Sip and Sail has already started (Monday night)

[indygirl99]

I had booked a B2B2B in March/April of 2019 under the $1 deposit. Just called Princess and they added the Sip and Sail with no additional deposit; kept the same cabin (C752 on the Grand). Very happy customer!! :D

 

Thanks for your post.

 

My window suite for August 2018 went up almost $700. We don't drink very much at all and with $300 total OBC in place of the AIBP makes it not worth it for us.

 

I will call tomorrow and see if they will add it for me like you got.

 

We really want to try the window suite and a coffee card and soda package is much less than $400. Even a couple of drinks during the week would be less.

 

I am happy with the price I paid for the window suite so if they don't add it I am okay with that.

[jwattle]

Thank you so much for your post! I called Princess and they were able to do the same thing with my booking. :D

 

Thanks for your post.

 

My window suite for August 2018 went up almost $700. We don't drink very much at all and with $300 total OBC in place of the AIBP makes it not worth it for us.

 

I will call tomorrow and see if they will add it for me like you got.

 

We really want to try the window suite and a coffee card and soda package is much less than $400. Even a couple of drinks during the week would be less.

 

I am happy with the price I paid for the window suite so if they don't add it I am okay with that.

 

My pleasure:D

I have gotten so much help on here, I'm glad I could pay a smidge forward

[clearwaters]

Sip and Sail has already started (Monday night)!

 

Book away.

 

Also posted under Sip and Sail post.

 

 

 

Sip and Sail is great because you can order without worrying about your ship account. You are automatically charged a tip, which is fine. My family and I loved it on our cruise 2 weeks ago. We did not buy a lot of alcoholic drinks. It's just nice to have that freedom. [emoji4]

 

 

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[princess09]

Sip and Sail is great because you can order without worrying about your ship account. You are automatically charged a tip, which is fine. My family and I loved it on our cruise 2 weeks ago. We did not buy a lot of alcoholic drinks. It's just nice to have that freedom. [emoji4]

 

Look at S&S terms on Princess website for accurate information. The gratuity IS included.

[RaeBay]

Please let the crew who is serving know up front why you are withholding your gratuities. At least this way they know it's not anything they did and they can focus their special attention on those who will reward them financially.

 

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Will tip for service just not auto gratuities. Have never with held them before

 

 

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[RaeBay]

Gratuity is optional and can be adjusted at guest services. Many people reduce them (and many brag they increase them YEAH right!) but don't report it on these boards because the cheer leaders will eat you up. Remember that cruise critic represents a very tiny weenie percent of cruisers.

 

I was under the impression that Australian cruisers are not even charged daily auto gratuity.

 

 

People are not charged auto gratuities out of Australia doesn't matter what nationality they are. Have only done one cruise from Australia and our American friends where not charged either. Against our government policy.

 

I have always been charged and paid gratuities from overseas destinations usually pay before cruise. But was told by princess Australia as an Aussie they do not expect it. If my cruise was not nearly booked out from last years sip and sale or no gratuities promos I would still pay.

 

I have also extra tipped room steward and servers. When no gratities they got extra. I will still tip these people.

 

 

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[cflutist]

Have two cruises booked on the Majestic Princess sailing from Sydney. My booking confirmation says that onboard charges are in $AUD and there is a 1.1% service charge for using a credit card.

 

Are you saying that the normal $15.50 x 2 = $31 per day for gratuities will NOT be charged onboard? I called Princess and they said that they WILL be charged.

[NavyVeteran]

Have two cruises booked on the Majestic Princess sailing from Sydney. My booking confirmation says that onboard charges are in $AUD and there is a 1.1% service charge for using a credit card.

 

Are you saying that the normal $15.50 x 2 = $31 per day for gratuities will NOT be charged onboard? I called Princess and they said that they WILL be charged.

Go to Cruise Personalizer under Payment & Credits. Under Payment, there are options for Booking Balance, Optional Gratuity Pre Payment, Onboard Reservations Balance, and Specialty Dining Balance. Click on Optional Gratuity Pre Payment to expand. If it gives you the option to Select Passengers You Will Pre-Pay Gratuities For, then they expect gratuities.

[caribill]

I was under the impression that Australian cruisers are not even charged daily auto gratuity.

 

Only on Australia based cruises.

[caribill]

Well if half the ship pays less than we have and get either gratuities or Sip and Sail included, I will not be paying gratuities to make it a more even playing field.

 

 

When someone has free gratuities included in a promotion, Princess does pay the gratuities into the tipping pool so the crew does get gratuities, just not from the passenger's on-board account.

 

When you withhold gratuities, the crew gets nothing. You have made it an uneven playing field for the crew.

[caribill]

Will tip for service just not auto gratuities. Have never with held them before

 

 

 

And if you do stop the auto-gratuities, the tips you hand your cabin steward and dining room waitstaff will go into the tipping pool and not be kept by those you handed it to.

[lovevacadays]

I am sure that was an easy decision to make ($2 cheaper vs Sip and Sail Promo)!

