cattolica

Yay…..very happy they finally banned door decorations.    It seems ridiculous that they ever allowed it.   

45 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Fascinating post/thread and we will be respectful but real. With more than a 30 year background in healthcare (government) I will take the OP's post at face value.  We all have different fears, risk tolerance, etc.  The OP is obviously a victim (using victim would be debatable) of Covid phobia.  I would suggest, to that person and family, that the risk of COVID will always be real, but so is the risk from many other diseases/ailments.  

 

If the OP (and family) is truly so Covid adverse, we respectfully suggest they avoid travel and especially cruise ships.  Putting yourself into a situation where you will be in the constant vicinity of strangers certainly increases you risk of Covid, Flu, and just about any other communicable disease that one can imagine.  Travel/cruises come with risk.  Trying do to the deed, and thinking you can eliminate the risk, is just folly.  I could make an argument that the biggest risk is getting to the port and using elevators (they are closed chambers).  Dining in a ship;s Lido (buffet) is also a huge risk for both Covid and Noro and just about anything else you can imagine.

 

The least of the OP's risk are the sheets and towels in a cabin.  In fact, Covid is a respiratory virus generally spread through the air, not through sheets.   And respiratory viruses/bacteria are a big risk when on a cruise ship or anywhere else where there are lots of folks in a limited space. 

 

 Cruise lines use very hot water to do their laundry and there is little virus/germ risk from linens and towels.  The bigger risk is leaving your cabin and being in the vicinity of anyone!  Most folks understand that being around other folks is just part of life, but some do have issues.  They should simply not be on a cruise ship.  If you cannot handle the risk (which will alway exist) of Covid and other diseases, the best advice would be to stay home.

 

As to requesting that your cabin steward completely avoid servicing your cabin, that will be a red flag with staff.  While they might be willing to reduce visits, it is unlikely that they would leave your cabin unserved for a few days.  

 

Hank

Thank you for a very thoughtful response.    You are a very wise person.  

Deleted 

1 hour ago, Camberley said:

We felt she was in great shape recently, if a bit dated in places,  

Okay……it’s time for me to ask……..

What do you mean when you say “a bit dated in places”?

The Regal Princess is only about 9 years old.  That’s fairly young for a cruise ship.  

We have been on about 50 cruises over a period of 30 years (35 cruises on Princess) and I have never seen anything that I would refer to as “dated”.   
 

Thanks

Copied this directly from airport website 

App-Based Rideshares such as Lyft, Uber and Wingz, provide drop-off and pick-up services at John Wayne Airport.

Drop-off

App-Based Rideshares are authorized to drop off passengers at the Departures (upper) Level at curbside of the Terminal.

Pick-Up

App-Based Rideshares must pick up passengers at the designated areas located on the top levels of parking structures A2 and B2, and in the Terminal C parking structure on the upper level next to the ticketing area.

2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Last cruise Dec.2019

Next cruise  never 

Same here….

last cruise November 2019

next cruise….never

Do you all realize that you have scared away the original poster?

11 hours ago, mikjr said:

Has anyone ever left the ship at one port and rejoined the ship at another port?    Why I ask...  we have family in HILO Hawaii, and Princess is now added KONA (Maui replacement) to the itinerary.  SO, if allowed, it would be nice to leave the ship in KONA, spend the night with our family in Hilo and rejoin the ship in HILO the next afternoon.    Is this allowed??

 

Would the following be your solution?

Have your family drive over to Kona.   Spend the day with them there.   Get back on the ship.....sail to Hilo.  Spend the day with them in Hilo.    Get back on the ship and continue your cruise.

The only thing you lose is spending the night with them.   Seems like you would still get to spend some quality time with family.

Just a suggestion.    Go to Guest Services (without her), explain your situation.   Maybe they will set you and her up with a person of authority on the ship to discuss why she can’t take food (sandwiches) off the ship.   It sounds like you are talking about disembarkation day.  
 

Safe travels home.  

 Deleted comment. 

32 minutes ago, ldtr said:

The key is you got off in St Kitts, not a US port.  The PVSA fine occurs if you board the ship in one port and then disembark the ship in another US port without visiting a far distant US port.  Clearly not the situation with you example.  The same would be in Canada if you board at one Canadian city then disembark at another without satisfying their equivalent law.

 

Even then for you to disembark in St Kitts the ship had to agree, as well as the immigration  authorities in St Kitts.  Which from your story the ship was clearly aware and provided assistance so those actions clearly occurred, just not ones you were aware of.

Ok, thanks….it was very traumatic.    I was just sharing.    
 

I am just happy we aren’t cruising anymore.   So, we don’t have to worry about getting off the ships.  

On 10/21/2022 at 4:08 PM, ldubs said:

 

I hope an emergency appeal, like a death in the family, would result in a favorable outcome.  I can't imagine someone being forced to stay on board for several days after learning the death of a loved one.  

Granted this happened in April 2007……

There was a death in our family back in the Los Los Angeles area while on a Caribbean cruise.   We disembarked in St. Kitts to make our way back to Los Angeles.    We were never charged an additional fee to disembark.   Princess staff helped us get off the ship and transferred us to local authorities.    We boarded our plane and made it home safely.   Our travel insurance took care of everything once submitted a claim.   We were never “held prisoner “.  

Metal ceiling too.   We used it as a laundry room on a 28 day cruise in 2019.  

They can have our $630pp……$1260 back.  Maybe that will help.  We are done with cruising and those dollars will expire at the end of December.  

