No Green lane in Australia

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 hours ago, arxcards said:

Yellow lane would be the other.

 

This was all set-up around covid, with the intentions of keeping people apart. Boarding slot times were to be followed, regardless of loyalty/suite priority. There was still a priority check-in line in Sydney & Brisbane, and if parked in a seating area after check-in, they then called via priority groups first. Some days were awesome, others like your day in Honolulu and ours on the first day in Sydney on Majestic were painful. If they are dropping the selection of boarding groups, it will be reverting to priority boarding first, then likely allocated as deck by deck after that as it used to be.

I wish they would keep the boarding groups as it allows people to choose a time that suits their travel plans rather than just arbitrarily being allocated a time based on which deck you're on. People who are overnighting in a hotel before embarking may want an early boarding time or may want to do some more sightseeing before boarding. Those who are travelling to the port on the day would want a boarding time that fits their travel plans. I've always thought the Princess idea of boarding by decks was a bit stupid.

[arxcards]

26 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I wish they would keep the boarding groups as it allows people to choose a time that suits their travel plans rather than just arbitrarily being allocated a time based on which deck you're on. People who are overnighting in a hotel before embarking may want an early boarding time or may want to do some more sightseeing before boarding. Those who are travelling to the port on the day would want a boarding time that fits their travel plans. I've always thought the Princess idea of boarding by decks was a bit stupid.

I see that side of it, and it makes lots of sense.

There are others though, particularly of the older generations, that don't have the inclination to jump-in and choose a time, mostly as they don't use the technology to do it.

 

For me, I don't really care either way. Whether via loyalty or knowing to check every 5 minutes when we get below 60 days, I can find the front of the queue if I want it.

[Hammer61]

We were Green but now Blue as well? We have the Plus package, well sort of its the pre Dec 2022 version and we wont be upgrading.

 

Very disappointing that Princess have been making changes but no communication to anyone who has booked and paid in full as to these changes, if not for this forum i wouldn't of had a clue and when boarding been very confused, i have the plus package but what's now included depends on when you booked it, so could easily run up a bill for varies things thinking they were in the package, unless they have a way of knowing which plus package you are on? maybe they will scan your card/medallion etc each time you order etc and it will say included or not.

 

Either way Princess should/could have done better letting guest know.

 

Also, when does check in for selecting a time to board open? a month before embarkation or sooner, i can't find any check in time selection on the app for our October cruise.

[arxcards]

13 minutes ago, Hammer61 said:

We were Green but now Blue as well? We have the Plus package, well sort of its the pre Dec 2022 version and we wont be upgrading.

 

Very disappointing that Princess have been making changes but no communication to anyone who has booked and paid in full as to these changes, if not for this forum i wouldn't of had a clue and when boarding been very confused, i have the plus package but what's now included depends on when you booked it, so could easily run up a bill for varies things thinking they were in the package, unless they have a way of knowing which plus package you are on? maybe they will scan your card/medallion etc each time you order etc and it will say included or not.

 

Either way Princess should/could have done better letting guest know.

 

Also, when does check in for selecting a time to board open? a month before embarkation or sooner, i can't find any check in time selection on the app for our October cruise.

Communication n the changes is pretty ordinary. When it comes to green lane, anyone in the US who gets their medallion in the mail gets to be green lane, so this change falls to the Princess office of Carnival Australia to communicate. Sort of a failure, except boarding will work like it did last season with an apparent green lane, as the medallions still had to be picked-up at check-in. Any from the US can arrive here with their medallion and will get to skip the line for medallion pick-up. We boarded 3 x Princess cruises last season, and all handled the issue of medallions differently. On the latest cruise, you picked-up the medallion before check-in. They thought it would work best, until they had no cabin info on the app and the medallion boxes were sorted by cabin number. Lots of people fumbling through paperwork to find cabin numbers.

 

As for the packages, I agree. As for the extra doodads that were added, I wouldn't expect them to be added to the package. But then to add extra charges that were not present when booking, well that is so poor that I am still waiting for them to do a backflip.

 

Boarding slots WERE available when the calendar gets down to 60 days (US time) aka 59 days + a few hours. I say WERE, as I believe they are doing away with them.

