BeasleysMom66

He didn't put anyone on "blast" he simply posted to exercise caution. The only one blasting someone is you. He is allowed to express his opinion even if you disagree with it. Your blast was uncalled for.

You would think but no and as it was my first time cruising I didn't have the knowledge to push for it.

I made that mistake on my first cruise ever. I was on the Equinox with Celebrity and I knew I was reaching my limit on my credit card so I went down on the last night and paid in cash and got a zero balance receipt. Next morning I go to disembark and get the loud warning bell that I am denied leaving because I have a balance. WHAT???? It was SO humiliating. I had to go back to the "front desk" and asked them to explain why I was denied leaving. They told me I had a balance and I asked for the folio. When she printed it it was identical to the zero balance sheet from the night before. I asked how much cash was needed to pay zero? The purser looked at me sheepishly and offered no apology. I was finally cleared to leave. That said on the next cruise with 2 friends from the first (all in separate cabins/reservations) one of us always had a money problem. After Friend 1 and I left the ship we passed Friend 2 leaning on a pillar with a cruise employee standing there. We didn't pay much attention at first but asked if she wanted to share a cab to the airport with us. She said no she had some "business" to take care of. As we waited to get our luggage we were talking about what could be wrong and another passenger said they had heard her talking to the employees and she had a balance she couldn't pay. We lost touch with her and I don't know how it was handled but she was off the ship but an employee was standing there next to her for what purpose I don't know. My guess is they had her sign a promissory note before she could claim her luggage and go home.

Apology accepted. 🙂 No worries it happens.

FYI: my post you quoted refers to traffic jerks not cruise ship boarding. It was an analogy from a previous post. I could care less who boards when. That is between the port and the passenger.

I haven't seen anything higher on my cruise. I did the math on what I anticipated spending on my 7 night cruise in Alaska and since it is port intensive even with a discount I would spend more on a beverage package than I would use so I am going to risk it and go without.

I made the purchase for almost the same reason(s) as the OP. It was 2 device premium wifi along with some perks I would use cheaper than just 2 device premium wifi for the cruise. For me the waived room service fees/gratuities and priority luggage are added benefits. Since I am Concierge cabin/Select CC I already have access to the lunch but won't need it either way as I am on a whale watch prior to my cruise departure in Seward. Being able to have priority to drop off my luggage once I arrive in Seward that morning before heading to the pier for the whale watch and the 2 device wifi alone is worth it.

I know what a zipper merge is. I am referring to the butt munches who ignore that process and feel like they don't have to wait like the rest of us and bypass it and expect to be let in anyway. You know: you.

These are the same people who see a lane merging on the highway and fly up to the front knowing that someone will cave and let them in. I am of the other type in that you will hit orange cones/barrels for 2+ miles before I let you in. Unless of course you have your purple traffic royalty sticker issued by the DMV visible in the window.

I bought this as well and had to go back and look at the description when it didn't show on my luggage tags and I wondered the same thing. It says it will appear on the key cards. It doeesn't mention the luggage tags or cruise docs. I figured if it was an issue on my cruise next month I will show the purchase email to the port people if they need it. Hopefully someone else has more information.

Mine showed up as well.

While the experience is helpful information it in no way guarantees the same experience at every port on any given day. It could even change at her port if she is off and someone bent on the rules is working. The major problem the OP has is if they don't have it renewed in time there is a very real risk that the son is denied boarding based on the passport date and they would have no recourse. All the discussion is irrelevant because it takes one CSR and their supervisor determined to stick to the "rule" and it is game over.

There is a description on the SE and it is listed as "strenuous" on the site. Here are some excepts: Activity Level Strenuous This tour is not recommended for guests with pre-existing medical conditions such as cardiac, respiratory, or orthopedic conditions, including joint injuries or disease, or any other serious medical condition. Guests must consider their physical fitness level and medical history when determining whether this tour is appropriate. Guests who have concerns must consult with their personal physician before engaging in any activity that may be strenuous for them, particularly those involving water-based activities. Guests should consider their swimming ability when selecting tours involving water-based activities. Important details and advisements This tour is strenuous. Guests must be at least 12 years old to participate. Guests must be less than 6 feet 8 inches tall. Guests must weigh less than 250 pounds to participate. Pregnant women and guests with back/neck problems should not select this tour. Guests will be entering a wilderness environment without restroom facilities. Guides will be available to explain protocol for disposing of human waste and Leave no Trace ethics to minimize our impact on wilderness areas. Guests must be able to walk over potentially slippery rocks on the beach, and trek through primitive wilderness areas that include varied, wet, and uneven terrain. Guests must be able to drag boats short distances and must be able to enter and exit watercraft. Guests in wheelchairs and others with limited mobility should not select this tour. Guests will be entering a temperate rainforest environment and should dress accordingly. Rain gear and all paddling and trekking gear will be provided except for hiking boots and personal clothing items. Guests should be aware there are certain inherent risks involved in any paddling excursion. They do not provide hiking boots or protective shoe covering that I can see. This tour sounds great but even at my fitness level I don't think I would be cut out for it. I highlighted the relevant parts and this came directly from the Celebrity description of the activity.

