Discovery Princess – Alaska May 22 Occasionally Live From

[Crow9]

I recently sailed on the Crown Princess, has the Discovery been making it to all the ports in it's itinerary on time?

[5:00_Somewhere]

13 hours ago, Crow9 said:

I recently sailed on the Crown Princess, has the Discovery been making it to all the ports in it's itinerary on time?

 

Discovery Princess made all ports as scheduled during our cruise last week.

 

The issue with the Crown is that there is a mechanical issue with their propulsion system. According to someone I know at Princess, they have not yet been able to repair her because there are supply chain issues causing problems in getting the necessary parts Then, once they have the parts available, they have to find a dry dock that can take the ship and arrange repair personnel to actually make the repairs. So, because the ship is functional and safe to operate, if slower than it would normally be, they decided to alter the itineraries and continue sailing until repairs can be made.

[KKB]

On 5/27/2022 at 6:32 PM, 5:00_Somewhere said:

 

 

To answer a couple questions, they ARE doing both the Chef's Table and the Winemaker's Dinner. 

 

Very intrigued by these. 

Must they be booked onboard?

[KKB]

On 5/27/2022 at 6:32 PM, 5:00_Somewhere said:

 

 

To answer a couple questions, they ARE doing both the Chef's Table and the Winemaker's Dinner. 

 

Very intrigued by these. 

Must they be booked onboard?

[5:00_Somewhere]

2 minutes ago, KKB said:

Very intrigued by these. 

Must they be booked onboard?

 

Yes, that's what we were told on board.

[capriccio]

4 hours ago, KKB said:

Very intrigued by these. 

Must they be booked onboard?

Yes and sometimes they aren't even advertised.  If you have the embarkation lunch in the MDR ask the head waiter if he/she knows if they are being offered and/or go to Guest Services on embarkation day and ask; if they don't know they should put your name on a waitlist and/or call the DINE line and ask. 

[kk3]

Hello,

 

Can anyone tell me if they play the Love Boat horn when leaving the ports on the round trip Alaska itineraries out of Seattle?  
 

I’ve heard there are ports that don’t allow it due to noise ordinances. We are sailing on the Discovery in a few weeks so just curious. 

Thank you!

 

[lotus land]

Quick question, did you need to complete the ArriveCan app before visiting Victoria, BC?  What if you're not leaving the ship?

 

Thank you

[5:00_Somewhere]

I just remembered that I meant to post the rest of the Princess Patters, in case they're useful to folks taking this cruise in the future (Day 1 is posted above).

[5:00_Somewhere]

Also, because a few folks on our rollcall for this cruise have reported testing positive for Covid-19 after the cruise, I thought I'd comment on that a bit.

 

We were travelling with a small group and, on Saturday morning (Victoria Day) one member was not feeling well, went to the medical center, and tested positive for Covid. She notified us all at once. We were feeling fine, but administered self-tests that day and tested negative. Once we returned home, we received text notifications from the Colorado and Washington State Departments of Health advising that we had been in close proximity to people who had tested positive for Covid. We were on an excursion in one port with people from Colorado, so assume it must have been them. Of course, for Washington, it could have been anyone on the ship, in the airport, on the plane, etc. We tested again this past Thursday, the 4th day after returning home, and were still negative.

 

Interestingly, our friend who tested positive was permitted to stay in her balcony room for that last day. She was then disembarked separately from all other passengers, and put up in a Seattle hotel, at Princess' expense, for 5 days before flying home.

We wore our KN95 masks at all times at all times in airports, on planes, on any group transportation such as vans for excursions (including with the folks from Colorado), Princess transfer to the airport, in elevators, the Horizon Court and any other crowded indoor spaces when we were not eating or drinking. Plus we were double boosted. I can only assume this practice is what prevented us from contracting the virus. 

 

Just sharing in the hope that this information might be helpful to others.