You do know princess doesn’t really monitor this board.    This is just a message board.  

Why are worried…..you don’t need them prior to boarding?

15 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I'm thinking of my high school students, but many adults are the same: 

 

They don't just carry the phone around to use now and then -- they keep their phones "out" all day long.  They carry them in their hands between classes, they hide them under papers on their desk or under their leg because being unaware of a text, even for a short time, is not acceptable.  No one reads a paper 8-10 hours a day, but well over half of my high school students would happily waste their entire day texting and playing games on their phones -- if I didn't get in the way with my pesky idea of learning.  Whereas in the past kids sat around the lunch table talking with friends, today we see groups of kids who sit down with their phones and don't talk to the people next to them.  When I was a new teacher, the halls were LOUD at the end of the day as students piled out into the halls and called out to friends as they left the building -- the end of the school day was energetic and joyful; today it's almost silent as kids catch up on what's gone on in cyber-space during their last class, and all the kids walk out with their heads bowed over their phones.  It's weird to chaperone a school dance now; at any given time, a third of the students are sitting at tables on their phones -- and this is at an event they'd anticipated, bought special clothes for.  Kids who finish their first assignments early are fussy if they're not allowed to play on their phones -- they even say things like, "What do you expect me to do without my phone?"  They don't think about starting the next assignment or just talking to someone.  And we can't forget cyber-bullying; kids can bully one another 24/7 now -- this is a frequent issue at school.  Parents, this is all scary.  

 

At the same time, more and more students say they have no friends -- screen time is stealing away our teens' social skills.  More and more kids say they're anxious or depressed; fewer say they feel connected to their school or classmates.   

 

It's not that the phones themselves are a problem -- it's that the kids' lack of balance between phones and real life is a problem.  In my three decades of teaching I've always known kids who were obsessed over sports, their boyfriends, whatever -- but today a majority of our kids are obsessed with their phones.  It's the obsession, not the phones, that is the problem.  

 

Okay, that didn't have much to do with cruising, but I am genuinely concerned about the over-use of phones today.  

Thank you.   

Throw it in the trash……our state doesn’t recycle batteries.  
 

Doesn’t really matter anymore…..we are done with cruising.  

We have cruising friends who have never spent a dime in the casino.   They are about to embark on a free cruise in a  balcony cabin with &1000 in free play.    Not sure if they will actually use the free play…..they don’t believe in gambling.  They figured it was a free cruise why not take advantage 

I am actually amazed that people are worried about cruising.    I was raised that vacations were a gift.    I am in my early 60’s.   My parents were raised during the depression.  There weren’t many vacations.

  The absolute furthest thing from my mind is when will I be able to take a vacation.  
It is time to sit back and ponder your life.   You may actually realize that a vacation is at the very bottom of that list.   I am very thankful that my husband and I have taken some unbelievable trips.    We are now sitting back and enjoying all those memories. 
Thanks for listening to my thoughts.  
 

Google.....the show was taped almost 2 years ago.   I copied the following from an interview with the host Phil Keoghan. 
 

5 hours ago, anderson1203 said:

We are looking to do a Hawaiian cruise from Seattle to Hawaii in early October. Hoping you can help...
1. What should we expect for sea conditions ?
2.  How long into cruise before weather is warm enough to enjoy sun and pool?

Your experience is greatly appreciated!

Hi, 

To get back to your original question........

I would think that it probably won't get warm enough for the pool until you are about halfway to Hawaii.  Of course Mother Nature is in charge of the weather.  🙂  However, I notice you are from Ohio so your definition of warm enough will be different than mine since I live in Arizona.  🙂

I can't help you with sea conditions since I have only sailed to Hawaii out of Los Angeles.   Out of 6 RT cruises to Hawaii we have had both very calm conditions and very rough conditions.

If you end up booking the cruise I am sure you will really enjoy it.  If you have a full day in Victoria BC that will be nice since there is lots to see.

33 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

cattolica,  did you use the touch screens by the elevators?

Nope......didn’t need to.   

Just spent 15 days on the Royal Princess.    Picked up the Medallion at the port, was on the ship just as quickly as anyone who already had their Medallion.   Went up to our room....it unlocked the door but of course you still have to turn the handle to open the door.  It doesn't "open" your door.

Dropped off luggage, went down to Guest Services turned the Medallion off.....got a cruise card and went about my regular routine on the ship.   Touched the cruise card to the screen outside my door.....it unlocked.....you still have to turn the handle to open the door.   Used the Cruise Card in the casino......used it to get off and on the ship in port ....... just like the Medallion.

Don't have any smart devices so, no apps.....no ordering of Medallions in advance......none of the frustration that I have read about with the apps.... 

Oh, and I didn't have to wear that thing around my neck, on my arm or clipped onto my clothes.    

Didn't really see what the benefits for using the Medallion, in my case.

20 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

I had just arrived at the same conclusion, reading about various problems above and I thought, 'This is just to make embarcation quicker???' Not for me. I wonder if Princess might make it mandatory and reduce the number of clerks at check in.

Well, they can try to make it mandatory but, that won’t work for us. 

We do not have cellphones or any kind of tablet.  There is no way for us to download apps. 

We we will be showing up at the port with our paper boarding pass and check in the old fashioned way. 

There is no reason for us to invest in any of that technology.  We use a desktop or laptop computer at home.  When we are on the ship we don’t need any access to a computer.