Aquarian

We will be traveling on Sunday on Independence of the Seas, Western Caribbean. Should I call Sprint and arrange for international coverage and rates or should I turn off my phone and put it in the safe for a week? I'd be interested in what the rest of you do.

We will dock at TMM International Pier.

We have been to Paradise Beach twice while on Princess ships. We will be sailing soon on RCCL's Independence of the Seas. Is it still feasible to go on our own to Paradise Beach from this ship? I don't know where they will dock. Also, is it still safe to take a cab on our own in Mexico? Thanks in advance.

No, I didn't go to the meet and greet. We stopped by the Wheelhouse a few times but kept going because the singer didn't sound that great. We've sailed Princess for 16 years and in the past we usually had a choice between venues in the evening. Often, we would catch a show in the Princess Theater and then hurry to the Explorer's Lounge to catch another act or stop by Crooner's to hear whoever was singing and playing the piano there. Crooner's did have a pretty good singer/piano player one night and they moved him to the Explorer's Lounge but unfortunately it coincided with the show in the Princess Theater and we missed him. Like I said in the original review, many nights the Explorer's Lounge was dark which was a first for us. We've never encountered that before. We weren't bored but we've been on many cruises and this was just a huge difference from past cruises and it was noticeable. I just wonder how a first time cruiser would react to the lack of entertainment?

I think its sadder still when you have many memories of past cruises on Princess when all the venues were full of great entertainment and every seat taken with many standing. Because there wasn't much going on in other venues this cruise, the Princess Theater was pretty much standing room only and also people were sitting in the aisles. What a shame. Princess, are you listening?

We just returned from an Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Caribbean Princess. We had a wonderful cruise but were delayed in sailing because our ship was struck with lightning. The radar was damaged and we had to wait for repairs to sail. Then, when we had the repairs completed, a child took ill and we waited until the child received medical care. I believe it was after 8 PM when we finally left Fort Lauderdale. We had a good cruise and enjoyed our first stay in a mini suite. The Caribbean Princess is starting to show wear and tear but it was still a good cruise for the most part. My husband and I noticed that the Explorer's Lounge did not have the entertainment that we are used to. Many nights we walked past a dark and empty venue. Is Princess cutting back on entertainment? There seems to be more entertainment in the piazza or atrium but I wonder why when there isn't that much seating available and you pretty much have to stand to watch the entertainment? We used anytime dining and ate in the Island Dining Room 6 out of 7 nights. We did eat in the Caribe Cafe the last night and found it to be good dining as well. Staff was wonderful. What entertainment we had was enjoyable. We were informed later in the week that there was something wrong with one of the thrusters and that we would be arriving in Fort Lauderdale at 1:00 AM for repairs on Saturday morning. I think we will be trying to sail on newer ships in the future. I would be happy to answer questions if you have any.

We just used the walk off on June 28 on the Caribbean Princess at Fort Lauderdale and it was so easy. We received the form in our stateroom mid-week. We chose 7:25 AM and took the form to the purser's desk. We received notification that we would be in Group Two walking off the ship. We were told to meet at 7:20 AM in the Island Dining Room. I was surprised just how many people were there with us. Around 7:20 or shortly after, we were told to proceed to Customs. We walked in line with our families to the Custom Desk and presented our passports to the agent. We were told to have a good trip home and went from there to a cab at the curb and were at the airport 3 hours before our flight. I was amazed at how easy it was. There were three of us and we each had two suitcases and had no problems whatsoever. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Peety 3: Thank you for your explanation. It made me look at the situation differently.

This year, we booked a balcony for three people and decided after final payment that we wanted to change to a mini suite. In explanation, my husband and I had always traveled alone. This trip, we are taking our 15 year old grandson and did not have any experience with three people to a room. We did not have to pay a cancellation fee, but we lost the promotion that we booked under. We lost $100 OBC, a formal portrait and frame and a bottle of wine in addition to paying the cost of upgrading the category of our stateroom. I'm disappointed that we had to "cancel" our booking and rebook. We're platinum and I guess we were hoping that meant something but I guess rules are rules. If someone knows why when you want to upgrade why you have to cancel and rebook, I'd love an explanation.

Sorry that was a typo. The cruise does start June 21. Sorry for my error. The reason for my asking was that on our last E. Caribbean cruise on the Ruby, we asked for transportation to Red Hook from Crown Bay and were taken downtown instead. We kind of got the runaround partly my fault because I didn't check the ferry schedule for Red Hook to Cruz Bay prior and didn't insist that we be taken to Red Hook. As a result, we were downtown for almost an hour before taking the long ferry from Charlotte Amalie to Cruz Bay. I never had that problem at Havensight. I was always taken to Red Hook regardless of the length of wait time for the next ferry. I learned the hard way. Such a waste of time in port. We did not choose to shop and I assume that was the purpose of taking us downtown instead of to Red Hook as we asked.

