Princess Cruise "Secrets" 2021

[tere247]

On 1/25/2021 at 2:24 AM, caribill said:

 

Alternatively, you can bring on the allotted amount for both segments when embarking on the first segment.

  They wouldn’t let me do that on my b2b cruise out of Ft Lauderdale🥺

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, tere247 said:

  They wouldn’t let me do that on my b2b cruise out of Ft Lauderdale🥺

I wonder who it was?  A security person?  Was a Princess rep there?  I have not had this issue in FLL.  In fact you can bring on more and just be assessed corkage fee.  If the desk was operational, I'd just go to Passenger Services later and ask for an adjustment.

[caribill]

10 minutes ago, tere247 said:

  They wouldn’t let me do that on my b2b cruise out of Ft Lauderdale🥺

 

That's when you need to ask to speak with a supervisor.

[tere247]

4 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I wonder who it was?  A security person?  Was a Princess rep there?  I have not had this issue in FLL.  In fact you can bring on more and just be assessed corkage fee.  If the desk was operational, I'd just go to Passenger Services later and ask for an adjustment.

It was the person at the table after going through the security line. I didn’t argue, just paid the corkage fee. Which I probably would have done anyway in the dining room. 

[drsel]

53 minutes ago, mellon1 said:

Yes, that is what I heard.  Really, if you have all the free drinks, they should let you BUY liquor and take t to the room.  It is saving them money.  Am I the only one that thinks that way???

This tip is for those with the basic cruise only fare, not Plus

[Steelers36]

27 minutes ago, tere247 said:

It was the person at the table after going through the security line. I didn’t argue, just paid the corkage fee. Which I probably would have done anyway in the dining room. 

Yes, if the system works as policy stated, it would be either pay-me-now-or-pay-me-later.  We don't consume the full two free bottles in the cabin anyway.  But, I would rather have my full free allotment in any case as most of the waiters we have had have not ended up charging me for every bottle for full length of the voyage.

[Thrak]

People on these boards love to brag about how they defeated the Princess protocols and then seem to be amazed when Princess "somehow" finds out about the practices and puts an end to them. </boggle>

[EatonDoolittle]

2 hours ago, drsel said:

This tip is for those with the basic cruise only fare, not Plus

And those who don’t always want to clean up, dress up and / or sit at a noisy bar to enjoy an adult beverage. 
 

Just back from a shore excursion, dressing for dinner, relaxing on the balcony, there lots of reasons to not go out and use the Plus.

It’s not at all about saving money, it’s about convenience.

[Ombud]

It's not a secret. Not here anyway. FCD costs only $100, its fully refundable, covered 100% of future deposit, has FCC when used. I heard about it onboard but really learned about it on CC. 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by Ombud

[2 cruises a year]

On 7/7/2021 at 10:48 AM, Jadn13 said:

Discounted/Bonus Gift Cards

-Promos Sales (a few times a year) 

-Allstate Rewards (discounts between 10% and 15%) 

-Fetch App- Submit shopping receipts for points and earn Princess gift cards 

 

if anyone knows of others, please share 

Be careful with this idea.  In the past the Bonus cards had to be used in, I believe 3 months.  We still have a couple thousand dollars worth of gift cards from pre-pandemic.  We lost one bonus card on a pandemic cancelled cruise.  Not catastrophic, 0nly $50 was dropped amongst the thousands of dollars, Good Will FCC's and gift cards refunded.  Nothing is definite or guaranteed yet, you may get stuck with any cards you buy.

We aren't getting younger and cruising hasn't started yet.  And even then, choices are limited.  We may end up not being able to take the cruises of our choice.  Yes, there is no such thing as a bad cruise, but like ice cream, some are better than others.   And worse case, Princess (Carnival Corp.) could still go bankrupt.

If I had it to do over again, I'd wait on buying gift cards.  I can live with losing the bonus cards, that is not any money out of our pocket, but right now, I have a bunch of worthless gift cards.

[2 cruises a year]

On 1/24/2021 at 9:28 PM, Incognito1 said:

 

Just wish we had bought the shares at 17 rather than um, not going to embarrass myself ;-).

 

On 1/24/2021 at 11:46 PM, Thrak said:

 

Wish we had bought $8... D'Oh!

Luckily I bought 100 shares at $8.84.  It has made up for the hundred shares that I bought at the um, not going to embarrass myself rate.  I wish that I had bought 1000 shares.  Wudda, cudda, shudda.

