CaribNomad

Are you taking the Sky Princess Canaries cruise from Southampton in September? We did it this year and it was fabulous though very choppy across the Bay of Biscay. Travel sickness tablets (just in case) are a must.

We booked a future cruise onboard Anthem last year, only to find a much cheaper rate online recently (cheaper by around £700). The problem is, the booking we made onboard was seemingly automatically transferred to the original agent without our knowledge. Despite the significant cost difference, the original agent now  refuses to honour the online rate, and Royal Caribbean say it's not possible to release us from the initial agent. 

We're considering canceling and rebooking with the cheaper agent, but the snag is that the deposit we paid onboard would be held by the original agent, even though we didn't actively choose them or deal with them in any way for this cruise booking (we paid onboard).

Has anyone faced a similar situation, and do you have any advice on navigating this? Is there another way we can have the deposit we paid onboard released and transferred to the new, cheaper agent? Appreciate your insights!

Having experienced all the itineraries you've mentioned as a multigenerational family (family aged 4 through to 60s), the choice really boils down to what kind of cruisers you are. If you're into active ports,there's more to see and do with the Spain/Portugal itinerary however if you simply want to soak in beautiful scenery, the fjords are wonderful - though be aware that if you cruise early in the season  (we went in May) it'll likely be too cold for your kiddos to use the outdoor pools. My 6 yo still had a ball though!

Though I love the Spain and Portugal itinerary- a word of caution for routes passing through the Bay of Biscay from Southampton. It can get pretty choppy, and we've had instances where the captain had to skip ports due to rough seas and storms. After a few too many bouts of seasickness (despite considering ourselves sea-hardened), we've made a pact to steer clear of any cruises through the Bay of Biscay.

Wishing you a smooth and enjoyable cruise! As a family, we're gearing up to celebrate my grandmother's 90th on a Caribbean cruise. It's such a wonderful way to connect and make lasting memories.

3 hours ago, Torfamm said:

You could start with customerrelations@princesscruises.com

Thank you

2 minutes ago, david63 said:

Hindsight being the precise science that it is I would have escalated the issue up to the Captain if necessary. The cabin steward must have known that smoking was taking place as the smell would linger in the cabin, and what were they doing with the cigarette butts?

 

At the end of the day this is a major safety issue.

We should have. I've actually never complained on a cruise. For future, does one call guest services and then ask them to escalate to senior management? 

Thanks all, I will write.I wonder if the offenders tipped at the beginning of the voyage and more than us. It's the first time we've had this problem. And we're not looking for compensation - more to vent.

Is there a specific email, or do I go via this contact us page: https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/customerCare.page?

I also mentioned it whenever I could on the end of cruise feedback form.

14 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Diamond on Princess?

 

Per the ticket contract:

You agree Carrier has, at all times with or without notice, the right to enter and search Your stateroom, personal safe or storage spaces, or to search You, Your baggage and/or personal effects at any location.

I mean Platinum on Princess, Diamond on RCL. Sadly, the room stewards and powers that be were unwilling to search anyone in the offending room (even though they could smell it). Maybe concerned about bad reviews or being complained about? Was a very frustrating situation.

Wonderful, thanks so much

12 minutes ago, Babynan said:

Thanks for your help. I'm sure we will have a great time. Just another question? We were on the Anthem last year and there was a Beatles tribute band performing. Would you know if they are still playing on the ship? We would love to see them again.

I'm sorry, we've got a 6 yo so skipped much of the evening entertainment. I don't recall hearing anything Beatles-like when walking around though. There was a brilliant reggae band, latin-fusion band and wonderful live music for the shows (We Will Rock You was excellent).

On 5/31/2023 at 11:40 AM, Babynan said:

Thanks for the information. Thats great to hear. I can stop worrying about that now. (and start worrying about something else.

you'll have a wonderful time. the ship was in fabulous shape when we were on her a few weeks ago - brilliant service, fab food, well maintained etc. We only got off for 15 minutes at each port of call (!), but really enjoyed the scenic cruising. 

We did this cruise 2 weeks ago - it was fabulous! I recall seeing a shuttle for guests with disabilities at the pier. Have a tremendous time!

Nice review. May I ask how you got the Disney Plus subscriber discount? Mr Google suggests it's linked to Disney Plus Subscriber Day - did you get an email announcing the day in advance.

Thank you

Greetings, I'm aware that many remote areas of the world have no phone or internet reception (where I live in Scotland, for example!) but want to avoid the pricey internet charges on the ship if at all possible. We'll be doing a Fjords cruise with the following ports of call: Haugesund, Geiranger, Olden and Bergen.

Would it be possible to rely on roaming rather than the ship's internet?

Thank you

42 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Unless there has been a change smoking is also allowed on deck 14 near the pool port side. You would think they would keep the stench on one side. 

Thanks for your reply. Not great thinking on Royal Caribbean's part!

Greetings,

We'll be taking a Norwegian Fjords vacation on Anthem of the Seas. We're non smokers and sensitive to the smell of smoke. Am I correct in understanding that on deck 5 there is a smoking section on the starboard side? And therefore we should opt for a balcony cabin on the port side to avoid the smell?

Thanks

Thank you both

Good morning,

We've chosen a park and stay hotel option in Southampton. I was wondering whether it would be prudent to drive to the port,
offload our luggage, take the covid test, wait for the results and then return to the hotel to drop off the car and take the hotel's shuttle
(with no luggage). Or is it best to park at the hotel first, and take our luggage on the courtesy shuttle on the way to the test?

Has anyone done this? There'll be a child in tow and I wondered what the most efficient option will be.

Thank you.

We're experienced cruisers but have never sailed with P&O. We thought we would try the line because of the round trip Southampton option, however the concept of a balcony that does not offer privacy and does not directly overlook the sea is a new one for me! How typical is this on other P&O ships? We're booked on Ventura.

We're booked on a P&O cruise in November with an unvaccinated 4yo. The cruise line suggests that kids' activities will be "as normal". I guess we will see. Not much info available from other cruisers online yet.

Thank you! Have a wonderful cruise.

We're booked on the 12 night N124. The adults are vaccinated but our 4 year old will not be. I understand that he is required to have a negative PCR test within 3 days of our embarkation date. However, I am unclear about whether this is in addition to the prior-to-boarding test that we will all take as part of P&Os procedures at the port. Does anyone know? Do we need to book a test at home before going to the port? 

Thanks