avocatnla Posted July 23, 2016 #1 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I've been reading these threads, then I went to the Princess web site, http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/ and it says: Package is NOT available for purchase within 3 days of sailing. Is that true? I don't mind the $56.35 a day, but I'm confused! Thanks, PS I'm going on the Grand Princess to Alaska next week July 30th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wineforhealth Posted July 23, 2016 #2 Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) You can't purchase the package online close to your departure, but once onboard you will have no problem getting the package Edited July 23, 2016 by wineforhealth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CA Posted July 23, 2016 #3 Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) You can pre-purchase using the order form under Gifts & Services but not so close to sailing. If you're going to pre-purchase, you have to do it at least four days before sailing. You can also purchase it onboard. No difference in price. Edited July 23, 2016 by Pam in CA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted July 23, 2016 #4 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Hard to avoid someone trying to sell it to you once you board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted July 23, 2016 #5 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Hard to avoid someone trying to sell it to you once you board. You've got that right! It will be "in your face" onboard. Not a problem to purchase it after boarding. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted July 23, 2016 #6 Share Posted July 23, 2016 You've got that right! It will be "in your face" onboard. Not a problem to purchase it after boarding. :rolleyes: I haven't found them to be in your face, but everywhere. No hard sell but lots of places to buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted July 23, 2016 #7 Share Posted July 23, 2016 You've got that right! It will be "in your face" onboard. Not a problem to purchase it after boarding. :rolleyes: It's not "in your face" on Princess, not like Royal Caribbean. There were a few places scattered around ship selling it - we bought ours at a table in the atrium on Dawn, on the same level as the MDR serving lunch. I wish Princess Australia would get the online price right on it's website though. There is a serious software bug there - it takes the AUD price ($59) and applies the USD-AUD exchange rate to it, giving an incorrect AUD price which Princess then has to adjust once you board. I just spent quite a bit of time this morning trying to get that through a few thick skulls on FB. Thanks for your comment by the way, Gut. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted July 23, 2016 #8 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I haven't found them to be in your face, but everywhere. No hard sell but lots of places to buy it. That is what I meant. Nobody was really in your face "pushing" it but there were stations all over the place with signs to purchase it. Sorry for overstating the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted July 23, 2016 #9 Share Posted July 23, 2016 It's not "in your face" on Princess, not like Royal Caribbean. There were a few places scattered around ship selling it - we bought ours at a table in the atrium on Dawn, on the same level as the MDR serving lunch. I wish Princess Australia would get the online price right on it's website though. There is a serious software bug there - it takes the AUD price ($59) and applies the USD-AUD exchange rate to it, giving an incorrect AUD price which Princess then has to adjust once you board. I just spent quite a bit of time this morning trying to get that through a few thick skulls on FB. Thanks for your comment by the way, Gut. ;) Ouch! I don't understand why so many others "don't understand" about currency exchange rates. It's kind of mind boggling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted July 23, 2016 #10 Share Posted July 23, 2016 That is what I meant. Nobody was really in your face "pushing" it but there were stations all over the place with signs to purchase it. Sorry for overstating the case. No worries, just didn't want folk to think it'd be high pressure sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted July 23, 2016 #11 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Ouch! I don't understand why so many others "don't understand" about currency exchange rates. It's kind of mind boggling. Yeah the web site is just crazy that way. So an item that's sat US$10, is about Aus$13, they put it on the site at $Aus13, the site then thinks that's US$ so shows it as $17 (all figures rough but close). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted July 23, 2016 #12 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Yeah the web site is just crazy that way. So an item that's sat US$10, is about Aus$13, they put it on the site at $Aus13, the site then thinks that's US$ so shows it as $17 (all figures rough but close). The Princess IT team is somewhat "special". Note: I just (finally!!!) retired from a career in IT so I'm a bit snarky about stuff that doesn't work properly. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky TGO Posted July 23, 2016 #13 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Yes you can. Did anyone ever see Princess turn money down 💸💸💸💸. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted July 23, 2016 #14 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Ouch! I don't understand why so many others "don't understand" about currency exchange rates. It's kind of mind boggling. It's not a currency exchange rate issue per se, Thrack, at least not of the normal lack of understanding type of issue. The AIBP package is priced in AUD for our region, and shows on the Princess website under drinks packages separately to the USD package. It's AUD $59. However in the personalizer it shows up as anything from $62 to over $76 depending on what USD-AUD exchange rate was in force at the time you made your booking and that can vary. The problem is that the price is already in AUD. There is a tiny bug in the personalizer software that doesn't recognise that and so "converts it" again. :rolleyes: This causes no end of confusion, both here and on Aussie FB forums. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kir royale Posted July 23, 2016 #15 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I am unsure whether to purchase prior to sailing (in GBP)or onboard (in USD). Anyone know which would be the better deal ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted July 23, 2016 #16 Share Posted July 23, 2016 The Princess IT team is somewhat "special". Note: I just (finally!!!) retired from a career in IT so I'm a bit snarky about stuff that doesn't work properly. ;) So am I. I'm an escapee from the IT industry as well. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted July 23, 2016 #17 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I am unsure whether to purchase prior to sailing (in GBP)or onboard (in USD).Anyone know which would be the better deal ? It very much depends on what exchange rate the GBP package price was calculated at. You can work that out based on what prices are showing for OBC in your personalizer. Whatever the prices are there buys US $25, $50 and $100 respectively. Do the calculation and check it against the current exchange rate. The Princess exchange rate for your cruise usually doesn't change unless you cancel and rebook. Sometimes it's very favourable, sometimes it's not. As an example, for our last cruise, a repo cruise with onboard costs in USD instead of AUD which is more usual down our way, prices were calculated at a .90 exchange rate. The actual exchange rate at departure date was fluctuating between .82 and .86. We bought the package online at a very favourable price and also bought a decent amount of OBC, and were very happy cruisers. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted July 23, 2016 #18 Share Posted July 23, 2016 The current rate for OBC is $1.43 to £1. So good I've pre booked most on my predicted on board spend for our two week cruise starting next weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK Cruiser2 Posted July 23, 2016 #19 Share Posted July 23, 2016 The current rate for OBC is $1.43 to £1. So good I've pre booked most on my predicted on board spend for our two week cruise starting next weekend My cruise personaliser shows the A.I. package at £39:45 per day.Is the 15% gratuity added to that the same as it is if you "pay your way" when it is added every time you buy a drink ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coveguy4 Posted July 23, 2016 #20 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Princess does not add the grat with every drink you buy like NCL. You only pay it on the orig price when you buy it ( the pkg). No surprises here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moki'smommy Posted July 23, 2016 #21 Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) I am unsure whether to purchase prior to sailing (in GBP)or onboard (in USD).Anyone know which would be the better deal ? OK, the bank rate that I'm seeing for pounds is $1.31. At that rate, your beverage package would be costing your $51 per day. Since the going rate for the package is $56 per day, that means Princess is giving you an exchange rate of $1.43/ Bottom line, right now Princess is giving you a better rate than any bank. Buy it now in pounds. You might also want to consider pre-paying your tips in pounds. If you wait and use money that you've converted to dollars, you'll pay more. Edited July 23, 2016 by moki'smommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I_r_a Posted July 23, 2016 #22 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Hi Avo, You can use your On Board Credit, if you have any, once you are on board - not before. Sorry if I am repeating. Ira Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickie_bernie Posted July 23, 2016 #23 Share Posted July 23, 2016 you can buy it ahead of time on line like others have said. You can only buy it on the first two days on board. No matter when you buy it on board you have to pay for the entire length of the cruise. So if you buy for a 7 day cruise on the first day you pay the same as you if you buy on the 2nd day of the cruise. So get it the first day! Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kir royale Posted July 23, 2016 #24 Share Posted July 23, 2016 OK' date=' the bank rate that I'm seeing for pounds is $1.31. At that rate, your beverage package would be costing your $51 per day. Since the going rate for the package is $56 per day, that means Princess is giving you an exchange rate of $1.43/ Bottom line, right now Princess is giving you a better rate than any bank. Buy it now in pounds. You might also want to consider pre-paying your tips in pounds. If you wait and use money that you've converted to dollars, you'll pay more.[/quote'] Thanks for the advice,that is helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avocatnla Posted July 23, 2016 Author #25 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I just learned that $8.05 for soda and more includes gratuities ONLY if you buy it before the cruise. So that is a better deal than on the cruise. Thanks guys, for your input.:) http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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