AKman2495

Well, I think it sounds a little creepy too. OTOH, my car is "keyless" and comes with a fob that is a proximity transmitter very much like these medallions. As long as the "key" is in the car, it will start.

As you approach the locked car, it senses the "key" and a light turns on in the door handle (handy at night). You can then unlock the car doors. The hatchback is designed to automatically unlock whenever the key is present (Makes it convenient when you are carrying something. So, I am familiar with that part of the technology.

As for everything else, we'll see. Sometimes having access to things is nice and convenient. Other times, not so much. It may be nice to have a waiter approach on the lido deck and say" another diet coke (or whatever you're drinking)? But, having waiters interrupt a meal or relaxation to push something you may have looked at once is too much. Kind of like on facebook when you get pop up ads for anything you may have just looked at or have just bought.....

On our last cruise, I noticed that there was a large group of 10 that was seated at a 10 top table every night. I asked about it because they just walked into the ATD room with no wait. I discovered that they had set up a nightly reservation for that table at that time every night.

I would expect that for a reserved table for 10 every night, they might insist on a set time. However, as you say, not all of you might be eating at the same time, smaller tables would make more sense.

As for conversation, if you keep to the 10 top, you could simp0ly move the seating every night so the group can mingle.

But smaller groupings also make sense. Too.

Enjoy.

One other thing to mention is that on some cruises, Princess has set up tours of FLL. On our last B2B in FLL we scheduled a trip to the everglades and to the Flamingo Gardens. They work these trips on conjunction with an airport run.

You get off the ship (with your in transit card and new cruise card and ID), get on the bus go through the tour, stop by the airport and return to the ship.

Once there, you breeze through security and just board the ship. We had about 30 people in our group and be blew by the photographers and we were on the ship in no time.

The tour was a typical Princess tour-good. We got to see a little of Florida and the Flamingo Gardens is a great place to visit.

Even if you don't take a tour, if you haven't spent a lot of time in South Florida, I would say check it out-at least once. It is worth getting off the ship to see.

Yeah: How to double your money in a casino-take it out of your pocket, fold it in half, put it back and walk away.:D

Actually, the "first night" theory makes little sense because for the ship, there is no "first night". As for me, I have won a few bucks from time to time. I have found that they can loosen up over time. I have done better after a few days out than in the beginning. I can remember watching a $1 wheel of fortune machine for almost 2 weeks of our 2 weeks cruise. Finally, I decided to play it. I pulled $350 bucks out of it before it turned on me.

I have never hit it "big", but have won enough to cover my losses most of the time, which as Kenny Rodgers said, is not bad.....

Yes, the Royal is a lot bigger. It is wider but not much longer than the coral. The biggest difference is that it has more accommodation decks-i.e., decks with staterooms.

Because we don't normally prowl those decks, the biggest change is that you have to ride the elevator a few seconds longer to get to your destination.

Although the ship is bigger, it still has an intimate feel-even in the bigger atrium. Up on the open decks you'll feel the extra width and height, but it is not overwhelming. THe do have the ability to do light and fountain shows u on the upper decks, which, if possible, you should catch at least once.

There are additional rooms to check out and enjoy (or not as many of the complainers will tell you). The theater is wider, but again, not greatly so.

Some of the lounges are different too. But it is a different ship-so what.

We did a 15 day Europe/Trans Atlantic on her just over a year ago and found her to be a comfortable ship.

The only real complaint is that they have the ping pong tables way up on deck 17 or 18 and it is windy up there. We tried to play one day and you would hot the ball into the wind and it would come back to you!

Enjoy the ship for what she is and don't be afraid of the size

A couple of years ago I book on of the Plaza deck cabins. We were upgraded to a room on Baja. I'm glad we were. We were in the Western Caribbean and the ship was a rockin and a rollin...We were down on the plaza deck in the Atruim on night and we could hear the stabilizers being deployed. Boy, what a racket! I thought if that went on all night, that Plaza deck cabin would have been hell....With the upgrade, we were far above the noise.

As for the rolling, we hit some good wave action. My nightstand drawers kept opening on the port roll. I would push them closed on the starboard roll and they would slide open again when she rolled to port. I finally gave up.

Then, in the middle of the night, it felt like we were on an elevator. We went UPPPPP and DOWNNNN. I tried to figure out where level was in all that, but I was never sure. Eventually, the elevator quit and I went back to sleep.....

One of the first things my wife asks the Steward for is a box of tissues for the bedroom. No problem. We've always got the extra box.

Thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise in May. Any thoughts? Cold?

As someone who has lived in Alaska for 40 years, May is often a transition month. THat said, we've just come off one of the warmest springs in years. So, May was more like summer (for us).

Typically, May is cold in the beginning of the month and they it warms up quickly. The last 2 weeks often have great weather.

But, as always, it depends. It can be sunny or rainy, warm or miserable and cold.

So, you should pack for all possible conditions from thr 50's and rain t osun and 70's.

Then you will not go wrong.

 

I see a pool named the Terrance Pool on Deck 14. Is this more like a smaller/shallow splash pool? It looks like it might have some good views.

Yes really great views. Yes the pool is 5 feel deep. There is a ledge and also, there should be grab bard around the top edge, you can use them to hold your self up.

 

Are there showers and towels available at the fitness center?

Yes, nice big showers and plenty of towels!

What is special about Skywalkers Nightclub? It sounds interesting and I'd like to know more.

We were in Aruba and our tour ended up at the beach for a while. The tour guide said we could just get off there and return on our own (just let him know) or we could simply finish the tour (at that point a ride back to the pier).

As far as I know one could get off of a tour early-just make sure the guide knows-without a problem.

We have always booked insides. The savings are substantial and we have never noticed any "inconvenience" or deprivation from being in an inside.

