Royal Princess May 2 Alaska Review

[karatemom2]

We just returned from a wonderful cruise on the Royal Princess, its first sailing in over 2 years. My son and I had last been on a brief 4 day cruise on the Royal in early February 2020. Little did we realize at the time it would end up being among the last few cruises the ship would do for such an extended period of time.

 

Given that this was the very first cruise after such a long hiatus, we went in knowing there might be some things still to be worked out and decided that we would adjust our expectations accordingly and grant the ship and crew some grace on this first cruise out. I think that attitude truly helped us in being patient and understanding with some of the minor annoyances which were really very few and far between.

 

We were just so happy to be cruising to Alaska again and on such a great itinerary. We also had the good fortune to have booked two of the forward balcony cabins side by side on the Lido deck and just got so much enjoyment from those great large balconies and expansive views that were amazing for our scenic glacier days. They can get a little cool and breezy between ports, but overall they were just wonderful and I would highly recommend them for cruises where you want to get the most out of your scenic sailing days.

 

I'm sure there are some who will find fault with this first cruise experience after the long break - and to be sure some things were not perfect. The Medallion Net was difficult to use and slow at times, we did have continued issues with our medallions not working off and on that resulted in multiple trips to Guest Services and service on the first day in particular was a little haphazard and hard to access. We never did get our elite bar replaced as requested and rooms were not made up the first night - but we just chalked it up to the fact that crew was still adjusting.

 

Service got increasingly better each day as the cruise went on - the crew was great and so eager to please and be helpful. They truly seemed happy to be back and most passengers seemed very kind,  patient and appreciative.

 

The food was pretty good for the most part - there were a couple of meals that might have been less then stellar, but overall our experience was good. My son did miss the creme brulee, but the other desserts offered were really good and there were a nice assortment of sugar free options most days which my DH and I really appreciated. We enjoyed two meals at the Crown Grill which were exceptional both in terms of food and service. Sabatinis is not yet open, but we loved our experience at Crown Grill. The pizza remains as great as I remember and the Egg Bites at the International Cafe were a welcome addition to those of us trying to adhere to a low carb diet - really very tasty! The buffet was fine - it's pretty standard fare but we always found something good there. And although I didn't partake, the family informs me that the soft serve ice cream and gelato were very good as well.

 

In terms of entertainment, we didn't really attend many of the featured shows in the Princess Theatre. We heard the comedian was really quite good. We attended the Beatles tribute show which was absolutely phenomenal. We also went to the mentalist show which was just ok. We have seen Colors of the Wind and Encore before so didn't feel compelled to go, but I heard they were well done. In other areas, the musicians onboard performing in the Atrium and Wheelhouse Bar were really good - we enjoyed them whenever we were in the listening vicinity. And the entertainment staff was outstanding led by Kevin the CD - they were just all wonderfully fun and social - you could really tell they were bending over backwards to offer fun options - lots of great music trivia, fun game shows, etc. They did a terrific job - one of the best teams we have enjoyed on any cruise!

 

Honestly, all of this outlined up to this point was a bonus for us because the real star of this trip and our reason for choosing it was because of the amazing itinerary with 6 port days and three scenic cruising days. And it did not disappoint. It was worth the hassle of flying in and out of Vancouver in the midst of all the COVID requirements, ArriveCan, testing and all that goes with travel these days. So for those who might be interested here is what we did in each port.

 

Juneau - rented a car from Juneau Car Rentals which they kindly delivered to port for us which was so appreciated as we ended up being two hours late arriving due to some weather challenges heading up from Vancouver. We drove to Perseverance Trail and did a hike there - the trail conditions were not quite ideal yet this early in the season so we didn't go quite as far as we planned but what we did do was absolutely beautiful. We then took a drive out to the very end of the road and back which was very pretty and by that time were starving so headed back on board for dinner and sail away.

