Insomniacs

3 hours ago, NavyVeteran said:

The specialty restaurant charge is a cover charge. If you make a reservation for two, then you pay for two. If you make a reservation for one, then they only seat one. There is no a la carte option. Everyone who eats there has to pay the cover charge. You may pay with a credit if you have one, or it can be charged to your folio.

 

The casual restaurants are different, since you can order a la carte if you want.

You make a good point but as I said I never asked about one person ordering a la carte while the other person using a PP credit.

My question was a couple with PP sharing a single casual meal and using one credit. The whole reason we waned to share was because we could not eat two pizzas in the first place. If we were hungry enough to order two full pizzas for ourselves I would have no problem just ordering two casual meals and simply not eat a dessert or appetizer if not hungry.

7 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I don't see how that could be justified.  We have yet to hear of that scenario from any live ship report.  How can they charge for something not ordered?  Also, the T&C do not stipulate that both guests in cabin are forced to order the Prix Fixe option if one does.

The 2 casual meals are new for Princess Plus  but the Premier Package has been around for a while. I think you are allowed 2 specialty dining meals. What happened if a couple went into a specialty restaurant and wanted to share a meal? This must have come up over the years. Does it also count as two meals against the package?

3 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

That’s absurd!  So, 1 person cannot order a la carte?

 

I would only send 1 of us to order the meal and ask for it to go.

 

Will they allow the $15 meal to go?  
 

I’d then share it somewhere else.

See my other reply about one person ordering a la carte.

I am not sure if they allow the casual meal to go but if they do that may work. She only mention 2 people sitting in the restaurant,  If we go back this week I will ask them.

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I understand the not sharing part above, but if 2nd person orders a pizza a la carte and 1st person orders the full meal, Princess has no business charging guest 2 a cover charge versus $8.50.  I don't see how they could do that and would speak to a mgr if necessary.

 

Take away the Plus and they cannot charge $15x2.  The bill is $15 + $8.50.  Guests need to be treated equally.

To be honest I did not ask them the scenario of one person ordering a casual meal and the other person ordering a piiza a la carte.  For us, we only wanted a single pizza to share.  If we wanted the two pizzas then just ordering 2 casual meals would be fine.  The pizza is the star and the appetizer and dessert are not important.  We often skip the dessert at meals.  My issues was only wanting to share one pizza.  I would be quite happy if the simply said 4 a la carte pizza for the plus package. 

On 9/14/2023 at 10:54 AM, Thrak said:

 

Sweet. Hopefully you will be able to let us all know once you are on the ship.

On 9/14/2023 at 11:30 AM, tserface said:

On our last cruise they would deliver pizzas anywhere on the ship using Medallion.  Of course, then the pizza was free so there was no accounting.  Princess has opened a can of corner cases to figure out.

 

Here is an update.  Sadly it is not good news. We are currently on board the Majestic Princess on a 10 night Alaskan cruise and we have the Princess Plus package.  We went to Alfredo's yesterday and were told that with the Plus package we could not share a "single" 3 course meal that is included in the package.  As long as both of us are in the restaurant we would be charged one meal each against the package.  So two people in the restaurant, order one casual meal to share, counts as using 2 or our 4 causual dining credits.

3 hours ago, tserface said:

What if you both have Plus Package?  Do you have to burn two credits if you only eat one meal to share?  It’s already kind of unfair that you only get two visits on a 15 day cruise and same on a 7 day cruise, but pay the same daily rate on either.

 

Just trying to understand the changes and maximize our options.

 

What’s the difference, really, between sharing a $14.99 meal or using one of two of your $14.99 credits?

 

I can totally understand not sharing an unlimited part of the benefit like drinks.

 

To make it worse, since we only eat enough for one of the meals, we will, essentially only get two visits if they make us use two credits each visit.

 

It seems like if they give you 2 meals you should be able to use them as you choose.

 

For example, I get 5 free drinks per day on RCI cruises and I can use them however I want.  It’s a finite number that they give us as the perk.  Similarly, if I’m Elite an Princess they give us a minibar setup and we can let anyone use it.

This was exactly my question too.  I think if you both have the plus package you should be able to share a pizza/meal.  Even before the changes we would not want 2 pizzas. I guess I will know soon enough.  We board in 2 days and I will find out.

