AI... Pretty sure my Dad's TA got this one wrong

[poffel]

Parents (80 plus) are cruising to Alaske this May with a tour group out of Albuquerque. Been watching the boards about the all inclusive drink package and told Dad about what I knew. His TA told him only one person had to buy in the room( which seems to be the correct info)(Mom doesn't drink),but also told him Mom could share the card for water, gelato, etc. Also that there was a $66.00 limit per day on the card. Those don't sound correct. Told Dad he may just have to wait til he gets on the Crown to get the real scoop. Any insights? Dad is a little OCD. Thanx in advance. Kathy

[Pam in CA]

Parents (80 plus) are cruising to Alaske this May with a tour group out of Albuquerque. Been watching the boards about the all inclusive drink package and told Dad about what I knew. His TA told him only one person had to buy in the room( which seems to be the correct info)(Mom doesn't drink),but also told him Mom could share the card for water, gelato, etc. Also that there was a $66.00 limit per day on the card. Those don't sound correct. Told Dad he may just have to wait til he gets on the Crown to get the real scoop. Any insights? Dad is a little OCD. Thanx in advance. Kathy

You need a new TA. No, it's not shareable any more than going to a buffet restaurant, paying for one and each of you getting different entrees. The cost is $49/pp/day plus 15% gratuity for UNLIMITED soda, wine, drinks, etc. as long as the per/drink cost is under $10.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree the TA is way off, it is for the purchaser only.

[Thrak]

Parents (80 plus) are cruising to Alaske this May with a tour group out of Albuquerque. Been watching the boards about the all inclusive drink package and told Dad about what I knew. His TA told him only one person had to buy in the room( which seems to be the correct info)(Mom doesn't drink),but also told him Mom could share the card for water, gelato, etc. Also that there was a $66.00 limit per day on the card. Those don't sound correct. Told Dad he may just have to wait til he gets on the Crown to get the real scoop. Any insights? Dad is a little OCD. Thanx in advance. Kathy

 

I would suggest that you get a different TA. The one you have is an idiot.

[poffel]

I knew that only one could use it. Does anyone know about the dollar limit? On Carnival, last yr there was a 15 drink limit. This TA runs all kinds of senior tours, buses, trains, Europe, etc. think she got the info direct from Princess. So much confusion!

[poffel]

Colo cruiser. Where are u? In old Englewood here.

[Pam in CA]

I knew that only one could use it. Does anyone know about the dollar limit? On Carnival, last yr there was a 15 drink limit. This TA runs all kinds of senior tours, buses, trains, Europe, etc. think she got the info direct from Princess. So much confusion!

I think the TA had a "senior" moment. There's no limit... It's unlimited. As many drinks as you want. The only criteria is that the value of the drink must be less than $10, easy to do on Princess since most drinks are $8 or less, including martini's, mojito's, etc. A super premium vodka or whiskey might be over $10.

[Thrak]

I knew that only one could use it. Does anyone know about the dollar limit? On Carnival, last yr there was a 15 drink limit. This TA runs all kinds of senior tours, buses, trains, Europe, etc. think she got the info direct from Princess. So much confusion!

 

I think your TA has been using the drink package. $66.00 a day is fantasy. What is that - 6 drinks? It's drinks up to $10.00 each. What part of "unlimited" does your TA have difficulty understanding? I sincerely hope you do NOT give this person your business.

[Colo Cruiser]

Colo cruiser. Where are u? In old Englewood here.

 

Littleton. :)

[poffel]

Colo.... Practically neighbors!

[poffel]

Thanks for all replies. That's why I love this site. I am mainly a stocker. So I don't post much, but I love to cruise, and I don't know how much longer my parents will be traveling so I want them to have a good cruise. Kathy

[jrzebird]

Thanks for all replies. That's why I love this site. I am mainly a stocker. So I don't post much, but I love to cruise, and I don't know how much longer my parents will be traveling so I want them to have a good cruise. Kathy

 

I'll play a little devil's advocate here. Perhaps your parents' TA was confused. From what I understand, up until very recently, both people in the cabin had to buy a card, whether they drank or not (I presume to avoid 2 people using the card). Then they changed it to only one person had to buy a card, but they never made it that 2 people could use the same card.

