Princess cruise "hacks"

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, masterty said:

Straw hack. 

When you are told by every bar on the ship that you can not have a straw when in Yakutat Bay. Just head to customer service and ask for a complementary straw......I mean complementary pen. Pull out the guts and enjoy. 

You just have to remember to stock up on them before you reach Yakutat Bay. 😉

They have plenty of them at all the bars. 

[CynCyn]

I noticed that in the International Cafe that timing is everything,  they brought out this DIVINE chocolate/raspberry tart.  It was delicious and GONE with the first 12 people who saw it.  It might pay to go back if you don’t see something you like the first time.  Or hang out and watch for special treats.  I wish I had asked what it was and if there were any more.  

 

I also get get an extra chocolate croissant in the buffet or IC in the morning to save for a late night snack.

Edited May 20, 2019 by CynCyn

[Host CJSKIDS]

On 5/7/2019 at 9:46 AM, SargassoPirate said:

Another hack we used succesfully on the round the horn, it was actually three cruises even though we book it as one cruise. I ordered some scotch on the first leg and it was delivered to my cabin on the last night of the first leg.  Did the same thing on the second leg.  We've also been successful doing that on back to backs as well.

 

They may have just changed that policy recently.  Our friends have done that a few times on their b2bs but they just did a b2b2b on the Regal princess with the last leg being the TA and Princess would not allow them to purchase the alcohol to be delivered to their room prior to the end of all the sailings.  This was a first for them.

[neverbeenhere]

As for liquor on b2b, get to know someone on cruise one that isn’t returning for cruise two. 

 

As for treats eats at the IC, ask to see if they have more in the back as they sometimes save back a few of the really good stuff. 

[CynCyn]

3 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

As for liquor on b2b, get to know someone on cruise one that isn’t returning for cruise two. 

 

As for treats eats at the IC, ask to see if they have more in the back as they sometimes save back a few of the really good stuff. 

I should have asked.  That was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had.

[masterty]

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

You just have to remember to stock up on them before you reach Yakutat Bay. 😉

They have plenty of them at all the bars. 

That is called planning. Since the theme of this thread is hacking I thought I would share my hack for when one doesn't plan. We cant all be perfect. 

[drpack]

On 5/7/2019 at 11:38 AM, Ombud said:

If you have REFUNDABLE OBC left over it will be handled 1 of 2 ways:

 

1. A check in a plain envelope in 3-8 weeks

2. If $25 or less the PSD can return cash to you on the final day

 

On or last several cruises, we've gotten our check in less than 2 weeks.

[MissP22]

10 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

As for liquor on b2b, get to know someone on cruise one that isn’t returning for cruise two

It also helps to find an Elite person for that additional 10% discount.  

[Glaciers]

Currently on the Golden and was surprised that the TVs allow for bluetooth streaming from our mobile devices for our own music. 

[Ep010835]

1 hour ago, Glaciers said:

Currently on the Golden and was surprised that the TVs allow for bluetooth streaming from our mobile devices for our own music. 

 

Very cool!! I wonder if this is an included Medallion feature. 

[masterty]

1 hour ago, Glaciers said:

Currently on the Golden and was surprised that the TVs allow for bluetooth streaming from our mobile devices for our own music. 

Our TV also allows music to be streamed. No wireless video mirroring. Bring an HDMI cord for that. Here is a photo of the back of the TV in F309 on the Grand Princess. 

[MissP22]

7 hours ago, Glaciers said:

Currently on the Golden and was surprised that the TVs allow for bluetooth streaming from our mobile devices for our own music. 

Same thing on the Crown.

[Ombud]

How I stack up credits:

- military

- shareholder 

- PVP or TA

- loyalty 

CCL permits stacking credits unlike some of the other lines

[Ombud]

Now that they've raised the cold drink pkg: Free Milkshakes? several frosties in a glass 🤞🍦🥛

 

trying it on my July cruise

[Mike45LC]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 11:32 AM, masterty said:

Our TV also allows music to be streamed. No wireless video mirroring. Bring an HDMI cord for that. Here is a photo of the back of the TV in F309 on the Grand Princess. 

All this high-tech is beyond me.  If I understand this, you would need the Lightening-HDMI converter (which is a male lightening and a female HDMI plug) to plug into your phone, and then an HDMI-HDMI (both male) cable to plug that into the TV?  Then you can play movies from your phone on the room's TV?

