Pjran

Please can you clarify? So if I take several bottles on board can I drop them off for chilling prior to dinner or am I expected to carry the bottle to the table and the waiter will then grab an ice bucket?

I really don't mind paying the corkage fee especially if I'm taking champagne on board.

Have you considered staying in Southampton for a couple of days? It's easy to catch the train or bus to Winchester, Salisbury and Portsmouth. Then travel to London to visit our magnificent museums, although many are free we do like our tourists to make a small donation :) Please make sure to visit the British Museum and catch the local lecturer talks and guides, again free. They certainly have a wealth of knowledge and are so enthusiastic about their specialist subject that they open your eyes to many of the things on display that you could easily miss. I also love the Wallace Collection, beautiful museum and welcoming staff.

Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you zider.

Just wondering if any of the restaurants on QE are open for lunch on embarkation day? We are not in Grills unfortunately. We sailed on Emerald Princess last month and was delighted to find we were able to dine in a restaurant rather than the buffet.

Items such as shampoo, conditioner, lotion & soap are replenished and most of the time other items usually will be also but if not you can ask your steward for more.

Thank you very much, it's nice to know as I'd read the ordinary shampoo was not great. A few items less to pack makes more room for handbags.

Thanks everyone who took the time to answer :)

Sorry one more question, are the toiletries replenished when empty or should I still pack some?

Please could you tell me which toiletries we will receive as Elite. I will need to start packing soon and would like to know whether I should pack shampoo, conditioner, body lotions etc.

Thank you.

Although the BVE is not available to us in the UK, I have found a quick email to the cruise company works wonders. We have enjoyed ship visits with several other lines and this includes a tour with lunch and wine, all complimentary.

It's good marketing for the ships and encourages new bookings. You are not pressurised during lunch or the tour, it's a very friendly experience. I particularly liked the Silversea one and on one occasion we were invited to a press event and stayed on board over night in port with an open bar.

We love cruising and I'm sure your friends will too. Just email the Public Relations officer, I'm sure you'll find the UK details if you search online. Good luck.

Hello, I am going on the Emmerald, Canary Islands Cruise in Oct - what are the things I should do/not do, and places that really stood out as I would love to go back to.....

And money - do they use the Euro there? Tried to find that on a web site and was not clear after I read the answer.

Hi, we're on the same cruise. Yes you will need € for Europe. There's an active roll call for our cruise, please join.

Pj

On our first Princess cruise, last July, Diamond in Japan, we were invited to the Captain's party.

Go figure, we were a bit surprised but wondered whether it was, perhaps, to do with our previous P&O cruises which registered with Princess as relevant status.

Yes you're right, your previous P&O cruises count towards your loyalty status with Princess. To my delight I am Elite with Princess and looking forward to my first cruise on Emerald next month. :D:D:D

The emerald princess was a beautiful ship easy to navigate, easy to embark and disembark at all ports. We ate breakfast in the Horizon buffet, which was great except for the coffee. Coffee was terrible. One way to avoid this is to order coffee in your room. Dinner in the dinning room was excellent except for one evening the steak was dry and tough. Our table server offered to bring another entry. The head maître de was sincerely apologetic and the following night brought us two bottles of wine. Our airline British Airlines lost our baggage at London Heathrow Airport. Princess purser's office made several phone calls to the Airline daily to help locate our baggage. Princess gave us free laundry and free tuxedos because of this and made our cruise as worry free as possible. Princess cruises were wonderful. Entertainment was excellent in the theatre as well the lounges. The casino was nice enough but played much and winning was rare. Finally gave up on the casino. A very enjoyable two weeks.

Thank you for posting your experience on Emerald Princess. It must have been awful not having all your luggage but it sounds like Princess handled the situation with care and compassion. It restores ones faith in Princess after reading some negative posts.

We are due to sail on Emerald next month, really looking forward to our first cruise with this line.

 

Should Princess keep a closet of brand new velour robes in assorted sizes so everyone can have a new one that fits properly? :rolleyes:

Now that's a good idea :)

We haven't put together a list yet, we were supposed to be in London right now post a BI cruise but had to cancel in June due to some surgery Dudette needed to have in mid-July. So we have rebooked for late August next year and will spend a week in London after the cruise. So my question was really a general one....if there is such a thing....but we will want to do the usual touristy things....like tea with the Queen, lunch with Canada's High Commissioner, maybe a souvenir from the Tower of London....that kind of thing.;)

The Queen might not be in residence but you can prebook to visit the palace. You will only have to pay for the wheelchair user and the pusher goes free. Booking is essential.

