Elite/Plat Nightly Event

[cinnamon]

Reading horror stories? On what lines? Be more specific.

 

 

We are Diamond on Royal and yes, on a TA cruise the lounge is a zoo! Very crowded and some folks sit in there drinking for 3.5 hours a night.

[Topo Gigio]

We are Diamond on Royal and yes, on a TA cruise the lounge is a zoo! Very crowded and some folks sit in there drinking for 3.5 hours a night.

 

You also get 3 vouchers daily on your sea pass to order at any bar around the ship if you don't want to go to the lounge!

[Topo Gigio]

I like cruising Princess but their rewards program doesn't favorably compare to Celebrity/Royal Caribbean which gives you "Free" drinks 5-7pm every night. One of the reasons my last 5 out of 6 cruises have been with the competition.

 

On Celebrity it's 5-7, but on Royal it's from 5-8:30 daily.

[SwissDave]

Reading horror stories? On what lines? Be more specific.

 

Mainly RCI.

[BridgeMates]

I think the best benefit on Princess is that you can use all your stock, Veteran, FCC, T/A credit, and any other obc credit you have.

[shredie]

Never seen it crowded! Guess that because the drinks are not free!:D:D:D

 

It depends on the itinerary, I think. On a TA, there will sometimes be so many people the venue must be moved (from Skywalkers to Club Fusion, for instance.) With port intensive cruises, the lounge will be less heavily attended on some evenings. I find the experience relaxing, and I love the shrimp night.

 

Those who prefer the experience on other lines are welcome to do that, but why are they here telling me I shouldn't enjoy myself on Princess? There's more to a cruise than the opportunity to be a drunk every night for "free."

[47librarian]

On the Crown in January and they told us only the drink of the night. We saw others getting a choice of $5. drinks. Asked the waiter and she said she would have to o.k. it with supervisor. I wish they would offer all 6 drinks each night.

 

The ships that I have been on have allowed us to get any of the specials for $5.00 any night....but that has been on longer cruises.

[Oxo]

Mainly RCI.

Did the Allure OTS in Nov 14 and never had a problem. However, Diamond+ so we had a choice of two dedicated lounges. Thanks.

[Oxo]

On the Crown in January and they told us only the drink of the night. We saw others getting a choice of $5. drinks. Asked the waiter and she said she would have to o.k. it with supervisor. I wish they would offer all 6 drinks each night.

 

The ships that I have been on have allowed us to get any of the specials for $5.00 any night....but that has been on longer cruises.

 

Why limit it to 6 drinks? I guess that makes it easy on the server. For the $5 why not allow a range of bar drinks? Not the fancy stuff and at least a red, white and blush wine.

[Oxo]

I think the best benefit on Princess is that you can use all your stock, Veteran, FCC, T/A credit, and any other obc credit you have.

 

Have done the same on Celebrity and RCI. However, the Military on both those are not always available on every cruise. But, other than that I have combined all those credits.

In fact, both Celebrity and RCI have Refundable and Non-Refundable credits which you can get back if you don't spend it all onboard. Still waiting for my money from Princess and it has been 1 month.

[Oxo]

We are Diamond on Royal and yes, on a TA cruise the lounge is a zoo! Very crowded and some folks sit in there drinking for 3.5 hours a night.

 

Agree with TAs. Too many Diamond, Elite and above. That is why they are using 3 drinks coupons/on your Cruise Card nightly.

[Colo Cruiser]

We have found the P and E lounge very crowded over the last 7 months on 3 cruises. Its only going to get worse. :(

[BridgeMates]

Have done the same on Celebrity and RCI. However, the Military on both those are not always available on every cruise. But, other than that I have combined all those credits.

In fact, both Celebrity and RCI have Refundable and Non-Refundable credits which you can get back if you don't spend it all onboard. Still waiting for my money from Princess and it has been 1 month.

 

On our last two Celebrity cruises we could use only one....either the stock credit or one of the others, which ever we chose. I'm sure you know Princess gives a $100 to $250 obc to military veterans depending on length of the cruise. This isn't the military discount off the cruise price for active and retired personnel. I do like the free cocktail party better tho and the opportunity to meet new people each evening as it's usually pretty crowded. They all have nice perks but we still end up with itinerary and price as the deciding factor.

Happy cruising.

[caribill]

You can reach Elite on Princess after 5 cruises.

 

Only if you traveled as a solo in a full suite as you would get three credits each voyage and thus get the 15 points needed for Elite.

[Oxo]

On our last two Celebrity cruises we could use only one....either the stock credit or one of the others, which ever we chose. I'm sure you know Princess gives a $100 to $250 obc to military veterans depending on length of the cruise. This isn't the military discount off the cruise price for active and retired personnel. I do like the free cocktail party better tho and the opportunity to meet new people each evening as it's usually pretty crowded. They all have nice perks but we still end up with itinerary and price as the deciding factor.

Happy cruising.

 

Yes, Princess does give Military OBC as I have received it all the time. Big Plus for Princess.

