Princess Cruise Secrets 2016

In that case, congratulations! You will only have one first cruise. It took forever for my wife to convince me to try a cruise as I positively, absolutely knew I would hate everything about it. Of course, when I got off the ship after the cruise ended, I wanted to get right back on again. D'Oh!

 

Good lord that sounds familiar. Same here. DW took me kicking and screaming. I distinctly remember being bussed past a sign that gave directions to Daytona Beach. "That's where we should be going" was my thought. As we neared the ship I thought "well, you're here, you paid for it you might as well enjoy it". That was back in 2001, 21 cruises ago. We cruised again in 2004 and then I became the planner. We got 2 and sometimes 3 times a year now.

 

It's not a huge deal but it was a nice touch.

It saved me many a time:D

The reason the color was helpful is that the Port carpet had a red stripe and the Starboard carpet had a blue stripe. So many newer cruisers get confused as to which way to turn when exiting the elevators. They go one way, check the numbers on the cabin doors, then turn around and go to the other side of the ship when they realize the numbers are "wrong" (not even or odd - whichever their cabin is). It was nice to be able to tell these folks about the stripes so they had a quick visual reference even from the elevator entrances.

 

It's not a huge deal but it was a nice touch.

Because I do get turned around so easily, it was nice to just glance @ the carpet when I got out of the elevator to know which side I needed. I have and probably will do lots of extra walking just get my self in the right direction. That's good thing right??

I am one of those that has to (let's say a friends home) go about 7 times before it's imprinted in my brain. :D

Because I do get turned around so easily, it was nice to just glance @ the carpet when I got out of the elevator to know which side I needed. I have and probably will do lots of extra walking just get my self in the right direction. That's good thing right??

 

I am one of those that has to (let's say a friends home) go about 7 times before it's imprinted in my brain. :D

Greenie...ever been on Oasis....? get lost?

My wife looks for a picture or something on the wall at the door she needs....one day and she has it...I guess I'm lucks, I just "know" which way to go.

About finding your way around visiting....I had a friend who could never figure out how to get from one place to another, she had to go "home" first then she knew how to go !!!

About finding your way around visiting....I had a friend who could never figure out how to get from one place to another, she had to go "home" first then she knew how to go !!!

My daughter does that, too. One day she walked 30 minutes home and then 30 minutes to her second destination when the two were only 10 minutes apart! I thought she was being weird.

Now she just uses the Maps on her phone to get places.

If the carpet is such a problem, that they can't have the two colours, why can't they paint the hand rails Or even just a strip at floor level. Really doesn't seem a lot to ask.

Perhaps a 'compass' outside each elevator - indicating forward- aft- portside - starboard

Then the carpet colour wouldn't matter.

It's not rocket science. Maybe just a sign as you come out of the lifts showing which side is port and starboard? You then get a 50/50 shot at forward and aft [emoji6]

It's a pain having to walk over into the corridor to read the cabin numbers (for newcomers it's odd one side even the other)

How do you gain access to the spa showers? Is there a pass to purchase?

No pass needed, but keep it a secret ;). The showers are for the gym/sauna users, though I rarely see anyone using them.

I am interested in purchasing the soda package. I understand that it doesn't include canned soda only soda from the fountain. However i have never seen Coke Zero as a fountain soda. Is that true on the Regal Princess or any Princess ship? On RCCLS the only canned soda they provided with their soda package was Coke Zero.

Thank you,

Viviane

I thought everyone knew. Those that don't. Each deck sign shows which way the bow of the ship is. Simply go the direction seen on the sign. These signs are posted at each elevator and show the way forward or aft.

I don't remember seeing this near the elevators, though there is one on the back of your cabin door. Thanks for the heads up :)

In the USA thongs mean a kind of underwear with no coverage on the butt cheeks, that's why people were confused why you would have them on in the shower.

I live in the US and thongs were flip flops when I was a kid. It's only been more recently that that term came to mean a type of underwear. Some people still use the term "thongs" to mean flip flops (my mom for one). So, if you were to run into us onboard and hear her say, "I wish I'd worn my thongs for this," no need to be alarmed.;)

I don't remember seeing this near the elevators, though there is one on the back of your cabin door. Thanks for the heads up :)

Thanks for posting that picture! Yep, that's the "ship" that I mentioned in my message a few messages back, just didn't have a photo of it to post! I just don't understand why so many are wanting different colored carpets, stripes, waves, etc. on the floor when these signs are, at least to the best of my recollection, on the walls on both halls on every deck right where you get off the elevators/stairs and clearly point out forward and aft.

Thanks again for the photo!

Tom

Good idea! This isn't a good secret, but something I wasn't aware of. We had booked a short 4 day out of LA for Sept of 2015 back in April May time frame. Used our FCC for that. Then in July the Sip and Sail promo came along and we booked a cruise for Oct 2016. Deposit was only $100 under sip and sail so no problem.

 

I bought 2 new FCC for DH and I on our Sept 2015 cruise. Got home and called Princess to have the 2 FCC applied toward our Oct 2016 cruise, and they wouldn't let me use it. (Not only that, but somehow the agent got confused and put in for a refund! Imagine my shock when I got my Credit Card Statement and there is a $200 credit from Princess. I called and tried to have it put back as FCC and the agent said there is no way to fix it. You only have X days after sailing to purchase FCC!). Lesson learned. Keep extra FCC on hand!

 

 

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Sounds like you need a more competent TA... I wouldn't stick with someone who made a "mistake" of that nature.

We foolishly found ourselves without any FCC one time but were fortunate to find there was a BVE scheduled in SF (about a 3.5 hour drive) so we booked that. We had a nice time on the ship, a nice lunch with wine, and were able to purchase more FCC. We have never been without multiple FCC on hand since. We have our cruise next October booked using FCC and each have two more on hand. (I really need to convince my wife we need a January or February cruise - I don't want to wait until next October!)

