Split trip to get platinum benefits???

[cruiserdru]

We are currently booked on a 27-day TA/Med cruise that can be booked as a 15-day TA and a 12-day Med. During the 15-day, we will become platinum.

 

Is it worth it to have our TA book this as two cruises/B2B to get platinum benefits on the Med portion?

 

If it is booked as two cruises, would we have to debark and re-embark for the Med portion?

[cdngrl]

for me it would depend on the cost. the best platinum perk is the included internet. would the difference booking it as 2 be comparable to the internet charges. that would determine it for me. and in my experience on these trips that can be booked as b2b or a single trip, is that everyone has to get a new cruise card at the end of the first portion. its not a big deal, and princess gives you all the directions how to do it on board.

[hobo1937]

for me it would depend on the cost. the best platinum perk is the included internet. would the difference booking it as 2 be comparable to the internet charges. that would determine it for me. and in my experience on these trips that can be booked as b2b or a single trip, is that everyone has to get a new cruise card at the end of the first portion. its not a big deal, and princess gives you all the directions how to do it on board.

 

Ditto on everything cdngirl said....one thing to check out is if your current cabin is available if you book it the other way. We have run into the situation where a certain cabin is available if you book as a full cruise but not if you book as two separate cruises and vice versa...and its not because someone else has booked it...its a Princess thing.

[cdngrl]

the cabin thing worked to my benefit last year. i booked a balcony for the first portion and an ob ov for the 2nd. i was upgraded on the 2nd part to the same balcony room. that sure gave me a good feeling about princess!

[paul929207]

Talk to your TA. Be sure that it will not cost you much money. The internet credit is worth $100 each. You don't want to pay $500 each to re-book.

[Pam in CA]

Talk to your TA. Be sure that it will not cost you much money. The internet credit is worth $100 each. You don't want to pay $500 each to re-book.

I agree. Talk to your TA whether you can be re-booked with two separate booking #s. They can also tell you whether there will be an additional cost to do so.

[caribill]

We are currently booked on a 27-day TA/Med cruise that can be booked as a 15-day TA and a 12-day Med. During the 15-day, we will become platinum.

 

Is it worth it to have our TA book this as two cruises/B2B to get platinum benefits on the Med portion?

 

If it is booked as two cruises, would we have to debark and re-embark for the Med portion?

 

Supposedly if you have reached platinum (or elite) at the end of a segment on a multi-segment cruise based on number of days , you should have the new status for the next segment even if booked under a single booking number.

 

However, if you are reaching the new status based on number of cruises, a B2B under a single booking number will be counted as one cruise and you would not qualify for the new status until the end of that 2nd segment.

 

Check with the Captain's Circle hostess during you first segment to see if she agrees as she would be the person to make it happen.

 

(I once asked this question on the boards about someone taking a 100+ day world cruise and was assured that the person would get the new status at the start of the first segment following the qualifying number of days.)

 

As far as turnaround day, the procedure will be the same if you booked as a single booking or as two bookings. You will be issued a new cruise card and at the least must go through the process of having the new card activated by going to the podium where your picture is added to the cruise record for that new card. Depending on the port, may have to get completely off the ship and go through immigration also (which is what must be done at USA ports).

 

Of course, you may get off the ship, tour, and then get back on (once all departing pasengers have left the ship and the ship is thus cleared for new passengers to embark) with the new cruise card.

[cruiserdru]

Sounds like I need to do two things. Query my TA and talk to someone at Princess.

 

This will be our 5th cruise with Princess and we will start it with 41 days so we will reach platinum with number of days during the first segment.

 

I'll give them both a shot and see what happens.

[coo359a2]

IF you do rebook as two separate bookings and you have two extra FCCs that you can use for the second booking, you would get the OBC for the 2nd cruise too. Did you use FCCs for your original booking?

[cruisefreaks]

We also are booked on a TA with a 12 night med following. I booked as two segments. It was less expensive as my ta had group rates, I will get a 2nd bar set up and internet minutes for the 2nd cruise. (Elite status) We were able to book the same cabin on both. HUGE savings in $$$'s

[SwissDave]

for my B2B next year I asked my TA to book as 2 separate bookings. I have taken a VS suite for the first one to give me the 3 credits I need to make Elite. For the 2nd half I have booked the BB cabin right next door. Not being in the suite will be more than made up for by having the free laundry, mini bar and extra internet minutes. More than 1 week of Sabatini breakfasts and I will getting off the ship the size of an elephant.

 

But there is always the hope the pricess will upgrade me for the 2nd cruise, but I certainly wont expect it - nice if it happens though.

[sparty1]

We are in this situation on our cruise in Nov. My phone call to Captain'sCircle rep just now informed me that even though we need only 12 days out of the 29 on our cruise(b2b, but single bkkg), we will not receive our Elite status until the 2nd segment is over. "Princess DOES NOT " provide the new tier benefits while cruising under one bkkg no matter how a passenger accumulates them. It is not at this time worth it for us to cancel and rebook. I'm so very disappointed! Well a good reason to book another soon...

