Catbert234

On 12/27/2023 at 6:05 PM, iamaqt2 said:

I am unable to see them all at once too. 

Just as I was getting on my current cruise, they rolled out an android "bug fix" update that forced a logout AND dropped ALL of my upcoming cruises. I got one back by entering the booking number (it gave me an error), and then ignoring the app until the next day. Did not work for the other ones, however. 

Pfffft.

2 hours ago, oteixeira said:

So basically if I use my cash (I bring cash for the slots) do I check into the machine with my medallion and I am good, or do I need to sign up for some Players Club thing?  LOL  You would think I would have asked this years ago but first time back on Princess in a very long time and they seem to be more generous with casino stuff then NCL is.  

Yes - before the machine will activate you have to press your medallion against the reader. It will prompt you to log in (birthday MMYY is your password) and you can then add cash to the machine. Originally, they required that you set up an account and a PIN, but that appears to all be automated now. 

One note: Not sure that all of the machines will take cash - some only work with your player "bank" or allow you to add money to the machine using the credit card associated with your onboard account.

1 hour ago, oteixeira said:

I mean, maybe not....I don't do much more then $100 a day, so it would have to be a cruise were I hit enough to play for quite a while on the machine I guess.  🙂 Here is to hoping!  

This is correct - except they are CBS offers (come back and sail). On Princess.com, if you log in and go to "My Account" and on the account page choose the "Onboard Credits" link (even if it says $0.00), and the site will take you to a page titled: "Circle Savings Account" - scroll down to "Onboard Credits" (even if it says balance $0.00) and click "View Details." 

In that area you will see EVERY currently active offer associated with your Captain's Circle account. 

If it includes 'Cbs' in the description, then it is a come back and sail offer. If you have "used" the offer, then it will have an entry under STATUS that says which booking it was applied to

Not stupid. You need your medallion to play at any table on a Princess ship. They use it to check a person's age (for younger players) and you automatically join the Players Club

For me, it says "Order Medallion" but when I click the > in the app, it says they are already ordered (and when I ordered them, which was January of 2024), but tells me I can add accessories (I don't want any accessories). So I just click out again. It IS bad design because there should be no need to click further into the app to find out if your medallion was ordered

Not on Princess - you add the preferred payment method to your account before the journey (and you cannot change it mid-journey, so keep in mind your open balance). Each charge you place against your room is verified / validated against the card when you make the transaction to charge your room account. You don't have to go to the host at all unless you use cash to add to your bank

Check the deck plans of deck 14 - they reclassified all the BF cabins to BC

On 3/12/2024 at 12:21 AM, Catbert234 said:

I guess I will give it another try. Seems as if Carnival has signed with an app that validates stock ownership to make it easier to claim the shareholder benefit

Update: The app is called Stockperks - it allows people who hold shares in companies that offer shareholder benefits to streamline the process of applying for their benefits.

1. I downloaded the app
2. Set up a profile,
3. Followed the instructions for manually posting a statement that proves stock ownership (you blank out the account numbers, but show the date and your name on the statement).  Alternatively, you authorize a direct link to a brokerage account (my brokerage account does not allow that).
4. Waited a few days for them to verify my stock ownership
5. As soon as they emailed me the validation, I went back into the app, went to the Eligible offers, chose the cruise line (Princess in this case)
6. I entered my booking number, cruise date, name, and email address, clicked "Claim" -- their guidelines say "put in for credits at least 3 weeks in advance of your cruise" - I assumed that it would take awhile to get a yes, but I got confirmation from Stockperks AND Princess that they had applied the onboard credit for shareholder benefits (not spendable in the casino) the next day. REALLY easy!

8 hours ago, jwattle said:

I've always gotten it combined with my casino fares.

I guess I will give it another try. Seems as if Carnival has signed with an app that validates stock ownership to make it easier to claim the shareholder benefit

Just now, Globaler said:

It says can’t use the SHC in the casino - but can be used for the Spa, specialty dinners, plus and premium package.

and cannot be combined "with some offers" - that's where I think my applications fell short

8 minutes ago, Globaler said:

I’m getting shareholder benefits but my cruise is not totally comped. So maybe that’s the difference.

4 minutes ago, Globaler said:

Are you saying Princess assigns OBC for the SHC and people can’t use it? My SIL is sailing with Carnival and they turned him down because his cruise was100% comped.

Here is the shareholder benefit form - it describes the restrictions
https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/contact-us/shareholder-request-form.pdf

Just now, Globaler said:

I’m getting shareholder benefits but my cruise is not totally comped. So maybe that’s the difference.

I have heard folks talk about being able to get the shareholder benefit once on board. I DID read the terms and conditions of the shareholder offer and on last reading did prevent offer stacking. Good job for the folks who talked the on board customer service people into granting it, however.

7 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Yes, not a large contingent of kids on Princess but I notice they still sell a lot of those stupid bears...

Agreed about the QR codes. I do put a QR code onto my ducks, but I don't use a link shortener & clearly send folks to the Facebook group to post (the link shows when you scan the QR code - I tested that). It's a very good reminder to folks, however. Very sad that we all have to be hyper vigilant about scams. 

9 hours ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Off topic I know but can you not ask for your cruise to be re-fared... a lot of people here do it (not available in the UK though 😞 )

Actually not completely off topic, since it deals with an upgrade room price on a casino fare & the possibility of savings. The room upgrade paid for is actually less than the fare and I think that the casino offer prevents a re-faring by its nature. As a result, I don't think they will re-fare for this situation.  They also changed some of the shareholder benefit language to block using the shareholder benefit if I take advantage of the casino offers (they used to let customers stack the two offers, but no longer).  

