cityguy300

I'll answer my own question now since I'm waiting to board, to add another data point for future cruisers. 🙂 Lyft from Linthicum area airport hotels was $17 this morning. Uber was maybe a dollar or two cheaper, undiscounted. So much better than the rates I'd seen or even my own test quotes in the days leading up (I thought it would go up on a boarding day).

That does seem to be the average rate for a taxi from the BWI area. I read one article that cited a $35 flat rate, while others mention metered taxis only from the airport (one said it was a flat rate to the airport, but that doesn't affect me). Some recent CC posters reported paying more than $50 from the airport or train station, versus under $30 with Uber. I'll probably take a ride share.

Thanks, I spoke to someone at their front desk. There's a complimentary port shuttle for package customers, otherwise it's $40. I'm guessing a taxi would be less?

Has anyone stayed at either the Dorsey or O'Donnell BWs recently, that can confirm if a shuttle to the port is still provided? I just contacted the Conference Centre one to see if the shuttle was complimentary without a park-n-stay package, and was told they didn't have them to/from the cruise terminal or airport! No explanation that they'd discontinued the service, or that it was only offered at another BW, so not sure what to think.

It was in the Concerto dining room on Royal last month.

Does Colours Of The World count? 😋 "Can you feel it? Can you FEEL it? CAN YOU FEEL IT?" 🤪 No, it's just the above show plus Sweet Soul Music and Encore. Libby was on both legs of my B2B (as well as my first Alaska cruise 12 years earlier, so guessing she's a regular!). Otherwise, lots of game shows and trivia as mentioned, and the naturalists on Glacier Bay day. Comedian, vocalist, the soprano from Encore.

Did the turnaround in Whittier a few weeks ago, and other than getting a letter and "Transit" card (to help self-identity if you did leave the ship to walk around) in my cabin a few days earlier, it was no different than a port day. No need to gather anywhere, no doing the TV muster again, etc. Mind you in my case it was a single 14-day journey, whereas you might need to go out and back in because you're technically doing another leg (with a new medallion).

Royal Princess NB on June 25 was supposed to be about 2,300; SB the following week was a little less at 2,200. On my side of my deck, I noticed at least 10 balconies in a row without names on the door, and then only intermittent names thereafter. The reduced numbers made the most difference in the buffet and theatre, neither of which had the "finding a seat" issues of the past (not even the usual embarkation feeding frenzy in Horizon Court!). The dining room and up top during glaciers looked normal-ish to me -- but I knew realistically they had to be lower numbers, as there were never waits for tables or difficulty navigating any public area.

Depends if by "forward" you mean the dock closer in-land. I'm guessing so, because both times I was there on Royal Princess (last week and the week before), we had a ship "in front" of us (both ships pointing in-land). Last week it was the Solstice, which as far as I could tell was using its dock. We being further out, had to tender around it (and even delay tendering back around 5:30 PM, as it was departing at 6 PM). Smaller ships that were there the same days as us, including Grand-class ones like Crown last week, were docked in the more convenient locations directly in front of town.

Disembarking Royal Princess right now after two weeks. Elite, no Plus, and checked the pricing in the Internet Cafe on embarkation. It was $7.50/day (50% off regular) even then, and prorated accordingly every day thereafter. If there was a Day 1 sale pricing, it wasn't available from the Cafe terminals or Medallion app onboard.

Try the Live Chat again, until you get a rep willing to process it for you. Several of us got ours applied a couple of weeks ago using that approach (two of us even got the same rep, back to back). You'll have to wait while they (or an associate) checks for your email with the documentation, but they'll get it done.

For me, the internet was the big win with Platinum (RIP), the laundry with Elite. Conveniently my Elite status kicked in on the second leg of a B2B, so I definitely put it to the test right away! The mini-bar is also nice if you're like me and never buy a drink package, but want something sweet other than iced tea and breakfast OJ to drink occasionally. Although after accepting the default setup the first time, I made sure to swap out the airplane-sized liquors with pop, beer, Perrier, and bottled water. From the upgraded bathroom amenities, the only memorable one to me was the Febreze-like spray. I still have some old ones I keep in my travel caddy to spritz on longer, non-cruise trips, lol.

