Port Guides request

[worldtraveller]

On our recent cruise we found out that they are no longer providing printed port guides.  We were told they are only available "on the app" but not all of us have phones or wish to take them off ship and sometimes a printed piece of paper for your pocket is what you want (and in some cases the port was not on the app).  The front desk was able to print some off but it took three tries and the quality was poor (condensed to one page on a printer that was almost out of ink). We have some cruises coming up and wonder if anyone has any old port guides for the ports listed below they could PDF and upload?

 

Aruba

Bonaire

Curacao

Dominica

St Lucia

St Thomas

Turks & Caicos

Martinque

Antigua

La Havre (Paris)

Lisbon

Balbao

Porta Delgado (Azores)

La Coruna (Santiago de Compostela)

 

Any and all would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

[lx200gps]

4 minutes ago, worldtraveller said:

On our recent cruise we found out that they are no longer providing printed port guides.  We were told they are only available "on the app" but not all of us have phones or wish to take them off ship and sometimes a printed piece of paper for your pocket is what you want (and in some cases the port was not on the app).  The front desk was able to print some off but it took three tries and the quality was poor (condensed to one page on a printer that was almost out of ink). We have some cruises coming up and wonder if anyone has any old port guides for the ports listed below they could PDF and upload?

 

Aruba

Bonaire

Curacao

Dominica

St Lucia

St Thomas

Turks & Caicos

Martinque

Antigua

La Havre (Paris)

Lisbon

Balbao

Porta Delgado (Azores)

La Coruna (Santiago de Compostela)

 

Any and all would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

You might want to check out Tom's Port Guides. I've always had good luck with his offerings and I find he does quite a good job, VERY detailed and comprehensive. He has at least some of the ones you need:

 

https://www.tomsportguides.com/

[ncstatefan]

9 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

You might want to check out Tom's Port Guides. I've always had good luck with his offerings and I find he does quite a good job, VERY detailed and comprehensive. He has at least some of the ones you need:

 

https://www.tomsportguides.com/

This was such a helpful piece of information.  Gave me everything I needed.  Thank you.

[PacnGoNow]

56 minutes ago, worldtraveller said:

On our recent cruise we found out that they are no longer providing printed port guides.  We were told they are only available "on the app" but not all of us have phones or wish to take them off ship and sometimes a printed piece of paper for your pocket is what you want (and in some cases the port was not on the app).  The front desk was able to print some off but it took three tries and the quality was poor (condensed to one page on a printer that was almost out of ink). We have some cruises coming up and wonder if anyone has any old port guides for the ports listed below they could PDF and upload?

 

Aruba

Bonaire

Curacao

Dominica

St Lucia

St Thomas

Turks & Caicos

Martinque

Antigua

La Havre (Paris)

Lisbon

Balbao

Porta Delgado (Azores)

La Coruna (Santiago de Compostela)

 

Any and all would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

Also in addition to tomsportguides also try whatsinport.com.

 

We met Tom (Tomsportguides) and DW, Mary on a PCL TA in 2019.

Great couple and very good guides.

I’ve always thought the PCL port guides were very basic. 
 

I research ahead and print out what I need from other sources.

 

The destination specialists have been very good once you are OB. 
 

 

[GonzoWCS]

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2-ports-of-call/

 

Cheers

[Essiesmom]

The ‘port guides’ were usually a very basic map with the sponsored shops highlighted and described.  Although I have not sailed Princess in Europe, my experience on HAL, Celebrity, and Carnival is that since there are not sponsored shops in Europe, there were no basic maps.  Basic port maps and attraction maps are available on Rick Steve’s’ website and you can print free.  EM

[d9704011]

Another good source of information is:

 

https://cruiseportwiki.com/

[LovePortDays]

We were on Princess in June on a British Isles cruise.  The shore excursion staff gave me the port guides but not very willingly.  

 

In September we were on Princess on a 12 day cruise and they flat out refused to give me the port guides.  I asked at the shore excursions desk, customer service, and at the internet center.  The excuse I was given for not providing the printed port guides was saving paper and COVID (everyone's favorite nonsense excuse).  Several printed notices were left in our cabin so they can print things if they want.  

 

I figured out how to download them from the app (can't print them or download them from the app in View Port Guides ahead of the cruise which is VERY frustrating).  The port guides can be downloaded from the app only when on the ship and only for ports that have not been visited yet. From the app go to Shore Excursions and click View More or Next (I'm trying to remember how to do this and I can't replicate this off a ship so instructions may not be very accurate) then there should be a link to View Port Guide.  From there click or press on the link until you get options of which one should be download.

 

On the app in View Port Guides, the port guides are now available to look at ahead of the cruise but I'm not finding a way to download or print them.  Again, frustrating.

[Mike45LC]

I was able to view the port guides for my upcoming cruise in the Medallion app, which I then “screen saved“ and emailed to myself. I then opened the email on my desktop computer, and printed. However, the resolution quality was terrible, and I was unable to read the port guide that I printed. Worthless. 

