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Welcome Aboard Princess Cruises [top]
Whenever you sail with Princess Cruises, you're sure to be treated like royalty.
Princess began in 1965 and was later catapulted to stardom with its starring
role in The Love Boat television show in 1977. As the cruise line in
the popular series, Princess introduced millions of viewers to the still-new
concept of a sea-going vacation. The Princess name and "seawitch" logo have
remained synonymous with cruising ever since. Today, Princess is one of the
largest cruise lines in the world, with a fleet that carries over 700,000
passengers each year to more worldwide destinations than any other major cruise
line.
Aboard Princess Cruises you'll enjoy the innovative Personal Choice Cruising®
program - an individualized, unstructured style of cruising that allows you to
make your cruise the vacation of your dreams. Princess allows you to tailor
your vacation to your personal interests and desires by giving you more choice
and variety - from flexible daily activity and evening entertainment options to
multiple dining locations and affordable private balcony accommodations.
Dining Information [top]
All meals are included on board Princess Cruises. Princess ships offer a myriad
of dining choices, including a seating option that's based on your schedule,
not theirs. In the main dining rooms you can choose either Traditional Fixed
Seating or Anytime Dining. With Traditional Fixed Seating you'll experience the
camaraderie that goes with having the same table partners and waiters
throughout your cruise. Before your cruise, you'll select whether you'd prefer
"first" (early 6:30 pm) or "second" (late 8:30 pm) seating. Or, if you prefer,
take advantage of Anytime Dining and enjoy the same wonderful cuisine as served
at the Traditional Fixed Seating, but with the freedom of restaurant-style
dining between 5:30 pm and 10:00 pm. So in essence, you can select the dining
time and venue that best fits your needs.
Every effort will be made to accommodate your dining seating preference. Should
we be unable to confirm your preference, your Vantage Program Manager will work
with the Maitre D' to try and confirm your request once on board.
If you wish to dine in any of the specialty restaurants on board, please be sure
to make a reservation. These restaurants tend to be quite popular and space
fills up quickly. There is a per person service charge ranging from $10 to $20
USD each time you dine in a specialty restaurant.
In addition, there are several casual dining options available at no additional
charge, such as buffets, pizzeria, hamburger and hot dog grill, afternoon tea
and ice cream, and 24-hour room service.
Dinner Attire
Evening attire is often confusing to passengers - even the most experienced.
Each day you will receive a program outlining suggested attire for the
following evening.
Smart Casual: Passengers should dress as they would for a fine restaurant.
Appropriate attire includes skirts/dresses, slacks, and sweaters or blouses for
ladies and pants and open-neck shirts for men. Jacket and tie are optional.
For your added convenience, formal wear rental can be arranged through Princess
Cruises prior to your cruise.
Cruise Line Special Meal Requests
The ship may be able to accommodate special dietary requirements, provided
requests are received at the time of booking. Princess Cruises offers
alternative dining menus such as Kosher (frozen entrées only), low-sodium,
low-fat, low-sugar, and vegetarian. Please confirm any special dietary requests
with your Vantage Program Manager once on board.
Money Matters While On Board [top]
Princess Cruises offers you the convenience of being able to sign for almost all
your shipboard expenses (except casino) and to take care of your final bill
with one easy transaction. You will receive an itemized list of all charges
delivered to your stateroom the night prior to disembarkation. By providing
your credit card in advance, your account is automatically charged to your
credit card. There is no need to visit the Purser's Desk to settle your account
unless you have a discrepancy or wish to settle your account by travellers'
checks or cash. Princess accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, Diners
Club/Carte Blanche, and American Express/Optima. U.S. currency, Canadian
currency, British and Euro currencies, cash, and travellers' checks are also
accepted.
Currency Exchange
The Front Office does not handle foreign currency exchange on board. U.S.
dollars are accepted for exchange at most ports of call, as are travellers'
checks and major credit cards.