[Cruisematic]

The best time to book a specialty restaurant is on the first night of the cruise. Usually few do and it makes for a very relaxing and great start to any cruise. Also the wait staff is not worked as hard on the first night with typically so few diners and so they are particularly attentive. 
 

Don't tell anyone one else about this observation because it might spoil it for us on our cruise next month if we find the restaurant full on the first night. Just keep it to you and your friends and all will be well. 

[2 cruises a year]

3 hours ago, Ombud said:

It's not a secret. Not here anyway. FCD costs only $100, its fully refundable, covered 100% of future deposit, has FCC when used. I heard about it onboard but really learned about it on CC. 

 

 

Yes, if not a secret, a very good tip.

On my first cruise, I thought, not for me, I don't need to give an interest free loan to this Billion Dollar corporation.  Boy did my attitude change by my second cruise.  Now, that Billion Dollar corporation gives me bargain deposits AND onboard spending money.

[drsel]

1 hour ago, 2 cruises a year said:

Nothing is definite or guaranteed yet, you may get stuck with any cards you buy.

We aren't getting younger and cruising hasn't started yet.  And even then, choices are limited.  We may end up not being able to take the cruises of our choice

If I had it to do over again, I'd wait on buying gift cards.  I can live with losing the bonus cards, that is not any money out of our pocket, but right now, I have a bunch of worthless gift cards.

NCL Cruise next certificates would save you 125 per cabin or 62.50 per person, with 4 years expiry.

 

but then they increased the Cruise fare by  300--500 per person, so the discount is an eyewash.

There are so many stuck with this certificate without any NCL Cruise worth booking at a reasonable price.

I am glad I did not buy any

Edited July 10, 2021 by drsel

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, 2 cruises a year said:

 

Luckily I bought 100 shares at $8.84.  It has made up for the hundred shares that I bought at the um, not going to embarrass myself rate.  I wish that I had bought 1000 shares.  Wudda, cudda, shudda.

 

Our "original" purchase was at $37.05 which wasn't bad at the time and it went up quite a bit after that. Our more recent purchase was for much less but still far more than you paid. Like you, I should have bought 1,000 shares at that rate. Ah, well. We own stocks in various funds but the only stock I have ever actually purchased on my own was the two CCL purchases. We did well with the dividends and the OBC so I'm not really complaining. (Not like complaining would do any good anyway. 🤪)

[2 cruises a year]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

Our "original" purchase was at $37.05 which wasn't bad at the time and it went up quite a bit after that. Our more recent purchase was for much less but still far more than you paid. Like you, I should have bought 1,000 shares at that rate. Ah, well. We own stocks in various funds but the only stock I have ever actually purchased on my own was the two CCL purchases. We did well with the dividends and the OBC so I'm not really complaining. (Not like complaining would do any good anyway. 🤪)

Same here on my only stock purchases.  Only 3 times at 100 shares each.  The first time was just before the Concordia disaster.  My financial advisor (who I think was only "humoring" me when I asked him to buy the first 100 shares) said after the Concordia, that it was an opportunity to buy low.  I went for 100 more shares, and later sold them to help pay for a special 64 day over budget cruise (3 segments of a World Cruise).  It was a fantastic itinerary.  I'm not sure at this point what I'm going to do.  I really only need the 100 shares.  I am not under any illusion that I can deal in the stock market.  I'll probably just let it ride and let the children decide when their time comes.  No hurry there.   The rest is diversified as is yours.

[CruiseVA]

On 1/25/2021 at 2:46 AM, Thrak said:

 

Wish we had bought $8... D'Oh!

I did - LOL. (well, my 2nd 100 shares, so I can sell off my 1st hundred at a loss - LOL).

 

[CruiseVA]

On 7/8/2021 at 3:05 PM, drsel said:

Thats a neat trick & can be used for B2B on ANY cruise line!

Actually, if your last day or is/are port days, then you can buy liquor on the last sea day and take it with you! Think about it...

[alfieisgod]

On 7/9/2021 at 3:53 PM, Jadn13 said:

For all the details:

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/static-files/50351a91-4dc0-4f6b-bfec-684647e6129f

 

Note the email address in the file linked.  You can now submit your info by email.  I did that a few weeks ago - and the $ showed up on my account on the same day.