PoohUnderstands

My cruise ended on 5/28/22.   I had 3 missed days of cruise and three days of hotel and food due to covid.  I had the Princess insurance.  If you have the Princess insurance, you need to make a claim with AON first.  My case was assigned quickly, but then due to so many claims, just went silent.  AON did finally send me an email after about two months basically saying hang in there we are doing our best.  Then in middle of October we got reimbursed half of our hotel and food expenses.  I then made a claim through Princess for the other half as told to do so.  I just did that the end of October and was told it would take about 6 weeks for that to be handled.  Then in the middle of November, I got another email from AON where they reimbursed me quite a bit for the trip interruption portion(i.e. the three days of quarantine on the ship itself).  I was very pleased with how they handled my claim (am a ex-insurance adjuster myself) and how quickly the check got to me when they did handle my claim.  It was just 4mo. wait that I wish could have been less!  I am sure it was pre-covid.  Patience is definitely going to be a virtue from any insurance co. post covid!  So after all this time, waiting for Princess itself to come through!  By the way, the FCC I got for those three days was very generous and quick coming to my account.  I got that the beginning of June.

Pooh

I can only tell you my experience here in the states.  My cruise ended 05/28/2022 and was due over $800.  After waiting several weeks, I contacted my Princess TA.  It took several attempts and finally in October, she contacted the finance department directly.  I then got my check within 2 weeks.  So my only suggestion is to give it a couple more weeks and then call your support person and ask them to check with the finance dept. or whatever it is called there.  I am afraid you might have to keep on top of it like I did, but got it in the end!

Pooh

Our next cruise will be the first with my hubby using a CPAP machine.  I have read in several places that you can order distilled water to your stateroom and also when get onboard you just ask your steward for an extension cord and they will provide you with one at that time.  I have looked at all the "logical" places to order the distilled water on my PC and on the horrible Princess app, but can't seem to find it anywhere.  Has anyone ordered it recently and guide me through the steps to order?  Thanks.

Pooh

9 minutes ago, Buckeye10640 said:

I really and truly hope what your TA says  is true and testing will continue. I emailed my Princess PVP and she said "yeah looks like the rules changed again. i will check on it".  Are you on Majestic cruise 5/14?

Yes, I agree.  I am so frustrated. Just read today about changes and I leave Tuesday.  So I don’t have 2-4 business days to order tests. What do they do with people without the time to comply? I just guess I will go and see. What else can I do?  Is there a test I can buy in person and use!?  I need help as I did no looking into this as I was told I didn’t have to!!!

Pooh

3 hours ago, LuvKruzn said:

Testing in Vancouver

 

We just completed a cruise on the Discovery Princess from Los Angeles to Vancouver and flew home to Los Angeles directly after the cruise.  We had booked our air on Princess Air, and used the Princess transfer.  No COVID tests required to disembark in Canada, but flights to US required Negative test result.

 

Princess tested all passengers flying to international destinations on departure day, on-board on the day before departure.  They assigned passengers time slot to visit a ship dining room where they did the COVID test in groups, we waited 15 min for results in the dining room, and were handed the written results before leaving the dining room.  Took about 30 min including wait time.  No cost for the on-board Princess test.

 

Best part was Princess had transmitted Negative test result to the airline, so we only had to verify the info already transmitted at check in.

 

Also Princess required all passenger to complete the ArriveCAN app and Canada customs forms before our 1st Canada stop in Victoria, and we all walked off with no stopping for Canada immigration at either Victoria and Vancouver.  Very easy disembarkation in Canada.

I can't thank you enough for this answer.  I am leaving Tuesday for my Alaska cruisetour(land first) and then ending with cruise that ends in Vancouver.  My TA has told me over and over and over that I would not have to purchase ahead of time and all taken care of by Princess, both on embarkation and disembarkation, and then I read the item above.  Well, needless I was having a heart attack as I didn't know what to do!  Then your post that backs what my TA has told me.  Thank you so much!!!!!  I am assuming it is for all Princess ships disembarking in Vancouver and not just Discover!

