wrongwaywatson

16 minutes ago, Shippy said:

We cruise several times a year. It has amazed us how many of our fights have been delayed.

   From faulty aircraft to the crew not arriving on time for our flight.

I would NEVER attempt to fly in on the same day of a cruise.

Glad you have not booked yet.

We like to fly in the day before, and when we did Alaska last year we did fly in the day before.  However, there are some times that our work schedules just don't work out that way.  When we DO fly in day of, we fly as early as possible, get non-stop flights and we book through Princess.  But, I agree, day before is preferred!

9 minutes ago, Shippy said:

Flying in the same day......good luck !

We haven't booked anything for this, yet.  We are actually booked one week later on the Vancouver to Anchorage leg.  We may have to change it.  We just wanted to see the flights/boarding times before we changed our plans, if possible.  

3 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

My Travel Summary says "Your ship begins boarding at 12:30 PM on Sep 04 and sets sail at 08:30 PM on Sep 04." Your Travel Summary should have the exact times for your cruise.

 

The ship sails from Whittier - not from Anchorage. The train from Anchorage takes 2 1/2 hours; I'm not sure about the bus. Princess guidelines for embarkation in Anchorage (from my Travel Summary): "Latest flight arrival: 4 hours, 30 minutes prior to the ship's departure."

 

If you arrive in Anchorage early afternoon, you won't be boarding until late afternoon. The ship will be ready before you get there. In your case, I would definitely recommend a Princess transfer instead of trying to arrange transportation to Whittier on your own.

Thank you!  We haven't booked it, so we don't have a travel summary yet!  We actually have a sailing booked for Vancouver to Anchorage, but we are looking at moving it up a week possibly, and we were wondering about boarding time.  Thank you

We are looking at a cruise that starts in Anchorage.  The sail away time is 8pm.  Looking at flights, we could be there very early afternoon.  Can you board the ship early afternoon or do you have to wait until later afternoon?  What is the earliest time you can board?  I tried to search for the answer, but the wheel just keep spinning.  Thanks!

20 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

It is the same on both sides of the ship.  Looking down is basically the Promenade area.  Depending on the ship (Royal Class) and which side, you might see some outdoor tables for a dining venue.  Pick the side over the Shops and likely less people.  We have been in one of those mid-ship cabins on Emerald Deck a couple of times and never found an issue with the Promenade below.

Thank you!

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

To add to your insightful comments, I would add some sick and how sick questions.  Maybe a cruiser decision tree is needed.  As a member of the vaccinated community, I would hesitate to report to sick bay with only minor symptoms that I can treat symptomatically with OTC medications in my travel kit. For example:

 

Sick, but feel overall ok?  Feels like a cold or a minor case of the flu?

 

      Vaccinated - treat symptomatically and maybe mask up. Enjoy your cruise.

 

      Not vaccinated - if it feels like the flu, get to sick bay, get tested, and get some paxlovid immediately.  Get  quarantined and stay away from the rest of us   Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

 

I guess I qualify as vaccinated, but I haven't had any boosters and my last shot was May 2021.  I have not caught Covid, yet.  It seems like everyone that I hear about catching it, including those here in this thread, have been vaccinated, many multiple times.  I really don't think that the steps should be any different.  If you feel sick, test.  If you have Covid, report it and isolate, just as I hope you would if you have noro or influenza.  Even if you test negative, you have SOMETHING, and it doesn't need to be shared.  Stay in your cabin, if possible, until you are well.

22 hours ago, wheezedr said:

So incorrect.  Reidel, the glassware maker, actually offers a class at wineries in which you taste different varietals from a variety of different shaped stemware.  The different shapes impact the bouquet and then also where the wine hits on your palate.  These truly do change how the flavor is perceived.  Think of a brandy snifter versus a champagne flute and then tell me it doesn’t matter.  Every aspect of the wine service, glass thickness, stemware shape, proper serving temperature will impact taste.  
I have drunk wine from many vessels but if offered I will take a fine, properly shaped and sized glass over paper or plastic every time.

My $3/bottle Moscato tastes great in a glass with ice and a straw! 🙂

Obviously, I'm not much of a wine drinker.  But I do like the sweet Moscato!

There was an outbreak of Noro this spring on our Caribbean Princess cruise and they tightened up the protocols for that.  I didn't really see anyone coughing and hacking, though.  

