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ian441672

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  • Location
    UK
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Princess Cruises
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Alaska

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  1. I think with Premier isn’t it all included now, or with the Plus is it two?
  2. Oooh, fantastic, that sounds good. Would the medallion allow you to order drinks to your suite too, say a glass of fizz for your balcony?!
  3. Very exciting to read this. Similar for me after 6 years away from Princess (Celebrity had just launched their new Retreat concept and new Apex type ships - amazing!), but I wanted to try the new Sun and Star concept. Star got cancelled which lead me to booking a 20 day Caribbean cruise March 26 and I plumped for an Aft B734 Penthouse. The balcony looks huge (we had an Owner Suite once for Alaska and that was like half a room size again!), plus reading above about all the add ons and perks. We opted for Premier so we have the full works, shame it’s so far away! Can’t wait though….
  4. Yes, I see that now and that makes sense, there is a bit more availability to be had. I suppose I could do the two b2b’s but that works out a few hundred pounds more so not really worth it. I will check ongoing and see if anything become available. Thanks all.
  5. Ahh, thanks. That makes sense I guess! It’s a little way off yet, but I will check from time to time for sure. Thanks for the heads up!
  6. After being bumped off the inaugural Star next August, not liking the replacement itinerary and being very disappointed with the devaluation of the suite exclusivity of everything and price inequity between the prices of Sanctuary class and others, I have looked elsewhere. I settled on the Enchanted for 20 day cruise around the Caribbean in March 2026 in an aft Penthouse suite on the Premier package. On looking at availability of the suites so far in advance on almost all the cruises, I was amazed to see only 2/3 left per cruise of the Penthouse, and just a handful of other suite types, if any. Is this because of a decent size balcony I believe we get, or do you think or would it be they are holding back some for release later? I plumped for Baha 735 which I think looks nice but I wanted one ideally on the concierge lounge room floor, but nothing else existed! It just struck me as strange so far out, or is it a popular cruise and a popular room category? If they release more I may be able to move up a couple of floors?! I get Reserve dining in the MDR I think, not quite the Signature dining I had originally hoped for but that doesn’t exist at all now (at the moment), so this looked a decent second option!
  7. So, just compared my original inaugural Star Princess 19 day B2B in a Penthouse Suite Premier package, cancelled pre change, costing £20800. The nearest equivalent now is the first two inaugural cruises totalling 18 days in the Sanctuary area equivalent suite which is now £22500. For £1700 more I am getting a 1 day less cruise (with a poorer and overall repetitive itinerary) no exclusive and potentially crowded dining, a busy sanctuary area with less exclusivity and a general watering down of the experience. I know I still get the lounge. I am so disappointed. With deep regret as I really wanted to try the Sphere Class and go back to Princess after a 5 year haitus, but I will take my old OBC that they transferred over from the deposit of the cancelled cruise, and get my money back and go back to Celebrity! I am sure Princess won’t care, but I do! Very sad. Hope it all works out well with you guys!
  8. Just looking at the newly released inaugural Star Sanctuary rooms pricing. For the entry level Signature Suite pricing is £6049 all in. For the Sanctuary mini suite it is £4024. Wasn’t sure if I am missing something, but for a same size room, the extra £2000 odd gives me lounge access, a coffee machine and 1 mini bar set up? Is that worth it? I was considered rebooking my cancelled original inaugural Star cruise to this one. I was in a Penthouse Suite now showing at £6519. Sure I’d get a nicer room and lounge access, but lose exclusivity in dining and sanctuary area with everything being more crowded and next to no exclusivity. What is the main benefit now of upper suites for £2500 extra? So disappointed. I loved the Retreat concept on Celebrity and was looking forward to comparing and switching allegiances over but now there is nothing at all to draw me over. I’m in a quandary, I do hope they review the suite offering as a whole. I doubt it!
  9. I was booked on the inaugural Star next July in a Penthouse suite with all the Signature perks. This has been cancelled and new sailings are being launched next week. As I understand it now if/when I re-book, I lose out on the suite only Sanctuary area and now the suite only Signature restaurant, as almost any cabin who pays the 'Sanctuary' premium will get access to all these (subject to a maximum number of cabins perhaps)? In fact all that is 'exclusive' now is the lounge? That's a shame as I like the exclusivity of a suite and that is why I pay extra for it. They had better expand on the dining room size! (ex-Signature and Reserve - perhaps they will merge into one). Just as I thought I would move away from X and their Retreat offering (which really was nice and exclusive for dining and lounge and butler), I am thinking of going back already!
  10. I was booked on the inaugural 19 day B2B in a Penthouse suite so am a bit disappointed to read this. Although it is better to find out this far in advance rather than a week or so. I will see what’s on offer for the end of September and decide whether to try my luck once more. A bit gutted though, but I’d rather have a ship that has everything working and ready, than only half of the things working and available and have that daily disappointment. Oh well……
  11. We are booked on the inaugural B2B on the Star next August in a Penthouse Signature suite - we are nervous now after all the issues around the Sun. We missed out in the inaugural for the Enchanted with COVID, so we don't want to miss out on this one too! It all promises to be a fantastic ship, I just hope the kinks work out and they finish the schedule so that the production shows are 'live' and all the venues are up and ready - after all that is what you pay for, notwithstanding any 'unforeseen' surprises! Anyway, fingers crossed....it's very exciting.
  12. I am so sorry for all those 100's of passengers so bitterly disappointed; I can imagine how frustrated, angry, upset you all may be. I would be too. We are booked on the inaugural Star Princess next July, so you can imagine I will be on tenterhooks for the next 18 months! They surely couldn't cancel two inaugurals in a row, could they.....?
  13. ...and to be honest, the way Luminae has been lately, you wouldn't be missing out on much anyway!
  14. It's all getting very exciting - we have booked the inaugural 19 days B2B in a Penthouse Suite for the Star Princess the following August, so this will be a huge teaser of what is to come and how (if any) different it will be. I await all the reviews as much as anyone!! Have fun everyone, and happy sailing on the amazing new ship.
  15. We were Princess devotees, suite and Elite guests until 6 years ago when we swapped to X since we felt Princess were slipping, asking more for less and X seemed to be 'all singing all dancing', and we fell in love with X and Edge class. However, after just returning from an SS on Apex we noticed the shine had gone off, Luminae was quite disappointing in food and service, the perks slightly diminishing and it didn't seem as 'special' as it used to be. Then I see the new President's way of things and further cut backs, we have excitedly moved our quite large ££ spend to Princess and the new Star Princess in July 25, with their new 'Signature' suite concept of restaurant, lounge and deck area for suite guests. On the face of it, it seems to be better value with the AI element still in tact plus quite a few perks to be had. We will rest X and look forward to go back to Princess after 6 years and to be very excited about that prospect. It is a huge shame, but we have freedom of choice, so I am now exercising it!
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