Pooh

On 8/11/2021 at 5:38 PM, Kay S said:

Hear!  Hear!  Where is that wonderful Jan Swartz now?  Fixing things?

I understand what you are saying, but just like all have a choice of cabin styles from interior to suites, why is there a problem with having choices in dining too?  As far as being available, if you plan ahead with booking, cc staterooms are always available(as too, those wonderful window suites on some of the ships).  As far as pricing, there are different price ranges for staterooms, so also for dining styles.

I am fortunate in that my retirement years, I can do CC staterooms, WS's, and once in a blue moon a suite itself.  I am so very glad to hear that I don't have to preplan dinner times, etc. though.  I will agree that the new system which I haven't bothered to investigate fully does seem a little awkward and hard to use.  Seems like everyone is getting like DisneyWorld in having to preplan everything!!  Which I do not like either. But I think with Covid, etc., that the old ways are not coming back and new normals will have to be gotten used to.  I hate that, but that is life as we know it now.

Pooh

Hi, guys!

Am looking forward to, I hope, our cruisetour to Alaska the middle of this May.  Using EZair which I always do.  But I have one question with those familiar with the Seattle Airport and Alaska Airlines.  My flight to Fairbanks from Seattle keeps changing times.  I am flying from Nashville to Fairbanks with the one stop in Seattle.  At the time I first booked there was a hour and 1/2 time frame between flights.  After three changes (just in times) there is now only 56 minutes between flights. My question is, assuming no delays (yes I know, but...) assuming no delays is 56 minutes enough time to go from arrival gate to departure gate with Alaska Airlines? At least my two flights are with the same airline.  Also, I know Princess will have to help me which is a nice backup, but am still wondering if I am in a small amount of concern here or a lot!  Thanks for your help.

Pooh

On 8/11/2021 at 6:58 PM, mellon1 said:

Very good point and well said.  I can't believe people would pay $500 approximately a day for Club Class.  We had it with a suite included.  It is not worth that.  You could go to the specialty restaurant for dinner every night and get an ultimate atmosphere and meal for $60 a day.  I know they have breakfast and lunch, but still.  I wonder if people realize how much more it is or if they have done the math.  However, that said, Princess is getting it so why not.

Where do you get $500 a day to do Club Class?  You can only compare the cost to a regular mini-suite and not just balcony stateroom.  So don't know past next Spring, but I have not paid more than $10-25pp per day for the Club Class experience, and sometimes just around $30 a day over a premium balcony stateroom.    Also where they are, the Window Suites are really a great bargain and on most of my cruises they actually cost less than a regular mini-suite!  I always book as soon as that itinerary opens and usually get the best pricing too.  

Because of Covid I have not updated myself yet to all this new stuff as my next cruise isn't until next summer, but this new dining thing and medallion app looks very unappealing to me.  So I am glad to read here that if you are CC or suite (which we are for our cruises) you don't have to do all this booking stuff.

Pooh

On 2/11/2021 at 1:37 PM, Thrak said:

Holy cow!  I had no idea about this so I just checked to see if we qualified for the freebie. We currently have 4 cruises booked. Three of them qualify for the chocolates at the same price we have booked. One of them not only qualifies for the chocolates but the price has gone down by $227 per person. Talk about a sweet deal! Not only do we qualify for 4 boxes of chocolates (not sure if that's actually such a good thing) but we also qualify for a $454 price drop. Thanks for posting this!

 

Edit: I just finished sending email to our TA. I wish Princess hadn't changed the "transfer to a TA rules" though. I used to be able to just do this stuff myself and transfer the booking at final payment time.

I have engaged a Princess TA to help me and it is the perfect answer.  I still do all the checking etc. and when I book a cruise I just put it on hold.  I then call my Princess TA and she books it and even gets me the best deposit(i.e. lowest) she can.  Also when, like the chocolates popped up as a freebie, all I did was email my Princess TA and she got them added to my bookings.  Same for refaring if price goes down.  And sometimes I get a response from her within literally 4-5 minutes!  So much easier and better than having to call yourself and wait on hold sometimes.  I love my Princess TA and our relationship.  With a Princess TA you still have control over your bookings etc.

