cibaygirls

Awesome cruise!

A little chilly today and probably tomorrow.

 

We havent heard a thing about noro:D:D:D

Released from code red in Cabo :D

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T217A using Forums mobile app

Thank you for sharing that news. I sail on the Crown on 5/3 and have been paying attention to this, as has my roll call!! I will certainly report back her when I am on board if there is anything siginificant to report

Dana

I am on that cruise as well. I would also recommend Dial 7, I have used them in the past to get from my home on long island to the Brooklyn pier.

Dana

Thrak,

 

Thanks for both of the responses. I was suspecting that the $39 could only be applied to a cruise which is booked in the future. Of course, I will ask and let everyone know if I hear anything different.

I had a cruise that I had recently booked before doing a BVE and my travel agent was able to have the $39 credit towards the existing reservation. It doesn't hurt to try.

Dana

I just booked one for the Royal in October. They dont seem to be posting dates for 2014 BVEs on their website, so i took the logical route.

 

I went to "Book a cruise" on the Princess website to see what dates ships were leaving from NYC, and based my BVE options on this. I would suggest this for anyone who is waiting for Princess to officially announce specific dates.

What is the date for October you booked? I am sailing in october and would love for my mother to come and do the BVE. Thanks

Dana

Thanks so much Putterdude. I have checked out the schedules and made my reservation. Now I need time to pass by quickly so we can get there. Thanks for all of your help

There are quite a number of operators in Victoria including Prince of Whales, Eagle Wing and Orca Spirit....the latter two being within walking distance of the cruise terminal.

Hello Putterdude..I have read many of your posts on CC so am thankful to be able to ask specific questions. I have decided to book with Prince of Whales, and forego the gardens. How far is that company from where the ship docks? Would we be able to walk? We are both 40 and pretty active.

Dana

cibaygirls - any luck bidding for a San Pedro hotel??

 

I have been trying since 15 March with no luck... oh well, as least we don't sail until next February! :D

No luck, I had been trying and got up to I think around $180. I decided to just stay put at the Best Western. Save myself some money to spend on wine in Sonoma!!:D

Dana

It was a special promotion they had (I think in the summer of 2012) for a few months. They have not had it since.

Thanks to all who doused my hopes;)

I believe that was probably about when I was reading about it. I didn't really think it was something I could get, but doesn't hurt to ask. And if I am going to ask anyone, I am coming here first!!

I had read on CC quite some time ago, that there was an OBC if you sailed during the month of your birthday. Is that correct? Is that something they still do? I am imagining it is just an urban legend. I will cruising in May for my 40th, so would check it out if it existed. :D

Dana

Forgive me if this has been asked, I am staying at the best western in May, where would be the best place to get wine to bring onboard?

Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk 2

You do not need to take a tour to SEE the gardens. You just need to get there. Your options are. TAke a ships tour :(.... take transit from outside the Port gates (takes a while but you have lots of time) or get to downtown and buy tickets for transportation and the gardens at the Tourist Info centre in the NE corner of the inner harbour. You will have lots of time depending on how much you really like flowers.

 

Pub crawl. I'm out of that. ;) sorry but I know there are lots of great pubs in the city and most are walkable around the downtown.

Thanks.. any idea on cost of either of these options. I had researched one company CVS sightseeing and that cost for the gardens/transportation was very similar to the cruise tour. I am not opposed to doing things on our own.

Thank you both.. I have tried priceline and have bid $125 and am not getting a room. I am going to try again, at the moment I have a room booked at the Best Western Suites on Gaffey, but am going to keep trying my luck to get into the Crown Plaza as it seems that the doubletree is currently booked.

Dana

Thank you.. it appears the doubletree has no more rooms available, and I am trying to bid on the CP for a similar price (right now rooms are $250 which is $100 more than what we are paying). While I would like to switch, I am going to see if I can get it cheaper through a bid.

Bruin Steve, if you have any suggestions for must dos in San Francisco or Santa Barbara I am all ears:D. I am looking to do a winery tour in one of the ports.

Dana

Bruin Steve you have me sold!! Thanks to both you and cruisin chick

I have already cancelled my Renaissance reservation. I tried bidding on Priceline and did not get a room for what I wanted. As I am now in super excited planning mode and just want to have something booked, I have booked the Best Western Suites in San Pedro. I have already looked into Super shuttle. I will keep an eye on priceline and see if I can get either of those 2 hotels in the next week or so for a comparable price and if so I will change my reservation accordingly.