Does Princess plus allow for just ordering a single pizza ala carte or do we have to order the two seperate 3 course meals.  The reason I ask is we usually just want to share a pizza and order some drinks and I someone said they do not allow sharing of the 3 course meal which implies we would have to order two and that would be just wasteful.

Thanks for all the replies.  FYI I called Princess today and I was told this is a known issue from the last app update.  They checked and said I have everything filled in properly and to proceed to blue lane at the terminal.  The fact that it is not in Ocean Ready status is not a problem.

2 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

Don't sweat it. As Canadians, we fell afoul of a recent change to Princess's "system", wherein everyone who can't get their Medallion shipped to them, and has to pick it up at the port, was automatically changed to Blue Lane, even though, like us, we they were previously Green Lane.  Rumor has it that an update announcement re shipping to Canada is forthcoming, but the bottom line is that even if you can't get the Medallions shipped north, it's nothing to worry about. Just show up at the port on your embarkation day, spend an extra 2 minutes at checkin collecting your medallion, then board and start enjoying your trip. Have a great cruise.

It is not the Blue lane that bothers me it was because according to the app we are no longer Ocean Ready.  If we are Ocean Ready and Blue lane I would have no issues.

3 minutes ago, Barter123 said:

The same thing has happen to us (fellow Canadian) for our December cruise. I suspect there may soon be an update that Canadians will be able to have their Medallions shipped to their home. When that is released I’m hoping it will all get sorted out.

I had read that Canada and a few other countries may soon be eligle to receive Medallion shipments but I figure the change would be too late for us.  We leave in 23 days.  Your cruise in December probaly has a much better shot at the changes.

Hi.  We are first time cruisers going on an Alaska cruise this September.  I downloaded the app months ago and filled in all of our info.  Originally it said we were "Ocean ready" and "Green lane" which which I thought was a bit odd because we live in Canada and cannot have our medallions delivered even though we purchased Princess Plus.  Then a few weeks ago it switched us to "Blue lane" but we were still Ocean ready.  Now recently we are no longer Ocean ready because we have to choose our Medallion wearable.  We I click on it I have the option to shop but only the "pay" wearables are available.  In my "Order History"  I can see we picked the complimentary laynard and pick up at the port.  The problem is there is no way to complete the Medaliion process.  It almost seems they are trying to force me to buy a wearable to proceed.  Should I call Princess or is this normal?

We are booked on the Majestic Princess for September.  We have the Plus package.  If we go into Alfredo's for a snack and order just one pizza to share will that count against one person's casual dining limit or will it count for both of us since we are both in the dining area sharing a pizza?  Or will they just not let the other person sit at the table?

On 6/23/2023 at 7:37 PM, Italy52 said:

@martincaththanks for your post, I knew you would come through.  Honey-Nut Cherrios are my go-to cereal but on cruises I can only find Special K and I am fine with that.  Much like your wife, I don't like the generic brands as I never know what is in the stuff.  The cereal that comes from those turnstiles always seem to get pulverized by the time I give them a couple of cranks.  Thanks to all the generous people here on this thread I now have options.  We arrive at YVR around noon so I should have time to see out my cereal.  Many thanks again. 

If you are looking for Honey Nut Cheerios or Special K both would probably be available at Urban Fare on Alberni St. which is about a 10 minute walk from your hotel.  The Safeways would be a fair bit further.  Another option may be the 7-11 on Seymour and Dunsmuir although I am not sure they sell cereal at that location.   There is also a Shoppers Drug Mart and Dollarama on Granville St., that is fairly close to the Cruise ship port, that sells food and snacks but I am not sure if they stock cereal.

1 hour ago, Glaciers said:

By staying on the balcony while in Glacier Bay it will certainly alleviate being bumped into by others although it can be a poor viewing area overall. There is so much to see on both sides of the ship that you’ll miss much of it by staying on the balcony. While in front of Margerie Glacier the ships normally rotate so much of the time you’ll be looking at something rather than the main attraction regardless of where your cabin is. Of course, the forward viewing areas will fill up fast although the promenade deck can give you excellent viewing with fewer people in your way and you can move around to maximize the view.