 

Skagway - rented a car from Avis and drove the Yukon highway all the way to Emerald Lake. Keep in mind you need to do the ArriveCan again for this - they did check at the border to make sure we had our QR code. It was the best day! There is still so much snow - more then we have ever seen on previous trips. But it was a beautiful day - the lakes are still frozen so just a completely different look and feel. We stopped at Caribou Crossing and visited the museum and fed the animals and held the puppies! Everyone working there was so kind and happy to have visitors again. It was a great day and we capped it off at the Skagway Brewing Company before dropping off the car and walking back to the ship.

 

Icy Strait Point - We did a whale watching trip with Hoonah Travel Adventures. What a wonderful company! They were so nice - the boat was comfortable and we saw plenty of whales and a brown bear roaming the beach as a bonus. We hung out at the wharf area after our tour and did a little shopping and then back on board where we sat on our balcony and watched eagles and whales all afternoon right in front of the ship in the harbor. Another gorgeous day!

 

Sitka - This was an exceptionally great day! We rented a boat from a local vendor - I'm not going to mention the name as he does not typically rent to cruise ship passengers, but made an exception in our case because after talking to my DH felt comfortable that he had the level of boat operating experience and skill required. This is not for novices. The boat was fantastic - super comfortable for our group of 4 and we just had the best day of fishing in Sitka Sound. We caught multiple ling cod and rock fish - but the absolute thrill was catching a huge halibut, literally as big as full grown adult. We didn't have the tools to weigh or measure to be certain it was in the slot limit so opted to catch and release. It would have been nice to filet it up and send it home - but given our one short day there and not being sure how much it would cost or if the fish was even legal it just seemed the best course of action. We will always have the photos!

 

This launched us into our three glacier days. The weather for Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay was phenomenal. Literally just gorgeous, clear, blue sky days. It was some of the most stunning views we have ever enjoyed. In Glacier Bay we also saw many more whales and otter as well. Our third day in Endicott Arm was also very pretty, but a little cold and rainy, and unfortunately there was too much ice for us to approach the glacier so we had to settle for just a short jaunt into the very beginning area of the fjord - but really, no complaints. What we had been able to see for those three days was truly magnificent.

 

Ketchikan - Given our many trips to Ketchikan, we opted to just stay in town and enjoy doing some of our favorite things again. We went to Cape Fox Lodge for breakfast - you have to try the reindeer sausage! It was quite a hike up to the lodge as the funicular is not working right now - but the food and views are so worth it. We spent some quality time on Creek Street and then did some shopping in town before going to see the Lumberjack Show again - it had been a number of years since our last visit and one member of our traveling group had never been. It's a bit hokey at times, but very fun and entertaining. We got fish and chips at the restaurant next door afterwards and then slowly worked our way back to the ship with a mandatory stop at Tongass Trading Company and the brewery. Just a super fun and stress free day!

 

Victoria - we had a pretty long port day here which was nice, but we cut it a bit short in order to get back to the ship to do our COVID tests for our flight home. We spent time downtown visiting Murchies, Monroes and several other favorite shops. We also made a foray into the Empress Hotel and admired the people having tea - we really have to do that someday! It is just such a charming city - I wish we would have taken more time in town, but we were all a little anxious about getting our testing over with so we could get the all clear for our flight back to the US. I guess we were just lucky that Princess still offered the service on our cruise as I hear going forward that is not the case. It was a little bit unorganized and took a super long time - but at least they provided it so I appreciate that.

 

All in all, this cruise exceeded our expectations. The Royal is a lovely ship, the crew was wonderful and Alaska never disappoints. I'm sure there will be those that find reason to complain about aspects that they might find less then satisfactory - but for us it was another wonderful vacation for the memory books!

 

 

 

 

[miagirl]

thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed your trip!  And that you chose to highlight the positives rather than focus on the "less than satisfactory" aspects.  I continue to be amazed at some people who are ranting and raving about mere inconveniences!  Where have they been for the last two horrible years?

