TheSkipper

Hi Gang, We will be disembarking in San Francisco (Pier 35) on May 18th following a trans-canal cruise aboard the Coral Princess. Which airport should we use, SFO or Oakland?? Any suggestions for ground transport from the ship to the airport?? I've flown out of both airports on business, but never following a cruise. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks,

I just remembered enroute to a cruise and during a layover in Dallas/ Ft. Worth airport I met Lee Greenwood. We were both waiting for a resturant to open in the early AM and chatted for about ten minutes and then had breakfast together. Interesting guy. Not on a cruise but on the way! BTW, he picked up the check!

We cruised with Fran Dressher and the entire Nanny cast and crew aboard Celebrity's Century a few years back. They were shooting a Nanny episode throughout the week. Kind of interesting to watch the filming. They work hard! Watched them shoot the same scene over and over until even I knew all the lines!

:grin: We will be right behind you Howard in early October aboard the Crown also. Sounds as though it will be an interesting stop. Looking forward to it. :grin:

Very rarely have I really needed a telephone on any of our cruises. Once when we were delayed several hours getting into Tampa Bay due to fog, we called ahead and changed our airline reservations and booked a hotel for an unplanned hotel stay. On one trip our house was up for sale and my secretary got in touch with me to let us know we had an offer, so we called from Nassau to counter-offer. Those are the only two times which come to mind. We always carry one mainly to use at airports or to let the family know we are safely aboard the ship. Then it goes into the safe until time to disembark. Anymore we keep in touch once in awhile using the internet cafe aboard ship or in port. So, I guess I'm saying we do not really have a need to talk to someone at $5.00 per minute! And, Merbert has a valid point, what fees is your provider going to tack on?? Gee, I remember the days when we did not have TV aboard ship! Not a bad thing.

Did a 15 day river cruise from Amsterdam to Vienna last summer and loved it. We used UniWorld for our cruise, looks like a bigger boat that what you are considering. We had about 100 people on ours, which was a fun size. Rooms, food and shore excursions were outstanding. Will do another one day, but probably not to France.

You will have a ball. We did the same cruise on the Zenith. Only downside to cruising to Bermuda is that while you are there their laws do not permit any entertainment aboard the ship unless it is some local thing. So, everything is pretty much shut down during the evenings, casino, showroom, etc. Forces you to go ashore and spend your money there.

As you've already heard leave the shoes at home. Sandbar is soft as silk. Enjoy your cruise, you will love Stingray City.

OK, guys I got out the invoice and did the math. And, I'm sure the amount paid to the TA rather than to Princess represents the commission. If you take the price of the cruise (which includes port charge, but not taxes) the amount held by the TA is just over 14%, so if I knew exactly what the port charges were and deducted them, I'm sure I'd be right at the 15% mark. The amount collected by the TA was way over the insurance charge. The insurance is through Princess and I'm not sure how the TA is compensated for that. What puzzles me is why Princess would permit this. I could cancel today. I always though commissions were not earned until the customers completed the cruise. :huh:

Let me check out the invoice and do the math. I suppose it could be insurance, but that too was from Princess. I'll take another look and post the numbers. Think the TA commission is about 15% not including taxes and port charges. I've had a couple of local agencies try and see me their businesses here in Las Vegas over the years and as I recall that was the number they were throwing around. Will get back with more info.

We normally do the deposit and make the final payment when it falls due. However you do have to keep tabs on you TA. Early in our cruising days we lost a suite because our TA spaced final payment. We ended up in the Honeymoon Suite, which was kind of funny. For our upcoming May transcanal trip we used an online TA we have never used before. We let them pickup the booking we made a year ago January while onboard the Diamond Princess, and all seemed well. The actual agent left the company in the intrim and whoever picked up our booking missed their final payment date as stated on the booking confirmation they had sent me. However, I checked our original booking from Princess and found the TA's final payment date was one month earlier that the cruise line date, so it was no problem. I called the TA and made the payment with their accounting department. However, I noticed on our credit card statement that they split the payment in two, sending part to Princess and the balance to themselves, which represents their commision. Never seen it done that way and not real sure I like it. :huh:

Welcome back to the "real" world Lisa. Sorry you picked up a cold, but will be waiting for your review.

