paul32

For three days I have been trying to get an answer from Barclays as to why the only transactions listed for redeeming points for credit card statement credit are for two air travel transactions and nothing else. One of those is from 130 days ago. In the last 180 days I have made over a dozen purchase from Princess varying from $200 to nearly $11,000.

The response I got to my initial question was to list those Princess purchases. I did that even though I would think they could look them up themselves.

The response I then got was some semi-illiterate crap about redeeming miles that had no relation to redeeming points or why my Princess purchases were not listed. I then responded explaining that they had not answered my original question but instead gave me some bull about redeeming miles. They responded that they were sorry I had not had a satisfactory experience and went on to explain how to redeem points for statement credit. They still did not say why my Princess purchases did not appear. I responded and again listed the transaction that should be available for redeeming points on.

Tomorrow I will see if they will give me more run-around or answer the damn question. I swear that it seems I am talking to a politician.

I had a similar experience, whereby Barclays was telling me my recent Princess purchases were not eligible for the new enhanced rewards statement credits. The reasoning they gave me was that the Princess purchases were not coded correctly and that "Barclaycard is not responsible for incorrect merchant codes". Finally I was able to get through to someone by explaining that my Princess purchases resulted in double rewards points when they posted to my account so Barclaycard needs to check/review my transactions again.

It was at this point I was told that my issue was being forwarded to the appropriate department for investigation. I was assigned a case number and told to expect 7-10 days for completion. Surely by now they know there is a problem with the new rewards system and hopefully it gets fixed soon.

Does anyone know if the enhanced rewards have gone live yet?

Can't you just load a casino slot machine(s) and then without even playing transfer it your casino player bank and withdraw the cash from the cashier cage?

I question the "far better" claim; for some investors, dividend yield and lower volatility than the market are actually important investment considerations. CCL has a beta of .86, meaning it swings about 14% less than the S&P 500 index. The 3% dividend yield currently isn't unattractive either. CCL ain't gonna make you rich unless your last name is Arison, but it's not a dog.

 

I'm very pleased with my annualized returns from my holdings, and think that $2700 worth of stock that has spun out more than its purchase price in OBC, plus paid a dividend yield, and increased in value every year is actually a good fit in my portfolio.

Agree! We've recouped our capital outlay in OBC alone, not to mention price appreciation as well as dividends.

Today's news for those that haven't seen:

Carnival Corp. nearly triples 2Q profit to $605 million, while revenues rise (Link to article: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-carnival-corp-2q16-earnings-20160628-story.html)

p.s. I'm also going to be on the Ruby later this summer and despite spending too much time on CC, have yet to figure out what or where the "Evening Bistro" is. Welcome any clarification . . .

I assume this may be how Princess brands its dining-room-esque setup in the evenings inside of the Horizon Court buffet. We saw no specialty or stand alone venue on the Ruby named "Evening Bistro" on our Alaska cruise last week.

Some good info already posted above. Having just gotten off of the Ruby, I will add we enjoyed Cafe Caribe more than I thought we would.

Also, Princess booked the Crab Shack for us (complimentary specialty dining promo when booking), but we promptly switched our free reservation over to the Crown Grill. So in addition to the Crown Grill, Salty Dog, and Share -- there is a 4th specialty dining option on the Ruby.

edit to add: Crab Shack was only open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday

If you want to take a look at some pictures of the menu, food, (and chairs) I have a review under my signature.

Great review. Thank you so much for that and for the nice visuals of the menu and items you ordered.

It really looks like something we must try on our next cruise (a week from now). Cheers!!!!

I think it is the Players club ??

Yes, the website is www.oceanplayersclub.com but I think they rebranded the name to "Global Casino Services"

someone please correct me if this is not accurate

Yes! Please start one!

It was already started back on February 17th here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2169088

You are correct, don't over analyze. :eek::)

 

Some of these things I would have never known about if had not read it here on CC. 1 thing comes to mind!! Missing staircases!! Never realized it and still don't care and have sailed them all. Does not matter. :o To each his own. Take the comments with a grain of salt like a bad review. ;)

Agree 100%! Although having experienced first hand what can happen on the Grand I do understand why the staircase issue is a big deal to many.

When we sailed on the Grand over Christmas 2014, there were serious elevator problems. One of the elevators midship simply was out of order for most of the cruise. And another elevator was not opening in the right position (the car was 3 feet higher than the platform level). For the 15 day cruise, it was just something to navigate around. We would choose to take the forward and aft elevators or staircases and not even bother trying to ride the midship elevators.

However, disembarkation was another story. Those carrying suitcases out of their cabins were waiting for hours for a midship elevator. Passengers on the lower decks were taking the elevators up because it was the only way they could find an open car. Passengers on the upper decks would stop every car both up & down only to find out they were filled. All working cars were stopping on every floor, sometimes multiple times because people kept pushing the buttons too soon, and you can imagine what a fiasco it was. The elderly, disabled, and those with mobility devices were really at a disadvantage as the lobby areas outside the elevators on each midship deck were crammed with impatient passengers. It wasn't pretty.

