orientodyssey

Thank you so much for the live report, I will sure follow.  I will be on the next sailing (Mar 12 from SFO) on Royal to Hawaii and really looking forward to it.  My question is regarding the price of Thermal Suite 14 Day Pass (The Enclave at Dec 5 Forward, the Lotus Spa and Salon).  Whenever of your convenience, can you check if the cost for the entire 15 day journey is $299 per person?  Do they offer any discount for couples or a special couple's rate?  Thank you so much for all your help!  Have a wonderful trip and smooth sailing to Hawaii!

Thank you OP for sharing!  Sorry what you have experienced regarding the Soda Card!  Hope to see more of your reviews and feedbacks on future cruises on CC......  

Same here.  Received the Casino offer flyer, listing some "VIP Casino" departures that we can book, to be qualified for an invitation on an "Ultimate VIP Casino Cruise".  One of the listed cruise in Aug happen to be the one we already booked so talked to TA and did get the Casino Discount (25% on Europe, 35% on Caribbean).  Although the flyer says it comes with free drinks at casino / obc  / Casino Host / VIP check in, etc.   There is no where we can check if it will be honored.   

Wonder for those who had take advantage of the VIP Casino Rate, do you get separate confirmation at check in? Is there a seperate line for VIP Casino guest at the port?  Is your card / or Medallion specially marked so you get free drinks at Casino?   Also will the Casino OBC show on Princess Cruise Confirmation?  Or we have to confirm at the Casino?

It is a little confusing, that Princess list both S3 & S4 with the same name "Penthouse Suite", while the size difference (S3 up to 682 sq ft, while S4 up to 440 sq ft) is substantial.  It is kind of misleading when they are under the same name.   But now on many sailings, these two "Penthouse Suite" categories are already priced differently.   So they kind of "corrected" the mistake.

On Sky, S4 Suite is located on Sun (Deck 17), and Riviera (Deck 14).  Per description, it is a suite at smaller side  - 440 sq ft.  The cabin # are as below:

On Sun Deck *Deck 17 - S109, S111, S105, S110, S112, S114

On Riviera Deck *Dec 14 - R603, R605, R607, R609, R611, R615, R617, R604, R606, R608, R610, R612, R614, R616

Since all Royal class ship (Sky, Majestic, Royal, Regal) has the similar S4 layout on Riviera Deck, the problem might be related to the new layout on Sky's Sun Deck (Deck 17) S4.  From the ship diagram it has a different shape / size, and am not sure whether it has separate living room / bedroom area.  Size wise, per Princess description, the S4 is considerably smaller (@up to 440 sq ft) than S3 (@ up to 682 sq ft).  S3 are those suites located at aft corner.

Another unique suite to Sky (and I think it is a superior value) is S7 - window suite with no balcony.  It is located on Sun (Dec 17) forward two corners.  It is large @710 sq ft, lots of space for sure.   No balconies, but spectacular wrap around floor to ceiling windows.

Wonder if any one can share the previous (summer) Baltic Cruise Patters / daily programs.  Mostly concerned about the product show time conflicts with the late set dining time.

Booked for Aug 2020 on Sky with 30+ families and friends and were all confirmed for late time dining at 7:15 p.m..  Was told it might be changed to 7:45 p.m. once onboard.  The large party would like to dine together thus I think the set dining is the only way to go.  But we also don't want to miss the show.  From some of the Sky patters shared (currently in Caribbean) we noted some of the show times are geared towards early seating dining, and might be difficult for late set dining passengers to attend.

I understand set dining time & show schedule might change per ship's geographic location.  Thus would really appreciated if any one can share previous Patters for the Baltic Cruise on Royal Class ship so we can get more info.   If needed we can change the whole group to early dining time 5:15 p.m..

Thank you......

Thank you so much for posting the Sky Patters.  Noted the set time *(traditional) dining is at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m..  However the show time is either 8 p.m. / 9:15 p.m., or 8 p.m. / 10 p.m., or a production show at 8:30 p.m..  It seems for those who choose late set dining time will inevitably miss some of the shows......  

Thank you all for the helpful info!  Usually most airlines allow business class pax to pre-select seats at time of booking.  BA is a rare exception - they always charge if you want to secure your seats even in business class.  However with EZ Air I was able to select seats with BA flight number - which was a big pleasant surprise.  (If I booked with BA directly I would have been charged to get seats selected).  I am really quite happy about that.  The problem is the last segment of my return flight, which has an AA flight number, and operated by BA.  Both AA & BA web site shows unable to assign seats / select seats 24 hours before departure.  It could have been any reason - maybe because the arrangement between AA & BA, or I have not paid and ticketed as yet, or simply could be that BA is switching air plane type and the seat plan is not yet finalized as the flight is for August (that segment was usually flied by BA's 777, they are in the process of assigning planes with newly renovated business class suites which will certainly change the seat configuration.  Last week I just found out they suddenly changed that particular flight to 787......seems nothing is finalized as yet for Aug, 2020)  

Anyway I really appreciate all of your input.  I enjoyed dealing with EZ Air, which certainly gave me the best price on my booking.   A BIG THANK YOU.......  Happy Cruising. 