 

Maureen

[poffel]

So I called Princess today and got kinda the same answer as the TA except that it is unlimited. Specifically asked if dad could get water or gelato for Mom and he said "yes". say what? now I am confused.

[Teris50]

Ok, sounds confusing to me also, HOWEVER, what's to stop someone from ordering water or geletto and then giving it to his wife? Is their a cop that watches everything that people do? I realize it's technically cheating, and will get reamed for this, but..a drink card, is a drink card and if he orders something and shares it with his wife..I say go for it!

I usually have ONE drink a night..If we bought a drink card, it would be a waste (we have never bought them by the way) but why couldn't I have one drink off my hubbys card each day? If the TA knows these people and that they won't use the whole card, she probably made a suggestion. I flew first class recently while my kids(adults) were in coach on another airline. I have 3 free checked bags allowed, so I took two of theirs with me! Cheating, I suppose, but if I am allowed something, why not use it? Others do!

[Pam in CA]

So I called Princess today and got kinda the same answer as the TA except that it is unlimited. Specifically asked if dad could get water or gelato for Mom and he said "yes". say what? now I am confused.

I can see why you're confused. If you think logically, anything that's "unlimited" is restricted to the person purchasing it, whether it's the all-inclusive or a soda card, dinner at a buffet restaurant, or whatever. Chances are no one will say anything if you do. On the Sapphire in March, someone went up to the bar six times to order drinks for all his friends using the AI. He wasn't stopped nor did anyone say anything. But anyone would know that's not right. When I was talking to the Customer Services Director on the Sapphire about sharing the card, he said, "We know our Princess passengers are honest and that we can trust them not to share."

[fishywood]

Firstly, Gelato is not part of the drink package, and only part of the coffee card package on the Royal and Regal.

 

Ok, sounds confusing to me also, HOWEVER, what's to stop someone from ordering water or geletto and then giving it to his wife? Is their a cop that watches everything that people do? I realize it's technically cheating, and will get reamed for this, but..a drink card, is a drink card and if he orders something and shares it with his wife..I say go for it!

I usually have ONE drink a night..If we bought a drink card, it would be a waste (we have never bought them by the way) but why couldn't I have one drink off my hubbys card each day? If the TA knows these people and that they won't use the whole card, she probably made a suggestion. I flew first class recently while my kids(adults) were in coach on another airline. I have 3 free checked bags allowed, so I took two of theirs with me! Cheating, I suppose, but if I am allowed something, why not use it? Others do!

 

My only comment on this is that no one has reported on what Princess is doing, if anything, to prevent such sharing. Obviously a bottle of water can end up in anyone's hands. But to order a beer, wine or cocktail and then hand it off to someone else at your table is a no go, and if it happens regulary Princess has three choices: (1) have officers surreptitiously watching the bars and revoke the card without a refund from those who get caught--I've seen reports of this on the Celebrity board; (2) raise the prices of both the card and individual drinks to cover all "shrinkage" and maintain the profit levels of perfect compliance; (3) abandon the program.

 

Its very easy to say "I don't care if anyone cheats because the program is not for me anyway" but the cost of running the program will be reflected in the drink prices that all of us pay. And the "first class luggage" comparison is apples-and-oranges: there is still a finite amount of luggage brought on the plane for all of you--but paying for one unlimited drink card and ordering for two is potentially uncapped loss for Princess.

[Iamcruzin]

I can see why you're confused. If you think logically, anything that's "unlimited" is restricted to the person purchasing it, whether it's the all-inclusive or a soda card, dinner at a buffet restaurant, or whatever. Chances are no one will say anything if you do. On the Sapphire in March, someone went up to the bar six times to order drinks for all his friends using the AI. He wasn't stopped nor did anyone say anything. But anyone would know that's not right. When I was talking to the Customer Services Director on the Sapphire about sharing the card, he said, "We know our Princess passengers are honest and that we can trust them not to share."

What world does he live in? While I would imagine most of the passengers are honest there are always a few who ruin it for the rest of us.

[Teris50]

yes, Most people are honest, and don't cheat, and then there are the rest the WILL ruin a good thing!

