ExPhotog

I prefer Antigua. It has some of the best beaches in the world (beach with the London phone box if stunning). I went to St Kitts too, but i don't remember it. That's not to say it's bad, it just didn't leave the lasting impression that Antigua did.

While I agree that some parents seem to forget they have children in their care, it's unlikely that crew intervention would have a positive outcome. These are likely the same ignorant individuals who complain about no service during ship emergencies. (yes, really)

As someone who works in corporate IT (not for Princess), this is the new normal. Deliver on time = project success, executives get their bonus. Personally, I prefer delayed delivery and a more polished product… and that mindset is why I'm a programmer, not in the C suite.

Having worked a few Christmas cruises, they are can be very busy, with many large extended family groups on board. Shorter (cheaper) cruises have so many extra kids running about that additional kids club staff are brought on just for these few weeks! (i’ve met a few who normally work in schools and then work on ships during school holidays - not sure how they survive that!) That said, the decorations are beautiful, festive energy is contagious, and the entire ship just seems happier.

As per others, I have no idea what they are. And I’m sure I'm right.

Does anyone know of a way to check for such ‘promotions’? It's a great deal for some, but a deal-breaker for others. — I've loved reading through such a detailed account of your adventure. I'm travelling this itinerary next year so always good to get a preview.

As former crew ‘black cards’ were never worth up-selling to as they'd already done (or prebooked) the extras they wanted. 🤣 Blue card in a suite however…

I hope you have a great cruise! This ship and itinerary have a soft spot in my heart. I spent a lot of time working on this ship and a variation of this itinerary (7 day, out of LA)

I would like to think this is due to a major maintenance event such as a toilet zone not workin or HVAC issues. Not much point giving someone an unusable cabin.

There's an option for this in the profilesextuon of the app (apparently due to be updated soon). But for anything more than an intolerance, introduce yourself to the restaurant manager on day one.

Huh, I had no idea they were passenger cabins! Great view of the crew pool that you can't use.

If it sways your decision at all… I worked on Crown (sister ship to Ruby). DaVinci shares a kitchen with Botticelli, Michelangelo shares a kitchen with the crew mess. All are good, although a 2 person table will be easier to get later in the evening, regardless of location. Michelangelo might be (slightly) more enjoyable in rough seas as its midship and low down. It's also closer to Vines to grab a better selection of wine if you’re particular about your grape.

Update: Called the support line, there seemed to be some trouble understanding what I was asking. I ended the call a bit defeated, but later tried again with the live chat function. The live chat said they couldn’t help me on chat and would need to call me (?!), a few hours later I got a callback from a different person who was incredibly helpful and made it all work. They even took the time to add our special occasions to the cruise notes. Very happy with the outcome. Chose one of the deck 14 aft porthole cabins, which I could not justify for normal fare, but feels a good deal at interior price. 🙂

Partner and I are former crew, we met working on board a ship nearly 10years ago and fearing our ‘love boat’ ship would leave the fleet soon, we finally booked a cruise as passengers! Our cruise is still over a year away, and I've just seen specials for cabin class upgrade. What's the best way to get this special? I'm happy with the interior stateroom we booked (big upgrade from a crew cabin), but knowing that an ocean view can be had for the same price stings a bit. Curious on what others would do in this situation. Is the call center worth the trouble? Or is it best to cancel and rebook (perhaps with a cruise travel agent?) Thanks.

Having previously worked on this ship, this area consists of a crew staircase, elevator, and some officer cabins.