skynight

If the 26 day cruise is a b2b then you will receive one set up for each segment. Not cutbacks. It has always been one setup per cabin. Exception is for full suites. Full suites receive one set up for being in a full suite and one set up for being elite.

If you have the plus fare, which it sounds like you have, then almost all non alcoholic beverages are included and unlimited, including specialty coffees, juices and so on. Also included is room service if ordered by the app or over the phone. If you have the stand alone beverage package, which I add is not cost effective at all, then you will have to pay a one time charge of $15 to be able to order using the app. Additionally you will have to pay $5 for each delivery ordered over the phone. There is no charge for ordering using the breakfast door hanger which has continental items.

Speak with your current and new cabin stewards in advance. Follow their advice. As long as you have time it is best to carry your valuables and place them into your new cabin's safe. Remember to keep your IDs and passports with you. You will require them to clear immigration when you exit the ship to board your excursion. Your cabin steward will probably ask you to keep all the items that you have hanging in the closet on hangers. These will be moved on hangers to your new cabin and be hung in the closet. Other items need to be packed into the suitcase. The staff will move them to the new cabin, or if you have time you can wheel them there yourself. Your excursion meeting time will probably be fairly early as Princess likes to clear the ship as quickly as possible. You probably will not have much time for a leisurely breakfast.

If it is an issue you could probably request assistance to get your luggage off the ship and down the gangplank. Once on the pier you will be on your own.

will she get bored? I can't directly answer this question. There are no rock walls, slides, wave pools on these two Princess ships. There is a teen center. January isn't a school holiday period in the U.S. Thus expect very few teens on board. Mostly an older demographic. Do the ships feel really old? The Ruby just entered dry dock and will be there for just under a month. She should be in good shape. Reports are that she is getting all new bedding, carpets, and I expect many other things. I can't comment on the Grand's condition. I will mention that in my opinion these ships have a much better layout than the Royal class ships. She is also extremely picky with food, would we be able to get french fries everywhere easily? French fries will be available at the Salty Dog Grill by the Lido pool every day from 11am until mid evening. Just walk up and ask for a plate. There are also other selections at the grill. Pizza and ice cream are also available by the Lido pools. She can order French fries in the DR. There is also a youth menu in the DRs. The buffet is open continuously from 6am until 11pm. There should be something there that she enjoys. Is internet on the ships ok? It should be fine, but may be slow when in the middle of the Ocean on the way to and from Hawaii. As this are smaller ships , do you feel the movement a lot? These are not small ships and sail very well. Crossing the open Pacific from CA to Hawaii is normally choppy. Bring along motion sickness meds. The weather, especially in January, will most likely be cool for the first two to three days until the ship enters the tropics. You will require layered clothing. The first days are not generally sit around the pool weather like it is in the Caribbean. On the return trip it isn't quite as cool as the ship is taking a more southern route heading to Ensenada. The Grand is sailing from L.A. while the Ruby is sailing from S.F. There will be Hawaiian ambassadors on board which provide ukulele instruction for beginners, hula dancing and other Hawaiian themed activities.

Pick up a few mugs from the buffet.

"Is the Lido deck covered?" The Lido pools are not covered. There is cover on the sides under the deck above the pools.

Check carefully. Unless you have a specifically indicated non refundable deposit then for a typical 6 to 24 day cruise the deposit is refundable if cancelled greater than 90 days from the sailing date. You can find all the legal details here: https://www.princess.com/legal/passage_contract/pcl.html

The Ruby goes through the new locks. The new locks have basins that catch the lock discharge for re-use. The old locks discharge into the sea.

If you board in Vancouver you will legally be able to disembark in San Diego. You will clear immigration at the first U.S. port which is Astoria. There may be some customs formalities when disembarking in San Diego, but not likely. You probably will have to wheel off your own luggage. You will have to request a deviation from Princess. If Princess gives you a problem quoting PVSA violations don't accept that answer. There is no violation. If you use a T.A. they can handle that for you. There are two ships, Royal & Discovery, that have this itinerary one week apart. You must board in Vancouver for the 7 day cruise. You will not be permitted to book the previous sailing on either ship. These previous sailings embark at U.S. ports.

Look again at the plus fare. It includes: Daily gratuity (crew appreciation) $16, $17 or $18/pp/day. Unlimited wifi internet which is $15/day for one device. If you are platinum or elite loyalty level then it's half price. Beverage package which includes unlimited non alcoholic beverages, canned sodas excluded, fountain sodas included, and up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day. 2 casual dining meals per cruise that cost $15 if purchased separately. A bunch of other stuff. Grats and wifi = $31/day. Cost of the plus fare is $60/day. 2 alcoholic drinks/day = around$23. Specialty coffee/espresso drinks are around $5/$6. It doesn't take much to break even. The stand alone beverages package is not cost effective, but the plus fare is.