Pooh

On 2/11/2021 at 9:12 AM, voljeep said:

just saw this when checking fares for a way future cruise ( 4/2022 )

 

fares increased by $ 35 per person since this was added 

 

no thanks this time,  Princess 

Our cruise dropped $250pp and added on specialty dining and now got the box of chocolate added onto my booking too.  So I was able to get these added onto my existing booking which had also dropped in price!  Guess it all depends on the cruise!

Pooh

I found out long ago that Princess pricing is based on where you live.  Pricing can and usually is different for one living in the West vs. Central or East US.  So I am not surprised that two prices might have shown up, unless the two couples lived in the same city!  Also, pricing will be different for first time Princess cruisers vs. past cruisers, usually, initially by about $100pp or so.

Pooh

For the last three days or so I have not been able to check flights(availability, pricing) for my upcoming cruises.  It just comes up with a blank screen.  Is anyone else having these problems?

Pooh

On 9/5/2020 at 7:03 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

I expect that it will continue post Covid. In spite of the future's uncertainty, Viking's ships are filling quickly right now.

 

Except for a period of about 18 months  during which Viking was trying out a different policy, the cruise line has always had a pay in full date that was closer to booking than it was to departure. When we booked our first river cruise in August or September for the following May, 2010, payment in full was due at the end of the month. Viking was announcing cruises a year at a time at that point. We wanted to be sure we got the itinerary and the date we wanted and we booked as early as we could.

 

When Viking opened up its Viking Oceans division and we booked our first Oceans cruise, we booked 2 years in advance and fully expected that we would be paying in full at the end of the month. That has always been Viking's policy and that is what we expected with that booking as well. We were delighted to learn that we would have until the end of the year to pay in full, 18 months prior to departure  -- and by that time, our sailing was sold out.

 

As long as Viking continues to fill its ships two and three years prior to departure with people who are not deterred by the payment policy, it will continue.

I just booked my first Viking Cruise and was a little surprised at final payment date.  My cruise is May, 2023, and they wanted final payment by 12/31/2020!  I got it moved up a tad, but still it is approximately 2 years before the cruise!

Pooh

On 10/4/2020 at 12:20 PM, Sunlover48 said:

Curious if anyone can give me your take on this temporary cancellation policy.  Friend and I have just booked Lyon and Provence for June 2022. Doing some research now to purchase trip insurance either from Viking or other, within our 2 weeks. My understanding from this Guarantee program is that you can cancel for any reason, prior of course,   to departure. I'm understanding that the only thing offered, at that time would be vouchers? Do you know if you purchased Viking Travel Protection and say 6 months before departure health deteriorated and were unable to travel. Would Viking Protection Plan provide any cash reimbursement? Just hoping someone out there feels fairly confident that they understand this insurance better than I; before I start asking Viking all my questions. Thanks so much for any input.

 

 

 

 

I have just booked a cruise also and purchased the insurance.  Viking allows you to cancel for any reason.  However, to be reimbursed in cash, it must be for a "specified reason" listed in the Protection Plan document.  For any other reason, you will be reimbursed with a future travel voucher.  Via the insurance policy you only have 12 months to use the voucher, whereas in this temporary cancellation policy you have up to 24 months to use the voucher.  You can cancel up to 120 days (4 mos.) before your cruise date and get a complete cash refund except for a $100pp cancellation fee.  Also, if you have purchased the Viking travel insurance that is non-refundable after 14 days of booking.

Pooh

52 minutes ago, GrJ Berkshire said:

Most British hotels have superb UK aircon, it's called opening the window...................................

I agree and that is why I will always make sure at least they say they have A/C in the rooms! 😁

Pooh

On 8/23/2020 at 12:07 PM, newport dave said:

I've found A/C in UK hotels nowhere near as good as US hotels.  You may be severely disappointed.

