ian moore

We have cruised with Princess and Celebrity several times and each time my wife suffers from nasal problems or gets a bad cold. This is because the air conditioning/movement systems in the cabins are always on.

When we stay in hotels,we can always turn off the heating/cooling system completely unless we need to have it on if it is cold or hot (usually we open a window or two if it is hot).

Are there any cruiselines that provide cabins with fully controllable air conditioning so that we can turn it completely off,unless we choose to turn it on.

Many thanks,

Ian Moore

We are stopping off at Amber Cove for a day on a Princess Cruise.

We are not beach people and thought we would like to spend time in Puerto Plata.

Are there transit buses from the port to Puerto Plata ( as there are on many Carribean islands) or is it just the usual overpriced taxis?

Thanks for help.

Ian & Emily Moore

We are going on the Regal Princess in March and will be flying back to London from Miami airport on British Airways.

As usual, there will be a long wait at the airport and we are seeking any advice in paying for access to any of Executive lounges to rest before our flight. There seems to be quite a few in the airport and we understand that we cannot pay to access the BA lounge.

All help appreciated.

Ian Moore

We are going on the Regal Princess in March in the Caribbean and,as usual,we are disembarking the ship early and will have a long time to spend in Miami airport before our British Airways flight home.

Can anyone recommend a good Executive lounge that we can pay to use?

There seems to be quite a choice in Miami airport - we understand that we cannot pay to utilise the BA lounge.

All help appreciated.

Ian Moore

We normally take a cabin on the Aloha deck on Princess ships but these cabins are all booked on a cruise we are planning for later in the year.

We are looking at the front of the Dolphin deck - maybe D144 or D142,etc.

Quietness is important to us and these cabins do seem to be away from the 'buzz' of the ship although only two floors up from the theatre.

Any views on these cabins?

All help appreciated, as always.

Ian Moore

We are considering a cruise on the Royal Princess next year.

Normally, on Princess ships, we take a balcony cabin on the Aloha or Baja decks. These cabins have balconies that are not overlooked by the balconies above ie people in the cabins above us cannot see down into our balcony(without leaning over the handrail!!!).

Usually, we are able to see the people on the balconies on the Caribe deck for example as their balconies protrude further out.

Is this the case with the Royal Princess? Do any of the balconies overlook other balconies?

Also,if there are any views on the premium deluxe balcony cabins at the aft of the Royal,are they worth the extra cost?

Many thanks for all replies.

Ian Moore

We are planning on taking a Princess cruise later in the year. We will be disembarking in Southampton and our flight home leaves Southampton airport at 1845.

As usual,Princess will have passengers off the ship before 10.00 am and we do not want to spend a long boring day at the airport.

We are wondering if there are any local tour companies that can do local tours, maybe at Portsmouth, and then deliver us/our luggage back to the airport.

Any cruisers been in this position?

All ideas welcome?

Many thanks.

Ian Moore

We are planning to take a Princess cruise in September and we will be disembarking in Southampton.

Our flight home from Southampton is at 1845,and,as normal, Princess will have us off the ship before 10.00 am. Even if Princess have a disembarkation tour, they normally get passengers to the airport by midday.

In order to avoid a long boring day at Southampton airport, we are wondering if there are any local tour companies that maybe pick up at the port, do a tour at Portsmouth,say, and then deliver to the airport.

Any cruisers had a similar experience?

All ideas welcome.

many thanks.

Ian Moore

We are shortly going on a Med. cruise on the Emerald Princess.

We are making our own way to the pier from a hotel in the centre of Barcelona.(pre-cruise stay at the Majestic). We note that Princess recommends that we tip the curbside porters. We will have two large suitcases - any standard rate for these tips in euros ?

All advice welcomed.

Many thanks.

Ian & Amy Moore

We are shortly going on a Med. cruise on the Emerald Princess. We are anytime diners, and we note that there are two restaurants - the Botticelli and the Da Vinci.

Any recommendations on these restaurants - or are they both basically the same standard?

