BVE where to find on Princess web site?

[rdsqrl]

The OP's cruise segment that embarks in FLL is a trans-Atlantic. I have never known Princess to have BVEs on trans-Atlantic embarkations, so I'd say s/he's out of luck. But it doesn't hurt anything to call and ask.

[Astro Flyer]

I found some BVE info under the "preparing for your cruise" section of the Princess FAQs:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

Edited July 4, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[caribill]

I found some BVE info under the "preparing for your cruise" section of the Princess FAQs:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

 

Good detective work.

 

The Bon Voyage Experience is an innovative new program harkening back to the nostalgic tradition from the early days of cruising, allowing passengers the opportunity to invite family and friends aboard your ship on embarkation day. The program's new twist also allows cruisers new to Princess to see the inside of a Princess ship and experience the excitement of cruising first-hand -- even if they're not affiliated with booked passengers.

 

 

Guests will spend up to four hours on board before the ship sets sail, where they'll enjoy a four-course dining room lunch (including wine), a guided ship tour, and a souvenir photo! Plus, the $39 per person cost of the program can be applied toward a future cruise with Princess. Only 50 guests are able to participate in the Bon Voyage Experience on any given embarkation day, so make sure you make your reservations soon!

 

 

To learn more about Bon Voyage Experience reservations and availability near you, please contact your Travel Agent or call 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237) as long as it is not within 7 days of sailing.

Edited July 4, 2014 by caribill

[Thrak]

I found some BVE info under the "preparing for your cruise" section of the Princess FAQs:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

 

Good detective work.

 

The Bon Voyage Experience is an innovative new program harkening back to the nostalgic tradition from the early days of cruising, allowing passengers the opportunity to invite family and friends aboard your ship on embarkation day. The program's new twist also allows cruisers new to Princess to see the inside of a Princess ship and experience the excitement of cruising first-hand -- even if they're not affiliated with booked passengers.

 

 

Guests will spend up to four hours on board before the ship sets sail, where they'll enjoy a four-course dining room lunch (including wine), a guided ship tour, and a souvenir photo! Plus, the $39 per person cost of the program can be applied toward a future cruise with Princess. Only 50 guests are able to participate in the Bon Voyage Experience on any given embarkation day, so make sure you make your reservations soon!

 

 

To learn more about Bon Voyage Experience reservations and availability near you, please contact your Travel Agent or call 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237) as long as it is not within 7 days of sailing.

 

Holy cow! Many thanks. I'm bookmarking the thing because this comes up fairly often. It's too bad there isn't an actual schedule posted but this does at least validate what we tell people about the BVE and gives them contact information.

 

Very nicely done. :)

[SoCal Cruiser78]

The policy says that BVE includes a guided ship tour. Is that optional, if I'd rather just wander around, or is it mandatory?

[Astro Flyer]

Good detective work.

 

Holy cow! Many thanks. I'm bookmarking the thing because this comes up fairly often. It's too bad there isn't an actual schedule posted but this does at least validate what we tell people about the BVE and gives them contact information.

 

Very nicely done. :)

Happy to help! :)

[Thrak]

The policy says that BVE includes a guided ship tour. Is that optional, if I'd rather just wander around, or is it mandatory?

 

The tour is NOT mandatory. We were asked if anybody wanted to do it or not. As pretty much everybody there had either already sailed on a Grand class ship or was with a cruiser who had already done so we released the staff person from this duty to get back to the 75 zillion (ok, that's an approximation) FCC forms he had just received on the cruise that just ended. (No, he didn't' whine or complain about them to us but we specifically asked about the number he had to do so he told us).

 

We all wandered about at our leisure and those of us with non-cruisers along did our best to show off "our ship" and to tell them how great we thought Princess is. I don't know for sure but they probably got more "hype" from us than they would have from the Passenger Services guy. :)

 

(Of course, on the BVE we did when not cruising, we did look him up again before leaving and purchased a couple of FCC each.)

[pablo222]

Based on?

 

I've been shut out twice when BVE was't offered on even

a normal turn-around day.

 

Based on this list, there is no BVE during emerald's port

call in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44683530&postcount=5

 

It seemed unlikely that there would be.

