hop2it

We booked a "3 for free" cruise and noticed afterward that it is not eligible for the "EZ Air discount." Could someone please say just what this means? Does it mean we cannot use EZ Air at all, or just that the prices are likely to be higher than normal? Flights for our dates aren't yet available, but we've used this service before to great advantage. Thanks.

Does the HAL website ever work? I've tried it occasionally and get nothing but frustration.

<<So getting a decent selection of wine by the glass was way too hard.

The bed was way too soft.

But the cruise was just right.>>

Yep, that sums it up fine. The condition of the Coral seemed just fine as well.

No great insight or major complaints here, just a few FWIW observations:

-- The Vancouver to Anchorage itinerary and scenery are wonderful, as most here have likely already experienced.

-- Most of the crew were invariably courteous and helpful.

-- Alaska Cruise Transportation (Big Bus) is a great option for those seeking independent transfer from Whittier.

-- The mattress is our balcony cabin was way too soft and in need of replacement.

-- Quality of dining room food preparation was inconsistent, and some servings (including lobster tail) were seriously undercooked.

-- Selection of wines by the glass was far too limited, and even some of those on the menu were not available. We enjoy most any wine, so this was not a serious problem, just a disappointment, especially since we had the Sip 'n' Sail package.

Thanks for the helpful replies. The Pinnacle meal is a nice bonus, since that beverage package was the main attraction.

We're considering the Explore 4 deal on a cruise next year. I realize from previous posts that there is likely to be no choice about dining times for the included meal in the Pinnacle, but what about the seating arrangements? Do they herd all the Explore people into a defined section of large tables, or is it still possible to get a table for two or four or whatever? Thanks to anyone who can respond.

Our August cruise has been sold out for a while but we still have no stateroom assignment. No special concerns about this but wonder why it wouldn't have been done by now. Any clues?

Check out the lobster boat excursions in Bar Harbor.

What is platonic garbage?

Just got an e-mail from Princess asking why I haven't reserved flights yet for a 2018 cruise. So I use the web-page link to check it out and am informed flights aren't available for my cruise yet. These robots need to smarten up.

Thanks for the replies. I was afraid the on-board choices would leave a lot to be desired. But the good news is that all the port towns have plenty of bars/restaurants with local microbrews to sample.

Could any fellow travelers and good-beer fans share their knowledge of the HAL beer selections, particularly the Veendam (Boston-Montreal) cruises? Searches here have proven fruitless, or hopsless rather. (All our previous cruises have been on Princess ships, so I assume the offerings might be similar. But I do hope for some quality craft beers on our coming voyage.)

Thanks for all the replies to my post, even the rude ones from the price-gouging enthusiasts (who I suspect may be retired gas station owners who delighted in hurricanes). With further searching, I did indeed find alternative tours like the one offered by the cruise line, so I'm grateful for that suggestion in particular.

Thanks for the suggestions, but it appears the outing I had in mind is a unique one (Bar Harbor lobster boat). I'll probably go ahead and pay the inflated price but will make up for it by reducing an on-board expense elsewhere. Just as a matter of principle.

I was going to book a boat tour (New England) directly with the operator, as I've done on many trips, but found out that the cruise line took over the entire capacity and is selling the excursions for more than double the standard fare. Good old free enterprise at work, I suppose, but I'm still disgusted.

I happily endorse the wildlife cruise. The up-close views of the seals and cormorants (which look and act like penguins) in their natural environment were a special experience. The boat has seating inside and out, so you can do either or both depending on the weather. Our planned stop at the Falklands (Jan. 2017) was cancelled, so we were very pleased to at least have had this excursion.

Enjoyed Santiago very much on our recent visit, but right now the Andes are invisible due to smoky haze from disastrous forest fires. Vineyards are being destroyed too. Very sad.

I just came across these posts from almost a year ago in a search for information on this same situation. Our cruise starts in January and I have received no e-mails from Princess and there are none on the Personalizer site. I always received at least a few pre-cruise e-mails for previous cruises, so I am wondering what is going on. I have no idea about the cruise director, entertainment, chefs, or any of the usual stuff.

Chairsin: Just curious, did you attempt to register a travel notification with Chase? (I have had more than one sort of answer from bank staffers, but I gather it should be possible to use the debit card but they can't guarantee it. In any case, it seems they would prefer having a travel notification to not having one! Or does that require too much common sense?)

I was surprised and disgusted to learn that my bank (Chase) will not allow a travel notification for use of its debit card in ATMs in many South America nations. I could not get a straight answer on whether transactions would still be possible in places such as Uruguay, Venezuela or Chile. I can understand the likelihood of a blocked withdrawal if there was no advance notice, but that's what I thought such notices were meant to avoid. Anyone have advice and experience to share?

<< and if I want to go outside, maybe I'll just go to that Lanai deck and hang around outside other people's cabins!!>>

OK, but watch out for my bucket of ice coming at you!

Many thanks for all the helpful and entertaining replies to my post. Our main concern with the lanai cabins is the potential for noise from people on the promenade. I suppose if anyone is too loud or bothersome, we could just open the doors and toss a bucket of ice on them.

<< Suppose we don't bring any wine on board at embarkation but pick up a bottle at a port of call to drink in our cabin. Would there be a fee for that or would it count towards our allowed 2 bottles/cabin/cruise?>>

On our Mediterranean cruise, we brought in a bottle or two from every port we visited, and no one objected. Of course, with the Greek retsina it would have been better if they had been confiscated! (No offense to retsina lovers, if any.)

We've been on several Princess voyages and enjoyed them all, but suddenly and without forethought or malice, have booked a Holland America cruise because we preferred its New England/Canada itinerary.

I post here only to ask if other Princess people might have experienced Holland's so-called Lanai cabins, which have doors opening directly onto the promenade deck. Unlike Princess, these Holland ships (some at least) do not have balconies except for a few very costly suites.

Comments welcome and appreciated. (Yes, I've checked the Holland America threads, and opinions are divided, but largely from those who haven't enjoyed Princess balconies.)

Thanks for posting this. I see on the gift card FAQ that the card can be applied to one's on-board account, but it also says "land excursions" are not included. Does this mean the Princess shore excursions or something else? Thanks for any clarification.