JimmyVWine

Serious question (to the extent that the subject matter itself can be considered serious). One of the gripes listed that has people heading for the exits is the elimination of the pillow chocolates. So…which of the following is true of Princess’ mass market competitors? 1—They provided pillow chocolates and still do; 2—The used to provide pillow chocolates and have now stopped; or 3—They never provided pillow chocolates and still don’t? If the answer is either 2 or 3, how is quitting Princess and moving to another cruise line where one has no loyalty level benefits a positive move?

We booked before the (second) price increase for Plus and it was an even $50 per day, no tax. $400 for an 8 day cruise. So her total fare under the promo was $555 ($400 for Plus and $155 for port fees). Since that time, they boosted the price of Plus and added some additional benefits.

This is correct. Our daughter is now over 21, but when we book a cabin for three, only the first 2 passengers have to have the package. Indeed, when booking under the “3rd and 4th passengers sail free” promo, only the paying passengers got the package. We had to call to add Plus to our daughter’s booking.

Reminds me of the old joke: Joe says to Sally: “There are two big problems with that restaurant. First, the food was so bad that I took only one forkful and didn’t want to eat another bite.” Sally says: “What’s the second problem?” Joe replies: “The portions are too small.”

Nice product. But twice the price of mass market lines and fewer than half a dozen ships.

If anyone knows of a mass market cruise line that is every bit today what it was in 2018, please let me know. But what I see is a whole bunch of people bumping into each other as they cross the proverbial street from their formerly favorite cruise line to the one they are about to change to because they assume it is better. Bye-bye Celebrity! I am headed over to Princess. Bye-bye Princess! I am headed over to Royal Caribbean. Bye-bye Royal Caribbean! I am headed over to MSC. Bye-bye MSC! I am headed over to Celebrity. And so it goes.

We view the newly added "benefits" of PLUS (lollipops and spin classes) to be a distraction, but do not figure them in to the overall price. Knowing that we will not be partaking, the math is simply: Are Gratuities, wi-fi and unlimited drinks at $15 per day worth the price of the package. (Yes, I know that the number of drinks is technically limited to 15 per day, but to us, that is the functional equivalent of "unlimited". We never hit half that number.) Before the lollipops and spin classes, the math was a true no brainer. Now that they have upped the price, it is still worth it to us for foreign cruises where we cannot tote along wine from our cellar that is already bought and paid for. But for cruises out of US ports, we will revert back to bringing our own wine and paying OOP for the rest. As to the question presented: Will alcohol consumption decrease? For us, yes. Without PLUS we won't have as many fruity drinks by the pool, or glasses of rum/scotch after dinner. With the package, these are a given. Paying out of pocket, we will think long and hard about whether we need that last drink at 10:30 at Bellini's, if you know what I mean.

No need to steal them. The food at the IC is included in the fare.

Living on the east coast, it is just so easy to use the Caribbean as our warm weather escape. And I spent 5 days in Mazatlán many years back, and many people have said that the cruise port stops aren't all that different. Not that I didn't enjoy my time there. I did. Beach. Shrimp every night that were as big as your hand, washed down by cheap bottles of beer (as opposed to bottles of cheap beer...there is a difference.) I just don't need a cruise to do the "wash, rinse, repeat" of walking along the waterfront looking at the same crafts, some handmade and many imported from Asia. And as you know and reported, there aren't many (any??) excursions that draw me in. If I ever do that itinerary, it would be for the sea days, and perhaps spend as much time on shore as I do when a ship ports in Nassau, if you get my drift. Not cruise related, but I saw the PP in 1990. While on the topic of bucket list items, this was on the top of my mother's. One of my best friends happened to be living in Garmisch (sp?) in 1990, so I invited myself and my mother for a stay in their guest room and we coupled that with tickets to the Passion Play which included a two-night stay with a "host family" in Oberammergau. Unforgettable experience for lots of reasons, but mostly because of my mother's beaming face when she finally got to do an exotic thing that she had dreamt of for many, many years.

You strongly advised that this thread not devolve into another formal night dress code thread, but then you go ahead and post this. It is neither true nor neutral. So you are inviting the curse that you warn against. An odd choice. I don’t know if this was ever true, but if it once was, it isn’t now. I haven’t heard or seen this old wive’s tale play out in the past 11 years. Every crew member we have witnessed in that time has been honest and open. Now, of course, my experiences pale in comparison to the literally thousands of cruises that I was not on. But honestly, this peccadillo hasn’t really been an issue of concern for quite some time. Especially since Alfredo’s was introduced on the Royal Class ships. And if you think about it, the MDR is open for lunch. They know it and we know it. What possible incentive could there be for the ship to operate a venue and have no one use it, and instead toss everyone into the pandemonium of the buffet only to be angered and disappointed on their first impression of the ship. In a customer service oriented business, creating a negative first impression is the single worst thing you could do.

