californiagirl

Thank you for your great review. I really appreciate your positive attitude.

Our experience is the same a jwattle regarding a table for two. On my last solo cruise just as happenstance I was seated at a two top next to the same couple as a few nights prior. We were both pleased to continue prior conversations and get caught up on excursions we had taken. To have an extended dining experience with strangers, like the OP experienced would be tiresome. There is only so much small talk one can express at a first meeting. Unless the wait is excessive we usually request a table for two.

I am 43 days out and can see a few activities but nothing regarding MUTS. The inconsistencies are the only constants with Princess.

Thank you for taking us along. A WC is on our bucket list. I see your cruise goes east to west. I’ve heard that is the best direction as you gain time as you travel. Easier on the body.

I have cancelled a cruise via live chat. It must have been booked directly with Princess. They need your full names, birthdates, booking number and sail date. They will also ask you why you are cancelling. Very quick and easy. I have booked via live chat too. (My PVP is useless and I haven’t bothered changing him.) One caveat, the booking needs to be a straight forward booking. Using either a FCD, FCC or cash deposit.

That was a long travel day for you! Glad you made your connection and arrived home at a decent time. Thank you again for your outstanding live review. Happy New Year!

Thank you for the in room tea info PacnGoNow.

CruiseRookie wow, great albums! Thank you for sharing the link.

Thank you for taking the time to bring us along. It was so enjoyable! Safe travels home. I hope you make your connection without difficulty. We did one cruise out of Galveston in February of 2005 on Grand. I can validate the difficulties you faced in getting to and from Galveston. Our departure airport was LAX. It was still somewhat of an effort. The other thing we didn’t like was that Galveston was cold and the first full sea day was chilly. Now living in a snowy climate, in the winter we definitely prefer leaving from a warmer location.

We began cruising Princess in 2002. Every ship we have been on has had the scones, clotted cream and jam beginning ~ 3:00 each day. On the Royal class ships there are other sweets as well near the scones. I can’t recall if the other ships have anything other than scones available. I’ve never done the dining room tea before but this next cruise we will be elite so I’m going to try it in the cabin. For those of you who are elite how do you let the kitchen know you want afternoon tea?

I’m following along as we will be on Discovery for her regular Mexico itinerary in Feb. I was on her in cabin L101 in early September to Alaska. We were in L102 a year ago on Regal. The cabins are identical. You hit the cabin lottery! We LOVE the forward facing deluxe balcony cabins on Royal class ships. I agree with your assessment of forward cabins on Lido deck. It’s a great location. Discovery is a beautiful ship, the blues and light wood are soothing. I hope your travel to San Pedro is uneventful. Anyone in currently working in healthcare deserves a long vacation. If you or anyone else has the opportunity I’m interested in the new menus.

Thank you for the email address. We bought shares recently when they were very low so the first time requesting the OBC. I sent the redacted copy of our statement and typed in our names, sailing date and booking number in the email. I expected it to take a couple of days especially with this being a holiday week. I was stunned when I received an email within an hour showing our booking with credit applied.

I just compared the first responder discount to the new sale…the prices are exactly the same. Prior to this current sale the first responder price was lower. Last year when they had the first responder discount the price went lower when the sale began. Much better deal last year. The lower price came out after I made final payment. I used live chat and was refunded back the difference. There also was no single supplement. I realize Princess must turn a profit but don’t make something seem exclusive when it most definitely is not.

Did any of you have to verify again after taking advantage of this promotion last year? I had no cruise booked so I hadn’t been on the boards recently. Therefore I didn’t know about this promotion until I got an email yesterday from Princess telling me I had been auto-verified because I was verified in the last promotion. (I hope that makes sense.) The link to book was in the email. I’m sorry several of you are having trouble getting verified. I hope you get the cruise and cabin you want when you finally get the link to book. We cancelled a cruise about a month ago. My Dad passed away and my 87 year old Mother was going to move in with us in January. We weren’t sure how everything would go so we cancelled the cruise. She ended up moving in last month and has settled in remarkably well. So I checked the price with the promo and it was $1200 less! That is for the same sailing and a cabin just a few doors down. We’re booked and paid in full.

