The Greater Fool

Being polite costs us nothing. Good luck, Tek

My spouse and I don't spend much time around the pool, but on the occasions on which we choose to for an hour (never near prime-time) or so: 1. we look for a couple empty seats. If they are available, yippy; 2. we look around for a couple chairs that seem too neat to have been used; We then ask folks nearby if they have been used recently; If not, we put their items on the table and sit down; Otherwise, we repeat until we find a likely set of chairs; 3. Typically, we sit for our hour or so, then move on after we replace the items we moved; - On the extremely rare occasions the original chair users show up, it goes one of two ways: 1) We get up immediately and move on... thanking them for the use of the chairs, no harm done. Since no one ever returned within a 1/2 hour, it was a win-win for everyone involved; 2) The people stopped us from getting up, grabbed their things and left the deck. Again, a win-win; Good luck, Tek

My spouse and I take narcotics and other very abusable drugs so we always bring the bottles. I got pulled into secondary screening once when a four-footed federal agent showed too much interest in my carry-on, but the bottles made quick work of the review. Good luck, Tek

I currently have two cabins under my name on a cruise for next April. I've had them for about 4 months. I simply haven't gotten around to changing one of the cabins to my Daughters' name yet. On past cruises I've had 4 cabins in my name until near final payment with no issues. I share this only to convey that thus far there are no automatic cancellations. I gotta think this is fairly common because it's often the case that one person is leading the charge in booking cabins for small family or social groups when it won't be decided for some time who is actually participating, or more likely, who their travel companion will be in the adventure to come. Holding several cabins in different categories knowing that several - 1 cabins will ultimately be cancelled months down the road I believe may reveal a basic character flaw. This is one of the reasons airlines overbook flights and look where that has lead us. Just to be clear and to head off criticism, "you" in this post is the "editorial you", also called the "rhetorical you" not a "specific you." You're so vain you probably think this post is about you. Don't you? Don't you?

When the demand is high, if Princess can't come up with a way to make everyone equally happy, then come up with a way to make everyone equally unhappy: Only allow 1/2 day reservations; Once a cabin has booked a 1/2 day reservation, the earliest next reservation from the same cabin is 3 1/2 days later. The number of 1/2 days between reservations could be increased or decreased depending on demand; I don't know if reservations can be for more people than in the cabin, but if it is allowed stop it. If demand is still an issue, delay the ability to make another reservations until a day later: This would prevent the first person in line getting multiple reservations before other folks get a chance at one; If demand is still an issue, increase prices. For example, if a cabin books Monday morning, the next reservation they could book would be Wednesday Morning; If it was increased to 4 1/2 days, then Wednesday afternoon, If demand demands it, the cabin would not be able to make another reservation until Tuesday; More passengers would get a chance at the Sanctuary for 1/2 a day. Few, if any, people would get everything they want. Everyone will be nearly equally unhappy. But they are more likely to get a chair. Good luck, TGF

Before the shutdown, the Rib Eye was the best I recall having in many, many years. Grilled perfectly, aged wonderfully, juicy, tender. Heaven. The Crown Grill was always a high point of our vacation. Post Pandemic, one Alaska cruise, one Transatlantic, the Rib Eye was the worst in many, many years. Fake grill marks, tough meat, horrible. HORRIBLE. Even not comparing it to what it was I was exceptionally disappointed. My hope is that it was just supply issues that were common during the period. I have high hopes for our Transpacific in October. Enough time for many wonderful Rib Eyes, or one sub-par one. Always the optimist.

I'll take the old and the new.

Since I had intended to do a couple hours of work every morning on our Transatlantic in October of last year you just can't imagine my disappointment when the internet simply was not up to the task. I hope our Transpacific this coming October is equally up to task, really, because having the time to myself everyday would be just so disappointing. Good luck, Tek

The more informal you dress the more you need to tip the wait-staff. If you dress more formally you can smoke more in the casino. If you tip your bar-staff better then you will get a better pour, but only if you don't pay attention. No matter what anyone says, if you tip your room steward extra you can play loud music not only in your cabin but anywhere you go. Don't listen to the naysayers.

Honestly I think the cruise will take the same route regardless.

Pro tip: you can never win a credentials battle on the internet.

Laundry on vacation! Sacrilege! So I leave it to the spouse... who leaves it to the professionals. I still have to bag and inventory the stuff, though. Haven't figured out a payment big enough... yet. Next trip: Jewelry.

If someone could come up with a tipping on the dress code thread it would solid gold. Gauranteed!

Yes, I agree or disagree.

My PVP was also on vacation over Thanksgiving weekend. She actually mentioned it to me earlier in the week and provided me the name/number of another PVP to handle any issues that couldn't wait until she returned. As it happened I did email her on Friday for an issue that could wait until Monday, got an automated email with the same information she gave when we talked. My email was dealt with first thing Monday morning, we talked back and forth and took care of my issue. So, yeah, I am very happy with my PVP of 5 years. Before her I would just call the Princess number, and deal with the PVP I got. If they were friendly and responsive I would keep their name/number, but generally 2nd time would be a disappointment, so back to random contact again. One time when I didn't get a call back somehow I ended up talking to my current PVP who was, as previously stated, friendly and responsive. All I expect of a PVP is: Friendly: One curmudgeon in our conversation is more than enough; Responsive: Reasonable replies, either phone or email; Proactive: Sees and deals with problems often before I am aware of them; Inventive: Come up with different ways of getting things that can't be done done; Committed(?): She does what she says she'll do when she says she'll do it, or contacts me to explain; Really, my expectations aren't much different for anyone handling my business.