 

Please note that I am not talking about anyone who has posted what happened when they or a family member were quarantined.  That's a different matter entirely!

[patrickmoran]

How was the wifi performance?

[masscruiser2010]

Yes, I am eager to hear about the wifi as well.

[karatemom2]

The WiFi via Medallion Net was challenging much of the time. We managed and I was even able to keep up with my work emails on sea days, but it was very slow and patience was required. I don’t know if it was a Princess issue or just a by product of the remote areas where we were sailing but we made it work. 

[memoak]

When we did a coastal two weeks ago ending in Vancouver and the WiFi got slower the further north we got. Just a little worried about our 14 day b2b in August (Alaska from and to Vancouver

[startedwithamouse]

3 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

We just returned from a wonderful cruise on the Royal Princess, its first sailing in over 2 years. My son and I had last been on a brief 4 day cruise on the Royal in early February 2020. Little did we realize at the time it would end up being among the last few cruises the ship would do for such an extended period of time.

 

Given that this was the very first cruise after such a long hiatus, we went in knowing there might be some things still to be worked out and decided that we would adjust our expectations accordingly and grant the ship and crew some grace on this first cruise out. I think that attitude truly helped us in being patient and understanding with some of the minor annoyances which were really very few and far between.

 

We were just so happy to be cruising to Alaska again and on such a great itinerary. We also had the good fortune to have booked two of the forward balcony cabins side by side on the Lido deck and just got so much enjoyment from those great large balconies and expansive views that were amazing for our scenic glacier days. They can get a little cool and breezy between ports, but overall they were just wonderful and I would highly recommend them for cruises where you want to get the most out of your scenic sailing days.

 

I'm sure there are some who will find fault with this first cruise experience after the long break - and to be sure some things were not perfect. The Medallion Net was difficult to use and slow at times, we did have continued issues with our medallions not working off and on that resulted in multiple trips to Guest Services and service on the first day in particular was a little haphazard and hard to access. We never did get our elite bar replaced as requested and rooms were not made up the first night - but we just chalked it up to the fact that crew was still adjusting.

 

Service got increasingly better each day as the cruise went on - the crew was great and so eager to please and be helpful. They truly seemed happy to be back and most passengers seemed very kind,  patient and appreciative.

 

The food was pretty good for the most part - there were a couple of meals that might have been less then stellar, but overall our experience was good. My son did miss the creme brulee, but the other desserts offered were really good and there were a nice assortment of sugar free options most days which my DH and I really appreciated. We enjoyed two meals at the Crown Grill which were exceptional both in terms of food and service. Sabatinis is not yet open, but we loved our experience at Crown Grill. The pizza remains as great as I remember and the Egg Bites at the International Cafe were a welcome addition to those of us trying to adhere to a low carb diet - really very tasty! The buffet was fine - it's pretty standard fare but we always found something good there. And although I didn't partake, the family informs me that the soft serve ice cream and gelato were very good as well.

 

In terms of entertainment, we didn't really attend many of the featured shows in the Princess Theatre. We heard the comedian was really quite good. We attended the Beatles tribute show which was absolutely phenomenal. We also went to the mentalist show which was just ok. We have seen Colors of the Wind and Encore before so didn't feel compelled to go, but I heard they were well done. In other areas, the musicians onboard performing in the Atrium and Wheelhouse Bar were really good - we enjoyed them whenever we were in the listening vicinity. And the entertainment staff was outstanding led by Kevin the CD - they were just all wonderfully fun and social - you could really tell they were bending over backwards to offer fun options - lots of great music trivia, fun game shows, etc. They did a terrific job - one of the best teams we have enjoyed on any cruise!

 

Honestly, all of this outlined up to this point was a bonus for us because the real star of this trip and our reason for choosing it was because of the amazing itinerary with 6 port days and three scenic cruising days. And it did not disappoint. It was worth the hassle of flying in and out of Vancouver in the midst of all the COVID requirements, ArriveCan, testing and all that goes with travel these days. So for those who might be interested here is what we did in each port.