[Tripmode33]

30 minutes ago, Hammer61 said:

We were Green but now Blue as well? We have the Plus package, well sort of its the pre Dec 2022 version and we wont be upgrading.

 

Very disappointing that Princess have been making changes but no communication to anyone who has booked and paid in full as to these changes, if not for this forum i wouldn't of had a clue and when boarding been very confused, i have the plus package but what's now included depends on when you booked it, so could easily run up a bill for varies things thinking they were in the package, unless they have a way of knowing which plus package you are on? maybe they will scan your card/medallion etc each time you order etc and it will say included or not.

 

Either way Princess should/could have done better letting guest know.

 

Also, when does check in for selecting a time to board open? a month before embarkation or sooner, i can't find any check in time selection on the app for our October cruise.

From August, I understand there is no longer a boarding time for anyone so you will be unable to select.

You are able to arrive for boarding anytime during the boarding window. They will still have some form of priority boarding I believe, and a lane for people requiring assistance, but otherwise everyone turns up when it suits. 

Time will tell how effective this is ...

[OzKiwiJJ]

A friend of mine is doing a cruise out of the US in five weeks. Apparent Princess are now charging $7 for their lanyards.

[cruiser3775]

4 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Apparent Princess are now charging $7 for their lanyards.

I'm also doing a cruise out of the US next month on Princess. When you fill out the information for your medallion, they off you two choices for the lanyard. The standard one (thin, white with Princess in blue) is free. You can also order a more elaborate customised one, wider and with a choice of decorations. That one you had to pay for. Can't remember how much, because I wasn't interested enough, but I had the feeling it was more like $12.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, cruiser3775 said:

I'm also doing a cruise out of the US next month on Princess. When you fill out the information for your medallion, they off you two choices for the lanyard. The standard one (thin, white with Princess in blue) is free. You can also order a more elaborate customised one, wider and with a choice of decorations. That one you had to pay for. Can't remember how much, because I wasn't interested enough, but I had the feeling it was more like $12.

I got the impression from my friend that it was the thin Princess one they're now charging for. She was doing the pre-cruise stuff today so it could be another of their new charges. 

[valantine80]

53 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I got the impression from my friend that it was the thin Princess one they're now charging for. She was doing the pre-cruise stuff today so it could be another of their new charges. 

I ordered the standard one over the weekend and there was no charge for it then.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I got the impression from my friend that it was the thin Princess one they're now charging for. She was doing the pre-cruise stuff today so it could be another of their new charges. 

I cancelled our medallion order on Monday, to reorder in hope that they are going to deliver them now.

 

No luck on the delivery, but there is still no charge for the generic lanyard or the medallion in your loyalty colour. If you have a premier package, there is also a generic sports clip (the medallion wearable) that is no charge.

 

If you want to bling with bands, necklaces, or logo/country flagged medallion there is a charge. You are routed through this page when you order your medallion, but you only need click on skip.

Edited August 10, 2023 by arxcards
badd spalen

[OzKiwiJJ]

Maybe she got confused. 🤔🤣

[arxcards]

12 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Maybe she got confused. 🤔🤣

Capped just now, it is nice that they aren't charging for the complimentary one 😂

 

Mixed up between the one that comes with a holder and an insert and the complimentary one. Even though they call it a "Premium Blue Lanyard" the lanyards themselves do look to be identical in the pictures

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by arxcards

[OzKiwiJJ]

Thanks, that has solved the mystery. 

 

Maybe they haven't got around to taking a photo of the Premium lanyard yet. That would be par for the course for Princess 2023.

 

We hate wearing lanyards so the complimentary ones, which they insist on giving us, just end up in the bin. 

[Normanville]

On 8/10/2023 at 8:22 AM, Hammer61 said:

We were Green but now Blue as well? We have the Plus package, well sort of its the pre Dec 2022 version and we wont be upgrading.

 

Very disappointing that Princess have been making changes but no communication to anyone who has booked and paid in full as to these changes, if not for this forum i wouldn't of had a clue and when boarding been very confused, i have the plus package but what's now included depends on when you booked it, so could easily run up a bill for varies things thinking they were in the package, unless they have a way of knowing which plus package you are on? maybe they will scan your card/medallion etc each time you order etc and it will say included or not.

