charliedalrymple

I'm so relieved to read the answers to this question!  We will be sailing for the first time with the medallion in December, and the whole concept is causing me stress. (Yes, I'm a tech dinosaur.). I would prefer to just pretend I don't have it and go about my business on board just like I did pre-COVID.

Based on other threads here, I think it makes a lot of sense to just order drinks at the bar instead of using the app, since it seems they can take forever (or not show up at all).  That's really my main concern.  I don't mind going directly to the MDR to reserve a table every day.  

We had previously booked about ten cruises on the cruiseline sites (mostly Princess). We just used a TA for the first time for a Princess cruise later this year because I was confused about some of the post-COVID changes, such as the medallion and dine my way. 

Turns out we love doing with a TA and will always do it after this.  He is extremely knowledgeable and got us some things I didn't know about (such as OBC because I'm a military veteran).  He also waits forever on the phone with Princess so I don't have to.

14 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

We book it initially through Princess and then transfer to a TA.  On a Princess booking, since we pay for the Plus package and possibly buy excursions with a 10% discounted gift card, I want my TA to discount my total to save me money on the front end instead of giving me OBC that I won't use. I call around to the small number of TA's I use and hopefully one of them has "group" space and can provide a good discount.

We did the same, but primarily because I was finding it difficult to navigate the Princess website and got tired of holding for 30 to 60 minutes every time I had a question.  We've never used a TA to book our cruises before, but we've decided this is probably the way to go in the future.

We are on Majestic to New Zealand this December.  I understand that there is no Crooners and that The Catch occupies that space. I'm looking forward to The Catch, but I'm disappointed that Crooners is gone--it's typically our favorite place for a drink on Princess. 

I've also read that bar seating on Majestic is very limited due to the absence of Crooners.  Has anyone noticed that?

I'm interested in hearing what Princess does for Christmas in terms of decorations and special events/parties to celebrate the holiday.  We sailed on Royal Caribbean once over Christmas and they made it incredibly festive.  We are doing Christmas and New Year on Majestic to New Zealand this year and I'm hoping it will be the same as RC (or better!).

I can't get it when I use Chrome but it works when I open it in Safari.

16 hours ago, ajcathy said:

I enjoyed the Music Walk every night

Several of you have mentioned the music walk.  What is that?

We are seasoned cruisers but have never sailed on HAL.  Our preferred line is Princess, and we really enjoy the broad range of activities offered onboard, particularly in the evenings.  We've heard that HAL has a limited activity schedule compared with other lines and that things tend to die down fairly early in the evening.  We are quite interested in some upcoming HAL itineraries (especially Antarctica) but are concerned that we might find it a bit "dull."  Can anyone comment on that?

On 5/6/2023 at 6:43 AM, Kay S said:

I hope someone answers your questions in detail because I do not know what the fuss is all about (not being a Sanctuary devotee myself.)

The Sanctuary is the only place that is guaranteed to be child-free, which makes it relatively quiet and relaxing.  That's the primary appeal for us.  And yes, I would advocate raising the price.  We would pay more for that little slice of tranquility, which is quite important to us.  A higher price should discourage passengers who are ambivalent, which would make it easier to get a spot.

We are doing Plus on a 14-day Christmas cruise to New Zealand this year.  We are only interested in the drinks, and probably won't even use the wi-fi, special desserts or fitness classes.  (One of the joys of cruising for us is unplugging and detoxing from our devices.).  However, Plus is slightly cheaper than just the drink package.  (Crazy!)

We are moderate drinkers and voracious coffee consumers, so we expect to break even or come out ahead.  Also, we like not having to worry about how much we are spending on drinks and just have whatever we want, whenever we want.  That alone makes Plus appealing for us.  

Thanks so much for your live reports, LawDog!

I have a couple of specific questions.  First, have you experienced the Hollywood Conservatory?  I gather this has replaced the sanctuary found on most ships.  Does it generally stay child-free during the day?

Also, have you tried the Chinese restaurant?  I'm wondering whether it's worth the additional cost.

We prefer hanging out in common areas during sea days.  We'll take a book, have something to drink, and enjoy people-watching.  As such, we generally book standard balcony rooms and spend extra money on other indulgences.  But I realize that's a personal preference and not for everyone.

9 hours ago, BamaVol said:

my backup plan is to walk up and pay the operator directly, it’s actually $3 less per their website. Since it’s 150’ from the gangway, I’m not worried about being left behind if I don’t book with Princess.

