Future cruise credit packages

[Dlynna]

I was contacted recently and offered a “future cruise credit package” that if I pay upfront it would give me cruise credit, on board credit, and 2 hotel stays I can use over the next few years. Was this on the level? The follow up email seemed to be legit. Has everyone ever done this package before?

[mtnesterz]

There was a thread about this kind of offer not long ago, but I cannot find it now.

Some posted skepticism about whether it was for real. I'd have to agree with them.

Good thought to post here and ask before jumping in.

Perhaps someone who posted will remember which thread, or can relate if this is for real.

[tigtraveling]

I can confirm that the call I caught and the package I booked was legit.

 

It is part of the FAQ on the Princess website as well: https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/pre-cruise/prepare-for-your-cruise/  (see screenshot for a snip of the FAQ).

 

We purchased the promotion package and have actually applied it to a couple of cruises. The Princess Promotions website looks a bit dodgy for sure; I can't blame you for questioning it. My caller sent a follow-up email with a Princess Cruise Lines signature as a travel planner and links to the FAQ. Easy enough to spoof for sure so I was skeptical as well, but after a bit of research we committed and we're happy we did.

[trinitygirl]

Here is that earlier thread: 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

There was a LOT of skepticism when CruiseCritic members first started getting these calls! There was almost no way to see a legitimate connection back to Princess. I'm glad to see that the topic is now addressed in the main Princess FAQ.

[tigtraveling]

I saw in the other thread that someone posted some details of a package so I'll do the same here. We already had two cruises planned to spend enough to take advantage of all of the extras - the hotel packages and other stuff as well - so we felt like it was a good deal. For those that don't travel as much or can't flex the dates for the hotel stays I can see how it might not be a good deal. 

[Mud_Shark]

Hmm - That 7 Night Premium hotel/resort stay sounds suspiciously like a time share hard sell.  Would be interested to know the resort options/locations for that part of the deal.  If that is legit and pleasant, then this might be a decent deal.

 

Don

[tigtraveling]

25 minutes ago, Mud_Shark said:

Hmm - That 7 Night Premium hotel/resort stay sounds suspiciously like a time share hard sell.  Would be interested to know the resort options/locations for that part of the deal.  If that is legit and pleasant, then this might be a decent deal.

 

Don

I was told any hotel, any time basically. I have done a little research but not enough to confirm that. I'll have to report back but it sounded like no specific place or brand for the hotel or resort stays.

[Dlynna]

What I got in my email said it had to be in their “hotel store.”

 

 

Hotel Credits

Hotel Credits are exclusive to Princess Future Cruise Packages and allow you to save on hotel rooms found in the Princess Promotions hotel store. This booking engine includes tens of thousands of hotels around the world, including some of your favorite resort and island locations. Your Hotel Credits expire in 24 months, giving you plenty of time to find your next exciting destination.

 

Stay Certificates

Your package includes a 7-night Stay Certificate that can be used to reserve accommodations, at thousands of top-rated hotels and resorts around the world. You can combine your Stay Certificate as a pre- or post-stay with your cruise or use it for an entirely separate vacation. Like your cruise, you must complete your stay within 24 months of purchasing your package.

[cruzsnooze]

On 4/12/2023 at 4:33 PM, Dlynna said:

I was contacted recently and offered a “future cruise credit package” that if I pay upfront it would give me cruise credit, on board credit, and 2 hotel stays I can use over the next few years. Was this on the level? The follow up email seemed to be legit. Has everyone ever done this package before?

It sounds like a weird deal because there are so many hotel night and not enough cruise nights. I wonder if the Hotels are going to charge taxes and resorts fees and certainly meals wouldn't be included.

Edited April 14, 2023 by cruzsnooze

[Guest ldtr]

7 hours ago, Mud_Shark said:

Hmm - That 7 Night Premium hotel/resort stay sounds suspiciously like a time share hard sell.  Would be interested to know the resort options/locations for that part of the deal.  If that is legit and pleasant, then this might be a decent deal.

 

Don

The  company that is making these offers is run by a couple that started, ran, and sold a company that allowed people to trade time share weeks for cruises.  If you think it sounds like a time share hard sell it is because that is the history of the owners of this company.  Open Network Exchange is the name of the company.

 

John and Marcia Rowley, founders and former owners of International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE),

[SiliconCruiser]

Say away, far far away.

 

[cruisetoscrap]

I bought this last December and it was quite the process to get the FCC.   The sales person who calls you is almost the only people at princess that had even heard of this program.    The "free" hotel stay that I was offered now is $500 for a holiday inn express.  I have yet to be able to access the website to be able to claim my stay or points.   I am sick with regret for the $800 extra I paid to get these credits.   If anyone has actually had luck redeeming these I'd love to know how. 

