BVE on Grand Princess 7-30-16

[trbarton]

Today I took my 3rd BVE this month as I plan to combine all BVE credits into one cruise credit.

 

As usual the Grand looked great. We were escorted into the building around 10:20 am. At the entrance they check your name off there list & once inside another person checks our name again. Once through security a 3rd person again checks you're name. After filling out the health questionair it's off to check-in and receive your cruise card. Soon the Future Cruise Consultant comes into the waiting area and soon we are at the photo station & onboard the ship. It's now around 11:30 am & the included meal with wine starts at 12 noon. Today I used the pano mode on my I Phone so many of my photos are from this mode. It was windy & a little chilly today. Please enjoy my photos as I enjoyed the ship.

 

 

Tom😁

[trbarton]

 

Tom😁

[Gimer]

Tom, Thanks for those GREAT Photos and your heads up on the BVE. I'm envious. I'll have to wait till October, for our Cal Coastal. Stan

[trbarton]

 

For any question about what BVE stands for its Bon Voyage Experience which on some US ports & cruises you sign up just like a regular cruise. For $39 you board early, before the regular passengers, have your photo taken, a short tour of the ship if you're interested & lunch in the MDR with wine all included in the price. While on the ship you can go around and visit other areas of the ship just like other passengers can do. Very few people will know that you're not on the cruise. It takes getting use to as you're not sailing on the cruise. You're able to get the photo they took as you boarded before you leave. All of this for the $39. If you make a NEW booking within 90 days of doing the BVE you get it back as a credit. Thus my reason for doing 3 before I book a 14 day Carribean cruise in 2018 & I'll have $118 in credit. So 3 BVE's with a nice lunch & meeting other people. It's also a great way to see a ship you've never been on or are interested in.

 

One final note, you must leave the ship by 3 pm.

 

I hope you enjoyed my photos as much as I did taking them.

 

Any questions please ask.

 

Tom😬

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks!

[knotgillty]

If you make a NEW booking within 90 days of doing the BVE you get it back as a credit. Thus my reason for doing 3 before I book a 14 day Carribean cruise in 2018 & I'll have $118 in credit. So 3 BVE's with a nice lunch & meeting other people. It's also a great way to see a ship you've never been on or are interested in.

so the $118 credit is applied towards the booking, not as an on-board credit?

[trbarton]

so the $118 credit is applied towards the booking, not as an on-board credit?

 

Yes...It's a Credit towards the booking. I've done a mock booking & it shows as $118 off my cruise cost. A good reason to combine several BVE's into one large credit.

 

Tom😎

[jerry f]

Great pictures. Just a quick question. In Oct. my kids and grandkids are doing a BVE on our Cal. Coastal. How much of the immigration form has to be filled out for them? The whole thing or just name and passport number?

[JF - retired RRT]

Great pictures. Just a quick question. In Oct. my kids and grandkids are doing a BVE on our Cal. Coastal. How much of the immigration form has to be filled out for them? The whole thing or just name and passport number?

 

If you're asking about the forms online for Princess, you have to do the whole thing.

When you get to the port, everyone has to complete the health questionnaire as well.

[jerry f]

Thank you.

[CruzinNoony]

Hi Tom! Great pictures. Thank you for sharing.

[easyboy]

For any question about what BVE stands for its Bon Voyage Experience which on some US ports & cruises you sign up just like a regular cruise.

Any questions please ask.

Tom😬

How does one know which ship has BVE?

[TLC535]

See the below link for the ships / dates offered for 2016 ;)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48868239&postcount=10

[easyboy]

See the below link for the ships / dates offered for 2016 ;)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48868239&postcount=10

Thanks!

[Buck Turgidson]

we're on a sept 18th coastal out of San Fran, would a bve be available at the stop in Long Beach for my sister to visit ship

[caribill]

we're on a sept 18th coastal out of San Fran, would a bve be available at the stop in Long Beach for my sister to visit ship

 

No.

 

BVEs are never offered at a port call, only on embarkation days.

[Kingofcool1947]

 

For any question about what BVE stands for its Bon Voyage Experience which on some US ports & cruises you sign up just like a regular cruise. For $39 you board early, before the regular passengers, have your photo taken, a short tour of the ship if you're interested & lunch in the MDR with wine all included in the price. While on the ship you can go around and visit other areas of the ship just like other passengers can do. Very few people will know that you're not on the cruise. It takes getting use to as you're not sailing on the cruise. You're able to get the photo they took as you boarded before you leave. All of this for the $39. If you make a NEW booking within 90 days of doing the BVE you get it back as a credit. Thus my reason for doing 3 before I book a 14 day Carribean cruise in 2018 & I'll have $118 in credit. So 3 BVE's with a nice lunch & meeting other people. It's also a great way to see a ship you've never been on or are interested in.