 

Supposedly if you have reached platinum (or elite) at the end of a segment on a multi-segment cruise based on number of days , you should have the new status for the next segment even if booked under a single booking number.

 

However, if you are reaching the new status based on number of cruises, a B2B under a single booking number will be counted as one cruise and you would not qualify for the new status until the end of that 2nd segment.

 

Check with the Captain's Circle hostess during you first segment to see if she agrees as she would be the person to make it happen.

 

(I once asked this question on the boards about someone taking a 100+ day world cruise and was assured that the person would get the new status at the start of the first segment following the qualifying number of days.)

 

As far as turnaround day, the procedure will be the same if you booked as a single booking or as two bookings. You will be issued a new cruise card and at the least must go through the process of having the new card activated by going to the podium where your picture is added to the cruise record for that new card. Depending on the port, may have to get completely off the ship and go through immigration also (which is what must be done at USA ports).

 

Of course, you may get off the ship, tour, and then get back on (once all departing pasengers have left the ship and the ship is thus cleared for new passengers to embark) with the new cruise card.

[paul929207]

We are in this situation on our cruise in Nov. My phone call to Captain'sCircle rep just now informed me that even though we need only 12 days out of the 29 on our cruise(b2b, but single bkkg), we will not receive our Elite status until the 2nd segment is over. "Princess DOES NOT " provide the new tier benefits while cruising under one bkkg no matter how a passenger accumulates them. It is not at this time worth it for us to cancel and rebook. I'm so very disappointed! Well a good reason to book another soon...

That is my understanding. Changes in Captain Circle status are only made at the end of a cruise and each booking number represents one cruise. Therefore, as of now you have one 29 day cruise.

[caribill]

We are in this situation on our cruise in Nov. My phone call to Captain'sCircle rep just now informed me that even though we need only 12 days out of the 29 on our cruise(b2b, but single bkkg), we will not receive our Elite status until the 2nd segment is over. "Princess DOES NOT " provide the new tier benefits while cruising under one bkkg no matter how a passenger accumulates them. It is not at this time worth it for us to cancel and rebook. I'm so very disappointed! Well a good reason to book another soon...

 

I would still check with the Captain's Circle representative who is on board.

 

I can't imagine they would treat a passenger on a world cruise this way. ("Sorry, you made elite days by the end of the first segment, but you will not be considered elite for 80 more days when the cruise will end.")

[grammasan]

We are currently booked on a 27-day TA/Med cruise that can be booked as a 15-day TA and a 12-day Med. During the 15-day, we will become platinum.

 

Is it worth it to have our TA book this as two cruises/B2B to get platinum benefits on the Med portion?

 

If it is booked as two cruises, would we have to debark and re-embark for the Med portion?

 

not sure it will matter - we became elite on first 1/2 0f b2b amazon 2 yrs years ago. they wouldn't give us elite til we disembarked both legs

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

Sounds like I need to do two things. Query my TA and talk to someone at Princess.

 

This will be our 5th cruise with Princess and we will start it with 41 days so we will reach platinum with number of days during the first segment.

 

I'll give them both a shot and see what happens.

 

We did this same cruise and opted to book it as 2 seperate in order to get credit for 2 cruise towards elite. You are close to platinum, but then it's on to elite and 2 cruises brings you closer than 1. :):):) I would book it as 2 cruises

 

I still regret not booking a 14 day RT Alaska cruise as 2 seperate, I could really use that extra cruise now since I'm 3 away from elite

[sparty1]

Thanks for your responses. I'm sure we won't receive our appropriate status until after the 2nd leg of our trip, but I will take the suggestion to talk with the onboard rep(can't hurt)

 

I would still check with the Captain's Circle representative who is on board.

 

I can't imagine they would treat a passenger on a world cruise this way. ("Sorry, you made elite days by the end of the first segment, but you will not be considered elite for 80 more days when the cruise will end.")

 

That is my understanding. Changes in Captain Circle status are only made at the end of a cruise and each booking number represents one cruise. Therefore, as of now you have one 29 day cruise.

__________________

Paul

[donna5]

Another thing to take into consideration. Does the TA give separate OBC's on each cruise(if you are getting OBC on the one cruise.) Do you have CCL stock? Etc.

[cruiserdru]

Price for split cruise is significantly more than my current price. TA had group prices for the full cruise but cannot get the same deal for the splits. :(

 

Have not heard back from Princess. I sent the Captains Circle an email asking the question. Not expecting anything but it never hurts to ask. And if it is good news, I will have it in writing.

[caribill]

Another thing to take into consideration. Does the TA give separate OBC's on each cruise(if you are getting OBC on the one cruise.) Do you have CCL stock? Etc.

 

If booked as two seperate cruises, you can get stockholder OBC for each segment. Some times that means less money. Stockholder OBC for a single 14 day cruise is $250. Stockholder OBC for two 7 day cruises is $100 a segment for a total of $200.

 

A TA can do whatever they want in the way of giving OBC, so there is no standard to follow.