New to Princess - GP questions please

[lateuk]

Hello,

I cruised with RC last year out of Southampton around the Med, really had a great time. This year decided to have a change and have booked the Grand Princess in August to do the Med.

 

I have searched these forums and the princess website but if possible could anyone help with the following questions (Thanks in advance).

 

1. What are the drinks prices like (including tip). eg. Lager, Wine, Spirits? Especially on the Grand this year in the Med.

2. How smooth is the check in process at Southampton, on the RCI it took about 15 mins and we arrived at 11:30am. Is this likely to be the same?

3. I have seen a few posts about luggage limits, i assume this is for fly cruises only?

4. I see you can take your own wine onboard but have to pay a corkage charge, does this include if you take the odd bottle on purchased at the ports along the way?

5. Can you just walk off the ship at the end with your own luggage? We did this with the RCI last year. I really dont need it to be unloaded for me.

6. Can wine packages be booked online? I saw a menu but no reference to booking online only by phone. If i do this i assume there will be vouchers for this left in our cabin?

 

Thanks all.

 

Late

[paul929207]

1. Scotch (Dewars), Gin & tonic, etc is about $5 plus 15% tip.

3. Luggage limits apply to air passengers. If you are arriving by land not a problem.

4. Corkage only applies if you take a bottle of wine to dinner. No charge to drink in your cabin.

5. Yes, Princess calls it Self-Debarkation. You carry all your bags off and get on your way.

6. My TA always gives us a bottle of wine. Some time the day we embark, the voucher shows up in our cabin. Just give the voucher to the waiter.

[Toto2Kansas]

Hello,

I cruised with RC last year out of Southampton around the Med, really had a great time. This year decided to have a change and have booked the Grand Princess in August to do the Med.

 

I have searched these forums and the princess website but if possible could anyone help with the following questions (Thanks in advance).

 

1. What are the drinks prices like (including tip). eg. Lager, Wine, Spirits? Especially on the Grand this year in the Med.

2. How smooth is the check in process at Southampton, on the RCI it took about 15 mins and we arrived at 11:30am. Is this likely to be the same?

3. I have seen a few posts about luggage limits, i assume this is for fly cruises only?

4. I see you can take your own wine onboard but have to pay a corkage charge, does this include if you take the odd bottle on purchased at the ports along the way?

5. Can you just walk off the ship at the end with your own luggage? We did this with the RCI last year. I really dont need it to be unloaded for me.

6. Can wine packages be booked online? I saw a menu but no reference to booking online only by phone. If i do this i assume there will be vouchers for this left in our cabin?

 

Thanks all.

 

Late

 

Most of your questions have been answered, but to elaborate just a bit.

 

2. We found check in in Southampton went very smooth, you will probably find about the same as you did on RCI. :)

 

6. Princess doesn't offer the type of wine packages that RCI does. They do offer one onboard at the wine tasting that is quite pricey (in the $150 range) from what I have read. But there are no wine packages to pre-order on Princess. Although you can purchase individual wines on pre-order and the voucher will be left in your stateroom to be redeemed onboard.

 

Enjoy!

[lateuk]

That's really helpful thanks, i love this place so many people just happy to help.

 

The answers so far have been great, but one has made me a little puzzled about one thing. I have read that if you bring alcohol onboard it will be stored until the end of the cruise. I assume from this that it does not include wine, otherwise how would you be able to take it to dinner and pay corkage?

 

Also any idea of the prices of the onboard beers in the Med?

 

Thanks

[paul929207]

That's really helpful thanks, i love this place so many people just happy to help.

 

The answers so far have been great, but one has made me a little puzzled about one thing. I have read that if you bring alcohol onboard it will be stored until the end of the cruise. I assume from this that it does not include wine, otherwise how would you be able to take it to dinner and pay corkage?

 

Also any idea of the prices of the onboard beers in the Med?

 

Thanks

Yes, you can carry on wine and take it to your cabin.

 

If you are caught carrying on alcohol, they will hold it for you until the last night then deliver it to you cabin.

 

I am not sure about beer, but scotch (Dewars) & water is about $5 plus tip.

[jfv379]

If you are caught carrying on alcohol, they will hold it for you until the last night then deliver it to you cabin.

 

The key word here is "IF". Princess is generally pretty lax about this if it is done it discreetly.:D

 

About prices, Hennessey VSOP at $6.75 was cheaper than a glass of Kendall Jackson Cab at $7.50.:eek: My wife was not appreciative when I made that discovery.:rolleyes:

[TNTLAMB]

Just a suggestion but one of the highlite for us picking up local wines along the way. No problem bringing them on board and the corckage charge seemed more to do with your relationship with your waiter/headwaiter than anything. Enenwhen we were charged it was less expensive than their's....

 

There are two wine tastings offered the general one which afforded you the opportunity to pre order at a substantial discount and the Maitre de which was pricey and also worth it..... High End wines one would rarely buy and spectacular accompainments....

[paul929207]

The key word here is "IF". Princess is generally pretty lax about this if it is done it discreetly.:D

 

About prices, Hennessey VSOP at $6.75 was cheaper than a glass of Kendall Jackson Cab at $7.50.:eek: My wife was not appreciative when I made that discovery.:rolleyes:

In fact we have never had a problem taking booze to our cabin and never talked to anyone who did.

[robanddiane]

We are recently off the Sea Princess and the beer prices we paid were $4.35 plus tip for a bottle of Becks, I think it was $6.25 plus tip for Grolsch and slightly more for the oil can of Fosters. At the deck bars on some beers you can buy a bucket and get 5 for the price of 4. Depending on when you booked your cruise you can pre purchase onboard credit and get a really good deal, we booked a year ago for the Grand this August and got $2 to the pound which is quite a good saving. We are sailing on the 1st august so if you are on that one there is a very quiet roll call going at the moment.

[Colo Cruiser]

Grolsch is good stuff.

I can handle a Fosters too.