3) I believe you can bring a 12 pack of sodas on board, correct? What "free" drinks can you get in the buffet/around the ship? Is there free lemonade? 12 cans of soda per person may be brought on board at embarkation/ No charge for coffee, tea, glasses of water, ice tea, lemonade, a selection of juices in the morning in the buffet and DRs. Water in glasses is available at any bar. If you have the plus or premier fare then most non alcoholic beverages are unlimited, and up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day are included, with price limits of $15/$20. Two to three alcoholic beverages per day is the break even point.

You can carry officially 12 x 12 oz cans of soda per person on embarkation. People also bring on canned soda at ports of call. I don't think there is a canned soda package. All the plans as well as the plus/premier fares are fountain soda.

Some information. You really need to be more specific about which tours you are searching. Alaska? There are loads of selections. A few do have meals. Princess has their own hotels. Most meals are on your own and are expensive. Hotel meal plans may be available. Guide is with you if you select guided tour. Australia? Great tours. Top end hotels. Some breakfasts in the hotels were included. Some other meals included. Some you are on your own. No time during the tour to book extra tours on your own. Guide is with you the entire time. Land tours are one big excursion.

"And this is a terrible way of doing this. Why would they not allow pre-booking?" The current way isn't ideal. But, if you allowed pre-booking you would just be moving the opening date forward to some random number of days prior to sailing. People would be on line waiting to reserve. Princess would also have to have diagrams of each sanctuary on each ship to allow people to select their loungers. Staff would then not be able to move them.

Good idea to include these comments in the post cruise survey. It's sad. There is supposed to be priority embarkation. Princess has eliminated boarding times. Probably this has caused lots of confusion on who goes first.

Storm?

If whale watching is a priority then mid January to Mid March. That is peak season.

Believe that most of the pool area is in the sun. There probably will be some shade near the port and starboard side entrances. Cabanas will offer shade. I don't know how much they cost. https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=regal+princess+retreat+pool+photos&fr=mcafee&type=E210US105G0&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.cruisecritic.com%2Fimage%2F5955089%2Fimage_800x_.jpg#id=2&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.cruisecritic.com%2Fimage%2F5955089%2Fimage_800x_.jpg&action=click

If you are on a Royal Class ship then you will receive decent coffee from room service, prepared from grounds. Pre Royal Class ships all had coffee prepared from liquid concentrate of poor quality. I have read that these ships are converting to the Lavazza coffee. Don't know which ones have and which ones have not converted. Best to look when you are on board. If you have the plus/premier fares just order brewed coffee or specialty coffee delivered to your cabin.

I renewed mine this spring. Based on where I live the office was in Philly. It took just over 3 months. An expedited service is available. Lesson. Be on top of your passport expiration and travel dates. On a related subject I also renewed my global entry/trusted traveler on line this spring. Received the new card in one week.

Question for 57eric. Are you asking an academic question or are you attempting to sail without a passport. There are various reasons to be denied boarding. Here are just a few: *improper WHITI documents, or failure to present all required documents *citizenship of individual required passport to enter Mexico *error by the person checking the documents Advice. Always travel internationally with a valid passport.

Ruby will be in dry dock/wet dock for just under a month starting tomorrow. It will be all spiffed up. I have read there will be the normal hull and mechanical maintenance. Indoors it's reported that cabins receiving all new bedding. New carpets and more. watch for reports there should be plenty of them. You can search on line for Ruby 2023 dry dock for additional information. For Alaska the Ruby has a full promenade for excellent viewing. It also has lots of great upper deck forward, aft and side viewing areas. There will be a few casual dining locations, the Salty Dog Gastropub in the Wheelhouse Bar and Vines. I wouldn't focus on casual dining. There are plenty of no charge locations to dine 24 hours a day. Personally I prefer the older Grand Class ships over the Royal Class. Crowds? Probably yes. You are sailing to Alaska. Alaska tends to have many families on board with 3 & 4 in the cabins. It swells the ship population close to the upper limit. You will have this situation on any ship sailing to Alaska. Early and late season sailings when schools are still in session may be the exceptions.

In over 40 Princess cruises clocks have always moved forward or back overnight, I think at 2am. Never have experienced clocks moved at noon on a Princess ship.

itineraries and ships shown for 2025 probably will not be the same in 2026. Take notice that ships sailing the full transit P.C. in 2024 are the Emerald and Island Princess. The Emerald is a Grand Class ship which is similar to but not exactly the same as the Caribbean. The Island, which has one sailing scheduled, is a sister ship to the Coral with some modifications. Here is some information regarding the ships. Rather than focusing on the ships focus on the locks. The Coral and Island are Panamax in size. They were built when the only locks were the original locks. They just fit inside these locks. In fact there is only a few feet between the lock walls and the sides of the ship. The ships remain centered within the locks by cables attached to the bow and stern and are guided through by what are called mules, electric cars that run on rails. With the new locks there is plenty of space for the Grand Class ships. The ships enter the locks and maintain centered by tugs. Both are interesting to see.