Grburkart

1 hour ago, cboyle said:

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/food-and-dining/dining-options.pdf

 

Wow! Thank you for posting this. Very, very informative. 

It brings a question outside of the Chefs Table and that’s about the Crab Shack. I have never heard mention of it anywhere. I see the Emerald is a qualifying ship. Does it still exist?

Glenn

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

 

That you need to have 15 drinks a day to 'use it up' or make it worthwhile is a common misconception. Do the math.  Find the breakeven point.  The beverage package includes alcoholic drinks under US$12, plus specialty coffees, mocktails, soda, and bottled water.  If you are only drinking alcoholic drinks the breakeven point is around 6 drinks a day.  Obviously the more non-alcoholic drinks you add, the fewer alcoholic drinks needed to reach the breakeven point.

Do the math? Let’s see here...

That’s 6 drinks a day based on $12.00 drinks when the base price for a normal “rum and coke” is around $7.50. (If I remember correctly from seeing a drink menu). 

Not sure what the exchange rate is but it’s $90.00/day (cad) . Actually I just looked it up. It’s $68.00 usd. It would be hard to get the value on port days. Sea days on the other hand may tell a different story. On this particular cruise, there are 10 sea days. 

Glenn

13 minutes ago, Ferd Berfle said:

 

There was no change in cruise fare when we added the Sip-n-sail to our 28 dayer!  And that cruise was 2000 USD less than the one 5 months prior and the one 7 months later.  I think prices vary more based on other factors and not just the specific promo.

That could very well be. There’s so many factors to what they do. 

Glenn

to edit this, it’ll take a lot of booze to drink up $2500.00 worth. 

One thing I found through observation is the price of the cruise goes up according to the promotion. I took the sip and sail promotion when I booked my Mediterranean cruise and I found that weeks later the cruise was 2k cheaper. The PBP was 1900.00

Glenn

After study things for a 28 day cruise on the Diamond, I’ll opt out of the premium beverage package. To use it up I would have to have 15 drinks a day for 28 days. That’s hard core. Especially since I don’t drink a lot at home. To do a rough estimate using rough math, it’ll take 10 maybe 11 drinks to break even. I won’t be anywhere near that. I’m intrigued by the booze laden milkshakes however, but I’ll have to restrain myself. 

The PBP is over $2500.00 (cad) for the term. Too much!  Lol

Glenn

Yes. I just recently did that. There was no problem at all. 

Glenn

I found EZair to be literally thousands of dollars cheaper on my business class flight from Barcelona to Edmonton. Plus all the other benefits you mentioned are worth their weight in gold. 

Glenn

Okay... I know better than to open my mouth, in this case express my thoughts, but in this case I can’t help it. 

Because somebody wants to call in a Meet and Greet, because Princess “supposedly” calls it a Meet and Greet means we should all call it a Meet and Greet. 

On the other side, Cruise Critic calls it a Meet and Mingle and several people, including myself, call it a Meet and Mingle, what’s the deal?

We all gather here under one “roof” and we want to meet under the premise  of Cruise Critic. We want to identify ourselves to our fellow travellers and Cruise Critic members, so much that name tags will be issued with the Cruise Critics name on them.  

Now I ask you... what difference does it make what we call it, so much to the point of being told we’re wrong to use the word Mingle??? 

Everything on the Cruise Critic Site says Meet and Mingle. I also have to ask this question... What else are we going to complain about?

Glenn

12 minutes ago, voljeep said:

Glenn ... posters are posting about real-life ship experiences that they have had ...

 

you are quoting from a site that is well known for not enforcing its' own "policies"

That’s correct. The old adage “buyer beware” comes into play here. 

By reading the the posts, the policy is inconsistent at best. I quote from the site to give the OP the information to do what he/she wants to do with it. 

I didn’t make up the rules and it seems they don’t apply to certain people. But the rules are there nonetheless. Everyone is responsible for their own decisions. 

Glenn

2 hours ago, floridalover5623 said:

I've noticed the same thing for years now.

The thing I didn't appreciate last cruise was in Grand Cayman where they shipped the liquor back to the ship the cabin steward just left my two bottles in the hall way next to my door where anyone could have walked away with it. It was in the middle of the afternoon on the last sea day, no one around & people were either packing or at the pool.

Not good. 😠  Suppose someone walked off with the box?

I seriously doubt Princess would make good on the missing items.

I make light of the situation and I’m only trying to be facetious by saying you’re complaining about something that never happened. That’s funny!

Glenn

2 minutes ago, bemis12 said:

 

Maybe.  But good luck trying to collect 20% of a cruise from someone who is not going on it.

That’s the fine print I’m talking about. I’m sure princess have their collection methods. 

Glenn

You’re right when you say you can’t do it through Manage the Booking. 

Those special requests can be made by calling princess directly and making arrangements with them. I think that’s assuming you’re not using a TA. Otherwise, the request needs to come from the TA. 

Glenn

7 minutes ago, esper10 said:

I didn’t book any thing as I want to use future cruise deposit but I was wondering why would Princess do this? People will book many different cruises will hold the cabins and than don’t go. No, not every one but a lot

If you read the fine print, Princess doesn’t lose. It’s a lot like buying furniture and not paying for 6 months or 2 years or what have you. 

