Griff4AU

2 hours ago, help32250 said:

Don't jump ship just yet.  Remember that the deposits are "air balls" essentially until 1/1/24. 

No Sir, I look forward to shaking your hand one day. I just hope we can put the Discovery out to sea on the day. Princess can make something really very memorable here.

I live in an area where I will receive 100% Totality - we could stay home. However it would be special if  we were out to sea on the Discovery. Let's just hope they do something remarkable. 

I did check in to HAL - no chance. Not for me. 

As I logged in to Polar (the Princess and CCL TA booking site) this morning, I saw several (maybe 15) cabins opened up. It appears (and I may be incorrect) that many are reserving and not even putting the $200 down - so the holds are dropping off. As of a few minutes ago, they were gone. 

Wow, this sailing is largely sold out except for interiors and obstructed balconies on Deck 8. 

If you're wanting on this sailing and want a better cabin, keep checking to see if someone doesn't pay their reduced deposit and loses their spot.

Maybe Princess will simply say, "we're nearly sold out on this sailing - we don't need to change a thing".

I might just be on the HAL boat. My (then) 12yo will hate it, 

5 hours ago, travelin.sisters said:

I booked a cruise this summer & my TA (& the Princess rep she was on the line with) could not see the rooms that I had picked out (I could still see them)...it was so strange

 

Not strange at all if you select a cabin - even if you don’t complete a reservation.  
 

When you are on the Princess site and select a cabin (R-210; for example) and move to the next screen, you have placed a temp hold on that cabin.  Even if you do not book or reserve using the site, the moment you select R-210; and move to see pricing or see what’s next, R210 will disappear from available inventory.  I blocked myself once overnight and almost lost a specific cabin at a TA group rate (which was better than the Princess site rate).  That cabin was available again the next morning as I had not reserved using the Princess site. 
 

You are “holding a cabin” for a short time every time you select one while playing with the web site. 

Coral nailed it.  The TA’s use OneSource / Polar for booking CCL & Princess.  They are proud of the site but I think it stinks compared to the X/RCL site for TA’s.  
 

Even when booking something for myself, I find the cabin on the Princess site and before selecting it (which places a temporary hold on the cabin) I book it through Polar.  I think (but not sure)  the PVP’s use Polar as well. 
 

Reserving on your own than then moving it to a TA before final payment is always fair advice.  An independent TA can nearly always offer you more spiffs than you can get direct or through a PVP.  Some TA’s give spiffs.  Some do not.   Some Princess PVP’s are very good.  Many are terrible.  (Same can be said about the other lines but we’re in the Princess forum).  However a TA can offer you more than a PVP can - it’s whether they want to and the agency allows them to.  
 

I think booking through the PVP’s is fairly similar to booking all the excursions through the ship or insurance through the cruise line. You’re not getting the best deal or service, but it “feels safer.”  

16 hours ago, help32250 said:

....do you know what I REALLY wanted for a College Graduation present?  A 20" Slide Rule.  As an Engineer it would have given me one more digit of precision in my answers!  I am so old that the World hadn't yet been colorized when I was a kid.  When I told my daughter that she said NOT.  I replied, well you've seen Grandma and Grandpa's photo album and their pictures are all black and white so you tell me.  She just shook her head and said ... wow, before the World was colorized.  Smiles kids.

I barely remember those days. The "cool" finance folks wanted the original HP 12c and we aviators wanted an original E6B "whizzy wheel". 'Hard to imagine we put a man on the moon and lived without remote controls (other than dad yelling "change the channel ... "). 

Reminiscing aside, surely there are some folks at Princess with both the business and financial acumen to realize that the reason they are seeing a full boat this early on with this particular itinerary (how many really will book a Mexico itinerary 18 months out?) is because of the eclipse. And as much as Princess is my "sweet spot" with the cruise lines, if (when) Royal and/or X tosses an eclipse itinerary out there that has the ship on the water and chasing the eclipse, I cancel my Princess reservation that day if the Discovery itinerary still shows her in port. 

If 50+ years ago we could put men on the moon and fly around the world using slide rules, wizzy wheels and 12c's, Princess can figure out what the right thing to do is here. 

I generally shy away from these threads as the response often depends on which forum it's posted in. Usually it's the Princess vs RCL and/or X that has the more entertaining responses.

This thread seem pretty fair and unbiased. I will offer that the longer CCL voyages did not seem to have the extreme party lifestyle that the shorter voyages do. 

If Princess feels to stuffy to the OP, I would try one of the nicer NCL or RCL boats over CCL - but that's just one guy's opinion. And X / HAL - no way (based on your OP). 

3 hours ago, help32250 said:

but since I essentially used a protractor on GoogleMaps to get the angle of the Dock ...

Now that's just not something you hear every day! 😂

Those HAL cruises are pricey. I am wondering if the Volendam (not mentioned above) will chase the Eclipse some. Departs San Diego on the 6th, 2 sea days then Puerto Vallarta on the 9th. 

I wish Princess will tweak the Discovery itinerary. Probably a bit rare for them to see this much activity on a sailing 18 months out. I may have to see if X or RCL will put something out for the Eclipse.

The Carnival Panorama is due to hit Cabo on the 9th. Maybe they will tweak that itinerary.

Glad we saw this. We're book on a Dlx Balcony, which is the best that's available at the moment.

At this moment (26 Oct and 21:35 CT) only Interiors and Dlx Balconies are available. 

Minimal deposit due after a few day courtesy hold.

I'd rather be out to sea, but the HAL prices are silly and we'll have our daughter with us and HAL just isn't 12 yo (in 2024) friendly. 

Thank you for posting this thread.

4 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

Here is video of a similar room, in the middle of that mid-ship bumpout, R423, on the Sky Princess.  Having that 'overhang' above you, instead of an open sky view might be one factor.   More shade, if you like the less open feel.

 

Thank you.. That's what I needed to see. While we're likely going to go with a Mini, I like the sky above and personally that's a no-go for me. 

17 hours ago, geoherb said:

I sailed on the Caribbean in August and am booked to go again after Thanksgiving. I love that it has a walkable outdoor Promenade Deck. That said, I do miss Alfredo's. It's too bad they don't offer it as an option at Sabatini's for lunch at least once like they did on the Island. 

That's exactly what I needed to see, and thank you.

My better half just did a 180 on me and now I am scrambling for post Christmas sailings. The CP (if that's still her designation - it's been 8 years since on a Princess ship) was my first and favorite Princess ship having been on her 3 times.

Even when she wasn't new, she was almost the "defacto flagship" (even with the newer boats) and the crew knew it - almost having a bit of a swagger about them. I was hoping she wasn't going to be "tired" at this point. 

5 minutes ago, Wishing on a star said:

So, it will be 4 in one stateroom?

No, just 3. 2 adults and a 10 yo.

And thank you. I am reading about the mid-ship balconies under the Sea Walk. Not too worried about them, but I do need to do a little more homework. 

Thank you. 

14 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

First world decisions!!!!  : )

No doubt, 

Thank you all for the responses. If it was me +1 or if I was with cruise veterans, there's be no question we'd take the aft view Prem Dlx D4 and I would spend hours out there. With 2 newbies (and one being 10) I might be better off with the larger cabin. Absolutely why I haven't considered the postage stamp cabins I remember from RCL. 

Unfortunately they looked at the NCL Joy which is definitely more "kid appealing" and it's difficult to convince newbies that "attention to detail, polish, class" are very different amongst the lines. I've had some great sailings on NCL, but for newbies I'd rather go with the "known great product" of PCL. 

I promise I've searched, but I didn't find anything in the 1st 3 pages and I grew impatient. I figure someone here has the quick answer.

It's been 8 years since I have been on a Princess ship, but I am Platinum so I have been on a few of the ships but this will be my first Royal Class ship.

Sailing with 2 first timers and I am debating an Aft facing Prem Dlx (always used to be my favorite) or a Mini with an Extended Angle. 
 

A Prem Dlx R734 (for example) shows 312 SqFt and R409 (mini with the Ext Angle deck) shows 319. There's a $900ish difference between the 2, which I certainly don't mind spending but I am not sure I get more because of it. 

I am sure the wisdom here on CC has been on both... if the SqFt is about the same, how much of that is balcony vs deck?  With newbies (one being a 10yo), I am just not sure how much deck time we'd spend and would we enjoy more room in the cabin.

Thanks in advance, 

Griff

Leo, thank you. While I am Elite with Princess, I haven't been on one of their ships in nearly 8 years and am looking at the Regal in December when she's back in the US. I'm debating Regal (with my comfort with Princess) vs Oasis (I know, sacrilege here on a Princess forum) for 2 first time cruisers and this is what I needed to see. It seems like I will be very familiar with the ship should I choose to introduce them to Princess - with some nice changes.

Well done. Thanks again. 

Sorry.. No clue... Cozumel is about the LAST place on earth I would want to use a ship's excursion... But look on here maybe a page or two.. I know someone posted about who they use.

Can't you use the OBC for the drink package or something else? Cozumel is one of the great diving spots in the Caribbean, and on most people's Top 10 in the world.

I really like JJ Divers down there.

Can't speak for a Discover Scuba (although I know they do them), but Jacob and Jacqueline are good people...

http://www.jjdivers.com/

Does anyone who who RCI uses for scuba diving in Bermuda? Thanks

Here's a "best guess"...

IF (big if) your RCCL ship docks at the Royal Naval Dockyard (where the bigger ships dock), then I am guessing they use Fantasea. That is who NCL and Celebrity (X is the sister line to RCCL) use. We used Fantasea 3 weeks ago and won't use them again. They were a reminder why we almost never use the cruise ship excursion for diving. We used them out of convenience for our very busy 3 days, and won't use them when we go back.

Fantasea is the "all things water" type operator.. meaning snorkeling, diving, sightseeing, everything. We had Discover Scuba, a certification class and recreational divers.... all on the same boat. With such a variance of dive levels on the same boat, let's just say the DMs were "direct" in their approach. Professional and courteous, but "direct". Think "nun with a ruler at a Catholic elementary school 30 years ago" direct... Weights, masks, and snorkels were setting in a pile on the boat with a "go find one that fits" approach. We motored over to their shop for those who needed fins/BCDs. On the plus side, they didn't limit the bottom times (specifically stating such), meaning me and my wife stayed under until we were low on air... but the newbies weren't happy with me and my wife as we are both air sippers. No refreshments on the boat other than water to drink.

My wife who is usually a "let's just go with the ship's excursion because it's easier" mentality (which is 100% different than my "we use independents, better value, better dive, and the operator keeps all the money" attitude) stated that we will never use them again.

Just my opinion, but I would try Blue Water Divers. Just another example of why it is nearly always better to use the independent operators when booking a dive (or nearly any other) excursion....

I don't want to jump too deep here... But every diver/snorkeler will tell you that nothing can make a dive/snorkel trip worse than a poorly fitting mask. Well, there are worse things.. but this one is preventable.

You can certainly go to WalMart/Target / Sports Authority, or whatever.

Or you can go to your LDS (local dive shop), find a mask that fits.... if they have silly prices (many local dive shops, at least here in Florida, have very good and reasonably priced masks), then find a mask that fits and then go to Amazon or http://www.leisurepro.com and find it for less money.

Scuba Mark... I am sorry you had a bad experience with Aldora. I was about to ask you who the DM was, then I noticed that your post was nearly 2 years old.

Excel: there's a risk when you "bring back from the dead" a 2 year old post. Dive operators, and their staff, change.

All I can offer was that an Aldora DM this year (May) had an Octo with a 7 foot hose in case someone ran low on air. For those who don't think Steel 100's and 120's are a big deal, please do the math (I hope) you learned in your OW course. A Steel 100 or 120 to 3500 or 3600 verses an AL80 at 2900 or 3000psi. All else being equal, I will dive the steel every time.

I cannot say all else is equal as I have not experienced EagleRay, but from the RECENT reviews, I think we will try them when we head down for a week later this year. Their reviews have been wonderful and we would have likely tried them in May had they returned my email in a timely manner. That said, for greater bottom times, try Aldora (or ask your dive operator if they have larger tanks. We are seeking greater bottom times, right?

I liked the UBP as it meant you could drink what you wanted whenever you wanted (within the boundaries of the package) with the following advantages:

 

1. Not having to trawl through pages of charges on the TV checking what we'd been charged for drinks.

2. Having lots of different wines by the glass rather than picking bottles on the first day and hoping for the best. We especially caned the Prosecco on the UBP and that wasn't even available on the usual advance wine offer.

3. Tried lots and lots of different cocktails all over the ship. Drinks we'd never have ordered if we were paying individually in case we didn't like them.

4. You know where you are £-wise up front - it's going to cost this amount definitely and no more.

 

Unless I give up drinking, from now on we will always do the ultimate beverage package.

Well said. We tried in on the Sky back in November, when it was $49/pp/day, and thought it was good (but not great) as it excluded a lot of drinks. We've been on two Princess sailings since ($49/pp/day and includes nearly everything) and thought it was a great deal for all the reasons you mentioned. We'll be on the Breakaway for our honeymoon and for $54 (pre purchase) it isn't even a second thought as to whether we're getting it.

Have a mimosa and bloody Mary for breakfast... you're on vacation..... Try all of the frilly fru-fru drinks you'd never get when you're with the lads because they'd pull your man-card... you're on vacation.... Try every darn martini and wine on the menu because you can.... As a bean-counter by trade who over-analyzes everything... not having to scour my bill for incorrect bar charges... PRICELESS...

We've done an UBP on two sailings and not managed to get tossed in jail, kicked off the boat, or been featured on a YouTube video about people behaving badly... I'm pretty sure we'll be able to make it three in a row...

Try, experiment, and have fun.... and not worry about a DUI....

Any chance you have a pic of a "fishbaby"?

I'll be on the Breakaway on Sunday, and would be happy to grab one if I knew what I was looking for.

Sure Griff, I can answer that for you... Fantasea is the diver operator in Bermuda for NCL, although I haven't heard anything about them.

Hopefully someone else will chime in on any other dive operators!

(sarcasm hat on.. I guess I need a cruise vacation)

I can't stand a person who can't hold their liquor :)

Me neither... Hopefully he had the beverage package and only wasted the martini, and not the $10...

Wait a minute... this is supposed to be a cranky thread...

What, the Epic is getting repossessed? Didn't NCL pay their loan payment on it? that's horrible....

Lighten up Francis (which movie was that from?).... someone other than Griff thought that for a quick second when they saw "Repo"....

That is a good question though.. I wonder if the crew has "short timers syndrome" before the change... or possibly worse the ship swaps a large amount of their crew for the new sailing. I have noticed lots of new crew members on a post-drydock sailing... wondering if it's the same pre repositioning...

absolutely, I enjoy being formal and would love to try a TA on Cunard. I will however be in maimi in aug so I was looking for a quick cruise and maybe try NCL again. I also have settled for a cruise on Celebrity later this year in addition to my dec trip on the liberty of the seas which may fit well with my need for slightly more formal but yet not to snobby.

Seems like a good call...

Celebrity and Princess seem to be the most "polished, yet still some fun" lines out there. Princess still has the formal nights on their 7 day sailings. Not sure about RCCL. I am pretty sure X still has formal nights (it's been a while)... HAL too, although they attract a slightly older demographic than NCL/RCCL/Princess. I think they are all good lines, but for different reasons...

I know this is a NCL sub-forum, and my first NCL sailing was on the Sky... Living in SoFL, everyone told me not to judge NCL by the Sky, but we had a really nice time (in November)... The Boss thinks enough of NCL that she booked the Breakaway, which in essence is going to be our "pre-honeymoon.."

Just realize that with different lines you're primarily getting a different demographic of passengers... and honestly not a lot of Cunard/Seabourn folks hang around the NCL/RCCL/Princess/X forums...

But a TA on Cunard is something to be cherished... it's not a party.. it's an event...