Traveler808

Kwokpot gave you a very detailed description of using the onsen.  May I just add that "Once submersed in the water most Men put the face cloth on top of their heads" is because it is taboo to put that wash cloth in the water.  Leave it on your head or outside on a rock or what have you.

Please give it a try. 

Ombud, same result but it's the city of Busan that provides and runs the shuttle.  The Peace Park is in Nagasaki, Japan.  The two places you're referring to in Busan would probably be the Jagalchi Fishmarket and the Gukje Market across the street.  The shuttle will drop you off in between those two places.

I have stayed in Yokohama several times before and know where Hotel Monterey is.  Using Google Maps, I located your hotel, then used the "direction" icon coming from Haneda.  Zoom down at the Yokohama end, and you'll see that the bus will drop you off at Yamashita Park in front of the Water Guardian Statue.  From there it is about 500 - 550 feet to your hotel on level pavement.

Thank you for the responses! I've printed their boarding passes and luggage tags so it sounds like they are good to go. They will have carry on luggage only (backpack, CPAP and 21" suitcases) so I will let them know they have the option of taking it through check in themselves or dropping it downstairs for the cruise personnel but of course to keep meds and essentials on their person. .

Since you mentioned using a CPAP machine, may I suggest that they bring an extension cord with them and also ask for distilled water through their personalizer (if needed). The room steward will leave a complimentary gallon of distilled water in their stateroom.

For those of you who have visited both sites, if your time was limited to two hours, which would you choose? I realize that one can spend hours at the Summer Palace, but I don't think I could handle that amount of time, anyway. Thanks for any input.

I have been to both sites a few times and if I were to go to Beijing and had to choose only one site, it would be the Summer Palace...No question about it.

NO NO NO and NO.

Princess should NOT imitate NCL. That would be demeaning.

An elegant white hull with the name of the ship in black shows CLASS.

I have been on 5 Alaska cruises (3 with Princess) and one Princess Cruise Tour. You will love cruising Alaska with Princess as they know how to do Alaska.

My Cruise Tour was North bound from Vancouver to Whittier then inland to Fairbanks. While I thoroughly enjoyed this trip, I made a mental note to myself to do the land first, then cruise South bound.

You will enjoy Alaska either way.

What does his treatment entail? Where is he receiving it?

 

My wife's treatment entailed concentrating on a series of moving stripes projected on a screen or wall. The doctor would then evaluate her and make adjustments to the speed and/or direction of the stripes. She has been receiving this treatment through Dr. Dai at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York but I believe that you need to be referred by your treating ENT.

We were told that MdDs is not a form of vertigo. Vertigo has some sensation of spinning but MdDs feels like you're still on a moving boat.

Hope this helps.

The reasons I will never cruise again is because a month after getting off the cruise I still have motion sickness. My head is heavy, I feel like I am bobbing up and down, sometimes I feel like I'm walking on a water bed, it is very unpleasant. After researching this could last for years. I don't know how I will handle this if it lasts that long.

 

I'm sorry to hear of your bad experience. Please research and tell your doctor about MdDS (Mal de Debarkment). My DW has had this condition from 2013 and is presently getting treating for MdDS.

 

Good luck!

Price in the Specialty venues is why I never eat there. I have already paid for meals on the ship that I enjoy so why should I pay this kind of price to eat there. Sorry but I am not cheap and I do enjoy what I consider a good meal. Just can not see paying twice to eat a meal.

I wholeheartedly agree with Potstech. I thought I was the only one that felt like I was paying more than the cover charge for a specialty meal when all other posters would state that $XX (price of cover charge) is a real bargain compared to a land based restaurant.

I did the cruise tour with the cruise first so I obviously did Whittier to Anchorage and ended up in Fairbanks. Having done that, I strongly recommend the way you are doing it...land first, then relax on the cruise.

the HB5 goes starts in Anchorage then heads up to Denali and returns back to Anchorage and Whittier where you embark. That return leg is the extra day.

I would prefer flying in to Fairbanks then head down towards Anchorage and Whittier without needing doubling back. Go to Google Maps and check the route.

Alaska!!! June 30, 2018.

Hi Terry,

I also prefer an inside cabin especially on deck 5. But, as other posters have mentioned, the inside cabins on the Sun is small and tight. I stayed in P332 (one of the the cabins with the notch in the front) and found it extremely uncomfortable. The notch takes a chunk of space from your otherwise small interior space. Try to get a cabin without the notch.

