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Maybe this will help, From the video it appears the balcony is about half covered - at least on that deck 🙂 The aft facing balcony cabins are our favorite - especially the corner ones on the Grand class ship so you can see to the side and back (C753/752). We have had those the last 5 and have C-753 on two booked 🙂

Things may have changed over the last few years when I wasn't paying much attention - but when I did I was always told no one could publish prices publically that were lower than what Princess showed. The agencies could give you a lower quote - but they couldn't advertise it. If that's still the case all we'll ever see online is what Princess lists.

We were on an 11 day cruise over last Christmas. I think we heard there were 600 "kids" on the Ruby - and I always said if the choice of a cruise was kids over Spring Break or cruising in Hurricane weather - always go with the Hurricane! But I ignored my own rule and we had no issues. Granted we didn't spend a lot of time by the pools, but as far as daily activities there weren't any problems and we commented a few times how well behaved everyone was (even the adults!)

We took two cruises this past fall/winter - and while we finally gave in and bought a smartphone a few months before the first cruise - we have never used it - or the Medallion App while on the ship and life went on as usual. We are dinosaurs like your dad - and our last cruise and our next 2 cruises are on the Emerald including one this fall (Nov) - maybe we'll see you on the ship we'll be the ones with no phone in our hands 🙂

Kinda like they used to say you could invite people in your party to take advantage of the priority boarding with you...our friends normally stayed in the regular line and most times beat us to our cabin 🙂

Wow - what a great deal if you could work it out! But 24 hours prior... Living close to the port, being retired, and not having the animals already in a kennel would make a difference 🙂 Not sure how we'd react - except for all our upcoming cruises we will have flown to the port city while the email was coming in 🙂

I can't remember ever having an issue with our account. On our last cruise out of Galveston over Christmas I thought there was an issue the very first day! We had a couple of sail away drinks (we had the Plus Package) and when I looked at our account we were both charged $17 for drinks!!! I was ready for war when I noticed a $25 "inconvenience" credit on both accounts. Apparently until we got out into international waters the drink package doesn't kick in - so they charged us but also gave us credit. We used that extra $8 each in the Casino 🙂

I think in all we went to the P/E Lounge more as unauthorized guests than we have since being P/E. No one ever questioned us back then, and no one has ever asked us to verify we are eligible since we have been 🙂 We went to visit with people we were cruising with before we all went our separate ways for the evening. The $1 discount on a drink I don't drink wasn't a draw, and for us nibbling on goodies just before we go eat wasn't enticing. It's one of the great things about cruising - something for everyone. I can't imagine your friends being turned away, and if you can find someone to ask like you mentioned you plan on doing, I think you'll be fine.

I'm with you. We have gone on about 26 cruises and have always used a TA. If it comes down to booking online with Princess or using the TA and getting a discount - I go with the discount. Maybe we are just easy - but we have never needed to be "in control" of the booking for any reason so far. I decide on a cruise, request a quote and determine of the discount is what I expect, and have it booked. Then I go on the cruise.

It may be a local law like we have in Texas. Drinks we purchased before and just after sail away were charged to us because they couldn't apply the package until we were in international waters - but they gave us a credit on our account at the same time to make up for it (even if you didn't buy a drink...)

Since it is past final payment date and no one wanted the empty cabins I'd be suspicious of any of them unless I just didn't care where I ended up 🙂

I guess we have been lucky and haven't had any issues that would have required their assistance. Hopefully whoever gets the responsibilities will continue to be helpful when needed.

I think I remember meeting a Captain Circle Host back in 2002. I'm going to miss them.

If you look at the shape of the ships - Princess ship decks stick out father the higher you go ( \) - so you are mostly always protected by the deck above you. While Carnival ships (at least the ones we have been on have the decks just the opposite - the lower decks stick out more ( / ) so we had soot issues 🙂

We have never encounter a soot problem on a Princess ship because of the way the decks stick out. On a Carnival ship we had a horrible problem and would never do that again 🙂 As for the "private" entrance both C-753 and C-752 (opposite side of the ship) are at the end of the hallway - then to get to C-753 you turn left and go to the end of that short hallway where your cabin door is - so no traffic - no one but crew ever comes near your door. With the Medallion when we turn the corner at the end of the hall we can hear our door click open 🙂 C-752 is the same, just on the other side of the ship.

Much much better - and you'll get your next level CC badge soon!!! :-)

We did full transit of the old locks several years ago on the Coral Princess and it was fascinating. But unless you are somewhat of a history buff I have to agree with you - after going through one set of locks and seeing how they work I don't know that I would have missed doing it two more times. But it did entitle us to the t-shirt! And the best memory was we passed our twin ship (Island Princess) while we were in Gatun Lake which caused a lot of excitement on both ships. We are booked on the 10 day partial on the Emerald Princess in November because I want to see the new locks. I considered another full transit but since most of the ports are sketchy at best AND we have done them before the 10 day seemed like a better option for us.

I'm a bit upset by your review - it certainly isn't up to our usual standards of complaining!!! You could have tried a little harder to find more things that went badly!!!! 🙂 It's great to hear that the thing we all like to do - cruise - is still fun - thanks for sharing your experience with us!

We departed from Pier 35 on a cruise 10 years ago and it was a miserable mess. If it was still a mess when you sailed in 2022 I'm betting it still is 🙂

When I first got ours - and printed it out - it was the last time I ever saw it - I could never find it again 🙂 And when we went to check in at Southampton I was excited to have that green lane paper with the QR code - except no one cared - they just herded us on to the ship 🙂

I understand that - what I was questioning was this statement: "Princess does give a cruise credit for each segment, no matter which way you book it." Booked as a 14 day cruise we have never been given 2 credits. Perhaps the difference is IF you could have booked it as two 7 day cruises. All our 14 day cruises could not be booked that way.

Not sure if I understand what you are replying to - but we have never received 2 credits for a 14 day cruise (booked as one cruise not two 7 day cruises) unless we were in a suite. Also - someone earlier mentioned if you are on a 14 day cruise and are elite you get a mini bar setup twice? Is that really the case?

That's right up there with the old "What do we do with left over wine after dinner?" Huh???

We just added insurance to a Feb 2024 cruise today - I forgot to do it when we booked almost a year ago... The cost was based on the fare including the Plus Package.

We took two cruises with the Plus package in the last 6 months and every night on our way to the cabin for the night we always stopped at the bar by the aft elevators and ordered two double Baileys on the rocks. After a few days they were waiting for us 🙂 I don't know if they would have balked if we were asking for doubles of something pricey - but I suspect not since as was noted above it all counts toward 15 🙂