montgomeryfamily

In December we were moved from our Grand Princess wheelchair accessible balcony cabin on the Caribe deck to a non-accessible MB minisuite on the Dolphin deck. 

Since our family member is wheelchair bound and cannot walk, this was not acceptable and the reason the original booking was marked no upgrade.  We called Princess and were told that "it looks like the original cabin was being used as part of an isolation block".  We were moved to another cabin but I am still trying to determine if that cabin is acceptable (email pending with access dept.)

I note that our upgrade notice had no wording that it was done due to CDC guidelines.  Indeed, there was no explanation at all--it appeared to be a routine upgrade.  This disturbs me as I am really unsure whether our cabin really is going to be used for isolation or is being used as a replacement cabin for someone in a Aloha deck wheelchair accessible cabin or otherwise just wanted our cabin.

Several others have stated in other threads that their "upgrade/move notices" from decks that many CC members have confirmed to be Quarantine decks had the reference to CDC.  Is this teue for the others here who have been moved from those identified quarantine decks?

I also question whether Alabaster Cruiser's move from Plaza to Rivera was really due to Plaza being used for quarantine or they were just told that.  CDC guidelines require isolation cabins to have a balcony due to requirements for fresh air, and the last time we cruised on Emerald, there were no balcony cabins on Plaza (and not that I could see on the deck plans).

On 1/31/2022 at 6:15 PM, Travelingfreckles said:

This happened to us too. 😔 On your upgrade notice does it reference anything about “due to cdc guidelines...”? If so, it’s due to that being a quarantine location and being moved back isn’t possible. In the end, it worked out for us after being moved to the stern in an uncovered balcony “their kind upgrade” to working with my PVP and ending up with a mini-suite upgrade with our beloved extended balcony midship. If it’s just a general upgrade, definitely decline the offer. Good luck!

So if your cabin is taken as an observation/quarantine cabin, does the "upgrade notice" state something about being due to cdc guidelines?  If it doesn't, is it just a regular upgrade?

Essiesmom, I know you generally book accessible cabins.  Have you stayed in or seen inside of any of the wheelchair accessible D732 or D733 on any of the Grand class ships, especially the Grand Princess?  

16 hours ago, travelin.sisters said:

the fire doors are between the elevator/stair lobby & the hallway so both forward & aft you can use the stairs but you can't exit that lobby to the hallway on either side...I think there must be doors on all levels at between the elevator area & the halls that we have never noticed? 

Yes, you must be right.  Thank you for letting me know this.  I guess this may Princess' plans.  However, if they close those fire doors, the Caribe port forward cabins must also be part of the quarantine because the access to the forward elevators/stairs is necessary for those cabins occupants to be able to leave the floor.  But I know that some of the inside forward port Caribe deck inside cabins are booked--we have some friends who are booked in three of those cabins.  I need to call them to suggest they contact Princess now rather than finding they have been moved to a less desirable cabin when they get onboard.  

23 hours ago, travelin.sisters said:

I hope they got you a cabin that fits your needs! 

 

I walked the stairs to the Aloha deck both fore & aft & both sides are closed off by the fire doors with signs saying area closed/restricted zone so it seems as if they are using a section between fire doors? 

I first want to say how much I am enjoying all the photos.  They are terrific!  Thank you for posting those.

As for us, our two cruises are back to back and we are still trying to work out a solution that puts us back in a balcony for our whole trip.

I am not surprised that the fire doors are closing off the Aloha deck--seems the best way to isolate the quarantine areas.  This is why I don't understand why they would take our port side cabin.  That cabin opens up to the lobby of the forward elevators.  Unless one was added, that mid-forward lobby area is not closed off by a fire door.  When you go forward up the hall a few cabins, there is a fire door.  So I would understand if they take the Caribe deck area closed off by the fire door for quarantine, but it makes no sense in areas that are not behind a fire door.  (Apparently they are not taking any of the starboard cabins and not all of the port side cabins). I wonder if there is a sign now on the Grand's Aloha deck in the forward elevators lobby closing off the floor? 

20 hours ago, travelin.sisters said:

Thank you.

 

Princess is not really giving out any of that information to the best of my knowledge. I was told by one person at the guest services desk (when I was sharing that, although I understand the need to have moved our cabins for isolation rooms, I did not appreciate that they did not actually notify me, I discovered it when printing our stuff for boarding...I feel like an email or notice to my TA would have been the least they could have done) that all of the Aloha deck is reserved for isolation....

 

Thank you for your information and insight.  Part of my confusion stems from the apparent large number of cabins Princess is using for quarantine. 

We found that our wheelchair accessible Caribe deck port side balcony (marked no upgrade) was being taken for quarantine when we received notice we were being moved to a non-accessible minisuite--not acceptable to a full time wheelchair user.  When contacted Princess advised the cabin was now in a quarantine area.  We were surprised Princess would take the cabins on this side of the fire door since these are B1 (the most expensive balcony category cabins) and suites.  So Princess is taking for quarantine on the Grand all of the Aloha deck, part of the port side Caribe deck, and apparently adding part of the Baja deck on the next cruise.

