kac0426

Contact whoever booked your cruise and ask for Royal's Guest Copy of your booking confirmation. This will show you one way or another if you have the OBC. You may be pleasantly surprised.

I will do that. I booked the cruise myself and I received a confirmation email but it showed nothing about payment, OBC, etc. When I log into my online account I can see the deposit I paid and how much I owe, but no OBC shows. So I'm not holding out much hope, but we'll see. :) Thanks for all the replies.

Backwards yes but normal for RCI, whats weird/annoying is that it defaults to the C&A benefit which is worth less than the regular benefit and if you dont catch it your out of luck.

So since I didn't catch that it had disappeared before I booked, I'm probably out of luck now?

I recently went on my first Princess cruise, and I was surprised to find that the drink of the day is not discounted in any way - it's the exact same price as any other day. On other cruise lines, the drink of the day is usually a couple of dollars cheaper than normal. What's the point of having a drink of the day if it's not discounted? Just to highlight a particular drink?

Did you book using the C&A Balcony discount ?

 

I recently booked a cruise and was logged in so my C&A # was "live". At the time of the booking it was showing BOTH the C&A Balcony Discount and the OBC Promo of the day as being valid ... which was why i booked it because it was a great deal :)

 

When the confirmation came back though the OBC (which was the bigger dollar amount) was deleted and only the Balcony discount was applied. Had to call in to RCI to get them switched to be the other way around, they wouldnt honor that their website had offered to apply both but eventually agreed to remove the balcony and grant the OBC instead.

 

Doesnt really matter as i will be cancelling the reservation shortly anyway but it was annoying.

I'm not 100% sure, but it's possible that when I saw the $100 OBC I was not logged in to my C&A account, and then when I booked the cruise I was logged in. I did receive a small discount for being a C&A member, but not $100 worth which was what the OBC was for. Is it weird that the C&A discount would be less than OBC for a non-member? Seems backwards...

I recently booked a 5-day cruise. As I was booking, but before I got to the payment page, it said I would receive $100 on board credit. I finished booking, and about 2 weeks later I checked my Royal Caribbean account, but there was no mention of the $100 OBC. I then tried a new mock booking to see if it would show the $100 OBC, but it didn't. I know I didn't dream it; it was there as I was booking! Has this happened to anyone else? Is there anything I can do at this point to get what I know I saw? Hard to prove, I know...

Approximately 2 weeks before my cruise, I cancelled the Princess transfers I had previously purchased, figuring we would just take a taxi instead. These transfers had already been paid; I paid for them when I paid the final cruise balance. When I cancelled them, my online Princess account showed a credit of $38 so I thought all was fine. I assumed the credit would show up on the ship as on board credit or be refunded to my credit card, either of which was fine. Obviously I should not have assumed, because neither happened. I wasn't too worried about it, because I figured I could just log in to my Princess account and get the evidence that we had cancelled the transfers and should be credited the $38. But when I logged into my account after the cruise, everything was gone. It was like my account had been completely wiped. I guess that's normal? Since the cruise was over? But I didn't think about all of that information disappearing and so I didn't print any of that information off prior to the cruise. Lesson learned. I know it's only $38, but is there any way I can prove that we cancelled these transfers at this point? It doesn't seem to be a good system if you cancel something, are never reimbursed, and then have no way of proving it (unless you printed your account information prior to the cruise). Just curious if this has happened to anyone else and how they handled it.

Long recent thread on this.....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2283465&highlight=top+sheet

Thanks, I missed this thread somehow. It was new to me, but ended up not being a problem at all. I just wanted to know for future reference if I travel with someone who is hot natured and would not like the duvet being the only option. Thanks again!

We are doing a partial transit. Ports are Cartegena, Columbia -- Colon, Panama -- Puerto Limon, Costa Rica -- Roatan, Honduras -- Belize City -- and Costa Maya.

Not planning to be vaccinated prior to travel. Sister-in-law said today that one 'should have' Yellow Fever and maybe Hepatitis vaccines.

We probably won't spend any time 'deep in the jungles' anywhere.