None of the cards effect me because we don't drink but one or two each evening and don't drink specialty coffees. Someone that uses the card for 6 friends should loose it for sure!

[nanabananna]

Probably are real dumb question but here goes any way.

 

I plan to purchas the "delux" unlimited soda card. Does this include water as well? I know it has shakes, juices etc... but I have not seen the word...water anyplace.

 

I like soda...but I like water too!

 

thanks

[rdsqrl]

Probably are real dumb question but here goes any way.

 

I plan to purchas the "delux" unlimited soda card. Does this include water as well? I know it has shakes, juices etc... but I have not seen the word...water anyplace.

 

I like soda...but I like water too!

 

thanks

Not a dumb question at all. The upgraded soda card package includes shakes, mocktails, juice, but does not include bottled water. So you have three options: (1) buy a bottle of water (~$4 for a 1.5L; $2 for a .5L); (2) bring aboard your own case of bottled water (major hassle but certainly allowed); or (3) drink the ship's tap water, which is filtered so it tastes just like bottled. As is the ice, so you can pour the bottled water over a glass of ice out in the sun to keep it cold.

 

As a big drinker of water myself, I usually do some combination of #1 and #3: buy a large bottle the first sea day, refill it from my tap that evening and store it in the fridge to chill and use it on day 2; repeat the process on days 3 & 4, since I don't like to re-use plastic bottles more than once or twice.

[Colo Cruiser]

Probably are real dumb question but here goes any way.

 

I plan to purchas the "delux" unlimited soda card. Does this include water as well? I know it has shakes, juices etc... but I have not seen the word...water anyplace.

 

I like soda...but I like water too!

 

thanks

 

No water.

[SeaCBear]

It's been widely reported here that the new alcohol beverage package DOES include specialty coffees AND gelatos.

 

One other note - when we have cruised Celebrity and had their package, which is very similar to the one Princess has launched, we were told that the computer system would not allow any one person to order more than one drink using his/her card within a specified time period. I'm not sure how long that period was, but I think it was at least 15 minutes. It would not be difficult for Princess to program their payment system on board in a similar fashion, to allow anyone who has the drink package to purchase only one drink within a specified time period. I know this wouldn't eliminate all attempts to cheat the system, but it would help.

 

 

 

Firstly, Gelato is not part of the drink package, and only part of the coffee card package on the Royal and Regal.

 

 

 

My only comment on this is that no one has reported on what Princess is doing, if anything, to prevent such sharing. Obviously a bottle of water can end up in anyone's hands. But to order a beer, wine or cocktail and then hand it off to someone else at your table is a no go, and if it happens regulary Princess has three choices: (1) have officers surreptitiously watching the bars and revoke the card without a refund from those who get caught--I've seen reports of this on the Celebrity board; (2) raise the prices of both the card and individual drinks to cover all "shrinkage" and maintain the profit levels of perfect compliance; (3) abandon the program.

 

Its very easy to say "I don't care if anyone cheats because the program is not for me anyway" but the cost of running the program will be reflected in the drink prices that all of us pay. And the "first class luggage" comparison is apples-and-oranges: there is still a finite amount of luggage brought on the plane for all of you--but paying for one unlimited drink card and ordering for two is potentially uncapped loss for Princess.

[caribill]

It's been widely reported here that the new alcohol beverage package DOES include specialty coffees AND gelatos.

 

 

The gelato option has only been reported for the Royal.

[Max Circus]

It's been widely reported here that the new alcohol beverage package DOES include specialty coffees AND gelatos.

 

One other note - when we have cruised Celebrity and had their package, which is very similar to the one Princess has launched, we were told that the computer system would not allow any one person to order more than one drink using his/her card within a specified time period. I'm not sure how long that period was, but I think it was at least 15 minutes. It would not be difficult for Princess to program their payment system on board in a similar fashion, to allow anyone who has the drink package to purchase only one drink within a specified time period. I know this wouldn't eliminate all attempts to cheat the system, but it would help.

 

That is correct about Celebrity's beverage package. It caused a few erroneous charges to appear on our bill one night in the dining room. We think the waiter entered the 3 glasses of wine we had all at one time and the ones that weren't "free" got charged. Easily corrected at guest service. But there is time limit. Carnival has similar time policy.