Cruzinnana47

4 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

If you are looking to have an "experience" in San Francisco (as opposed to just passing through) the Mark Hopkins is going to be vastly nicer than the other two.

 

I've always thought the cruise arranged hotels are on the expensive side too-- maybe a price compromise is just book the Mark Hopkins or Fairmont across the street (one of my personal faves) direct with the hotel for less and take an Uber from the airport?

Thanks...that is a consideration, also.  I did check price for direct booking with Mark Hopkins and it's about half the price Princess was charging (of course, transfers from airport to hotel and hotel to port were also included).  Will look into what an Uber or Lyft might cost.

We're booked on the Ruby May, 2022 for the Inside Passage, departing SFO.  Flying out from MA the day before. Trying to narrow down choices for transportation from airport and hotel near Fisherman's Wharf.  Between Hotel RIU Plaza and Holiday Inn Express in that area.  Also looked at Super Shuttle from airport.

Currently have transfers & hotel (Mark Hopkins) booked through Princess, but it's quite expensive.  Thought we could probably do a lot better on our own to save $$.

Suggestions?  TIA.

Also following...anxious to read your posts.  Cancelled our 11/30 cruise...moved up to 2022, but still very interested to see the ship sailing out of FLL tomorrow.

Enjoy the inaugural excitement!

Thanks for posting these photos of the Ruby sailing into SF, trbarton and 2 Cruises a year.   We have to wait another 6 mos. until we sail on her, but she's looking great.  Anxious to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge next May!

WOW...crazy weather here today in SE MA.  At one point this AM, 500,000+ power outages were reported.  After all the so-called hurricanes & tropical storms sailed by this way earlier in the season, we were hit last night & this morning with a good old-fashioned Nor'Easter, which has been the most powerful storm we've had here for a long time.

Thankfully we had a generator installed last Spring...kicked in at 5 am today.

So wish we were on a cruise right now....(sigh)

Have been watching...very exciting to see her finally arriving!

Looking forward to seeing the Enchanted finally on the Port Everglades Webcam.  Even though we cancelled our 11/30/21 cruise, we are booked on her for 2022.

11 minutes ago, Tak8 said:

That is a quick turnaround from the last update.  Wondering how many cancellations or threats to cancel Princess received.  

We cancelled our Nov. cruise sailing from FLL last week....the 3-day pre-testing requirement just was too much to have to deal with to find a location for testing in our area on Thanksgiving weekend.  Probably could have waited (our final payment wasn't until Sept.1st), but when they changed the date to Dec. 31st for pre-testing on all US voyages, that was the tipping point.  Wearing masks everywhere onboard and the high rate of covid cases, especially in FL, entered into our decision, also. 

So now we're waiting until 2022 to sail again.

Regarding the "update"....this says it all for me.

Saw on TV the flooding issues in Newark, NJ.  Not bad here so far....Boston TV station showed folks along the South coast & down Cape out at the beach enjoying the wind/surf.  Always a few diehards not concerned...

2 hours ago, Reader0108598 said:

Please let us know if u can I am in Ma son is in NJ on vacation! worried sick lol

Looking like the storm will turn to the west--so affecting NY/Conn./RI more, but still not taking any chances--we all ran around today securing lawn furniture, bringing in plants, etc.  Our hummingbirds are going to be unhappy, we will only have 1 feeder out during the storm--much closer to the ground.

It's a beautiful night here--almost full moon and hardly any wind....but expect things will be very different in the next 12 hours.  

Hopefully your son will do ok in NJ and stay safe.  Wishing the best.

Bracing for the arrival of now-Hurricane Henri tomorrow.  Looks like it's due to hit NY and a good chunk of Southern New England (we live south of Boston, and have daughter living in Wareham close to the water on south-facing coast, near Buzzards Bay/Cape Cod Canal.  Our other daughter & son live in Plymouth, also on the coast. Should be an interesting Sunday for us all.

Hope everyone in Henri's path stays safe!

Appreciate your posting this.  Was hoping the Oct. 31st date would hold re the pre-testing requirement, but was pretty certain this change would happen sooner rather than later.

So sorry you have gone through this awful and stressful experience.  The TA definitely needs to step up and do something above & beyond for you and your husband as a result of this mess.  

We prefer not to use a TA---had an experience years ago--booked a cruise and cruise agency was about to go belly up just before our final payment was due....fortunately we were able to contact cruiseline and send the payment sent directly to them.  I like to have control of our booking.  