I agree as well. The point Joey made is very valid about getting exactly the stateroom you want. We booked a year ago January while onboard the Diamond Princess for our May 3rd transcanal cruise aboard the Coral Princess, then came home and shopped the net found the best price and transferred the on board booking to the agency of my choice, still holding onto our original stateroom and the $200 onboard credits given at the time of original booking. To top that off, the TA was offering an additional $175 in cabin credits, so we ended up with a total of $375 in credits. The is on a balcony room since we want a good view of the canal and lots of pictures. Normally we like to be low down in the ship and midships, not more than two or three cabin away from the midships elevators. Makes for better stability and somewhat easier to get to all the venues aboard. After 45 cruises we know pretty well where we want to be and the best way to insure that is by booking early (and often). :grin:

Kind of reminds me of that old One Liner -- "I don't know if I should go bowling or just kill myself!!" Oh, well just one more onboard activity we can take a pass on. I imagine there will be a per line charge and it will become another profit center for the cruise line. :huh:

Well I made the Final Payment for our trans-canal cruise today. As the old song says "It Only Hurts For a Little While." Now that that is out of the way, from here on out the whole cruise is "free." :grin: Guess, we better start practicing our Doc Dance.

It has been a few years since we have been on board a Carnival, but as I recall every time we have been aboard one there has been a laundry room with ironing boards and irons. That being said we sometimes take a steamer with us just in case.

Sue, I was stationed in the Seattle area as a young 19 year old sailor and the hotels I stayed at I'm sure have been condemed by now. Been back a few times on business, but my clients aways picked a motel near their offices. All I really remember was the long ride in from the airport. I would think you would want a downtown type hotel. Seattle is a great town for walking (except for the hills) and the area around the Sound is very nice. Last time we were there my wife and I spent a great evening strolling gallaries and shops in that area.

Welcome Home! Just read your review and have to say your tastes are very much like yours. We enjoy the traditional dining experience vs. the anytime concept with a change in wait staff and tablemates. Anytime seating is just about like Open Seating Lunch or Breakfast as far as we are concerned. Looked like you had a good time on New Year's Eve based on your picture and your review. Glad you enjoyed your cruise and can't want till May 3rd and our next one.

Right on, Sue. We try to take cabs when we can rather than the buses. When the bus arrives the whole load of passengers hit the terminal at once and it just slows things down. On some trips we had to stand around to wait for our luggage to be off loaded, get it together and then find a porter at the same time everyone else was trying to do the same thing. On our Infinity cruise out of San Diego, my two brother-in-laws used the bus while my wife and I grabbed a cab. Took them longer, cost them more, and they had to deal with the hassles while we breezed aboard. However, I know the airport in Seattle is quite a ways out beyond Boeing, and the ship must dock in Pudget Sound which is down by First Ave., so you are looking at quite a distance. You might want to look into some of the van services usually available at airports.

My guess would be supply and demand. RCCL has more glitzy, active ships and apeal to a different demographic that HAL which is more subdued. I'd go with HAL if it were me.

I really enjoy a specialty coffee following dinner. The alcoholic kind however. Celebrity used to have them made tableside, flaming the coffees etc., but alas, no more. They just bring them from the bar like everyone else. I guess I woud not be likely to use a card for the Cova.

Sue, Make perfect sense to me. We rarely use cruise line air except last summer to Amsterdam returning from Vienna for our river cruise. That was worth the $$. On normal cruises we always do our own air for the savings and the convience. JBond is correct though, check out the transfers from the airport to the cruise terminal in Seattle. Should not be a big item, but you do not want any surprises! As the others said, I do not think there will be any penalty for eliminating the cruise line air.

Yes, I think this trend is getting way out of hand! How do you get on and off a ship this size?? Way too many folks for a single ship to dump into a port of call at one time! It is all about $$$. The more we can cram aboard the more money we can make per trip.

Well it is Saturday morning at 11:45 Las Vegas time which makes it 2:45 PM in Ft. Lauderdale, so Lisa should be on board, probably enjoying an unbrella drink and getting ready for the Sail Away and Life Boat Drill!!! Don't we all wish we were with her??

Bermuda