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I don't understand how this could happen. I believe that a non-status passenger can check in with a status passenger, then wait in their respective areas. But aren't in-transit, suite, elite, platinum passengers boarded before opening up boarding to the general public?

Was it a gift card for Carnival Cruises or a gift card for Princess. I didn't think CCL corporation sold one generic to all of their cruise lines (Holland America, Princess, Carnival, etc).

Not: 80, 60, 50, 45.....and counting. It is what it is. Princess likes to "surprise" their passengers.

You will have a lovely time on your Hawaii cruise. There are many threads that list all the activities. Do a quick search. I will add that Aloha apparel is a nice touch....as long as it isn't gaudy and over the top. There are so many misconceptions of what "Hawaii" looks like. From my understanding, the Royal has a different itinerary than the smaller Grand Class ships. She "seems" to be too big to port in Hilo (Hawaii Island) or Nawiliwili (Kauai). Enjoy your time in the islands. There should be plenty to do (and not enough time) on the way over and back. I hope Princess will have Hawaiian Cultural Ambassadors on your sailing.

@JimmyVWinethanks for the summary. But there is no mention of Japan. The Diamond is returning there. I have read that the Japanese consider it rude to tip. What about Korea? and China when it opens up again?

There is absolutely no formula for when you can pick arrival times. I've had it as early as 59 days. That's when I start checking....everyday. That is absolutely ridiculous: 1. Princess knows what the ship is. 2. Princess knows where she will be ported. 3. Princess knows how many passengers they need to process. 4. Princess has done it before (at that port) on most of their voyages. 5. Princess NEVER announces when arrival times can be picked. 6. Princess rarely checks arrival times. And you wonder why her "loyal" passengers are frustrated with Princess.

Wasn't there a thread way back when when a CVP (PCP?) person sold on the side....EZ Air or a hotel that was not connected to Princess Hotel picks? They sold a hotel room to a passenger he was working with (on the side)?

Am I mistaken, and IF I am, I would be happy to be corrected. Princess hires outside vendors to provide tours to their passengers. Vendors make the decision on how many buses/vans they can provide and support. Princess provides tours as a courtesy for their passengers and you are paying for that convenience of not having to book independently. Granted, Princess is adding a "commission" to the tour prices. You have the final decision to pay Princess for an available tour. Often, excursions are completely booked before your sailing date. I am sorry that you were unable to find a suitable accessible excursion. Did you ever think that maybe the Senior Officer approached another booked passenger and offered to bump them (with a compensation) so that s/he could accommodate you? I was on a Hawaii cruise. Same thing happened to a handicap passenger. Princess was able to find them 1 seat on an accessible van to Pearl Harbor at the last minute (tour was sold out/someone cancelled). I don't know what happened to his/her companion.

I once had trouble with a cold shower. Turned out to be user error. Housekeeping supervisor came in to show me how the shower temperature knob worked. DUH....Don't ask me how it works, but from then on, I can do it by myself. Something about Left/Right AND pulling it FORWARD/BACK.. I once had issues with the air conditioner/fixed. They need to replace the thermostats. Hard on arthritic fingers. I try to stay away from the cabins above the bow as it breaks through the water (F305/F307). There is sometimes swooshing sounds under F305/F307. It was explained to me. Not important. Not the stabilizers. Maybe the "ballasts"? Once went dead in the water and listed port. That was really interesting. Things happen on a ship. I'm just happy watching the waves go by.

Currently, the Window Suites on the Grand Class ships are only available on the Caribbean Princess and the Grand (down under). In order to book one, you "almost" always have to do it when booking first become available. Princess moved Window Suites under Mini-Suites. I don't have a clue why. It just confuses Mini-Suite categories even more. Too many new passengers think that a Mini-Suite is a Full Suite. AND then to place WS under Mini-Suites, when they ARE full suites. I will never understand Princess. Yes, I have found it difficult to book a Window Suite on my own/online. It shows up as available but a specific cabin can not be booked. How a passenger can be confused when it clearly states there there is no balcony. Yet, there have been a few times that the passenger has demanded to be moved. That recently happened on one of my cruises. I was speaking to our steward. I will not book a Window Suite on the Royal Class ships. Too forward/too high/to far away from the Concierge Lounge/too far away from everything. Glad to hear that the suite breakfast on the Caribbean Princess will be/is in the Crown Grill. Sabatini's is a very nice venue for morning breakfast, but Crown Grill is just outside. I haven't been on the CB post pandemic. On the Grand, it is a deck above in the Crown Grill.

One of the occupational therapist that worked with me after my bilateral knee replacement taught me how to use a shower stool to get in and out of a tub. The shower stool height can be adjusted. Straddle the stool over the edge of the tub (hall in/half out). It is not the best option. Hopefully, an accessible cabin will become available. It may not be a balcony or mini-suite, but will be much safer for DH. Call your travel agent ASAP….or speak to Princess. Don’t wait any longer.

I have never missed the balcony. Location Location Location. My “balcony” was one deck up. Yes, the Promenade did have noise from inconsiderate runners at 7 am. Thump, thump, thump. Usually a message to CS service stopped that. I have never been bothered by the noise from the casino nor the smoke from the cigar room. Is it there? Faintly. Breakfast is at Sabatini’s. Only the Golden Princess had breakfast at the Crown Grill. I was tempted to walk out in my PJs. Longest cruise in a Window Suite? B2B for 25 days. It was wonderful. Probably one of the best reasons for being in a WS is the ability to use your on bathroom anytime, especially on the way to the Princess Theater. Not to mention your own (casino) bar around the corner.

