montgomeryfamily

Swenga, where is that last photo with the chairs?  I have really enjoyed all of the photos!  

Although the presentation often wrapped up with a sales presentation, the Hubbard glacier broadcast should be better.  I know the broadcasts by the naturalists from the U.S. Park Service in Glacier Bay is always good.

Perhaps if enough people comment to the Cruise Director and other mgt wanting that also broadcast, they will do it this time at all of these scenic highlights.

Does anyone know if Tricare for life covers international or cruise ship medical expenses?

I am also surprised that the naturalist and other broadcast announcements at scenic highlights such as Glacier Bay and others are not being broadcast on the TV on the View from the Bridge Channel.  We have taken several Princess Alaska cruises over the years and this was always done.

I do hope that this is being commented/complained about by the passengers so that hopefully Princess reconsiders and reinstates this program.  This is a major disadvantage for people watching the scenery from their own balcony.  Makes no sense for Princess to encourage people to gather in large groups on the outside deck to watch the scenery.  They should be encouraging social distancing prevent covid and other disease spread.

I just don't understand why they would discontinue the TV broadcast program which has been in effect since our first princess Alaska cruise in the early 1990s.

Can only yóu upgrade or do the others in your stateroom have to upgrade as well?

Could you hear the naturalist from your balcony?

In past years Princess has offered a specialty port item at lunch and this year's Princess info indicates the same.  (e.g. Crab cakes for Juneau...).  The item is usually offered at the grill, but sometimes it is at the Horizon Court.  On some ships the item is offered the same day in port but others it is offered the day before arriving at the port.

Does anyone know if this is being offered on the Grand on this year's sailing?

Nunuc2000, thank you for the info re C302.  This is our stateroom for our cruise in August.  Excited to know that our room will be updated!

Have you had any opportunity to see if C302 has been upgraded like 304?  Both tables on the balcony in the photo appear to be small, more like a drink table than a table which would accommodate breakfast.  Is this an accurate understanding?  

The easiest way is to get Princess transportation unless your wife can walk and/ or transfer to a car(taxi).  If you use Princess, you need to contact the access dept and advise of the Princess transfer and request the lift vehicle.  At Whittier, unless your wife can climb some steps/walk, you definitely need the Princess transfer because there is no taxi service to Anchorage and none of the private transportation services have lifts.

1 hour ago, PhotoGal07 said:

To prevent:  Wipes to wipe down room, remote, and so on, masks, nitric oxide nasal spray, and additional covid tests to take before we leave the ship..

 

Are you getting the spray on-line or is it available locally where you live?

We were recently moved cback to our original cabin on the Caribe deck.  The access dept realized that the cabin we were moved to was actually not wheelchair accessible.  So we were moved back.  So I guess you can take the Caribe deck on the Grand back off the list.

Is the beverage package good for teas at Leaves on the Grand?

We've cruised with Princess numerous times and if you don't have/need a wheelchair accessible room or other items such as a higher toilet seat, then you don't have to fill out the form. 

When we first began cruising, our disabled family member used a cane, and we filled out the form to request only boarding assistance.  But inevitably we would get there and there was no one with a list waiting to help.  We learned we had to request the assistance as soon as we entered the cruise terminal or there would be no assistance. 

Over the years our family member's disability progressed to where he is wheelchair bound and has been the last 10 years.  Also, the carryons have increased a Bipap, a portable oxygen concentrator, a backpack with medicine/medical and a personal backpack, so there is no way I can carry all of this and push him.  

So when we get dropped off at the terminal with the porters, I ask for help with him to get him to the terminal doors.  The porters have always helped (for which I tip) and then when I get to the Princess reps outside, I insist on assistance.  They may try to tell you that you have to get through security first, but if you are insistent explaining that you can't carry everything and push, they will obtain one of the princess local reps to help.  (Because now-unlike when we first began cruising- the onboard crew can't go past security to provide assistance.).   

The Princess rep provides the assistance through security and sometimes all the way to the ship.  We would really prefer the more common procedure of being handed off to a crew member for boarding because the Princess reps can't go onto the ship and the crew member can take you to your cabin or dining.

So don't let filling out the form/submitting it stop you from bringing on a wheelchair which would help both you and your dad, both on the ship and in port as well. 

A walker could be used part of the time to give your dad increased mobility, but the ship is large and you don't want your dad to be so tired or dread the long distances that it may impact the cruise experience.