Wondering if most people get vaccinated? BTW, we have no chronic diseases and don't even take yearly flu shots.

I just returned from a 10-day partial transit cruise that went to Aruba, Cartagena, Panama, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. I did not see ONE mosquito on the entire trip, which amazed me. I am a mosquito magnet. If there is one within a 10-mile radius it will find me and bite me. I was so grateful to not have trouble on this trip.

On the other hand, last February, I was in Belize and the mosquitos were swarming. I had on bug spray but still got bitten numerous times, mainly under my clothes where I hadn't sprayed bug spray. They got into my shirt somehow.

I realize vaccinations are more than just about mosquito-prone areas, but wanted to provide this information in case it's helpful.

I was surprised on my recent Island Princess cruise that the beds had no cover sheet or blanket, just a comforter. At first I was nervous, because on embarkation day the room was very warm and I thought there was no way I would sleep well on a 10-day cruise with only a comforter to cover up with. (I'm a person who has to sleep under SOMETHING, but if it's warm, that will just be a sheet.) To only have the option to sleep under a comforter was something I've never seen on a cruise ship before, or in any hotel. Thankfully, once the ship started sailing the room cooled down considerably and I slept just fine under the comforter. But if I had been traveling with my boyfriend who is very hot natured, he would not have survived. Is this normal with Princess, or is this just an Island Princess thing? Or a fluke for our room only? I can imagine how much laundry this would save, but to not offer you any blankets other than a comforter was odd to me.

Hi Everyone

Thinking of taking the Island Princess thru the Panama Canal. Please let me know what you thought about the ship, food, entertainment and staff.

Thanx Bryna:)

Hi Bryna, I took the 10-day partial transit on Island Princess Nov. 25-Dec. 5. LOVED it. I thought the itinerary, ship, crew, entertainment, and food were all fantastic. This was my first Princess cruise (having cruised on HAL, NCL, and RCCL before) and Princess is now my favorite cruise line. I would definitely recommend this cruise if you have the opportunity.

Can anyone comment on if it is better to take a Gatun Lake area tour or stay on the ship for the round trip transit

I definitely think it's better to take a tour. If you stay on the ship, you will just retrace the route you took that morning and will basically see the same thing again. But there are some amazing tours to choose from and Panama is so interesting! We did the Panama City walking tour where we got to see all 3 Panama Cities - the modern Panama City, Panama Viejo (which is now in ruins), and Casco Antiguo, which looks a little like the New Orleans French Quarter. I talked to some who did the ferry boat tour and the train ride tour and both loved it. So, definitely take a tour. :)

I was on that cruise as well, and really enjoyed it. This was our second Princess cruise. Our first was 8 years ago to Alaska.

One thing that amazed me then, at the breakfast buffet, was over-easy eggs. On the buffet. And each one I had (nearly every morning) was perfect. The same held true on this cruise. AMAZING. HOW do they manage that?

Yeah, sure, on other cruise lines you can wait in the omelet line and they'll cook them for you, but "ain't nobody got time for dat!":cool:

 

My only complaint about any of our shore excursions (aside from wishing for more time ashore) was that our walking stroll of the Old City in Cartagena was sorely lacking in substance. Our tour guide was more interested in giving us opportunities to spend money at every street vendor than in giving us information about what we were looking at. "There's the church...and here's Jose, my friend who sells beer from a cart." (He had a LOT of friends)

"Shopping" was not listed in the description of our tour, or perhaps it wouldn't have irked me quite so much.

Our tour guide in Cartagena was disappointing as well. I'm sure he knew what he was talking about, but his accent was so heavy that I had no idea what he was saying. I am pretty good about understanding other accents, but his was beyond the norm. Some of our table mates said the same thing about their tour guide (they couldn't understand him). I wonder if they have trouble getting good tour guides in Cartagena and if so, why?

I am glad you had a great cruise. Thanks for the review! :)

 

What time were the shows onboard?

I believe most shows were offered at 6:00 and 8:30 or 8:00 and 9:45. It varied.