[5:00_Somewhere]

On 6/3/2022 at 1:51 AM, lotus land said:

Quick question, did you need to complete the ArriveCan app before visiting Victoria, BC?  What if you're not leaving the ship?

 

Thank you

 

You must complete the ArriveCan questionnaire before boarding the ship in Seattle. It's a requirement for boarding, even if you do not plan to leave the ship in Victoria. They check this during boarding, along with your passport, vaccination record, and Covid test results.

 

It's a pretty simple process (just make sure you have your passport and your vaccination card handy to upload to the app). But I recommend taking a screenshot of your ArriveCan "receipt" once you get it, as there is no Wifi or cell signal inside the terminal building, which will make it impossible to access the ArriveCan app when you're actually checking in for the cruise.

Edited June 5, 2022 by 5:00_Somewhere

[mthomp5]

4 hours ago, 5:00_Somewhere said:

I just remembered that I meant to post the rest of the Princess Patters, in case they're useful to folks taking this cruise in the future (Day 1 is posted above).

Thank you!  This is indeed helpful!

 

I noticed the Patter for Day 6 says it’s “Dress to Impress”.  Was the attire different than formal night?  Thank you!

Edited June 5, 2022 by mthomp5

[Sherrica]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and the patters! We will be on the June 26th sailing. Do you know what the "Good spirits at sea" event was about? Also,  I don't see bingo advertised.  Was it offered at random times?

 

Also thank you for the screenshot tips!

[triple7tahoe]

4 hours ago, mthomp5 said:

Thank you!  This is indeed helpful!

 

I noticed the Patter for Day 6 says it’s “Dress to Impress”.  Was the attire different than formal night?  Thank you!

According to the Loyalty & Events manager, they changed "formal" to "dress to impress" so that the officers would not have to wear their formal uniforms. In our last few cruises, including a recent one on the Discovery, there was not much difference for the  passengers

[arizonaperson]

9 hours ago, 5:00_Somewhere said:

Also, because a few folks on our rollcall for this cruise have reported testing positive for Covid-19 after the cruise, I thought I'd comment on that a bit.

 

We were travelling with a small group and, on Saturday morning (Victoria Day) one member was not feeling well, went to the medical center, and tested positive for Covid. She notified us all at once. We were feeling fine, but administered self-tests that day and tested negative. Once we returned home, we received text notifications from the Colorado and Washington State Departments of Health advising that we had been in close proximity to people who had tested positive for Covid. We were on an excursion in one port with people from Colorado, so assume it must have been them. Of course, for Washington, it could have been anyone on the ship, in the airport, on the plane, etc. We tested again this past Thursday, the 4th day after returning home, and were still negative.

 

Interestingly, our friend who tested positive was permitted to stay in her balcony room for that last day. She was then disembarked separately from all other passengers, and put up in a Seattle hotel, at Princess' expense, for 5 days before flying home.

We wore our KN95 masks at all times at all times in airports, on planes, on any group transportation such as vans for excursions (including with the folks from Colorado), Princess transfer to the airport, in elevators, the Horizon Court and any other crowded indoor spaces when we were not eating or drinking. Plus we were double boosted. I can only assume this practice is what prevented us from contracting the virus. 

 

Just sharing in the hope that this information might be helpful to others.

So your  friend that tested Covid positive, really she was put up in a Seattle hotel at Princesses expense?

 I have heard that you pay for the hotel yourself and then you put in a claim to your travel insurance for reimbursement and the Claim to Princess.

Also “ you” Get a food allowance but again you pay for that upfront yourself out of your pocket and then put in a claim. Apparently if you have a traveling partner/cabin partner it is paid per person for food.

[5:00_Somewhere]

5 hours ago, mthomp5 said:

Thank you!  This is indeed helpful!

 

I noticed the Patter for Day 6 says it’s “Dress to Impress”.  Was the attire different than formal night?  Thank you!

