karatemom2

Enjoy! Leave all the rain behind and enjoy some Margaritas in the sunshine!

We were just on a Mexican Riviera cruise over New Year’s on Discovery, and my daughter and her husband were both able to bring their Stanley jugs, which like any self respecting Gen Z, they cannot function without! 😂

Packaged cookies would be ok - sandwich would be a no no because it’s still fresh food. Those Europe tours can be long. I would suggest packing some of your favorite packaged snacks to take along if you don’t want to get food in port - although trying local food is on of the joys of traveling! You can purchase bottled water or sodas to bring on your excursions as you leave the ship.

The preorder packages of water and soda are a great deal - and we much prefer cans to fountain. We switch out our minibar to soda and water as well.

Good to know - we have not seen it on our cruises for awhile but maybe I’m looking in the wrong place since it’s part of MDR lunch service now.

I’ve never heard of this and don’t think such a thing exists - at least not on Princess. In fact, they make it quite clear you are not allowed to take any fresh food off the ship. If you are on a Princess excursion that includes lunch they will sometimes serve a box lunch - but that is provided by the tour vendor and sourced in the port. Only packaged items are allowed off the ship - we sometimes pack protein bars for snacks to take with us on shore days. Back in the day when they still served little boxes of cereal in the buffet, my kids would usually pack a few of those as a snack.

Even if you don’t have any package there is no additional charge when ordering from a waiter in a lounge or buffet. You would only be charged for the actual cost of the drink plus the 18 percent gratuity.

I prefer a comfy walking boot in Alaska. We always do some trail hiking and I also find them nice for all the walking we do in general. I like a mid to medium high cut that provides a bit of ankle support and allows me to tuck my pants in if I’m wearing more legging type jeans. Just my preference over tennis shoes which many people wear quite comfortably as well.

My Princess wish list would include: Bring back chocolates on pillow at night. Bring back Ceramics at Sea. Return to the old International Cafe selection with more options like daily soup and small salads. Spa port day specials - where did they go? Special daily ice cream options - bring back Rum Raisin. Make the soufflés great again - no more dry empty shells. Upgrade tea service to be as nice on all ships as it is on the ones out of Southampton - real clotted cream and real tea sandwiches. Bring back Pub Lunch. More hot breakfast items on room service menu. Breast Cancer walks - I always participated and appreciated them so much! Upgrade production shows to more Broadway style like NCL. Honor Elite Wifi discount on pricing of packages. Extend MDR breakfast hours to 10 a.m.

If you let the Cruise Director know, sometimes they will mention it and send good wishes during the morning Wake Show on the day of your anniversary. If you want to have some fun and are a good sport, since it is your anniversary cruise, you might consider sighing up to participate in the "Marriage Match Show". Always good fun and usually held toward the end of the cruise.

That's a very good itinerary regardless of how many times you have been to Juneau. The Treadwell Trail is often very overlooked and super interesting. I wouldn't worry much about driving - the roads are excellent and easy to navigate and the worst you might encounter is some rain.

We have cruised on Royal, Discovery, Sky, and Enchanted since cruising began after COVID and have not seen the Ultimate Ship Tour offered on any of our cruises. I don’t think they have started up again, although the Galley Tour following the cooking demo is being offered.

Sorry, haven’t done an Australian sailing. Still on the bucket list. Maybe someone else can offer insight.

We have found if you are all part of the same traveling party they will allow a non Elite companion within reason. We have had friends of my kids who traveled with us who were sharing our rooms - they were allowed. My daughter’s boyfriend - now husband was allowed to join her no issue at all. I think if you are two separate traveling parties who are not related or sharing a reservation somehow, it’s less likely to be permitted.

Well it’s been a few years since I was there. That’s what we paid - mind you it was midweek and a number of years ago so maybe priced have increased. But that rate seems quite steep for Mexico.

Around $5 for adults and $3 for kids.

I guess that is an advantage of casino bookings requiring full payment up front. We can make our dining reservations right away.

Just an FYI if you enjoy the casino onboard - be sure the cash in any chips or receipts prior to your port call in Victoria. The casino does not open up again after you arrive for that stop - check your daily schedule for the hours that last day and make sure you cash out ahead of time, or you will end up waiting for a check to be mailed from Princess to reimburse you for your balance.

While reservations do make things easier, they are not mandatory. You can walk up and request to be seated any time. There are two lines at the dining rooms, one for those with reservations and one for those without, and often you can be seated at the time you prefer without a reservation. You may wait just a bit longer for a table, especially if you prefer not to share, but you will usually be seated within a short timeframe. Many people with reservations end up choosing to eat at an earlier or later time for whatever reason, so it is fluid and the dining room hosts are very good at managing getting people seated as soon as possible. And, considering most people don't pay in full until it is required, you will be receiving the opening to book your dining at the same time as most others, so as Host CJSKIDS pointed out, you shouldn't have an issue picking the times you prefer. You can also go to the dining room on your embarkation day and make any adjustments and even ask for the same table and wait team if that is something that you would like. We often scout out a table with our host the first evening that we like and then reserve it so we can just walk in and go to the same table and have a wait team we get to know.

Yes, drop off is easy - you may have to navigate some line up of cars, but generally not that difficult. Driver can drop off both passenger and luggage and then proceed out of the lot. And yes, Uber, Lyft, taxis, shuttles, and private car transfers all have access.

Yes, we did this. We have also just rented cars from Avis. No matter how you do it, driving yourself in Skagway is always worth it to explore the Yukon highway at your own pace and also drive to Dyea. It included a very nice boxed lunch which we appreciated as well as a binder with suggestions for places to visit and directions which is especially helpful if you are a first time visitor.

There is a lot to see downtown, but many of the shops may be closed that late. However, Victoria is beautiful at night with the buildings all lit up and there will likely still be things happening at Inner Harbour. Maybe a carriage ride around town? Or visit some of the famous pubs? You don’t have much time, but in my opinion Victoria is always worth it, even for a short window. You will just have to expect limited options at that hour with little time.

I don’t think there are any plans to build a parking structure at the port at San Pedro. It is a huge lot with plenty of capacity. We never have a problem finding a space and have been cruising out of LA regularly for 20 years. Yes, if there are a couple of ships in port it can be busy, especially if you get there during the crossover while people are leaving. But overall it is a very easy and convenient parking area to walk on and off your ship. You just don’t find that at every port. We love it!

Our favorite place to get a quick treat is Murchie's Tea and Coffee - the pastries are amazing. But my daughter and her husband always have to stop at their favorite little hole in the wall cafe there for poutine. They swear it is the best they have ever had!

It's kind of a ridiculous timeframe so maybe not worth the effort to get off the ship. It's a shame because Victoria is a charming city. It is very beautiful after dark - perhaps an evening carriage ride or a pub visit just to see a little bit of the town? Those are a couple of things I know would be available still, even that late in the evening.