chepar

Just now, cr8tiv1 said:

@chepar I believe covid tests are no longer required.  

Ah, good to know.  Hoping that's the case but if they somehow reinstate the requirement at least I'll know what to do.  🙂

On 5/15/2024 at 10:10 AM, cr8tiv1 said:

Check out my old thread.  It might give you some good information (at least I thought so).

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2914719-konnichiwa-japan-is-welcoming-home-the-diamond-princess/

 

Thanks for the link to your old thread - it was very helpful.  I'm always the trip planner in the family but this time around (at least initially) I'm taking a back seat as I'm going along as support.  I'm still waiting to see the information being sent by the travel agent my mother is working with.  

I know further along the info in your thread will be really helpful, such as helping them set up their e-docs, the Covid test, etc.

11 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

@chepar

You didn’t say if all three of you were sharing one cabin, there might be some difficulty to that as far as the packages go, but somebody can chime  in about that. I’m not sure if the first two people in the cabin need to purchase the package but if you are in a cabin solo, then I think you can do your own package, but I’m not sure that.

Happy cruising.

My sister is coming along and sharing a cabin with me because my parents knew I would refuse to third wheel in a cabin with them and probably would not want to pay "double" to have a cabin alone.

Prior to this my daughter was my cruise cabin partner but now that she's married I have to rethink future cruising plans.  Solo cabins from what I've seen are often more expensive than just getting a regular cabin and paying both fares.  I really enjoy cruising but given the costs of cruising solo I have to weigh it out against regular land based travel.

Interestingly, I was considering taking my daughter and her husband on a regular land based Japan trip next summer before my parents asked me to join them on this cruise.  I guess I'll use this trip as an intro to Japan for a future trip with them.

24 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

@trintrav I’m enjoying your Live.

 

As far as packages for @chepar they said they were not interested in the cruise packages that include Wi-Fi,tips, speciality meals,etc.
So I was providing information about beverage packages and the confusion some may have because the names are so similar.

Maybe @chepar wants no package and pay as they go for their Scotch? I think they are investigating & gathering information & options at this point.

 

I'm greatly enjoying the live report also.  It's fun and a great way to get the anticipation going for this trip, especially since I had no idea I would be going on it until just a few days ago lol.

I did some poking around on the Princess website yesterday re the beverage only packages vs the cruise packages and apparently the cruise packages with all the extras bundled into it are less expensive than the beverage only packages.  Or at least what I can tell.  Which is . . . weird, imo but I'm not going to complain about extras thrown in at a lesser price.  😄

So it looks like I'm going to get a cruise package if that turns out to be the case.

5 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

Here is what I found Scotch wise on Princess, some of the menus may have increased the price ,this is approximate at this point. 

Thanks so much for this! 

I did some googling and was able to find a 2024 whiskey list that I assume is representative of a selection that may be found on any of their ships.  Unfortunately, there were no selections from Islay, which is my preference.  But I do like a good bourbon and I was able to find several under the $15 cap that I would be happy with.

Now I'm just trying to figure out if there is a Plus beverage only package or does the Plus package have to come with the added Wi-Fi, 2 casual dining meals, 2 desserts, etc.  The bundled together package is very different than what I'm used to from Celebrity (although it's been a while so maybe they're bundling packages together too now).

I am still very early in research mode - I was just asked by my parents to accompany them a couple days ago on this trip because they are too old to travel alone and requested the added assistance.

On 5/10/2024 at 5:32 PM, trintrav said:

The drink selections above 15.00 were few, but interesting.  That said, Princess has the largest drink menu of any ship we’ve been on in the past.  Plenty of selections under 15 for the Plus package. 

 

The wines however were a problem.  I always tried to order wines from the Premium list only to be told they were not in stock  This happened just about every night.  A bit disappointed in that.

I am looking to sail on the Diamond Princess next March and it will be my first time on Princess.  Most of my previous cruises have been with Celebrity with a few earlier ones on Holland America and Royal Caribbean.  The last cruise I was on was pre-Covid (2018) and the one I had scheduled for fall 2019 was canceled.

I always get the highest level drink package offered because I like single malt scotch and the lower tier drink package price limit wouldn't cover it.  I have been searching this forum to see if anyone had posted a drink list anywhere but haven't been able to find one yet.

I'm really only considering a drinks only package (not adding Wi-Fi and other benefits).  Are the drinks selections above the $15 that you've seen of the mixed drink type?  I'm not a mixed drinks person.  Just trying to figure out which package would cover my single malt scotch.

