cruzsnooze

Really fast and easy no issue at all.

I was on the Discovery earlier this month. I was in a full suite. The concierge lounge was a lovely place that had complimentary soft drinks and some snack. I cancelled my next cruise on the Discovery because I didn't care for the ship. It is way to large for my taste. Although it is pretty it is a hike from aft to forward. Because of the quantity of people there are lines and waits every where. Get to the early show a good half hour early if you want a seat, late show was easier to find seats. Forget the Vista lounge since the shows there were 15 minutes after the show in the main theatre and by the time you walked from bow to stern the lounge was over flowing. The grill on the pool deck was always 10 people deep and the service slow. I found the menu items to be cheap fish and meatloaf and turkey and hamburgers with a few exceptions. One of my favorite appetizers was the goat cheese suffle which they took out of an au gratin dish and diluted with something else on a flat plate. The flavor of the goat cheese was gone. Obviously some people will like the size. It was not what I like for a stress free not to be rushed cruise experience.

You can adjust the daily gratuity at guest services. I always reduce them to $10 PP PD which I believe is fair. The people included in the tip pool has expanded unreasonably to include entertainment and revenue crew. Apparently they expect the passengers to pay for their crew almost entirely. Here's the statement from Princess web page What is a Crew Appreciation? The crew appreciation is a daily (adjustable) amount added to your onboard account and pooled in order to recognize the many crew members in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas and entertainment areas throughout our fleet who contribute to the guest experience. The daily amount of the Crew Appreciation is based on stateroom category: $14.50 per guests in Interior, Oceanview and Balcony, $15.50 per guest in Mini-Suite and Club Class, $16.50 per guests in Suites.

It's a sales gimmick that doesn't effect the cost of the cruise. Pay now or Pay later.

I picked the cabin as I had stated, not realizing how darn long this ship is. I have always stayed mid aft, this was my mistake. The cabin is Claus trophic. You can't access the balcony without moving 2 Chairs. The sitting area is the size of a matchbook and the bed area is overly large. The pictures and diagram on the Princess site are not even close to how this cabin looks. Having organized many cabin crawls I had never seen a crummy suite until now. It won't happen again because I won't book the Discovery again. RCL is now doing the 4 night cruises out of San Pedro and stop in Catalina which I like. Princess has much to offer and I have 2 other cruises booked next year, 1 on the Grand, 1 on Island Princess. So many choices so little time!! I may try to get into GiGi's again tomorrow for lunch, not sure.

A MIRACLE..................Last minute invite to 360 Experience. Maybe someone cancelled, maybe Princess read my complaint and saw I cancelled my next Cruise on the Discovery this morning. I kept my cruise on the Grand to Alaska next year. This ship isn't for me. I wanted to come back and report about the invite. This cruise is the last one offering the complimentary 360 experience I was told. It will be priced the same as the chef's table $150 PP. The group of 20 invitee's are asked not to explain it to others so they could enjoy the experience without any expectations. I will honor that request. It was a unique dining experience that everyone present enjoyed and and gave accolades to the crew who served us. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it.

The suite Experience manager is Anna this week and Vanessa is the suite Experience concierge. Both are lovely ladies. Unfortunately they can't do anything about situations which are out of their hands like make room for us where there is none in the 360. Many crew members seem frustrated with their jobs, probably because they are short staffed. The wait for GiGi's 3 PM was over an hour and Anthony was snippy and didn't even say he's "sorry" there's a long wait. I just melted away and went elsewhere for a snack and this was way past lunch time at 3 PM. There was a long line, the norm for every where on this ship. When we came into our room (after the late show) which is all the way forward and saw no daily water bottles I had to schlep all the way aft to the concierge lounge to get two. A lot of inconvenient considering the length of this ship. As a point of reference I have 365 days with Princess so I have many cruises to compare this with. Post covid is not coming close to pre covid cruising. I will ask my steward for an individual lotion as suggested. He is more then happy to accommodate, a very nice gentleman.

I'm on the Discovery now and don't care for this ship. We are in a full suite and didn't get invited to the 360 but our friend in a Balcony did. Princess isn't delivering what they advertise for suites. There was no daily bottled water last evening. The bathroom has the pump shampoo and shower gel NO conditioner. No bathroom amenities like before, I had to ask for a nail file. The ship is too large for my taste. The service is functional but not personable like on other ships we've sailed on with Princess. The ship is new and pretty. Last evening there were no seats for the 7:30 and people were standing in the aisles. There were seats for the late show. The ship is so long it's a very walk from end to end. I made a mistake not booking a more centered suite, I'm far forward. The suite is so small you have to move the chairs to get to the balcony door. There are 2 small closets with double rods so hanging anything long is not possible. The closet is approx 36 inches wide, smaller then non suite cabins. I just cancelled my next cruise on the Discovery in July. I am booked on the Grand to Alaska which I will keep because I like the smaller ship with better amenities. This is my taste, you may the ship.

Glad you jumped in here. That 50% wasn't a total of 50% when you consider the price of the balcony cabin. The savings in the given example is $699.50 (not $1300 which is 50% of the mini price price. ) It may still be a good deal for the OP but the math needs to be considered when making an informed decision.

What was the cost of the Balcony cabin originally. Is 50% OBC of your mini anywhere near your refund would be had you booked a balcony to begin with?

I reduce my auto gratuity to $10-$12 PP PD at guest services on the first day. I have always had great service and never had a complaint. This proves to me that the crew always do the same for everyone without regard to anyone's individual gratuity.

That's an inflated suggestion. It can be changed at guest services to a more reasonable amount. I think $10-$12 is enough but I wanted to point out it's only a suggestion.

Are you sailing solo? If not you have one device per person so essentially 2 devices.

Can you cancel and rebook? You'd have to be before final payment.

Club class has always followed the same hours and days as the main dining room. On port days all main dining rooms have been closed. Club class has been open the morning of the last day of the cruise earlier then usual to allow for breakfast before disembarkation.

OP wants to do the reverse, take the booking AWAY from the TA to manage it themself.

That might eliminate all foods cooked in the area where nuts are used in the galley and limit her diet considerably and unnecessarily.

I don't use the APP and have been on 4 cruises since start up post covid. There is a web version to use on your computer in your personalizer. There is a phone tech if you call the regular Princess line and choose Ocean Ready choice. There is also the option to just bring your passport and boarding pass to the desk at the pier to check in which adds a whooping 2-5 minutes to your check in process.

Previously you could purchase the package of alcohol for one but it wasn't a package with internet and tips. It had to be done at guest services. Try calling Princess and see if there is an alcohol package available for one.

Princess dropped the ball. A packet explaining what to expect and not expect would have been helpful. Knowing if and how your meals would be served and your cabin serviced and how many days before retesting you to see if you turned negative would have been invaluable. I hope Princess does right by you.

On the four cruises I've been on this year there were two shows. Usually 7 and 9 or 7:30 and 9:30

We book when we get on board. If you book before they will charge you and then you have to go get a refund. Are you in a full suite cabin? This dinner is not for mini suites.

So sorry for your loss. This is a lovely poem I have placed inside too many sympathy cards but it's worth posting. I hope it brings a smile to you even if for a fleeting moment.

On one occasion I purchased it via a phone rep for $10 and the credit of $5 Per day appeared on my OBC when I boarded. On 2 other occasions I purchased it on board the first day and it was $5 assuming you are Platinum or Elite tier. I purchased it with the IT tech at the internet cafe on one occasion and simply said I don't use any App's.

Explain why I bought it on board for the $5. I don't have an APP and many people don't care to have their app and Princess still wants our business. I am relating first hand experience.