RAIDERMOM Posted June 28, 2012 #1 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Hello I have 8 cabins booked with Princess, requested a group booking and got it..I confirmed we would get one free berth. Is there anything else Princess would or could offer with a group booking?? I have seen posts where some lines offer other perks, free drink coupons, OBC, etc.... This is a family cruise celebrating our Mom's 70th Birthday Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted June 28, 2012 #2 Share Posted June 28, 2012 HelloI have 8 cabins booked with Princess, requested a group booking and got it..I confirmed we would get one free berth. Is there anything else Princess would or could offer with a group booking?? I have seen posts where some lines offer other perks, free drink coupons, OBC, etc.... This is a family cruise celebrating our Mom's 70th Birthday Thanks for your help! Don't know about Princess but you should try to find a Travel agent who offers OBC and or other perks and tranfer the bookings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul929207 Posted June 28, 2012 #3 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Also, the time to ask for perks is before or during the booking process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magic50 Posted June 28, 2012 #4 Share Posted June 28, 2012 How many cabins does one have to book to receive anything at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinkstarr Posted June 28, 2012 #5 Share Posted June 28, 2012 How many cabins does one have to book to receive anything at all? 8 or more cabins, I think in booking groups it's better to go with a TA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted June 28, 2012 #6 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Here is a link that may help. http://www.cruisecritic.com/search/results.cfm?q=group%20bookings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeBeGone Posted June 28, 2012 #7 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Instead of the free berth credit, you can elect to take those "amenity points" as wine, photos, etc. You need to talk to your group co-ordinator at Princess or transfer to a TA who can always sweeten the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted June 28, 2012 #8 Share Posted June 28, 2012 How many cabins does one have to book to receive anything at all? 8 rooms. A while back there was a section on the main page of cruise critic that walked you through the steps of group bookings but a TA can do the same and probably offer a discount (since Princess allows TA's to discount) and OBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CA Posted June 28, 2012 #9 Share Posted June 28, 2012 8 rooms. A while back there was a section on the main page of cruise critic that walked you through the steps of group bookings but a TA can do the same and probably offer a discount (since Princess allows TA's to discount) and OBC.A TA will also ease the headache of fielding all the questions and issues that come up when booking a group. I've sailed as a group with family and it's like herding cats. Unless you're an expert or experienced cruiser who can manage this, get a TA. Remember, when you book directly with the cruise line, you are responsible for knowing all the in's and outs as well as the fine print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zacc Posted June 29, 2012 #10 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Instead of the free berth credit, you can elect to take those "amenity points" as wine, photos, etc. You need to talk to your group co-ordinator at Princess or transfer to a TA who can always sweeten the deal. The free berth credit-actually a tour coordinator credit- is entirely different than the amenity points associated with a group booking. The only thing they have in common is that they apply to the same booking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRDR01 Posted June 29, 2012 #11 Share Posted June 29, 2012 This may help - it explains some of your questions. You will need to contact Princess for the information that pertains to your ship and sailing, but, it should give you a good idea of what to expect if you do the group on your own. The document is geared toward TA's. http://content.princess.com/pcan/images/1346/Euro-group-amenityREVISED.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bestmom1 Posted June 29, 2012 #12 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I would strongly urge you to contact a travel agent. As Pam said, groups are like herding cats, and a TA is experienced in all the documentation requirements, etc. They also carry Errors and Omissions insurance, in the event that somethings goes horribly wrong. You can sign up with the TA to be the Pied Piper. That is the term used to refer to a group organizer, traveling with the group, who is not a TA themselves. You can negotiate to still keep the Tour Conductor credit yourself, or you can get a dollar credit that will apply to the group total. The Amenity points, such as coupons, wine, OBC etc. are sometimes better with a TA than you can get on your own, depending on their agency volume. Also, is it possible, but not recommended, that the TA can discount. They just can't publish the discount to the public. Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRDR01 Posted June 29, 2012 #13 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I would strongly urge you to contact a travel agent. As Pam said, groups are like herding cats, and a TA is experienced in all the documentation requirements, etc. They also carry Errors and Omissions insurance, in the event that somethings goes horribly wrong. You can sign up with the TA to be the Pied Piper. That is the term used to refer to a group organizer, traveling with the group, who is not a TA themselves. You can negotiate to still keep the Tour Conductor credit yourself, or you can get a dollar credit that will apply to the group total. The Amenity points, such as coupons, wine, OBC etc. are sometimes better with a TA than you can get on your own, depending on their agency volume. Also, is it possible, but not recommended, that the TA can discount. They just can't publish the discount to the public. Liz I would strongly agree with those advising you to use a TA. You will have enough to do once on board the ship as the group leader. Booking the group will take a portion of the headache away. Booking a group on your own does not just involve one phone call and done. It is many months on the phones with the cruiseline and the group. As a former TA, I will tell you personally to book through one. It will make your life easier and the TA will handle the small details that you may miss along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magic50 Posted July 2, 2012 #14 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I am working with a TA but she still has to go through the Princess agent and I have so far booked 5 cabins but have received nothing - I dont even know what amenity points are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted July 2, 2012 #15 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I am working with a TA but she still has to go through the Princess agent and I have so far booked 5 cabins but have received nothing - I dont even know what amenity points are When a TA books a group (either for someone who really has a group or just by having a number of cabins reserved to alot to passengers who do not know each other), Princess gives the TA "amenity points" to use to give the passengers some onboard "gifts". Princess assigns each gift the number of amenity points to purchase. For example, (not a real one), giving a passenger a dinner at Sabatini's may cost more amenity points than giving a free photo from the ship's photgraphy department. It is up to the TA which "gifts" to get to use up the amenity points. (If you are old enough to remember Green Stamps, it is about the same thing. You earned Green Stamps through purchases and could redeem them for various merchandise. The higher the value of the merchandise, the more Green Stamps were required.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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