Thank you for all your helpful input!  Sorry for my mistake.  Dining it is (not dinning😓).....  I might have to switch to 5:15  p.m. traditional dining in order to make sure we don't miss the show......  THNX all!

Hi, plan to travel with family and friends (almost 40 people) on Sky Princess for Baltic Cruise.  Seems traditional dinning is the only way to go if family and friends want to sit and dine together.  Princess now imposes new schedule for traditional dinning - we were given only 2 choices:  Early - 5 p.m., and Late - 7:15 p.m..   We confirmed 7:15 p.m. in view of the docking and shore excursion schedule.

On several threads we read that on Sky the 7:15 p.m. traditional dinning was frequently (or always?) changed to 7:45 p.m. once board.  It might be a little too late for the seniors and youngsters in our group.  But my major concern is that we might miss the show in the main stage.  I don't know whether they put on the same show twice a day - one of the early dinning, and one for the late dinning?  

If the 2nd seating time is indeed 7:45 p.m., we probably won't get out of the dinning room until 9:45 p.m..  Do they do a 2nd show time again at 10 p.m.?

Would really like your input regarding the schedule for dinning / show time if you experienced on the 2nd traditional seating time on Sky, OR on a previous Princess Baltic Cruise.  I believe last couple of years it was Royal or Regal were doing the Baltic cruises.

Thank you all for your kind help and feedbacks! 

There were occasions when one can not select a definite cabin number and only get "guaranteed" at time of booking, you can always try to make another dummy booking with triple or quad occupancy in the same class.  There are good chances that several cabin numbers will show up for selection (for triple or quad occupancy).  Note them down and check against the ship map for location, and choose the one you prefer the most.  Call your TA / or the cruise line to ask them to assign that specific cabin to you.  Since it is in the same category as your booking, they will normally do it with no extra charges.

It usually applies to the lowest categories of your selected room type.  But if you expect a possible complimentary upgrade to a better location / or higher categories,    then you'd better to wait for whenever the cruiser company assigned you a cabin.  There is no guarantee though.

Booked Princess cruise and EZ Air on Business Class on a very good flexible rate.  First three segments are on BA, the fourth segment is on AA flight number (operated by BA). I was able to select and secure seats on all first three BA flights.  But the last segment with AA flight number shows seat map not available (although it is also a BA flight) and says I can only get seats upon check in.

Also I noted the last segment AA (operated by BA) was on a different confirmation number.  Called EZ Air, the agent also says she can not pull seat maps from the last segment.  On both AA & BA's web site I can locate the booking, but the last segment all shows assign seats at check in.  It is strange that all first three BA segment seat selection were all assigned and confirmed.

Anyone had experienced this before, and how do you deal with it?  Do you call AA, or BA or Princess EZ Air to solve this?  It seems the problem lies in the fact that it is a AA code share flight number, but operated by BA.  

I have traveled many times on HAL, and relatively new to Princess (twice).  We found both lines are up to good standard in similar conservative way, with good food and good services.  If you are looking at a light hearted party cruise, then  you need to look else where.  HAL & Princess' main dinning room service, and food are both high quality, we enjoy them enormously.  Buffet wise, Princess is the winner in term of quality and choices.  Entertainment wise, Princess has more music venues than HAL but we feel both the quality is high.  Both ships provide high quality classic cruising experience, without all the new gizmos like large water slide / wave runner / etc.  If you enjoy classic cruising experience, then you will not be disappointed on either of them.  You might want to compare the itinerary, and the cost.  For Panama Canal and south Caribbean, we find HAL sometimes offer better prices in the suite level.  

Thank you so much for the info.  We will be in a mini suite so I guess we will have some room to play around with flowers, although I know not much.  

Thank you masterty for the useful info.  I would never thought about the Chat Feature not working though.  I'd give it more thought and a more through research.  THNX!    

Booked 11 Day Scandinavia and Russia on Sky for next Aug from Copenhagen.  NN help with the questions below:

1.  Multi Device MadallionNet Voyage Package 4 devices $14.99 per day

We have two teenager children and will take a quad room, thus the 4 devices would work perfectly for us.  In personal planner above package are offered as pre-cruise & save, but I must use credit card to prepay.  I would really like to use OBC, but it seems I can only do that once onboard.  Wonder any one had been on Royal Class for the similar 11 day voyage, knowns whether the same package / price is available to book once onboard?  Or the price will be more expensive than pre-cruise offering.  