 

For sure! We really enjoyed the AIBP on the Regal in December. I'm booked with my niece on the two upcoming cruise that we have the AIBP. We aren't big drinkers but she does go out to the Disco/Club every night after I go to bed. The AIBP insures we just don't have to even think about ordering alcohol, water, specialty coffee, or gelato. The gelato option on the Royal/Regal makes me so very happy. :):):)

[lovevacadays]

Princess website states that daily limits will apply on alcoholic beverages. I asked my vacation planner who asked her supervisor. They said that there is not a specific number limit. The limit means that if a bartender thinks you are too inebriated, he can refuse to serve you. I am fine with that.

 

Called Princess today. The rep put me on hold to confer with another department. The terms are 15 alcoholic drinks in a 24 hour period. I can't even imagine drinking 15 drinks in 24 hours.

[4cats4me]

Called Princess today. The rep put me on hold to confer with another department. The terms are 15 alcoholic drinks in a 24 hour period. I can't even imagine drinking 15 drinks in 24 hours.

 

 

 

Maybe it's to thwart people from getting free drinks for others in their extended friend or family group who don't purchase a package or who aren't on a S&S promo. Some people can really put it away though.

Not us.

 

 

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[4cats4me]

We were successful in getting our TA to simply add the S&S package to our current booking. [emoji2][emoji483].

We have chosen the $300 OBC for our 7-day cruise in lieu of the package, however, since we have other OBC as well, for a total of $450 OBC. We really don't drink that much, and we already get the free bar setup and the cheaper nightly drinks at the member's lounge, as well as the BOGO drinks, and our OBC will be better spent in other ways [emoji2]

 

 

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[4cats4me]

That is exactly what they are doing. Plus a dinner depending on category you booked.

 

 

 

No, we retained the same price we booked at over a month ago. My agent added the S&S. But I do agree with you, Coral, in the past I've Priced these things before and then during the S&S or any promo, for that matter, and the cost usually seems to rise a lot.

I'm very surprise that we get to keep our original price, and it was already a pretty decent price.

 

 

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[cflutist]

Go to Cruise Personalizer under Payment & Credits. Under Payment, there are options for Booking Balance, Optional Gratuity Pre Payment, Onboard Reservations Balance, and Specialty Dining Balance. Click on Optional Gratuity Pre Payment to expand. If it gives you the option to Select Passengers You Will Pre-Pay Gratuities For, then they expect gratuities.

Reporting back that they do expect $201.50 per person in gratuities for both cruises sailing from Sydney.

That's ok as we have $910 obc (FCC, CCL, s&s, group, cc).

[Coral]

No, we retained the same price we booked at over a month ago. My agent added the S&S. But I do agree with you, Coral, in the past I've Priced these things before and then during the S&S or any promo, for that matter, and the cost usually seems to rise a lot.

I'm very surprise that we get to keep our original price, and it was already a pretty decent price.

 

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Probably every sailing is different. The ones I priced did not increase in price. Though, I expect the price to go down between now and final payment.

[NavyVeteran]

Probably every sailing is different. The ones I priced did not increase in price. Though, I expect the price to go down between now and final payment.

I think that's one reason Princess does Sip & Sail. They can lower the price somewhat without everyone rebooking.

[NoWhiners]

Hi all

 

Thanks for the heads up, saw this 2 days ago and yesterday we called our big box TA (rhymes with Bosco) and got sip & sail added. But, we had to change cabins and pay $160 more (for the new slightly upgraded but still obstructed view) cabin. We are fine with this, since it is a 27 day GA cruise so getting drink package for both of us is great.

 

But, after reading that others got the bev package added with no cabin change or cost increase, I am wondering why we had to change cabins? Many of you seem very knowledgeable about these things, so maybe you can help? I was thinking maybe it was only for new bookings but that doesn't seem to be the case, based on comments here.

 

In the end, the new cabin worked out great--we moved from E304, which had a lovely view of the top of a lifeboat, to E417, which has some small piece of deck or something that you see when you look down. Happy to pay the little but more for the "better" cabin (went from BW to BV) and get bev package.

 

If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to see them!

 

ML

[Coolmama_1]

Sip and Sail is for Summer 2018 and Spring 2019. I wonder if your sailing doesn't apply in April? Just guessing here.

 

You are correct. April 2018 is not included.

[NoWhiners]

You are correct. April 2018 is not included.

 

Not sure that is completely true. We booked a 27 day GA that starts mid-April next year and ends mid-May. Got S&S added. Maybe some April 2018 cruises are included in S&S but not all?

 

ML

[cflutist]

My TA got S&S added to 3 of our suite sailings (7/18, 9/18, 3/19) with no increase in fare or change in booking numbers. We opted for $1300 in obc (400+400+500) because we don't drink much plus we already get two minibars. Also got the extra complimentary Specialty dining on each cruise.

Our Sept 2017 cruise was not included but has the complimentary gratuities on it.

[Coral]

 

If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to see them!

 

 

Was your category sold out? My TA told me that she had several that wouldn't re-fare as the category was sold out and she had to call Princess and get a Supervisor to authorize it. Maybe this was your situation and they just switched your categories to something that wasn't sold out as opposed to calling Princess. Purely guessing.

[Iamcruzin]

Called Princess today. The rep put me on hold to confer with another department. The terms are 15 alcoholic drinks in a 24 hour period. I can't even imagine drinking 15 drinks in 24 hours.

 

I was wondering if the limit was just for alcohol. I can go through 5 water bottles on a hot day on deck and at least 2 cups of coffee at breakfast.