 

Juneau - rented a car from Juneau Car Rentals which they kindly delivered to port for us which was so appreciated as we ended up being two hours late arriving due to some weather challenges heading up from Vancouver. We drove to Perseverance Trail and did a hike there - the trail conditions were not quite ideal yet this early in the season so we didn't go quite as far as we planned but what we did do was absolutely beautiful. We then took a drive out to the very end of the road and back which was very pretty and by that time were starving so headed back on board for dinner and sail away.

 

Skagway - rented a car from Avis and drove the Yukon highway all the way to Emerald Lake. Keep in mind you need to do the ArriveCan again for this - they did check at the border to make sure we had our QR code. It was the best day! There is still so much snow - more then we have ever seen on previous trips. But it was a beautiful day - the lakes are still frozen so just a completely different look and feel. We stopped at Caribou Crossing and visited the museum and fed the animals and held the puppies! Everyone working there was so kind and happy to have visitors again. It was a great day and we capped it off at the Skagway Brewing Company before dropping off the car and walking back to the ship.

 

Icy Strait Point - We did a whale watching trip with Hoonah Travel Adventures. What a wonderful company! They were so nice - the boat was comfortable and we saw plenty of whales and a brown bear roaming the beach as a bonus. We hung out at the wharf area after our tour and did a little shopping and then back on board where we sat on our balcony and watched eagles and whales all afternoon right in front of the ship in the harbor. Another gorgeous day!

 

Sitka - This was an exceptionally great day! We rented a boat from a local vendor - I'm not going to mention the name as he does not typically rent to cruise ship passengers, but made an exception in our case because after talking to my DH felt comfortable that he had the level of boat operating experience and skill required. This is not for novices. The boat was fantastic - super comfortable for our group of 4 and we just had the best day of fishing in Sitka Sound. We caught multiple ling cod and rock fish - but the absolute thrill was catching a huge halibut, literally as big as full grown adult. We didn't have the tools to weigh or measure to be certain it was in the slot limit so opted to catch and release. It would have been nice to filet it up and send it home - but given our one short day there and not being sure how much it would cost or if the fish was even legal it just seemed the best course of action. We will always have the photos!

 

This launched us into our three glacier days. The weather for Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay was phenomenal. Literally just gorgeous, clear, blue sky days. It was some of the most stunning views we have ever enjoyed. In Glacier Bay we also saw many more whales and otter as well. Our third day in Endicott Arm was also very pretty, but a little cold and rainy, and unfortunately there was too much ice for us to approach the glacier so we had to settle for just a short jaunt into the very beginning area of the fjord - but really, no complaints. What we had been able to see for those three days was truly magnificent.

 

Ketchikan - Given our many trips to Ketchikan, we opted to just stay in town and enjoy doing some of our favorite things again. We went to Cape Fox Lodge for breakfast - you have to try the reindeer sausage! It was quite a hike up to the lodge as the funicular is not working right now - but the food and views are so worth it. We spent some quality time on Creek Street and then did some shopping in town before going to see the Lumberjack Show again - it had been a number of years since our last visit and one member of our traveling group had never been. It's a bit hokey at times, but very fun and entertaining. We got fish and chips at the restaurant next door afterwards and then slowly worked our way back to the ship with a mandatory stop at Tongass Trading Company and the brewery. Just a super fun and stress free day!

 

Victoria - we had a pretty long port day here which was nice, but we cut it a bit short in order to get back to the ship to do our COVID tests for our flight home. We spent time downtown visiting Murchies, Monroes and several other favorite shops. We also made a foray into the Empress Hotel and admired the people having tea - we really have to do that someday! It is just such a charming city - I wish we would have taken more time in town, but we were all a little anxious about getting our testing over with so we could get the all clear for our flight back to the US. I guess we were just lucky that Princess still offered the service on our cruise as I hear going forward that is not the case. It was a little bit unorganized and took a super long time - but at least they provided it so I appreciate that.