Pj

I wondered if anyone has any experience using Mobility at Sea to hire a wheelchair when cruising from Southampton.

 

We are travelling with my Husbands 81 year old granny and she wants the comfort of having a wheelchair if she feels there is too much walking. I contacted princess and they couldn't offer me any recommendations.

 

Any help or advice would be much appreciated

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

You might be able to borrow a wheelchair from your local Red Cross for your granny. Let them know you'll need it for your cruise and make a donation when you return it.

Enjoy your holiday.

You're lucky, I've just checked the British website and we aren't being offered the same low prices. To top it off there's no OBC either! I'm just jealous.

I think I'm right in saying we are not allowed to book Princess, P&O and Cunard via an America agent to get the deals.

Good luck to you all, I would go at that price if I could get flights.

How wonderful, enjoy your holiday.

I can't imagine someone who needed to book an accessible cabin wanting to be upgraded unless, perhaps, you were to be upgraded from an HC inside to an HC outside.

 

Yes, that's exactly what I meant an upgrade to another higher grade accessible cabin.

Thanks Ron the Rev. I don't need a hoist at the moment but who knows what the future might hold!

I'm pleased to hear that upgrades do happen for disable cabins :)

Hi

We are booked on an Emerald Princess sailing this October. Just wondered if anyone who has booked a disabled cabin has ever been upgraded?

Yes I realise this could well be very wishful thinking on my part and appreciate the extra space already in these cabin types but I'm allowed to dream aren't I?

Thanks, can hardly wait for your replies.

Pj

You really must cruise with every line to find out which you prefer ;) but in all honesty I'm sure Cunard will suit your holiday needs. I love their theatre especially the boxes and you don't have to pay to use them. You only pay if you want the champagne and choc package.

Give it a go. We've been on Elizabeth, QE11 and Victoria. Great ships.

:D An hour ago I received a call from Princess Cruise Line asking if we'd be willing to switch to a cruise leaving out of Seattle a day earlier.

 

First of all, I have to say I am beyond excited.

 

I was told our cruise on the Grand Princess leaving Seattle for Alaska (Tracy Arm) this Sunday August 24th is over booked. The Princess Rep said he was calling locals living near Seattle to make the switch.

 

He switched us to the Golden Princess (Glacier Bay) leaving Seattle tomorrow Saturday August 23rd.

 

On the Grand we booked a guarantee balcony. They had assigned us B733.

 

Now on the Golden Princess they upgraded us to a Mini Suite D724. :D

 

We've stayed in a Mini Suite previously on the Dolphin Deck & loved it.

 

For this cruise leaving tomorrow we will cruise through Glacier Bay. I am beyond happy about this because previously we've only cruised through Tracy Arm.

 

I love the Golden Princess, love Princess Cruise Line, & am in scramble mode to get packed a day earlier. ***So so so EXCITED for the upgrade & itinerary switch.

That's fabulous and only one day earlier. I think I'd be jumping for joy :D

My post #7 was based on our experience in Vines in January 2014 on Crown and on Emerald the year before.

They had a Sushi Chef who also made tapas. They will bring you a little plate or you can pick out what you want from what he is preparing.

It was a very popular place for senior staff members.

LuLu

Thank you LuLu.

This will be our first Princess cruise and I'm counting the days. Fortunately I've been granted Elite status and my husband Platinum as we have both cruised with P&O. I'm certainly looking forward to the Elite benefits and my husband will be pleased to taste the sushi. Sushi is not for me, the only rice I enjoy cold is a traditional baked rice pudding.

I hope I never have to visit the Medical Room :eek: haha.

Princess does not use what you see as the current rate.

 

There have been other posts by UK folk indicating they decided to not purchase in advance because of this.

 

Also, at the end of your cruise do not let Princess convert your on board account to your local currency (you can do this on your boarding pass, but make sure at the Purser's desk they are not ignoring that tick mark.) They will use a poor exchange rate and then charge you 3% more as a convenience fee. Better to let the charge go to your bank as US$ and let the bank do the conversion.

You are correct Carbill. I actually rang Princess with an idea to purchasing some OBC but with their poor exchange rate wasn't worthwhile. Many banks, post office and M&S offer better rates.

I will buy my drinks package once on board ;)