So for many, the issues with the Grand and the midship elevators and lack of stairs are something to consider before choosing a ship.

For my money, I will be happy to book again on the Grand anytime. Despite it's flaws, I love the ship.

I'll be the second fan, its a much more engaging venue. I wouldn't call it a nightclub per-se, but its a great place to hang out with a drink later at night. The outside seating is good anytime of the night or day!

 

I would say on this itinerary, with a few days of questionable weather, go with the grand, fewer passengers and a covered pool help take the buffet overloads.

Technically, you'll be the fourth. At least in this thread. :D

Definitely agree with your comments.

I'm possibly the only fan of One5. I think the layout is superior, there's more room, it doesn't shake constantly, bar service is vastly faster, the access to the outside is better and the seating areas immediately aft are some of my favorite places on any Princess ship. You do lose the daytime views but I tend to prefer to be outside during the day.

You're not alone. We love Skywalkers in the daytime, but in the evenings and late night we definitely prefer the One5. The layout of Skywalkers is terrible for a dance/festive atmosphere with everyone separated by the design of the seating and the proximity to the dance floor.

The One5 is fantastic for dancing and meeting up for a late night club-like party. Not everyone's cup of tea, I do understand that. There are benefits to both for sure. But we do love the One5. :)

O'Donnell's isn't bad ... it's just not quite the same as Bailey's. But put it in coffee ... add some whipped cream ... yummmmmmmy!

Agreed. Being served Coffee + O'Donnell's (instead of Baileys) didn't really matter to us. :D

Does the IC do the coffee drinks with the alcohol/whipped cream? Ex - Kahlua, Bailey's, etc.???

We recently were on the Star for Christmas and would get our coffee and Bailey's to go from the IC all the time (we had the all-inclusive beverage package).

The only note is that there was no Baileys. I don't know if this was specific to the Star or this cruise, but the only Irish cream they had at any of the bars and the IC was O'Donnell's Irish Cream. We would always ask for Baileys, and would always receive our drinks without any warning they were substituting the Baileys with something else (O'Donnell's). In the MDR, they were upselling commemorative box sets of O'Donnell's with glasses. So it sort of makes sense.

We just found it odd that no server or bartender ever mentioned that we were not receiving Baileys even though we asked for it by name. If one ever asks speficially for a Bacardi and Coke, or a Jack Daniels on the rocks, one would always be told if the requested brand name spirit was not in stock or that a substitute was being served. Could it be that Baileys has become a generic term for Irish whiskey/cream liqueur ? ;)

When ordering sandwiches, I always ask them to grill them twice (as in twice as long as they normally do). For the chicken sandwich it really melts the cheese yet still keeps the tomato and mayo fresh. And it's really good to double grill the Cubana sandwich, another personal favorite!

I remember when the Horizon Court was 24hrs on the Princess cruises we took. But the last few years the buffet has been closed with the Int'l Cafe bring the 24hr food stop. I'm glad they made the change because I consider the Int'l Cafe to be among the best "non specialty" food on Princess.

There has been lots of discussion about Share Holder Benefits. I have used them in the past and think they are a great investment. However, has anyone see a shareholder benefit form which is up to date? The last one I could find was for cruises booked by the end of Feb 2014. I have not seen the new form as of yet and have booked a cruise this March. Not sure if we will receive the benefit or not.

Thanks

From my experience, Princess honors the Shareholder Benefits Form even though they are perpetually out of date.

Our last cruise was the Dec 2013 sailing out of San Fran. The most recent form last year was the one with the 2012 copyright and the language that said "This benefit is applicable on sailings through July 31, 2013."

I usually come back heavier.... Except in the wallet.:eek::D:D

LOL ! Funny because it's true... at least for me. Hehehehe

paul32:How were the sea days to and from Hawaii on your cruise? Thank you for your response. It was very helpful.

We were fortunate in that the weather was nothing out of the ordinary. The ship was able to make all four Hawaiian ports, even Maui. We were concerned that the weather was going to be too rough for the Tenders at the Lahaina harbor, but it turned out to be just fine. Yes it rained in Hilo (doesn't it always? ;) ) but Honolulu was in the mid 80s and both Maui and Kauai (Nawiliwili) had sunshine and good weather as well.

At sea, the mornings were cool but the days were clear skies (some clouds) and decent. It did get a little rough at times, but mainly at night. We could feel it on the both ends of the ship, not so much in the middle. Nobody in our group gets seasick so for the most part and we were partying a lot so it was a total non-issue. I suppose for others it could have been unpleasant.

I am thinking about going on the Star Princess 11 day Hawaiian Round Trip Cruise leaving out of San Francisco or on the Grand leaving out of Los Angeles on December 19th, 2014. It would be me and my two kids, ages 13 and 17.

 

How many teens are actually on this cruise? Is there enough activities for teens to do on sea days? I heard this cruise is usually a much older crowd, but will it be during the holidays when school is out and the kids have winter break? Is there a way that I can find out the statistics of past cruises of how many teens were on the ship? Will Princess tell me how many teens are booked or will they just make up something?