 

 

Balcony on the port side, you’ve just missed a jackpot area where there are frequently mountain goats along the cliffs at Gloomy Knob.  Starboard side balcony, you’ve just missed the slow down past South Marble Island and the nesting birds and sea lion haul out.  Even in a forward cabin you miss part of the experience unless you can also look as you pass by and not just ahead of the ship.

One of the primary reasons I booked a forward facing balcony on the Lido deck was because during my research I found that many people like to gather at the front of the ship during Glacier bay.  Many also suggested getting to those areas early because the best spots were in high demand.  I also heard you will lose your spot if you had to take a bathroom break.  Our ship is in Glacier bay from 6:45 am to 3:45 pm.  I didn't want to show up at 6:00 am to find a good spot and then risk losing it when we took a break.  Also I could not imagine standing on the deck for 9 hours.  I figure if I booked a front facing cabin I would probably get a similar view as people out front, plus I have the luxury of going inside the cabin and ordering a hot coffee or food from room service while we enjoyed the day in Glacier bay.   We can take a bathroom break without fear of losing a spot and don't have to deal with the crowds.  I also think the cabin television provides information about Glacier bay as it cruises through.

If you think there are times when it maybe beneficial to leave the cabin and go on deck I guess we can do that from time to time too.  9 hours is a lot of time and I have not commited to spending the entire time in the cabin.

4 hours ago, Crew News said:

With respect to clothing, bringing too much will create onboard issues of where you will put it.  What about all of the empty suitcase?  Taxis do not have unlimited space to carry lots of luggage and the airlines charge for extra bags/weight.  Plan lightweight layers, compatible colors to mix & match.  Trying to dress to impress fellow passengers who you will never see again can be stressful.

We have gotten very good over the years at travelling lite.  We normally can do 2-3 weeks in Europe with just a carry on each. The difference with this trip is we do not have to fly because we live in the Vancouver area and are just a 40 minute Skytrain ride from the port.  She plans on bringing a bigger suitcase since we are on the ship the entire 10 days and are not on the move running from train station to hotels etc...

4 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

As far as camera gear, bring as much as you feel comfortable carrying in a backpack for several hours.  After filling your excursion backpack with water bottles, spare batteries, rain gear, snacks, jacket, etc, you can decide how much camera gear you need.

 

I normally do not bring a lot of equipment, again because we like to travel lite.   Early on a took a lot more but for the last decade or so I usually only travel with a 24-70mm and a 35mm.  No zoom but I am not a hard core photography guy and just like to document the trip with pics.  This will be the first trip I am bringing a 70-200mm and a extender. I am not sure what my other lens is going to be but I am leaning towards the small 50mm 1.4 because it is so small and light weight. The thing is phone cameras have gotten so good that it makes carrying a small prime for the ship or towns almost unnecessary. 

@Rick&Jeannie Hi, thanks for the reply.  Yes, I understand that I do not need a converter while on a cruise ship.  I stated that point a few times in previous post on this thread.  If you go back to the op I said I have a travel power converter that we use for many years in the past when we travel to Europe, Asia, Africa etc...  That Bestek power converter is also a power strip with 3 plugs and 4 USB ports. (See original post).  Even when I travel in North America I take this travel converter not because I need to convert the voltage but simply because it is small, compact and convenient.  This is our first cruise and my plan was to bring it along but a friend said I could not bring a power bar onto a cruise ship.  I googled this and found out he was only partially right.  It says you cannot bring power bars with surge protection.  This thread was to verify that fact.  I have since found out my converter does not have surge protection but I didn't want to risk arguing with security and purchased a new power strip on Amazon that advertised being cruise safe with no surge protection.  It was also recommended by many on this thread.   If I was cruising to Europe or the middle east and spending extra nights I would bring the travel convertor and print my email conversation with Bestek stating the converter has no surge protection. 

6 minutes ago, Crew News said:

I am a firm believer in bringing all of the gear you think is necessary and that includes clothing.  When the cruise is over, decide what you didn't use and never bring it again.

