misha227

I'm interested because I have Princess Plus and the website says these 'premium desserts' can found in the Gelateria, Swirls, or Coffee and Cones. That's great but I'll be on the Sapphire Princess and it doesn't have any of those venues. (I will miss gelato!)

I'm on Oosterdam right now and the nightly shows are still there! (Well, it's only day 2 or 3 but so far...) I'm not sure if masks are required in the theater because I haven't gone to a show yet. If you choose to wear masks, you will be in the minority. But I haven't seen anyone being hassled about it. If you want to have dinner at your own table, they can generally do that in the MDR but it might be a few minutes more of waiting versus sharing a table... maybe 10 minutes more, if that. (Excluding gala nights or whatever the new name is...) You might want to make reservations for a table for 2 those nights, or every night. You can do this even if you have the flexible dining option (i.e., no fixed dining time). I've only seen a handful of people wearing masks on the ship. On the excursions, you're supposed to wear a mask inside the bus but I don't know how well this is enforced. On the bus ride from Venice to Trieste, only about 4-6 people out of approx. 50 wore masks. There wasn't even an announcement to say masks were required or recommended. I feel safer than at my home but we have a lower vaccination rate. I don't believe you can ever be 100% safe but the ship is not full and there are plenty of places to go where you're able to sit farther away from others.

If you email ahead of time (I've been speaking with Christina by email) and let them know the requirements, they will absolutely do their best! Christina will pass this information along to the driver and/or guide. They might have to rearrange the order of stops or similar so that you're in a more populated area at meal time so it's best to let them know ahead of time.

I concur with everything that has been said. However, I wear a swimsuit coverup or lightweight cotton dress between my cabin and the spa. I do not wear that while I'm in the spa at all--I leave it in the locker until I'm ready to leave. I'm in a spa; there's no harmful sun; there are plenty of towels so I can wrap up if I feel the need. If you wish to wear a t-shirt or a cover-up in the pool or to the edge of the pool for modesty, feel free as everyone's comfort level is different. However, when I was a young girl at the lake I observed older men walking around with all manner of bumps, lumps, and weird bulges...all without a care in the world! They were not struggling to cover themselves or fretting that they would give offense. They were living their best lives! I decided then that I would do the same, even though we are told that women's bodies are not to be displayed with pride. I wear one-piece bathing suits as they're what I prefer, and I walk about just as if I were wearing a ball gown. 😁One of my friends keeps saying "Women are allowed to take up space in this world" and I think it's a good thing to remember.

Yikes. Thanks for the responses, everybody! Well, that seals it then. No reason at all to purchase a pass. It is a port-intensive cruise with the only sea days being Saturdays. (Why Saturdays and not Sundays, when there are so many churches and cathedrals to visit...which are closed to the public on Sundays...strains my brain to contemplate. But that would be for a different thread, LOL!) I would likely miss a day or two anyway, so daily passes it shall be. Ultimately, I will be spending far less than I otherwise would have, had I been able to purchase the couple's pass. I will have to make the decision every day: Is it really worth the extra cost today? My miserly nature will win out most of the time, and HAL will lose out on revenue they could have easily captured with that couples promo. (I am not miserly when it comes to clothes or quality footwear, but in other areas of life my upbringing shows.) Thanks again!!!

I'm going to be sailing in mid-July so this is a bit early, perhaps, but I very much want to purchase a Thermal Suite pass. My roommate & I are actually doing two 12-days, back-to-back. Lucky, I know! Anyway, the online system will only show the pricing for a single person Thermal Suite pass for a 12-day cruise, at $299. I'm wondering if anyone has taken a 12-day cruise this year and can share what the onboard price was for a "couple's" pass for a 12-day cruise? Also, if anyone knows the current price for a one-day pass that would be helpful as well. It does not seem to be a very good deal to purchase the 12-day pass for one person, if I'm remembering the price of a one-day pass correctly--if you miss a day or two, any savings is gone. But I could be remembering wrong, or perhaps prices have increased. We'll be sailing on the Oosterdam, if that matters. Thanks for your help!