I am already excited now as staying in that area will certainly feel much more like a start to my 40th birthday vacation than staying by the airport!!

(plus I love the sound of the brewing company, especially being able to stroll around)!!!!

Dana

I am cruising from San Pedro in early May; my TA has booked me at a hotel by the airport, however based on the wisdom of CC members, I am rethinking this and looking for a hotel closer to the port. I understand the Crown Plaza is ideal, however that rate is $249 at the moment.

Does anyone have any other suggestions. I was also told to look into Doubletree but am not sure I am looking at the right one: I see the one in Torrance on Hawthorne Blvd. Is that right? Are there others people would suggest? If there are any with shuttles either from hotel or to the port that would be ideal.

Dana

Ahhhh.. Thanks guys. I am not really sure why I am staying by the airport. I just booked the cruise, have never cruised from West coast before. My TA was trying to get us into a Marriott through Princess but that was waitlisted so she booked us into the Renaissance by the airport for $119.

My flight arrives into LAX around 1PM. So I am getting the sense it is better to stay somewhere closer to San Pedro, take a shuttle from the airport to the hotel and then cab from the hotel to the pier (or hopefully we will find a room somewhere where there is a hotel shuttle to the pier).

I am just not sure if we will find a hotel around San Pedro for that price, but am I correct in assuming that in the end, with the money we save in taking a car service from hotel by LAX to the port we might be closer to breaking even, and have less hassle with travel the morning of the cruise.

Thanks so much for your help!!

Dana

I will be staying at the Renaissance by LAX in May before our cruise. The hotel does not offer a shuttle to the port; is taking a cab the best way to get to the port, or are there better options such as a shuttle company we could use. There are only 2 of us. Thanks

Dana

I will be in Victoria for the first time with my husband in early May for my 40th birthday. I love the idea of the gardens, but also like the idea of walking around town, and would love to take you up on your idea of places to stop on a makeshift pub tour!! We will be in port from 8AM- 6PM. So I have a couple of questions:

1)Is there a company you would recommend to do a tour to the gardens ?

2)then afterwards do you think we could still have time to walk around the inner harbor?

3) What places would you suggest if we were looking to do our own little pub crawl?

Thanks so much! I am really excited about this port and am open to any other suggestions you might have

Dana

I will be doing a 7 day coastal cruise for my 40th birthday in early May. we will be stopping in Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria, Victoria and Vancouver. I would really love to do a winery tour, but would prefer to do one privately than with the cruise ship.

Does anyone have any recommendations for private tours in any of these ports? Is one port better than the other for winery tours? I am thinking worst case scenario I will do one through the ship in either Santa Barbara or San Francisco. Thanks

Dana

Us too!! We were not going to book it because our balcony category was too high. One day checking saw the price went down $500.....no brainer.....called TA and got their discount on top of it.

I too am on the October repo on the Royal and just got refared and am saving $600 on my aft balcony.

We brought 2 of the cheap ponchos and did use them when we were taking the ferry boat tour through the canal. It rained quite hard so we would have gotten very wet. Everyone had to run for cover on the boat and we just stayed put, then when the rain was done, we could use the ponchos to sit on any other seat that may have been wet.

Enjoy your trip

I had an aft premium deluxe balcony on the Royal (D729) and had no soot complaints. I really enjoyed the aft balcony - ours was larger than most and was partially covered. However, we were originally looking to book a forward-facing balcony until we found a great deal on the aft balcony.

That is the cabin I currently have booked.. that makes me feel a lot better thanks

You guys are all beating me to the punch. I am on that repo cruise too and am currently booked in an aft but am going back and forth with the thought of switching to a forward balcony. You all might make my decision WAY easier if you book all the forwards :p

Dana

Ok, so I am just looking for people's opinions, which I am aware will be very subjective. I have an aft balcony booked (the first one ever for us) for the repositioning on the Royal in October from NY to FL. It is a 10 day cruise with a lot of sea days. I am very worried about the soot issues and just read some reviews of the forward facing balconies and am now considering switching up.

I am curious what other's experiences have been and what other's opinions are. I feel like there would very likely be sea days in a forward facing balcony we wouldn't be able to use the balcony but would save significant money, whereas we would roll the dice with an aft. Aghhhs:confused:Help, I am so confused.

Dana

Thanks for posting this. I have an aft booked for October.. I am now going to torment myself with the decision of whether or not to switch to a forward facing balcony. I am assuming your cruise on the Royal was a Caribbean cruise?

Dana