Cruise Raider

Temps in Alaska can reach 80° F in the summer months .. or it can be down into the 30°s. Take some lightweight clothing that can be used for layering. while on the ship, it always seems to be kept at a pretty constant 70°, just like in any indoor shopping mall or restaurant on land, especially on the newer ships where the temps are much better controlled.

We’ve cruised quite often since the restart, mostly on Princess and one on sailing on Celebrity. of the many Princess cruises we’ve done since July 2021, only one had very questionable service and only a few staff members that were absolutely superb. That one was on the Diamond Princess and on a positive note, they had really good food and and excellent entertainment. The other 21 sailings on Princess have all been phenomenal in terms of service. I’m not sure about the Island as we haven’t cruised on her in a really long time but I must say, the service on the Majestic, Grand, Discovery, Royal and Ruby has been so very awesome. The only thing I could even possibly complain about, if I was a complainer, and I am usually not, is that their wine choices on some of the ships has been quite poor. But the Grand, Ruby and Royal have been very accommodating and at least have had something decent by the glass for us to drink. Whomever thought that Canyon Road is a suitable choice to drink with dinner has probably never drank a decent glass of wine before. Again, the Diamond had the worst possible selection I could even imagine. But, I digress … the service has been second to none on these other ships mentioned, IMO. I do love that I can now just order food on my app from a large selection of options and they deliver it to wherever you might be seated.

I communicate with people onboard all the time while I’m at home via WhatsApp. I think on my end, my phone has to be connected to internet or cell service to do so but, it’s my understanding that they don’t have to be connected while they are onboard. Does that sound right?

Once when it was really crowded, they were definitely checking and not allowing anyone in without the proper card color .. but then again, on other times, we were able to go in there with others when there was room. We were told it was perfectly fine and if they paid for drinks on their cards, they would be charged full price. As mentioned, nobody is getting terminated over it.

You can send videos and photos through WhatsApp .. or I believe you can even do voice calls, although, I’ve never tried it.

I’ve noticed that there is always been someone at the door checking medallions if they don’t know the people entering.

We check our account regularly and have had some erroneous charges added to our folios .. but they are always taken care of quickly and efficiently when disputing these charges. With as busy as the staff is lately, I'm actually surprised there aren’t more errors. We’ve all made mistakes in our lives so, I never begrudge anyone for making an honest mistake!

It's been really tricky this year. My situation is the same as yours. I wasn't even able to add my credit card into my DH's app ... because it is in my name. We simply make a visit to the front desk now to have our charges combined under my cc. It's an extra step but without it, we've gotten two separate folios.

Sometimes the lounge is really busy and in that case, they may not be allowed. However, it hasn't been that crowded since the restart but we've only had our visits on a few of the ships here on the west coast. I'm sure there is no harm in asking. After all, they will be able to identify their status level through their medallions.

We oftentimes cruise with one of our neighbors that doesn’t have a cell phone. At 88 years old, it’s doubtful she will ever get one. We’ve created a log in for her (on the princess website and on the app) and we just use our app for everything she needs. Or … We can log on to our app using her info we’ve set up. Then, just log back in under our own login. Your dad will be fine without the app… our neighbor certainly is! Waiters are plentiful throughout the ship, for the most part. If he wants room service, he can always call on the phone or order directly through the TV in his room. Or you can even order it for him on your phone .. just plug in the correct location of where you want it delivered.

You can if you have their booking number (add them in the app under manage shipmates .. something like that) and they accept being tracked through their app. We use that feature all the time

It’s really easy to add the Plus or Premium packages onto your booking at the stated prices of $60 and $80 pp per day. You can even now just do it onboard via your app. If you have a lot of obc, it’s a great way to spend it.

That would be a sad day for me as it is one reason I go there. I noticed that the filet of sole piccata was removed from the menu at Sanatini’s recently. That was also the dish I ordered 100% of the time I went there. 😔 Of note, they did serve me the Chilean sea bass at the last Winemaker’s dinner I attended (back in March) and it was the best meal I’ve ever had! Now they’ve raised the price from $40 pp to over $100 pp, I won’t be going again. Better wines, yes! But, not for that price.