I did see on the roll call where someone on this cruise was moved from the Aloha deck wheelchair accessible cabin to a Caribe deck wheelchair accessible cabin, but I assume on the starboard side.  I agree that Princess should be more transparent about the quarantine cabins.   There are a limited number of wheelchair accessible cabins with a balcony and I am concerned Princess may push us out again.

I'm really enjoying this review, especially the photos.  We are booked on two Alaska cruises in August on the Grand, and also find the onboard experiences interesting.

However, I'm am confused somewhat by the quarantine cabins noted so far in this thread.

It sounds like the entire Aloha deck is a quarantine area.  Is this correct?  Also someone mentioned being moved from the forward starboard Baja area next cruise.  Is that part of Baja a quarantine area now?  How long is the isolation period for new crew members?

On what deck and side is the crew smoking area?

Thanks AF-1.  I appreciate your checking out the stateroom.

Thanks for trying to catch the room steward and ask him about the sofa in F315.  I am glad to know that the sofa in the regular staterooms make a bed.  But sometimes the furniture in the wheelchair accessible rooms are different.

AF-1, would you mind asking the room steward if the sofa in F315 makes a bed for a 3rd person?

We are booked in that wheelchair accessible suite next year.  We would like to take our aide, but are considering how to best manage this.  It would greatly help us if we knew whether sharing the suite with us is an option.

13 hours ago, Nashna said:

I booked it online before we switched to the Medallion a week ago.  

Was it on the Cruise Personalized?  I can't find it.

How did you book it?  On the app or did you call someone at Princess?

Yes, there was a test cruise from Seattle on the Majestic.  It was just Princess employees.  I talked with a customer service representative on Friday who was going to be on it.  She said the ship was going to stop at one port, but she didn't know which one--she expected to learn which port when she boarded.

On 7/3/2021 at 7:05 PM, CruiserBruce said:

 

Yes.  There is a facebook posting in regard to this by Princess, indicating the issue is under review/evaluation.

This states between 9:30am to 2:30pm.  I was assuming several renactments within that time.  But if the performance is the entire time,  that is a long renactment. (The dunking of the wench and the drunk in the stocks is at 1230, and is a complete renactment in less than an hour.) 

With the ferry schedule from the dockyard we can't get there by 930.

Does anyone have any other information about the specifics of this reenactment--days of week/time?

I would appreciate any opinions or reviews regarding the Hampton Inn Times Square Central, including location. We are considering this hotel for a pre-cruise stay. We will be going to a couple of Broadway shows, visiting the Time square area, and touring Central Park.  We are still considering the other things we may want to do.  Thanks.

I did reserve a wheelchair accessible room with a roll-in shower.  And yes such hotel roomsrooms are supposed to be ADA compliant.  However you would be surprised at how many times we have entered the reserved room to find out it isn't completely ADA compliant. And this has happened at many top hotel brands.

And once we get to the room, if we find out it's not adequate, it's very difficult to locate another ADA room with a roll-in shower at the last minute.  We would rather avoid any issues.

I had booked the Embassy Suites late last year for our stay/cruise in mid August.  In reviewing comments of otherswho had stayed there I found that this is not a typical embassy suites. Most of the rooms do not have a separate bedroom and sitting area / kitchen. There is a sitting area within the studio rooms but the bed is separated from the space by a partial built-in room divider.

Because one of our party uses a wheelchair and we need space on both sides of the bed for both of us to be able to use the bed, I called the hotel to ask for additional information. They claim there is a small amount of space between the bed and the divider, but I'm concerned about whether it will be sufficient space on both sides of the bed to meet our needs.  Has anyone stay and one of the studio suites (WC accessible or not) who could tell me about the space between the bed and the divider?

I have trying to find out this information from various sources and have been unsuccessful but I'm going to need to make a decision on the room soon. So I would appreciate any information.

As a backup I've made a reservation at a Hampton inn times square Central hotel. If anyone has any information about this hotel, including location, I would appreciate it.  I may create a separate post in regard to this hotel as I realized that this thread topic header does not list this hotel.

Water709, is the balcony table as big as the tables before the remodel?  In the photo, it only appears cocktail table size, but hopefully it is bigger.

Ask your cabin steward for the red medical waste bags-- they will give them every day.

Lou, thank you for your reply and the additional information you have given.  We very much would like to take train and now I know how to handle it.  We may either cancel our booking on the Coral and book another ship/cruise line or keep the booking but book a "back up cruise" and watch carefully for the potential tendering information so that if Ketchikan becomes a tender port we can cancel the Coral.  We really enjoy the Coral--it is our favorite ship on which to go to Alaska.  But we aren't going to sacrifice a port just to take her. 

While I know that some of the other Princess ships tender, I didn't know the Coral ever tendered in Alaska.  We have the Coral booked for next year and the problem we have with tendering is one of our family members is wheelchair bound (manual wheelchair).  Princess doesn't allow you to tender unless you can walk onto the tender.  So at least a couple of us would be stuck on the ship if the ship tenders (and Princess doesn't give you any compensation for this either, not even a refund of port charges).  So we are going to have to think about this booking.

One other question.  I checked and on our ship sailing date, the website only shows a coach transfer available.  How did you book the Princess train?  Was this something you or your travel agent specifically called to request?  or was it on the website as available?