 

Either way Princess should/could have done better letting guest know.

 

Also, when does check in for selecting a time to board open? a month before embarkation or sooner, i can't find any check in time selection on the app for our October cruise.

We cruised in March on the Grand with the old Plus package and had no problems. We new we didn’t qualify for the new extras, like the desserts and gym classes but didn’t want them anyway. We like to drink scotch so got our money’s worth with that and the wifi. Drinks were up to $22. We didn’t use room service or order on the app or need a three course meal for lunch, so probably won’t be doing it on this cruise. Like to drink at a bar and meet people like minded. 

 

All your inclusions in your package are listed in your Travel summary in Cruise personalizer.

Juls

[cruiser3775]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We hate wearing lanyards so the complimentary ones, which they insist on giving us, just end up in the bin. 

I would also prefer a wrist band, like a watch band for the medallion, but the 'genuine' Princess one is expensive, for a bit of silicone. Thought I might find a more reasonably priced one on eBay or Amazon, but no luck.  I had just bought a genuine leather replacement band for my watch that cost $8 including postage, so hoped I could find something equivalent that is the right size for the medallion.

[arxcards]

12 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

I would also prefer a wrist band, like a watch band for the medallion, but the 'genuine' Princess one is expensive, for a bit of silicone. Thought I might find a more reasonably priced one on eBay or Amazon, but no luck.  I had just bought a genuine leather replacement band for my watch that cost $8 including postage, so hoped I could find something equivalent that is the right size for the medallion.

There were some posts last year where someone had ordered watch bands on ebay/amazon or somewhere like it. My recollection is they were bought as apple watch bands and meant to fit the medallion. These posts were pre-cruise, and I can't recall if they worked as well in practice as was hoped. I think @CDaze71 might be able to help.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Anything that fits an Apple Airtag fits the medallion. We use these which we can clip on bags or belt loops. Bought through Amazon Australia.

 

[Russell21]

15 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Anything that fits an Apple Airtag fits the medallion. We use these which we can clip on bags or belt loops. Bought through Amazon Australia.

 

So do we but ours are all black.

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 minutes ago, Russell21 said:

So do we but ours are all black.

We had some black ones on our first cruise last year but they didn't hold the medallion in as securely as the ones shown above. My medallion dropped out a couple of times so we tried these ones. They are much better.

[CDaze71]

Yep anything that says it fits an Apple Airtags are the go, they fit the medallions perfectly. I bought some on both ebay and Amazon. 

Edited August 11, 2023 by CDaze71

[NSWP]

My lanyard is free to a good home…

[Jean C]

On 8/10/2023 at 10:22 AM, Hammer61 said:

We were Green but now Blue as well? ...

 

Very disappointing that Princess have been making changes but no communication to anyone who has booked and paid in full as to these changes, if not for this forum i wouldn't of had a clue and when boarding been very confused ...

 

I totally agree with you, very disappointing that Princess haven't communicated these changes to passengers on upcoming cruises. Like you, I'd be scratching my head over what's happened on the app, presuming it was a glitch like the many they had last year, were it not for the helpful and informative people on Cruise Critic.  Ditto re boarding times. Grrrrr to Princess on their lack of communication!

[Jean C]

16 hours ago, NSWP said:

My lanyard is free to a good home…

Very generous of you - You could have tried selling it, hehehe 💰

[cruiser3775]

18 hours ago, CDaze71 said:

Yep anything that says it fits an Apple Airtags are the go, they fit the medallions perfectly.

Not my experience. I bought a watch band for my first Princess cruise, which was sized for an Apple airtag. It did not fit the Princess medallion - a little too big. The medallion fell out the first time I used it and turned my wrist over. Fortunately I saw it on the ground, picked it up and attached it firmly to the lanyard. Went on my first shore excursion. When I got back to the ship, I reached inside my top for the lanyard, and the medallion had fallen off. I had to be identified for security before they let me onboard, and then they made me a new medallion.

[Wanderers2]

It will be a very quiet green lane for Australian & New Zealand departures as I would think about 90% of the passengers would be Aussie & Kiwi