4 hours ago, Globaler said:

A side benefit to having to pay in full is that you can make dining reservations early. I haven’t been able to book on the Sun but I’m sure cause it’s a new ship and they are trying to get the process down.

That is a perk (being able to book dining early if you're paid in full on a Casino Offer). I have dining booked for 2025 even. Sun Princess is the exception because they are still opening venues and they didn't open any dining after March 28 until the end of Feb. Now, dining reservations for Sun are open through May I think.

The casino host (Maria) on Sun now came from Sky Princess, and so did at least one of the dealers (to bring the topic back to the casino). 

I reiterate that it is good to give Princess permission to market to your email and mailing address since they send postcards and offers and emails with offers frequently (every other month or so)

4 hours ago, rhblake said:

To be honest I have not read all the comments but "Disney Cruise Line Bans Guests From Hiding Rubber Ducks" If Disney banned it why would Princess, with its limited number of kids as passengers, allow it?

They do allow it. I think there isn't a big enough bunch of hiders on Princess to make it a nuisance & I have never, ever seen one in a pool or other place where it should not be. So long as people follow the rules (public areas only, no shops, no pools or spas), it is hard to justify a ban.

Just now, karatemom2 said:

Just a note to say that if you are playing in the Casino, you should be choosing to do so because you find it fun and entertaining- win or lose, comps or no comps. DH would play Craps whether it netted him any cruise benefits or not because he really enjoys it. The cruise perks are a nice added benefit. 
 

Whatever game of choice - slots or table, ultimately the odds are not in your favor. You will likely invest more than you net, so ultimately you are paying for the benefits you might receive in cruise credit. If you go in understanding that and have fun playing as a source of enjoyment then you will be less frustrated then if you are always chasing a win or a comp. 

100% and ALWAYS ALWAYS have a set budget, and NEVER wager more than you can afford to lose. I allocate a daily limit, and stick to it like glue.

It is all about the points you earn onboard, consistency of play, hours of play and average bet. Table games are rated by time at the table and average wager (hence the mystery). With slot play it is easy to see your points increase...it is right on the screen.

I started out getting $200 and interior rooms, graduated to a consistent $400 in free play with balcony rooms. Every once in awhile they will throw in Plus in my come back and sail offers. I am jealous of the mini suite upgrade, however...nice!

I just got a special "Prestige" offer that is really interesting. Ordinary free play and balcony, but adds plus, a perk package, and some interesting freebies like airport pickup and port parking, etc. 

I already had all of my 2024 sailings set, so am using it for two sailings in early 2025. Cannot wait to find out what the prestige offer is all about. I could use the offer up to three times.

3 hours ago, SCX22 said:

I'm tempted to buy a few gross of said ducks and having a release party in one of the ship's pools.  It'll be a field day for the deck attendants.

So releasing them in the pools is frowned upon, and they will not be pleased with you. Not sure what they'll do to you. Why don't you find out?

On 3/4/2024 at 12:03 AM, charliedalrymple said:

I've never actively looked for ducks on board but always hoped that I might randomly spot one. Never did.  Just how "hidden" are they?

They can be well-hidden! I will slip ducks into the towels in the pool area, in the stacks of lounge chairs, underneath plants in the piazza, in the silverware piles on tables in the buffet. You just have to pay attention. I've found ducks on a bunch of Princess cruises - hidden in the ladies' room, dining rooms, stairways, halls...

Bottom line: They could dump everything but the profile tab and have a better app. Most of the tabs and pages are duplicative and useless and the content isn't helpful. The login needs to be made secure.

My detailed observations about the new app are as follows:
- Login using userid+password is broken. The workaround is using booking number and passenger name, but that's not secure. Since payment methods are stored in the app, ONLY login credentials should be accepted and multi-factor authentication/biometric login should be available.
- A lot of content on the front page has a lot to do with Princess selling stuff (Upgraded dining, upgraded drinks, excursions) and NOT managing the voyage. Since MY priority is to manage my voyage and not hand Princess huge sums of money, my preference is an app that makes managing a voyage easy.
- The ribbon on the front page is awful for navigating. Would rather just see buttons without having to move or scroll.
- Too much of the screen real-estate is spent on pictures of people gambling or drinking, etc. I want buttons that drive function. Too much scrolling required vertically and horizontally on the app, which makes it less usable. 
- Managing multiple voyages - no longer possible unless you log out of the app and back in using each of the individual booking numbers for the voyage you're interested in which is horrifically clunky. This is a failure
- Functions on the front page - Reserve dining - the ONLY useful function on the front page of the app. Unfortunately, it does not work for all ships in the fleet (e.g. Sun Princess). 

Bottom of screen navigation buttons:
- Home - This button works fine. Takes you back to the home screen. Wish the home screen was actually useful.
- Service - has no actual functions active just a screen explaining that I can order stuff. Why?
- Journey - Takes you to ship maps. Ship map navigation REQUIRES that you use the pull down in the upper right to pick the deck. This is slightly better than having to scroll through all the floors by swiping left and right but decks have no names along with numbers. This contains book shore excursions (which can be done on the home screen), Explore dining options (which is also on the home screen), "Show Entire Ship Schedule" which is not a button like the others but an underlined link and it DOES NOT show the entire schedule - it ignores sea days. Under "My Journey" it apparently allows for customized bookmarks, but Lord only knows how to set a bookmark
- The content on the MY JOURNEY and SHIP SCHEDULE sub-tabs is exactly the same - why?
- Crew Call Chat - doesn't work on shore
- Profile. This is what the home screen should be - EXCEPT, I don't need a picture of myself, the medallion color is wrong, the My Voyages only has one voyage in it (I have 5 future cruises booked, I should see them all)