Me when donuts are in the IC…

Finally got around to finishing this fine Journal. Thank you as always for the detail, photos and irreverence. I feel as if I have been on this cruise, which I think is a good thing because it is not an itinerary that I covet. But I'm not sure if your tales and photos have solidified that opinion or flipped it. I guess time will tell. Glad that you and Carol weathered the Covid storm. Safe and healthy travels to you both from here on out!

It’s not even 3 inches. We bring a flameless votive candle (usb rechargeable) and place it on the lower shelf of the bathroom near the waste can to remind us to step up at night. Lower wattage than a nightlight but does the trick.

I would sign on to Norris posting entries from the Naperville phone book. But a Trip Report? Ha! No brainer ( for which I am eminently qualified).

Maybe it has to do with fuel costs? FLL to the ABCs and back is a long way. Would be nice to have some cruises start in San Juan but I don’t see that happening.

Sometimes I think people don’t appreciate the difference between “usable” and “enjoyable”. I’ve stood at the bow of many ships that had wraparound promenades and let the wind throw back my hair and ripple my clothing. Not once did I ever wish that my balcony offered me that same experience.

Actually, you are missing out on something by the venue being closed.....Vines !!!😆

I can't really explain why the older Royal Class ships have higher ratings than the newer ones other than your guess that it might be due to the fact that the majority of passengers sailing on the "newer" Royal Class ships have done so after the re-start and the reviewers are rating the overall experience rather than the ship itself. The ships are far more similar than dissimilar. Yes there are differences, (such as replacing Vines in some ships with a Pub) but not enough to drive a whole star rating difference. So I wouldn't put too much stock in the assumption that the earlier RC ships are "better" than the more recently launched ones. That said, I love the RC ships for port-intensive cruises but still prefer the Grand Class ships for tropical cruises and ones with lots of sea days. That is where you really want a bigger balcony, a better designed pool area, a wrap-around Promenade and perhaps a covered pool. I'd also choose a GC ship over a RC ship for an itinerary that has "scenic cruising" days such as Alaska or the Panama Canal. Better open areas for panoramic viewing. Not sure what itineraries you are looking at, but if they are port-heavy, don't hesitate to book any RC ship. If the itinerary is more relaxed, and there is a choice, I would pick a GC ship first. But I wouldn't skip the cruise entirely if my only option was a RC ship. I would just strategize and maximize what the ship has to offer, trying to be at the right place at the right time.

Here's your focus group...

Not in the least. Taking two scoops of ice cream that is free in the MDR and sticking a huge pinwheel lollipop into it does not a "special, upcharge dessert" make. When Princess rolled out the Norman Love Chocolate program, the desserts introduced were way more impressive and they were included in the price of the cruise. These cringeworthy concoctions wouldn't interest me even if they were included in the fare. But to charge more for them?? Positively laughable.

And this is the issue I have with the Packages. It really is all about the alcohol. If a person averages 4+ drinks per day, every day, the Packages are a value. But not everyone does that. And it is hard to make the Packages pay off for anyone who doesn't drink, drinks lightly, or already gets a minibar setup. Princess, if you are listening...what I would like to see is Princess list all of its offerings, (All Inclusive Bev Package; wi-fi; Gratuities; Desserts; Fitness Classes; Private Yoga Instruction; Photo Packages; Two Specialty Dining Reservations; a Meet and Greet with a Pirate and Fortuna Luck; and whatever else they can think of) and then have a program where guests can choose any three items, bundle them together, and get 40% off the list price. That way EVERYONE gets to see a benefit from bundling the "extras" and not just people who consume alcohol at a rate of 4 drinks per day. Rant over.

Great opportunity for the crew to practice their "Man Overboard" drills.

Here's why. If unused, the FCC is refunded to the CC on file. If you purchase with a Gift Card, they would have to refund the unused amount back to the Gift Card, and Princess has no way of knowing if that Gift Card will still be viable at the time of the refund. (Isn't it 2 years)? If the purchaser uses the remaining balance of the Gift Card in between purchasing the FCC and the time of the refund, there is no card left to credit the refund to. Yes, there are workarounds to this problem (like issuing a check) but I doubt that Princess is interested in working through that maze.

No. You get drinks up to $15. In the "fine print" the word "New" is capitalized and in quotes. That is significant. That means that you get everything that is not preceded with the word "New" and you do not get anything that is preceded with the word "New". So you get the first 5 bulleted items and you do not get the last three bulleted items It really isn't that confusing. They have spelled it out as clearly as possible.

Don't know the answer to that one, but the placement of the Club and the infinity pool is a bit odd if the Dining room has an aft-facing view. "Sir. Can you check to see if there is a table available toward the aft? One with a view of the old wrinkly guy in the pool while we dine?"