 

All in all, this cruise exceeded our expectations. The Royal is a lovely ship, the crew was wonderful and Alaska never disappoints. I'm sure there will be those that find reason to complain about aspects that they might find less then satisfactory - but for us it was another wonderful vacation for the memory books!

 

 

 

 

We have close to 40 days since the return and ALWAYS creme brulee on the dessert menu in the MDR.  This is so sad if they took it off for the Alaskan season. 😞

[karatemom2]

3 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

We have close to 40 days since the return and ALWAYS creme brulee on the dessert menu in the MDR.  This is so sad if they took it off for the Alaskan season. 😞

It was definitely not available on any menu we were provided during the entire cruise. 

[startedwithamouse]

11 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

It was definitely not available on any menu we were provided during the entire cruise. 

😭

[karatemom2]

I can also mention that we did a couple of spa treatments (couples massage) that were really nice - much more low key on the product push which I appreciated. In fact on the last one they didn’t even try to sell us anything at all. The ladies there were lovely and so glad to be working again. 
 

We also attended both wine tastings and sampled some nice options. DH was treated very well by the Casino and we received a number of nice perks from them during our cruise including candy, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and one of our Crown Grill dinners. We left with a nice future cruise offer as well. 

[travelbuds]

4 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

The food was pretty good for the most part - there were a couple of meals that might have been less then stellar, but overall our experience was good.

Thank you for your trip review. Will be on the Royal in 2-3 weeks. Trying to cut down on the amount of luggage I am taking. Curious to know what most guys were wearing on formal nights. Thank you.

[karatemom2]

7 minutes ago, travelbuds said:

Thank you for your trip review. Will be on the Royal in 2-3 weeks. Trying to cut down on the amount of luggage I am taking. Curious to know what most guys were wearing on formal nights. Thank you.

Formal nights were a real mixed bag! I did not see one single man wearing a tux. A few were wearing suits. Most were wearing nicer pants and a button up shirt with and without ties. Some wore khakis, button up shirt and blazers. There were a few who were super underdressed - literally t-shirt and jeans. My DH brought khakis, button up and blue blazer and looked pretty well dressed compared to most. My son and daughter’s fiancé wore dark pants and suit jackets but took the jackets off when the saw how casual most were. You could definitely get by with a pair of slacks and button up shirt and not feel underdressed at all. Alaska seems more casual on dress code. 

[travelbuds]

35 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

Formal nights were a real mixed bag! I did not see one single man wearing a tux. A few were wearing suits. Most were wearing nicer pants and a button up shirt with and without ties. Some wore khakis, button up shirt and blazers. There were a few who were super underdressed - literally t-shirt and jeans. My DH brought khakis, button up and blue blazer and looked pretty well dressed compared to most. My son and daughter’s fiancé wore dark pants and suit jackets but took the jackets off when the saw how casual most were. You could definitely get by with a pair of slacks and button up shirt and not feel underdressed at all. Alaska seems more casual on dress code. 

Thank you for your response. I guess I can leave the tux and suit at home. Have always taken a tux as it is the only time I really get dressed up. The tie can stay also. Now it is between taking a sport jacket or a sweatshirt. Thanks again.

[highloyo]

Thank you for a very nice review highlighting the positives and not complaining about the negatives. It sounds like you saw and explored a lot and had a great time. What a nice vacation for your family.

[Arya3]

Thank you so much for writing this detailed review! So glad you had such a great cruise. We will be on the Royal Princess 7 days northbound on July 23rd and getting excited!

I know that the shore excursions with White Pass railroad now stops at the summit and does not cross into Yukon or BC ( no passport required) but do you happen to know if the BUS tours cross into Yukon or BC?
Did they bring back the Puppies in the Piazza?
 