 

Princess changed Formal Night to "Dress to Impress" some time ago. I know it was that designation for our December 2021 cruise on the Sky Princess, and I thought it was the same on the Sky in 2019.

 

We found DTI in the Caribbean to be less formal than in previous years, with most men wearing slacks and a collared shirt, some adding a tie, some adding a sport coat, and a few wearing suits, with fewer still wearing evening wear/tuxes. We do still see a lot of women in dresses and some in gowns, but definitely fewer than in past years. In Alaska DTI night was even more casual, with many men and women wearing "nice" jeans (usually dark) with a collared shirt or blouse or sweater. Again, there were a few wearing more "dressed up" attire, but very few on this cruise. 

 

53 minutes ago, Sherrica said:

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and the patters! We will be on the June 26th sailing. Do you know what the "Good spirits at sea" event was about? Also,  I don't see bingo advertised.  Was it offered at random times?

 

Also thank you for the screenshot tips!

 

I'm sorry, we did not attend either event, so I cannot comment. Perhaps someone else can answer your questions. I did find a Bingo dauber in a lounge chair on Deck 7 when I sat in it one afternoon, so assume there must've been Bingo somewhere. 🙂

 

26 minutes ago, triple7tahoe said:

According to the Loyalty & Events manager, they changed "formal" to "dress to impress" so that the officers would not have to wear their formal uniforms. In our last few cruises, including a recent one on the Discovery, there was not much difference for the  passengers

 

I can't speak to that the influence of ships officers (though I find that a little unlikely, personally), but know that many passengers have been sort of "rebelling" against formal wear for some years, partially due to airline luggage weight limits. But, even when it was still called "formal night", we have noticed many passengers (ourselves included) forgoing the traditional formal attire we had worn in years past.

 

17 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

So your  friend that tested Covid positive, really she was put up in a Seattle hotel at Princesses expense?

 I have heard that you pay for the hotel yourself and then you put in a claim to your travel insurance for reimbursement and the Claim to Princess.

Also “ you” Get a food allowance but again you pay for that upfront yourself out of your pocket and then put in a claim. Apparently if you have a traveling partner/cabin partner it is paid per person for food.

 

You are probably right. I was merely passing on what was reported to me. It was a text message, so probably merely a shorthand, simplified description.

[lotus land]

13 hours ago, 5:00_Somewhere said:

 

You must complete the ArriveCan questionnaire before boarding the ship in Seattle. It's a requirement for boarding, even if you do not plan to leave the ship in Victoria. They check this during boarding, along with your passport, vaccination record, and Covid test results.

 

It's a pretty simple process (just make sure you have your passport and your vaccination card handy to upload to the app). But I recommend taking a screenshot of your ArriveCan "receipt" once you get it, as there is no Wifi or cell signal inside the terminal building, which will make it impossible to access the ArriveCan app when you're actually checking in for the cruise.

 Thank you for the clarification! I’ll complete an ArriveCan form for Victoria before boarding and do another for driving back to Vancouver for the next day.

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your trip and for uploading the Patter.

[mthomp5]

6 hours ago, 5:00_Somewhere said:

Princess changed Formal Night to "Dress to Impress" some time ago. I know it was that designation for our December 2021 cruise on the Sky Princess, and I thought it was the same on the Sky in 2019.

 

We found DTI in the Caribbean to be less formal than in previous years, with most men wearing slacks and a collared shirt, some adding a tie, some adding a sport coat, and a few wearing suits, with fewer still wearing evening wear/tuxes. We do still see a lot of women in dresses and some in gowns, but definitely fewer than in past years. In Alaska DTI night was even more casual, with many men and women wearing "nice" jeans (usually dark) with a collared shirt or blouse or sweater. Again, there were a few wearing more "dressed up" attire, but very few on this cruise. 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!  

[Andie272]

Thank you for posting this!  Any chance you can email the patters to me, andie272@gmail.com.

 

Where do we find the ArriveCan?  I have not seen that anyplace.