So this thread has evolved.

There is absolutely no comparison to a Mini-Suite. It is considered a FULL suite with FULL suite amenities and perks. It has 21 drawers and 3 closets. The living area is not separated like a Standard Suite. The higher the cabin number the closer it is to the Piazza (center of ship). Suite breakfast is in Sabatini's. Club Class dining is on the same deck/same side...down the hall. The cabins have their own hallway. F301 is slightly smaller than the other cabins. I generally pick F311. AND you receive 2 travel credits. Gee @MN Syrup Cruiser, I wonder where you got that floor plan (hee hee).

I did this tour too in 2009...but it was the last flight of the day (5 PM/ship leaves at 4ish). As we flew over Royal Gardens, the pilot said that the house would not be there in the morning when he did his first flight out for the day. The images are not clear (point and shoot camera). But you could feel the heat and it was really scary as you hung out the door to try to capture an image. Just for interest: https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/big-islands-kilauea-volcano-lava-flow-consumes-last-royal-gardens-home/ I would also recommend a helicopter ride in Kauai. It will take you out to the NaPali Cliffs (only accessible by zodiac or helicopter). If. your pilot is good, he will get you a good view of Mt. Wai`ale`ale. The (second-debatable) wettest place on earth. https://kukuiula.com/mount-waialeale/

I just experienced this the other day. Saw a fare for $409/7 day cruise. Was in communications with my TA who was working with Princess. She "warned" me that the fare I saw for a forward interior was a NON-refundable deposit. I don't catch small "details" like that. She does. We quickly revised my plan and booked a refundable deposit fare aft for $439. I don't consider that to be a bait and switch. More of a buyer beware.

You will find some bargains if you sign in to Groupon. Such as around the island bus tours. But then again, You could ride da Bus for less than $2.00. The bus on Oahu is very good. Outer islands...not so much. Heard there was a free shuttle to Ala Moana Center/Oahu and to Hilo Farmers' Market. Senior Rate (65+) http://www.thebus.org/Fare/SeniorFareNew2023.asp Regular Fare https://www.thebus.org/Fare/TheBusFares.asp I would: • Rent a car on Hawaii Island (the Big Island) and Oahu. • Get your free tickets for Pearl Harbor Arizona Memorial (read the directions carefully). • Robert Tours is the biggest tour agency in Hawaii. Go to them directly. There is really nothing near the ports. Each island has its own charm and things to see. Do not do a luau on Oahu on your own and expect to get back to the ship before it leaves. (Traffic can be a nightmare.) I'm guessing this is your first visit to the islands. Do your research.

Are you satisfied with this resolution or will you delve deeper into how this happened? Thank you so much for starting this thread and following it through. If it helps just one other person, then it will have been worth the amount of time and energy you put in to get this fixed. I am sorry this happened to you. What a nightmare. Hope you will enjoy your March cruise. Sit back and have a toast to yourself for having the fortitude to stick with it to the end.

I apologize for not looking at your country of origin. I do not know the rules for your country. As I mentioned, my TA looks after me and "strongly" advises me to not book anything that would be interpreted as "non-refundable". I take her advice seriously.

How about promoting them to President? Won't add more comments, although I have A LOT.

FCD can and will be extended past expiration dates if you call or live chat. I just booked a cruise using my TA. She watches out for me. The fare I quoted her….she made sure that I understood it was a non-refundable deposit. We moved up a notch to get around that. Found a fare that I could use my FCD AND get it back if I cancelled/refundable. Was your original booking made with a non-refundable deposit? If you used you FCD for a non-refundable deposit, you would have lost deposit and FCD.

A couple of months. But I think it has changed 3 or 4 times since I booked it. Won’t stress until it gets closer. Waiting for those “who cruise before me. Where no (wo)man has gone before” ….haha.

I'm not being a Princess apologist but merely adding my observation. Embarkation and Disembarkation in San Diego is out of the hands of Princess. It is difficult, at best, if two ships are in port the same day (either 1 in transit and the other embarking/or both embarking:disembarking). The harbor had king tides (higher than normal tides) making the ramp challenging. They only have one building to process passengers. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) are responsible for everything once you leave the ship. Agents on the ground are port authority employees. It is my hope that Princess works on your concerns and this ship is better prepared for future voyages.

It seems like all Quebec port arrivals and departures are overnight stays. I know the ship arrives in the afternoon (too late to begin disembarkation for flights, etc). Hence the next day departure/embarkation.

Since Post Covid, all of my (5) lunches have been in (club class) dining on embarkation day. There was only one embarkation lunch that was not offered, that I know of. I was told that the MDR lunch after I disembarked would not be happening because of a shortage of crew. This was when the ship was trying to get back up to 100%. As far as finding a Dining Room Manager...are you asking about the Maitre 'd or Head Waiter (assistant manager)? Sorry for the old school titles. Since the implementation of the DMW app, the Maitre 'd doesn't have the normal 2 PM meet and greet to settle issues. I've personally not seen him during embarkation lunch either. There will be an Assistant Manager stationed in the Buffet and Piazza areas, but not sure if they can settle any MDR problems.