2.  Flower Choices

Wonder any one had pre-ordered flowers through Princess for your journey?  Did you order "Personal Choice Arrangement" for $49 or "Princess Arrangement" for $39?  What is the difference and and what is your experience?  I read many simply buy flowers from local mart and bring it onboard.  I don't know whether any one did that fom Copenhagen.

3.  Lotus Spa Thermal Suite Pass 11 Day 

The pre-cruise offering is $219 per person, and $339 per couple.  Again I have to prepay by credit card and can not use OBC.  Wonder if any one knows if similar rates are available once booking onboard (for 11 day voyage), or the price will be more expensive? 

Thank you all........

We booked the 11 Day HAL Panama Canal cruise almost a year in advance - as a family of 4, we want to travel with our children at the spring break.  We choose Neptune Suite for the space and perks, and at time of booking, only the most expensive SA are open for quad occupation.  About four months before departure, there are cheaper SB and SC opening for booking.  We inquired with our TA to switch, but was told on our offer the deposit was non refundable.  The price difference was not big enough to loose the deposit and rebook.  So we leave the booking as is.  After the final payment about 2 months before departure, SA started to show a big price drop.  The same SA category for quad occupancy is about $1000 cheaper, plus various of OBC offer, making the overall difference to be about $1400.  We talked to the TA again who agreed to ask his manager to talk to HAL.  Since it is an SA booking, upgrade is not a feasible option (it would be the Pinnacle Suite which were all sold out long ago).  Eventually HAL agree to offer $750 General OBC for the sailing.  We are happy with what we got........  But next time, probably will not consider booking so early.    Of course it depends on the destinations also......

I have sailed on Glory last Dec and got both morning / evening room cleaning service. Plan a back to back cruise in Aug on Splendor, but recently read there are only once a day room cleaning services now.

Is it true? Any one sailed on Splendor recently and experienced that?

I have read someone from Carnival says that customers were given a choice to do either Morning, Evening, or Both. But some clients said the room attendants literately refuse to honor the "both" and insist they will do only morning, or evening.

It seems no firm words from Carnival explains this clearly. Please if anyone can clarify the situation. Thnx.

Hi, jonbgd,

Thank you for the clarification! Wonder if you have any pictures of that cabin? Or a short description? It the lay out like GS, a big room, or it does have seperate room? Thank you for any info.......

Hi, we are planning our first Carnival cruise. We have sailed RCCL, HAL, and Celebrities before. We plan to take the Liberty West Caribben voyage.

We are two adults with two young children (3 & 7). They are too young to have their own cabin so we always seek a larger accomodation. We noted no Liberty therre is a "Captain's Suite - CS" available. Wonder if any one had stayed in that sutie before? Do you have any pictures?

The description on Carnival's web site is a little confusing. It says the balcony is 15 square feet? yet it mention in the description that it has a extended stretched private balcony? Also not sure about the lay out of the cabin. Even look at the ship diagram, it seems not that large.

Is this CS only availalbe on Liberty? Is there any other vessels have this catagory, which is higher than GS?

Any one can share a picture of your stay will be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks you.....

Thank you all for the wonderful advice. It is my 2nd cruise to Alaska - last one - more than 10 years ago and I can barely remember. I think I wen to Glacier Bay......

But as you said, I will simply pick the itinerary / dates that suite me the best and will not worry about which bay to visit. I know I am going to have a wonderful experience.

Thanks again for taking the time sharing your input!

We went to Alaska on HAL via Glacier Bay, which departs from Vancouver. Lots of scenery to look at. We loved this cruise, but we also went in May and it was very cold.

I think Hubbard Glacier departs from Seattle, which has less scenery and more ocean.

Also, I have read in previous posts that in cold weather it is hard to get close to Hubbard, so the viewing is difficult. That may be the case in early May.

That said, we will probably go the Hubbard Glacier cruise next time because we haven't done it.

 

Pat

Hi, Pat, Thank you for the info.

It seems it better to choose Glacier Bay for May departures....... when you went in May, how cold is it? Does it rain a lot? Thank you for your time and info......

I am booking an Alaska Cruise on HAL for May. I know it is not the best time to go there but the price seems good and the review from previous few years are not too bad. Plus that is the time we can travel......

The itinerary either goes to the Glacier bay, or Hubbard Glacier. Which one you would recommend me to choose from, which one is more spectacular?

All other ports are the same. Thanks for your input......:D