Sanz

4 hours ago, Baby_Bear said:

My mom and I were booked on the Caribbean Princess on May 16 out of Fort Lauderdale. In view of the increase in coronavirus cases across the US, we reluctantly decided over the weekend to cancel our cruise. My mom turned 70 last year and would therefore be at greater risk in the event she got the virus, although she has no major health concerns aside from arthritis. Both of us love to cruise and were super excited to be sailing again after all land-based trips last year, but recent events plus the CDC warning just tipped the scales in favor of playing it safe. Ironically, while I'm more worried about her getting the virus, she herself isn't worried so much about getting sick as opposed to getting quarantined (which is an additional worry for me too given work pressures, etc.).

 

So I called Princess early this morning. After a wait time of 1 hour, 45 minutes, I got through to an exhausted sounding Princess rep and cancelled. She noted it might take them up to 5 days to process the cancellation as their systems are so backed up. Is this what other people are hearing? She told me they have been swamped with cancellation calls all weekend. We are 68 days from sailing, so that should be fine. We will get back all but the deposit - not sure about that. She sounded confused about the deposit - it was booked as non refundable, but she thought that in view of the unusual circumstances, Princess might give me back the deposit as a future cruise credit. Maybe someone here can confirm? Regardless, its $200 and while I would much prefer not to lose it, if I have to eat it, I will. 

 

So that's my cancellation story. We are both so sad to cancel, we hope we did the right thing, but who knows?

 

As an aside, spare a thought for the cruise line reps and cruise TA's who are all getting hammered right now with calls. And prepare for long hold times!

 

Stay safe everyone and happy cruising. Now off to change flights!

We spoke to my husbands doctor who advised my immune compromised husband that he has a 10% chance of dying from COVID-19.  Years ago I was advised that I had a 10% chance of a disease after taking a biopsy and was told not to worry.  Such a small percentage.  I was one of the lucky 10%. 

 My husbands doctor advised him to cancel and re-book at a latter date.  If we cancel now we will get all of our money back for our beginning of August Mediterranean cruise and land tour (we actually have until the end of April to cancel)  Part of the doctor's logic and ours too, is that you can end up not being able to return home.    Quarantines of  specific areas have not occurred in the USA - but it can happen here and we have seen what has happened aboard.  If this becomes a pandemic, it will not matter where you travel.  You will be able to fly anywhere and back without being held in quarantine.  No matter where you go you will have a chance of getting the disease.   

We were suppose to fly into Venice for the land portion of our vacation.  The State Department has changed the travel advisory for Italy. The Veneto and Lombardy regions  are now a "4"  - Do Not Travel.  The rest of Italy at this point in time remains a "3" - Reconsider Travel (avoid non-essential travel). By August this situation may be worse or much improved.

2 hours ago, lolane1 said:

I have a Barcelona to Rome cruise booked for this summer.  I can only keep an eye on the situation until final payment and then make a decision. I also did purchase Princess's cancel for any reason insurance and will weigh that option.   While the WHO has stated that 80% of the cases appear to be mild, not sure I want to take a risk about a quarantine or the possibility of being hospitalized in a foreign country. And frankly, I don't think we know enough about Covid-19 yet.  So I am in a wait and see mode. I find it concerning that there is an outbreak in Italy. 

 

But, I have not canceled my April California Coastal.  I think the risk is very low.  Not worried at all.  Have the PBP; alcohol kills everything.  LOL😁

We are booked on a Rome to Athens cruise this summer.  We are suppose to board after spending 10 days in Italy and return home after 3 days in Athens.   Our first stop on land would be Venice.  Like you, we will make a decision when our final payment is due.  However, we are leaning towards canceling.  We have people with compromised immune systems in our group. Prior to the Italy outbreak, it was a matter of consulting with doctors about whether we should go.

I agree that at this point in time there is little risk for your April cruise, and yet I am leery about booking an overnight ferry to  Newfoundland  this summer as part of an alternative trip.🙄 Time will tell.

On 2/6/2020 at 8:30 PM, antmaril said:

I got off the Sky Princess last Saturday.  We had a mini-suite with an angled balcony (C410). We had two chairs and a small round table on the balcony.    No foot rest.  
 

 

Unhappy to hear that it does not have foot rests.  We are suppose to have an angled balcony mini-suite on Enchanted Princess.  We've had large balconies on Royal Caribbean and loved the foot rests that are on all of the balconies.  The itinerary on the Princess cruise is port intensive.  I was looking forward to reclining in a chair, with my legs up, after a day of walking.

