beg3yrs

This is not a given. Next ports are likely to be foreign and embarking there will not invoke PVSA restrictions.

I have not seen any language in the EZair documents that states if you book a short connection their guarantee is voided. If EZair sells it to you, they should stand by their guarantee. That said, missing your sailing really sucks and you should do everything you can to lower the risk of missing the ship. Stories about trailing luggage are awful unless you really like the clothes in the shops on board. You also need to be careful that joining the ship at a later port doesn't violate PVSA rules. That probably isn't the case for a journey from Galveston though. As skynight said, it's best to arrive the day before. Unfortunately for many, it's not possible or practical to do so. Going from Victoria to Houston, the time zones work against your early arrival for same day flights. I don't know how your routing goes but red eyes are good for getting in to your destination early in the day. As far as connections go, those early in the day before delays build up are safer than those later in the day. Also check the airport websites for their minimum connection times as they vary from airport to airport. I like to use a minimum connection time that's 50% longer than what the airport recommends. EZair uses a blanket 90 minutes which IMHO is actually reasonable but for some airports you can easily get away with less.

I don't think sea trials are measured in months, more like days to a week or so. They're mostly a series of pre-planned maneuvers the ship must perform, typically at its extreme limits of performance. There are other things of course but those are the most spectacular. Hard turns at speed, emergency stops and starts and so on. Almost every system, especially those involving safety, will be exercised and evaluated during sea trials.

That's cuz it's divided, one side for running/jogging and the other side for walking.

A sparkly ball cap to match the sparkly top would be fine in some circles ...

Coast Guard evacuations are at no cost to the patient. Really! True! Fact!

I would be watching carefully for the early sailing. I used to do program and project management for a large defense contractor and much of the job involved estimating schedules. One high-level technique was to look at how long similar projects took and then include complexity factors, i.e. is this job more complex or easier? Is it bigger or smaller? Is it a first time build or has the builder built many of these before? These are useful if you don't yet have a detailed build plan. Anyway, looking at how some of the Behemoth of the Seas projects are going, considering they've done them before but they're larger than the Sun Princess; I see the latest one is already at sea doing trials. Seems to me the Sun Princess should be fast approaching sea trials to make her first sailing with passengers in only five months and from the videos we've seen recently, she's nowhere near ready. We're booked on the June 1 sailing and I think that's a safe one. February 28? I'd have a plan B and C.

The only way I've been able to purchase OBC ahead of the cruise with a gift card is to call. Even that is fraught with peril as not all reps know how to do that.

Oxo was writing about RCI and Princess. You already know Princess ships don't have helipads so it must have been a RCI ship.

I've been on at least three ship tours and haven't had to deal with ladders or even stairs except for one tour which allowed us to optionally climb the steep stairs on the outside (not really a ladder) into the superstructure.

Hey! Maybe they're updating the databases and grandfathering the old Plus-40 and Plus-50 packages to get all the new bennys! Right ....

It's like those celebrities who get their undies in a bunch whenever some politician gets elected they don't like. "We're moving to 'some other country'!" Yet, they never do no matter how much we wish they would. Personally I keep thinking I would like to try some other line like Seabourn but I never do. The IRA says NO!

If this is the case, why do we see the crew wearing their medallions all over the ship? Is it "Medallion Theater"? I have even seen captains wearing theirs. I have my doubts that @antsp 's personal friend is completely correct. I think it's even more important the crew wear theirs so they can be located quickly.

Guarantee assignments can be made pretty much anytime up until the day of boarding so unfortunately that doesn't give you much more information than you already have. Just keep checking the personalizer and eventually you'll see an assignment. Anecdotally the stories of people getting their assignments at the pier are far and few between and there's some thought the assignment was made earlier but the person didn't check.

They're sealed so there's no pull-tab to activate it. They're water-resistant (even the watch makers these days won't say water-proof), I've had mine in the pool and snorkeling too. Seems to be good to at least ten feet (I'm not that great of a snorkeler).

This includes Platinum members too. Abbreviated as PES.

My experience with restrooms on the bus is that even if there is one, it's not always available (locked). However in that case it seems the bus always makes a restroom stop on longer rides. As far as school buses being used, the tour description is usually pretty specific as to what kind of transportation is being offered. If it's just a basic school bus, it will tell you.

Oh no issues, just being pedantic! Happy Cruising to you too!

Just being a bit pedantic here but the MT luncheon is not an Elite benefit. It is for the top 40 (20 couples typically) people with the most cruise days. It is possible (and has happened) that some Platinum level passengers will qualify if there aren't enough elite on a particular cruise. Most times though, all are Elite.

Haven't read this whole thread so I don't know if someone has already answered but ... I tried it once, just once. Thought I'd get my shoes back looking all gussied up with the old wax-based polishes, rubbed in with a cloth and then hit with a brush and shined with a towel. Nope. Seemed they just use one of those silicone-based spongy things. That's it. Pretty crappy.

Yes we did that too. The decoy had to be used when there wasn't a crowd to blend in with.

We used to smuggle full bottles almost in plain sight using an empty bottle as a decoy. Our backpack full of bottles would go through the scanner and the operator would call out "alcohol" to the naughty desk. We'd saunter over and remove the one empty bottle saying "it's empty but we really like the design". The crew member at the table would then just wave us on. 😁

While Cruise Critic members can provide their experiences and opinions based on those experiences, this is one I would work with Princess directly. IIRC, the ship overnights so you should call and ask if arrangements can be made to arrive at an odd time. I've seen it done for entertainers so it's certainly possible.

Just a word to the wise as it hasn't yet been stated on this thread. If you're going to use the gift cards on board to help with your expenses, be sure to bring the gift card printout to give to guest services. They will not accept you providing a list of numbers and pins. It seems they want the hard copy (they keep it) as "evidence" for the back office types.

Whoever sent that email probably thinks New Mexico is not part of the United States ...