Thanks in advance for any info!

[karatemom2]

7 minutes ago, Arya3 said:

Thank you so much for writing this detailed review! So glad you had such a great cruise. We will be on the Royal Princess 7 days northbound on July 23rd and getting excited!

I know that the shore excursions with White Pass railroad now stops at the summit and does not cross into Yukon or BC ( no passport required) but do you happen to know if the BUS tours cross into Yukon or BC?
Did they bring back the Puppies in the Piazza?
 
Thanks in advance for any info!

Yes, there were definitely bus tours going into the Yukon. We saw a couple of tour buses and vans. You might check with Chilkoot Charters. It’s really easy to rent a car if you feel comfortable driving yourself. You will need to do the ArriveCAN app before hitting the border. We had already done it for our arrival in Vancouver and just updated it for our Yukon day. It was a breeze at the border - they just scanned our ArriveCAN code and checked our passports. We held the puppies at Caribou Crossing but they also had puppies on the ship too. Not in the Piazza this time but up by the pool area. 

[Arya3]

Thanks for the helpful info, very much appreciated!😀

[karatemom2]

A little post script to my review. My daughter and I tested positive for COVID this morning. I’m quadruple vaxed and she is triple vaxed - we have felt it might be coming on for a couple of days but continued to test negative until this morning. I guess it’s our unwelcome souvenir. We both are experiencing mild to moderate illness so it appears our vaccines are helping us with this fight. 
 

I'm sharing this because in retrospect we let out guard down as the cruise went on. We were having so much fun and it felt nice to be normal. But we should have been more vigilant about wearing our masks, especially in Princess Live. We did sometimes and forgot them other times. Just a word of caution for those who have trips coming up. On the upside I should have pretty strong immunity going in to our British Isles cruise later this summer. 

[Coral]

4 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

A little post script to my review. My daughter and I tested positive for COVID this morning. I’m quadruple vaxed and she is triple vaxed - we have felt it might be coming on for a couple of days but continued to test negative until this morning. I guess it’s our unwelcome souvenir. We both are experiencing mild to moderate illness so it appears our vaccines are helping us with this fight. 
 

I'm sharing this because in retrospect we let out guard down as the cruise went on. We were having so much fun and it felt nice to be normal. But we should have been more vigilant about wearing our masks, especially in Princess Live. We did sometimes and forgot them other times. Just a word of caution for those who have trips coming up. On the upside I should have pretty strong immunity going in to our British Isles cruise later this summer. 

I know several who felt that they did not let their guard down and they tested positive after their cruise also. So I wouldn't beat yourself up - this variant is very contagious.

 

I would go ahead and contact your doctor and make sure you have a documented positive case and then a letter of recovery. Then you are exempt from testing for 90 days which may include your summer cruise.

 

I remember when you were cruising when your kids were young. How old are they now? You have been on the boards for a long time and I have followed your posts. 🙂 

[karatemom2]

4 minutes ago, Coral said:

I know several who felt that they did not let their guard down and they tested positive after their cruise also. So I wouldn't beat yourself up - this variant is very contagious.

 

I would go ahead and contact your doctor and make sure you have a documented positive case and then a letter of recovery. Then you are exempt from testing for 90 days which may include your summer cruise.

 

I remember when you were cruising when your kids were young. How old are they now? You have been on the boards for a long time and I have followed your posts. 🙂 

Thank you Coral! I work in health care so I reported this morning to our Employee Health Department - just waiting for my follow up interview where they will document everything for me and tell me when I’m allowed back in the office. I’m sure they can provide me with the letter you mention. Thanks for the heads up. I should be super immune now after 4 shots and an infection. 
 

That is so nice of you to mention my kids. Yes I have been around the board for a long while. We started cruising with Princess when they were 5 and 10. My daughter is 22 now and got engaged to her long time boyfriend on this cruise. It was so wonderful! And my son is 27 and just finished his second year of law school. We timed this trip so he could join us between finishing exams and starting his summer internship with the Navy Jags. So despite picking up the cooties it was an amazing family vacation. 

