Caribbean Princess 8/31 - Several questions

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DaveT65

Guest
We will be on Caribbean Princess on 8/31 to Canada/NE. First cruise on Princess after 6 RCI!

I have read of the engine problems. Are they likely to affect this cruise or ports? Or the AC on the ship? Seems like the distances on this cruise between ports are small.

Express disembarkation: Must you take your luggage with you, and what do you do with it considering the crowds? Or can you leave it in your stateroom closet and retrieve it when allowed to leave?

Regular disembarkation: We are driving to and parking at Redhook. If we elect regular disembarkation, we will be last in line since we don't have a schedule? Or can we ask for an earlier time?

And any comments regarding driving to Redhook? We expect to arrive from NJ via Verrazano Narrows Bridge, then take BQE; this route was recommended by one of the Brooklyn Cruise Port web sites.

Dave T
 
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Whimsy

Guest
Sorry, have never sailed out of NY so I can't help with that.

In regards to the express debarktion, you have to take your luggage with you. This choice is only for passengers that can easily take their luggage with them. Do not try to do this if you have a large amount of luggage, it doesn't work. We foolishly did this on our first cruise, never again! You have to manuever stairs and escalators with those bags.

If you need to be off early they will give you the appropriate colors to be called early. If you recieve tags that you feel are too late to be called then see the purser about having them changed.
 
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Beryl

Guest
Whimsy is exactly right!! For express disembarkation you will have to be able to handle all your baggage yourself. There will be no help available to you and you will find yourself in a crowd of people who will not have realized just how difficult a task it is!!

If you do not have early departure flights to catch or have not booked an excursion (available to passengers who have a late flight from the disembarkation port) or transfer you automatically go to the bottom of the list. The people who are driving from the port or staying post cruise are the last to leave the ship. It has been my experience that this "last" group of passengers are disembarked from highest to lowest deck.

Regarding the engine problems on the Caribbean Princess Charles wrote:

Charles said:
Engine Problems--yes they continue. That is why the itinerary has been changed. The problem will not be fixed until the CB goes into dry dock in January. They have to replace an engine/generator which requires a large hole to be made on the side of the ship.
Click to expand...
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Here's a secret. Hopefully, it will never become wide spread info.

You can get off whenever you want. That's right. Doesn't matter what color you have. You simply decide when you want to leave and tell them that's your color. Or as stated above, you can get your color changed at the front desk. Another secret - the "elite" and suite passengers are given a color that is never announced. It's white. The trick is to look completely confident when you "walk the plank". If you hesitate or ask if it's your turn, they'll stop you.

I always get off within the first group disembarking. Shhhhhh...it's a secret.
:D
 
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DaveT65

Guest
I thought that luggage was only "available" when the color is called. Is that incorrect?
 
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Conniemc

Guest
COMPLETELY UNTRUE. That's what they tell you to avoid mayhem at the gangway. Your luggage gets completely out and organized while they are waiting for customs to clear the ship. My bags are always right there, I can find them immediately without any crowds pushing and reaching, get a porter right away and zip through customs with no lines, while 90% of the ship sits on the floor in the show room or some over crowded venue DYING to just get off! I'm usually out of the terminal by 9am.
 
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Charles

Guest
Dave,

Got off CB on July 1. See my post below.

Engine Problems: they've adjusted the itinerary to take account of the slower speed. (21 knots vs. 24-25) A/C Elevators were uncomfortably warm. Ship in general was not cold like other ships I've experienced. But the ship was not uncomfortable.

Disembark: We are Elite members who stayed on Aloha Deck. Our color was called at 9:30. We were at the car at 10.

Directions: see my response to your post on the Community Board.

Charles
 
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