WahooNKS

We always leave an after-cruise tip for our room stewards, but not quite sure how much others tip for butlers in a Penthouse Suite?

12-day cruise.

Booked 2 days ago, which is earlier than we usually book, but new ship. Port side, great locations just a few cabins from elevators.

2/17/19 $1,779/pp, free gratuities & $100 OBC -- E2 Deck 8, Fore

2/24/19 $1,753/pp, free gratuities & $100 OBC -- E1 Deck 8, Midship bump out

Happy with pricing. Cabins listed as 'Clearance', so minimal perks and no b2b discount.

To those that have sailed Royal or Regal Princess, can you please tell me if the Horizon Bistro and Horizon Court are carpeted? Looking at booking Cabin M515 on Marina Deck, just below the Horizon Bistro/Pastry Shop.

How do you make reservations at the Sanctuary once onboard? I thought I read a post that said you now CALL vs. standing in line at the Sanctuary.

Also, do you need to make reservations at Sabatini's for breakfast? If not, does it fill up quickly?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

Sometimes there is a line and others times there is no line :). And that is the truth of the matter. As I recall, on the Regal you could only use the coffee card at the IC.

 

Hank

Thank you all so much for chiming in on this 'not so serious' matter! I do have a Coffee Punch Card, so I'm curious as to why all the locations mentioned wouldn't accept the punch card? If Horizon Bistro/Horizon Court and Princess Live make the brews, especially for the waiters serving the dining rooms, then why wouldn't they also accept the Coffee Punch Card from me? In the dining room, my waiter always takes my card with him when I order a specialty coffee. When my coffee arrives, I get my punched card back. So wherever it is that he's getting the coffee is punching the card. Make sense?

Hope I haven't confused the issue. Just trying to find a closer place to get specialty coffee in the mornings from the 15th floor!

Hi all! For morning coffee from IC on Royal/Regal, are there lines or much wait to get your coffee? I'm assuming this is the only location to get lattes, specialty coffees. If not, chime in with your secret spot!

Thank you all for your responses. Sounds like we'll be packing our own amenities. These boards are great for getting better answers than you would by calling Princess!

The "upgraded" amenities include 2nd TV and a small bottle of "champagne" (we called it drain opener, because that's what we used it for).

I'm not a fan of the provided shampoo but it does clean your hair. I bring a small tube of conditioner and use it after using the ship provided shampoo. Works great!

There are varying opinions about the soap. The shower has a "body wash", I use it and it's fine. DH uses the small round cake soap that's provided at the sink. If you put that soap in the shower (or just open it for use), your steward will usually leave another one. If he doesn't, just ask.

JF, thanks for your reply, but I believe in the context above, the 'upgraded amenities' refers to Bath amenities, simply because it's in the same sentence. Perhaps I'm wrong.

We are booked in a mini-suite for our upcoming Feb cruise on Royal. I've read several posts that state the amenities in Mini-Suites are the same as all other cabins. The Princess web site shows 'upgraded amenities' for mini-suites when using their onsite booking. So which is it? Trying to decide whether or not to bring our own shampoo, conditioner and soaps. I've read the all-in-one shampoo/conditioner is horrible. So, just trying to save a bit of room in the suitcase if I can!

The fresh squeezed orange juice is always extra charge unless you have the Premier Beverage Package. As you say various regular juices--that are definitely from concentrate or a can--are no charge in the HC and MDR at breakfast, with or without a beverage package. The Soda and More will include the juices used as mixers at the various bars (reconstituted OJ, tomato juice from a tin, et al) anytime. You should have no problem ordering any virgin cocktail as well.

fishywood & others, thanks for much for your replies!

Is the soda package worth it? If sitting at pool can you order a fountain drink? What mocktails and juice are they referring to on website. Appreciate your responses.

I, too, am interesting in more detail about the soda package. We like to have Virgin Daiquiris at the pool. Is this included?

Also, when it says 'juice', does this mean fresh squeezed juice in the buffets and dining areas? If not, please explain 'juice', as you can get this in Horizon Court, etc.

Thanks for any input!

Looking forward to trying Mirabelle. Thanx for the recommendation.

Thanks for the tips and info. I'm not a champagne snob, so I'm sure whatever they offer will be just fine! :)

Can anyone tell me what kind of champagne Oceania provides in suites upon embarkation? If it's a decent one, I won't bother bringing our own on board.

Don't forget that this time Marina had been to Key West prior to Miami where immigration took place (I believe).

The situation (and disembarkation times) may be different when Marina arrives to Miamia from a foreign port and immigration has to take place in Miami.

Thanks for the info. We will be sailing this same itinerary the end of this month.

David, thank you so much for the picturesque diary of your cruise. How wonderful of you to share this with so many!

For those of you departing Marina today, can you provide any information for future travelers on time off ship?/arrival at MIA?/flight times? Just curious as to how quickly this moved along, since Marina was the only passenger ship in port this morning.

Thanks for any info and welcome home!

Thanks so much for all of your responses! :D

Thank you so much for the responses!

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Looking for a review of the Antigua Champagne & Lobster Catamaran Cruise offered by Oceania. If anyone has done this tour, I have a few questions:

What tour company does Oceania use?

Are the cats called Mystic I & II?

How many people are on the cat?

Did it feel crowded?

If you didn't use the ship's tour, did you find another company and have a good time?

WahooNKS

Jim & Stan, thanks for the info. Do you have any experience or knowledge of the Antigua catamaran cruise offered by Oceania? Specifically, is it a nice cat? is it large or small? what cat company does Oceania use? Mystic or other?

pinotlover, there is no availability our last night onboard. So, it's either fully booked or was never available to begin with. Thanks for the info!

Thx Chicstersun!

Hi All!

We are narrowing down our port & dining options for our upcoming cruise on Riviera this Feb. Hoping someone can answer a few questions for us!

Would like a review of the ship's Champagne & Lobster Catamaran Cruise in Antigua. How large is the catamaran and what company do they use?

What is the time for 'bags out' on the last night of the cruise? It's our anniversary that night and we'd like to do a nice dinner in La Reserve.

Thanks for any insight!

WahooNKS

Why don't you take the one way credit not pay the deviation and buy your own ticket. You save the deviation fee and probably get $200 or so credit so you pay $54 and not $175 and get the same flight??

 

 

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We are Oceania newbies. How does the one way credit work? We'd like to book our own flight to arrive 2 days early in Miami. If we use the Oceania flight for our return on the same day the ship returns, is there a deviation fee for this?

Trying to transfer booking to TA, but Oceania is telling him they have a 30-day window for transfers and won't do it. I am at 43 days. Anyone else heard of this? I want to keep the cabin I've booked, so cancellation and rebook isn't an option.