I didn't mean the past cruise credits earned, but future ones to be earned. I've never seen that before; it would have taken some of the suspense out of checking my account, post cruise, in the past. Right now it tells me I will earn 4 credits after my upcoming cruise, which answers my initial question. The lost $25 is a bummer because this was going to be my first cruise to earn that OBC just for being "loyal". And no, I doubt they'll reinstate it anytime soon. I'd rather Carnival Corp reinstate its dividend first! I think I got 1-2 payouts before they cut it. At least I'll finally get shareholder benefits this sailing.

I last cruised with Princess in 2018 and had forgotten I had a $25 loyalty OBC to look forward to on my next cruise... until today, when I also learned I wouldn't be getting that money after all, lol. Only I thought it was a one-off at 21 credits, not an ongoing OBC that actually increased over time -- so now I'm more bummed. 😋 While I do have another new OBC to look forward to -- the shareholders one -- I agree that, combined with the lost internet, it's a bit of a slap in the face to loyal cruisers. These are not expensive perks, and many pre-Platinum cruisers probably don't even know about them. But as others have said, they did provide a small incentive to choose Princess over other lines with the same price & itinerary. And once you know to expect them -- and have experienced them -- it is frustrating to suddenly find them gone. If they pull the free laundry one day, I'm not sure Elite will have any worthwhile benefits left. 10% off at the store, canapes, and wine tastings are the sort of junk "perks" I expect from other lines.

Is that Future Cruise credit under Cruise History new, because I've never noticed it before! I'm trying to think now if I ever looked at that page after booking but before cruising (I definitely checked after each cruise). Regarding your other comment ("...means nothing since loyalty credit was eliminated"), I'm not sure I know what you mean. Do you just mean that since I was already Elite there were no new perks to look forward to (and now a few eliminated since last time, unfortunately)? Or the $25 on your 21st cruise, which unfortunately for me (if it was eliminated) would have been this cruise, since I have 19 credits now.

My question on this is, do they (reliably) give you double credit for B2Bs automatically, or do you still have to chase it down after the cruise? My first Princess cruise was in summer 2008. Booked a solo, got 1 credit. Booked another solo in early 2009, shortly after they changed the policy to 2 credits; it was a B2B, but I only got 2 credits, not 4. This seemed normal to me until I read, maybe a couple of years later, that even with just one booking number, people got credited for each leg. Since then I've booked two actual back-to-back cruises once, but not done another 14-day-from-two-7-days until now. Two questions: will I see 4 credits automatically... and will my Elite mini-bar be refilled on turnaround day? 😄

I'd ask if there was a replacement number, if I hadn't already gotten the issue resolved -- and know now to just use Live Chat over any phone number! At least the sbpcl@princesscruises.com address is legitimate, since the rep was able to retrieve my info from there.

Wow that's good to know that's even an option. I would have assumed you had to get it sorted out with corporate before boarding, or no dice. Not that I wouldn't at least try once on board... but I wouldn't feel good about my chances without at least proof of prior emails/faxes. Anyway, I had my other party on this trip try the same thing with Live Chat, and it also worked out! Looks like I just got a difficult rep this morning.

OMG I tried after I saw your message and somehow got Reena too! She processed me right away, after asking what day I had emailed mine, and checking it out. I wouldn't have tried without your verification, so thanks. This morning I tried to bring it up at the end of another chat -- and got grilled over what I had sent it, who I sent it to, etc. When the rep quoted the regulation about the brokerage statement being within three months of sailing, and I said mine was from April, he argued that was only two months... *****? Anyway, glad we're both taken care of now, phew!

Was definitely working yesterday at (661) 753-0180. Did you click the confirmation link in your email, and the second notice told you a few minutes later it failed? I wonder if it's tied to the failed phone line (or if that's been happening a while). Maybe the office decided to cut off all communication, lol.

I've used FaxZero successfully.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I wasn't even going to do the fax until next week, but now that I see how "responsive" their contact line is, I'm glad I started following up earlier! I'll give it another week too.

I emailed and followed up with a fax a few days later, wondering if that would expedite the process. I was prepared to stay on the line a long time just to get a "be patient" brush-off at the end, but at least then I could ask if they received my request (and that the paperwork checked out, since this is my first time claiming). Now I'm wondering if there's even anyone there.

Sailing the day before you, and if by "last Monday" you mean last week (not this past Monday), then you've been waiting a week longer than me. Literally tried calling the number just before I saw your post, and I get disconnected every time I punch in the extension.

Thanks for the data point. I was thinking a week would be the right amount of waiting, too. If they process it on the spot, great; if they assure it takes, say, "up to two weeks", that gives me some time to follow up again.