[Coral]

6 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

Thank you Coral! I work in health care so I reported this morning to our Employee Health Department - just waiting for my follow up interview where they will document everything for me and tell me when I’m allowed back in the office. I’m sure they can provide me with the letter you mention. Thanks for the heads up. I should be super immune now after 4 shots and an infection. 
 

That is so nice of you to mention my kids. Yes I have been around the board for a long while. We started cruising with Princess when they were 5 and 10. My daughter is 22 now and got engaged to her long time boyfriend on this cruise. It was so wonderful! And my son is 27 and just finished his second year of law school. We timed this trip so he could join us between finishing exams and starting his summer internship with the Navy Jags. So despite picking up the cooties it was an amazing family vacation. 

That is wonderful about your kids! They are both doing amazing! Thanks for sharing and so glad to hear. I remember reading your trip reports way back when.

 

Make sure you look at Princess's site for those who have tested positive within 90 days of a cruise so if your employer doesn't mention the letter, you can ask them for what you need (if your cruise is within 90 days).

 

I hope your symptoms don't get worse.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Coral

[voljeep]

14 hours ago, travelbuds said:

Thank you for your response. I guess I can leave the tux and suit at home. Have always taken a tux as it is the only time I really get dressed up. The tie can stay also. Now it is between taking a sport jacket or a sweatshirt. Thanks again.

take the tux if you "want to" ...

don't take the tux if you feel you "have to" ...

[LoriPhil]

So sorry about catching the crud, but love your silver lining.  Have a wonderful, relaxing time on your British Isle cruise!  Your Alaska itinerary looks like a great one - nice to have additional ports other than the typical ones, and a longer cruise to enjoy.  We’ll keep our eye out for something similar in 2024 (earliest we’ll be able to cruise after our house reno).

[CruzeQueen2]

56 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

A little post script to my review. My daughter and I tested positive for COVID this morning. I’m quadruple vaxed and she is triple vaxed - we have felt it might be coming on for a couple of days but continued to test negative until this morning. I guess it’s our unwelcome souvenir. We both are experiencing mild to moderate illness so it appears our vaccines are helping us with this fight. 
 

I'm sharing this because in retrospect we let out guard down as the cruise went on. We were having so much fun and it felt nice to be normal. But we should have been more vigilant about wearing our masks, especially in Princess Live. We did sometimes and forgot them other times. Just a word of caution for those who have trips coming up. On the upside I should have pretty strong immunity going in to our British Isles cruise later this summer. 

@karatemom2Thank you for your postscript. I was onboard this sailing and enjoyed reading your detailed report. Couldn't agree with you more. It was a wonderful cruise. First return-to-sail for the Royal Princess and I was thrilled to be on board. Twelve days of "almost" normal cruising...so I completely understand how you let down your guard, and your mask, on a few occasions. 

Stay positive! It is most becoming. Enjoy your next adventure - in good health.

[bubbaed]

18 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

The WiFi via Medallion Net was challenging much of the time. We managed and I was even able to keep up with my work emails on sea days, but it was very slow and patience was required. I don’t know if it was a Princess issue or just a by product of the remote areas where we were sailing but we made it work. 

Neat fact: there is a video on Princess web site that explains Internet service speeds at various latitudes. See link and screenshot from the video below. Alaska and Northern Europe (where most Princess ships are currently) for example, are not in the "optimum" zone so lackluster speeds are to be expected when sailing in these areas - and CC threads reflect this. My *guess* is that a host of the Medallion features are also dependent on an Internet cloud connection, so system glitches are likely when bandwidth is limited in these areas. Knowing this in advance might be helpful to manage expectations and still enjoy the cruise.

 

https://www.princess.com/cruise-tips-vacation-ideas/video/onboard-experience/how-medallionnet-works.html