I saw your question on the disabled cruisers board and you can actually carry the walker on the wheelchair.  Used the leg rests and have your dad hold the top.  This is what we used to do before our family member could no longer use a walker.  Best to practice positioning it at home in preparation for cruise.  Don't check it unless it is swathed in bubble wrap and in a box.  Otherwise you will likely have a warped, vent, or crushed walker.

Unfortunately, Capt Larry does not own his own business now.  His company merged (was bought out) by Dolphin Jet Boat tours.  Capt Larry was supposed to be still the Captain of the boat he brought into the company.  

Capt Larry's boat was wheelchair accessible.  Our family member is wheelchair bound.  We went on Capt Larry's boat with Orca Enterprises 4 times.  We really had a great time.  After he was unable to operate for a while, we did other tours on our stops in Alaska.  Then in 2019, for our last trip to Alaska/Juneau, we found the website you found, called, and made a booking for the wheelchair accessible boat that Capt Larry was still operating.  

We received several emails confirming the trip and giving info re meeting place and other info, including one email mid cruise.  When we got to the meeting place early for our 1:00 tour, we told one of the guides our name and which tour we were on and waited on that bus.  When it arrived, we gave our name to that tour guide and he didn't find our name listed.  He called the supervisor when didn't know anything but called the office.  The office was busy and told him they would call him back.  It got closer to time and finally the last tour bus for the whale watching boats had arrived.  They still didn't know anything and were just going to leave but I stood on the tour bus steps and would not get off until they called the office and found out what was going on with our tour.

Turns out that the wheelchair accessible boat was not operational and had not been for more than two months.  In addition it had not gone through the Coast Guard certification that was required of all tour boats.  They said there was no plan to repair it.  So I don't know if Capt Larry is operating another boat or retired.

In addition, they left us standing without any tour.  The tour guide said we could call a taxi.  I finally tracked down the two taxi phone numbers, but they were all booked.  So we walked around town a bit and went back to the ship.

I never received an apology, even after calling when we got home.  It took over a month to get the refund, with me having to call back again.

So I don't know if Capt Larry is still operating, but based on our experience, even if he was, I wouldn't rely on getting him.  Based on our experience with them, I would never book them for a tour, even if they got another wheelchair accessible boat.

On 3/26/2022 at 11:42 AM, PescadoAmarillo said:

Thank you very much. I ordered these and have been using them at home. They work great, and provide a means of keeping the mask around my neck when I take it off (such as to eat or drink). After two years of masks making my ears stick out (I have very short hair), it’s a nice change. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095HBXY9F/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_WZ0PK6Q01VS0SSMM0B8Y?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for the link.  I didn't realize those existed.  We could definitely use them.

Where did you purchase the recycled sports band?

3 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

 @MJSailors

 

@Ronnieslady  ...my husband even requested I order some straps that keep the mask off the ears that many of the crew are wearing (apparently the masks the ship provides run small), so I’m bringing those too. Thank you for the good wishes!

Would you mind posting where you get the straps?

I hope you both stay healthy and enjoy your cruising.

Thanks for the information.  I really appreciate this basic information because it was not obvious to me in reading the medallion resource info.

1 hour ago, skynight said:

You log onto the internet with your phone, device or at the internet cafe. The  system recognizes you and you gain access. The actual quarter size medallion has nothing to do with the internet. It just contains a code that identifies you remotely to the on board computer. 

 

So do you create an internet account like you used to do before the new medallion program?  Is this what you mean by "log in"?  

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Plus fares still work if you exchange the medallion for a cruise card. They also work if you order from a waiter leaving your phone or device in the cabin.

If you have the cruise card instead of the medallion, how do you connect your device to use the internet?  

Before the medallion era, when connecting to internet, you first created an account registering with your cabin number.  We haven't cruised since the new medallion features.  So I'm sure this is a very basic baby steps question-- how does the princess plus program recognize you for the internet?

I thought it was the medallion device.  But if it works with the cruise card...how does the system recognize you?  Do you still register an account?

On 2/19/2022 at 5:47 PM, ihopfar said:

 

 

Our cruise is not till August --- hoping they don't need quarantine rooms by then!    Even so, our ship seems fairly well sold out --- none of these 50% full or less cruises folks are talking about now.  I can only imagine the number of move over offers they will need if they still need quarantine rooms!  (Assuming they have not already taken the quarantine rooms out of inventory).