I was also on this cruise, and I had a lovely time. I'm already missing the endless pampering and food. This was my first time on Princess, and the itinerary was wonderful. The Panama Canal was one of the neatest things I have ever seen.

 

The activites, crew, and food were great; especially the crew. I had the best bartender and waitress on this cruise that I've ever had.

 

I tried one production show in the theater, and in my opinion it was lacking. I spent all my nights in the Crooners Bar listening to the piano bar entertainer (Jim Long). He's very talented. And, I have ended up on three cruises with him.

 

 

I'm glad you had a great time.

Which production show did you see? I thought On the Bayou was terrific, but I felt like Motor City needed more rehearsing. There were several times the singers/dancers didn't seem to know where to be or what to do. And one singer forgot the words to a song.

I'm glad you had a good time as well. I thought it was a terrific cruise.

Cruise Critic was a tremendous help in planning my 10-day Panama Canal (partial transit) cruise on Island Princess, so I hope to provide a brief review to help others considering this ship, line, or itinerary.

I've cruised 8 times previously: 1 NCL, 1 HAL, and 6 Royal Caribbean. I chose Princess because of the itinerary. Not many lines offer partial transits, so I'm glad Princess does.

We splurged, for the first time, for a balcony cabin (Aloha Deck, forward) and it's true what they say: Once you have a balcony it's impossible to go back to an inside or ocean view room. Our cabin was the most spacious of any I've ever had, and our steward was wonderful. We were located directly under Horizon Court. I was a little worried about noise but never heard any. And being so close to the buffet was very convenient for drinks and snacks.

The crew on Island Princess were some of the best I've experienced. So organized, so well trained, and so nice. The shows were good, though a few of the production (singing and dancing) shows needed a bit more rehearsing I think. The comedians were great, and ventriloquist Patrick Murray (with Matilda) was the highlight in my opinion.

The destination expert, Chris Roberts, was good. LOVED the cruise director's talk on cruise ships, past and present. The enrichment lecturer, George Williams, was the only disappointment in this category. I'm sure he is knowledgeable in his field, but dear lord he was boring. Not sure where they found him.

We had perfect weather which was amazing considering we were there in the rainy season. We didn't get rained on a single time in port which really was a miracle. The weather definitely contributed to a fantastic vacation. But it's true what they say: It is HOT. I somewhat dismissed things I read about it being hot and humid because I live in a pretty hot/humid area (in the summer anyway.) But man, it really was hot. Be prepared to sweat. :)

I found the food in the Horizon Court to be good overall and the food in the dining room to be excellent. It was rare that I got something that wasn't to my liking. Service in the dining room was excellent as well, and I love that they get your drink for you in the buffet. (Other cruise lines I've experienced don't do that.)

We booked Princess excursions in every port and overall were pleased with our tours and tour guides. Our tour guide in Cartagena had a very heavy accent and it was difficult to understand him, and our tour in Jamaica didn't go to all the places listed. But other than that, we were happy with our choices.

I read a lot of negative reviews of the Island Princess before my trip, and I was worried about it feeling crowded due to the extra cabins they added in the recent dry dock. I need not have worried. Granted, I'd never sailed on Island Princess before (or on any Princess ship for that matter), so I didn't have anything to compare it to. If you cruised on Island Princess before the renovation, you may be disappointed. But it never felt overly crowded to me. I had traditional dining so I can't comment on anytime dining. The ONE exception to the "no crowds" summary was the theater. You need to get to shows 20-30 minutes early to get a good seat, especially if you have 4 or more in your party.

Overall, a terrific ship and terrific itinerary.

If you have any questions about anything, I'm more than happy to answer as best I can.

Thanks. It's good to hear your favorable comments about the Island. I have been following the thread concerning how ugly this ship is and how much people don't like it and their comments have had me worried about my upcoming 3/4 cruise on the Island. Those comments plus so many empty cabins still available for my cruise plus only 4-5 people on our roll call have had me kind of nervous about my cruise. Glad to hear you're enjoying it so far.

