FancyPants21

LOL! Sorry to mention that but I just wanted to clarify what it was so newcomers understood. BTW I have serious trouble with autocorrect so I know what you mean! 🙂

Clearly you are having a bit of a typing nightmare so this is not a criticism of that but I did want to clarify for others... you mean FCD, Future Cruise Deposit... not FDC.

You can still book them in advance. Just pay for them and get a OBC credit when on board after you have purchased the package. 🙂

If you book the cruise through a TA then sometimes you can get offers from the TA if you book in advance but it really is a swings and roundabouts kind of thing. Do it whichever way you prefer.

Sometimes they do an offer but not normally nowadays. We always book through a TA but you can book on board if they are doing an offer and then transfer the booking to your TA when you get home. The $100 is a Future Cruise Deposit. It is different from a FCC as it is refundable if not used after 2 years IIRC. It is also a refundable deposit for most cruises even when the normal deposit is larger. Personally, we prefer to take our time and pick the right cruise, cabin etc and do it at home 🙂

Oh... OK. 🙂 I suppose it isn't much different to one person having drinks for both package holders put onto the same account... bar staff do that all the time 🙂

Some people say they don't mind the delay if it means that everything is working on the ship. Be realistic... it is an inaugural sailing. It is 100% certain that whenever it is delivered it won't have everything 100% working. That is just how it is. Personally, I see no attraction at all to sailing on inaugural cruises or any cruise within 3 months of them. Better to let things settle down and bed in and get the teething issues sorted. Rest assured that this delay is not to get the teething troubles sorted. It is quite likely that it is because of delays at the shipyard and very little to do with Princess. I wouldn't be surprised to see further delays and further cruise cancellations of the early cruises.

What a scary story! Glad it was at least partially sorted. We only ever use a TA now... get better prices too as well as someone who speaks English when we need them.

Officially I think that is true because you cannot share meals included on the package but ask nicely and it seems they are more flexible and allow it.

I am on a Norway cruise on Sky next week and all the tours are just plain ridiculously expensive. We have booked none. However, we are on Sky again this November to the Canaries and almost all the tours look very sensibly priced. I expect to pay a bit more if I book through the cruise line so I don't have an issue with a bit more but Norway is often 3 times the price of the same tour booked privately.

... and you are happy to return to the lounge from where ever you are on the ship just to get a drink? Crickey!

But that isn't relevant to the OP question IMO. That would apply whether you are in a mini-suite or a suite or any cabin tbh.

I don't see any real crossover between suite perks and the Plus package. There isn't enough in the mini bar setup to make up for the 15 drinks up to $15 per day. Some may disagree but IMO if you felt that the Plus package was worthwhile for you in a mini-suite then you should keep it in a full suite. 🙂

Not on Royal class ships... unfortunately 😞

Yes, that is our experience when turning up that early. Turn up later and it can be a much longer wait. The longest we waited was an hour.

I am a Brit so I have only ever picked up thee medallion at the port but IME it is likely not to make much difference whether you have the medallion already or not. You probably still have to sit and wait until called to board. We have done it several times now and we generally have a 30 or so minute wait between checking in and actually boarding. They sit you down and call you up as the line for security goes down. Of course, if you are early you have less of a wait.

That is a list available with OceanNow... not a list of everything available on the ship.

AFAIK it is only the International cafe and the cafe bar on deck 7 by Princess Live. You might be able to get barista coffee in any bar but I believe that it will come from one of those 2 locations. You can get nice coffee in the concierge lounge too if you are in a suite.

I have seen most of B&D's videos and I don't agree. Their behaviour on MSC was not intrusive AFAICS and that situation looked like it was created entirely by the behaviour of the ship's crew. If they didn't want them to video they should have still treated them with respect. Recording when the ship is empty... often prior to most people boarding... is the way they guarantee not to intrude. They don't set out to show what it is like when fully occupied when they are doing a ship tour. What we need to remember is that recording, and then putting it up on YouTube, is what a lot of people do and so the only difference with vloggers IMO is that they have a big following. So the way I see it... if videoing is permitted for everyone then everyone should be permitted to video... people with large followings and those that have less.

I didn't say you don't remember... I just didn't see you say that you did. Thanks.

So you never make a mental note of what you like so you can ask for it elsewhere? I don't think I understand what your point is...

If that happens near us on our next cruise I will be saying something to them and complaining to the management. I have no issue with vloggers providing they are consider of other passengers when they film. There are some good ones... Ben and David for example... Emma is pretty good too.

Totally agree... but if you know what it is you are drinking then if you like it then you can find it and drink it again 🙂

I prefer French ones myself... they are generally less sweet and that is my preference. Having said that, sweet or dry a good Riesling is always appreciated 🙂

Ah got it! Thanks 🙂