I don’t eat red meat so, if I go, I always get either the lobster tail or the Chilean sea bass. While I love lobster, I must say, the Chilean sea bass has bee superb and might even be better than the lobster. Because my DH has been somewhat disappointed with the beef at the Crown Grill, he now orders the lamb chops and has been really happy with that. I usually order two appetizers and one main course .. by that time, there’s just too much food to order any sides or dessert.

We thought the sideways ones were quite noisy.

You are right about the steamer .. not allowed and there is a laundromat on each passenger deck. And the battery powered candle is brilliant. I always take a motion detector light for the bathroom .. it’s small and not bright and does the trick! I use one in my bathroom at home as well. I can’t stand being woken up with that bright light in the hallway in the middle of the night. So, we bring something to cover that, as well. I also take a white noise machine so, I’m happy even if my room is noisy. We usually pack light but these items are a must for us for any room now. It blocks out all those noises that would otherwise keep us awake. We also take cough drops and cold medicine just in case there is something spreading throughout the ship. The shops onboard may be closed our out of supply when you need it the most.

Great review! Thanks for taking the time to do this. I believe we will be on the Ruby at least one time this summer while she is here in SF. Oh, and I agree with you wholeheartedly about the Oakland airport. We live just east of it and it beats SFO for us every time. Unfortunately, we can’t always get the flights we want so need to go to SFO or even San Jose International, at times. We are fortunate to live within an hour’s drive to three major airports, two of which have a BART extension (OAK and SFO). BTW, if they still have tapas at Vines, you might enjoy them.

We now always take a white noise machine and set it to the sound of rainfall. It suits us very well and it blocks out all the external noises that might otherwise awaken us. It is actually quite soothing and relaxing. I’m not sure if that would be suitable for someone with migraines but it surely works for us. We can book a cabin right under the pool deck and the noise from above is not in the least bit bothersome. BTW, the cost was a mere $12.

THIS ^^^^^^^ 👏 👏 👏

There may or may not be a small charge for changing a guest but it is doable if one original person remains in the cabin that is booked. If you went through a travel agency, you should contact them directly. But if you booked through Princess, they can take care of it for you by calling them.

We find the Royal class ships to be pretty soundproof, when compared to the older ships in the Princess fleet. But, it’s the nature of cruising that ships can be noisy places, some cabins are worse than others, though. You will get little noise from others in the hallway as you are all the way aft. However, you will experience some noise from the Vista Lounge below, but really only when a band is playing. While any cabin can be problematic, just by the nature of being on a moving ship with other guests nearby, getting a cabin with rooms above, below and across from you is always the best option. maybe some noise cancelling headphones would be some extra protection. Hopefully, she won’t experience any migraines while onboard. You will love that cabin!

I like the seating arrangements and love when the piano player entertains in the evenings. Some are better than others but a few of the, really draw the crowds!

It’s funny you mention that .. the last two times on the Royal, it was always so hot onboard. To be fair, I prefer temps in the mid sixties.

I love the Royal class ships and of the ones I’ve sailed on, the Royal is my absolute favorite Princess ship. She just has everything we like: She has Vines She has Crooners She has Alfredo’s She has a large nonsmoking area of the casino that is completely blocked off from the smoke While we like the Discovery and the Majestic a lot, one doesn’t have Vines and the other doesn’t have Crooners. The Ruby is a fine ship but doesn’t have an Alfredo’s or GiGis pizzeria. None of them have such an area in the casino that I’ve seen, except for the Royal. I love deck 8 cabins and the midship ones are my favorites as the balconies are so much more affordable. My least favorite ship in the fleet is the Diamond Princess. She has nothing that really appeals to us.

You do order the water ahead of time via your personizer (located under beverage packages). It is a 12 bottle case of Crystal Geyser .. 16 Oz bottles They are delivered to you in your stateroom. You won’t get the same price once you are onboard.