5 hours ago, ExploringTheGlobe said:

I was on the Royal in April.  The bartenders told me they changed the policy for drinks over the $12 so you can now just pay the difference.  Say a drink was $15 it would cost one of your 15 daily drinks + $3.  I did not test it out nor do I know if other ships are following suit. 

This is good to hear and hope this is true.  This would match Celebrity's policy, which I am used to.  Maybe by the time I take my first Princess cruise next fall most/all the ships will be following this policy.

Also, I'll be on the Caribbean Princess.  I read on another thread that the Wheelhouse Bar is where I can go to find the single malt whiskies.  Is that the best place to go? 

9 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Have you tried all the single malts on that list? If not, why not give them a try. A few years ago we did a trip on the Royal Scotsman train, which had 50 single malts onboard, many of which we'd never heard of. Sadly we were only doing a four night trip! Each night we asked the barman to recommend new ones to try, based on our preferences. It was great fun.

The premium package has a $12 limit, if I'm correct.  Looking at the list, everything that falls within that limit I've tried (even the blends) except for the Muirhead.  I have also tried some of the ones that don't fall within the $12 limit.  I'm willing to try the Muirhead but it's a Highland whisky and I drink almost exclusively Islay whiskies because I like the peat.  I occasionally may drink Talisker or Jura.  Whiskies from other regions (Highland, Speyside, Lowland, etc.) don't really appeal because to my palate they're too "light" and not peaty enough.

About 4 years ago I did a 6 day trip to Islay that was part of a longer trip around Scotland and visited most of the distilleries there and brought home a number of bottles that you can only buy at the distillery.  Returning back to Scotland this fall and taking a few days on the Isle of Skye.  Might have to see if I have time to visit the Talisker distillery if I'm around that way.

5 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

My wife can't stand the smell of the stuff and another passenger who likes Scotch said it smelled waaaaaaaaaaaaay too peaty for his taste. It's not for everyone. Not as "hefty" as Laphroaig though. 🥃

Yes, the Talisker looks like it might be the peatiest of the bunch on the list.  The peatier the better for me - all around my favorite distillery is Ardbeg.  

The Laphroaig 10 yr is not my favorite.  But I can drink it just fine and I know they carry it on the Celebrity ships.  However, if you're lucky the ship will have the Lagavulin 16 yr - and it will go fast, so I'll drink that at the start of the cruise and once it's gone switch to the Laphroaig.

I do have a bottle of Talisker Storm at home, though - haven't cracked it open yet because I have so many other bottles of Islay whisky open that are much peatier.

6 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

It's available here: https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/Whiskey-Menu.pdf

 

Thanks!

Just looked at the list . . . hmm, it's ok, I guess.  Not a single Islay, though - not even the Laphroaig 10 yr. - which for a bottle isn't that pricey.  I'm surprised that they didn't even have a middle of the road Macallan on the list.

Looks like I'll be drinking bourbon on this cruise - although the pricing on the Four Roses (and I doubt it's even the Single Barrel) is rather overpriced. If I go the whisky route, it will probably be the Talisker.

2 hours ago, Pohra said:

That may have been it - I looking at whiskey menu on the Princess site. 

Can I ask exactly where did you find that menu on the Princess site?  I've been searching but I can't find it.

Just booked a cruise for next fall.  It's my first cruise on Princess, I normally sail Celebrity, but Celebrity doesn't do one way NE/Canadian cruises, only RT.

We always get the premium beverage package, whether it's a promo or not.  Luckily we were able to book on the Sip & Sale promo. 

On Celebrity I already know which bars will serve my Lagavulin and once it's all gone the Laphroaig.  Yes, Islay whisky preferred.  It will be good to be able to peruse the menu and if possible see what falls within the price limits.

We are on the July 7 sailing on the Silhouette. It appears we are docking at the Oceankaj quay, which is not as convenient to the city center as the Langelinie quay.

Will you be providing a shuttle from the ship into the city center and if so, where in the city center will the drop off/pick up location be? We are trying to determine if it is easier to use the ship's shuttle or trying to navigate public transportation.

Thanks for the information! I definitely think I'll look for something within walking distance.

So I'm assuming from the comments that the cruise terminal is only a short walking distance from some hotels that you can LITERALLY walk with your luggage to the terminal?

Some of the cruise terminals I've departed from have had some kind of "security" gate that is designed to let only vehicles through and/or are set in an industrial type setting where there is not really any convenient (or safe) pedestrian access.