[Essiesmom]

Based on this list, there is no BVE during emerald's port

call in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44683530&postcount=5

 

It seemed unlikely that there would be.

 

If you take the time to re-read the entire wandering thread, the OP is sailing the Island Princess, not the Emerald Princess, and there is indeed a BVE listed for 3/21/15 in FLL. EM

[pablo222]

If you take the time to re-read the entire wandering thread, the OP is sailing the Island Princess, not the Emerald Princess, and there is indeed a BVE listed for 3/21/15 in FLL. EM

 

You're right. There is another thread for emerald. I'll have to find it!

[Ofmyheart]

So did we decide that there is a BVE for the Island Princess in Fort Lauderdale on March 21, 2015. My grandkids would love that! Especially since I don't understand why I can't take them out of school for three weeks.

[Essiesmom]

According to this list, also posted above, there is one in FLL on 3/21/15 for Island Princess.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44683530&postcount=5

EM

[shrekaus]

Well they certainly don't do this in Australian ports, too much security, I guess.

[Whoo]

Very true. Our first BVE we booked just so we could be onboard to buy more FCC. We foolishly didn't have any FCC on hand and you can only buy them on the ship so we took a drive to SF, boarded Grand Princess, had a nice lunch, wandered around the ship a while, purchased a couple of FCC each, and then wandered around the wharf area checking things out. It was a very nice afternoon. The only bad part was, of course, having to get off and then watch the ship sail away!

 

Thanks so much!!! I no longer have FCC's, and want to introduce a friend to Princess - and thought a BVE would be a great way to experience a Princess ship for a newcomer, as well as give me an opportunity to buy FCC's!

[Colo Cruiser]

Well they certainly don't do this in Australian ports, too much security, I guess.

 

 

US ports only.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks so much!!! I no longer have FCC's, and want to introduce a friend to Princess - and thought a BVE would be a great way to experience a Princess ship for a newcomer, as well as give me an opportunity to buy FCC's!

 

 

If I not mistaken if they are not purchased on an actual cruise then the OBC is less. I think. :o

[trbarton]

If I not mistaken if they are not purchased on an actual cruise then the OBC is less. I think. :o

 

As long as your on the ship, it doesn't matter that's it a BVE, you can buy a FCC. I have done just the same on a BVE. You're right if purchased while not on a ship, within 60 days of your cruise. While doing a BVE you simple fill out the FCC form, indicate how many FCC's you want to purchase, provide a CC number, and you will get an email confirming your purchase. The BVE is one way to purchase more FCC without actually being on the cruise.

 

Tom:)

[trbarton]

The other documentation is pretty easy if you don't have a passport. You are unable to finish all the info on the cruise personalizer because it doesn't accept a drivers license as ID there but, once you get to the BVE embarkation, they DO accept your drivers license and can issue your boarding pass at that time. That's how we did it when we took our son onboard before we sailed to Vancouver in May as he doesn't have a passport. Just be sure to arrive a bit early to deal with the minor paperwork.

 

Also, be sure to IGNORE the boarding time if you do have a passport and are able to print out your boarding pass in advance. It will likely say you can board at the regular boarding time. BVE people (and anyone who is actually sailing and who has their booking linked to the BVE person's booking) can board much earlier. Ours both were for 4:00 sailings and the boarding pass said to board at 1:00 which is crazy since we would have to be off by 3:30. Thanks to folks here on CC we found that we should arrive around 10:30 and were on the ship by 11:00.

 

Princess really doesn't know what they are doing with the BVE. One of ours the person doing the check in at the port didn't' have a clue.

 

It was really great to get to take our son onboard, show him the ship (and our aft-facing balcony!), and have lunch with him in MDR. It gave him an idea of what it is we have been raving about ever since we took our first cruise. :)

 

FYI....I did a Panama Canal cruise last fall on the Island that started in Vancouver, I boarded in San Francisco, and some of my friends were able to sign up for the BVE and we had a nice sale-away party. It doesn't hurt to contact Princess as I did.

 

Yes, do not pay any attention to what the boarding pass says regarding the time. I've arrived as early as 10 am and was allowed into the SF terminal.

 

Tom:)