skynight

This is what suits my relaxation as well as my observations over many, many years. The MDR is open from 7am until 9:30 on sea days. Closes 30 minutes earlier on port days. Prompt seating, allow an hour to dine. There are some different selections each day, but basic items are always available when requested. Normally I don't like to give up an hour to have breakfast. My preference is to get up and get moving. On sea days I like to walk for an hour or so and grab some coffee an other items during the walk. Port days are similar unless I have a planned excursion. I have dined in the DR on turn around days, open 6am until 8am, when sailing b2b's to take up time. The buffet and Piazza are very crowded on these days with those disembarking the ship. Buffet. Basic buffet fare, except there has been an omelet prepared to order station. Seating can be a challenge. Beverages are served at the table from roaming waiters. Most times I enjoy sitting in the outside sitting areas. It's easy to grab something light like a bowl of cereal, or have a full omelet platter with as many sides as you can fit on the plate. Takes about 30 minutes. International Cafe. Doughnuts, Danish, an egg McMuffin type of sandwich and some other items. Find a table in the Piazza or bring back to your cabin. This is an option that I use. It's quick and easy. Room service hang tag. Cont. items and coffee, tea. I don't enjoy eating in my cabin. Many do sitting on their balcony. You can also visit the buffet and carry items back to your cabin.

I was on the Emerald's bridge, sister to the Crown. Directly aft of the bridge are cabins for the bridge officers. Our security guide asked us to be very quiet walking past the cabins as they were sleeping.

Ensenada. There is a port area with a number of stores and some pavement to walk around. The town is quite a distance from the port. I remember there were shuttle busses. On the bus the driver or guide was pushing blowhole trips. I did not hear great comments regarding the blowhole, but I never went there myself. At the port next to the ship there were seals (or maybe they were sea lions) on the rocks directly next to the ship. They were fun to watch.

Some information. Balconies & cabins. Really no difference, port or starboard. In the scenic parts of the cruise it is best to be on the upper decks where you can walk around and get larger vistas. On the Caribbean Princess port and starboard balcony category cabins on deck 10, Caribe Deck, are 9ft x 9ft with 5ft of cover and 4ft uncovered. On other decks they are 5ftD X 9ftW. Balcony cat cabins at the aft of the ship, facing the wake, have various sized balconies. Look at the deck plans. All balcony category cabins have the same sized interiors. There is one desk chair and a fridge. Cabins with 3 berths have two lower berths and an upper berth that lowers from the ceiling. You can find these on the Princess.com deck plans by selecting the number of passengers. The word 'Premium' only refers to location on the ship, nothing else is different. Mini suites are larger. Almost all are on deck 9 with 9ft x 6ft uncovered balconies. There are around a dozen all the way aft on deck 8 with covered balconies. Mini suites have a 3 seat sofa that converts into a bed. Bathroom is a little larger with a tub/shower. Reserve mini suites included some extra benefits the most important of which is walk in anytime Reserve Class dining. You can also locate connecting cabins to book or avoid on the Princess.com deck plans by check that box. Airfare. You can book yourself on line using EZ Air. It really is easy to use. To see how it works go to the Princess.com website. Select any 2024 cruise like the one you are planning. You will see a flight quote tab. Flexible fares are the way to go. They are usually less than non-flexible, can be changed up to 45 days before sailing, and are payable at the time of final payment. Plus fare. The first two in the cabin must take the plus fare. It is optional for the 3rd person. Each adult person with the plus fare will receive unlimited wifi internet, daily gratuities which for a balcony cat cabin are $16/pp/day, mini suite, $17/pp/day, unlimited non alcoholic beverages with a few exceptions, and up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day menu priced $15 or under. Probably 90% of all alcoholic beverages are under $15. The breakeven point is between 2 and 3 alcoholic beverages per day.

Senior Moment.

Thank you Tiki Dave. In 2025 I'm booked b2b on the Ruby from S.F. It would be really nice if you are assigned to the Ruby for the 2024/25 season. If not, other ambassadors will do a fine job.

Not really. I know for sure that Cruise Director staff cabins are forward on deck 11 on this class of ship. Similar ranking staff are also housed in these areas. Another example are the entertainers and entertainment staff. Their cabins are forward on deck 7 in front of the stage area. I expect that other officer level crew would be forward on deck 10.

Full, but not overfull with families with children. Very few youth.

Crew cabins as it is on deck 11 and other decks.

Most likely lamb which is common. Never saw the others.

November 1st? The Port of L.A. has the Crown scheduled for berth 92 which is along the channel at the World Cruise Center. The large parking, drop off and pick up area is off of Swinford Ave. I would think pick up/drop off would be right in front of the pier on the access road. You can see this on Google Maps. Google World Cruise Center, San Pedro CA. When you order Uber make certain you include the pier number and the ship. Another Oceana ship is scheduled to be at berth 93 directly in front of the Crown. It could be busy. I would think that drivers know this area very well. Ships are there all the time.

Now you can print your luggage tags

"Hawaiian Ambassadors are on - it seems every single thing they do is an extra fee to attend, a little off-putting." Are they ELUA? On U.S. - Hawaii cruises ambassadors provide no charge uke & hula lessons as well as crafts which do have a charge. Are you saying that uke and hula instruction has a charge? Or, are they just doing crafts?