7 hours ago, Jersey42 said:

 

While I don't claim to know or understand the NY law, I think the statement "Cancel for any reason is no longer available in New York State. " may not be completely accurate.  From what I can see, CFAR cannot be offered by an insurance company as per # 6 pointed out above.  Here is the text: " 6. An insurer may not include “Cancel for Any Reason Waiver” or “Change of Mind” coverage in its travel insurance policies because such coverage is not insurance, nor is it necessarily or properly incidental to the kinds of insurance that an insurer is authorized to write in this state.".

 

However the "Vacation Protection Plans" offered by the cruise lines are often a combination of insurance and non-insurance benefits.  Most if not all of the cruise lines offer CFAR to New York residents.  If you look at the certificate of coverage, under the CFAR benefit you will see wording similar to : "The following Cancel For Any Reason Waiver is provided by xxxCruiseLinexxx and is not an insurance benefit.".  It looks to me that this is one way of getting around the NY law.  If I am missing something, please let me know.

 

Also see post #43 for some of my pluses and minuses of these cruise line plans. 

I think that you are correct you.  I just checked Princess' plan. Our next cruise is on Princess.  You can get back 75% applied to a future cruise.  However, as far as I can tell, it is at an additional cost:

1. "Specified reasons are outlined under the Cancellation Fee Waiver section of Princess Vacation Protection which is a a non-insurance feature provided by Princess. For NY & WA residents only, Trip Cancellation benefits are underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies, Columbus, Ohio (NAIC #23787)."

2. Residents of NY may purchase the "Any Reason" Cancellation Enhancement feature separately from the Princess Travel Insurance Program."

As far as I can tell, you cannot add a protection plan to a Royal Carribbean booking if you live in NY state. You need to contact Aon Affinity directly.

"Royal Caribbean Travel Protection is an optional travel protection add-on to your cruise booking and is available through Royal Caribbean for residents in all states except New York. New York state residents who wish to purchase the product may visit https://travelcruisecare.com to enroll directly with Aon Affinity."

We have not considered using a cruise line's protection plan since our third cruise.  Our next cruise will be our 17th. We found that private insurance offers more for less money.  As you have stated in post 43, cruise lines' plans are lacking in some areas.  I think that the  cruise lines' protection plans are especially deficient for potential medical and evacuation expenses.

Next years cruise, or two, will be on either Royal, Celebrity or Princess.  I am hoping that the NY State law changes by then.  

4 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

@ARandomTraveler - that was a VERY well-written post.

 

I would just add this, on the assumption that this thread will get a lot of views, if not comments.

 

It's good advice to buy "cancel for any reason" insurance, but if you choose not to, do not come crying to this message board about the big bad cruise line that won't refund your money.

Cancel for any reason is no longer available in New York State. 

From Travel Insured's website " Because New York State residents are not eligible for the Worldwide Trip Protector Plus plan, the Cancel for Any Reason benefit is not available to residents of that state."

The following is a link to the Department of Financial Services of New York State regarding travel insurance questions for the insurance industry. Read question #6 and conclusion #6.

https://www.dfs.ny.gov/insurance/ogco2010/rg100206.htm

12 hours ago, Ombud said:

Star, Royal, Caribbean, & Golden all had them in 2019. Also just looked at the notepad and it says Princess Cruise  just not the name of the ship so I can't tell which cruise it's from 

Thank you!!!😊

Everyone should wear a shirt that says Cruise Critic Review Pending,  or U-Tube Cruise Vlog - My First Princess Cruise - Followers 750K  It won't prevent Pompous People encounters, but we will probably receive exceptional service 😉🤣 And - you still maintain your status and perks.

4 hours ago, vampiress said:

i'm worried about the little pocket maps they give you on embarkation.  i love using them to do my own scavenger hunt.  i find even on shops i have been on before, there are still areas i keep finding on the ship.  i take the room pen and mark off once we have visited an area.

I like them too.  Especially when I am not familiar with a ship. It's not heavy to carry, unlike my smart phone encased in an Otter Box.  However, one of the best things about it is, if I "misplace" it while at the pool, I am not out a thousand dollars. 

  We take a lot of tech "stuff" when we travel, but I still use a pen and paper/post-it to send my steward a message.  It's just too  hard to get the duck tape off  my smart phone/tablet when I attach them to the mirror.

6 hours ago, tip said:

 

 

Well-said.  Talk about first world problems!

Yes, much of what you will find here in terms of complaints are first world problems. Some of those small things make some people's cruises more pleasurable - i.e, a sheet of The New York Times news that use to be given out on board.  We will miss having a bar of soap.  I do not need to qualify why,  other than to say it is what we have always  found on our many cruises up until now.    I will have to go to a store in Italy after touring for over a week to buy a bar of soap! Many of us bring our own soap on a cruise (liquid or bar).   Another cut back.