If you don’t pay by a certain day, you’re on the hook for 20% of your cruise. Cancelled or not. 

Thats what the gal at Princess, that I booked through, told me.

Glenn

40 minutes ago, patrickmoran said:

You cannot cancel online. You will have to call. Since you used a credit card, you have nearly 60 days to get the credit before you will have to pay.

I concur. I just did that today, actually. I canceled my cruise and rebooked the same cruise under the dollar deposit deal. My deposit was due on Friday.   I had to phone them. It’s actually nice to talk with friendly people. 

Glenn

https://www.princess.com/customer_care/contact/alcohol_onboard/

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=40

Some will tell you you’re free to do so. I say hmmm. The above sites tell the story. 

Glenn

I was looking at the jacket as well but, like you, I stumbled with the size issue. I’m trying to find out if they have 3 or 4 xl.

if it’s worth anything, I bought a Cruise Critic jacket from the CC store. They had my size. 

Glenn

1 hour ago, bemis12 said:

 

I'm happy that they need a payment.  It keeps people from randomly taking slots away from people who really do want to go.

 

If I plan on doing it, the timing of the relatively small payments is meaningless.

I’m in agreement. However well intentions are made, there’s a certain group that’ll decide last minute not to go. No risk. It’s got to be a nightmare for the planners. 

My upcoming cruise in October has 15 ports of call. I bought excursions for all of them through Princess. Now I don’t have to worry about costs. It’s much more convenient. 

Glenn

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

I simply don't see the advantage. A $1 deposit for a 28 day cruise in a mini suite. I always book using FCD which would, admittedly, be a $100 deposit but would have the advantage of $150 in OBC. Since I don't book cruises I don't plan to take I can't understand why one would book without using FCD - unless, of course, one doesn't have FCD to use.

I suppose you’re right in looking for an advantage. I fully intend on going on this cruise so there are advantages, so to each their own. 

Outside of the promotion, the deposit for this particular cruise is just a hair south of 6k. I choose not to pay that right now because I have an upcoming Mediterranean cruise in October. Plus, I’ll keep the $6000.00 in my bank for my own financial gain. 

As well as the amount of the deposit, there’s availability. I like to book early to ensure a stateroom of my choice. I really, really want this cruise and it might be harder to get a mini suite later. According to what’s on the website, the mini suites are already booked up. 

There are other personal reasons for not wanting to fork over that amount of money such as health considerations but you don’t need to hear about those. 

To sum this up politely, people are proud and look forward to their adventures. They manage their affairs accordingly and sometimes negative connotations are counterproductive to what their trying to do, so what works for one doesn’t work for others. If the $1.00 promotion is against your judgement then don’t partake. Don’t try to make others feel bad. 

Glenn

I grabbed a mini suite on the Diamond for a 28 day round trip from/to Tokyo. December 16, 2020

Glenn

Yes!!! I just booked a mini suite on the Diamond for a 28 day round trip out of Tokyo on Dec. 16, 2020. I tried for a full suite but it does not qualify for  the $1.00 promo. 

FWIW I booked directly from Princess.

Glenn

58 minutes ago, trbarton said:

 

Glenn,

 

A lot of people use the term “Meet & Mingle” because that’s what other cruise lines use plus that’s what CC shows. The poster was probably not familiar with a Princess meeting & assumed that was the correct term. 

 

I guess I’ve organized too many Meet & Greets. I’m always willing to share what I use & have learned. 

 

Tom😎

 

 

I actually pulled the name tag thing from a Cruise Critic page and not a poster. It’s accessible from the top of this very page under the tab Meet & Mingle. 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcall/cruiselinel2.cfm?cruiselineid=28

Glenn

15 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

 

 

I got that because the OP posts frequently on Celebrity boards AND the current project on Celebrity ships is called "REVOLOUTIONIZING" the ships in the fleet.

 

There are no rock wall, amusement parks, and shopping malls included in the "revoloutionizing"

I’m on your side.

I think we should all start going to other boards and start dissing other cruise companies. It seems that it’s the thing to do. It’s disheartening to have to read thread after thread and post after post that Princess is failing us. We come from all walks of life yet many of us have management experience in running a cruise line.  Heck, on one thread there was a complaint about the color of the paint on the wall. Another that the ice cream was too cold. 

Why can’t we be happy with current situations without having to complain. And if I’m in love with a competing cruise company, why do I go out of my way to come to a princess site to rant. We shouldn’t have to put up with that. That’s my rant. 

Glenn

11 minutes ago, trbarton said:

 

Those name tags say Meet & Mingle. Mine say “Meet & Greet”. 

 

Tom😎

Hmmm. Thank you Tom. It does leave me a bit confused vs. the title of this thread. 

I was trying to use these tags for our roll call but the planner has other ideas and wants to make his own. 

Good on you and good luck with your project. 

Glenn

2 hours ago, hobbyfarmer2 said:

Stilton or gorgonzola cheese go very well with a glass of wine.  Throw in a couple of the long breadsticks and a few fried shrimp for a beddie snack.  Decadent.

I’m intrigued by this as I like to try new things. My thing is Bleu cheese and red wine. It’s magical! 

What’s a good wine with the cheeses you mentioned?

Glenn

Hmmm. I always thought a CC reception is a meet and greet. 

Glenn