[snowblower]

I received this pitch today from a Princess Rep. and it really felt like a timeshare pitch.  We sail 5 - 7 times a year so it would be easy to use the cruise credits but the hotel offerings made me uneasy.  I was told that any hotel/resort that could be found on Expedia was on their site.  I was also told that booking a $300 a night room with the voucher was no problem.  The thing i didn't like was that the rep wouldn't allow me the opportunity to review the booking site unless I signed up. I wanted look at the hotels, view the pricing and see for myself what the booking would look like on a specific date.  I ended up cornering the rep and ran two specific scenarios by him.  One was for two specific hotels in the same location on the same date and the other was for two specific hotels at a high tourist location for any date.  For the first scenario, I would have had to pay an additional $200 a night beyond the value of the voucher (plus the tax and resort fee's) if I wanted to stay in those particular hotels.  In the second scenario he couldn't even locate the hotels in their system although I know they show up on just about every popular travel site.  At this point I declined their offer.  Maybe I'm missing out on something good but I didn't get that warm, fuzzy feeling.  I only came to CC tonight to see what others are saying about this program but at this point I'm not going to bite.  Time will tell how this program will work out but I'm not going to be one of their test cases.

[Dlynna]

3 hours ago, snowblower said:

Maybe I'm missing out on something good but I didn't get that warm, fuzzy feeling. 

I am feeling the same. It sounds like such a good deal, but my gut is telling me no.

[Musky Ike]

On 4/13/2023 at 10:40 PM, ldtr said:

The  company that is making these offers is run by a couple that started, ran, and sold a company that allowed people to trade time share weeks for cruises.  If you think it sounds like a time share hard sell it is because that is the history of the owners of this company.  Open Network Exchange is the name of the company.

 

John and Marcia Rowley, founders and former owners of International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE),

I have been called twice. From what I am seeing here, I am glad that I turned them down. Thank you CC friends.

[portiemom]

As I'm reading this thread, I'm not sure if the package I bought is the same as what is being discussed or not. I've never gotten involved in timeshares, so I don't really know what a timeshare pitch is or sounds like. My package is just like the one mentioned by tigtraveling (see earlier posts above). The rep I spoke with has a Princess email and phone number. And the portal for booking the hotels has a Princess logo. I don't see any other company name involved. The rep knew my PVP and when I spoke with her she was aware of the program and was able to apply the FCC to the cruise seamlessly. I can see the OBC from the package in my cruise personalizer. I explored the hotel booking portal (after I purchased the package) and all looks good to me. Lots of hotel choices. The value in the package comes from the hotel booking, so if you don't fly in early or stay after a cruise or if you aren't interested in traveling independent of cruising (7-day stay can be used anytime, anywhere) then maybe it's not for you. Or maybe there is a different pitch going around for something other than this Princess promo??🤔

[cruisetoscrap]

55 minutes ago, portiemom said:

As I'm reading this thread, I'm not sure if the package I bought is the same as what is being discussed or not. I've never gotten involved in timeshares, so I don't really know what a timeshare pitch is or sounds like. My package is just like the one mentioned by tigtraveling (see earlier posts above). The rep I spoke with has a Princess email and phone number. And the portal for booking the hotels has a Princess logo. I don't see any other company name involved. The rep knew my PVP and when I spoke with her she was aware of the program and was able to apply the FCC to the cruise seamlessly. I can see the OBC from the package in my cruise personalizer. I explored the hotel booking portal (after I purchased the package) and all looks good to me. Lots of hotel choices. The value in the package comes from the hotel booking, so if you don't fly in early or stay after a cruise or if you aren't interested in traveling independent of cruising (7-day stay can be used anytime, anywhere) then maybe it's not for you. Or maybe there is a different pitch going around for something other than this Princess promo??🤔

no it's the same pitch.   just getting the cruise part of it seems easy unless you are under a deadline.   it's actually getting the hotel and point part.   I can't even get into the website.   I hope your experience is better. 

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, portiemom said:

As I'm reading this thread, I'm not sure if the package I bought is the same as what is being discussed or not. I've never gotten involved in timeshares, so I don't really know what a timeshare pitch is or sounds like. My package is just like the one mentioned by tigtraveling (see earlier posts above). The rep I spoke with has a Princess email and phone number. And the portal for booking the hotels has a Princess logo. I don't see any other company name involved. The rep knew my PVP and when I spoke with her she was aware of the program and was able to apply the FCC to the cruise seamlessly. I can see the OBC from the package in my cruise personalizer. I explored the hotel booking portal (after I purchased the package) and all looks good to me. Lots of hotel choices. The value in the package comes from the hotel booking, so if you don't fly in early or stay after a cruise or if you aren't interested in traveling independent of cruising (7-day stay can be used anytime, anywhere) then maybe it's not for you. Or maybe there is a different pitch going around for something other than this Princess promo??🤔

While they are affiliated with Princess and as such an approved program for Princess, the people selling the program amd running the program are a different company.