Mud_Shark

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

Are you nuts? It's a FREE cruise!

Amen!  

I am buying these!  Thanks

Edited - 2 minutes after posting - I have purchased these!  due to arrive in one day.  Unfortunately, we don't sail for almost six months 😞

We had our grandchildren with us on the Enchanted back in April.  We assumed the retreat pool was age restricted, so stayed with the main pool - which they loved anyway.  But another onboard pointed out that there are no signs restricting the retreat pool to a certain age.  Not sure myself.

In 2025 we sail back-to-back (well, I guess side-to-side) on MSC Seaside and then Star Princess.  Sounds like it will be my mission to sample both pizzas and determine for myself who is #1!

I guess the one wasn't really a beach, just

roadside parking lots with a bit tricky access points into the water.  They probably have names, but we just stopped where we saw diving groups stop and swam out from there.  It is difficult to get in and out though.  The easier spot was right beside the large salt pier or whatever it is.  It is by the salt flats.  The beach there has easy access into the water.  We saw a couple turtles and others said it was a common spot for snorkeling with them.

Kind of tells you that "sales" will not be reduced fares (before final payment) but rather, OBC or other perks that would not have to be matched by this guarantee.

This has become very annoying.  It started as excursion prices being inflated for a day or two before being offered on sale for 20% off (back to the original price).  Now they are far more inflated and in my case, they seem to be remaining so.  One excursion we had planned on has changed from $59.95 to $89.95 - hmm that's like a 50% jump. It has remained high for over two weeks.  Not sure if it is coming back down this time (cruise is still 7 months away). If these inflated prices remain the norm, it may spell the beginning of the end for us.  We still cruise for the destinations and like to do more Princess excursions than anything else, but that will not remain if these kind of prices persist.

We arrived at Port Everglades (Blue Lane) and at check in they did not have our medallions.  It took an extra couple minutes and they printed us the old cruise cards to board with, and told us to check in at guest services on board and they would get us medallions.  Had to wait in line a few minutes at GS but got the medallions and on with the cruise.

We did this excursion last year (2023).  For us, it was just over 4.5 hours from start to finish.  We did our own thing, walking to Salomon beach with our own snorkel gear (there is a little bushwhacking involved to get there).  Not a particularly sandy beach, but walking distance, off the road network, and uncrowded.  We had "enough" time, but not a lot of time to enjoy there.  Was a good day.  I think if you take a taxi to another beach on St John from Cruz bay, the time waiting to travel to and from the beach will eat into your limited time, and you may feel a little rushed.

But it would be interesting to see - do people prefer the Sun over the Royal class?

When we first started cruising, the Royal had just come out.  We cruised on any ship - (itinerary over ship) but loved the Royal class.  Over time, our booking preference shifted and we tend to avoid the older class in preference for Royal class now. 

I wonder if people will begin to feel like that about the Sun class over the Royal class?  If you have sailed Sun - do you feel it is better than Royal class?  How much better - enough that you would now seek to book Sun class only?

We are booked on the Sun for January, and the Star for Oct 2025.

If booking in advance, you will pay full price.  Once on board, you will see a credit back for the value of the 10%, but I believe it is non refundable OBC.

You can use OBC to book in advance.  For us, goodwill credits were listed and used exactly like all other OBC so we were able to use it in advance to book excurisons.

If you cancel an excursion, the refund will come first to OBC.  For example, say you had $100.00 OBC each and you booked two shore excursions, both costing $100 each.  You would have used up your OBC booking the first and would have paid by credit card to book the second.  Then later you decide to cancel one of the excursions.  IT does not matter which one, as soon as you cancel the first one, your OBC will be returned to your account (no credit back to your credit card).  If you then also decide to cancel the remaining one, that would then trigger a refund to your credit card.

6 hours ago, dog said:

Congrats!

 

I booked the Enchanted TA-2026-gives us  $900+ $60US OBC, 2coupon books.

BW extended angle balcony midship-same fare as an inside.

Using my aeroplan miles for reward flight. Worth the $270 non refundable deposit.

 

This deal is not for everyone, I know.

 

 

 

Yes, same cruise for us (23 day Enchanted TA Nov 2026).  This sale works for cruises far out on the timeline but not so good for our 2025 cruise plans, but I am satisfied with those deals already.

Cabin wise, we will be close to you as we also got the same BW mid-ship with the extra sized balcony.  We always go for these cabins on Royal class ships.

For our plans, this sale has worked out (at least for now).  We are looking at a Nov 2026 cruise - so it is far off at the end of the posted Princess schedule.  AS this itinerary has just come out, it is reasonably priced.  And then add the $1200 additional OBC and it is a very good deal.  Only thing is the non-refundable deposit.  We are using our FCD's - so that adds more OBC.  Will be fun trying to spend all this credit.