 

[Mike45LC]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 9:48 AM, Glaciers said:

Currently on the Golden and was surprised that the TVs allow for bluetooth streaming from our mobile devices for our own music. 

What is the benefit of "Bluetooth streaming from our [phones]"?  Is this just to use the room's TV's better speakers for the music? 

 

If so, I don't need this, I bring my own Bluetooth speakers with me for music in the room and on the balcony.

 

[masterty]

2 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

All this high-tech is beyond me.  If I understand this, you would need the Lightening-HDMI converter (which is a male lightening and a female HDMI plug) to plug into your phone, and then an HDMI-HDMI (both male) cable to plug that into the TV?  Then you can play movies from your phone on the room's TV?

 

I would bet you could jut plug a chrome cast into the tv and cast wireless to the tv. easy to setup at home prior to sail. May require a pocket wifi box. As for streaming.. ? I needed to use a vpn to use hbogo. Hbogo was blocked otherwise. Streaming was hit and miss on my last voyage using a non-medalion.net network. For other movies I just hardwired HDMI from laptop to TV with no issues. Also bluetooth headset works great and allowed tv for me while DW slept in a quiet cabin.  

[Glaciers]

16 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

What is the benefit of "Bluetooth streaming from our [phones]"?  Is this just to use the room's TV's better speakers for the music? 

 

If so, I don't need this, I bring my own Bluetooth speakers with me for music in the room and on the balcony.

 

Yes, that would be the reason.  And, you are not alone, there are many posts about people playing music on balconies, mostly from those in adjacent balconies. 🙂

[JF - retired RRT]

16 hours ago, masterty said:

Also bluetooth headset works great and allowed tv for me while DW slept in a quiet cabin.  

Could you post here where you got that? I've tried a couple for "at home" use with no luck.

[Fouremco]

4 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Could you post here where you got that? I've tried a couple for "at home" use with no luck.

You need a Bluetooth transmitter plus Bluetooth headphones. This is just one example of a transmitter, I've something different but it's no longer available:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Transmitter-Computer-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B07C5J2WWD

 

Then you can get your headphones, a really wide selection and diversity of prices. I use Bluetooth earbuds that I purchased for the gym, high quality (and cost) but work as well as over-the-ear headphones.

[JF - retired RRT]

14 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

You need a Bluetooth transmitter plus Bluetooth headphones. This is just one example of a transmitter, I've something different but it's no longer available:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Transmitter-Computer-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B07C5J2WWD

 

Then you can get your headphones, a really wide selection and diversity of prices. I use Bluetooth earbuds that I purchased for the gym, high quality (and cost) but work as well as over-the-ear headphones.

Thank you. I'll take a look.

[masterty]

15 hours ago, Fouremco said:

You need a Bluetooth transmitter plus Bluetooth headphones. 

 

 

The new TVs on the Grand have the BT transmitter built into the TV. All that is needed is some earbuds and one can then listen to the TV while another sleeps in silence. The new TVs bluetooth can both transmit its audio and also receive audio from another source to act as external speakers. I tested the bluetooth both ways. 

Edited May 31, 2019 by masterty

[MissP22]

54 minutes ago, masterty said:

The new TVs on the Grand have the BT transmitter built into the TV. All that is needed is some earbuds and one can then listen to the TV while another sleeps in silence. The new TVs bluetooth can both transmit its audio and also receive audio from another source to act as external speakers. I tested the bluetooth both ways. 

I only tested it to send music to the TV & never though of using it the other way. I could have used my earphones at night so as not to disturb my DH. 

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, masterty said:

The new TVs on the Grand have the BT transmitter built into the TV. All that is needed is some earbuds and one can then listen to the TV while another sleeps in silence. The new TVs bluetooth can both transmit its audio and also receive audio from another source to act as external speakers. I tested the bluetooth both ways. 

Thanks for the tip. TV technology continues to evolve at a dizzying pace, and my smart TV, less than two years old, now seems like an antique! 

[SargassoPirate]

21 hours ago, Glaciers said:

Yes, that would be the reason.  And, you are not alone, there are many posts about people playing music on balconies, mostly from those in adjacent balconies. 🙂

Technology - heeling find new ways to annoy other passengers. We book balconys to have a quiet spot to read and enjoy the ocean away from the hubbub.  The last thing I want to hear is someone's Bluetooth speakers.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2019 by SargassoPirate