[Mike45LC]

I was/am not on the ship.  I think (in the App) I had the itinerary open, and there was an arrow on each port’s line labeled either “download” or “view.”  Click on “download” and after a few moments, “view” should appear.  Click on “view” and the Port Guide should open. 
 

The only thing I could then do was to take a screen shot.  I could not print or save the file or anything. So, as I already said, I emailed the screen shot to myself.

[Barry H]

Worldtraveller:

 

I have most of the guides as pdf files.

If you post your email address (eg name at site dot com) I can send to you.

[worldtraveller]

Thanks for sending them to me Barry H.  We appreciate it.  

[WatchHill]

On 10/12/2022 at 3:04 AM, Mike45LC said:

I was able to view the port guides for my upcoming cruise in the Medallion app, which I then “screen saved“ and emailed to myself. I then opened the email on my desktop computer, and printed. However, the resolution quality was terrible, and I was unable to read the port guide that I printed. Worthless. 

Agree! Trying to read the print, lack of clarity and multi-step process to save a few trees got the best of me. I now do my own pre-cruise research and create a guide based on my own interest and needs. The last thing I need is another [lack of] hand out promoting the chain stores in every port.

 

Darcy

 

[Mike45LC]

Darcy, how can you tour a port without a map showing all the Diamonds International stores?

[anjiedupree]

My husband and I were also disappointed that the port guides were not included in the Patter during our recent cruise. Viewing on my phone was just not the same. We both included our disappointment in our post cruise survey. We also included that we hope the enrichment and port lectures resume soon.

[EDVM96]

On 10/12/2022 at 9:04 AM, Mike45LC said:

I was able to view the port guides for my upcoming cruise in the Medallion app, which I then “screen saved“ and emailed to myself. I then opened the email on my desktop computer, and printed. However, the resolution quality was terrible, and I was unable to read the port guide that I printed. Worthless. 

No need for screenshots.

The port guides in the Medallion app are PDFs and are downloaded in the app's file path.
For Android devices, it is

Android/data/com.carnival.gxi.ocean.compass.medallionclass/files/portGuidePdfs/
 

You can copy the (full resolution zoomable) PDFs directly from that folder.
 

[WatchHill]

5 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

Darcy, how can you tour a port without a map showing all the Diamonds International stores?

If I see a DI shop, I pick up my pace and avoid it. 

 

Darcy

[startedwithamouse]

You can download them from the app so you always have them with you. 

[riffatsea]

I've never seen or thought about using a Princess port guide

I research ports on line where there is tons of info about every city in the world

I also use the Trip Adviser forums to ask questions and get info from local,people,or,folks who have been there multiple times

I can't imagine being upset about  not getting that info from Princess

[EDVM96]

1 hour ago, WatchHill said:

If I see a DI shop, I pick up my pace and avoid it. 

We need more EFFY stores. Not. 😆

[EDVM96]

23 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

I've never seen or thought about using a Princess port guide

Basic mainstream info in it, yes. But it always has address and phone number of the Princess port agent. Just in case.

[kiwimum]

16 minutes ago, EDVM96 said:

Basic mainstream info in it, yes. But it always has address and phone number of the Princess port agent. Just in case.

The address and contact info for the Port Agent is always available on the Patter.

[jbpcalifornia]

On 10/12/2022 at 12:26 PM, Barry H said:

Worldtraveller:

 

I have most of the guides as pdf files.

If you post your email address (eg name at site dot com) I can send to you.

Do you happen to have the pdf files for Loreto and La Paz, BC?  jeff@pulverman.org

Thanks!

[jeromep]

On 9/10/2022 at 6:14 AM, lx200gps said:

You might want to check out Tom's Port Guides. I've always had good luck with his offerings and I find he does quite a good job, VERY detailed and comprehensive. He has at least some of the ones you need:

 

https://www.tomsportguides.com/

I couldn't agree more.  The Princess "port guides" aren't all that useful.  Super basic and highlighted places were all sales partners.  That isn't a port guide.  I stopped taking the Princesses port guides with me when off ship.  1.  Whipping out a port guide in port makes you look like a tourist, (yes we are all dressed like tourists, but hey anyone watching and wanting to take advantage of you doesn't need any additional information), 2.  The maps were almost useless and it was just additional bulk that we didn't need to carry around.  My solution was to photograph the bottom bar of the Princess port guide that provides the emergency contact information for the port agent, along with local emergency numbers, etc.  That was the most useful information.  That photo sat on my phone and I had the most critical information where I needed it.

 

Third party guides have always been much better and will likely remain that way.

[Ombud]

On 9/10/2022 at 6:08 AM, worldtraveller said:

We have some cruises coming up and wonder if anyone has any old port guides for the ports listed below they could PDF and upload?

PSD currently print any and all port guides upon request. Just ask!