Wine Cruise FAQ’s
- By Bette Johnson
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- 22 Jul, 2013
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WINE CRUISE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What makes this wine cruise different from any other cruise? This cruise group has been specifically set up for clients of Special Moments Travel who enjoy wine and want to experience a fabulous cruise on an excellent cruise line, with special attention to the excursions, particularly San Francisco. Can I […]
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WINE CRUISE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What makes this wine cruise different from any other cruise?
This cruise group has been specifically set up for clients of Special Moments Travel who enjoy wine and want to experience a fabulous cruise on an excellent cruise line, with special attention to the excursions, particularly San Francisco.
Can I only book this cruise through Special Moments Travel?
Yes, to get all the amenities and special perks included in this group, you must book through Special Moments Travel.
What do I get for booking through Special Moments Travel instead of booking this cruise on my own?
Special Moments Travel has put together this package for its clients so you can enjoy some special perks, some custom excursions, nice onboard credit, and an overall special travel experience!
Prior to sailing, you will set up your onboard account with Princess for this sailing. To this account you will attach a credit/debit card for charges that would be incurred while you were sailing such as your gratuities (unless you pre-paid them), any purchases onboard such as spa treatments or items in the onboard gift shops. An onboard credit is an amount given to you by Special Moments Travel which will be applied to your onboard account.
Are there age restrictions for this cruise? For the Wineries?
There are no age restrictions for the cruise. Age-appropriate children’s programs begin at 6 months and go through the teens. Then of course, there are activities for adults. Wine can be served to people 21 years old and above at the wineries.
How do I dress for the cruise?
Dress for comfort on the cruise. On a couple of the excursions, you will want to dress for country club casual rather than shorts and t-shirts.
How do I dress for dinner on the ship?
There are two formal nights on the ship which can be as formal as you like (tux and cocktail dress) or you would be perfectly fine in a blazer/trousers or a Sunday dress. For the rest of the cruise for dinner, country club casual will be fine.
Again, pack clothes and shoes which are comfortable to wear. Bringing a sweater or light jacket is recommended.
What are gratuities? Do I have to pay them?
Your gratuities will be automatically added onto your onboard account, unless you wish to pre-pay them. Naturally you can give your stateroom steward or dining room attendant additional tips, if you wish.
Are the excursions included in the price?
No, excursions are listed separately, this way our clients can do a pick and choose which or all of the excursions they wish to attend, these should be pre-arranged with Special Moments Travel.
Do I have to participate in the excursions?
No, you can opt out of the special excursions, if you wish.
What is there to do on the ship?
There are activities for every taste. You can be as busy or as laid-back as you wish to be. There are trivia contests, casinos, shopping, karaoke, dance classes, and much, much more.
What is included in this price?
Your stateroom, your meals in the main dining room, tea, coffee, and water, the onboard shows, Onboard Credit.
What is the price of the cruise?
The cost of the cruise portion including taxes and fees is based on double occupancy (2 to a room); For a Junior Suite the cost is $1579.00 per person; Balcony Stateroom is $1319.00 per person; Oceanview Stateroom is $1159.00 per person; Interior Stateroom is $969.00 per person.
First deposit of $250.00 per person is due 05NOV13, $500.00 per person is due 31MAR14, Final payment is due 09MAY19.
Do I need to arrange my own air transportation to and from the cruise or will Special Moments Travel do it for me?
Special Moments Travel would be happy to set it up for you or you can arrange your own – whichever works best for you. If you wish to make your own arrangements however, please check with the staff at Special Moments Travel first, to make sure your flight schedule will work with the ship’s departure and arrival times and places.
What if I want to go on the cruise but I don’t like wine?
We would welcome your company but will not hold it against you for not liking wine! Please join us any way, we’d love to have you!
What is the fuel surcharge and will we have to pay it?
All of the cruise lines reserve the right to reinstate the fuel surcharge of $9.00 per person per day. If it looks like it’s going to be started again, I’ll let you know as soon as I know.
What about trip insurance?
I HIGHLY recommend trip insurance simply because you never know if someone is going to get sick. The cost of trip insurance is dependent upon the cost of the trip and the age of the traveler. In fact, Special Moments feels so strongly about trip insurance, if you decline it, a waiver will be needed.
What if I get sick on the ship?
There is an infirmary onboard the ship staffed with highly-trained medical professionals.
I have special dietary needs, will this keep me from going on the cruise?
Most cruise ships can accommodate salt-free, low-carbohydrate, low cholesterol, diabetic, or other diet preferences. If you have special needs, just let the staff of Special Moments Travel aware of your specific needs and they will be passed along to the cruise line.
I have some mobility issues, can I still go on the cruise?
Absolutely! The ship has some accessible staterooms and their common areas are accessible. The wineries might be a bit more of a challenge, but we’ll do our best to accommodate any mobility issues.
Since this is a group trip, do I have to stay with the group?
Not at all. You can hang with the group or maintain your independence – your choice!
Since we’ll start our trip in Canada, yes, a passport is required.
Will I get bored or feel confined on the ship?
Cruise ships are floating resorts with all the choices a fine resort has to offer. You can lounge on chairs in the sun, read good books, enjoy spa treatments, or just watch the beautiful vastness of the sea. Plus the excursions at port add spice to the experience.
Can we stay in touch with the rest of the world while we’re on the ship?
Wi-fi is offered in hotspots on the ship, so for a fee, you can get a package that will keep you connected.
What is available in my room?
The best way to see what amenities are in your room is to go to
www.princess.com
, then click on the tab “Learn About Princess”. From that drop down menu, select “Cruise Ships”, then click on “Crown Princess”. Then scroll down and select “Staterooms”. From there you can see the diagrams and take a virtual tour of the different staterooms. We have in our inventory Mini-Suites with Balcony, Balcony Staterooms, Oceanview Staterooms, and Interior Staterooms.
What, if any, restrictions are there to bringing alcohol onboard at the beginning of the cruise and/or at ports?
Each adult can bring on 1 bottle of wine or champagne on board in your carryon bag at embarkation in Vancouver. Since we will be flying home after the cruise, I highly recommend if you intend to purchase wine at any of our stops, you plan on mailing your wines home. If you purchase wine at the ports and wish to bring it on the ship, the security personnel on the ship will collect your wine upon reentry on the ship and hold it for you until the last evening of the cruise at which time it will be delivered to your stateroom so you can pack it for the return trip.
We’re thinking about making this a “girls’ trip” and there will be three of us. Can we share the same stateroom?
We have some staterooms in different categories which will accommodate 3 or 4 passengers. Full deposit of $500.00 per person is required at time of reservation for triple and quad occupancy. Availability disappears quickly on these staterooms, so I suggest reserving these as soon as possible.
How do I sign up for this great cruise?