As others have said, the food is the same and the public spaces are the same. We always make good use of those spaces and have never mined not having a balcony.

Hmmm. A thread that was started in 2012...

Yeah! I was going to reply except I saw that I already had! Back in 2012!

On all of th musters I have attended on Princess, they were handled very well. I found the crew very professional and well trained. If there was any chaos, it was due to the passengers,although I never saw any chaos. People were moving but they were going to their assigned muster stations.

Princess has a very simple system of muster stations and unless you're a complete idiot, they are not hard to find. Crew members are positioned everywhere and will guide you to the proper station. Stations are marked clearly.

At muster we learned that in case of a real emergency, it is important to bring good clothing, your medications and your personal identifications along with your life jackets.

I am confident that on Princess, at least, we would survive a dangerous emergency.

We have used anytime dining in all our cruises. We have never made a reservation. We usually go to eat between 5:30 and 6 and are never in a hurry. We also always tell them we are willing to share a table (in anytime dining, you are not assigned to a table-you can share or not. If you share you will be placed at a table for 6, 8 or 10. after a few nights they might not be strangers.)

Telling them you are willing to share makes things a lot easier for them and the do appreciate that. After a few days they get to know you and tend to put you in interesting spots around the MDR.

As for waiting, We've gone down and had maybe 20 people in line ahead of us and have waited no more than 5 or 10 minutes to get in.

Only one week did we have to wait with the pagers. That was a Super Bowl cruise with a large group (over 1000).

Another advantage of anytime is the entertainment schedule. We have decided to go to an early show and eat dinner at 8:00 or 8:30. Anytime lets you do that if you want.

Hi all,

 

I've travelled to Alaska out of San Francisco and been sick as a dog in the potato patch. Is it any better heading South? (Or should I invest in lots and lots of Dramamine?!)

 

Thanks!

I guess it really doesn't matter what others have experienced sailing south. In 2012 we sailed from Vancouver to LA and had modest seas. There was movement, although it was no problem for us...for you, who knows.

I recommend being prepared because if it is smooth, no problem, but if it is rough...watch out.

So, be prepared for the worst and be happy if it isn't.

I've been to Belize and would not recommend going anywhere without a profession guide service. It is not a pleasant place beyond the tourist pier area.

As for Roatan, it is a beautiful place, but again, I would avoid going places on my own. Roatan has an iguana farm that the kids should enjoy. There are many animals and they can feed the iguanas.

Have fun...

I agree, usually the first formal is the first sea day after embarkation. I would expect that 7/1 would be the first formal night.

I would definitely check out the routes before hand. That will save you time and trouble. Also, look for the closest hop on point to save more time.

For our trip to London, we purchased tickets on line (actually vouchers). When we got to the sop nearest the hotel, there was a man from the bus company who converted the vouchers to tickets. It is quite possible other cities have similar set ups- you can buy your tickets on the spot.

By planning our routes before hand we got to see a lot of London in a day. Granted, more time is always better, but for the time we had, we saw a lot-and that includes hoping on and off at various places.

Does anyone have recent experience with the Crown Princess? I'm trying to learn the times or the production shows in the Princess Theater. Our anytime dining will be at 7:15 each evening and am hoping for no conflict.

One of the advantages of anytime dining is this-you can go at any time. Now, you might have to wait a while, but it does give you flexibility. Many times, there is a production show with another act in another venue on the same night. anytime lets you eat early to catch both shows in order, or to go to a early show, eat later and still make the late show. You can mix and match this anyway you like to accommodate the particular schedule on any given night.

Sure you can bring your hiking boots to the MDR....Just don't put them on the table...;)

When I was in Panama I went on an excursion deep into the jungle. I work long pants - a light weight pair of hiking pants. It was hot but not unbearable...

For those complaining about the me,me,me groups please look at what you are posting.

 

I want everyone to dress according to a guideline so they please ME.

I think they should respect ME and what I want.

It will disturb ME if someone wears something I do not like in the MDR.

Why are all the people doing something I do not like as it does not please ME.

 

The ME ME ME works both ways. Enjoy your next cruise. I know I will as it will do what pleases ME not others.

Someone's clothes wouldn't ruin my night. It's just disrespectful to not moderately follow the dress code. It's a elegant night and we enjoy seeing people dressed up. Go to the buffet or order room service if you can't wear slacks and collared shirt at a minimum.

Tripper is exactly right. The guy-tired or not always has good alternatives to the MDR of he refuses to put on a good shirt and pants. Yet...for some reason, he insists on going to the MDR dressed inappropriately.

All I can say os go figure...

This is what our group has done on other cruiselines: as soon as we board, we visit the Maitre D' for anytime dining and reserve a table for every night at 6:30 for our group. It has always worked. Can we do this on Princess? The 5:30 traditional on the Caribbean Princess seems so early! Having asked that, what are the show times on the Caribbean Princess?

I do not know about 6:30 exactly, but when we were on the Royal for our 15 day TA, we ate between 5:30 and 6 and every night a table for 10 was blocked out for a group. One evening while we were waiting (only a few minutes) the group just walked in and I asked what was going on. They said they had a standing reservation for that table...

If you get in on the first day, I don't see why they couldn't accommodate you at 6:30. It's worth a shot....

We left Southhampton on September 6th last year and said around Europe, the Iberian peninsula and the Azores before sailing to FLL. The seas were amazingly calm. When we were heading into the Bay of Biscay the Captain warned us we might have a rough night-but no! The next say, the Captain said it was the smoothest he'd ever seen.

THe 6 days across the Atlantic were as calm as could be. I was almost disappointed because I missed the gentle motion of the sea.

Anyway, I was happy we were lucky.

Mind you this was not the North Atlantic.

Actually, it is the North Atlantic. The South Atlantic is south of the equator.