Texter2

On 6/23/2022 at 2:26 PM, Tedferg said:

The label says Marlborough NZ

Thanks, just found it today. Have not met a NZ Marlborough I didn’t like! 

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

Interesting, DW loves the Costco Kirkland NZ Sauvignon Blanc. WEW might be getting to the point where it makes sense to bring our own wine on board, never thought that would happen.

Thanks for that info! I have never tried the Kirkland NZ Sauvignon Blanc. I will now. I was able to get the Cloudy Bay SB on our December 2018 cruise on the only beverage plan, that included alcohol,  on offer at the time. (There was only one and I think it was called Premier.) Unfortunately, it appears that we may not be able to get it on the new Premier plan without an upcharge. 

5 hours ago, prmssk said:

We actually have no idea if certain things covered under Plus will no longer be covered when this new package goes into effect on Saturday.  

 

To me the bigger problem is that so many wines I try to order on the Caribbean Princess right now are not in stock.  Servers seem hesitant to offer menus and often just ask if you want a Cabernet, Chardonnay, etc. with no reference to details of the wine.  I don't think Plus or Premier will be worth it to a wine drinker until they address the supply issue.  Are others experiencing the same on other ships right now?

I found this under the (new) Premier Beverage Package description on the Princess website:

• Premier wines by the glass, including Cloudy Bay, Hartford Court, Grgich Hills and Freemark Abbey

At least some of these wines were available under the (old) Premier plan. I do hope you are correct and they are available under the new Plus plan. Our next cruise is in October, so I hope the issue of availability is also sorted by then. 

8 minutes ago, memoak said:

We really do not know if there will be any changes to the Plus plan at this time and no one will know till we get reports from passengers. Plus still gets you grats, WiFi and 15 drinks up to $12

Agreed. I will be happy if I can get the same quality of wines under the revised plan. I was going by the language on the Princess website describing the two plans. 

10 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

 

The former Premier Drink Package has been re-badged as the Plus Drink Package to match up with the PLUS Cruise Fare option.  Anyone who booked when it was the Premier Drink Package included in the PLUS fare will be getting the same package they booked with - it's just renamed.  

 

The new PREMIER Cruise Fare includes a corresponding Premier Drink Package, but this is not the former one.  It is enhanced and covers drinks up to $18 as posted by others above.

 

Princess STANDARD is the new name for Princess SAVER Cruise Fare.

 

Both drink packages are explained in detail on Princess.com.  

 

If you were already booked under PLUS, you should have been paying $40/pp/day.  The new upcharge is $50/pp/day.  PREMIER fare is an upcharge of $75/pp/day over Standard.  If you were previously booked under PLUS when the new fare plans come into effect, you can upgrade from PLUS to PREMIER for $25 (instead of $35).

As we take the beverage package for the wine (NZ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and other wines now classified as Premier) and large sparkling water, we will no longer be able to get the same items under the Plus plan. Thus, Princess has made changes beyond renaming the plans. Princess has elevated items previously available under the former Premier (now Plus) beverage plan to the new (upgraded and repriced) Premier beverage plan. Is it a deal breaker? Probably not. We will most likely not upgrade, but check it out on our next cruise, upgrading our wine as needed, and pay the upcharge. What is more troubling is booking under certain assumptions and having the change applied retroactively. 

I had the same question as I booked a cruise that included the Premier beverage package over a year ago when the “Premier” beverage package was part of the Princess Plus add on. I now see Princess Plus and Princess Premier as fare option package add ons. Princess Standard appears to be cruise only. I cannot find the Premium to determine what it includes. 

Transatlantic! My husband’s first cruise was a Disney westbound TA. It is still his favorite. 

We loved the lunch. Have not tried at dinner. 

28 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Alls go.  Iain also tested Negative.   The strange thing with the test,  after the stringent controls to test you read your own results.  Not too bad for this long of a trip.   Iain has one more carry on still to arrive. 
 

Congrats and have a wonderful trip. Love following your travels virtually!

6 hours ago, Crombie1145 said:

Looking at flights/airports from Texas for the Caribbean Princess New England/Canada cruise departing Quebec City.  Flights to Montreal appear less expensive and with fewer connections than flying into Quebec City.  Does Princess provide transfers from the Montreal Airport to the ship? 

Crombie1145, you might want to join the roll call for this cruise. There is a lot of great information on transportation and hotels there. I got an award ticket to Quebec from Orlando for 10,000 miles (a steal). 

Not currently from Texas, but lived there for 33 years! 

Teri

GenX, just want to tell you how much I am enjoying your live report! You are never eating alone as you have about 40 of us behind you ohhhhhing and awwwwing over your meal. I can honestly say that I am enjoying your VC dinner almost as much as you! 

Keep in mind that anyone flaunting the masking requirements might find themselves in a difficult situation if they test positive for Covid. Here is the language from the Celebrity website…

Celebrity will cover the costs of accommodations for isolation and private air transfer costs for guests who have fully complied with all Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean Group COVID-19 Policies and Procedures in effect at the time of voyage. 

I will follow the masking (and other requirements) since I would hate to be put off the ship in a foreign port with little recourse. 

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I think the original policy was that if they took you off the ship at a different port than original disembarkation they would make arrangements to fly you home.    This I believe is being disembarked at original port.

Jim_Iain, my worry as well. Although I am triple-vaxxed, I would not want to be offloaded in a foreign port if I tested positive. I would much prefer to be quarantined onboard and disembarked at original port.  

Pescado, many thanks for taking us along (virtually) on this cruise. 

Short answer...YES!

Salf777, we have been on two Disney transatlantic cruises and they were both fantastic. If you have the time, I highly recommend. There are some kids, but few. There were more on the Eastbound in the Spring than the Westbound in the Fall. The entertainment was great and the food was good. We will take again (when we can). 

Ellie,

Easy one...Jimmy Buffett! 

21 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

 

🎶 Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise? 🎶

 

So there we are, Cruising Adventurers!

 

After our short sojourn in Los Angeles we are finally ready to board Ruby Princess.

 

I hope you have all arrived safely and are on your way to San Pedro.

 

See you in the Terminal! 🚢

 

Ellie,

Did anyone get the Under the Sea song from The Little Mermaid? Love that song! I am also enjoying taking this trip with you. Your virtual trips keep us going. Thanks for taking us on another journey. 

Ellie,

Thank you for taking us on this lovely cruise with you! I have been enjoying the trip very much over the last several months. Each day, I look forward to stepping into the Tardis and learning something new or seeing somewhere new. 

Dear Mugwood,

My DH's first cruise was a transatlantic. Needless to say, he did not know if he would like it or not and was nervous about the open seas. I had to promise him that he could get off at any port and fly home. We both thought the sea days would be boring, so we both brought work with us. My work was studying for a certification exam I was taking. We both got NO work done on the five sea days! We did enjoy ourselves though. I think you will have a great time.

I agree with the comments to use airline miles or Choice Air.