kathy49

In general if you book a cruise is the fare guaranteed at that time? Is it protected from increase only at final payment? I realize you can refare for lower fare. Thank you.

Agree on HAL better chance of good food at included restaurants. On princess that simply is not the case. Same with Celebrity you may pay more but at least get more for it.

"Spin sesseion webinar" oh that is so true!!!! Sell packages no matter whether it works for your clients or not or they will be relegated to the Blue Line.

Bad info

I am disgusted to think of all the 1/3 eaten glasses that must be sitting around from those that are just taking it because "it is included". Really a poor choice to include. Also as described above 1/2 eaten pieces of stale cake as I doubt that is served often enough to keep fresh. Seems like some feeble attempt to cater to their sugar addicted clientele? Most are reporting that the standard deserts these days are not quality and not interesting anymore.

This problem will go away when they use the crowd thinning strategy of charging for chairs. Rent a chair for one hour/two etc. Yes that is coming too.

Great that you are excited about changes that will reduce the crowds in the venues you frequent. In fact that idea may backfire as more are going to buy these packages. Odd reasoning but glad you are happy...small group of you!!

I say tip the captain too!!!

those shops are subcontracted and not part of this tip pool. Do you tip a shopkeeper at home when you go in to buy something? This "tipping" craze is out of control.

Don agree with that thinking....I am okay with the pool but not the fleetwide deal. No question I would rather pull it off and directly tip those that have made my week (or more) a great one. This is a real game and apparently all cruise lines operate this way?

It reminds me of what has happened in air travel. Delta has extended so many perks to so many that priority boarding is over 1/2 the plane....so many have membership to the "Sky clubs" that they are completely overrun,...and on and on. Loyalty programs seem to now offer little.

Wondering what people think that worked to achieve a status such as "Elite" and now does that status really afford you the perks you expected? Now you can buy so much and packages are being pushed. For example some report elite boarding lines are longer than regular. It seems any priority that Elite could get is not available to many more passengers.

I think that coffee can be ordered on the hanging card and don't that is subject to the fee..I may be wrong.

from the schedule Ship Voyage# Date Sapphire Princess H323 August 2, 2023 Enchanted Princess N327 August 12, 2023 Royal Princess 1329N August 12, 2023 Regal Princess G327N August 12, 2023 Discovery Princess X335 August 13, 2023 Caribbean Princess B328 August 14, 2023 Diamond Princess M330 August 14, 2023 Ruby Princess R323 August 15, 2023 Crown Princess 3320N August 15, 2023 Sky Princess Y325 August 19, 2023 Grand Princess A329 August 19, 2023 Majestic Princess 8327 August, 19, 2023 Emerald Princess E321N August 21, 2023 Island Princess 2315 August 25, 2023 Coral Princess 6315 September 20, 2023 Looks like Sapphire is the test case. maybe it will be so confusing they will abandon the whole idea?

I thought they began August 2nd?

I say "bake it" all into the cruise fare and end this maddness.

I think Princess management is being very unfair to agents and onboard staff and customer service desk will be a moving side show...especially in the first weeks of implementation on each ship. People are calling Princess direct and their phone people are at a loss to explain it.

I tip cash and make sure the server gets it..if they share as a group great..up to them. Also where I live there are many added fees now including health fee for the servers. It is getting so crazy. Just pay them a livable wage and raise the cost of our meals.

Clearly I don't think that will continue.

I honestly did not realize that the tips were not per voyage and distributed however they do. I find this then just paying the wages that Princess as a company should be paying. My guess is doing it this way gives them some tax and corporate advantages. I am therefore not that offended if people are opting out of that and tipping as they wish on the voyage.

i would say yes

No but if you prepaid months in some cases a year or more in advance you might think differently?

To take this back to the discussion at hand....no doubt cost of living is UP...I think a once a year decision by the top brass at Princess or Carnival or whoever makes the pricing decisions to just raise the price of the cruise and leave the stupid packages alone. This is confusion for passengers and agents. Those that are booked and paid for stay the same. Going forward say for bookings after xxx date the new prices go into effect. This does not penalize or confuse those who booked ahead and budgeted for a vacation (yes not everyone cruises 10 times a year...it can be a big investment), I think booking ahead should be rewarded and not subject to all this crap. Generally that is the way things used to work and there was always a surge of bookings to beat the price increase...everyone considered it fair and agents had their sanity.

I don't think that is their thinking at all...in fact I think the first time cruiser is who they are marketing to with all of the changes...their loyal customers are dwindling for many reasons.