Ombud

So Princess Lied to everyone when they said your Coffee card ( Punches) would be good on your next cruise. Your next cruise may be after August 31, 2019 and your coffee card has expired.

The Coffee Card Rebellion Continues.

Tony

• Not all exclusions or limitations can be foreseen or published here and may exist or be implemented with or without notice.
  

I've hosted many Meet & Greets & have never seen a requirement for the number of people needed. When I make a request with Princess I usually say between 30-50. I just returned from a cruise on the Crown & we had 50 people attend.

 

Tom:)

I set up the other roll call (Golden 11/24/19) so would that be me?

Looked online. My Star Princess 3/14/19 solo room is 1798 OC, refare would be 2198 minimum for outside cabin. Keeping the California rate. Plus I don't want obstructed, want to keep position on upgrade list, still wait listed #22 on TD .... OBC not worth the trade in

But I'm really glad I found out on CC about 3 for free promo. (New Zealand next Nov)

Not sure what you are trying to do? Why not just do a R/T?

From what I have seen you can only book R/T or either departure or return.

I didn't think you could book a separate departure and a separate return on the same booking.

- SFO to LHR, CDG to SFO : 3 days in Paris post cruise

- SFO to Santiago (in 2 days early), LAX to SFO (out ASAP)

- SFO to Melbourne, Auckland to SFO : 2 extra days on each end

We are thinking of trying EZ Air for our British Isles cruise next August. The flights have just come up, and EZAir is showing lower prices. Is there a “best” time to book? What if we prefer a specific airline?

Can you tell me how it works, and what we should do to try to get the best rate?

Thanks

 

 

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I find Wednesdays are the best. And I prefer British Air so I just restrict my search engine to that usually. I always restrict to nonstop but have had to accept 1 stop (Santiago)

Yeah. I'm another one they lose money on. A long black is $2.50 and I have that a few times a day, nighttime cocoa is $3. So it's a minimum of $8 a day

To see multiple menus, make 'friends' with the maitre d. Privilege normally reserved for those with dietary issues. (grandson's vegan & I've taken him b4, I just have access to next day's bc of black pepper)

I normally order something that isn't even on the menu and yes I tip the maitre d an extra envelope because they're wonderful.

You were treated like Royalty. And everything sounds yummy..I must go look at the menu...and it's all included in your cruise price!! thanks for your reply. I have no dub my son will want to visit Alfredo's for sure!

A lot of people think it's just pizza but it's a large selection of Italian options

On the Royal in June the TD Maitre D was informed that I have an 'issue' with black pepper (throat gets tight) so we picked out the following days dinner each evening. One night I told him I was going to go to Alfredo's the next day. So he helped me set up an appointment time. Boy was I surprised when I got there! Their maitre d came out and welcomed me sitting me at a table. Then he brought me a beautiful plate of antipasto. He followed that with a salad. Then a wonderful minestrone so good that i repeated it the following night. He followed that with a smaller than normal pizza which was great because I was the only one there. I'm a solo and the pizza was so much better than on the horizon deck, actually as good as I get for my local hole-in-the-wall pizzeria back home. He followed that with vegetarian lasagna and a nice glass of red wine. By this time I time I am overly stuffed and wondering why I went to Sabatini earlier on the cruise since I got everything in Alfredo's. So I got up to leave and he comes over quickly and says my tiramisu and triple long black (after dinner coffee of choice which is what I always got in the main dining room) would be out in just a few moments, would I like to wait? The food was delicious.

I understand that sabatini's is wonderful and a great bargain for $29. Alfredo's is a better bargain for free

I went on a Celebrity cruise once and got thrown out of a lounge after Trivia as they were going to have free drinks for several hours in there for well travelled passengers.

 

Have to weigh up a couple of lots of free laundry a cruise against free drinkies every night? Umm maybe I should have cruised Celebrity for a few years...…………..

 

Anyway after 73 Princess cruises its too late for me to change to Celebrity now, anyhow I kinda like Princess, we just had 25 days on Regal P and it was truly excellent, we had a very nice cruise even though we were not in a fancy suite or anything, and our onboard spend was just a 12 bottle wine package.

I was once in one of those. No way ever again!

.... Princess benefits are not as good as some other cruise lines...

• Unlimited laundry
  
• Internet
  
• Minibar to trade for unlimited coffee / bottle of wine
  
• Preferential tender boarding
  

What does Celebrity give?

Yes. Put me as far away as possible. I only pack a carryon and the steward handles getting it there & back for me. I'm on vacation! :cool:

Had to chuckle as I am apparently only booked on vessels being transfered to PO Australia (before being sold on secondary market to new Indian cruise line)

• 2020: Golden transferred after my 11/2019 cruise
  
• 2021: Star transfering relatively soon after my 3/2019 cruise
  
• 20??: can Sapphire be far behind?
  
• Sailed on Royal in June 2018 and it's HUGE!
  

I did ask about cancelling it don't worry & I wouldn't be recharging if I did. If I cancel I would get back, AU$891 with today's exchange rate, which is a loss of AU$41. I've thought about just saying PRINCESS YOU WIN, take my AU$41 just so I don't have this hanging over my head when we leave but I'm worried that they'll stuff that up too & only give me back AU$650 instead of the US$650 I paid. Then I'd still be out of pocket AU$282

Who knows maybe I'm worrying over nothing.

