UK Crown Princess Cruisers - Help please

[scottish]

We are from the UK and are booked on the Crown Princess in 2008 April/May with Princess Air included. 14 nights aboard from San Juan.

 

Understandably flights details are not known yet, so we wondered if anyone booked on a similar cruise in 2007 could tell us how the flight routes look.

[DD]

We are from the UK and are booked on the Crown Princess in 2008 April/May with Princess Air included. 14 nights aboard from San Juan.

 

Understandably flights details are not known yet, so we wondered if anyone booked on a similar cruise in 2007 could tell us how the flight routes look.

 

Hi -- in the US, flight schedules from Princess have always been released at 60 days prior to sailing. Now that they're going to e-docs, that date has become "within 75 days". That doesn't mean they NEVER come out before, but generally that's the guideline for air schedules.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Larbert, Carronshore calling, Have been to San Jaun a few times with Princess, never had the same carrier twice, Could well be Thomas Cook, when we went to Spain its was a Quatas jumbo so who knows who you might get, sometimes will not us a charter and just put you on a BA flight.

 

 

If you want to chat you can e-mailme direct

 

Off in a few weeks to the Sun princess.

 

yours Shogun

[scottish]

Thanks DD,

 

In the UK we have experienced getting flight info earlier than what you describe for the US. But then I am more familiar with flying into Miami or Orlando.

 

 

Hi Shogun

 

What a surprise to get such a local response. Bet you are looking forward to the Sun Princess. We were on her a couple of years ago in an aft mini suite and the cruise was fantastic.

 

As for the Crown Princess, what is confusing us is that on the Cruise Personaliser, it says that as usual we are in the Intercontinental in Miami on the night before we cruise, suggesting that we fly into Miami. Is this just standard info which is meaningless.

 

By all means let me have you email address and we can share experiences.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Its mydogshogun@yahoo.co.uk

 

First time on the Sun but have done a few Princess Ships.

 

If its not a UK charter flight job, expect they will fly you to miami first.

 

We have odd things like flying out of one London airport but returning to another.

 

I must admit I like to fly to Barbados if I get the chance.

 

This time I am going Edinburgh Atlanta , Ft Lauderdale,

 

my next cruise is Edinburgh overnight London,Miami over night then Ft Lauderdale

I assume they know what they are doing.

 

yours Shoun

[scottish]

Thanks Shogun for your email address. Will drop you a line soon to wish you a happy voyage.

 

This will be our 4th Princess Cruise and all have sailed out of Port Everglades. Every time, we have been put up at the Intercontinental West at Miami. Flights have never changed either, always Edinburgh/Heathrow/Miami. We too choose the overnight at Heathrow.

 

So we just dont know what to expect re flights for a sail out of San Juan. We are kind of fussy however and that is why we are trying to get a heads up on what airlines they use.

 

Cheers

[haggis]

Hi Scottish,

Looks like you'll have a scheduled flight across the pond if your staying overnight in Miami. We have a trip in March on the Island to Hawaii and were originally booked BA both ways (scheduled) but we decided to pre cruise in Las Vegas for 3 nights so we are now flying out with United and back with BA. I doubt very much if it'll be Quantas in your case, no-ones that lucky. The Quantas plane is only used short haul as its to be back at LHR for its evening flight to Australia. Got them once to Istanbul and they were by far the best we've ever been on. There is a chance however that you'll get the Virgin flight to Miami, used them a few times and they were quite good.

Whatever you get, safe flight and have a great cruise.

Jimmy (ex Fifer)

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

We are flying Edinburgh, Atlanta, Ft Lauderdale to meet the Sun will be first time we have not had go via Machester or London.

 

Mind you many years ago we went Glasgow Babardos which was great the best thing was in was shown as a London flight so when the pilot said we were preparing to land at Glasgow, 80% of the plane let out a mighty gasp they did not know that it stopped in Glasgow to let us off, pick up fuel then went on its way to London. To say they were not happy would be an understatement.

 

Jimmy ex Fifer here to from Anstruther .

 

yours Shogun

[haggis]

Hello Shogun,

No I'm from the other end of the Kingdom. Bowhill. The wife was brought up in Methilhill but I try to forget that. We left Fife in the 60's and have been down here ever since. I knew one lad from Anster, name of Spowart, I believe his family run the holiday camp there.

Thinking about this flight of scottish, we once flew American (schedule) to Miami to join the Royal Princess at Acapulco. We overnighted in Miami. From Miami we flew charter to Acapulco. After transitting the Panama Canal we ended the trip in San Juan. From there we flew schedule (American) to New York where we caught the scheduled flight back to LHR. It was quite organised really and we were impressed when the NY flight was held back for us to join as we were late. I think its pot luck with flights though.

Twice in the last couple of years we've flown charter to Barbados but we'll never do that again. Theres no doubt its well organised going but coming back is a shambles. Its just as bad now as it was in the 90's when we used to fly Brittania to San Juan to join the Cunard Countess.