It does sound to me like the OP's family self-isolated and didn't go to medical?  

Our daughter and family joined you today in Athens!  

5 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Very obstructed looking down. Completely. Not obstructed looking out. FWIW Emerald Decks 'obstructions' are the tenders. There aren't tenders between E403-E433 

Thank you!  They are a DW and ours is a BW.  I will ask our travel agent the rate difference.  

I searched on the cabin spreadsheet, but didn't find this exact cabin.  I found one a few doors down, but the view could change.  It is an obstructed view balcony on Emerald Deck.  Has anyone stayed in this cabin?  If so, how obstructed is it?  Thank you!

So, most evenings I order hot tea from room service.  Nothing else, just a pot of hot water and tea bags.  According to this, I will now be charged $5.00 each time?

I've never had it and I've been exposed a few times.  My husband came down with it in December of 2021.  I've been sick with other things and tested for it, due to my job requirements.  I, strangely, tested positive for Influenza A, instead of Covid.

1 minute ago, melodyina said:

yes so true, thanks for the correction

 

But....what is the answer??  LOL

17 hours ago, Paula_MacFan said:

 

I'm sorry, but I've been reading this thread and just can't get past this first line.  

 

Wouldn't your daughter-in-law and her husband be your son and daughter-in-law?  Maybe it's my detail-oriented brain but I'm trying to figure out who is who in this scenario.  

I'm glad you asked, because I have been racking my brain on this one!

7 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Might be another of my dumb questions.  Does this mean we also iMessage each other on board?  

Yes, you can!  

If you have iphones, you can imessage using the free medallion net, whether you have internet or not.  You can also iMessage people at home, with iphones. 

I order a pot of hot water/tea bags every evening via room service.  It usually comes quickly and I give the person one dollar.  

I just got off the Grand.  I wore my Hoka sneakers onboard to walk, workout and to walk into each town.  They were fine.  My feet were not cold and they had good traction.  You probably don't need boots.

Gosh, we boarded in Vancouver June 3rd and it went quickly!  We took a taxi and arrived around 10:30-10:45 or so.  We were in our rooms a little bit after 11:00    Traffic wasn't bad and check-in was quick and seamless.  We had 2 first time cruisers with us and they had no issues getting right in, also

On 6/9/2023 at 10:15 AM, JGmf said:

 

Formal nights with that mess?

 

We were just off of The Grand Princess June 3-10, and they started it back up that voyage, too.  However, it wasn't on formal night.  It was on Friday, the last evening of the cruise.  We didn't do it, but it looked pretty full when I walked by later.

We are currently on our Alaskan cruise and were in Skagway yesterday.  The puppies were in the Piazza last night from 7pm-7:45pm. 

I am currently on the Grand and I applied $500 in gift cards in early May and another $200 on Thursday, June 1, that I purchased on Wednesday, May 31st.  Sounds like I just made the deadline with those last $200!

14 hours ago, jlmklm said:

Our disembarkation was very much delayed.  We met in the theater with our group as instructed at 8:00 AM.  We were supposed to disembark, pick up our luggage and get on the shuttle bus to the airport.  Princess was blaming CBP.    By 11:00 AM it was a madhouse.  After initially telling passengers to please not line up, to wait in lounges or go back to your stateroom they stopped all announcements and  we were told by a staff member to just get in the long line and see what happens.  Finally they said Americans and Canadians could get off.  We found our transfer bus but still arrived at the airport after our plane left.  I booked us another flight that day departing in a few hours but it was quite expensive.  I have sent a couple emails to Princess but have not received a response.  This may very well have been my last Princess cruise.

I have read that there was an issue with CBP, so how is that Princess's fault?  I understand being upset, I would be, too, but I don't see how this was something that Princess could control?

I LOVED the original version.  I ordered it every night that we ate in the MDR.  I was terribly disappointed that they changed it.  I REFUSE to order the new one and I made my displeasure known (not that they can do anything about it).   My family worried that I might jump overboard or something, but I did not! LOL   

My husband did order the new version one night and he said that he liked it, not as well as the old version, but he likes raspberry flavor, and he said it was okay.  

They definitely should bring the original back and the new one should be called something different.  But, it does seem that more people don't like it than do like it.