Redwing55

Thanks for your LIVE.  What I love is your attitude.  Honest but upbeat!

We'll be on her for 10 days next February.  Can't come soon enough, but lots of fun stuff before then!  Win/win.

Thanks again.

37 minutes ago, memoak said:

If you have a non drinking partner they probably still drink coffee drinks or sodas. If you drink like I do (minimum of 6-8 drinks a day then the plus would still work for you

That's my issue.  I rarely would hit that many drinks/day.  I think the plus is a good value.  My issue is that I'm not a big drinker.  We had Plus on a 15 day Hawaii, and I think we broke even.  But with 1/2 savings wifi (at the time) it was barely a win.  Plus we had tons of sea days.  

On our recent 14 Carr. cruise, I didn't drink much at all..less than 10 total drinks.  I brought some pop on board.  Wife got the soda package.  We spent quite a bit less.  But I agree, I would have had a lot more specialty coffees and alcohol drinks if I had Plus.  So for me, I do see it as a value... but it does increase the cost of the cruise.  Is that increase worth it is the issue for me.

We were on the Emerald in Feb and booked at 5 o'clock every day.  After the second day, they just waved us in to the same table.  There was a group of 8 of us, and more than a few dinners, only 4 or 6 of us showed up.  No issues with the staff, even though they were informed earlier that some are not attending dinner.

And FWIW, we never saw a huge line trying to get in.  Sometimes the 7 o'clock crowd waited, but their weren't many.

I haven't re-evaluated since the WIFI prices have changed, but a lot of platinum and up passengers get 1/2 off the WIFI.  That pushed me to opt out of Plus since my spouse doesn't drink alcohol.  It was close, but we took a 14 day in Feb. and it worked out fine for us without Plus.  

What I really would like to see is a cost effective coffee option.  It's not that costly of an option for Princess, yet there is no way I could justify buying any of the current drink packages that have coffee... it's just too much of an adder.  Yeah, I miss the coffee cards.

I think another difference is that the Emerald has a fixed shower head while Enchanted has one that's moveable.  Unless I'm mixing up the Royal class ships???

Thanks for your review.  It's refreshing to read how positive you still were with your bumps in the road.  Way to keep things positive, yet informative and real.

We'll be doing a similar cruise on her next year (but Tortola, no Martinique.)  We've been to most of the ports so it's good hearing others experiences for potential excursions or beaches to check out.

Enjoy all your future voyages!

Thanks again.

6 hours ago, Gatorinmd said:

I have a question about adding an AARP gift card to your OBC with a partial balance. From my understanding I can only add an AARP gift card amount to my OBC when I am on board the ship.

 

For example, I have $149.17 left to pay for my cruise. I buy a $500 AARP Princess Gift card and use it to pay the rest of my balance for my cruise. So this leaves $350.83 left on the gift card. So I just go to guest services and tell them that I would like $350.83 added to my OBC from this gift card? (I will have a print out of the gift card with the number and pin on it)

 

Thanks in advance. 

I've done that.. on board.  But I've also been able to purchase OBC with the left over balance on a gift card, before the cruise.  Granted, I had to call Princess, but it was easy.  I guess I'm lucky since when I call, I've rarely had longer than a 5 minute hold... if that.

On 1/22/2024 at 7:25 PM, richstowe said:

Sometimes sold out doesn't stay that way. I've been on multiple cruises where there were no cabins available for balcony say and then a day or so later there were. Ours is not to reason why .

True.  We put in a bid recently for a late Feb. departure.  Got if filled in about a week.  Went from balcony to premier balcony.  Ship shows sold out.  Also, bid was essentially minimum.  I was surprised to get a cabin on Caribe deck so late in the game.  We were in standard Balcony, up front on Riviera.

Cruise has been showing sold out for weeks.

They are refundable.

No change to mine yet.  And thanks for the internet price heads up.

One of the perks that I think Princess gets it right with.  Treated like adults when it comes to towels.  Odd that on Facebook some preferred having to check in/out towels at the pool. Could you imagine the wait if they do that when you want to take a towel ashore?  I do think some of the other lines do that.. and charge when towels aren't returned.

I haven't read this whole thread, but is the find passenger function gone?  Also, is the "chat" feature there.. with fellow cruisers, not the crew?

Thanks

We really enjoyed Le Mur.  Some criticize the location, but we were seated a bit closer to the windows and it was perfect.  The menu offered unique dishes for us.  And they weren't so unique that one needed a finer palate to enjoy them.

