Today marked an interesting transition on the Star Princess. About 700 of us who boarded in Vancouver are continuing all the way to Fort Lauderdale, while the rest disembarked and a fresh wave of excited new passengers came aboard. Princess sells this itinerary as a 23‑day cruise, but you can also book it as 7 days + 16 days. It turned out to be cheaper to book the two segments separately — so that’s exactly what I did.
The bonus? When you sail back‑to‑back, Princess counts them as two cruises, which means two sets of loyalty perks. As an Elite guest, that includes two bar setups. I’m not drinking alcohol at the moment — watching both my weight and my sugar — so I asked them to swap the pop and spirits for bottled water. A small change, but a helpful one.
A Much Easier Back‑to‑Back Process
Princess invited all back‑to‑back guests to a short seminar. Things have changed, and honestly, the improvements are remarkable.
In the past, we had to gather at a venue at 9:00 AM, walk off the ship to scan our cards, then sit in a holding area until every passenger had disembarked. If the Coast Guard ran a drill, or if U.S. Customs or the Health Department decided to do an inspection, the wait could stretch on and on. Eventually, we’d reboard with new cruise cards and start again.
This time? None of that.
Thanks to Medallion technology, everything rolled over automatically. Our same medallions stayed active, our cruise status continued seamlessly, and we didn’t even have to muster again. (Apparently, if you’re at sea for more than 25 days, you do have to repeat the muster — but we’re just under that threshold.)
If we wanted to go ashore today, Princess provided “Guest in Transit” passes to show security. But with the temperature soaring to 38°C / 100°F, we decided to stay onboard. It turned out to be a lovely choice — the ship was quiet, peaceful, and perfect for wandering.
Sail Away, Round Two
We sailed at 4 PM. In Vancouver, they didn't have a sail‑away party because the ship departed in the middle of the night. I always enjoy those moments — the music, the energy, the sense of shared adventure — so we stopped by today just to listen to the band and watch all the new passengers buzzing with excitement.
There’s something special about seeing people at the very start of their cruise. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and it reminded me how lucky we are to be continuing on for the long voyage ahead.
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| We had an aft table for breakfast at the American Diner and this was the view from our table! |
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| View from the Port/Forward of the ship at Pier 46 |
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| Starboard side from our balcony, They loaded provisions all day! |
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| An NFL game in the dome. Chose a regular chair or lounger with padding, it's air conditioned. Note the indoor/outdoor pool! |