Also, we are making our own way to the pier from a hotel in the centre of Barcelona. We note that Princess recommends that we tip the curbside porters. We will have two large suitcases - any standard rate for these tips in euros ?

All advice welcomed.

Many thanks.

Ian & Amy Moore

We are leaving a Med. Princess cruise at Athens and are not flying back to the UK until 1740.

We will be off the ship at 0800,or so, and wish to do a tour of Athens with drop off at the airport say at 1430 or so.

The Princess disembarkation tour gets us back to the airport at 1200 which is a long wait at the airport.

Can anyone recommend a local tour company that is reliable and can hold our luggage securely plus take us to the airport?

It is almost a private tour ,I suppose.

Many thanks.

Ian Moore

We are considering taking this Princess tour when we are on a Med. cruise in June. We have been to Rome before and may consider avoiding the usual crowds.

Has anyone been to Lake Bracciano and the Wine tasting tour?

All advice appreciated.

Ian & Emily

We are going on a Princess Med. Cruise in June and are calling into Civitavecchia for a day. The Princess tours to Rome are expensive (even the 'do it on your own',which we generally prefer having been to Rome many times).

We see that it is quite easy to get a train at the station near the port all the way to Rome.

Has anyone done this train trip? Is it reliable,as we would be concerned if there were delays etc.

There will be another cruise ship in the port on our day so it could be crowded etc.

All advice welcomed.

Ian Moore

We are going on a Princess Med. Cruise in June and are calling into Civitavecchia for a day. The Princess tours to Rome are expensive (even the 'do it on your own',which we generally prefer having been to Rome many times).

We see that it is quite easy to get a train at the station near the port all the way to Rome.

Has anyone done this train trip? Is it reliable,as we would be concerned if there were delays etc.

There will be another cruise ship in the port on our day so it could be crowded etc.

All advice welcomed.

Ian Moore

We are going on a Princess cruise to the Med. in june and are staying in Barcelona for a couple of days pre cruise in the Majestic.

We have done several tours of Barcelona previously and would like to do a day tour out of the city to Montserrat Monastery,etc.

Any advice on best tour? Happy to do an all day tour.

Thanks for all help,as always.

Ian Moore

I had booked cabin A227. Probably not a lot of difference between this cabin and the cabin Princess has allocated us.

Ian

We have booked a med. cruise on the Emerald Princess next June. Princess have reallocated us from our chosen cabin to cabin A251 on Aloha deck,without telling us!

Anyone stayed in this cabin? Any views? Normally we like to be well away from stairs etc. Quiet area of the ships.We always book an outside with balcony.This cabin seems ok.

Any advice gratefully received.

Ian Moore

We wish to stay in Barcelona for a couple of days before we embark on a med.cruise on the island Princess.

Princess Cruises off pre-cruise stays in the Hotel Majestic in the centre of Barcelona. Their webpage says they are 5* but some reviews on tripadvisor are not brilliant.

Anyone stayed in this hotel before,or after a cruise.

All views gratefully received.

Ian Moore

We are going on a med. cruise with Princess next year and we are embarking in Barcelona.

We would like to stay in Barcelona a couple of days before embarking but would like to stay in a good hotel (4* minimum) and would like to be quite close to the port and the main part of the city (which we are understand is La Ramba).

All advice appreciated (again!)

Ian and Emily Moore

We are thinking of going on a med.cruise on the Emerald Princess next year and want to ask if the balconies on Baja deck are overlooked by the balconies on Aloha deck.

We have been on several Princess ships, and sometimes the balconies are overlooked by the cabins above you.

Also any general cabin recommendations would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

Ian Moore

We are going on the Island Princess in a month through the Panama and stopping at Puntarenas. We have done rainforest and river excursions in other places and thought that we might do a tour to Doka coffee plantation.

Anyone been at this plantation?

There is also an alternative tour to San Jose and Sarchi. Anyone recommend these towns as worth exploring?

Many thanks.

Ian and Amy Moore