 

One final note, you must leave the ship by 3 pm.

 

I hope you enjoyed my photos as much as I did taking them.

 

Any questions please ask.

 

Tom😬

 

Nice pics.

I will be on the Grand 9/25 leaving from San Francisco for 10 day Mexico cruise.

How do I get tixs for BVE? It is for myself and 4 guests.

Is tixs direct through princess.com?

Thanks.

[Clarea]

Beautiful photos, thanks!

[trbarton]

Nice pics.

I will be on the Grand 9/25 leaving from San Francisco for 10 day Mexico cruise.

How do I get tixs for BVE? It is for myself and 4 guests.

Is tixs direct through princess.com?

Thanks.

 

For BVE reservations you call Princess & ask to talk to the BVE department. Be aware that whoever answers the phone many not know what it is. Ask for the Bon Voyage Experience as they might not realize what BVE stands for. You don't pay anything but your reservation needs to be linked to theres. Your called "Friends of BVE" and you will get a card showing friends of BVE that you show as you leave the cruise terminal and you board with everyone else. There names will be on a list but yours won't. Remember they have to fill out online the same information that you did when you signed up for the cruise. Try to arrive around 10 am and tell the person at the terminal door that you're there for the BVE and they will come and get you when the terminal is opened.

 

Hope this is helpful.

 

Any questions contact me at trbarton743 at aol dot com.

 

Tom😎

[Cruise Raider]

Thanks Tom! While we've never done this ourselves, we are questioning ourselves as to why not!! We sail on Princess all the time and live near the San Francisco so this would be right up our alley for enjoying a day over in the City.

We are treating our niece to this in a couple of weeks for giving us all a ride down to the pier. I hope she enjoys it .... would love for her to start cruising with us in the future. This might trigger that!!

 

So, just out of curiosity, do you happen to know if both my DH and I did this, would we both be able to apply the $39 each to a single cruise? Sounds like it might be doable.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Cruise Raider

[Thrak]

Yes...It's a Credit towards the booking. I've done a mock booking & it shows as $118 off my cruise cost. A good reason to combine several BVE's into one large credit.

 

Tom😎

 

I had no idea you could combine multiple BVE credits on a single booking. Very cool! If I lived closer I would likely take advantage of this. I've done a couple of BVEs - one to purchase more FCC when I foolishly let myself run out and one to thank my son for driving us to SF for our cruise. We took him onboard for the BVE.

[myfuzzy]

For BVE reservations you call Princess & ask to talk to the BVE department. Be aware that whoever answers the phone many not know what it is. Ask for the Bon Voyage Experience as they might not realize what BVE stands for. You don't pay anything but your reservation needs to be linked to theres. Your called "Friends of BVE" and you will get a card showing friends of BVE that you show as you leave the cruise terminal and you board with everyone else. There names will be on a list but yours won't. Remember they have to fill out online the same information that you did when you signed up for the cruise. Try to arrive around 10 am and tell the person at the terminal door that you're there for the BVE and they will come and get you when the terminal is opened.

 

Hope this is helpful.

 

Any questions contact me at trbarton743 at aol dot com.

 

Tom😎

 

Wonderful to hear. My experience was the exact opposite. If it wasn't for posters like you to give out the information, I would still be standing on the dock waving bye bye without ever boarding the ship.

[trbarton]

Thanks Tom! While we've never done this ourselves, we are questioning ourselves as to why not!! We sail on Princess all the time and live near the San Francisco so this would be right up our alley for enjoying a day over in the City.

We are treating our niece to this in a couple of weeks for giving us all a ride down to the pier. I hope she enjoys it .... would love for her to start cruising with us in the future. This might trigger that!!

 

So, just out of curiosity, do you happen to know if both my DH and I did this, would we both be able to apply the $39 each to a single cruise? Sounds like it might be doable.

 

I just did 3 BVE's in July & I have $117 credit towards my new booking thus reducing my cost so the BVE was free. Yes you would both get the credit as I just did. The credit is per person for doing the BVE. You have 3 months before the credit expires. Rember it's only for a NEW booking.

 

Tom😎

[knotgillty]

When doing the BVE, do you have to eat at the dining room for lunch? Can you do pizza at Alfredos, buffet, etc.?

[Lucky TGO]

Wow Tom, Thanks for the great pictures.

Tony