charliedalrymple

I've never actively looked for ducks on board but always hoped that I might randomly spot one. Never did. Just how "hidden" are they?

We have made friends with several "non-senior" staff members and have invited some to dinner in restaurants when they are in port--generally entertainers, but also some of the bar and restaurant staff. (We have lived in both the Philippines and India due to my career, so we are familiar with the home countries of many staff members.) We also visited a bar server in Mumbai when I was traveling there on business. It was wonderful to see the city through his eyes and not as a typical tourist.

I'm glad you mentioned that, because I've never really understood why the "most traveled passenger" status is such a big deal. Mind you, I'm nowhere close to being invited to such an event, and perhaps I'll change my tune when I get there.

Thanks so much for this excellent review! All of the details really provide a sense of what life is like onboard an Oceania ship. You write extremely well! As you may know from my recent postings, we are planning to move away from Princess and try other lines. Oceania is one we are considering, so your review is quite timely and useful. Based on what you've written, I'm guessing that the atmosphere on Oceania is more subdued that Princess (i.e., not as noisy, and fewer shrieking children). Is that the case? We've decided we are willing to pay more for a relaxing experience that Princess doesn't seem to provide any longer. Then again, maybe Princess hasn't changed but we have just gotten old and cranky.

Indeed. I'm talking about a measly $600 watch....

Yep, that was exactly the issue. I'm basically the Administrative Officer of our marriage, so DH would never have seen the bill.

The title of the thread is misleading, because it is apparently impossible to pay directly for items from the shops with a credit card. I found this out in December when attempting to buy a very pricey item that was meant to be a surprise Christmas gift. The shop personnel refused to accept my credit card as payment and said it would be billed to my room account--which is precisely what I wanted to avoid. Since the shops are independent contractors, this didn't make sense to me. Has anyone been able to pay in the shops with a credit card, or is this a policy across the Princess brand?

The Dome is definitely a reimagined space that adds something new, and I love the look of it. Well, at least when it's empty. During an actual cruise, passengers will be hogging loungers first thing in the morning and kids will be running around and screeching.

Wonderful account of your cruise and lovely photos! We were on board the Majestic Princess that crossed paths with you at Port Chalmers! Pity that the historic hotel/pub just outside the town centre was not open while we were there. Trust me when I say that you didn't miss anything in Darwin. I've taken that Qantas flight between Sydney and the U.S. many times, and it never gets easier (even in business class). I usually fly to LAX, but I've done Dallas a few times, which is infinitely preferable. I despise LAX. You may not know this, but Australians have started to really hate Qantas. The service standard plummeted under the previous CEO, who recently stepped down. I think the flaws were most evident on domestic routes, where there seemed to be about a 50% chance that your flight would be canceled. I hope you enjoyed good service!

Thanks for clarifying. That would be much more enjoyable that doing with 300 of your closest friends.

We like balcony staterooms simply for the light and sense of openness afforded by a wall of glass, whether we actually use the balcony or not. We also like being out on the balcony when we are arriving or departing ports.

I live in Australia and had the same worries about the QR code and medallion (which can't be mailed here either). As others have said, the QR code is unnecessary, and the medallions were waiting for us at the port. All very smooth.

We were told on Majestic at Christmas that ship tours had indeed been discontinued across the fleet since COVID. The only way to get a galley tour was after a cooking show in the Princess Theatre, which included about 300 people. We decided not to sit through the presentation just to be part of that mass of people shuffling through the galley. There were no other galley tours offered as far as we know.

Thank you so much for this enjoyable and informative trip report! You have a very breezy, conversational style that makes it fun to read. It almost feels like we're having a drink with you while you regale us with the highlights of your cruise. I'm celiac, so I particularly appreciated the details about DW's efforts to find food she could eat. After our Christmas 2023 cruise on Majestic, we decided that we are done with Princess due to the noise levels and the children (which are often one and the same). Virgin was a top contender for our future cruises, and you've made me want to book with them more than before. We appreciate your service to the cruise community!

Thanks so much. That explanation makes a lot of sense.

I am a tech dinosaur and was very skeptical of the medallion before taking my first post-COVID cruise in December. After two weeks of using it, I found it very useful once I got used to it and much prefer the medallion (and yes, even the app) to the old key cards. Even old dogs can learn new tricks sometimes.

I love how small details like this one seem to capture our collective imaginations! It's part of what makes this forum so enjoyable. I happen to love pate, and I'm not sure I would have touched this if it came to the table with that presentation.

I completely agree. While some of the live music is irritatingly loud, it is the non-music events that I found insufferable. Many of these could be moved to another venue, but I suspect they want to draw in people who just happen to be walking by.

I don't mean any disrespect with this question; I'm genuinely curious. Is it particularly challenging to be on a cruise, with its focus on drinking and so many people over-indulging, when one is in recovery?

Surprising you didn't get any OBC. Did they at least offer an apology?

Yes, I did. Tell him to go put on a proper shirt and closed shoes if he wanted to be seated.

On Majestic during the holidays last year, someone came to the MDR like this on a formal night. (Actually, it wasn't quite this nice--it was not new and crisp like this outfit. Also, he had on flip-flops, not closed shoes.) I'm all for wearing whatever makes you comfortable, but this was too much. I told the woman at the door that I did not think he should have been seated, but she just shrugged.

I think Princess is the best line for Alaska cruises.

It is indeed the same.

We on Majestic out of Sydney in December. We had Plus, but the bartenders just handed out bottles water whenever we asked for it--they did not seem to be checking whether we had a package or not. I'm not sure whether that's helpful.