My wife is going to love this advice. 😄

We are first time cruisers and this is our first visit to Alaska.  I wanted some advice about bringing a tripod on the cruise.  My plan is to bring a tripod only to be used on the balcony of the ship and probably mostly during the cruise though Glacier Bay.  I don't plan on bringing it with me on excursions since I have to bring a fairly heavy tripod to support my 70-200mm lens and 2x entener.  Normally when we travel I donot bring a tripod and if I do I bring a small light weight travel tripod but that would never support the 70-200mm.  Also we have the luxury of no flights since the ship departs and returns to Vancouver and we are a skytrain ride away from the port.  I have seen some posts about tripods being unnessary for a cruise and just wanted some thoughts.

We are on the lido deck with a front facing cabin with a fairly large balcony, so I do not believe space will be an issue.

10 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Power strips are not expensive.  Hardly worth the bother of contacting the manufacturer especially for a 10 year old strip.  Just buy a new one.

 

DON

That is exactly what I ended up doing.  Bestek emailed me back and said there is no surge protection on their converters but I noticed the Amazon page mentions having surge protection.   I didn't want to take the risk so I ordered one on Amazon.  A converter is not necessary on a cruise ship so all I need is the power strip part.

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Look at the writing on either the tag, or engraved on the back of the device.  If it mentions "VPN" or "VPR", and gives a voltage for that (like 300v), then the device is surge protected.  The 200w ones that Bestek sells currently are surge protected.

I received an email back from Bestek and they replied their voltage converters do not have surge protection. I doubled checked and looked on the bottom of the converter and it does not mention "VPN" or "VPR".  The strage thing is the description on Amazon mentions "Surge protection, short circuit protection and more advanced safety features keep you and your devices safe."

Just to be safe I purchased a new power strip on Amazon that advertises NO surge protection and cruise ship safe.  Since it is a cruise ship I really do not need the voltage converter.

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Universal-Converter-Charging-Worldwide/dp/B01E140XWA/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=PNXXHE1KZXJ6&keywords=bestek%2Btravel%2Bconverter&qid=1689697467&sprefix=bestek%2Btravel%2Bconverter%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Thanks for all of the replies everyone.  I took @david63 advice and emailed the manufacturer.  I will wait to hear back from them.

Based on what others have said I may just purchase a newer travel power bar on Amazon that has a "cruise safe" logo @Grayce or has "no surge" protector on the description and print it as @BamaVol suggested.

I really can't risk having my power bar confiscated since we take a lot of electronics on board when we travel. Cameras, phones, laptop, kindles, etc...

Hi, we are first time cruisers and was planning on taking a Bestek travel power converter with us on the cruise.  We have been using this travel convertor on all our trips world wide for close to 10 years.  I was recently told by a friend that we cannot take power strips on cruise ships.  I did some googling and others have said the restriction is you cannot bring power strips with surge protection.   I looked at our convertor and although it looks like a power strip it does not mention having surge protection.  Will this item be allowed on board or will they confiscate it? If it is not allowed does anyone have some suggestions for what is allow on board?

7 hours ago, copper6606 said:

I had a lengthy discussion with the owner of Blue Bus yesterday. I was in shock when she told me that they only get a certain amount of passes for the Glacier and they and other tour companies have exceeded their limit. They have none left at all to sell! She said that she and her partner have been crying for a week because their tourist season/ income is now done! 

They have requested to the gov't for more passes but say it probably won't happen! She said if there are any more for the ship we are on - I had better grab them. I DID just yesterday. 

My thoughts were ...that we will go for the Ship excursion but if we want to stay longer- we will just call a cab to come and get us at the end.

Keep in mind we have light until approx 7:30 at that time of year in Alaska

That explains why the online companies are sold out.  I am hoping that there are other operators by the Tramway with tickets.  I think the worst case scenario is we can take the city bus to the vistor center.    Uber and Lyft may be an option too if the wait times are not too long.

14 hours ago, PurpleTraveller said:

 

The company was Juneau Tours and I think the buses were white and blue. They were clearly marked "Juneau Tours" and the buses were more modern than the "Blue Bus". There were quite a few companies that had the little tour booths and we chose Juneau Tours at random and were very happy with their service. All the companies charged the same amount for the shuttle service to the glacier.

 

Thanks again for the info.  That is exactly what I was hoping for.

FYI: I was looking at the Princess shore excursions today and noticed that the White Pass Rail tour is available again through the ship.  It looks like they opened up 2 new time slots for it. 

So it does look like some sold out excursions can become available again.