6 hours ago, tip said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

It's the 21st Century all of those have been replace with Instagram, Facebook, text messaging and email which is not even a first choice to communicate any more.

 

Which brings me a positive change for Colo Cruiser.  Improved wifi service!

Is there a pen in the stateroom?

1 hour ago, scottca075 said:

 

The Princess website says very clearly:

 

"*Floor plans, amenities and stateroom diagrams represent typical arrangements and may vary by ship. Certain stateroom categories may vary in size and configuration by ship."

 

The pictures accompany the stateroom floor plans.

The chair appears to not exist any longer in a balcony cabin. Perhaps there are a few exceptions.  Therefore, it is not a "typical arrangement".

Yes,  one of our flights was changed and we lost our seat assignments. The new flight departs  and arrives the same day as the original flight.  We reserved as soon as it was possible for July 2020.  There is a good possibility that our flights will change again.

6 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

 

Not sure I see the problem.  The only people who will be using the dispensers in any particular cabin are the occupants of that cabin.  Of course, one might say...but what about the people on the prior cruise, or the people on the one before that?  OK.  Let's play the game.  Assuming that the dispensers are not cleaned between voyages, (an assumption that many are leaping to, which may be true, but has yet to be established), the total number of people using the dispensers in any one cabin is around 6-10 per month at most.  Now compare that to the number of people who have been using the communal dispensers in the restrooms outside of the HC, or outside the MDRs, or outside of the theater.  Number of people coming in contact with those dispensers every month?  Literally hundreds.  Maybe even measured in the thousands.  And that process has been going on since the beginning of time and not a single thread has been started about how unsanitary it is to have soap dispensers in communal restrooms.  But somehow 6-10 people a month using a dispenser is now unacceptable?  Don't see it.

Communal body lotion?

We are curious too.  We are going on an independent tour of three cities prior to our cruise and are booked to stay here for three nights.   This  hotel was one of the selections available through the tour company and the one our travel agent recommended.  There are good ratings on Trip Advisor.  We will be there in the height of the tourist season and a "quieter location" is appealing, especially after staying in the "thick of it" in Venice and Florence.

1 hour ago, Kartgv said:

I don't think most people who use the elevators are lazy...most have some pain/discomfort issues that may not be visible to anyone else.    We both have very bad knees and backs, but sometimes manage to do one or two flights of stairs, both up and down.  Some days, especially in cold/rainy weather, even that isn't an option, so we put up with people glaring at us when we only do one floor.   When we do the stairs, we try to just touch the rail with elbows or forearms for balance - if that's not possible we wash hands as soon as we leave the stairs.   

I agree about how most people use elevators. My use of stairs varies.  It depends upon my current aches. This past May I could manage  two flights up and three or four flights down.  If I was on a cruise right now, I would be limited to the elevator. 

Your statement about people glaring at you when you do only one  flight reminded me of an experience I had in the Ladies Room on a cruise 12 years ago.   The only available stall was the handicap stall.  I hesitated to use it and then remembered that I actually needed to use it.   When I opened the door to leave the stall, there was an elderly woman in a wheel chair waiting to enter.  I smiled at her and she gave me a "dirty look" and she proceeded to look at me from top to bottom.  When she reached the bottom her mouth fell open as she caught sight of the removable cast that I was wearing.  She looked up at me in shock.  I am sad to say that my reaction was to give her the same look that she gave me.

1 hour ago, BND said:

We've done the RCI tour and you do get more than when going on your own. It also starts on the bus (picks you up at the pier and does the first half of the tour) and ends at the area where it's self-guided and there's imax movies and a few other things.  If you go on your own, you start at the display/IMAX area and have to wait for a bus that takes you on a tour.  The RCI excursion also takes you directly back to the ship via bus.  

We went on the RCI tour too, and  we agree that you see more on the guided tour than when you tour on your own (we have also spent several  full days at KSC  when we were not on a cruise).  The tour starts on the bus, when they pick you up.  A video is shown on the bus.  Our bus had people who were on the guided tour, as well as people who were touring on their own.  Everyone on the bus saw the video.

Royal Caribbean uses a similar technology.  We have always used a supermarket card, a used gift car, etc.  until this past cruise, when we forgot to bring one.  My husband told me not to worry about it.  He folded a piece of paper and voila!!!  It should be a simple fix if a card is not supplied.

5 hours ago, micmacmissy said:

We are looking at either 2 mini suites, or 2 premium deluxe balconies...can't seem to see a difference...???

We are booked on sister ship Enchanted Princess.  We were unable to book a deluxe balcony  for our "touring " cruise and ended up with a mini suite.