A hotel that is only a block and a half walk from the terminal sounds fabulous if I can truly walk there, but if it requires getting a cab to get to the ship anyway (no matter how close it is), then proximity is not too much of a factor in my selecting a hotel (in the sense of 1.5 blocks away vs. something like 1 mile away, for example).

It would seem "fair" to give them the premium non-alcohol package, as it costs less than the package included in the promotion, but I'm not sure that fairness or logic would enter into this.

I had the same thinking as you when viewing the comparative costs, but unfortunately, that logic did not work in my instance.

We booked our upcoming cruise under the 123 Go promo and took the free beverage package option. My 18 yo daughter received the classic N/A package and I paid to upgrade her to the premium N/A package.

Celebrity has some good single malts but they are over the price of either package. There may be one of the cheaper single malts on the premium package, but no islays.

On the Solstice last summer my drink of choice was Laphroaig 10 yr (it was covered under the premium package), but that was the only Islay single malt available (and only at certain bars too). Would have loved it if they had Lagavulin available, even with an upcharge above the premium package.

Sailing the Equinox in January - would be quite disappointed if there weren't any Islays available on the ship.

Hi Chepar,

 

Unless something has recently changed, Celebrity does not offer this option for your DD. You would think they should, and save $$$ in the process, but I'm fairly certain it's a not an option.

 

My best advice, is to contact your TA, or Celebrity if you've booked direct. Hope this helps !

Thanks for your reply, Andy. I have not yet booked the cruise - I am waiting for my DD to return home from college next week so I can confirm that her schedule still works with the cruise I'm looking at. I anticipate booking within the next couple weeks, though.

That's a bummer if they won't do it - it seems like a pretty reasonable request if the other passenger is not yet 21. I will be sure to ask to make sure, though.

I've been crunching some numbers as to what the best option to pick is for the 1-2-3 promo (value wise).

If I understand the promotion correctly, if I can only choose one - by far the Classic drinks package at $44 + tax per day, per person is the best option as far as value. This is in comparison to the daily tip of up to $15 per person, per day or OBC up to $300 for the stateroom.

However, I will be sailing with my 19 yr old daughter. Will Celebrity be willing to substitute one of the Classic drink packages for a Premium N/A package? The Premium N/A package is $20.70 + tip per day, per person - so a savings for Celebrity and still the best option value wise over the other two perk options.

I'd end up upgrading myself to the Premium beverage package, but obviously my DD could not be issued an alcoholic package because she's underage.

Chepar, last year we took the cruise you are considering. From Colon, it's a nice bus ride to Panama City, and a wonderful ferry ride through the locks. DH did get bored sitting at the locks waiting for enough water traffic to gather. But going through the locks, viewing the expansion of the locks, plus the bridges and building on shore was well worth it. We felt it was worth the money spent using a Celebrity excursion choice.

Thanks for the info, it's good to know that you felt the excursion was worth the money. I tend to favor exploring ports on my own or doing a privately arranged tour, but I had read that the ship excursion to see the locks is very popular and sells out quickly. I had also read it is difficult to do a canal excursion without going on one offered through the ship, though I am not sure if this is accurate or not.

I've been wondering too - I was looking for a westbound one but all of the Celebrity Panama sailings are later in the year.

As a second place choice I'm considering one of the Caribbean cruises that stops in Colon, Panama and doing a shore excursion to see the canal. Definitely not the same, but since I am locked into a certain period of time in January and if I want to sail Celebrity, that's the best I can do.

This past June I flew out of YVR (on United) with a 45 minute connection window in SFO, final destination HNL (on United). I usually never schedule such a tight connection but for this occasion I had particular reasons. Originally my connection time was 36 minutes but I gained some time due to a flight schedule adjustment.

I knew there were other flights later in the day that I could try to get on if I missed my connection, but I was still sweating bullets about it.

The OP will have winter weather considerations and in my instance, I was worrying about possible fog delays.

Ultimately I made my connection very easily, with time to spare. It helped that we weren't seated at the back of the plane and my boarding gate was pretty close, maybe 10-15 gates away.

However, I don't think I will ever schedule so tight a connection again if I can help it because the tension and worrying about it was not fun.

If you plan to see just the chateau, it can probably be done in a half day. If you want to look at the gardens, Petit Trianon, Grand Trianon, etc., plan on a full day.

You can take the RER C from Paris to the Versailles Rive Gauche station, which is a short (10 minute) walk away.