skynight

From someone that has been elite for almost 15 years. I have been reading through many of the posts. My opinion. Don't buy your way by booking extra cruises just to become elite. Book cruises because you enjoy them.

To add, I don't know your exact itinerary, but most of those South Pacific islands including Hawaii are in the tropics. So you get the strong sun no matter when you sail.

I have sailed similar itineraries twice, once from Sydney to L.A. and the other RT L.A down to the South Pacific and return. The sun is on the equator The 21st of March and September. There are no cool times. It's hot all the time with strong direct sun.

On boarding day there will be staff all over selling the plus and premier package. Just go to one of them and purchase the plus package. The charge will be posted to your on board account and will net against any OBC credits. Remember that the 1st and 2nd passengers in the cabin must have the same plus upgrade. Princess excursions are the only items you can use OBC pre-cruise.

Mini bar usually contains 8 x 50ml spirits, 2 bottles beer, plus 10 non alcoholic beverages which are normally 2 diet cokes, 2 regular cokes, 2 Perrier, 2 plain water, 2 tonic waters. You can trade any alcoholic beverage 1 for 1, for another alcoholic beverage or any non alcoholic beverage. You can trade non alcoholic beverages for different non alcoholic beverages, example get all diet cokes. If you want wine you can trade the entire mini bar, all 20 items, alcoholic & non alcoholic for one bottle of wine.

By the pool it's faster to walk up to the bar. It's a toss up with Ocean Now and the roving waiters. Waiters place orders in their hand helds and mostly others deliver the order. I did not think the system was very efficient. I did not see bar waiters in the theater on a recent Ruby cruise.

There is also plenty of space in the back end of the open closet area.

On my recent cruise there was no old style room service menu. There was the old style breakfast hang tag and then there was Ocean Now. Ocean Now isn't just room service. It is delivery to wherever you are on board, and that could be your cabin.

I can't answer your Dart question. In case you are not aware. In order to board the tender you have to be able to walk some. The crew will assist you. You can't roll a wheelchair onto the tender and with the walker you must also be able to step onto the tender with assistance. Most tenders have a few stairs to get to the seating which you have to be able to handle. The crew will load the wheelchair onto the tender and store it during the transit. Same with the walker. This is what I have seen.

If you have the plus or premier fares/packages, Ocean Now via the app and room service via the phone are included. If you have the standard fare then the first time you use the Ocean Now app you will be charged $14.99. This fee does not include phone in room service. For those with the standard fare each time you phone in for room service you are charged $5. There is no charge for food and morning beverages using the evening/morning breakfast room service door hang tag. Ocean Now delivery is to wherever you are on board the ship. You are located by your medallion. If you are in your cabin, that's where the order is delivered. At the pool, delivered to you there. There are food items and beverages you can choose. Some food items have an extra charge, many are no charge. Alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages are charged at the menu price +18% if you have the standard fare. If you have the plus/premier fare there is no charge for up to 15 alcoholic beverages within the price limits and unlimited non alcoholic beverages.

If you are Elite loyalty status or are in a full suite you will have priority tender status. This means you will be able to get on board a tender fairly quickly after you arrive at the meeting location. Platinum loyalty status do not have priority tender service. You will be advised on board regarding the timing and location to pick up your tender (water shuttle) tickets. It's one ticket per passenger. The entire group must be there. My experience is that one individual can not pick up tickets for an entire group. Once tendering begins, most likely around 7:30 passengers on Princess tours go first. There may be extra space on these early tenders. It takes a few hours before the wait times are down to zero. I would think you might be ashore somewhere between 8:30 and 9am. Remember to look at the sign which indicates the time of the last tender back to the ship. You don't want to miss that.

Yes they do. I have seen demonstrations at the Good Spirits Bar in the Piazza, deck 5. There are also wine tastings. You will find these type of activities listed in the daily event listings which you will get in your cabin as well as in the Journey View on the app and on the large screens around the ship. I will mention that you have only one sea day so that these type of activities are limited. Live music sets, performers, times and locations are also shown.

Yes for those with Elite loyalty status. One per cabin generally. Full suites also receive the mini bar and an Elite in a full suite receives 2 set ups.

This March I sailed a 10 day followed up b2b with the 14 day. The Magic to Do show was late in the 10 day cruise and the 1st production show on the 14 day. Most likely reason was to get the magician on/off as quickly as possible to make room for other entertainers. It has been mentioned to me various times that entertainer's cabins are in short supply.

Agree. I would ask the CD or ass't CD's regarding the premier seating for production shows. These are the ones that are ushers for these shows.

Premier reserved seating is for production shows only, not other shows. I think what you are asking is if there are reserved spaces for those with scooters and the premier package in the back of the theater. I have not been on the Regal. I can tell you that on the Ruby I did not see what you mention.

Captain's Circle?

Probability of reaching 85F (30C) is not very high. More like 25C (75F) on a good day along the coast.

I would head to San Pedro and stay at the Double Tree or Crown Plaza. There are also some nice hotels in Long Beach about 30 minutes away.

This past March on the Ruby the journey view appeared in the app about 7 to 10 days out. I think it all depends on the Entertainment and Cruise Directors how soon the schedule appears.

You will receive one mini bar per ship's voyage, not booking number. If your voyage is a true 14 day voyage, like a 14 day circle the Caribbean or a 14 day trans Atlantic then you will receive one mini bar. If your voyage is two 7 day b2bs then you will receive one mini bar on boarding and another on turn around day. It does not matter how you booked with a single booking number or two separate booking numbers.

I would say ok to the two cabins mentioned. There are cabins above and below and interior cabins directly across the hall. I don't know exactly what the blank areas are. Typically some space is housekeeping storage.

Probably similar to your weather. You have to be prepared for cool days and cool nights with layered clothing, as well as warm days. In C maybe 10 overnight, 15 evenings, 20 to 25 daytime. Don't forget the rain jacket. It is hurricane season when hurricanes and tropical storms can run up the coast from the tropics. If you encounter one expect rough waters and warmish temps.

Princess Platinum insurance is indeed a cancel for any reason plan. It provides 100% in future cruise credits. You would have to check further for exact details. It appears that your situation is a cancel for covered reason. You would have to check with Princess or Aon about the exact terms. You should have a copy of the Princess Protection Policy that was sent to you by e-mail. You probably will have to review all the details and boring fine print. Regarding your questions about replacing passengers in the cabin you really have to speak with Princess. If booked via a T.A. or CVP go through them. I do think if you booked directly the normal customer service staff probably would have difficulty helping you, but you may be forced to contact them.

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