Today I noticed that for my January 2025 cruise just about all excursions ( a few exceptions) have jumped in price 20%.  I figure this is a prelude to them sending me some exciting news about excursions being on sale for 20% off soon.  In reality, the handful that did not increase will be the only ones with any real discount - and they are not very appealing - hence why they might be going on sale.

Hmm - is there no sale at all if not booking Princess Plus?

2 hours ago, Muffinz said:

if the cruise is in Australia / NZ everything onboard will be in $AUD and there will be no gratuities payable

This is only true for those from Australia/NZ.   You have to book through the Princess Australia site for this to apply.  Us North Americans book through the US Princess site and still pay the daily gratuity.

Unique to Alaska, I often notice significant price reductions last minute (2 months out or so), but they usually only involve inside cabins (maybe some obstructed oceanviews).  It seems the demand for balcony and above for Alaska is higher and I have rarely seen those room categories or above discounted.  So, if you are okay with an inside, there can be some very inviting last minute deals.

I certainly hope not!  Otherwise steer clear of gifting yourself or anyone else OBC that you actually pay for - you would never get it refunded if not used, unless you don't spend all the non refundable OBC as well.  That would make no sense.

If they are stopping in Bonaire, I highly recommend renting a golf cart and doing the two circuits of the island.  You can do each loop in a few hours (depends how many times and for how long you stop).  We did the southern loop in the morning, with stops at the salt flats, stop to snorkel with turtles, stop on the rugged coastline side, and one other stop (can't recall where).  Came back to the ship, ate lunch, then headed out for the northern loop (stopped at the 1000 steps, took a detour out to a lookout (just us and hundreds of lizards), stopped at a church in a small town).  We were back in plenty of time.  Was a great day.  Private excursion.  (You can google Bonaire cruisers for rates and reservations, but this does fill up)

Curacao - Another kind of D-I-Y plan.  Rent a car from advantage auto rentals (google them).  Good company and they meet you right at the gate to the port with your car.  We went to Hato caves (saves lots of money to pay the entrance fee yourself over a ship excursion), then we went out to one of the beaches to snorkel with turtles.  Then we went to Playa Santa Cruz (I think) and booked the private excursion out to snorkel the blue room - You won't regret this if you are a decent swimmer.  Captain Goodlife runs a very reasonable excursion out there.  Finally we drove over to the Shete Boca National park to see the rugged waves crashing the shore (they were closing - it was around 330pm - just means park outside the parking lot gate and walk an extra 50 paces - and not have to pay the entrance fee).  Very worthwhile.  This itinerary was perhaps the best single day we have ever spent in the Caribbean.

You will be charged the daily gratuity just as if you were sailing in North America.  Only Australians, who pay a higher cruise fare, are not charged the daily gratuity (it is baked in for them).

Not sure there is "free" coffee/tea in the morning at the International cafe, but there is free coffee and tea in the Horizon court anytime is it open (which is pretty much all day long from 6am till later in the evening).  I thought there was a charge for coffee in the International cafe, but I only order specialty coffees there so am not 100% certain.

Luckily, we found 3 ducks on the Enchanted Princess in March of this year.  We were travelling with our 3 grandchildren.  It looked dicey for a moment, as the 4 year old found one, and the two year old girl found one, leaving just the two year old boy without one, and with a pout!  But then Mom helped him find a blue one, and he was thrilled with his "boy" duckie.

Was there in April with the package.  Cans of soda only, but no charge.  

Also, 9 times out of 10, when we asked for a cola at a bar onboard, we were given a can and a glass of ice.  Never charged.

I have noticed many of the Princess excursions have added either an upper age limit or weight limit in the past year (these limits were not posted previous to that, even though the exact same excursions were offered.  We booked a few last year (almost a year in advance - the restrictions were definitely not there), but before we sailed, I noticed them.  We are still in our 60s, so the 70 age limit did not effect us, but the weight limit did for me.  I cancelled one excursion when the limit was 10lbs under what my weight was.  I went on two others that had limits right were I am at on a good day.  One of those excursions weighed me in and did not blink at the result, so they may have a small fudge factor for clothes and shoes built in.  The other one did not weigh any of us and nothing was mentioned.  Don't know if they check age any closer. 

Good read --  

As far as some people bringing on their own toilet paper - well I would normally laugh at that situation.  But Princess has the only toilet paper I have ever seen that actually crinkles when you scrunch it up.  I love cruising - but that toilet paper...

If you are booking as a single 20 day voyage, there will be a larger supply of rooms, including suites, that are held for 10 day bookings of the same sailing.