Smooth sailing, mostly, for LWers’ return to cruising life

TRAVEL

by Sandra deDubovay

LW contributor

It’s been more than two years since Joe DiDonato and I have gone on a cruise. It was one of our favorite means of traveling, and together, we’ve been on close to 50 cruises. But when COVID-19 struck, it put a big hit on everyone’s travels. In the past two years, four cruises we were scheduled to take were canceled. When cruising became an option again, we were tempted, though a bit apprehensive. What pushed us into making a reservation was that we had credit with the Princess line of cruises, and we were put in a “use it or lose it” position. With all the fun events happening around the holidays and all the things that must be done during such a busy time of the year, I was torn. But with the credit we had on the books, the cruise would only cost us an additional $65. Called a “sample cruise,” it would be a five-day trip that left from San Pedro and stopped at only two ports, San Diego and Ensenada. Helping to alleviate our concerns were the ways the cruise line was dealing with COVID. Princess required us to show our vaccine cards, which made us feel more comfortable, knowing the other passengers would also be vaccinated. We had gotten boosters, and everyone onboard would have to wear masks. The cruise line also requested negative results from a COVID test taken within 72 hours of departure. Upon checking in, however, we were notified that Princess had changed the COVID test requirement to one taken within 48 hours, so we had to go to another area at the dock for an instant test. It was a bit annoying, but at least they were accommodating.

The next day, I happened to look at my statement and was shocked to see we had been charged $150 each for the test. After explaining that we hadn’t been informed of the policy switch, Guest Services canceled the charges.

Since we last cruised with Princess two years ago, the company has come up with an innovative program called Medallion. You complete an application before sailing, and upon checking in, you are given a personal Medallion on a lanyard—and it’s amazing. For instance, when you get to the door of your stateroom, the door senses your Medallion and unlocks automatically—no more fumbling for your key. When you order a drink or purchase anything while onboard, the staff tap your Medallion, and no paperwork is necessary. Plus, all the information about anything happening on the cruise can go to your smart phone. We were totally impressed by all the modern technology.

We forgot how much we enjoyed cruising—the entertainment, the food, the fun activities, etc.—and we couldn’t wait to book another cruise. We are now going to Hawaii in March.