I know what you mean!  Have been to Europe several times and have had all kinds of A/C in the rooms, but have found even the worst of the A/C provided was better than none.

Pooh

I need some help here.  In looking at Princess tours for this itinerary, the vehicles involved are motor coaches without A/C!  My question is do these busses get hot and or stuffy then?  My DH and I are very into comfort and A/C, so would appreciate anyone's input on this.  Thanks.

Pooh

Novotel gets good ratings and is reasonably priced and located and I was going to book it, but then looking carefully I noticed it does not have A/C in its rooms.  That is a deal buster for me and my DH.  No matter what time of year, we need our A/C!  I am staying in Southampton(hopefully) the end of June, 2021.  I found similar hotels (Jurys Inn and room2Southampton Hometel) that do have A/C and are equal to or a little less than Novotel.

Pooh

5 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Yes I assume Enchanted Window Suite would be close to what Sky's looks like. Here is Sky's

living room and master BR

 

Looking forward to our Caribbean cruise in March because we are in this Window Suite.  Will be disappointed if they don't cruise by then as in my next four cruises I was given a free upgrade to a regular balcony suite and the others were only able to get forward CC mini's which is kinda like a WS but not quite.

Pooh

9 hours ago, Rupert2251 said:

Hi Pooh just come across your post and wanted to ask a couple of questions...

First time sailing with Princess we usually go with P&O but Princess had an amazing offer out of Southampton next year on Regal. We have booked a Penthouse Suite for 3 adults, what did you mean by put a sheet on the sofa for the whole cruise? I thought the sofa was made up each night then put away in the morning. Also can you tell me if they have a kettle in the suite for that nice early morning cuppa on the balcony or do we have to order room service? Bathrobes & slippers included? I'm sure I will think of more questions!

 

Rup

Hi Rup;

There were only two of us in the suite so we didn't need to use the sofa as a bed.  It was getting alittle "used" looking, so for us to sit on it we wanted a clean sheet between us and the material of the sofa.  They do make it up as a bed each night as needed and put it back to sofa when they clean up in the morning.  I am American and had this suite on a Mexican itinerary so there were no kettles in the room.  Now, maybe they will as they will be based out of England for your cruise.  As an American, a kettle has not been needed by me!  Grin.  I get room service coffee!   Bathrobes and slippers are included (at least for the first two guests, I don't know about the third.)  You can keep the slippers.  In fact, I have mine on now!  

Pooh

You need to do the math on all.  My next Alaska cruise the difference between the basic cost pp and where you get the three "free" items is $280pp.  First take off the gratuities as that is paid by all and that amounts to $108.50pp.  So now I am down to a difference of $171.50.  The cost of the internet is $69.79pp leaving $101.71 for the drink package. I watch what I drink on a cruise as I don't do alcohol but do like my carbonated water and my virgin mojitos, etc.  If I get three of these a day, it costs me around $15 or so a day.  So for 7 days I would usually spend around $105. So that makes the drink portion ok for me and I can have as many drinks as I want and not count.  Now I am left with the internet.  My hubby loves and now has to have the 24 hr. internet as being on FB, etc. is just part(albeit a small part) of the cruising experience for him(to each his own! Grin).  So it definitely is less expensive to do the package deal for us when booking.  It's a math thing for us.  So for each one personally, just go through the math and that will tell you which choice of fares to choose!

Pooh

On 7/27/2020 at 9:55 AM, PoohUnderstands said:

As of 9am Monday (paperwork done by end of workday Friday), I have no refund.  But then by past experience, there has been a lag of a day or two before anything shows up online on my credit card.  This is for any refund I have been getting in past.  So I am going to be pleased if it shows up by Wed.  If not, nope, was fibbed to!  Will let you know.

