leck57

The OP is in Australia so we don't get the Medallion sent to to us. To the OP, you will get nothing, so as you have printed off your own Travel Summary, luggage tags, etc, just head to to port and enjoy. We are on the Majestic in November.

I think you are spot on. People overthink the Medallion - if you don't want to use all the bells and whistles just use it as a room key equivalent. Unfortunately Princess have confused people and their website/magazines don't give people the impression that they can take it or leave it. Even the OP mentions onshore purchases, whereas in reality just about no one uses that.

I was also inside FP date.......but I don't use DMW as I like to eat when I am ready and not have a fixed booking. I did have a Specialty restaurant credit for that cruise but booked it the day we embarked. I didn't really have any payment problems after the Princess stuff up, just had about $700 disappear and noted against a booking number that was fully paid. When Princess thought they had fixed it there was still $191 missing as they reimbursed other FCC amounts from an earlier cruise. If it sounds confusing, it is, and I don't know how my TA sorted it out with them. I now take a screen shot of my FCC's before I do any booking. I also mentioned that my account shows an amount noted as "Customer Relations" but I was wrong, it says "Passenger Relations" and $191 against it. My TA kept getting an assurance from Princess that this amount was in my account and would be offset against a future cruise, but no one knew how to reflect it on my Personalizer. After about a month it just appeared, so I assume it had to go "up the line". I am now just owed about $220 in refundable OBC from a cruise that concluded 12 weeks ago. Like others, I will just use the casino method in future, although now we get Princess Plus, I will not put any funds on my account pre-cruise. Sorry, not much help to you but I hope your friend's TA is persistent. These days, down here at least, my TA doesn't get any better prices for cruises and airfares that I can't get myself online, but whenever there is a problem, they have the best chance of fixing it. That's why I keep using a TA.

My TA resolved it with Princess and it took some time. It would be impossible to try and explain what Princess did to resolve it but in short, after they thought they had fixed it, I was still $191 short. They started mixing up FCC's that were used for payment on my cruise with FCC's that were added to my account after I had paid in full. These later credits were taken and applied to a fully paid cruise. It obviously got too difficult for Princess to just return the FCC's as they were, as my account now has an amount for $191 that just says Customer Relations. Obviously a manual adjustment. I am grateful for having a TA that I can get to fix this up. It took him ages so I would have had no hope.

I'm at over 12 weeks and still waiting for my refundable OBC to arrive. I have seen in other threads and this has happened to me, that the OBC refund is against my wife's stateroom folio. This is despite the credit card used being in my name with my wife as an authorised user. I am assuming that when we finally get the cheque (check) for the credit it will be in my wife's name, which doesn't really matter as we have some joint accounts where I can deposit it against. Princess don't have any payment/charge details for my wife yet she gets the refund. Considering for a recent cruise Princess took FCC out of my account for a cruise that was already fully paid, nothing surprises me when it comes to Princess accounting.

If I try to book a cruise I get this option regarding upgrades on the booking page, after you select a cabin (the check boxes next to each option have not copied across but the option to accept/refuse upgrades is there) :- Stateroom Upgrade Preference: This is an automatically allocated upgrade and can be anywhere on the ship. Should an upgrade be assigned, you will not be able to return to your original stateroom choice. Yes, I would like to be considered for a stateroom upgrade No, I DO NOT want to be considered for a stateroom upgrade

I haven't had too many issues with the App but after the recent update it seems that the Arrivals and Departures part has changed and it just now says "Arrivals". When I select that I am now just getting the white screen and nothing. I know it doesn't really matter as I selected the early group on a recent cruise and no one at the pier checked and everyone was just boarding at any time. You really couldn't make this stuff up. How these clowns are still in a job is beyond belief.

I was on Emerald in May (the 9th May departure) and had an entirely different experience. Had no issues at all with any of the things you mentioned above, although thought the theatre shows were pretty average.

Funny how we have a thread about chocolates on the pillow which descends into an argument between Yanks about who has the hotter weather. Only in America......

Didn't get pen/paper on Emerald in May either but I asked the room steward for some and he had them to me within a few minutes. Now I know where they hide them on their trolleys as well!!

Rapid Antigen Test.

Down here Princess are requiring you to state that you have had a negative RAT test. It doesn't have to be a supervised test. Hardly what I call a test. Technically yes a test but......

That gives me some hope then. We disembarked on 21 May and owed over $200 refundable OBC, still nothing. I sent them an enquiry via their website (in Australia) a week ago and had an email acknowledgement but no reply. Over 11 weeks now - that is pathetic.

What a shame for you. The Lobster on Emerald in May was excellent. We also have a dinner in Crown Grill every cruise. Never any complaints there either.

I'm a simple man with simple tastes. I enjoy the lobster on formal nights as well. I try not to eat too much during the day so I can enjoy the pleasures of things like fresh bread rolls, before getting serious with the menu.

Yes the Royal has one but it is very small. A table that seats about 8 people surrounded by most sparsely filled bookshelves. Also a lot of board games.

Me too. I love them - fresh bread and butter, can't beat it. I also like trying the different varieties.

My experience is that you have to add your card details again when you book a tour, regardless that they may have card details. In my case they have my credit card as part of me getting through the App process but I sometimes pay for excursion with a debit card. I assume that is why for all excursions you enter card details at booking stage.

If the tours are listed and have times and that bit abut 20 places available, it means that they are available to book. Regrettably you might have to call them.

Down here the only testing that has been required is an unsupervised RAT test you can do at home. You just had to state that you'd done the test and had a negative result.😉😇

I would take the train from Waterloo every time. Strikes notwithstanding.

I think you misunderstood Don's point. Yes, your name is Balcony Bill but he means that you should have perhaps titled the thread something like "Balcony Deck Plans" (or similar) so people know what you question is from the title. You got your answer anyway I guess.

Just noticed you are referring to departure time, not boarding time. My experience is that the departure group times never open on the App. Just wait until you get the disembarkation letter on board and pick a time then. They would like you out of your cabin by 8am is my experience.

You don't say whether you are flying first but if you do the ball needs to be deflated. We often take a footy with us on our local trips here and the security check that it's fairly flat before flying. If so don't forget the pump.

I don't think it matters anyway. On our recent Emerald cruise we had the first boarding group but no one ever checked. Just seemed like turn up when you want.