Thanks for posting - are you happy with the internet so far?

2 hours ago, tcdcruiser said:

While not cash or OBC there are some very special features of a WC.  Here are a few from the Pacific Princess' last WC in 2019.

 

Special Sunday brunches.  Absolutely over the top.  A MDR is used to set up a huge buffet.  This is nothing like the Horizon Court.   These events took place, to my memory, about once a month and were often linked to a country visit or holiday.

 

Special MDR dinner items added when the dining room staff was able to make some local purchases.  As I recall during our visit to French Polynesia the chef returned from port with lots of fresh fish, and wow did we enjoy.

 

Upon embarkation you will be given a small gift with that year's WC logo.  We received a backpack.

 

Visits to the bridge.  Given the almost 4 months at sea, senior bridge officers would frequently invite guests to the bridge.  Nothing formal or planned, but you would find yourself chatting with an officer during month 2 or 3, and the conversation needed with an invite.

 

 

 

with Covid - visits to the bridge and the special ship tour might not be happening?

43 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

The only advantage I can think of would be getting your obc for stockholder/military,  or elite mini bar for each segment of the world cruise. Extra perks could be offered by the TA that books your cruise.

Except don't think that will be the case if booked as a single cruise and not b2b

7 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I read the article.  Thank you for the link.  I think the key words are "in Australia".

 

"We can confirm that mask wearing is being applied on board all Carnival Corporation brand ships operating in Australia and the region as an additional safeguard in light of the current rate of covid-19 in the general community," a Carnival Australia spokesperson said.

And the region - so seems to include pacific nations at least for now....

2 hours ago, LMADAMS91 said:

Source? I've seen nothing about this anywhere. On a few random ships but not for the entire line and certainly not for all of the Carnival Corp ships.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/carnival-cruises-reintroduces-mask-mandates-out-of-an-abundance-of-caution/63cb4890-bca2-46df-af69-99af50ea8e60

1 hour ago, travelin.sisters said:

First chech your travel summary to see that they are truly gone. 

 

We have had excursions 'vanish' when they were canceled. No notification just gone. We did get a credit card refund once , which is how I noticed it. If you used OBC then you would just have to notice it, as you did. Ours most recent one was due to port changes, so once on board they told us what they had switched us to as the most similar to what we had booked, but we could change. 

 

I think you might need to call Princess for more info. 

Yes - lots of folks have had prepaid excursions disappear.  The more fortunate got email notification.  I have a couple which got canceled without notice - I checked when other people on my cruise were saying they were experiencing cancelations.  I chatted with Princess - who confirmed that they were canceled on 10/19 and that my CC would be refunded - however it has not yet been refunded as of today and chat can't help.  So I'll have to call for status this coming week.  Mine were scheduled for February.  On past cruises, have gotten notification upon boarding about cancelations.

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

Would be nice if the Enhanced Voyages were changed too.  
They do mention, if you’re on an Enhanced Voyage, to check the rules for that, they vary.

 

Hoping that it signals a change to those!

Dated November 2 on Princess FAQ for Australia/NZb-  note no booster requirement or monitored test - while no updates yet to enhanced guidelines voyages,,,,see:  CruiseHealth™ FAQ: Sailings from Australia & New Zealand - Princess Cruises

Current Health Protocols for Cruises Visiting Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific Countries

• Vaccinations
  • Guests must have received their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the beginning of the cruise and provide acceptable proof at terminal check-in.
  • Boosters are highly recommended for those eligible at least seven days before cruising.
• Testing
  • At terminal check-in guests must attest to a negative viral COVID-19 test (PCR or rapid antigen) taken before embarkation.

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Does anyone know which online testing site is still doing proctored testing with at home covid tests?  Looks like OnPoint went out of business as others did after being hacked this month.

 

EMed does if you buy their proctored test.

 

Enhanced Voyages still require medically assisted covid tests.

 

TIA

Here's a good article.  I also called one of the mentioned companies (Azova) which uses almost any test....were very responsive to questions.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/at-home-covid-testing-travel/

See Azova:

https://www.azova.com/travelvideo/

All you lucky folks!  I specifically put my birthday info in (and it was there) on the Island Princess back in May.  Nothing on door.  No acknowledgement anywhere.  We had dinner at Bayou Cafe - nothing.  Nothing in room.  I called to complain.  A cake was brought to the room without plates, silverware or napkins.  Had to call them back again to get the implements.  It was a great cruise - but this was one of the things that went wrong.

4 hours ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

That’s really helpful because it’s not something you wanna get wrong.

Keep checking as requirements keep changing

and new enhanced guidelines:

https://www.princess.com/protocol/?voyage=enhanced

Princess website is in the process of being updated some more - the 'top' page is now dated 10/20!  Also enhanced guidelines voyages that have already left have been deleted and fortunately no new ones have been added!

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/

32 minutes ago, Muffinz said:

I see there's still no change to Australia / NZ....

 

Update to FAQs:  https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/au-cruises/