Celebrity has given us big/combined OBC as I stated. However, like you stated that can vary on cruise.

Just did 3 Celebrity cruises (Med & 2 Caribbean 11 or more days each) in past 4 months and never was crowded in the Sky Lounge as it is very big. If there are too many Elite and above that is when they use coupons. Another thing we enjoy is having dinner with a Senior Officer some people call it the Captain's Table which it is not. Normally 2 officers attend and about 10 passengers. So, each cruise line has it's pluses.

Like you, we go based on itinerary, price and normally do a Celebrity/Princess like a B2B. Don't only cruise one cruise line. That gets to repetitive.

[Topo Gigio]

Only if you traveled as a solo in a full suite as you would get three credits each voyage and thus get the 15 points needed for Elite.

 

That would be very expensive for just some extra perks..

[W5KAP]

It is? Must have just fallen off. :) I was on the Crown in January and Skywalker's was definitely still there.

 

The ONLY ship to have Skywalker's removed was the Grand and that was for hull/materials/design issues that were corrected when the next ship, the Golden, was built.

 

Pam, you are right of course. not sure where my head was but let's not speculate ok! We did a TA from Southhampton in 2013 so I should n=know better. Had drinks there and the Cruise Critic M&G was held there. I hate getting old!

 

Cheers, Kenn

[mariakitty]

As new platinum members we are looking forward to this perk. We are now taking my mother in law on our cruise, who has never sailed Princess. Can she attend the platinum party with us? She isn't a drinker and might not even want to attend, but I'd like to know what options we have.

[SwissDave]

As new platinum members we are looking forward to this perk. We are now taking my mother in law on our cruise, who has never sailed Princess. Can she attend the platinum party with us? She isn't a drinker and might not even want to attend, but I'd like to know what options we have.

 

I personally have never had a problem taking an extra person in with me who wasn't platinum or elite. They just can't order the cheaper drinks.

[Kauai Kid]

If you like Chivas, order the Rob Roy without vermouth. You get a shot and half or 2 shots of Chivas for $5, every night.

[Kauai Kid]

The above post was for Skywalkers.

[caribill]

That would be very expensive for just some extra perks..

 

Not if you do it with three-day voyages.

[Thrak]

Not if you do it with three-day voyages.

 

For someone living in Seattle and taking the 1 day cruises to Vancouver it could be even less! Of course a bunch of 1 day cruises doesn't really sound like something that would float my boat (sorry...).

[crochetcruise]

That would be very expensive for just some extra perks..

 

It can be. I'm finding the airfares and hotel bills will be about 2/3rds of the cruise fare when I travel, not allowing for taxi fares. I was originally planning to book a Premium Balcony Stateroom as I require Disabled Accessible facilities, but the Great-Uncle-In-Law of my friend in Boston found out somehow, that the Golden Princess has a Disabled Accessible Window Suite with full Suite Perks. He told her to ring me urgently with the information, and if the price difference is too much for her, tell her to admit it, and you'll send the money over for her-I'll give it to you. She's been a loyal friend to you and the twins, we'll make sure she gets some spoiling! I checked the prices, only $20 a fortnight, most easily achievable even on a Government benefit, so hoped the Window Suite would still be available when I could afford to make the booking-the Premium Balcony was the back-up option. I was lucky enough to secure the Window Suite, have paid 31.1% of the fare so far, and will be over 34% next Pension Payment! Thanks to Cruise Critic and Princess website, I have a fairly accurate idea of the costing for most souvenirs-T-shirts and sweatshirts will be budgeted at $50, monogrammed pens (if I can find them on sale) are $15, my cousin advised allowing extra, I thought $10, she reckoned $15 would be more accurate, and it's better to have the problem of TOO much money than not enough! I collapsed in shrieks of laughter at that comment. I will need, as it's only a 2 night cruise, to allow money for drinks, I may not get the Drinks package as I understand it's only sold on 7 night or longer cruises. Not a major problem-just calculate what I'm likely to spend on drinks, gifts and souvenirs and organise OBC through the TA-Legal Blindness so not confident doing it myself on the computer with a credit card, the TA's quite comfortable about helping a client-she knows she'll get a VERY comprehensive report about the ship when I get back, and the hotel in Melbourne, so she and the other agents will have the knowledge to help future clients. Almost everything's organised, just got to finish paying the fare, book the flights and hotel accommodation and WAIT more or less patiently for the day to come!

 

Crochetcruise :cool:

[crochetcruise]

For someone living in Seattle and taking the 1 day cruises to Vancouver it could be even less! Of course a bunch of 1 day cruises doesn't really sound like something that would float my boat (sorry...).

 

I burst out laughing at your comment-weird sense of the ridiculous here.

 

Most of the cruises I'd be able to go on are 2 night port-to-port sailings. Money is a consideration, so it'll be every couple of years and enjoyed thoroughly cruising-unless of course I'm lucky enough to win Lotto!

 

Crochetcruise :cool: