Pam in CA

Be aware of a new Princess policy with regards to the Elite 10% discount in the shops. It’s now applicable ONLY to full-priced items. Nothing already discounted or at a promotional price. There was no notification. Policy went into effect yesterday. Just got a call from the shop Manager when I wasn’t given the discount on an item. I’d bought two rings for $39 and have always gotten a 10% discount on these sales. Even just a few days ago on the same ship. No more 10% on T-shirt sales, casual rings, anything on sale or at discount, etc. 

What hasn’t changed is that it’s still frozen lobster tails. Nothing like fresh cold water lobster. Maybe I’m a lobster snob but I never order lobster on a ship. 

9 hours ago, caribill said:

Past posts have indicated the app did not have the capability of purchasing Internet and it had to be done pre-cruise via phone.

 

Your experience indicates they are trying to add it to the app and I guess it does not work yet, at least for some users.

Had no problem purchasing the 4-device WiFi package for my two B2B cruises next month. Bought the first one a month ago; the second a week ago. 

The tables in the Crown Grill aren’t that big and there isn’t much space to “push tables together.” Plus, if you push tables together, most of you won’t be able to talk to the others. 
 

I was on the Royal a few years ago and was part of a group that arranged to have a section of the Crown Grill with the tables in one long line. It was nice but the people at each end got left out of conversations as they could really only chat with the people next to them. 

I think it’s only available on the Majestic. Haven’t seen anyone post that they received it on a different ship. We didn’t on the Grand last month. 

I now just use an Apple AirTag holder. Works great and you can get a wide variety on Amazon. 
 

The length of the cruise is affected if it’s also sold as more than one cruise. 
 

For instance, you can book a 14-day cruise as one cruise but it could also be sold as two 7-day cruises. Doesn’t matter how you book it. You’d get a new set-up on every embarkation day or segment. 

With the new variant and Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival implementing mask and social distancing policies (they’ve each recently experienced dozens of positive Covid cases onboard), I think chances are slim that Princess will increase capacity at least through February. The cruise lines will be proactive to prevent any possibility of a CDC shutdown. 

We were on the Grand for fifteen days (B2B) last month and I’d made reservations for the two of us at our own table, non-sharing. There was distance between us and the nearby tables. I’ve done the same for our B2B on the Majestic in February. 
 

Since we wore masks into and out of the dining room and we were at least 10’ or more from the nearest table, I’d say we were socially distanced. 

There’s the published Princess guide on the number of formal nights… and then there’s Captain’s “discretion.”

Doesn't happen often but sometimes, the Captain will either add or cancel a formal night. I’ve seen both.

It doesn’t mean Princess has changed their guidelines. 

Took advantage of this special today and booked a B2B on the Majestic in February. So rare to see no single supplement. Last time I saw that was in October 2001, right after 9/11. 

On 11/21/2021 at 6:54 PM, AVCruzers said:

So nice to know that Pam is cruising again.  I always respected both her and Trak's remarks on CC.  I never met Pam but I did have breakfast one morning several years ago with her sister.  While eating breakfast, there was a discussion about insurance.  I started to discuss comments made by Pam on CC relating to her sister's involvement with insurance only to realize sister was right there.  

I’ve been cruising all along. 🙂 Just posting mostly on roll calls and on other groups/sites. Sadly, my sister, Nancy, passed away not quite three years ago. 
 

Yes, I’m on the “Love Boat” cruise in February with my daughter. 

I disembarked the Grand Princess this morning after a 15-day B2B and as we disembarked, we were directed to go down the escalator, collect our luggage and once past the luggage rooms, there were several Immigration officers with small screens with a mirror-like oval. You positioned yourself so the oval covered your face and presto! You were through Immigration. No passport, no other documents needed.
 

My daughter’s passport hadn’t arrived in time for embarkation on November 5th so she used her birth certificate and driver’s license. She didn’t have to show any documents… the facial recognition worked for her, too. 
 

I understand this wasn’t in place a week ago so it’s very new. Don’t know if we were the first. It was fast, efficient and very appreciated. We were at the curb less than fifteen minutes of being allowed to disembark, and that included getting our luggage. 

A friend let me know about your post. Wasn’t me. Not sure what to tell you other than to say ignore any email that says it’s from me. Not that I don’t love you all but I’m not sending group emails. 
 

Currently on the Grand in SF. Only 330 total passengers onboard. Having a great time. Staying on for the next cruise. FYI, booked an oceanview and once onboard, was upgraded to a mini-suite. Yay! 

On 7/27/2021 at 5:53 PM, guycruiser said:

Does anyone know if you can email the princess maitre d's like you can Carnival's? If so does anyone have the list?

 

Thanks GR

Yes, you can but that doesn’t accomplish anything. Princess is now 100% reservation via the MedallionClass app so there’s no pre-requested or pre-assigned table seating other than what you reserve in the app. 

On 7/22/2021 at 12:00 PM, ILOVESHIPS said:

Matt O…Where is  he  going.

He arrived home yesterday. No word on future plans. 

23 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

If everyone is waiting for Pam (you know the one) in CA, you might try using @ before her CC handle, so she'll be notified that you're waiting for her to respond.

Actually, a friend emailed me and alerted me to the post. Looking forward to meeting you in 2023. 🙂 

Thanks for thinking of me. I’m not really “dark” but once CC dropped Tapatalk, I found it a PITA to post on CC. And yes, I am active on several roll calls. 
 

Here are my notes from our experience. I’ll probably set it up again for my sister, who passed away a couple of years ago. 
 

Ashes at Sea

Updated: You now send your request with your name, ship name, sailing date, and booking number to ashesrequest@princesscruises.com

“The purpose of this is to provide information for those who might be considering this. It's illegal to do this on your own without permission or within 12 miles of the U.S. so please keep this in mind if you respond.

This is a quote from the response I got from Princess:

"Thank you for your request to spread ashes while at sea during your cruise onboard the Sapphire Princess, cruise #XXXX, commencing January 5, 20XX.

"We would like to inform you of the following:

* Ashes must be contained in a biodegradable urn

* Ashes/Flowers may only be spread in International waters

* In accordance with environmental laws, only ashes, biodegradeable urns and biodegradeable flowers are permitted to be spread overboard. Cards, paper, metals, plastics and other non-biodegradeable items are not permitted.

* Our ships do not employ a Chaplain

"The ship will be notified of your request and you shall be contacted while onboard. You will be informed of an appropriate time to carry out the spreading of the ashes. A member of the ship's company will escort you to a suitable private location and stay with you during this time."

Once onboard, I went down to the Passenger Services Desk with a copy of the above letter. Naturally, no one at Princess had notified the ship, but not to worry. I received a call from Trent, from Customer Service, the next morning and he told me he would check with the navigator to find out what days and times would be possible. He called me back the next morning to say that any time our third sea day on our way to Acapulco would be fine. After conferring with my sister, we set a time of 11am.

We all arrived at the Passenger Services Desk at about 10:45am and were met by Manuel, who was going to help us. He had arranged for a gorgeous flower arrangement (at no cost) for us to toss with the ashes and led us up to deck 7 aft. He had two crew members stationed on both sides of the ship who closed off the back of Promenade deck after we passed by. We went to the very back of the ship and had a few quiet moments while my nephew opened the box and then sent Jim's ashes out to sea. I followed with the wreath. We stayed there for about 10 minutes, each wrapped in our own thoughts and memories. It was very short and simple.

Princess couldn't have been more supportive or sympathetic. They were respectful, and it was just the way my brother-in-law would have wanted it, and my sister was comfortable with. 

The above is not for everyone, obviously, but in case this is yours or your loved one's wishes, I wanted to share. “

11 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

Pam We looked at a BE cat balcony ;but ,wow the prices per day are really high.

Not sure what to tell you. I’d booked an inside guarantee on the Sun with the Plus package and have now booked an inside guarantee on the Crown without the package and the price difference is huge (less.) Massive. Like the Crown is half the cost of the Sun would have been. I don’t spend time in my cabin so a balcony isn’t a “must.” I’ve never done a guarantee before so we’ll see what happens. 

I’m re-booked from the Sun Princess to the Crown Princess 7/3/21. The difference between the “Savers” and “Plus” is huge so the Plus isn’t worth it to me since I rarely drink and get the free WiFi anyway. Got specialty dining plus extra OBC. 

On 10/2/2020 at 11:46 PM, caribill said:

 

Never.

 

When it was passed, cruising as we know it did not exist.

 

It also applies to ferries and cruising on the Mississippi River which are the types of commerce it was aimed at.

I agree. The law was passed to protect US shipping, which still very much exists. Cruising is relatively small compared to international shipping. 
 

Several years ago, Senator Inouye of Hawaii, whose wife happened to be a godmother for an NCL ship, tried to amend the PVSA that would require all foreign-flagged ships to spend 50% of all port time in foreign ports and some other changes. Of course, that would have allowed NCL, which at the time had three US-flagged ships sailing in Hawaii, to be the only ships that could sail to/from Hawaii and Alaska. Then, some senators, such as Ted Kennedy, realized that would also kill the cruise and shipping industry from New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and Seattle as well as most of the Alaskan cruise market. It would also kill hundreds of thousands of jobs in the shipping and cruise industry. Needless to say, it didn’t pass. 
 

2 hours ago, 1emerald1 said:

Not at all, the ships dock perpendicular to the same lot.  And if you are leaving from pier 93, you will have dibs on closer parking.

True but if you need handicapped parking and park closest to 93, it’ll be a hike from pier 92. Yes, same parking lot but equidistant only if you park in the middle or back of the parking lot. 

Confirmed by Princess to TAs that it’s the Crow. 

Received notification this morning from my TA that it’s the Crown. She sent me the itineraries and pricing.