charliedalrymple

Questions like this are one of the things I love about this message board. It's so interesting to see what is on the minds of fellow cruisers that would never have occurred to me.

I'm already having Jo and Tom withdrawal. I hope you go on another cruise soon!

I completely agree with this general statement. Your question is rather broad, but I'll take a stab. We've cruised seven different lines and Princess is our favourite. I wouldn't say Princess is elegant, but it feels a bit more refined than most mid-range lines and the passengers tend to well-traveled and well-behaved. One thing that we really like about Princess is the exceptionally broad range of activities available on board compared to most other lines, so just about everyone can find something that interests them. As a result, it's more lively than some other lines, but we like that. I'm not sure whether that helps, but I'm sure others will chime in with many other opinions.

What's a checkbook? 😉

We did this cruise in 2016 and there were plenty of vehicles at the dock. We're doing it again from Sydney to NZ on December 22 and don't plan to book anything in advance--we'll just see what we can find at the dock. I'll let you know how that works out. We return to Sydney on January 5. Will you be boarding that day?

Well, I'm pleased to hear you liked Qantas. We hate it, but I suppose Qantas is marginally better than any U.S. carrier. (No offense.). However, I'll take Singapore Airlines or Emirates any day.

It takes longer from the U.S. to Australia than the other way due to headwinds (or is it tailwinds?).

I despise Sydney airport, and my fellow Canberrans (if there are any here) can tell you about the indignities we suffer. We have to fly from Canberra at a crazy early hour on a rickety prop plane to catch onward flights to U.S. We are dumped into the domestic terminal in Sydney, which is approximately 800 miles from the international terminal, and the only way to transit is via a bus that leaves every four hours. (I may be exaggerating slightly). I prefer to route myself through Melbourne or Brisbane if possible. The Canberra airport, on the other hand, is delightful. We can leave home and be through security 30 minutes later. (That's not an exaggeration.) We now have direct flights from Canberra Fiji and on to the United States. That's definitely the way to go.

Are you in Sydney now? Feel free to pop over to Canberra--we have a spare room! 😉. And don't let other Aussies tell you Canberra is boring. It's a lovely city, but I will admit that it's an acquired taste.

Jo, is that pineapple on your pizza? If so, I no longer respect you! 😉

I receive promotional emails several times a week. To be honest, I generally delete them without even opening. We take one or two cruises a year, and we book the specific itineraries we want on the dates we need to travel (due to work schedules). We don't shop around for the best deals or book a cruise simply because it has a great price. Hopefully that will change when we are fully retired and we can be more spontaneous. 😁

Thanks so much for this! As luck would have it, we will be on a Princess cruise in a little over three weeks and I try to get it fixed then. Anything other than trying to call the customer "service" phone number.

I've always wondered about this as well. DH and I have taken every Princess cruise together, but I am listed as Platinum and he is Blue--and not just on the app. I've assumed it was because I always arrange the booking as the "principal" passenger. I also assumed that he would be eligible for any perks I might get as a platinum member regardless of his level, so I don't worry about it. I hope I'm right about that.

Based on what you have shared, it looks like they might be renaming some of the functions using simpler or more descriptive language so passengers aren't confused. That seems like an improvement, probably based on customer feedback.

Looks like you are going the opposite direction of our cruise. We'll wave to you as we pass each other somewhere off the east coast of New Zealand!

Thanks for the amazingly detailed description and timeline of events, as well as all the photos. This gives me a really clear idea of what it is and is just what I was looking for. Based on your post, I think we will go for it. Thanks so much!

I've heard of the Ultimate Balcony Dinner but have never considered doing it before. However, it might be fun on our upcoming 14-day NZ cruise, as the weather will be warm (if not hot). I'd like to hear more about it, as well as personal experiences and whether you think it's worth it. Thanks!

So happy to hear this! We will be on a NZ cruise for both Christmas and New Year. Part of the reason we are cruising at that time is to enjoy holiday decorations, food and parties without having to plan them ourselves. Perfect!

This has to be one of the most fun "Live From...." accounts I've read, and I'm so happy that there is still a second leg of the journey to enjoy with you two. You've inspired me to document our Christmas/NY cruise to NZ on the Majestic from Sydney on December 22 (possibly). I'd love to cruise with you two one day!

I was! 😁

DH and I sometimes don't go ashore at a particular port, or come back rather early (by lunchtime). We are having a disagreement about whether alcohol can be consumed on board Princess ships while in port, specifically in Australia and New Zealand. (We have the Plus Package on our upcoming cruise to New Zealand.) I won't say which side I'm on, but I'm sure I'm right and DH is wrong. Can anyone tell me what the policy is?

I've been reading CC more than normal prior to our upcoming cruise over the holidays, and I was starting to stress over the fact that everything seems to be deteriorating. However, I've realised that everyone prioritises different things and each experience is unique. I probably wouldn't have noticed most of the things people complain about here, so I've decided to go in with an open mind and just take things as they come.

Thanks. That's how it seems to me as well. I think we'll just pass in that case.

I'm considering bidding on an upgrade to a reserve class mini-suite for our December cruise. We are traveling with another couple, and they are not going to bid. If we get it and they are not reserve class, I'm assuming that we would not be able to use reserve dining if we want to eat with them--correct?

Oh, dear--I've purchased an outfit specifically to wear during the White & Gold evening on our December cruise!