This is what we almost always do these days.  It's usually cheaper, since Princess is not an intermediary, and the tours are basically the same.  They can also be less crowded.  The only real downside, as I'm sure everyone knows, is that the ship won't wait if your tour happens to return late--whereas they will wait if an official Princess excursion runs late.

We skipped it and had a lovely day in Cork instead.  We did not go on a Princess excursion but instead hired a local driver/tour guide who met us at the ship and crafted a personalized tour based on our interests.  He was charming and funny and we loved it. 

These days, we tend to steer clear of the (unjustifiably) expensive Princess excursions and either strike out on our own (which we did in Edinburgh) or find a tour guide who is waiting at the dock when we leave the ship. Also, we sometimes don't even leave the ship if we've seen the location before and enjoy the peace and quiet on board while most people are out and about.

(Sorry, I got a bit off topic!)

18 hours ago, LawDog61 said:

As a Celiac, I must eat gluten free ad while I have learned how to navigate the buffet ad restaurant on princess ships, it’s always kind of a pain having to seek out a chef and have them walk around and show me what is gluten-free.  Majestic is the first princess ship I have encountered, which actually labels the dishes in the buffet as gluten-free. This is such a simple thing to do and saves both myself, and the chefs a great deal a bother.

I'm also a celiac and will be sailing on Majestic over Christmas/New Year 2023--so I'm really glad to hear this.  

One big advantage of having the same server every night in the MDR is the fact that they knew I was gluten-free and would always be ready to help me choose the right food.  Apparently, the new dining system means new servers every night, so I'll have to go through the same explanation every night.

I hope Helen remains on board until our cruise--she sounds wonderful!

When my husband and I were waiting in the check-in line in Southhampton for a QE2 crossing, a German man in front of us turned around and said (in heavily accented English), "Are you two of Dorothy's friends?"  It took me a moment....

All of the employees on the Love Boat were American.  However, I must say that meeting crew members from all over the world is one of my favorite aspects of cruising.

2 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

My latest cruise, which disembarked last week was from Galveston.  I didn't have the medallion delivered to me, but I wish I had.  I was sent in a line with the other slackers who didn't have their medallions either.  It took half an hour to get through that line with the medallion to continue my embarkation experience.

Well, I just tried to edit my order to have the medallions shipped to my home.  The only places they would ship are the United States and Puerto Rico.  Unfortunately, I live in Australia (and am taking a cruise leaving from Sydney).  So, I guess I'm stuck with picking them up at the port!

2 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

My latest cruise, which disembarked last week was from Galveston.  I didn't have the medallion delivered to me, but I wish I had.  I was sent in a line with the other slackers who didn't have their medallions either.  It took half an hour to get through that line with the medallion to continue my embarkation experience.

Thanks, HB.  Sounds like it might be worth seeing whether I can get them sent to me in advance just to be safe.

1 hour ago, BamaVol said:

The medallion won’t confound the non-technical passenger.  It’s the app.  A card doesn’t improve your experience one bit. 

BamaVol, now that you point that out, you are exactly right.  That's how I should have phrased it.  Thanks!

I wonder whether Princess has considered that a large percentage of their passengers are older and therefore not very tech savvy.  (Before anyone tells me I'm unfairly characterizing older people, let me say that I am one of those people.).  I don't like the fact that we are basically force to use the medallion if we are on a medallion class cruise, and I wish that there were still a card option.

We've ordered our medallions and lanyards to be picked up at check-in on the day of the cruise.  Is that going to delay us more than if we had them delivered to our home in advance?

10 minutes ago, disneyochem said:

We prefer the Concerto.  We like having a pre drink at Crooners or Bellini’s and then just head in for dinner.

Thanks.  But I don't think there is a  Crooners on Majestic--it's looks like that space is occupied by a French bistro.  (We also love Crooners!)

2 hours ago, walkingsoon said:

I prefer Allegro, though not by much. I like the windows on three sides, rather than just port and starboard. I also like a bit of variety and they usually (but not always) serve breakfast and sea day luncheons in the Concerto, so I like going elsewhere for dinner. I also like the out of the way feel for that dining room.

Excellent advice--thanks!

We've sailed on a number of Princess ships, and Crooners has always been our go-to bar.  I've learned that there is no Crooners on Majestic, as that space is now occupied by a French bistro speciality dining restaurant.  I feel lost and betrayed!  What is the next best bar on the Majestic?