Deluxe Balcony

The deluxe balcony has a love seat that appears to accommodate two people and a desk chair.  It has one television and a shower in the bathroom.

Mini Suite

The mini suite has a sofa that appears to seat 3 people and a chair (in addition to the desk chair). There is an end table with storage next to the sofa.

There are curtains that can be closed between the seating area and the bed.

There is a television by the bed and one near the sofa.

The bathroom has a bathtub.

10 hours ago, satxdiver said:

For the last many years my attire on formal night is a pair of khaki dockers and a shirt with collar, no coat or tie and athletic shoes.   On US cruises I wear a short sleeve Guayabera and have noticed I am certainly not alone 

 

One trend I have been seeing is men in suits/sport coats and no tie rather open collar.  The other trend I am seeing is more without a coat and tie.  AK cruises are certainly less formal.   On US cruises it seems there are fewer tux and long gowns.  Everyone needs to dress according to their own style.  

 

I just completed a cruise out of Southampton where half of the pax were British.  I must say I have not seen so many in tux or long gowns but by the third formal night there were considerably less.  On that cruise I did have to wear a long sleeved dress shirt but kept the rest of my attire the same. 

I am wondering what we will encounter on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise leaving from Italy. It is a port intensive cruise and I am thinking that there will be only one formal night.  My husband has always worn a suit on our many USA cruises.  We will be on a 9 night land vacation in Italy prior to boarding and will be spending a couple of nights in Athens when we debark. I am trying to convince him of the practicality  of just bringing  a sports jacket rather than a suit. He does not care when some of the men are in their shirtsleeves with or without a tie on formal night, but  I know that he will not enjoy being one of the few that is not wearing a suit.

39 minutes ago, MixerDave said:

RCCL did it on deck in Tampa this past April - what a pain.

Some people were on deck for muster on RCCL Anthem this past May in Bayonne.  We were in the dining room.

I haven't had to be on deck for muster in years. Remember feeling faint my first  time  and wore very light clothes (and as little as I could without being arrested on land, lol) the next time.

11 hours ago, luckyinpa said:

 

 

 

my criteria  for cruising is a local drive to NYC or baltimore. and this year may try a christmas cruise. this leaves me with anthem of the seas. grandeur. pride, or bliss. 

 

 

 

i know bliss has 1000 more pax than regal and im expecting the same crowds on bliss that were on the BA. things i hated about the BA were the organization of the buffet. regal has them beat hands down there. also the elevators suck on BA but that cannot stop me from taking a cruise. i loved the space of the piazza on regal and i know the atrium on bliss is just a big closet

 

i know all christmas cruises will be at least 33% or more kids so i'm ok with that. but just wondering how you felt going from princess to NCL in general. id prefer a princess ship im sure but no way can i do christmas airfares to get to one. those are insane. i can park for 280 in manhattan  which is cheap compared to flights /hotel nite etc. 

 

 

Have you considered that Bliss does not have any indoor pools? One reason why we have not cruised on NCL from the North East is that their ships do not have an indoor pool.  We have spent 45 days on  RCC Anthem, most of them in January.  The ship has a lot of indoor spaces to swim and play. Depending on your itinerary in December,  you can have a day and 1/2 each way before you have relatively warm weather. Someone on one of my January Anthem cruises described her Breakaway cruise as very nice.  However, she added an addendum about the first two and last two days on board.  She said that they all sat around the pool bundled up and stared at each other lol. 

Thank you to everyone.  We now have an idea about what we can expect on our cruise. 

Still shaking  my head over the alternative "daily hamburger"

I thought that the balcony stateroom was too small for the barrel chair. However, I thought it was a necessity. I thought about booking a balcony for a second, before I decided to book a deluxe balcony. I saw the picture of the balcony room after this and my mouth dropped.  I will never consider one again.

We tried to book a deluxe balcony for any date,  for our preferred itinerary.  There were none available, so we booked a mini-suite.   

This will be our 17th cruise overall. Whether you like the food served is subjective.  I've heard from some people that the quality of the food has gone done on Princess and that the menus have become more limited.  I was wondering if others have found this to be true and if there have been any other changes.  On Royal Caribbean, pen and paper has disappeared from staterooms and chocolates from the  turn down service.    There have been other changes on Royal and other lines that I have been on as well. I'm attempting to find out what I might expect on Princess at this point in time, in contrast to what was prevalent 8  years ago. 

I've read about the Medallion service and it sounds good.  We have enjoyed  Voom on Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas.. We were able to stream movies in our stateroom. 

We have not cruised on a Princess ship for 8 years.  We just booked a Mediterranean cruise  on Enchanted Princess.  How has the Princess experience changed, since we were last on one of their ships?