 

Pooh

Just to let people know and get an idea, I received my deposits back to my credit card today, Saturday.  So combining Princess' procedures and my credit card's, it took 8 days to show up.  Not bad.  Now I am even steven!  Got all my monies back that I had ever put out for my three cancelled cruises and still have $8630 in FCC to use!!!!!!  My next cruise(fingers tightly crossed) is in March, 2021.  Payment due by 01/09/2021.  Hopefully by then we will know what is going on in this crazy world of ours!

Pooh

On 7/25/2020 at 12:41 PM, richstowe said:

Had to find out if your triple guaranteed refunds came in. Yes?🤞🤞

As of 9am Monday (paperwork done by end of workday Friday), I have no refund.  But then by past experience, there has been a lag of a day or two before anything shows up online on my credit card.  This is for any refund I have been getting in past.  So I am going to be pleased if it shows up by Wed.  If not, nope, was fibbed to!  Will let you know.

Pooh

Heads up guys.

I called today and had to wait 1:32 hrs to get through (27 minute wait for general rep. who then passed me on to customer relations specialist where I waited the rest of the time.  I had my cruise changed from the Grand to Regal and my personalizer said I owed more of a deposit by today or I would be cancelled.  Well, that's not true by the way, and she corrected that problem in about literally 3 seconds.  But this is the big news part.  If you can get through to the specialists for a question about a cruise you have booked for the future, etc.  then please ask about your deposit refunds!!!  Since I had waited over 1 1/2 hours I decided, what the heck, to give it a try.  So I asked her (by the way she was so nice and helpful and competent-but completely overwhelmed so try to be extra loving to all these Princess reps), if she could at least check to see if my deposits refunds were still there and in line, etc.  Well, she checked and yes they were. BUT, then she went and sent an email to processing dept. and therefore she guaranteed me(three times in fact! Grin) that my refunds would be processed to credit card by end of business TODAY! (The were for August-Sept.cruises that I personally cancelled the end of April).  So I am all squared away from having to cancel 4 cruises and now am looking forward to my next 4 cruises (March, 2021-February, 2022).

Pooh 

On 7/23/2020 at 1:47 AM, caribill said:

 

Others have posted that the price increase and deposit request should disappear once Princess updates the booking correctly.

 

Still it would not hurt to verify this with your booking agent.

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I did not want to start a new thread, but hoping Pam from California or other guru's could chime in here.  I was in a Window Suite (midship) on the Grand.  That translated to C101 (forward) on the Regal.  I have never been on a Royal class ship.  I read that another Window Suite  passenger was successful in getting reassigned to the suites on the Riviera deck.  

 

Keeping in mind...the distance to the elevators and the elevator crowds midship elevators

Keeping in mind...the higher deck (14) vs way forward (10)

Keeping in mind...fact that aft elevators only allow you to go to deck 7 (deck 6 dining room) before you have to wind your way through the maze to get to the Piazza.

 

What can I expect from being in a forward cabin on the Iceland/Norway cruise in June?  Am I better off keeping C101?  

 

Thank you for your comments.

I am in the same boat as you-was assigned B102.  So as far as decks are concerned,  9-11 are very stable.  There is a little more motion felt up front but being on decks 10 and 11 should help.  Also as far as getting our cabin changed from an S5 to S4 without paying the going rate for the S4 suite(which is $9305pp), you would have to need an ADA cabin.  I have slight mobility issues so I asked in the first place, but am definitely not even going to try for someone who needs it ADA cabin as I am not that bad.  So am staying with what I have for free and am extremely happy.  By the way this is from a Customer Relation Services person, not the general rep. I just got off the phone with her after waiting 1:32 hrs!  But well worth it.  She also changed within seconds that I owed a deposit or more towards the deposit.  That is correct.  She says that we don't need to pay more and won't be cancelled even though it says so, but is nice to know she took care of it.  So all is now well.  While I had her on the phone I thought I would ask about my refunds coming from two cruises(B2B) I cancelled back in April.  She looked them up and saw what I said was accurate and immediately wrote an email to processing and told me three times that I would have my refunds completely processed by end of work today!!!!!!!  So definitely worth the wait to get through. 

Pooh