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You are right- as an American I say cream when I am referring to Half and Half. I was expecting half and half , when they asked if I wanted cream for my coffee, but I think I was getting milk.

I have been using only one device for a week and it’s happening every time now. Very frustrating. We always ask for cream but I don’t think we were getting it. The coffee didn’t lighten as much or taste as good. Maybe we should’ve repeated and asked for “real” cream?

I have a feeling the “cream” they pour for you in your coffee may be milk. Anyone else notice this?

Has this site changed where you have to sign in EVERY time you get a notification now and click on Go to Post, or is it just me?

Musings on our Crown Alaska cruise July 2-9. I heard there are about 1900 passengers onboard. I noticed 3rd to last day one side of Aloha deck was closed off ( door was shut into hallway) as I was walking down the back stairs- quarantine I’m guessing. Either my palate has changed or the food quality has gone downhill in the 11 years since I’ve been on a Princess cruise, I think it’s the latter. Last time there were many, many things I thought were fantastic and this time I’d say good or just OK . The onion soup was still a standout. And the gravlax/ smoked salmon and the James Beard French toast. I was disappointed there was no Alfredos pizza on the Crown-- just Slice. And no gelato or hard- serve counter, just soft serve ice cream. And no milk shakes. I ordered chocolate chip cookies from room service and there was surprisingly no option to get milk with them. We all liked the Meiomi Pinot Noir- red and white wine drinkers alike. There is tons of storage in our stateroom ( we were upgraded to a mini suite ), but not enough outlets . Two by the bed but so close together you couldn’t put big plugs in there together, and if you have a CPAP machine ( or two! ) it makes it hard to charge things overnight. One in the bathroom that said for shavers only and two hidden behind the two TVs. There weren’t enough bathrooms on the ship in the main areas, even by the dining rooms. Not well labeled , so not easy to find. The beds are very comfortable, and seem larger than a queen. We are enjoying all the trivia and the marriage show and naturalist talks. Since we had a group of 11 we usually had a dinner reservation at DaVinci but one night we were off the ship and came back later and so had to eat at Boticelli for Anytime dining ; vibration was so bad that three or four in our party were getting headaches. Sometimes in our room it bothered me too, if sitting and reading . We were about 10 cabins in from the back on the 9th (Dolphin ) deck. A 50 minute deep tissue massage was $179 though I got 10 % off when I booked. An 18% gratuity is added. Afterward be prepared for the hard sell to buy products.

It wasn’t by the pool.

My daughter said car seats are mandatory in cabs but not light rail and she doesn’t want to lug them along.

We’d be willing to walk 1/2 mile.

We plan to take light rail from the airport to our hotel but is it difficult to take it from downtown to the pier (91) or from the pier back to the airport?

Are the midnight/chocolate buffets a thing of the past? We'll be on Princess soon.

We booked Emerald to Alaska a year ago for a July 2022 sailing and got switched to Crown.

Not in the sundries shop where they have candy bars and things?

Woo-hoo- we just got our negative test results! And so have three more of the nine we’re going with. I have never heard of the NAAT test -it must be something used in Europe or Canada? And we did not get a QR code -just a sheet of paper and an email stating we were negative.

I haven’t been on a Princess cruise in 11 years ( going in 4 days!) , but at that time , I thought they had the best food of any ocean cruise line I’d been on, and I think I’ve been on seven others .

So if I want to do that part of the Inside Passage it’s not enough to leave from Vancouver. What is considered a big ship?

That answers why we've been having trouble-some is TA credit.

I agree wholeheartedly with many of these- Love Boat Dream, Cheesecake, Chocolate Flourless cake, Fettuccini Alfredo, the souffles (esp choc hazelnut), and some others they may not even have anymore: IC's Gianduja Obsession Pea Soup& Potato Soup Griddled Broccoli and Parmesan cake Dim Sum Chicken Korma Veggie Burrito Goulash Beef Bourgignon Empanada Four Cheese Gnocchi

But the most scenic part of the Inside Passage is the first part you described, right? And that’s what we may be skipping. Also, rougher seas then too?

Too late. But even 6 weeks ago when we considered it, the airfare change date would've been an addl $700 pp and we are paying for 11 of us!

These are always my favorite posts! 🙂

I have heard not all sailings this season have done the Inside Passage even though it's on the itinerary. Is that correct?

I know we can use our onboard credit for excursions and the spa. What about the casino, tips and The Sanctuary. Also, it looks like we can't reserve excursions or spa services ahead of time and use our credit, is that correct? TIA!

How’s the area by the Hotel Monaco?

Thank you. FYI-I also use a sinus rinse occasionally but stopped using tapwater after a couple of people in Alabama died from a brain infection due to using tapwater and some amoeba being in it! So in a pinch with a cpap machine, I think I’d use bottled or boiled water.

That's the same situation we are in. We leave next week Thursday.