 

My husband has an Enhanced NY License, I know he can sail with that, will he have a problem in Canada?  

[5:00_Somewhere]

4 hours ago, Andie272 said:

Thank you for posting this!  Any chance you can email the patters to me, andie272@gmail.com.

 

Where do we find the ArriveCan?  I have not seen that anyplace.

 

My husband has an Enhanced NY License, I know he can sail with that, will he have a problem in Canada?  

 

The travel requirements should be referenced in your Princess travel documents, as I recall.

 

I strongly recommend you research necessary travel documents on the Canadian government websites. To the best of my knowledge, a US driver's license alone - enhanced or otherwise - is not sufficient to allow entry to any other country. A passport is necessary; or a birth certificate is sufficient for some Caribbean islands.

 

I do know that Canada and the US also participate in the "NEXUS" program, and so a NEXUS card is sufficient, but that's typically only common for people who live in states that border on Canada and travel there frequently.  My BIL and SIL who live in Washington State use this method.

 

Likewise, you can do a Google search for "Arrivecan" and it will take you to the Canadian government page with relevant information and links to download the app to your smartphone.

 

You can download the photographs of the Patters that are posted in this thread. On a computer, simply right-click on the picture and select "save image as"; on a smartphone or tablet long press on the photo and select "save to device".

 

I hope that's helpful

 

[cigar connoisseur]

On 5/24/2022 at 1:02 PM, PharmDisney said:

Thank you for all the information! Do you know if the Chef's Table Dinner is being offered on this sailing?

They had one Chef's table on our cruise last week.  We didn't get in.  Boo.  The message said it was 1st come 1st serve.  We were on board for about 2 hours before inquiring so if you're interested in the Chef's table it would be good to get on as early as possible and make that request as soon as you get onboard.  

[cigar connoisseur]

13 hours ago, Andie272 said:

Thank you for posting this!  Any chance you can email the patters to me, andie272@gmail.com.

 

Where do we find the ArriveCan?  I have not seen that anyplace.

 

My husband has an Enhanced NY License, I know he can sail with that, will he have a problem in Canada?  

I don't have the patters, the medallion app has the activities listed on it about a week before boarding.  ArriveCan is a phone app.  They check that during check-in, don't know what happens if it hasn't been completed as we had done that. 

 

Once in Canada we carried our passports, but were never asked for them.  Only asked to Scan our medallion to get back into the port terminal.   

[cigar connoisseur]

On 6/5/2022 at 8:44 PM, lotus land said:

 Thank you for the clarification! I’ll complete an ArriveCan form for Victoria before boarding and do another for driving back to Vancouver for the next day.

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your trip and for uploading the Patter.

Regarding Bingo, it there was a lot of Bingo on the ship.  Every time I walked to the aft elevators on deck 7 there was a table set up selling Bingo cards.  Plus they have a Deal or no deal game too.   It looked like you bought an entry card in the casino and then the game was played in the main theater.  I didn't participate in that but they announced it several times.  

[cigar connoisseur]

On 6/2/2022 at 11:42 PM, kk3 said:

Hello,

 

Can anyone tell me if they play the Love Boat horn when leaving the ports on the round trip Alaska itineraries out of Seattle?  
 

I’ve heard there are ports that don’t allow it due to noise ordinances. We are sailing on the Discovery in a few weeks so just curious. 

Thank you!

 

I actually never heard the horn on our trip last week.  

[5:00_Somewhere]

9 hours ago, cigar connoisseur said:

I actually never heard the horn on our trip last week.  

 

I think I missed the question about the Love Boat song on the horn.

 

I can tell you that, on our cruise, they did not play it until we left Skagway. I know because - unlike most people - I dislike it, so was pleasantly surprised not to hear it before that. In fact, I was a very surprised they didn't play it when we sailed away from Juneau because we were in port with both the Royal and Ruby Princess.

 

Can't say this will be the case on every cruise, but that was our experience.