skynight

I looked up the excursion you mention and the excursion details. When you add up all the travel and time at site minutes it adds up to 4 1/2 hours. I would imagine that it takes a little longer. The details don't seem to allow for unloading and re-loading the van at all the stops, and for things like those bathroom lines and delays. So maybe 5 hours. I can't see the start and end times since I am not booked on this cruise.

If you receive free laundry you receive it. If you do the dollar math it cost a lot less to just send your laundry out and pay the extra 10% for excursions then it does to book extra cruises. My point is book cruises because you enjoy them and can afford them. Don't book just to gain loyalty levels. As an elite myself for many years, there is very little benefit.

I have seen the 50ml Sky vodka at retail for under $2. Wholesale and tax free maybe $1.50 or less. Fairly certain Princess' alcohol purchases would be tax free. I would expect the real cost for 8 bottles is maybe $12 or less. Dos Equis cost me about $1/bottle retail. You can figure all the soda and water probably under $10. On the high side the total cost of a mini bar set up is $24, and probably less than that. I don't know the current federal alcohol tax on distilled spirits. They used to be $27/proof gallon.

Not strange. Princess' mini bar cost, not menu price is maybe $25 & that's stretching it. One bottle of wine is probably a $20 bottle.

I do not believe any plus benefits are pooled. They are individual. Maybe, just maybe, if you go to the spa together, your cabin mate may be able to use two classes on their account. You would have to try it.

From someone that has been elite for almost 15 years. I have been reading through many of the posts. My opinion. Don't buy your way by booking extra cruises just to become elite. Book cruises because you enjoy them.

To add, I don't know your exact itinerary, but most of those South Pacific islands including Hawaii are in the tropics. So you get the strong sun no matter when you sail.

I have sailed similar itineraries twice, once from Sydney to L.A. and the other RT L.A down to the South Pacific and return. The sun is on the equator The 21st of March and September. There are no cool times. It's hot all the time with strong direct sun.

On boarding day there will be staff all over selling the plus and premier package. Just go to one of them and purchase the plus package. The charge will be posted to your on board account and will net against any OBC credits. Remember that the 1st and 2nd passengers in the cabin must have the same plus upgrade. Princess excursions are the only items you can use OBC pre-cruise.

Mini bar usually contains 8 x 50ml spirits, 2 bottles beer, plus 10 non alcoholic beverages which are normally 2 diet cokes, 2 regular cokes, 2 Perrier, 2 plain water, 2 tonic waters. You can trade any alcoholic beverage 1 for 1, for another alcoholic beverage or any non alcoholic beverage. You can trade non alcoholic beverages for different non alcoholic beverages, example get all diet cokes. If you want wine you can trade the entire mini bar, all 20 items, alcoholic & non alcoholic for one bottle of wine.

By the pool it's faster to walk up to the bar. It's a toss up with Ocean Now and the roving waiters. Waiters place orders in their hand helds and mostly others deliver the order. I did not think the system was very efficient. I did not see bar waiters in the theater on a recent Ruby cruise.

There is also plenty of space in the back end of the open closet area.

On my recent cruise there was no old style room service menu. There was the old style breakfast hang tag and then there was Ocean Now. Ocean Now isn't just room service. It is delivery to wherever you are on board, and that could be your cabin.

I can't answer your Dart question. In case you are not aware. In order to board the tender you have to be able to walk some. The crew will assist you. You can't roll a wheelchair onto the tender and with the walker you must also be able to step onto the tender with assistance. Most tenders have a few stairs to get to the seating which you have to be able to handle. The crew will load the wheelchair onto the tender and store it during the transit. Same with the walker. This is what I have seen.

If you have the plus or premier fares/packages, Ocean Now via the app and room service via the phone are included. If you have the standard fare then the first time you use the Ocean Now app you will be charged $14.99. This fee does not include phone in room service. For those with the standard fare each time you phone in for room service you are charged $5. There is no charge for food and morning beverages using the evening/morning breakfast room service door hang tag. Ocean Now delivery is to wherever you are on board the ship. You are located by your medallion. If you are in your cabin, that's where the order is delivered. At the pool, delivered to you there. There are food items and beverages you can choose. Some food items have an extra charge, many are no charge. Alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages are charged at the menu price +18% if you have the standard fare. If you have the plus/premier fare there is no charge for up to 15 alcoholic beverages within the price limits and unlimited non alcoholic beverages.