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5bestyears

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    Another Option instead of Purchasing Beverage Packages

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    4 hours ago, kazu said:

    LOL - we do go first class (when we can) on that exact premise.

     

    I really liked a roll call member’s name - ski ww - standing for “spending our kids inheritance world wide”.  Sound thinking 😄 

    Thanks, we normally go first class as much as possible. However, we are very frugal with our expenses, and would rather enjoy the excursions, and the sights of the British Isles. Thus, looking toward future adventures. Thanks for your input!

    Another Option instead of Purchasing Beverage Packages

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

    Argh, ya all are making my head spin :classic_blink:

     

    My intent of this post is for the poorer people like myself to try to sock away a little $ away at a time in OBC so we don't have shell shock at the end of the cruise.  A lot of us don't have the luxury of big savings, stock accounts, inheritance, etc. 

     

    I'm trying to help some people with other options instead of buying a beverage package and getting hoodwinked when they realize it doesn't pay for itself.   The OBC suggestion is a way of saving a little extra money to pay for drinks rather than charging it to a cc which like some of us with the best of intentions don't manage to pay it off monthly.

     

     

    Thanks....I didn't intend to start a huge discussion involving "investments". My husband and I are cautious spenders. This is only our 2nd cruise. (Most of our vacas are either driving, Hawaii, or Mexico.) Our first cruise involved the "early bird" booking, including the beverage package promotion. So...we are shell-shocked to say the least.

    The OBC is what we were thinking. In addition, our children gave us a Princess gift card for Christmas. 

    Thanks for everyone's input.

     

    • Like 1

    Purchase of Beverage Pkg / Or Not

    in Princess Cruises

    Posted

    We are novices at this cruising thing......(but learning more every day)

    Questions:  This is only our 2nd cruise. Our first Princess cruise was the Alaskan Connoiseur in 2017. In our cruise package, the Premium Beverage Package was included, as a Sip & Sale Promo. I'm at a quandary as to the cost of the package / PP. It seems a bit pricey, but there looks to be no other answer? 

    *If you received this package, did you receive it as an upgrade / promotion, or pay for the package?

     

    * Also, if you choose NOT to purchase the beverage package, could a person purchase a glass of wine, or rum/coke, and pay on their room account? 

     

    * We do not drink enough alcoholic drinks to make this package worthwhile?

     

    We are going to be on a Ring of Kerry Princess Cruise in the British Isles. (We really cannot take on any liquor, other than purchasing on site? Any suggestions?)

    *If we are able to purchase there, has anyone done so? Isn't it rather expensive? 

     

    Thanks,

    Another Option instead of Purchasing Beverage Packages

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    On 3/27/2019 at 1:13 PM, cruzin4us said:

    Sometimes I overthink things and this is one of them.   I have purchased the Signature Beverage Pkg and the Elite Beverage Pkg. on prior cruises.  Neither time did we come close to making them worth the value (and we can drink with the best of them).

     

    Reason for purchasing:  Strictly for convenience and I don't want the "shell shock" on my final bill.  I would rather order a cocktail when the mode arises, rather that thinking I bet my bill is going to be huge at the end of the cruise (this takes away the pleasure of cruising especially when you are on a longer cruise). 

     

    Problem with the packages:   As many of you know, it takes about 6 drinks a day to break even.  On port days, I probably will have a cocktail before dinner, a couple glasses of wine with dinner and maybe a cocktail after (maybe).  This puts me in the negative by 2 drinks.   On sea days, I may have a cocktail by the pool, one before dinner and 2 glasses of wine during dinner.   This puts me in the negative by 1.   Just maybe I will meet my "quota" on the first day at sea, but rarely after.  And on embarkation day, we don't get rolling until 5:00 p.m. so I'll never meet my quota on this day.    And remember, you have to buy 2 pkgs if you are sharing a room.   SBP = $722.60 and EBP = $884.66 for a 7 day cruise (remember too, it's really a 6.5 day cruise, not 7 days).....That's a lot of drinks!   I doubt few if any people get their monies worth from the packages.    Somethings to consider:  What if you get seasick or get a cold/flu?  You won't get a refund for that day.  Also, if you order a bottle of wine (or bring your own) these won't be covered. What if you are in port until 8:00 pm...you probably won't be drinking 6 drinks that day either.  If I think about what I do at home, I would never drink 6 drinks a day for 7 days.   Granted I'm on the vacay, but after 2-3 days of this you tend to slow down, at least we do!!