I was on this ship last week for a 10 day partial transit, and I loved it. I too was fearful after reading all the negative reviews, but I need not have worried. The theater was the only place where I ever felt like the ship was crowded. Get to shows 20-30 minutes early and you'll be fine. The crew and food were some of the best I've ever experienced. You will have a wonderful time.

This is a summary review of the Partial Transit Panama Canal Cruise of IP Nov/Dec 2015. Overall a very nice cruise with good weather and good shore activities for Aruba, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rico, and Jamaica.

 

DR fixed early seating: Food excellent and great wait staff. Lunches and breakfasts were also very good, with attentive service. Horizon Court was typical buffet choices, with one line open till at least midnight for late snacking. Food was temperature correct and good, depending upon food preferences. Desserts and drinks located toward the middle front, with food lines on both port and starboard. I believe recently renovated. Also ate at Bayou Steak House, which served excellent steaks and large lobster tails. Hamburger grille, pizzas, and soft serve ice cream all very good too. We were in a group of ten, and no one complained.

 

Stateroom was forward Baja in a mini suite. Very nice space with bathtub, and the dreaded shower curtain. Ship condition dated in a few places, but overall nice and clean. Female public bathrooms seemed to need a bit more cleaning and attention than to what was provided. For jewelry lovers, the onboard Effy store is a must. Lotus atrium pool area was relaxing and not difficult to find chairs. More crowded at the outdoor lido pool as always.

 

Entertainment was mixed, with need of some better comedians. The production show Back on the Bayou was excellent with high energy and colorful sets/costumes.

 

Only drawbacks were the casino and ship stability. For casino lovers, this is the worst designed and stagnant casino of any ship that we have been on. Casino is too small due to having a hallway and staterooms on the starboard side preventing additional space normally present for a ship casino. No craps table for those who like that game of chance. Ship does not have stabilizers, so bounces and rocks more noticeable than other larger cruise ships. Persons prone to seasickness should be prepared.

 

While we had a great time with friendly staff and delicious food, we still prefer the Ruby Princess as our favorite Princess ship.

I was on this cruise as well and overall was incredibly impressed with everything, from food to entertainment to the crew. I've cruised 8 times previously but this was my first with Princess and they exceeded my expectations. I definitely hope to cruise with them again.

To echo what others have said, the ship definitely had stabilizers. While the seas were a bit rough in places (30 mph winds and 10 foot waves will do that), overall it was not too bad. With no stabilizers, there would have been a lot more seasickness I can promise you!

I personally loved the comedians, but I respect that everyone's tastes are different. The ventriloquist, Patrick Murray, was especially impressive.

I read a review just now from someone (not the OP) who was on the Island Princess last month who said the ship was the worst he/she had been on. It was actually one of my favorites. It just goes to show that everyone has different preferences and opinions. I, for one, could not have been more pleased with this cruise.

Anyway, sorry to hijack the OP's thread; just wanted to chime in with my thoughts as well for anyone considering this ship or itinerary.

Was this on another cruise line? Princess uses the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook.

Yes, that one was on NCL. This will be my first Princess cruise.

Thank you for the replies.

We are going out of Ft. Lauderdale.

We did get our bags and got on the right ship in Manhattan (last year) but I was never confident in where I was going or who I was giving my bags to, and I'd like to go into my next cruise feeling more confident.

Usually, the taxi driver will give the name of the ship at the port entry and the guard will know which pier to send him to. When you arrive at the pier, the porters at that ship will take your luggage.

 

At which port did you have a problem?

The Manhattan cruise terminal was confusing and chaotic. There was no guard to tell the taxis where to go. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing a guard at any port where a taxi has dropped us off. The driver just pulled up to the curb and we got out but had no idea where to go from there. And the porters were collecting luggage all over the place but it was not clear what ship they were collecting luggage for. Or maybe it was clear to other people, but I missed it somehow.

There are several comments in this thread that I agree with. And there are several that I don't agree with. I personally am going to give a small gift that I feel the steward may like. Maybe even something that might be from my home Town/State. Of course, I also plan on giving a monetary tip as well. I know if I were out to sea for several months out of the year, even a small token would be a welcomed. I guess that's just me. Happy cruising everyone!

