spongebobshayne Posted August 4, 2018 #1 Share Posted August 4, 2018 I know this had been discussed before, tried to do a search but no luck. Princess is saying with the new SNS package, it can't be exchanged for OBC? We are both non-alcohol drinkers, therefore the package wouldn't work for us. Would really appreciate and feedback on this issue. TIA Sent from my SM-N910V using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeeluvr05 Posted August 4, 2018 #2 Share Posted August 4, 2018 I believe there is a lower fare that can be booked without any perks. I think a TA I spoke to called it a wholesale rate. Others might have better information on this. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JF - retired RRT Posted August 4, 2018 #3 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Correct...many of us CCers (including me) checked with Princess...No OBC. I was disappointed, I'm also a mostly non-drinker, one or two drinks a year. Others reported here that you can get Princess or a TA to get you the rate without the drinks package. It probably isn't worth as much $$ as the drinks package. I exchanged the SnS on the previous sale and got a lot less than the SnS would cost if paying out of pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted August 4, 2018 #4 Share Posted August 4, 2018 My TA checked for me last week : lower fare was only with non refundable deposit, This sip & sail promotion-no exchanges for OBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skynight Posted August 4, 2018 #5 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Hoping 3 for free re-appears early September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RLK33853 Posted August 4, 2018 #6 Share Posted August 4, 2018 We usually book to hold our cruise and room and then switch when a better sale for us comes up (just make sure that the sale allows this). This past May we switched sales 3 times, each one a better deal for us overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC13 Posted August 4, 2018 #7 Share Posted August 4, 2018 I always thought it was great to receive a beverage package, whatever it maybe called, until I started pricing it out in relation to the overall cruise price. For example. Pricing out a cruise with my TA, a cruise out of Barcelona to Rome, July 2019, a balcony cabin is priced out at 3478. If the drink package is desired, the price is then 4198.00. So the free included package costs for 2 is 720.00. That is alot of drinks on a 7 day cruise, at least five $10 drinks per day. Yes I know it includes water, speciality coffee, and other beverages but I would think purchasing those individually, using drink specials, ordering water in advance, and a coffee card that provides free pots of tea and perked coffee would be a better use of money. Nothing is for free, everything comes with a price. I prefer to use any OBC to purchase a coffee card, pay for gratuities, and to use it for drinks at Vines or during dinner. On the other hand if I have the need to constantly have a beverage in hand, then yes a beverage package is the way to go with no second thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocklinmom Posted August 4, 2018 #8 Share Posted August 4, 2018 We are booked with Sip n Sail and don't drink alcohol or soda so would have preferred the OBC option like last year. At least the package includes bottled water, hot chocolate, mocktails (my husband loves virgin strawberry daiquiri's), specialty coffee drinks for me, etc. And hopefully we will be able to switch to 3 for Free next month anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedferg Posted August 4, 2018 #9 Share Posted August 4, 2018 I checked on several 'Big' sites including an airline site and found two prices, with and without PBP. I did not look to see if it was non-refundable deposit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted August 4, 2018 #10 Share Posted August 4, 2018 The Sip & Sail promo is perfect for us ... but we drink and it also includes coffee, etc. Hope the Three for Free will be offered because it would suit you better. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebobshayne Posted August 4, 2018 Author #11 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Appreciate all who have responded to my question. Will probably wait and book the 3 for free when it becomes available. Sent from my SM-N910V using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voljeep Posted August 4, 2018 #12 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Why not book now under SNS - with making sure you have a refundable deposit pick your cabin... then follow various price drops and promotions - this is something you must do - do NOT depend on a TA to do that as well as you could then rebook, refare - whatever when the price drops or when you get the promotion you are seeking good luck.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsetbeachgal Posted August 4, 2018 #13 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Why not book now under SNS - with making sure you have a refundable deposit pick your cabin... then follow various price drops and promotions - this is something you must do - do NOT depend on a TA to do that as well as you could then rebook, refare - whatever when the price drops or when you get the promotion you are seeking good luck.. This the best advice. We did exactly this last year for our June British Isles cruise. Chose a wonderful cabin with sip and sail promo, Then each time a new promo was announced I called Princess and had it re-fared. It went lower, lower, lower. Then right before final payment turned it over to TA for an additional discount plus more OBC. I could have bought many drinks with what I saved over sip and sail! Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul929207 Posted August 4, 2018 #14 Share Posted August 4, 2018 I agree, book now with S&S. If you see a better offer down the road, you can switch to it. However, if S&S winds up as the best for you, you will not be able to get it once it expires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted August 4, 2018 #15 Share Posted August 4, 2018 I agree, grab a S&S cruise while its available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted August 4, 2018 #16 Share Posted August 4, 2018 This the best advice. We did exactly this last year for our June British Isles cruise. Chose a wonderful cabin with sip and sail promo, Then each time a new promo was announced I called Princess and had it re-fared. It went lower, lower, lower. Then right before final payment turned it over to TA for an additional discount plus more OBC. I could have bought many drinks with what I saved over sip and sail! Sent from my iPad using Forums I've done this too many times on Princess. question-if your cabin category is sold out for your cruise can you still have it repriced and go for the new promotion like 3 for free? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted August 4, 2018 #17 Share Posted August 4, 2018 I've done this too many times on Princess. question-if your cabin category is sold out for your cruise can you still have it repriced and go for the new promotion like 3 for free? These promos are generally capacity controlled and only so many will be sold for a particular cruise. The promo can be pulled from a cruise even before the promo officially ends. If its still available I can't see why it couldn't be repriced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land lover Posted August 5, 2018 #18 Share Posted August 5, 2018 (edited) These promos are generally capacity controlled and only so many will be sold for a particular cruise.The promo can be pulled from a cruise even before the promo officially ends. If its still available I can't see why it couldn't be repriced. Probably the reason why Princess decided to eliminate the OBC on this S&S promo...they would really like it available to those who really want the PBP not for those that are shopping around for the best deal. I remember when it was offered for the first time and people posting about their disappointed on Alaska sailings, even though the Balconies were available the promo was sold out. I've done the promo 4 times(booking with the first 2 offers)...on 2 sailings the pricing on my cruise went up...on the other 2. I compared other promos and price drops I figured we each had to drink about $45 a day to break even...??but still went ahead with the packages cuz of the convenience. Also one sailing was on the Majestic and I wanted to enjoy the Juice on boba bars. The package is generally a lost for DH. I passed on the offer last year and instead was tempted by another promo.... This year they got me again booking 2 just because of the S&S.:eek: I did see though on a big box site that one of them in Nov. 2019 is considerably less expensive(the balcony even less than an inside) if I book with a non-refundable deposit. Edited August 5, 2018 by land lover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsetbeachgal Posted August 5, 2018 #19 Share Posted August 5, 2018 I've done this too many times on Princess. question-if your cabin category is sold out for your cruise can you still have it repriced and go for the new promotion like 3 for free? No, in order for it to be re-priced there must be availability in the cabin category. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagoffee Posted August 5, 2018 #20 Share Posted August 5, 2018 No, in order for it to be re-priced there must be availability in the cabin category. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Based on my recent experience this was true when taking advantage of the Sip n Sail promotion on my existing booking without an increase in price. One category on our booking had no additional cabins available. I told my TA to change the booking to a lower level cabin at a lower cost, so both our cabins would have the promotion. Princess was able to add the Sip n Sail promotion to our original cabin category instead of the less expensive one for some reason. I suspect that Princess did not want us to downgrade. It helped that the pricing in general had not increased since the original booking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riclop Posted August 5, 2018 #21 Share Posted August 5, 2018 I know this had been discussed before, tried to do a search but no luck. Princess is saying with the new SNS package, it can't be exchanged for OBC? We are both non-alcohol drinkers, therefore the package wouldn't work for us. Would really appreciate and feedback on this issue. TIA Sent from my SM-N910V using Forums mobile app I booked one without the drinking package and saved $800 with a TA which we can't mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted August 5, 2018 #22 Share Posted August 5, 2018 No, in order for it to be re-priced there must be availability in the cabin category. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Okay, this is what I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted August 5, 2018 #23 Share Posted August 5, 2018 I booked one without the drinking package and saved $800 with a TA which we can't mention. Is the deposit refundable before final payment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted August 5, 2018 #24 Share Posted August 5, 2018 Based on my recent experience this was true when taking advantage of the Sip n Sail promotion on my existing booking without an increase in price. One category on our booking had no additional cabins available. I told my TA to change the booking to a lower level cabin at a lower cost, so both our cabins would have the promotion. Princess was able to add the Sip n Sail promotion to our original cabin category instead of the less expensive one for some reason. I suspect that Princess did not want us to downgrade. It helped that the pricing in general had not increased since the original booking. I seem to remember something similar happening with me once -in the end I got lower fare and was able to keep same balcony cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land lover Posted August 5, 2018 #25 Share Posted August 5, 2018 I booked one without the drinking package and saved $800 with a TA which we can't mention. Was your deposit non-refundable and if so if "cancelled" can you move the deposit to another cruise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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