NavyVeteran

I have not sailed in an aft Vista Suite on the Grand, so I can't respond to that part of your question. However, I have sailed several times in a different suite on the Grand. First night specialty dining can be in any specialty restaurant. You can usually book it after boarding with no problem - I'm generally not successful in booking it in advance at no charge. They keep several spaces open for suites the first night. Call the DINE line after boarding to make your reservation. You can change the entire mini-bar for a bottle of wine, but it's probably not a good deal. The wine choices are limited, and you're probably better just to buy by the glass using your package. You can change the drinks. You can change each non-alcoholic drink for another non-alcoholic drinks. You can change each alcoholic drink for either another alcoholic drink or a non-alcoholic drink. Just call Room Service after you board to give them your selection. For your anniversary dinner, you don't have to book one of the special balcony dinners unless you want to. You can order anything from the full MDR menu to be delivered to your room by Room Service during MDR operating hours. However they will deliver everything at one time - not in courses, so an ice cream desert may not be a good idea. If you want, you can order appetizers and mains first and then call back later to order deserts.

I never carry cash on a ship, so I don't have anything to tip with. I am paying the recommended gratuities for food service and the service charge for beverage service (both included in the Plus fare), so I don't believe additional tipping is required. There would be no way to give a cash tip to the staff who prepared the food or the bartender who prepared the drink, anyway. Tipping decisions above the recommended crew appreciation and service charges are a personal decision, but I don't feel anyone should feel guilty about tipping only the recommended amount. Personally, I will tip at the end of the cruise anyone who has given me consistent excellent service - cabin steward, waiters who've served me throughout the cruise, and bartenders at the bar I spend most of my time at. I am not able to understand why sometime would tip extra for room service (when someone spends a few minutes bringing you food and immediately leaves) but not for MDR service (when two waiters spend a couple of hours bringing you each course individually).

If you want to book Princess EZAir, there is an advantage to booking the two cruises separately that has not yet been mentioned. If you book one cruise, then you have to book both air directions at the same time. If the fare goes down in one direction, you cannot rebook it without rebooking both directions, and the other direction may not be available or may have increased in price. If you book two separate cruise bookings, then you book one way with EZAir - one way to the ship on the first booking and one way home from the ship on the second booking. Then you can cancel or rebook one direction with no impact on the other air direction.

A mini-suite does not have any dining priority. Everyone in inside, oceanview, balcony, and mini-suite is treated the same. Only a Reserve Class mini-suite or a full suite has any advantages in arranging dining.

My answers are based on using an iPhone with AT&T. It may be different with a different phone or a different carrier. You need to turn off airplane mode before using cellular networks in ports. When you return to the ship, you need to turn airplane mode back on. When you turn on airplane mode, it automatically turns off wi-fi. You then need to turn wi-fi back on to use the ship's wi-fi, even if you don't plan to use the ship's Internet. You do not need to re-enable wi-fi calling. Once you enable it, it stays enabled. Even though it is enabled, it just doesn't work unless you're connected to a wi-fi network. I always leave wi-fi calling enabled. I have a weak cellular connection at home. It automatically switches from cellular to wi-fi if wi-fi is connected and the cellular connection is weak.

I agree completely. I use the bag that came with the CPAP. It holds all of the accessories. Sometimes I need to remove the CPAP from the bag to go through security, but not all of the time. Note that this bag does NOT count as a carry-on or personal item for the airline - it can be carried in addition to the maximum number of items they allow.

It's easy to request the distilled water ahead of time. Then you don't have to bother the steward unless it isn't there. It is not a "special needs request" It is listed under "Dietary Requests" under "Guest Check-in Status" after selecting "Check-in" on the Cruise Personalizer. Enter an Email Address and select the appropriate passenger. Then check the box for "Distilled water (for CPAP machine use ONLY)" and click on "SEND DIETARY RESTRICTION". You should receive an email confirmation. More importantly, it should be on your Travel Summary (which everyone should always print and bring with them on the cruise). The following items are listed under "SPECIAL SERVICES" on my Travel Summary after submitting the distilled water request (even though I did not specifically ask for an extension cord and one is not needed since I will be using an adapter and the plug behind the bedside lamp): Distilled Water (1 Gallon) Extension Cord Requested Medical Equip-CPAP/BIPAP Not Suppl

According to the Cruising with Family & Kids FAQ, @EDDY0827 is correct. The FAQ has the following information: "Guests under the age of 21 need to travel in a stateroom with a guest 21 years or older who will assume responsibility for them during the cruise. For family groups booking multiple staterooms, the minimum age for each guest is 16, provided they are traveling with a parent or legal guardian." @okiebaugh's example is not relevant to OP, since both of the passengers were 16 years old or older.

If you booked with a travel agent, you may not get very far talking directly with Princess. You may need to make the change with the travel agent. Alternatively, you can probably upgrade from Plus to Premier onboard. A few people have reported upgrades to Premier not being available on board because they sold out the number available, but most people are able to upgrade onboard with no problems.

Everyone does NOT have to get the same package. The first two passengers in a stateroom have to get the same package. If you book four in the same stateroom with the adults as the first two passengers, then the two adults can get Plus or Premier with the children not getting a package. You purchase all drinks the same way with the medallion. You don't have to hand the medallion over - they can see it on their devices. If a drink is not included, it is charged with a 18% service fee. If a drink is more than the package limit, then the difference is charged with the service fee. Do NOT wait until the end of the cruise to look at your statement. You can look at your statement at any time on your app, by printing it out a kiosk next to Guest Services, or by asking at Guest Services. They sometimes make mistakes, and it is a lot easier to fix them onboard than waiting until the end of the cruise. Each passenger can only look at their own charges. However, if you all register the same credit card, then the owner of the credit card can look at everyone's charges.

Yes - in a full suite.

No, it is for voyages beginning after September 14. They won't change in the middle of a voyage. However, if you book a B2B, they may change for your second leg. If a cruise is bookable in multiple segments, they may change with a new segment even if you booked it as one segment.

Yes, Princess does charge your credit card if you don't have enough OBC to cover the excursion. However, your onboard folio shows the excursions as charges and the credit card payments as refundable OBC. If you cancel an excursion more than five days pre-cruise, you will receive a credit card refund - if you don't have a remaining balance for other excursions (even if they are covered by OBC). You will get money back. If it is OBC, it will be refundable OBC which will be refunded after the cruise if you don't spend it onboard.

My Travel Summary says "Your ship begins boarding at 12:30 PM on Sep 04 and sets sail at 08:30 PM on Sep 04." Your Travel Summary should have the exact times for your cruise. The ship sails from Whittier - not from Anchorage. The train from Anchorage takes 2 1/2 hours; I'm not sure about the bus. Princess guidelines for embarkation in Anchorage (from my Travel Summary): "Latest flight arrival: 4 hours, 30 minutes prior to the ship's departure." If you arrive in Anchorage early afternoon, you won't be boarding until late afternoon. The ship will be ready before you get there. In your case, I would definitely recommend a Princess transfer instead of trying to arrange transportation to Whittier on your own.

Ice is also available from your cabin steward upon request. And the tap water from the faucet in your cabin is as good as some bottled water.