cruisequeen4ever

The main one is BedBug Registry. What I do is Google “name of hotel bedbugs” whenever I am considering a hotel, and see if anything pops up. I then click on any Bedbug Registry and TripAdvisor reports as those are my go to reputable sites to check.

Congratulations; that’s so exciting!

It was my understanding that Customs has to clear the ship in the first US port, so they’re just being in compliance if that’s the case. I had thought that those sailings used to have the US stop first and then carry on to the Bahamas/Caribbean. That would have been better planning, so pax don’t have to waste their precious port time clearing Customs.

I bet someone on here could tell you the recommended daily gratuity for the guide and for the driver. I know there’s a recommendation; I just don’t know what it is.

Usually September is dicier for weather here. Some big storms come through. Plan on colder temps and rain.

The family suites are not bookable online; you have to either have your travel agent call Princess or you call Princess to book one of them. I’d think this far out you’d hVe a good chance. They do go fast. Hope you snag one; people rave about them!

To me, it’s out of your control if she’s able to cruise or not so you shouldn’t be punished if she is not able to go. It wouldn’t be right to do if you knew she wasn’t able to go, but since it’s health related, there’s no way to predict if anyone is going to be able to go on any given cruise.

We all know prices are going up everywhere, but part of the allure of a cruise is the value. If a specialty restaurant charges as much or more than a restaurant on land, some might not go.

Yes, I plan to.

Thank you all for the awesome, quick responses! That’s really disappointing about the fresh juices just being like my Simply Orange. It’s so weird how in Europe you can get freshly squeezed juices free at buffets and for 1-2 Euros at places, and in the U.S., places either don’t offer it or they charge an arm and a leg for it.

OP, I’m so sorry you experienced this! Since there are occasional bedbug occurrences on cruise ships, there should be a website registry for people to input the ship, stateroom, and dates just like the site for hotels.

My friend and I are going on the Solstice and have a few questions… 1) Is there an outdoor movie screen? I thought I had learned on here that there isn’t one, but I see one on the deck plan in the app. 2) The app shows the menu for each night of our cruise even though our cruise isn’t until 2023. Do you think it’s accurate that they have it planned out this far in advance? 3) The Dining Room references a Panini Grill at lunch; is there a Panini grill at Mast Grill? 4) Is shower gel provided in regular balcony staterooms? 5) The Non-Alcoholic Drinks Package says it includes “Fresh Juices”; is the orange juice truly freshly squeezed? 6) What are the pricing options for cards for Deal or No Deal? 7) Is there a Celebrity pen in the stateroom? Thank you in advance for your info!

That is an incredible deal; have so much fun!!

I don’t know what to think about this concept. As someone else said, if it’s a merging of the best of both worlds, that’s great, but it could also be a flop if they don’t do it right.

Princess prides themselves in owning and operating their own lodges, so pax receive the same stellar Princess experience throughout. Though it’s not a guarantee you’ll be at the Princess lodge, it’d be your best bet to book your extra night there. Even if you end up finding out that’s not where they put you, it seems like it’d be easier to switch away from there than switch to it.

I too had initially thought Virgin might be cool, but the reality wasn’t as good as the concept.

Goodness, the poor guy is just asking questions, the purpose of this site. I know for my upcoming Celebrity cruise, there wasn’t a coffee package, but there was a Classic Non-Alcoholic Package as mentioned above that includes specialty coffee drinks, bottled water, soda, and fresh juice.

I’d also like to add that my entire childhood of cruising across the brands was spent with my mom and dad in an inside stateroom. My dad didn’t value the stateroom; he valued experiences and making memories, so I got to do tons of fun excursions and make memories that have lasted a lifetime.

The Kenai area is world renowned for fishing, although the Kenai River doesn’t really have the strong fishing til later in the season. I do think I’ve seen the excursions mainly involve boat tours out of Seward or Whittier.

That’s exciting!

They may or may not be willing to give it to you early, but like someone else mentioned, your best bet is to stay at the same hotel as you’ll be staying at when the land tour begins. That way you won’t have to switch hotels, and you’ll have access to the Princess reps the whole time.

Sadly, no

We are just over 50 days out and still unable to choose our group. I was wondering the same thing because I thought I had read that it happens around day 59.

The Ruby is part of the Grand class series of ships, which are beloved by many of us long time cruisers. It wouldn’t be possible to specifically identify the staff of the Ruby because they move around between ships and rotate on and off ship so frequently. In general though, Princess has excellent service, and it feels like going home once you get used to sailing with them. I haven’t sailed since the pandemic, however before that, my husband and I always loved the food, especially Crowne Grill and the Buffet.

The point about elites being valuable, referring others is very valid. I’m always singing Princess’s praise to people, recommending them to people around town who’ve never been on a cruise. firsthand accounts of positive experiences is still the best marketing IMO.