On a lighter note, I suppose you go down to Pittenweem for a fish supper now and again. We go every time we're up there. They dont know what fish is down here.

Have to go now, since retiring I've a list of jobs every morning.

Jimmy

[Shogun]

Hi Jimmy,

 

Have done the Britania thing to join the Countess, she id tied up in Greece just now there is a photo of her on the Cunard chat page that I started about her. Why were the Britanina flights so slow they seemed longer to gether there. The Best Chippy in the UK is in Anstruther the one that comes second comes from Polmont not far from where I am today.

 

On a sader note its only a few weeks since a boat was lost from the East Neuk with all hands.

 

Counting down my days until I cruise on the Sun, no sun here just now just rain.

 

yours Shogun

[scottish]

Hello Shogun and Haggis

 

No, I am not a Fifer. However, I hope you will forgive that fact.

 

It does look to me that we are going to have scheduled flights to Miami but Princess of course will not entertain flight discussion for a long time yet. These days, we are keen to fly comfortably and affordably and that is why we sometimes get impatient to find out what the arrangements are going to be. Once upon a time, we made AA our preferred airline for the space they gave in economy. Lately we liked Virgin premium economy but as always it depends on the London airport Princess fly you across the water from as this then impacts on the domestic flight, particularly if you want to be booked straight through. And in these days of potential luggage restrictions, it is an added complication.

 

Shogun - I know you will enjoy the Sun. We have extremely fond memories of it and indeed its sister the Ocean Princess, now the Oceana.

 

Jimmy(Haggis) - We also loved the Coral, so its the same as the Island. I hope I will hear a review of how Hawaii went as I am interested in that type of cruise but have been put off in the past by how far away it is.

[haggis]

Well, don't we all have good trips to look forward to soon?

 

Scottish .. You are forgiven. Its not your fault you werent born in the Kingdom. We did the Hawaii trip a few years ago in the Sun, great ship, as all that class are, and as we were 4 days at sea before sighting land, most people on the ship had met at some time during the crossing and we had a great company. This ship is much larger so obviously that wont happen to the same extent. I know its a long way to go, thats why we're stopping in Las Vegas for 3 days prior to the cruise. I dont like flying at all now, used to love it but not now. Too much hassle. Most of our cruising is from Southampton with PandO and Princess. However, if you want to see the World, you have to fly.

 

Shogun .. Isnt it a sad photograph of the Countess. The memories we have of her are still in my mind. NO cruise line has anything like the deck parties we had. FREE rum punch!! You've to pay for a cappuccino now. (spelling)

I saw that about the Anstruther boat being lost in the North Sea. Really sad. There was a programme on TV about the Peterhead boats and that showed the conditions these chaps have to work in. Really dreadful.

Have a great time on the Sun, I loved her and these great one armed bandits in the casino.

 

Slange, Jimmy

[Shogun]

Hi Jimmy,

 

what all the cruises companies have lost and need to get back is the contact between passenger and crew.

 

One of the best things about the Countess was having an officer sit with you at dinner each night, we had the chap how was in charge of the ships bars , very good bloke to get to know.

 

We also got invited below decks for an officers party.

 

Ok on todays big ships we can not all have an officer but they could eat in the dinning rooms at the same time and move to different tables on different nights.

 

yours Shogun

[haggis]

You are of course quite right when you say a void has appeared on the ships between the passengers and crew. We've had a few Captains join us for dinner and they really are great company. The Captains also used to walk about the ship on sea days, you don't see much of that now. I think with these bigger ships their responsibility has really been increased dramatically so that could be the reason. Trust you to get the cellarman on your table. I bet he was good to know.

Did you follow the thread regarding the CD, John Bott? I saw on the PandO site quite recently he was seen visiting a ship in Southampton. I forget what line but he's still about.

Weather here is horrendous today. Nearly washed out.

It would appear that this mornings flight to Barbados was still on the ground at 1735 in Gatwick. Monarch again. I'll never charter again, its happened to us too often.

Did you know Les Spowart? He was at Kirkcaldy Tech with me.

Cheers, Jimmy

[camNaud]

We are booked and now fully paid up for The Crown Princess 27th Jan from San Juan.

 

Our flight out of the Uk is from Gatwick and thats all the info we have at the moment. I keep checking our cruise personaliser but it keeps giving the same message ...... 'Flight details not available until 28 days prior to departure'.

 

The funny thing is our friends from Derbyshire who are joining us on the same cruise DO have flight confirmations - they are on a Thomsonfly (Britannia) charter from Gatwick on the 27th Jan and return Feb 10th / 11th.

 

However it appears some passengers also fly out from Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic - so it might be a case of us being on a different flight from our friends.

 

We have flown many times with Thomsonfly (Britannia) before including long haul to Cuba and Dominican Republic and the flights have always been reasonably comfortable.

 

We will let you know what our details are when confirmed - this may give you a better idea.