This thread is no longer a useful 'secrets' list It has degenerated to chat list I will go back to the 2015 one with interesting information

I am interested in purchasing the soda package. I understand that it doesn't include canned soda only soda from the fountain. However i have never seen Coke Zero as a fountain soda. Is that true on the Regal Princess or any Princess ship? On RCCLS the only canned soda they provided with their soda package was Coke Zero.

 

Thank you,

Viviane

Not on the Caribbean Princess. The only cans that are part of the package are root beer. No Coke Zero in the gun system.

Royal Caribbean and Princess are different companies with no relationship to each other. What one does has nothing to do with policies on the other.

In the USA thongs mean a kind of underwear with no coverage on the butt cheeks, that's why people were confused why you would have them on in the shower.

Do you mean like these?:rolleyes:

Sounds like you need a more competent TA... I wouldn't stick with someone who made a "mistake" of that nature.

 

We foolishly found ourselves without any FCC one time but were fortunate to find there was a BVE scheduled in SF (about a 3.5 hour drive) so we booked that. We had a nice time on the ship, a nice lunch with wine, and were able to purchase more FCC. We have never been without multiple FCC on hand since. We have our cruise next October booked using FCC and each have two more on hand. (I really need to convince my wife we need a January or February cruise - I don't want to wait until next October!)

What's a BVE?

What's a BVE?

Bon Voyage Experience.

What's a BVE?

BVE=Bon Voyage Experience

Basically it's where up to 50 guests will spend up to four hours onboard before the ship sets sail. They have a 4-course dining room lunch (including wine), a guided ship tour, and a souvenir photo! Also, the $39 per person cost of the program can be applied toward a future cruise with Princess. Note the limit to 50 people per embarkation day.

Tom

BVE=Bon Voyage Experience

 

Basically it's where up to 50 guests will spend up to four hours onboard before the ship sets sail. They have a 4-course dining room lunch (including wine), a guided ship tour, and a souvenir photo! Also, the $39 per person cost of the program can be applied toward a future cruise with Princess. Note the limit to 50 people per embarkation day.

 

Tom

The BVE is only held in certain ports and for certain sailings. I had a bookmark for a listing but it has expired. I would assume TAs would have access to the listing. Please note that I booked one once even though the "official" list said they had all been finished. I contacted Princess and found that more had been scheduled so it doesn't hurt to call and ask even if your TA says there aren't any available.

What's a BVE?

The new lycra/cotton/nylon BVD's.

Here is a cruise critic secret that will make reading these forums, and Princess posts, more enjoyable.

You can control how many posts you see per page. I only get a 2nd page when a topic reaches 200 replies. It takes 400+ post to start a 3rd page. This saves time, especially in super long topics, by not having to flip through pages every 20th post.

1) Go to your User CP (user control panel) located at the upper left of this screen. Next, click on Edit Options. Scroll down to find the section where you can increase the posts shown per page. You can choose from 10 to 200.

2) You can turn off seeing everyone's custom signature below each post as well. Just unclick the box that says 'show signatures'. Same directions as above.

Adjusting these two features make for a much more efficient browsing experience on the Cruise Critic forums.

Work smarter, not harder:D

Do you mean like these?:rolleyes:

 

:eek::D

GOOD ONE!!!!!

Ok - this is not actually a "secret", but I just found about about the Refer-a-Friend program through Princess (why my travel agent didn't tell me about it is just one of many reasons that I'll never use her again). Any person who has cruised Princess before can refer a person who is a first-time cruiser and then they each get $25 on-board credit which can be used in the following 24 months. This is per person (not per cabin). And, yes, you can do this even if the newbie has already booked their cruise. I was referred by a friend and just got them $50 OBC (for me and my husband) and us $50 OBC. It's easy and fun to get freebies!

Personally, I don't see why any first-time cruiser should cruise Princess without taking advantage of this. Just a thought: if you weren't referred by anyone and don't know of any Princess cruisers you want to give the OBC to, why not consider asking someone who has been helpful to you here on Cruise Critic to refer you? Some people put a great deal of time and energy helping others, posting great reviews, etc. - why not give them some goodies?!

Just my 2 cents . . .

Ok - this is not actually a "secret", but I just found about about the Refer-a-Friend program through Princess (why my travel agent didn't tell me about it is just one of many reasons that I'll never use her again). Any person who has cruised Princess before can refer a person who is a first-time cruiser and then they each get $25 on-board credit which can be used in the following 24 months. This is per person (not per cabin). And, yes, you can do this even if the newbie has already booked their cruise. I was referred by a friend and just got them $50 OBC (for me and my husband) and us $50 OBC. It's easy and fun to get freebies!

Personally, I don't see why any first-time cruiser should cruise Princess without taking advantage of this. Just a thought: if you weren't referred by anyone and don't know of any Princess cruisers you want to give the OBC to, why not consider asking someone who has been helpful to you here on Cruise Critic to refer you? Some people put a great deal of time and energy helping others, posting great reviews, etc. - why not give them some goodies?!

Just my 2 cents . . .

So just some clarifications to the post. The referral credit is $25 per person or if two people in the cabin that have not sailed princess then it would be $50 per cabin. Also please note princess policy states that the booking of your friends cannot be made before you have entered the referral information into your princess website. I'm not doubting you didn't receive it and you called afterwards, but that's not princess policy. Princess policy is the referral must be made before the booking. I just called Princess and confirmed this because we have a family vacation wheremy sister-in-law jumped the gun and made the booking before I could get in the referral.Princess is denying me the referral credit.

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