Nothing much at the cruise port itself (Pier 2) but just across the street is Restaurant Row. A nice meeting place would be The Row Bar, a covered outdoor bar in the middle of Restaurant Row.

Your friend could just roll his luggage across the street after he disembarks.

Aloha

If it is $250 for military credit my husband would like to get that too! We are sailing on Coral Princess the 18th of March and he was given a $100 OBC.

Your March 18 cruise on the Coral Princess is a 10-day partial transit, hence the $100 OBC. The OP's cruise on the Island Princess is a 15-day full transit.

The cruise line will have a shuttle to a train station in the city.

 

I have been to Busan as a port stop a number of times and each time a free shuttle was provided by the city. The route was from the port to Busan Tower, then to the Phoenix Hotel (near the Jagalchi Market and Gukje Market) then back to the port. One time, the route from from the port to the Lotte Department store which is approximately a half mile from the Jagalchi and Gukje markets.

I have no problem browsing but I can't log in. I'm using Chrome with Windows 8. I can enter the personalizer by entering my name, birth date and booking number but not through My Princess.

Hi we are booked on Sapphire Princess on the Grand Asia cruise on Sept 3rd 2014 can anybody help with advice about what currency would be best in this region. Visiting China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore.

I have been on this itinerary (except Taiwan) several times with Princess. Local currency would work best except in Vietnam where US dollars is widely accepted everywhere. I believe that you will be visiting Busan in S. Korea and Nagasaki in Japan. A Korean bank (I can't remember which) sets up a portable exchange office right on the pier where you disembark and the rates are very good.

In Nagasaki, an exchange desk is set up right in the terminal next to where you can get your all day tram pass (which I highly recommend if you are not on any Princess excursions).

Enjoy your cruise.

Have booked for the 9/9 Hokkaido & Russia cruise.

 

Can anyone tell me what the situation is regarding a Visa to enter Korsakov, Russia. Have heard various stories that if you are on a ship's excursion then you do not require one.

 

Can anyone tell me what the situation/cost is?

I will be on the same itinerary on the 7/26 sailing. This is what appeared on my Princess Cruises Travel Summary: "Visa required for Korsakov if not on a Princess Tour".

There are only 2 English speaking excursions available for Korsakov: A) A Drive to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk for $99 and B) Korsakov on your own for $15.

Sorry, I do not know what a visa would cost if not on a Princess excursion.

Favorite ship: Diamond Princess

Favorite port: Nagasaki

There is no Dolphin 9xx cabin on any current Princess ship.

But there are Dolphin 111 on many current Princess ships.

I'm figuring you mean 2014?

 

As near as I can find out it'll be around $40. I'm not sure if that's one way or not.

 

I do know there is a shuttle that runs from the port out to Mendenhall that runs all day and costs around $16.

 

Look here:

http://mightygreattrips.com/tours/

Thanks, Schmoo here. Yes, I did mean mid-June 2014. I'm aware of the $16 round trip shuttles that are available at the booths but this time we have 4 adults and I'm trying to figure out if a cab would be the cheaper way to go.

Can anyone tell me what the approximate cab fare from the cruise dock in Juneau to Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center is?

Is is easy to get a cab at the Visitors Center for the return trip or should I just have the cab wait?

I'll be in Juneau in mid-June 2013.

That is surprising since boarding passes and luggage tags are not usually available until both final payment date has been reached (and payment made) and the Personalizer has been filled out.

I just went to check my Personalizer and, like Beg3years, I can see the travel documents section on my July 2014 and September 2014 bookings but not able to print luggage tags and boarding passes until 75 days prior.

My final payments have not yet been made.

I just booked our first alaskan cruise on the Norwegian Pearl for May 31, 2015. We are doing Glacier Bay with stops in Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Victoria, BC. I'm just curious about what people consider the "must dos" in each port. We are looking at whale watching in Juneau and possibly halibut fishing in Ketchikan. Any feedback on these? Thanks in advance?:)

For the first time cruiser(s) to Alaska, I would recommend these "must dos":

Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier

Skagway: White Pass railway

Ketchikan: Creek Street

Victoria: Buchart Gardens

Cruising Alaska is like trying to eat just one peanut....you know there will be more coming. After seeing these iconic landmarks you can always do the more exhilirating excursions: fishing, ziplining, hiking, etc.

Enjoy your cruise!!!