coco2/27

What does “GRANDFATHERS CABANA INDICATOR” mean on my C2 Sun and Star Princess bookings?  
 

Do I still have Reserve Collection restaurant?  
 

I see that my Sun Princess M2 booking now has “SANCTUARY CLASS INDICATOR” added.

I’m getting confused by all these changes…

Thanks for any clarification 🙏

I called as soon as I noticed this, and all was fixed to our satisfaction, so it wasn’t an issue after all.  We are a group of three, so the odd number might be the difference when many cruisers are pairs.  If you were both able to get waitlisted, it may not be an issue for you.  
Good luck 🍀 and hoping that you get what you want!

When this has happened to us, we were automatically added to the new tour, and then the need to pay the additional $, with automatic cancellation of the tour that we had booked while on the waitlist.  And I believe this happened even if only one slot opened, so we weren’t then both on the same excursions.  Hopefully this is understandable and helpful.

Does anyone have any recommendations regarding choosing between cabin D738 vs C750?  Open vs covered balcony on either?  🙏

I’m looking at the new 2026 Itineraries, and can’t see where the Diamond is from 1/20/26 to 2/10/26.  We’re interested in the 1/6/26 and 2/10/26 cruises, and would stay onboard between these sailings, if possible, but I can’t seem to find where the ship is!!!  Is this a dry dock break???  Anyone know, or have suggestions where I can look?

Much thanks for any help 🙏

We just finished the land tour with Bob Wood tour group, with Leonie as our guide, and it was fabulous in all ways!!!  
Busy, and tiring, but fantastic!

I’m new to the AARP gift cards — how do I check the balance on the card — I just bought some through AARP and plan on using for onboard credit on upcoming cruise.  I’d hate to have a problem at the guest services desk, and don’t want to load to my account early, as at first I had our PVP add it, bit it didn’t convert to Australian dollars, so I had it taken off.  It’s still sitting in my Apple Wallet now.

Thank you both!  🙏

 That simplifies our planning!

Addendum:  I just read through the whole thread, and see that excursion guides / drivers don’t expect tips.  
 

Just one last check regarding the land tour guide???

🙏

We have an upcoming New Zealand cruise with a land tour of Australia.  The Princess site suggests tipping the land tour guide, but the amount suggested was last updated in 2015!
 

Any advice regarding tipping needs / expectations or recommendations for our booked half day tours in New Zealand?  We have these booked through the ship.

Also, any updated recommendations for tipping the Australia land tour guide?  The Princess 2015 recommendations were $30 to $50 per person for the six day tour.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

 

At minimum will always get the air taxes and surcharges refunded.  Airlines can't legally charge this because you didn't fly in cases passenger initiated cancelations.  Kind of like how cruise lines refund the port charges for missed ports.

Because a flight is booked through EZ Air which is not directly through the airline system, those fees are not refundable.  

I’ve personally experienced this within the past few months, with much time, phone calls, and mediations tried.

4 hours ago, trhattan said:

Hypothetical question: 

If I buy EZair Flexible flights and want to cancel the flights within the 45 day cut-off for changes, what happens to the air money I paid?  Do I get anything back - real $ or cruise credits or what?

If you cancel an EZ Air flight after the 45 day window and are still doing the cruise, you can lose all the EZ Air $ that you’ve paid as your “cancellation penalty”.  

That same scenario happened to me once, and shortly after noticing this, my pending bid was accepted 🎉

The only EZ Air problem that I’ve encountered was an instance when I needed to change my return flight after the 45 day deadline.  Despite it being an international business class flight that would have allowed penalty free changes if purchased directly from the airline, I wasn’t able to make a change without paying a Princess penalty of the entire flight cost in addition to the cost of the additional flight back.   Fortunately, I was able to find a last minute cheap trans-Atlantic cruise back.  So ultimately, my original round trip cost turned into a one way airfare cost that was probably not more expensive than I would have experienced with direct airline booking, and the return trip back to the US was much more relaxing!
 Sometimes one has to just appreciate any way one can make lemonade out of lemons 🍋!

(this wasn’t an insurance covered change, so that wasn’t an option, either, before this question may be asked)

On 12/5/2023 at 7:20 PM, SCX22 said:

 

As far as I know Princess GCs are only issued in US Dollars.  The currency on Australia cruises is the Australian Dollar.  GS will credit the gift cards in to your folio in AUD one is to one to the USD value of the GC.  You're going to be out around 30% to 50%, depending on the exchange rate, which is even more than the 1.1% CC surcharge.

That doesn’t make sense that a conversion wouldn’t occur, especially if one loads the gift card as onboard credit prior to the cruise.

When excursions are pre-paid online prior to sailing, the AUD$ converts to US$ with credit card payments, so obviously conversions are possible.

As we just got back from a cruise, I just ordered our medallions and it didn’t give me a shipping option.  We leave January 2nd to fly to Sydney for our land / cruise trip.  Have others encountered this?  

I’m in process of bidding, trying to get a balcony cabin on a Drop & Go deal.  Any advice about where on the “poor to excellent” scale is appreciated!

I’ve seen a small selection of food snacks on a cart by the windows in Good Spirits bar off the piazza, too.

Thank you so much🙏!!!

 I think you’ll be doing many of us a great service!

Already looking forward to your blog 😁

Thank you 😄 for all your info!!!

We’ll just be flying between Sydney, Cairns, Uluru / Ayer’s Rock, and back to Sydney.  
I’m not sure if that will make a difference about which airline and baggage restrictions, but I’m sure we’ll have a great time!!!

Thank you all for this help 🙏🥰

Wow — what a great question, that led me into a rabbit hole for Quantas dash 8 😳

Now I’m just hoping and expecting that Princess uses regular domestic airlines, and that I’ll be just fine 😏!

Thank you, thank you all for replying!🙏🏼!

great information, and much appreciated!!!

My wanted carry on total measurement is 42.5”.

That’s fine for regular domestic Quantas flights (again, I’m not sure which airline the Bob Woods vendor uses), but the Quantas Dash domestic flights state total carry on measurement of 41”.   
Do you think I can likely chance it and be okay? 
(😉no legal liabilities 😆)

Hi, all!  I’m hoping someone of you all out there can help!

We have a Princess cruise tour booked in January, and the carry on weight restrictions are quite specific and small.  15 pounds total weight!  Wow!

I’ve searched Cruise Critic and haven’t found information on which airlines is used for the Australia plane rides.  Princess has Bob Wood Cruise Group listed as vendor, and nothing is noted on their site either.

Any information is much appreciated!  I would hate to get there and have to pay many additional baggage fees if the size of my luggage doesn’t fit the parameters, which I truly can’t find anywhere!  I can stick to the 15#, if I can carry a personal item that would also fit whatever size or weight requirements that surely must list  — somewhere!!!

Thank you, in advance, for any replies 🙏

Any recommendations?  Are there deck differences?

Thank you for the feedback and info!  I’m sure we will enjoy it 😀