Balcony category cabins all have the same size interiors no matter if they are B1, B2,B4 or BF. There are B4 aft facing cabins on all decks 8 through 11. The balcony size varies. You can see it on the deck plans. Port and starboard balcony category cabins on deck 10, Caribe deck, all have 9ft x 9ft balconies with 5ft of cover and 4ft uncovered. Interiors and balcony sizes are all the same. The word 'premium' only refers to location. I have always selected the aft BD cabins as far forward as possible. There is a savings in fare. I have also found that there is no difference in comfort from the mid ship B1 & B2 cabins.

Sounds like just another issue with the app. I wouldn't worry very much. Carry your Travel Summaries with you. Check in is any time usually after 9:30. Boarding should begin around 11 or so.

Any information on Dry/Wet dock updates from those boarding today?

Not in the poster's case. It is a single RT Ft. Lauderdale 14 night voyage, not a b2b.The ship does not go back to F.L. after 7 days. You can find the itineraries on the Princess web site.

Taking tours from cruise ships can be challenging, especially in unfamiliar ports. From what you describe I'm thinking you are booked on the 20 night Southampton to Rome, Island Princess, July 26th. These ports are difficult, especially for one that has never cruised. Some of these ports do not have a steady stream of cruise ships like the ports in the Caribbean. It's fairly easy in a port like Barcelona to walk around in La Rambla. The ship will dock a short taxi ride away. But some will be difficult to get around. Be careful in all the ports for pick pockets. They are indeed out there. I would suggest that you join the cruise critic roll call for your voyage. People on your cruise may already be working on private and ship's tours. If your voyage is July 26th as I suspect then your roll call connection is below. If not then just find the roll call by searching the cruise critic roll call section for your ship and date.

Unless you wheel your own luggage onto the ship, without a luggage tag your luggage will arrive on board and be in limbo until staff can locate you by your name tag. If you know your cabin number and do not have a luggage tag then it's easier. Chances are the poster's cabin number will be known before sailing.

14 different dinner menus. It is not a 7 day cycle. Some selections do repeat.

Even if it does not show in your documentation, Princess will have assigned your cabin before you reach the port to board. That cabin will be the category you booked or a higher category. There are 4 interior categories, IA, IB, IC and ID. For example, if you booked an IC category you will not be placed into an ID category. In this example one may be assigned to an IB or IA. Sometimes even a higher category such as an outside view cabin. That's the way it works. When you reach the pier if you do not already have your luggage tags printed from a PC the luggage handlers will have them. They should also have a listing of your name and cabin number to write on the luggage tags.

There will be a show on the first evening. The main production shows will be other evenings during the voyage.

Botticelli is in the same location on the Emerald as Allegro is on the Regal. Access from the aft staircase or elevators on deck 7 and above. The Chef's table on the Emerald is within the MDR proper. It is not separated in its own alcove as it is on Royal Class ships.

2) It takes some time to tender all passengers to the pier in Cabo. I looked up your itinerary. The ship arrives at noon, remains overnight and then sails the next day at 1pm. Shuttles operate overnight. After arrival passengers going ashore will be asked to report to a meeting area, usually a DR, to receive a shuttle ticket. The entire group must be there. One person can not get tickets for the entire group. If you wish to be ashore soon after arrival then show up early to to the ticket location. It's basically first come, first ashore. At some point during the afternoon there will be an announcement that tickets are no longer required and you just report directly to the tender pontoon on deck 4. I recommend a folding stroller. To board the shuttle you are required to step across the gap between the ship and the shuttle boat. Many times both are in motion, up & down, side to side. Crew are there to assist. The stroller will be folded and placed on the shuttle. I don't know if a non-foldable stroller can be loaded. Guess it depends on how small it is. The port is a marina area. There is a "U" shaped walk around the marina lagoon lined with restaurants, shops and such. Lots of passengers will have their evening meal on shore along with the liquid refreshments. There are a number of excursions. It will be whale season. Whale watching should be a popular excursion. There are some nice beaches at hotels. If you select a Princess excursion you will receive instructions on where to meet. It's usually on the ship. If on the ship you will not require shuttle tickets. 4) You are requested to leave your cabin no later than 8am. Disembarkation will begin around 7/7:30am with self walk off where passengers wheel their own luggage. You have to request self walk off. If you do not want self walk off then you will have a meeting location and time at a location on the ship, again usually a DR. On disembarkation day breakfast is served in the DR between 6am and 8am. Times are basically the same in the buffet. There will also be doughnuts and Danish at the International Cafe. You can walk there and get some. In the past I have brought some food from the buffet the day before and had breakfast in the cabin. There is a fridge in each cabin. I'm not certain if room service breakfast is offered on disembarkation day. 3) Hot and sunny. Sea conditions vary a lot. I have experienced choppy seas northbound on the way back to L.A. when the ship is sailing against the current. Be prepared with sea sick meds. 1) Specialty restaurants like the Crown Grill. Children 3 to 12 are $19.50, Children under 3 are no charge. It is similar at other specialty restaurants. For casual dining restaurants I do not see any child pricing. There is a la carte pricing. At a place like GiGi's pizza the children may be able to share with you. There is no charge pizza by the Lido pool as well a the grill with fries, burgers, dogs, ice cream and lots of other selections. Hope this answers some of your concerns.

Chef's Table is held in Botticelli. Starboard side of Da Vinci is used for reserve class. All DRs have the same menus. Decor is not really different. I have read that if you wish to be able to get the same table and waiters each evening there is a better chance in Botticelli.