Monday morning they might contact me & it'll all be sorted out.

Fingers crossed.

I think there's something weird in the conversion systemwide. I booked 3 for free promotion as a single, category BD. Although I'm fine with how it worked out, I only got $200AUD OBC instead of $200USD:

Cruise Fare $2,098.00

Vacation Protection $167.84

Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses $220.00

Total Price $2,485.84

Payment Received $210.00

Balance Due $2,275.84

On Board Credit (AUD)$200.00

FWIW: If I call after business hours I often get someone working remotely who cannot fix my issue. Try calling during regular office hours

Two options assuming you are at Marina Bay cruise centre.

 

Left luggage, BUT it is only open while a cruise ship is berthed. SGD 9 per item.

 

Bag transfer to Changi. They will meet you at your terminal 3 hrs before your flight departure.

SGD 22 per item.

Details on the MBCC website.

You booked a tour for those? Depending on whats your interest, I would suggest Gardens by the Bay (near Marina Bay Cruise Centre), try local food at Satay Club(walking distance from Gardens by the Bay). You can go to China Town by the SMRT line.

I get into Singapore at 8am embarkation day and leave 10pm disembarkation day so i booked the: Disembark Excursion 6 hours

- Photo stop at Mount Faber

- 1 hr Visit National Orchid Garden

- City drive including Orchard Road to Merlion Park for a photo stop

- 30m visit of Little India area in Singapore

- 1.5 hr for Chinese lunch served family style

- 30m Chinatown area of Singapore

What do you suggest for the day I get there? Figure I'll have 4-6 free hours

My only requests are to leave the curtains open & don't change towels unless on floor. Frankly, I often make the bed (I do at home so no biggee)

Cheap tipper : steward $10 + loose change extra. But I'll add room # in the future

Yes strange, when I have booked EZ Air on BA (even regular BA air without EZ Air) I try and pick seats and it always says not available/contact the airline. (whether paid in full or not)

Have never been able to get a free economy seat before the 24 hours without paying the premium seat fee.

Trying to avoid united. Not that I mind their "no rats / snakes / peacocks" on plane philosophy I just hate their food

That's strange. I only sail 2-3 times a year. Request seats on EZair, confirm at airline (British Air + one world partners, united + partners). Have you gone onto BA with their confirmation # and confirmed?

One World (AA & BA) do require that you've pd before selecting seats. However on SFO - London - SFO they had the seat I picked, I just had to confirm. Upgraded for $194 (flight wound up wits a 8 hr delay and never got the $194 back) . On United (SFO - Singapore - SFO) I hadn't paid and just needed to confirm. Delta was 'unusual' as I could not pick meal & seat at same time (SFO - Santiago) so 2 hoops not 1. That's just this year

Thank you guys. I am thinking the system will just automatically set gratuities to “prepaid” for 3 for free bookings at the time of booking and that should work.

Have you logged into Princess Cruise Personalizer yet? You should. FWIW you can buy 12 waters for 6.90 prior to embarkation but only thru cruise personalizer. Or $3 each on board. If you later change your mind before getting on board then you can request a refund

On my phone:

https://www.princess.com

Log in

Select on board reservations

Beverages

Last one:

Bottled Water Package

$6.90 for 12 (500 ml) bottles

 

12 (500 ml) bottles of water conveniently delivered to the stateroom. Price includes service charge.

For pre-purchase ONLY through Gift Guide or Cruise Personalizer

Please list all the moderately priced cruise lines that do not add gratuities. Are they still less than those that do include them in the base price? If so, stop bitching. FWIW: I don't go on ship cruises normally because there are too many people on them (ex: Bali Highlands with groups of 8)

Expat cruiser has me wondering if I should up the tips at passenger services or continue with the envelope system which only covers those i see daily. I do envelopes to reward individuals but how do I reward those in laundry for great free turnaround service?

Keith, valid point. I can't huntdown those in laundry & although I prefer the same server for my long black with cream not half & half, sometimes I get someone else.

Ship staff work 9 long hours to be able to take 3-6-9 months off at home. It's not glamorous but they enhance our trips. tip accordingly!

$2.13 in a lot of states

Yes, but doesn't expect them. My point is pay staff a guaranteed wage that they can live on, not depending on tips.

Correcting my tone: if gratuities are such a hardship for you that is regrettable but nothing anyone here can do about it. I tip .... last night at Chinese restaurant on $55 tab 20% + $1 pp at table as we were in a rush. Did the server need it? Don't know, don't care, she was great. I tip an extra $10pp to all cruise staff I regularly rely on (steward + change, waiter, asst waiter, maitre d, international cafe barista) they enhance my trip so they deserve it

My dd earns $14 an hour, so doesn't depend on tips. Saying that she usually gets $50 tip per game

Does your dd like tips?

Little slower to respond to me today, you sleeping in late on a Sunday. No mention of Princess in my post, just the way your society makes wait staff work for $2 an hour and beg for the remainder

Or did you just drop 1 digit? (typed $12 autocorrected to $2?)