But what if everyone gave their steward a trinket or food from their home state? How many rooms does each steward clean at any given time? I have no idea but will guess 15. (I may be way off there.) So, every week, for 9 or so months, the steward gets 15 trinkets or snacks. That's overwhelming. It wouldn't take long to run out of space to put it all, and for the novelty of being given a gift to wear off.

I saw something once that will always stick with me. It was the last night of our Mediterranean cruise, and I saw an Asian couple giving their cabin steward what looked to be a box of frozen salmon or other fish. Very strange gift, I thought. Does he even like fish? And how would he cook it? The steward, of course, was very gracious and thanked them kindly. But when he turned around he had a little sadness in his eyes. I kind of read it as: "That couple spent money on something I have no use for." It bothered me to see the steward looking so sad after being given a gift. But I doubt he would have looked sad if they had given him an envelope of cash. What do you think?

I've had some chaotic boarding experiences in the past. It seems like the port never really has good enough signage to know where to go when you are dropped off by a taxi. If multiple Princess ships are leaving from the same embarkation port, is there an easy way to know which one is yours? And is there a way to know which porter to give your luggage to? Do they have a designated ship they work for or do they collect luggage for all ships and if so, how do you know your bags will end up on the right ship?

I'm curious if anyone has missed their scheduled cruise (due to delayed/cancelled flights or some other travel hiccup) but found a way to get on a different cruise departing a few days later? So many ships cruise out of the same ports and if you've already flown to Florida or whatever, you'd hope to make the best out of a bad situation. You hear horror stories of people missing their cruise, but I've never heard of someone missing their cruise but finding a way to get on another ship. Just curious if this ever happens or if it's even possible.

Everyone appreciates cash, no one disputes that, but one of my favorite things about Christmas is the always the stockings my family does and "secret santa" stuff. And at work this year, we had people put together Halloween "boo" presents and everyone enjoyed getting one. Yes, I could buy all that stuff myself, and, yes, some of it isn't going to be used, but it's thoughtful and fun to get a little present. I realize the crew quarters are small so my gift will fit in a very small little bag. I'm also going to include a magnet hook that can hold the present on the wall (Amazon sells hooks that hold from anywhere from 4 - 50 pounds!). Maybe they can get everything in port themselves, wouldn't it be nice not to spend your rare off time searching for chapstick (factory sealed, with spf, btw) and sugar free altoids?

 

I'm the kind of person who puts together little gift packs for everyone when we do a road trip. I like to do it. I will still give extra cash at the end, if service is great, but I enjoy putting a little gift together. If some of my present ends up in the trash or given away to another crew member, I don't really care. I'm making little bags for my family on the cruise, too. They probably won't use everything I include. So be it. They know I was thinking about them and the enjoyment they might get from something I included.

 

I looked up this thread to see what suggestions people might have to include in my gift bag and was kind of surprised at the tone. If you want to give cash, give cash. If you want to make or bring a little gift, do it! Or do both!

 

In addition to the altoids and the magnetic hook and chapstick I'm putting in the reusable drawstring bag, I'm also including a bandana (100 uses for a bandana!) and small super strong earth magnets. Since the ship is metal and the quarters are cramped, magnets that can hold stuff to the walls will hopefully be appreciated.

I know you mean well, but let me offer a different perspective on this. Occasionally I will receive little treat bags from relatives or co-workers that contain stuff I don't want or have no use for or candy/snacks when I'm trying to lose weight. Some of this, admittedly, will go into the garbage which I feel TERRIBLE about. I know you say you don't care if some of it ends up in the trash, but do you want your cabin steward to feel guilty about doing so? I really do feel guilty when I throw things away that someone has given me. It bothers me, but I don't have a use for it in order to keep it. So I know you say you do this because YOU want to, but why not think about what the CREW would want? Because it's not really about you, if you're trying to do something nice for someone. It's about that person. And what the person wants is cash.

Hopefully this is not a stupid question, but I've never cruised on Princess before.

Do they have coffee in the buffet? And is it available all the time?