Does anybody know or can tell me where to look to find out where we will dock in St. Thomas on the Caribbean Princess June 21?

There used to be a place where you could specify what fruit you wanted in your stateroom and what kind of soda in the fridge, etc. Did they do away with that or have I just not stumbled upon it yet?

This sounds like a real incentive to pack lightly so we aren't struggling with too many bags at walk off. I have always packed way too much for a cruise and the fact that we need to walk off the ship with all our luggage will make me pack much lighter. There is no sin in wearing the same outfit twice and forget about a different pair of shoes for each outfit! LOL Thanks guys. You all are amazing with all your terrific input.

For us, 11:30 AM is early. We have always taken much later flights and spent way too much time in the airport in the past, with the exception of last cruise when we did an excursion in the rain in Ft. Lauderdale! The 11:30 AM was a direct flight and a chance to get home for a birthday party.

We're on a 7 day cruise so I can expect to get a form mid-week?

Our flight is 11:30 AM.

Thank you for the explanations. It seems simple enough. I'll look for the form to arrive. Thanks again for your help.

We have booked an early flight out of Ft. Lauderdale going home. I see in many posts to get in the first walk off group at disembarkation. What is involved in doing this? Do I need to talk to someone about this onboard and if so, who? Would someone give me the First Walk Off for Dummies rundown please. Also, I think I read once to tip a red cap to get a cab fast to the airport. We have always taken later flights and this was a never an issue for us in the past. Any help would be appreciated.

You know what they say about leading a horse to water. LOL I will try my best to have him stop by the teen club. I think he would have a better time if he made some friends.

You all have made me feel better about our decision to switch to the mini. Your comments have lessened the "sting" of losing the $100 and promotion items. It has been over two years since our last cruise on the Ruby and I am starting to get excited about going on this cruise. Since we are taking our 15 year old grandson on his first cruise, if any of you have suggestions as to how to make this a great experience for him, I'd like to hear them.

Thank you for the picture of the sofa bed. I know he will be fine with that and I will be sure to ask for a mattress topper if he isn't - great suggestion too. I just feel we will be more comfortable in a mini suite for three of us. I don't think we will feel as crowded as we would have in the balcony. We've never done a mini suite before so I'm looking forward to it. Again, thank you all for your input. This is an invaluable tool for gathering information.

To be honest, I didn't consider the cancellation fee, so I should feel good about this. Thanks for the input. My grandson will be okay on the sofabed I'm sure. Thank you for your input.

A few months ago, I booked a Caribbean cruise for June 21. I booked a balcony stateroom on Baja for three people. My husband and I have always traveled on Princess alone just the two of us. This cruise, we are taking our teenaged grandson with us. I don't have any prior experience with more than two people to a stateroom so when the TA suggested a balcony stateroom with a pull-down bed, I went with that suggestion. At some point, I discovered a picture someone posted on CC of what an inside stateroom with pull down beds looked like. I didn't like what I saw. I didn't realize the bed would be a plastic case attached to the wall that you pulled down. When I saw the picture of the pull down bed, it didn't look like it would be strong enough for a 15 year old teen boy. I called my TA and asked if she would book us a mini suite so my grandson could sleep on the sofabed in the sitting area. My TA called Princess and was told that my booking had to be cancelled and I had to make a totally new booking. Because I booked during a promotion, I lost $100 stateroom credit, a bottle of wine, a formal night 8x10 picture with frame because it was not longer being offered. Has anyone had this experience? I'm not sweating the wine and picture but I'm miffed that I lost $100 stateroom credit. Obviously, I paid the difference between a balcony and mini suite also. Is this worth writing to Princess about?

Thank you!

When I sign on as a booked passenger on the Princess website and go to the deck plans for Caribbean Princess, the website prompts "sailing between now and May 15 or sailing after May 15" before it shows the deck plans. Does anyone have an idea as to what changes in the deck plans on May 15? We are sailing June 21.

The Horizon Court is a relaxed buffet, cafeteria style. The Cafe Caribe in the evening is also a buffet but when we ate dinner there on our last cruise, a waiter helped us to our table and it was more like a restaurant with linen napkins, etc. During the day, when the Horizon Court is jammed with people, you can take your tray to Cafe Caribe to find a seat. Cafe Caribe is a nice alternative to eating in the main dining room for dinner if you want to be more casual but it's a little nicer than the Horizon Court.