Gardenbunny50

Thank you so much. Your summary was the best I have ever read. You detailed every area. I will print and take this with me when we are onboard to reposition the ship Sept 23 from Southamptom to FLL. We were just on the new Celebrity Apex in Feb (our first on there Edge class) and I used the program that listed all the areas to check off that we had seen them all! I have been disappointed with Princess ships since Enchanted as I prefer a ship that has more water views from any location. Appears that this new design for Princess may have improved the outward view. Just a FWIW comment - we are not casino people - but I do not understand why cruise ships don’t section off the floor space, which is typically the width of the ship, and have a glassed side for smokers and open side for non. Same machines and tables for each. There are probably more non smokers that would use the casino, except like you said, way too overpowering to enjoy if you are a non smoker. And much nice for those just passing through.

This is fantastic. Thank you so much. I had made notes from print out they gave me onboard when we booked but this is more detail. And a couple extra events not on the print out. We leave from Miami May 10 to Quito. So excited to experience this magical place.

We were just on Ascent in February and never been on E class. I had requested from my TA a fixed time (early seating 5:30), which meant to check card in our room for name of dining room and table. But when we got to our cabin we had a card that was a Dine at all Four with no time. At 5:30 we went to Cosmopolitan and asked the hostess how this worked. She explained we could dine around or she could book us at just one DR and table number for entire cruise. We decided to Dine Around. So glad we did! They are all so unique. We loved it!! We like early dining so 5:30 was never a wait. The card did have a notice that 6:30 to 7:30 is typically the busiest times to arrive, so to avoid a wait come before or after that window. The only night we made a reservation was last formal night. Making reservation is easy. They have a station for all dining reservations everyday in the Customer Relations area that opens at 9 AM - not sure when it closes. Or you can call. Very easy. BTW - we went back to Normandie and Cosmopolitan twice.

Unfortunate to not get the full experience of Antarctica but since only 1% of the population ever experience it, 2 days was still not so bad. We took Princess in January 2020, just before Covid reared its ugly head. It was an absolutely incredible trip. I could hear the quiet and feel the cold looking at your photos - brought me right back. And I absolutely fell in love with penquins at Falklands. We always take ship excursions - we know all the pros and cons, but we just prefer the no hassle

I recently booked some shorex on app for upcoming Ascent Feb 11. Shortly thereafter I got an email on the 48-hour cancellation policy. Not sure if coincident, or I just booked as policy was changing, but I did think…wow, that is quite a change from the normal 24-hrs. So much is changing now on cruising after Covid, not much surprises me any longer. But it is still a great mode of transportation to go and see the places I want to visit 😊

Correct. I should have clairified Honshu - which is considered the Japanese mainland.

We went on Azamara Quest 15-day intensive Japan with Busan, So Korea in March 2023. It was unbelieveable. We timed cherry blossom season spot on and it was incredible. We like small ships and everything was excellent. It is a very busy itinerary - leave Tokyo and a sea day, then 14 ports back to back to back…until return to Tokyo. Since I was only going once, I wanted to go around the entire island. I was completely satisfied.

For those of us in the “don’t drink” category, I wish they would offer a bundled package that includes wifi, soft drinks and whatever other perk they may want to include. 🙂 Non-drinkers and singles don’t get many deals 😕

There is no rhyme or reason on air ticket pricing! I am thinking in the very near future the new cruise fare “deals” on all lines will now be at the earlier you book the better/best fare. Before Covid you could book to hold a cabin and watch if prices go down before final pay and get the lower price. I read recently that Princess will begin to no longer offer the Drop and Go super low fares to fill up the ship.

Here was my booking story. We booked on board last August 2022 on a trip to Alaska and attended the Destination presentation for Flora and Galapagos with Machu Picchu May 10-26. It offered the air, 20% off and the rates were lower then than what they offer now. We also have the before extension in Quito and the after extension in Lima after MP. We booked and were told any changes if we found a lower fare later we would lose our original deal. But rates have never went below our booking fare. Our final pay is due Jan 10. Just booked our flights with Celebrity and my TA on Dec 6. I had researched on my own so I knew how expensive flights were and I followed along on the Live for prmssk and mahdnc to get info on what they did. Mine being a little different since we fly back from Lima. But what awesome and detailed posting they did. So helpful. We live in Atlanta. Delta flights were way over the $750 pp and times were not what I wanted. I had seen that American Air from Miami had better times and was even under the $750 - and about a $1000 lower than Delta. So I had my TA book those - it works for us. My sister lives in Jacksonville FL and we drive to her home and spend night and leave next day driving to FLL for cruises all the time. Going on to Miami isn’t that much difference. Even adding in a budget hotel for 1 night before cruise doesn’t barely makes a dent into the $1000+ savings. Since Covid the prices to travel have increased, and our travel investment funds have decreased 🙁. So we now look for any savings we can find. Before Covid it was not an issue. But we are so excited to be going… hoping someone doing the cruise and MP will do a Live post between now and May! 🙂