Our cruise is Aug 24 and as I said, we were moved from the Caribe deck, although we seem to be the only ones reporting a move from the Caribe deck. 

Has anyone else been moved from the Caribe deck on the Grand?

21 hours ago, nini said:

Yes, it was in writing from Princess that it was per CDC guidelines. They were changing our cabin due to CDC. And we had booked quite a nice mid ship angled balcony! We were both moved to yucky tiny balconies, not close to each other.

I have read threads where someone posted they received a CDC guideline move/upgrade and while they could not go back to their original cabin, they were able to move to a more acceptable cabin than the one they were assigned.  Perhaps this might be something that you and also Sue might be able to do.

Ombud, I do hope that you don't have to move.  I agree that Princess views about rooms are often different than the passengers. 

Our "upgrade" notice had no language whatsoever referencing CDC.  So I don't know if you should put the Grand Caribe deck on your chart or not.  We are mid-forward port, but I don't know how far an isolation block, if there is one, would extend.  Princess has had midship port balconies for sale even this week, with one only six cabins down with no fire doors in between.  And forward of us, my disabled family member's aide is still in an inside cabin only four cabins away from our original cabin.  In fact, many inside cabins are for sale all along the port side.   

9 hours ago, nini said:

We and our traveling buddies were moved and this was in NO WAY called an upgrade. We were move per CDC guidelines. The moves was horrible, definitely downgrades. We will most likely cancel due to the issues in Ukraine right now and St.Petersburg probably deleted as a port.

I sympathize with you.  So did your notice actually say the move was due to CDC guidelines or were you just told this by the Princess representative?  

We booked almost two years ago to insure we got the cabin we wanted and that would meet all of our needs, even if it was a premium balcony cabin that cost more and didn't qualify for the complimentary upgrade promotion.  And because we booked so early, no one else had booked any of the four wheelchair accessible Caribe deck balcony cabins.  

For Princess to call moves like you and I experienced an upgrade is a slap in the face.  They need to recognize when the move is in effect a downgrade and act accordingly.

I understand the desire and arguably the need for a balcony cabin for isolation.  I don't disagree with Princess implementing isolation with this approach.  And there are many non-premium balcony category cabins on the ships. (BB -BE).  In fact on the Grand almost the entirety of the Aloha and Baja decks are non-premium balcony cabins.  There are much fewer premium cabins (B1-4) on a ship and their cost is even more than some categories of minisuites.   

There are many threads about Princess cost cutting (elimination of or reduction of some loyalty benefits,  reduced hrs of certain facilities such as the international cafe, etc).  Most are accepting this as necessary for Princess to operate in today's climate.  

So while Princess arguably should provide (and with which I agree) balcony cabins for use in isolation as a matter of the isolated individual's physical and mental health, I disagree that Princess should provide premium balconies, minisuites, and suites.  It doesn't make economic sense to give up this additional income, especially since the regular balcony category cabins provide the ability to go outside and even sit outside and eat. 

I also would like to know where to book and believe the list you suggested is a great idea.

While we booked our cabin almost two years ago, I had been reading the threads, including rollcalls, and had been comforted by all the statements that on the Grand the Aloha deck was used for isolation. One person even posted they were in a wheelchair accessible Aloha deck balcony cabin and were moved to a Caribe deck wheelchair accessible balcony cabin (which is indeed an upgrade.).  So I was shocked when we were moved supposedly because our cabin was going to be used for isolation. (Although our notice did NOT make any reference to CDC guidelines).

52 minutes ago, capriccio said:

And, as our wait staff explained, new crew each have their own balcony cabin for the duration of the quarantine.  They had nothing but good things to say about that!  Cabins fill up quickly that way.

Chamima, I have read on several threads that Balcony/fresh air access is a requirement by CDC for quarantine.  It certainly appears that Princess  is implementing this approach.

It would be cheaper for Princess to use Inside/Oceanview cabins, especially in areas which could be closed off.  But instead they are consistently using balcony cabins.  What I don't understand is their choosing the more expensive deluxe and premium balcony cabins and minisuites/suites for isolation cabins.

Princess taking Alabaster cruiser's stateroom and moving them to the Rivera deck is inconsistent with their providing balcony cabins for use as isolation cabins.  I wonder if Alabaster Cruiser's notice said that the move was per CDC guidelines?