SomewhereGirl

That is sad. Two years ago I did the NCL Mendenhall Lake canoe excursion. It was one of my favorite Alaska shore excursions ever. The lake was so calm. Who knew what was happening above the glacier. Nature is wild and powerful. Since the water would've come down from the mountain, across the lake to the river, it's probably a good thing this happened at night. Sad for the locals dealing with the aftermath.

I went on a small bus shore excursion in Edinburgh last year. I had the front seat and couldn't miss a big QR code sticker on the front dashboard. That QR code was specifically to scan to tip somehow. So that company seemed to expect it. I handed the driver/guide a small tip at the end of the tour. He said that's what his sporran was for. A joke of course. Or maybe the joke was that he was paid well and received even more in tips from a bus full of Americans (assumed).

Very good advice. Make sure your paperwork goes with you to your new cabin. Back after the restart in 2021, I paid for a cabin upgrade onboard (which some will say is not possible, but that's an argument for another thread). A crew member helped me move my stuff to my new cabin. When we got to my new cabin there were suitcases outside the door. I assume the original occupants upgraded/changed cabin and did not print new luggage tags. Also, after I moved cabins, I didn't receive any of my disembarkation paperwork, including the sticker to wear for the airport transfer.

Last summer on a British Isles cruise on Princess, passports were collected during the cruise for one port. I can't remember which one. We were instructed to leave our passports on the bed, the steward left a ticket that we had to give back to him to collect our passport. It wasn't for the entire cruise, maybe just a day.

Where are you sailing and are you a U.S. citizen?

I have no firsthand experience but if you do a dummy booking with airfare, ground transportation is added for $78 (roundtrip). Priced a solo traveller.

I had no problem doing so when I sailed out of Southampton last August. My largest item was a rolling suitcase that could be taken on an airplane. The only issue beyond carry on was needing to keep it with me because the cabin decks were blocked off so couldn't drop it off in the cabin (boarded around 11).

Seems like they always run an authorization when you check in. How did they do that on the first day and not subsequent days?🤷‍♀️

There are signs near the castle entrance that say 60 minutes from a certain point. Consider that if you're on a ship's tour (of which there is probably more than one bus), you could be #1 of 50, or #50 of 50. Of course, not everyone will want to kiss the stone but you're also contending with other tourists and your shipmates on private tours. Walk fast. It's quite aways from the coach drop off. I went end of last August but with a private tour company (Paddywaggon). Our busload was able to leave the port and get to Blarney Castle before the ship excursions. Got to the top of the castle and there were maybe 15 people ahead of me. I didn't want to kiss the stone though so didn't wait. Just wanted to see inside the castle and the view from the top.

And definitely go with the small group tour for the very slightly higher price. Well worth it.

You win. There's plenty of seating in the OL for a couple thousand passengers...and plenty of room in the Cavern Club...and the Atrium...because logically there's more room for everyone when then ship is at full capacity vs reduced capacity.

I doubt it's ever not like that on a non-port day, you know like when the ship is moving and there's something to observe. 🖕

Whenever I see people post recommending Bliss or Encore because of the huge observation lounge I want to say don't count on it. I can't even imagine it on a ship at full capacity. I was on the Encore to Alaska in 2021 after the restart at like 70% capacity. Walked through the OL on Glacier Bay day and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Had the whole lazer tag area to myself (weather permitting). OL was good for the banana chips at the breakfast "buffet".

This doesn't answer the exact question but I went with Paddywaggon tours in September. Our tour was able to leave and get to Blarney before the Princess excursions. Minimal wait at the top of the castle. Didn't not kiss the stone because gross. Suggest going with a non-Princess tour operator. The coach drop-off is a bit of a distance from the castle. Walk fast.

My experience is they assign the time based on your flight time but if you don't like your assigned time you can go to Passenger Services and request a different time. I wanted to ensure plenty of time to get to LHR and through security before flying back to the States so I exchanged my luggage tags for an earlier time to add a bit more cushion.

How old were these jerks? I'm guessing 20-somethings who thought they were being cute when really they were just being a--holes.

I was on the Princess cruise that same week of 2022. The combination of price and the ports for that sailing were great. We had really great weather. No rain except the morning of sailing from Southampton and then in Edinburgh. Sunny or overcast skies for the rest of the cruise. Mild, comfortable temps. I had been following the weather in the weeks leading up to my sailing. There had been a heat wave. The Emerald Isle wasn't as emerald as I expected. Fields were brown because there hadn't been much rain, and the heat. But as Bob said, weather is a lottery.

On my last cruise on Emerald one day I heard all these slamming doors. I finally poked my head out and asked the steward what was going on. It was HIM slamming the doors. He said he was checking them so he was opening and slamming every door in the vicinity. WTH. I was completely disgusted and still am.

I got the email also but these coupons are not listed under my coupons and credits.

Dr Google would suggest if you were on a sailing before those mentioned, and you didn't get sick, then you're in the clear because of the incubation period. That's not to say people on previous sailings shouldn't also be notified in case they did get sick. (Interesting reading on this thread that a shower head could do harm.)

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Was planning to but when I was last in Vegas the show was closed because of Covid. 😭 I'd be totally bummed if the ship shows were also canceled. On the Encore the only shows I went to were the Beatles at The Cavern Club twice and the theater once. The production quality just varies by group and ship. As another poster said, they obviously selected correctly.

I can see how it could be a big problem because you'd be occupying tables twice as much if you are only using one credit per table instead of two. Imagine if everyone did that. You'd also be occupying an additional table they could otherwise make more revenue off of. (This coming from someone who doesn't really do specialty dining so has no dog in this fight.)

Didn't realize the Joy had The Beatles shows. Saw them on the Bliss in 2019 (I'm of a younger generation and didn't realize the significance of the Cavern Club at the time) and then on the Encore 2021. The group on the Bliss was so good that I have basically learned everything about The Beatles since then, and even took a British Isles cruise in 2022 that stopped in Liverpool. May just have to start considering the Joy, if the Beatles aren't gone for good. Sounds like they aren't.

To clarify, the European, two-round prong outlets for the lamps were hiding on the wall behind the beds. Inside cabin.