     

    What's my point?:   For those of you thinking to yourself "this has been hashed over a gazillion times already", I think it would be better to just purchase OBC's in the amount of the beverage package.   At the end of the cruise you can get your money back for any unused portion.   With the beverage pkgs, you either use it or lose it.   This way we can order a drinks when we feel like it and not feel like we have to make our quotas.

    Thanks for the advice....what is "OBC"????

    post-trip air travel

    in First Time Cruisers

    Posted

    I"m not sure who to ask? I have a couple of questions:

    1. Our cruise disembarks at Southampton/London in the early morning hours. We'd like to see a few sights? Any suggestions in a 8 hour time frame?

     

    2. What is the preferred return trip to the US....London to Madrid...to USA or London to Rome. We will have several hours for our layover. We hoped to get in a little sight-seeing?

    Club Class Mini Suites- benefits

    in Princess Cruises

    Posted

    What does META upgrade mean?

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I would keep your covered mini suite E-726

    D528 has no cover/protection on the balcony if that is an issue for you.

    If its a reasonable rate increase to CC then it may be worth it. Usually its quite an increase in fare. Not something I would pay that much extra for. However we would book a suite which has CC included.

    CC is basically having a table in the anytime DR available as soon as you arrive.

    If you stay in E-726 I would have your TA or Princess mark your booking Meta upgrade only which means you would accept a suite but not another mini in another location.

    Club Class Mini Suites- benefits

    in Princess Cruises

    Posted

    Hello,

    We are booked on the Crown Princess for the Ring of Kerry /British Isles Tour ...w/ embarkation from Southampton on July 24, 2019. I am trying to determine whether or not to change our mini suite from E726 to D528. (I'm also wondering if it is worth it to book a Club Class Dining? (This is only our 2nd cruise, and Princess at that.) Any input is welcome!

    British Isles Cruise Photo Heavy Review

    in British Isles/Western Europe

    Posted

    Wow! What ship were you on?

     

    Ugly Wart Alert (Kevin's scorecard? Ugly Warts equaled minus points)

    I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as a bad cruise and any day spent cruising is better than your best day at work. This cruise ship experience did have more than it’s share of ugly warts. I will get the dining room warts out of the way before moving on to Guernsey.

    We only ate in the dining room 3 nights out of our 12 nights on board. This had nothing to do with the food quality as that was pretty good. It had to do with our service. Our main server Tatiana and our Head waiter. I know that servers work very hard and having children who have worked in food service deserve recognition for that hard work. That being said' date=' our server constantly made derogatory comments every time I ordered anything from the menu, and comments about food left on my plate or the fact that I ate all of the food on my plate. Her comments were such that even the people at the next table would turn and look. I never complained to the Head Waiter because he was also less than professional from the first night to or third. The poor gentleman sitting next to me seems to have had Celiac Disease and we now know this and all of his menu options in the dining room as well as the specialty restaurants because the Head Waiter announced it to our entire section of the dining room. He then announced he would go talk with the chef. On his return to our section, he loudly apologized to the next table for delaying their welcome to the dining room because he needed to take care of the other gentleman’s special needs. The first man was terribly embarrassed and they left early. By the time he made his way to us for his introduction I really could not have cared less. My husband then witnessed him letting into our server in front of the dining room behind me. He said she was in tears. Next night was formal night, no Tatiana. The Head Waiter explained she was needed to take the night off, we had a sub. Service was better, but situation and explanation left us uncomfortable. Following night we went to the Crown Grill. It was wonderful, service was great. Following night, back for the third and final night in the dining room. Tatiana was back, derogatory comments were back. It seemed that even my choice of the lighter dessert choice was reason for comment. She said”oh, I’m surprised”. Kevin looked at me and I just shook my head. We waited for 30 minutes and never received dessert or even tea. We decided we could get this elsewhere and started to leave. Tatiana saw us leaving and actually grabbed Kevin’s sleeve, holding it and told us we had to go back and sit down. She said we could not leave. I told her I was sorry but we needed to go. The rest of the cruise we got to know the buffet staff well. Food there was really very good. We also found ourselves trying the other specialty dining venues which we may not have done if things were different. [/font']

    First time travel to Western British Isles / Scotland

    in Ask a Cruise Question

    Posted

    Thanks, this helps a lot!

     

     

    It was section 9 facing the castle (premier seats on the Tattoo seat map) and we were in the row directly above one of the entrances/exists to the field so we had an excellent view of the performers at all times. We were on a Princess ship that docked in Greenock on the day of the Tattoo so our roll call organized a day tour with Timberbush Tours (a couple of vans) to Edinburg, then a group dinner before the Tattoo. It was a long but wonderful day and we returned to the ship well before the big Princess buses got back after 1 am.
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