Gratuities
For your convenience, Princess has modified its gratuity policy to make it
easier for you to reward excellent service on board your ship. For dining and
stateroom personnel, a charge of $10 USD per person, per day will be
automatically applied to your shipboard account. Princess is certain you will
find the services on board exemplary and should you wish to reward a staff
member for service "above and beyond," you may do so by adding to the automatic
gratuity. Similarly, if you find service levels fall short of your
expectations, you may adjust from the automatic gratuity by visiting the
Purser's Desk. In addition, please note that a 15% gratuity is automatically
added to your bar charges and dining room wine account. Gratuities for other
shipboard staff such as Casino dealers and Spa personnel are at your
discretion.
In addition, the suggested gratuity for your Vantage Program Manager is $3 to $5
per person per day.
General Information While On Board [top]
Air Conditioning
All cabins and public rooms on board are fully air-conditioned. Individual cabin
temperature can be regulated by passengers.
Electrical Current
The current on board Princess ships is 110 volts (A standard U.S. 2-pin plug is
required.)
Internet Café
Stay in touch with friends and family at home by visiting the onboard AOL
Internet Café on the Princess fleet. You can access email from internet-based
accounts such as AOL, Yahoo, or Hotmail. Passengers who have an account with an
Internet service provider such as AT&T, Earthlink, and MSN will not be able
to access their e-mail account while on board. Charges begin at $0.50 per
minute, plus an initial account setup fee that varies by ship.
Keeping in Touch
To provide greater peace of mind while you're away, friends and family can reach
you by calling 1-900-329-SHIP from the U.S. Once on board, all cabins have a
telephone for intership calls. Reception will provide the desired connections
(depending on the ship's location). Please keep in mind that ship-to-shore
telephone calls can range from $12 to $15 per minute. Please refer to the
instructions provided in the information packet in your cabin. Phone cards are
not accepted on the ships. Fax facilities and e-mail service are also available
on board. Fees for your use of fax, Internet, and e-mail services will be
charged to your shipboard account. Keep in mind that phone centers and Internet
cafés in various ports may offer less expensive alternatives for keeping in
touch.
Laundry
All ships have coin-operated laundromats. Laundry and dry cleaning services are
also available for a small fee.
Medical Facilities
There is a well-equipped medical center on board ship that is staffed by
full-time doctors and nurses who are licensed in the U.K. and are fluent in
English. In addition to twice-daily office hours, they are available 24 hours a
day in case of emergency. There will be a fee charged for all medical services
and medications obtained on board. You will be provided with an itemized
account to submit to your insurance company.
Please note that Medicare and U.S. health insurance are generally not accepted
on board ships or in foreign destinations. Claims made upon return to the USA
should be filed through your health insurance provider or through the Travel
Protection Plan if you have purchased it. All receipts and doctors' reports are
required to process claims.
Special Cabin Requests
Although the special group rate you have taken advantage of on your Vantage
cruise does not guarantee specific cabin selection, we will be happy to advise
the cruise line of any special requests. We must receive your request at the
time of booking. Please note that cabins within your category may be located on
several different decks and cabin availability on your deck of choice may be
limited.
Periodically, cruise lines will randomly upgrade passengers for space allocation
purposes. Please keep in mind that these upgrades are at the discretion of the
cruise line and selection of passengers to be upgraded is not in Vantage's
control.
For further information on Princess Cruises and your ship, please refer to their
website at www.princess.com
Special Occasions At Sea
If you will be celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon during your
cruise, the cruise line will be happy to honor the event with a special cake in
the dining room. Please advise Vantage of such occasions at the time of
booking. We will forward the information to the cruise line. Please verify the
arrangements with your Vantage Program Manager once you are on board.
Stateroom Safes
A private safe is provided in each stateroom for your convenience.
Shore Excursions [top]
Princess Cruises' "Shore Excursions" booklet will be provided in a mailing prior
to your departure. This booklet will provide detailed descriptions of the
excursions offered by the cruise line, including degree of difficulty, meals,
and tour highlights. You will have the opportunity to purchase these tours
while on board ship through your Vantage Program Manager.
The Princess optional shore excursions are offered solely by the cruise line and
must be reserved directly through them.
To pre-reserve shore excursions: fax or mail the form to Princess, or go visit
www.princess.com; you'll need your 6 digit/letter combo Princess
booking identification from your cruise cabin confirmation notice that Vantage
sends you approximately 7 to 10 days after making your reservation.
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