Here are a handful of things the researcher in me would have liked to have known before I joined my Princess cruise: <\/p>\n
Channel your inner EA<\/p>\n
Download the app and get the jump on blithe spirits everywhere. Shore excursions \u2013 and these things fill up fast \u2013 can be planned and paid for via the app from the moment you make your cruise booking. Once your final cruise payment is processed (no later than 90 days out from sailing), you can also use it to lock in onboard dining, including sought-after tables at specialty restaurants. Because you do not want to miss the signature sushi menu at Makota Ocean (13 courses including scallop, eel and snow crab), and you should also plan for at least one steak dinner with all three premium salt options at the Crown Grill.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re unlikely to regret the upgrade<\/p>\n
Balcony versus interior cabin? Basic package versus add-ons? On my Japan Explorer cruise, the room upgrade cost an extra $2300 per person. A premier package \u2013 unlimited access to drinks and specialty restaurants, free Wi-Fi, no room service delivery charge, preferred theatre seating and shore excursion credits \u2013 was another $155 per person, per day. I loved that I didn\u2019t have to think about how much my evening cocktail cost and waking up to a new port view every morning was an absolute highlight of the trip. Do the research and consider your party\u2019s needs. A romantic anniversary for two surely requires a balcony? A girl\u2019s trip for six might prioritise the Pantalones 24K Margarita. If you can afford (or even just about afford) the upgrades, I don\u2019t think you\u2019d regret them.<\/p>\n
Good morning Kobe Ohashi bridge. An early view as the Diamond Princess cruises into port.<\/p>\n
Do read the comments<\/p>\n
I only learned about the Facebook groups after I disembarked. There\u2019s at least one for every cruise company, if not every specific cruise, and the comments are entertaining, enlightening and occasionally excruciating. If you\u2019ve got a query or a concern then I guarantee five people have already asked about the same. Things I only know because I read the comments: If you plan to take your buffet dinner back to your room, pack a shower cap to use as a plate cover. And, possibly the best piece of advice \u2013 your cruise starts the minute you board. Put your swimsuit in your handbag and hit the pool before your luggage hits your room.<\/p>\n
Band-Aids are not just for shore excursion blisters<\/p>\n
LED lights are the scourge of modern hotel rooms. Our cabin was mercifully free of the glow of a million remote controlled appliances, but the night light sensors were, well, sensitive. If you don\u2019t want to wake your cabin mate, wedge your smallest bed pillow under the bedside cabinet, and ask a frequent sailor where to find the sensor that activates the light by the bathroom \u2013 and then temporarily tape over it with a Band-Aid (Japan is a walking country. Pack accordingly for your shore excursions). <\/p>\n
Water safety is not just about lifejackets<\/p>\n
Obviously, watching the safety briefing and knowing how to get to your designated muster station is crucial. But you should also follow the instructions advising not to refill your drink bottle directly from the dining room dispensers. It\u2019s considered poor form to stick the neck of the vessel you have slurped from anywhere near the tap everyone else is using to fill a clean glass. Etiquette dictates you should fill a similarly clean glass and then decant that into your bottle. (Or you could just get room service to deliver \u2013 that premier package you splashed out on qualifies you for 12 complementary bottles a day). <\/p>\n
Sneakers are fine and so are stilettos<\/p>\n
I spent way more time packing my wardrobe than I did wearing it. \u201cFormal night\u201d ran the gamut from fancy gowns to jeans and a nice top. The flash ballet flats I\u2019d bought to go with a flash frock stayed in their shoe bag. Don\u2019t waste a second second-guessing yourself \u2013 truly, nobody is judging. <\/p>\n
Sneakers are fine for formal nights \u2013 and shore excursion steps. Kunozan Toshogu shrine in Shizuoka, Japan, is worth the multiple climbs.<\/p>\n
Watch the videos <\/p>\n
The in-room \u201cenrichment\u201d videos are worth your time (and wallet) if you want to cut costs and plan an independent shore excursion. They include a smattering of local history and key tourist sites for each port but, most crucially, contain the detailed instructions you\u2019ll need to catch public transport from the ship \u2013 and back again in time for your evening sail away. <\/p>\n
Kindness begets kindness<\/p>\n
Did I swallow the Kool-Aid? You have to wash down the unlimited pizza et al with something. Honestly, one of the nicest onboard discoveries was my own ability to be nice. The crew were so unfailingly friendly and helpful, I couldn\u2019t help but reciprocate. Cruise ship lore says pink flamingos and upside-down pineapples are secret signals from passengers who want to get particularly friendly. I did not observe these sartorial invitations but I did really enjoy sharing the occasional dining table with a stranger, or swapping day trip excursion notes on the balcony while I clinked a farewell glass to insert-port-here. <\/p>\n
Checklist<\/p>\n
GETTING THERE<\/p>\n
Fly from Auckland to Tokyo direct with Air New Zealand. <\/p>\n
DETAILS<\/p>\n
An interior cabin on an 11-Day Japan Explorer Cherry Blossoms is priced from $3308 per person twin share on a Princess Standard fare; a balcony cabin starts at $5655. Pay an additional $155 per day for the Princess Premier Package which includes unlimited specialty dining, drinks and Wi-Fi. Prices have been converted from $AUD and are subject to change.<\/p>\n
New Zealand Herald Travel sailed courtesy of Princess.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Here are a handful of things the researcher in me would have liked to have known before I…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":438945,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[9218,42574,2037,35291,90518,1759,5511,13635,33450,4977,111,139,69,193,28821,3008,26639,115894,213,6035,49493,9068],"class_list":["post-438944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-before","tag-caps","tag-cruise","tag-diamond","tag-id","tag-japan","tag-just","tag-knight","tag-known","tag-my","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-other","tag-princess","tag-sea","tag-shed","tag-shower","tag-sports","tag-things","tag-wish","tag-wished"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/438945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=438944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=438944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}