Very different excursion as you said - from islands to mountains. But extremely beautiful. Amazing to see all those volcanoes. If you have not heard the news, the volcano in Grindavik, Iceland is finally erupting! We were in Iceland in 2019 and this location is close to the Blue Lagoon (we did excursion and had a great time). And thanks for photo of the stream that goes to Amazon. We will be on a 27 night Holland cruise in January 2025 on the Amazon River! I would have so enjoyed the hummingbirds! Great job getting any photos with those birds that are small and move quickly. How many different varieties? Great way to end your trip. Hope we get to follow you on Princess and relive our trip in 2020. As a good friend of mine says - “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

It is worth it. This was a huge iceberg at 6 AM day 2. The icebergs are longer and taller than our ship! I named the little small one in forefront the “whale iceberg”. I would name them based on their shape. They are like snowflakes - no two are alike😁. (I am new at attaching a photo - hope it works)

I am very fit for walking so not an issue. Thanks for the advice

FYI - on our Coral Princess Antarctica there were mornings on the days in the peninsula that viewing began at 5 AM.

Learned even more to prepare for our May trip. With only doing the walks, hoping to have some time to enjoy the beautiful ship. Did you think some walks were repetitious, ie different island same thing? Or are there walks you would say are not to be missed? I probably will do them all since I don’t want to miss a thing, but just curious. Loved all your photos and descriptive captions and the humorous ones 😁 Safe travels back home

Being a flower/plant person, loved your “squirrel” diversion - I have been on many fast paced walking tours having to catch up from finding something interesting to capture with the lens 😁. Those cacti were incredible. 🌵

The lava rock formations are works of art. Have taken short walks across lava fields on Big Island Hawaii, and this looks very interesting. Thanks again for posting - we will put this on to do list for May. Cannot wait to see what the rock formation is over on Bartolome. I was reading more about Galapagos in May and referenced after rainy season the foliage will start leafing out and turning green on various islands. Will be nice to compare what difference from your photos to what we will experience.

I get seasick - found out on my first crossing on QE2 in 2003. Overnite and first day OK. 2nd morning…ugh. Took me all day in cabin taking dramamine to get equalized. Put on patch that evening. Good thing as we experienced a typical north atlantic storm overnight and all next day…I had NO problems. Always used the patch ever since. But my only side effect was dry mouth, which I endured but didn’t enjoy the feeling. Then my first world cruise in 2017. Can’t wear a patch for 100 days….Asked cruise critic posters what to do, Recommended the non drowsy dramamine that is 25mg MeclizineHydrochloride. I had patches just in case. But it works great and that is now my go to - and way less expensive than patch. Take 1 at dinner time every day. Only a couple times have I taken a second one during the day if really rough seas.

I totally fell in love with the Antarctica penquins! They are so cute riding along on the icebergs. And one thing I learned that I never knew, they “porpoise” in the water as they swim along. You can look over side of ship and see them moving along up and down, up and down like a dolphin. P.S. Good binoculars are a must.

We were on Coral Princess. We had a balcony on the side. But Capt McBain was excellent. I am sure it will be the same but they rotate the ship inside the peninsula at each area so each side of ship gets all the views. It is incredibly quiet. Our commentator was very good. They broadcast on cabin TV so we turned it up very loud, put on coats, hats, gloves and would go out on the balcony…come back in to warm up a bit and go back out! There were very hardy people who would stay up on front of ship each day.

Will be on E Class first time on new Ascent Feb 11. Great information. Once we are on board walking around ship, these posts come back to mind after reading with the “oh, OK, this is what they were talking about” . Gleaning good insights. We have a booked time MDR seating - someone on one of the pre cruises said you can ask for any of the 4 MDR restaurant menus wherever you are seated and order your choices and they will be served where you are. Have you been told that? Plunge pools look interesting - how many people can they accommodate?

We did that same cruise with Princess in January/February 2020, plus a Cosmos 10 day land tour from Rio to Buenos Aires before the cruise with 3 days at Iguasu Falls. Got home Feb 7 just as Covid was starting to become a pandemic! I am thinking this Galapagos trip will be on same par with Antarctica.

P.S. and the pop up sea lion 😁

Running out of adjectives to describe the spectacular photos! Favs for me were penquins, sea lion pup floating along with the zodiak, blue booby hangout and that gorgeous sunset. It will be sad to not have any posts to look forward to when your trip is done. Hopefully upcoming Galapagos cruisers will post. And anyone doing the Machu Picchu extensive would be extra special 😉

I can relate…I am a flower gardener. So I will take photos of interesting flowers and foliage on my travels! I ooooed and aaaahed over those catcus blooms you posted. Beautiful