New to Princess with ?

[ronmaca]

Researchng first Princess Cr. N. Europe. Want to take 2 well behaved grands....14 and 11 yrs. Does Princess offer programs for kids on Sea Days and evenings? Imperative for us even tho kids are very easy. Second question, does Princess charge a daily rate per person, to cover tips for room steward and waitors and if so, what is the charge? Looking at 2019 summer. Any helpful hints people have would be appreciated. Not first time cruisers (kids aren't eith:)er) .

[moki'smommy]

The tip charge (auto-gratuity) depends on the level of your cabin. It currently tops out at $15.50 per person per night of cruise in a suite.

 

Yes, the kid programming is definitely open on sea days. Someone else will need to address the current hours.

[skynight]

 

Researchng first Princess Cr. N. Europe. Want to take 2 well behaved grands....14 and 11 yrs. Does Princess offer programs for kids on Sea Days and evenings? Imperative for us even tho kids are very easy. Second question, does Princess charge a daily rate per person, to cover tips for room steward and waitors and if so, what is the charge? Looking at 2019 summer. Any helpful hints people have would be appreciated. Not first time cruisers (kids aren't eith:)er) .

Yes there are youth programs. The 11 & 14 yr olds will be in different groups. Look here: https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/youth.jsp

 

 

Yes, there is a daily/pp hotel charge. This is for all passengers including youth. The amount is US$13.50/pp/day, US$14.50/pp/day or US$15.50/pp/day based on the cabin category. It is charged to your on board accounts or can be pre-paid.

Look here:https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/experience.jsp

 

 

There is also a 15% gratuity added to every beverage purchase which is separate from the hotel gratuity.

[paul929207]

Kids program is offered on all Princess ships with one exception.

 

It is not available on the Pacific Princess unless there are at least 15 children on board.

[TheRabbit]

Our son last used the program about 4 or 5 years ago. At that point there was an afternoon time, a closure for dinner, and then re-opened for the evening. When you signed them up then, you can give them levels of freedom. 1) They could check themselves in with out you, 2) they can check themselves out without you, 3) they can do both, or 4) neither, you need to be there to sign them in and out.

[JF - retired RRT]

Second question, does Princess charge a daily rate per person, to cover tips for room steward and waiters (grats are shared with those you mentioned and many more, some of whom you'll never see, but they provide a service for you) and if so, what is the charge?

Once you've booked, you can see how much your total gratuities are in the Personalizer.

BTW: per person is all 4 of you.

[moki'smommy]

I'm going to say some things that may be none of my business, and perhaps I've been on way too many Disney cruises. Please establish firm rules with the grands before the cruise. Things that may be totally obvious to adults are not always so obvious to kids.

 

Our rules included things like NO ONE can come into your cabin and you can not go into any other cabin (obviously families traveling together are exceptions). When you sign yourself out of the club, you must check in with Mom--the method of checking in my be different with the electronics available today compared to a few years ago. The Princess intrAnet allows you to do this at no charge, no internet purchase needed but your phone won't buzz or notify you of a message. Another method is to return to your cabin and leave a note as to where you'll be and who you are with.

 

I would not allow an 11 year old to roam the ship with a bunch of friends. This is the age that we've seen getting into trouble. I''m sure your grands would never do anything wrong, but kids in a group don't always think for themselves. We've seen raiding the host's carts (stealing), trashing the buffets, etc. By the teen years, they seem to be beyond finding such "stunts" amusing; the ones we've seen have always been "tweens." Interestingly, the kids on Princess have always seemed better behaved than on Disney, perhaps because they have more oversight from parents or grandparents.

[TheRabbit]

I would not allow an 11 year old to roam the ship with a bunch of friends. This is the age that we've seen getting into trouble. I''m sure your grands would never do anything wrong' date=' but kids in a group don't always think for themselves. We've seen raiding the host's carts (stealing), trashing the buffets, etc. By the teen years, they seem to be beyond finding such "stunts" amusing; the ones we've seen have always been "tweens." Interestingly, the kids on Princess have always seemed better behaved than on Disney, perhaps because they have more oversight from parents or grandparents.[/quote']

 

I would have to agree with the 11 year old. All kids are different, but at 11, our son was allowed to sign himself in but not out.

 

Not sure of the ages anymore, but once he was in the upper age group, we gave him the right to sign out. The caviot was he lost it the first time we saw or heard of him doing anything we disapproved of. We luckily never had a problem, as he tended to pick very good friends.

He also had to leave notes as to where they were going, and there was a curfew time.

[moki'smommy]

Agree--I never had a problem with my daughter, but I've seen too much from other urchins.

In fairness, I've also met some great kids.

[Haboob]

Researchng first Princess Cr. N. Europe.

⋮

Second question, does Princess charge a daily rate per person, to cover tips for room steward and waitors and if so, what is the charge?

 

Princess will often run a promo featuring "free gratuities" (meaning the $13.50 – 15.50 per day "hotel service charge" )

 

The last one such ended a week ago (2018-04-30)

 

--

PS: If you're thinking of the Regal, currently and likely in 2019, there is design problem with their

internet when they get north of the English Channel.

[TheRabbit]

Princess will often run a promo featuring "free gratuities" (meaning the $13.50 – 15.50 per day "hotel service charge" )

 

 

The last one such ended a week ago (2018-04-30)

Not all cruises were covered by this sale.

[ronmaca]

Thank you all for answering questions. It helped.

[caribill]

Thank you all for answering questions. It helped.

 

Feel free to ask questions anytime you have them.

 

Also go to the Princess web site and download the "Cruise Answer Book" which will answer many questions you might have.

 

Also join the Cruise Critic roll call for your cruise. Locate it by going to

 

Find Your Princess Roll Call