Hopefully, you will find a good and reliable TA you can depend on in the future.

Hope they still offer "Princess Love Boat Dream" dessert for our next cruise!  

Agree with many of the dining choices mentioned above.

Have also enjoyed offerings in the International Cafe as a lighter lunch option than the buffet....shrimp & chicken salads were quite good...and the warm baked cookies and gelato...yummy....

Think you need to call Princess and demand to speak to a Supervisor.  Something is NOT right here.  If you paid in full and had EZ Flights booked and the cruise is still available (saw on Princess site that it is), there has to be an explanation.

Folks on our Nov. 30th cruise are cancelling because of this update, and we're seriously thinking of taking that route, as well---no fun to have to be masked virtually everywhere when we're fully vaccinated.  AND the final tipping point is having to obtain a negative covid test within 3 days of embarkation.  This really takes the fun out of getting back to cruising.

Our final payment coming up right around the corner--Sept. 1st.  Time for a decision we hoped we wouldn't have to consider.

Our July has been rather strange--usually it is the dryest and hottest month here in MA, but June was hotter & dryer this year.  Returned a few days ago from a trip to Maine--including 4 days on a 150-yr. old windjammer, the Stephen Taber, (out of Rockland, ME).  Although our cabin was pretty small, the fantastic meals prepared by the Chef was a highlight, with wine & cheese every night chosen by the Capt. and his wife--we even had a lobster bake on a beach and the Capt. personally prepared "special" S'mores for dessert.  Certainly different from an ocean cruise--but definitely a fantastic alternative.  

Now in just about 4 more months  we will (hopefully) be boarding the new Enchanted Princess.

52 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Thanks.  Apple or Android?

Android - Samsung 8.1

20 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Yes, good point.  I know it was down due to recent MC App version update, but has anyone been able to view existing res or check to make a new one in the past couple of days?  Trying to figure out if DMW is 100% off-line or working for some voyages.

I was able to access our existing dinner ressies  (cruises in Nov. & May) yesterday on the DMW  ---but just a day or 2 before, I couldn't....seems you never know any given day whether it'll work or not.

5 hours ago, Reader0108598 said:

Also in Mass but in a part Boston Politicians do not know! Just waving Hello 🙂 I worked for the state, campus police officer 24 years had more than one tell me we were in the boondocks no wonder we get nothing here! lol Have a great time on your trip!  Masshole lol

 

 

lol...thanks! 👍

Our weather has not been traditional July weather--cooler and definitely wetter than usual.  The Boston TV weathercasters have said we are at the 3rd highest amount of rainfall in July ever recorded, and the month is not even 1/2 over yet!  It's crazy on the East Coast with all the rain and flooding, when the poor folks out West have endured such awful heat with droughts and fires in many spots.

Sure hoping the weather improves as we're taking a mini-cruise, of sorts, the end of this week on a schooner out of Maine.  We'll be sailing out of Rockland, ME and roughing it in a tiny cabin, but looking forward to being out on the water for 4 days.  The ship only holds about 22 people and very casual -- NO dress code, which makes DH very happy.    Meals included, with wine & cheese in the evening.  Looking forward to it.

From what I understand, you can still print the luggage tags from the Personalizer.  Hope it doesn't change...but who knows, at this point.

Nadia,

Glad it worked out for you in the end, even though you had to make an extra call.  At least the 2nd phone rep was on the ball & was able to resolve the issue.

You must feel much relieved now.  Enjoy your cruise!

53 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

Since this is your first time through the Panama Canal, I recommend Panama Canal & Locks Transit By Boat (NC2-615). This tour takes you through the old locks to the Pacific Ocean, so you will have done a full transit (even though the ship has only done a partial transit).

 

Also, the small boat will go to the Pacific through the historic old locks. These are the original locks that have a lot of history behind them - much more than the new locks. By taking this excursion, you will get the full Canal experience - all the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific and both the new locks and the old ones.

 

For information about building the old locks, I definitely recommend you read The Path Between The Seas by David McCullough. It is the definitive book about the Panama Canal.

 

We took this excursion in 2018 on the 10-day Partial Transit of the Caribbean Princess.  It was a long day, but so worth it.  Although we'd experienced a full transit several years before on the Coral, it was interesting to pass through the old locks on a much small excursion vessel, and we were able to touch the sides of the canal.