I am taking my first Alaska cruise next month on Celebrity. I chose a port side balcony cabin as my itinerary is a southbound one which means the port side will primariy be towards the land. That said, I am told that when going into the bay(s) with glaciers etc. that the ship does a 360 so that both sides get an equal opportunity to view the wonder of the glaciers. I would think Princess does the same thing. If your itinerary is southbound only I would choose port. If it is north bound only I would choose starboard. If it is round trip it probably doesn't matter choose the cabin location you like best as for half the trip you will be oceanside anyway.

On excursions I generally do not tip except in 2 different occasions on the same cruise. 1st time was ship booked tour in Belize to the Mayan ruins. One of our guides was an amazing guy and took his time to share so much about the ruins, their culture and I was the only one who tagged along to listen to him. He helped me get great pictures (solo cruiser) and after hearing his partner talk at our lunch stop about how the one beer Belize makes is trash (and it is) and how much their people in Belize LOVE Bud LIght but how expensive it was ($4/can apparently she hasn't been to NY, Vegas or a cruise ship LOL) I had no problem buying him a couple of Bud Lights over lunch. Needless to say he was the envy of other tour guides he was dining with when I brought them over. He was such a great guide I got his email and we keep in touch. If I get the chance to do Belize again I would hire him in a heart beat. The 2nd was a private tour I booked in St. Lucia. Wasn't fancy. Riding around in the dude's wood panel 70s station wagon but a top notch local tour. I was the only one willing to ride in the front seat with him but the added commentary and conversation was GOLD. We had a traditional St. Lucian lunch which was warm home made bread and a local cheese. He apologized as he though I was expecting a fancy lunch (some of the others were whining) and I laughed and told him the only thing I wished I had was maybe some butter for that warm bread but other than that I was happy. Needless to say at some of our shopping stops he steered me to the locals and made sure I got good discounts. The banana liquor I bought was on his recommendation and it was fabulous. I flipped him a $20 and he was over the moon. Bottom line is if a tour guide makes the focus of their talk their gratuity you won't see me reaching into my wallet. Do just a bit more and make the tour special and the focus is sharing the local culture and vibe: you will get a lot of appreciation from me.

I am scheduled to be on the Summit May 17th in Alaska. I hope what ever this is gets resolved quickly and permanently.

Neither working for me right now. Oh well.

Just checked and the excursions I booked are all the same price that I paid originally so no sale there for me. It appears they are having a Flash Sale and drink packages are 35% off and WiFi is on sale too. I just booked Premium Access because it includes the 2 devices premium WiFI but also no room service fees/gratuities and other stuff is a lot less than the simply 2 device WiFi package. I booked the Premium Access for the added savings.

Will they refund the difference or do you have to cancel and rebook?

That should be Royal Carribean. It was the Symphony of the Seas that was last to depart Saturday. Celebrity was the Apex. This I did know. For these residents the horns are definitely not a bother. I know some gather out on the lawn too. Thanks everyone for the input. Curiosity satisfied. I have 39 days to go to my Alaska cruise but may have to suspend watching sail aways as it only makes the time seem longer to departure not shorter. I needed to win that 1.3 billion dollar lottery, or at least a good chunk of it so I could book a last minute southern sail out of FLL and tell my boss to just deal with it but it didn't work out.

I was watching the Ft Lauderdale cruise camera yesterday since 5 ships were in port and due to head out. 1 Princess, 1 Celebrity, 2 HAL, and 1 NCL. Princess left first and I noticed that as they are mid-way in the channel they all sound their horn several times. Princess is cute as it is several notes from the Love Boat theme. Well at least I think it is cute. Which led me to wonder: is the horn blasts a maritime requirement i.e. prior to leaving the channel and heading out to open sea or is it simply because the ships know about the camera and they say "good bye" so to speak to those of us watching friends or family depart? I know that the camera(s) at that location are on a condo building and many residents are outside or on their balconies watching the sail away(s) waving. I just wondered if the horns were their way of "waving" back. Anyone here have a clue?

I just left the site with no issues

I know I am late to this thread but I just booked back in February. I am one of the people who got screwed by Virgin and had their January Carribean cruise with a Rock Star Aft Suite cancelled because they could make more money putting the boat out of San Juan. I was NOT happy which is an understatement. After brooding for a while I got the urge to travel again and work schedule changed where an early summer trip was possible. Alaska has always been a bucket list dream. I caught a President's Day sale on Celebrity and got a great balcony cabin (prime concierge class) port side for the southbound Seward to Vancouver 7 night sailing in Mid-May at an amazing price for a solo cruiser. I put the real money into excursions (which I also got on sale in many cases) and have 2 glacier trips, 3 whale watching, hiking, dog sledding, and as much as I can schedule in the time I have. I have cruised Celebrity twice in the past and wasn't aware that Princess is the gold standard for Alaska but I know I will go again and am willing to try them on the next trip. I am a bit concerned based on the 2 threads I have seen recently about the Summit being a "rust bucket" but we are only 40 days from sailing and there isn't much I can do about it. Fingers crossed I am on the ship for dinner and lights out and it won't be a huge issue. Otherwise this will be the trip of a lifetime and I can't wait.

They aren't. EONS ago I had a real pair that I used as a belt buckle. My uncle the cop gave me a set. When I had them in a carry on when flying for vacation the TSA guy stopped me and whispered asking if I had handcuffs in my suitcase. I told him yes. He was shocked I said yes and asked why. Me: recreational use. He turned BEET red and made me check the bag because they could be used to disable flight crew. Weird is in the eye of the beholder.

I hope not. I am supposed to be on the Southbound Alaska cruise mid-May.