I believe these are actually 15 day cruises (not 11). We are signed up for the Star on 12/19 as a repeat trip of the one we just took this past December (Grand: Dec 20 - Jan 4, 2014). I just posted the following in another thread and thought it might help you:

We took our first Christmas Cruise this past December (Dec 20, 2013 - Jan 4, 2014 on the Grand Princess - Round Trip: San Fran to Hawaii).

In addition to the above, there were several groups of kids on board that met up and became friends. Some of the 15-18 year olds would hang out all night near the Int'l Cafe and drink coffee until 6 AM. There were plenty of activities for all ages, including the Pop Princess Idol singing contest and the choir, LBGT get togethers, dances, and so on and so forth.

Hope this helps.

One CASE of wine for a 7 day cruise?????? Seriously????????

 

That's what I was thinking! Wow! :eek:

I was thinking that, too.

Just one case? WOW. You are going to have to ration that case carefully. Between all the meals and relaxation opportunities by yourselves, and the possibility that you are are traveling with friends or a group (or meet new friends) and share your wine with them... I just can't see how you will have enough. ;)

Any purchase of any stock should only be done if you believe it will be a good investment without consideration of any extra benefits.

 

If the stock is selling at $40 (and you feel it is a good long term investment), it would cost about $4010 for 100 shares. Put that in an insured savings CD and the best you can do right now is 3% interest or $120.30/year. For most middle income families, this will be taxed at a Federal rate of 25%, netting $90.23 a yaer.

 

Put it into Princess stock and take just a single 7 day cruise a year and you will get $100 OBC and $100 stock dividend for a total of $200, a return of 4.99%. Take two 7 day cruises a year and that means $300, a return of 7.48%.

If you know of a better almost guaranteed return on investment available elsewhere, please share it with us.

 

And the OBC is not-taxed and for most people the dividend will be taxed at a Federal tax rate of 15%. For one cruise a year there would be a net of $185. For two cruises a year, a net of $285.

 

So which would you prefer, a CD netting $90.23 or CCL stock netting $185/$285?

We own CCL in an IRA and in addition to not paying any taxes on the dividends, we don't pay taxes on the income from writing covered calls. Not only does selling covered calls protect our investment, it adds mightily to the overall return.

We have not been assigned once due to picking decent strike prices vis a vis expiration dates, but it's not a big deal if we ever are assigned since we can just buy the shares right back.

yes, investments are a risk -- but risks can be mitigated -- and for the price of $4k one can earn a tidy income stream from Princess and that yield increases with each and every cruise one takes

As always, different strokes for different folks

Can we order these packages online/via email/on the phone before the cruise... or do we have to wait until boarding?

I know our information shows there are 3 formal nights on our upcoming cruise to Hawaii on the Grand. Can anyone who has done that cruise recently tell me what nights those are. I do know they may change -- just curious what they've been on other cruises of the same itinerary.

We did the Dec 20th - Jan 4th 15-day Hawaii round trip from San Fran. Here was our itinerary:

Fri 12/20/13 Depart San Francisco, California 4:00pm Dress: Smart Casual

Sat 12/21/13 At Sea Dress: Smart Casual

Sun 12/22/13 Ensenada, Mexico (Arrive 7:00am - Depart 2:00pm) Dress: Formal

Mon 12/23/13 At Sea Dress: Smart Casual

Tue 12/24/13 At Sea Dress: Holiday Casual

Wed 12/25/13 At Sea Dress: Formal

Thu 12/26/13 At Sea Dress: Smart Casual

Fri 12/27/13 Hilo, Hawaii (Arrive 7:00am - Depart 5:00pm) Dress: Smart Casual

Sat 12/28/13 Honolulu, Hawaii (Arrive 7:00am - Depart 11:00pm) Dress: Smart Casual

Sun 12/29/13 Kauai/nawiliwili, Hawaii (Arrive 8:00am - Depart 5:00pm) Dress: Smart Casual

Mon 12/30/13 Maui/lahaina, Hawaii (Arrive 7:00am - Depart 6:00pm) Dress: Smart Casual

Tue 12/31/13 At Sea Dress: Formal

Wed 01/01/14 At Sea Dress: Holiday Casual

Thu 01/02/14 At Sea Dress: Smart Casual

Fri 01/03/14 At Sea Dress: Smart Casual

Sat 01/04/14 Arrive San Francisco, California 7:00am

Yes there is a way. You either tell them or have your TA tell them to mark your reservation "No Upgrade"

 

As we only sail in aft suites we do this all the time so as not to get upgraded to a higher level of suite but on the side of the ship. TA called me today to say that a suite had opened up on a deck we prefer more than where we were. As it too was on the aft we jumped on it but Princess would not have moved me without my consent.

 

Is the system perfect, no. Some on here have been moved when their reservation was supposedly marked no upgrade.

Thank you, Gunner! I will phone them today to mark my upcoming reservation as No Upgrade.

Is there a mechanism to ensure one will not get upgraded (i.e, downgraded) to a different stateroom?

TIA