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Depends on the ship and how well they maintain their equipment. But, in general, yeah they should have the lighter weights. One thing I've noticed is that the more reps you do with them, the heavier they seem to get! steve

Thanx for your quick response. I remember that now, but also seem to recall a special opportunity or two where they allowed cigars somewhere, semi-obscure, on deck. thanx again. steve

I enjoy an occasional cigar, tho' not so well received by the Mrs. I'll be on the Ruby just after Thanksgiving and the Emerald just after January 1. Do either of these ships have a place to smoke cigars? I recall in the past that some ships have a cigar lounge near or adjacent to the casino. As much as I enjoy the aroma of a good cigar is as much as I dislike cigarette smoke. thanx steve

Thanx again to all of you. We love Princess's liberal attitude toward wine and that's what's put us on 28 Princess cruises. Even this recent edict and its spotty application is consistent with what keeps us comin' back. steve

OK, that's clear as mud...actually it is...sounds somewhat arbitrary (OK with me, as I don't mind paying, and expected to do so) and confusing. We'll just be prepared to pay and see how it unfolds. Glad to pay $15 to drink some of my stock without having to do the dishes! steve

thanx for the input. i'm still trying to understand how they determine how many bottles you have, especially if they're packed in a suitcase, and sent on board with the rest of the luggage. I've taken so many bottles on board in the past, without charge, that I really don't mind kickin' a few bucks into their coffers, I just want to know what to expect. Princess's wine prices are fair tho' no steal. They used to be a good deal. Don't forget when you buy a bottle on board, you get to pay another 15% gratuity. steve

I know that this has been asked, answered and cursed at many times, but I couldn't easily find the answer. Under the new Princess wine policy, how and when do they assess the $15 corkage fee? It used to be that they charged you, when they did, at the time you brought the bottle into the MDR. I've heard that now you get two bottles "free" (of corkage fees) but they must be consumed in your room. I'd really like a detailed answer from someone who's actually done this, not hearsay and I don't need to know about bringing wine in from ports we visit. Only wine brought on at the time of embarkation. thanx steve

Not sure if this is still true, but the hamburgers in the MDR were thicker and better than the ones they served at the Trident Grill.

I assume this change to Park West is related to ascendance of the new company president (at Princess). Is this correct? thanx. s

Pardon me if this has already been thrashed to death, but I understand that Park West is now in charge of the fine arts program at Princess, replacing Global Fine Arts. Can anyone shed light on this change? thanx. s

It will be the MDR on 5 or 6 (can't recall the name), but it will be the only one that's open. Having lunch in the MDR upon embarkation is one of the great "secrets" of Princess cruising. Most of the crowd goes to the Horizon Ct or burger line, but great lunch in the MDR that day and usually not very crowded. Their lunch burger trumps the Trident Grill every time, or at least it did last year. steve

thanks for your advice.

Our May cruise is stopping in Alicante. We are uncertain what to do there. Any suggestions? Thanks for your advice.

We've purchased many pieces from Global Fine Arts while aboard Princess cruises. In each and every instance we've been very pleased with the art and it's shipping. However, in some cases, it can take a while. The shipping is cheap, but while we (the collective "we") were whiling away our time aboard the cruises, they raised their buyer's premium from 10% to 15%. Some of the art sells for a good deal, but many pieces are sold near retail. It is nice to know that CCL stands behind your purchase, but it is a cash cow for them. s