I realize it’s after the fact now but last year on Regal the turkey was especially good. It tasted like true roasted thanksgiving turkey. We enjoyed the thanksgiving cruise more than we expected.

Thank you Dr Sch for starting this thread. I booked a cruise yesterday via live chat (will never use my PCP again). There were some extenuating circumstances which precluded me from just booking online. I did not want to spend time on hold by calling Princess. The man helping me was very good. Prior to initiating the chat I used the method mentioned of doing a test booking for 3 passengers. I saw the cabin I wanted. At first he said only guarantees available. I said I was certain the cabin I requested was available and asked him to run it by a supervisor. He immediately said he knew what to do and he booked the cabin we wanted without difficulty. There must be an extra step even Princess employees must do to override the system. This will be my first cruise as elite. I’m looking forward to afternoon tea in our stateroom. My husband likes Diet Coke from the can so he is looking forward to the mini-bar set up. We both will appreciate the priority tendering.

I’m thoroughly enjoying your trip report and pictures. Thank you for taking time to post. We were on Sapphire in 2009 when the swine flu hit and we were switched from a Mexico cruise to a California coastal cruise. She was only 5 years old and absolutely gorgeous. I was interested in your itinerary as you are sailing in the Sea of Cortez in addition to the usual Western Mexico stops. It is an itinerary I would like to do. I’m looking forward to hearing about Loreto. You mentioned in an early post that there were no sinks on Majestic when you sailed on her. When I was on Majestic in February there were sinks just outside the buffet on both sides and both ends of the buffet. This was in addition to hand sanitizer stations. Each ship I’ve been on since the restart has had sinks outside of the buffet. Regal and Majestic had staff stationed at the sinks to encourage passengers to use them. Discovery had staff stationed at the sinks only during the busiest times.

Carnival cancelled some as well. There were approximately 5 ships including Carnival and Norwegian at sea unsure if they could dock either yesterday or today. A few pre-determined to stay at sea one or two days extra. The cruises directly following were cancelled.

Having lived most of my life in SoCal I concur with the comments regarding chilly weather in February. Some years we had unusual February heat waves but those were exceptions. Last February I took a 7 day Mexico cruise leaving from LA on Majestic. It was cold the first and last sea days…going to and from the Cabo area. Much too cold for lying around the outdoor pools. It warmed up south of Cabo. Discovery doesn’t have the enclosed Hollywood conservatory that Majestic has. Discovery’s main pools are on the open deck. The retreat pool on Discovery is semi-enclosed. It is surrounded by cabins but open above. I have not been on Summit so I can not comment on her.

Have they said anything about the big storm? I think this picture is a few hours old.

Your comment about the toilet paper location on Discovery made me laugh! I agree completely! I ended up taking it off the dispenser and setting it on the shelf next to the toilet.

This exact thing happened yesterday afternoon at sea on Discovery. It was the Canadian coast guard who performed the procedure. We slowed to 7 knots and the captain turned the ship 180° so she was facing north. The patient and his wife were air lifted off the ship. It occurred in the aft of the ship. I was surprised that deck 16 was not completely cleared. The pools, grill, pizza place and buffet remained open. The very aft area was closed.

I’m currently on Discovery. I had a wonderful table by the window the first night. I expressed to the staff that I wish I could have that table the entire cruise. They said that is possible…at either 5:00 or 7:00. (Most likely it is available at 9:00 too.) So I have it at 7:00 each evening. The ship is full and the dining has improved dramatically over Majestic in February. Dining was COMPLETELY unorganized in February. The staff on Discovery has everything under control. The first night I had a wait of maybe 2 minutes. Last night I had no wait and was escorted to “my” table. 😊 I’m in the Skagway dining room.

I’m currently on Discovery and can confirm spa and excursion credits are listed as general onboard credits.

I can second @partybarbie. It is quick and easy to cancel via live chat. Have your booking number ready. You may need log off then back on to see the cancellation and FCC back in your account.