I'd go again... especially since they MAY be going away and Sabatinis is likely here to stay.

This likely applies to upcharges at most casual food options:

I don't know the economics, but at least for dinner, isn't it more expensive to serve an MDR meal than any casual restaurant?  So that being the case, I would try to encourage passengers to eat at Alfredo's.  Planks/steamers might be different in that it's right in the buffet, and people could eat at Planks and still easily graze the buffet.

So maybe Princess COULD consider having Alfredo's free after 4:30 or the like?  Profit wise, I'm not seeing a larger profit by discouraging people from eating at Alfredo's.  Especially since it seems like staffing doesn't change there.  Workers will be there no matter.  This is different from the specialty restaurant options.

On 8/22/2023 at 12:10 PM, beg3yrs said:

Just a word to the wise as it hasn't yet been stated on this thread. If you're going to use the gift cards on board to help with your expenses, be sure to bring the gift card printout to give to guest services. They will not accept you providing a list of numbers and pins. It seems they want the hard copy (they keep it) as "evidence" for the back office types.

That's probably the safest option, but I was able to just forward the email with the numbers to Princess rep on the ship (at guest services) and it worked just fine.  It was on my account in less than 24 hours.

On 7/27/2023 at 12:57 PM, Jeter02 said:

I agree with you 💯% for those on longer voyages, to keep it the same as 2 per cruise not considering the length is wrong.

I do find it add that it's a per day charge for the upgrade yet some of the benefits are per cruise.. regardless of length.  Of course we end up taking the longer itineraries.  

One might also consider the time value of money.  That's a pretty large "deposit" for what one is getting back.   And some of us have been able to get discounted gift cards (AARP for one, some credit cards) so it doesn't seem like a deal to take.

5 hours ago, Bronston said:

Sail by Feb 1, 2025.

 

 

I see SOME of your frustration, but wasn't there value to your family for the cruise you took?  It still went.. though abbreviated.  So why not build on that and try something different?  Maybe something on east coast?  I'm a half glass full type, so I still you that you have the potential to do at least OK if not better than OK.  For one, try a bit of a different booking option.

6 hours ago, SaltwaterDaffy said:

Yes. Last night around 9pm off the balcony. I've always wanted to go to a stargazing event but they are past my bedtime. 😊 

 

 

Not to derail the thread, but it is pretty amazing the number of stars one can easily see at one of those.  They kill the lights on the top deck and the sky explodes with objects one can rarely see up in the sky.

So other than that loyalty benefit, not many other LOYALTY perks.   Good to know.😉

Gotta admit, IC doesn't have a ton of items, but more than one thinks (just read this thread.)  I consider it a small, but pretty large reason why I enjoy the Princess line.  True, I haven't sailed on the few ships that don't have the IC.  

Here's hoping it doesn't go away soon.

10 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Just one of many loyalty perks gone.

You say many... care to expand as to which perks are gone?  I guess "free wifi" but it was replaced with a 50% discount.  No more coffee card exchange, so it's hard to say if that was eliminated or rather trade options were reduced.  Others??

4 hours ago, palolake said:

if you purchase Princess insurance, they will add the package into your insurance amount. But if you purchase insurance on your own, you should also add it into your insurance. Because if you end up not being able to sail, Princess will not give you the money back for that package. If you buy it before boarding, Princess will consider it part of the cruise cost. 

Ahh, I see.  I would have thought it would be refunded just like purchasing OBC, or tips, or excursions.  I thought that only the fare is "non-refundable" and would be covered by insurance. I guess that makes sense though.

On 7/10/2023 at 2:47 PM, lennythenose said:

I was on a different Alaskan cruise (not Princess) the same week. Several people in our social media group including my husband have reported tending positive since returning. Last November I came home from a TA cruise and tested positive. I truly believe this has little to nothing to do with the ship. I have no data but I suspect the rate is higher on longer cruises or itineraries where passengers are indoors more than outside. 

I can't determine the code.  We took 2 14 + day cruises... One up the eastern seaboard to Quebec (summer 22) and then Hawaii.(Feb 23.)  We escaped with no covid.  I know there were some that got it in 22 since 1/4 of our floor was cordoned off for covid cabins.   Go figure eh?  LOL

I'm always hoping but the "sale" fare is over $1000 pp more for our 14 day Carr.   Go figure.  Makes me more grateful that we booked when we did.

Glad some of you are seeing the savings.