hightownCO

I have one of these booked for October - Hawaii on Grand Princess. Excited to experience it. Am a little leary of the motion being so high up as I've read going out of and into San Francisco can be a bit rough, but I take meclizine when I cruise anyway. Wouldn't have chosen this expensive of an OV but had an offer for free OV through the casino so, of course, picked the highest category!

I posted this in the gulf coast departures forum as well but no response there.

Am doing my first back to back next month out of New Orleans on the Dream soon. I know Fulton is cheaper but if I do park at Erato, right at the port, do I tell the attendant two weeks when I pay? How do they differentiate between one week parkers and two weekers there in the garage? Do they give you something to put on your dash?

Am doing my first back to back next month out of New Orleans on the Dream soon. I know Fulton is cheaper but if I do park at Erato, right at the port, do I tell the attendant two weeks? How do they differentiate between one week parkers and two weekers? Do they give you something to put on your dash?

Thanks!

SailorJack, I love your reviews! I'll always remember the one with 'more sunken metal since WWII'.

Keep on sailing!

I just booked Dream yesterday too, 8/14 sailing, with a Balcony Guaranty. Haven't done this before with Carnival but it saved about $250 - $300. There aren't any deck 6 balconies showing available and what is left, I'd be ok with any. Actually I liked deck 6 for being so close to the fun stuff on deck 5. Am 40 days till sailing. Will be anxious to see where they put me. Only deck 9 balconies show available. Everything else is an upgrade - aft extended, spa, premium. Maybe I'll get lucky and get the elusive upgrade. But really, anything will be fine with me.

Just once. One bug. A water bug or palmetto. In my daughter's blueberry muffin. Told a white suited officer in the buffet. Never heard a word from anyone onboard. She never had a princess muffin again.

I've heard that the Cherry On Top sells carnival gift cards. If you're going to cruise again can buy a gift card and use it to book your next cruise or apply to you account on your next cruise.

Welcome to cruise critic.

I didn't know Princess was doing this but have seen Carnival doing it for years, although theirs is for $100,000. Looks like Princess casinos are modeling after Carnival.

I've seen people on Carnival sell these frequently and although the casino says there's a value of $500, they actually sell for about $50. But being this is new for Princess maybe it will be worth more. People often sell them on EBay or on Face B00k. You can search there for: Princess Cruises - Passenger Forum

I'd also suggest going to the roll call for that cruise here on Cruise Critic. They will already be on the cruise and if they buy your voucher, they will have to rebook under that offer. Go here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2239787

Good luck

Yes... for the 10 day cruises I checked on the cost to upgrade from inside to:

 

Oceanview, $200 per person.. (I'm now kicking myself for not thinking to ask if I went by myself if it meant I wouldn't be double charged...she worded it $200 per person)

 

Balcony, $400 per person (in one case it was $430 per person..this was a ship that only had balconies)

 

The cost to add a 3rd/4th person was $599 for inside or $849 ocean view/balcony on one of the cruises. I didn't ask about this option on every cruise.

 

I didn't check any shorter cruises..or ask about mini-suites. Also, availability for balconies was limited...she mentioned obstructed views.. since I was really just trying to get some basic starting info and still haven't picked a cruise I didn't didn't deep into categories, etc. I did ask if it's common for casino guests to be upgraded (because I read that in this thread) and she said no that doesn't happen very often.

 

I am very new to the elite thing on cruising... I'm a pro at United Airlines upgrades and their elite program but no idea how it works on a cruise line. Loyalty programs are hobbies to me and now I am hooked and like to learn.. I did some reading on this board....

 

I'll be sailing Vancouver to Seattle in a couple weeks just for fun on a 1 day repositioning cruise on the Ruby, and then again later in May on the Crown.. I couldn't believe how cheap they were and it's so easy to get to Vancouver on Amtrak. Big advantage living in Seattle for those...

 

And I'm soon going to receive on-board dividends from the Carnival shares that I added to my IRA portfolio after taking the investment advice on this board! :D

Thanks for the info. That's pretty comparable to Carnival's upgrade prices. For a 7 day, the upcharge is usually 100pp for OV and 250 - 270 for Balcony. Also, I travel solo lately and the charge is double for me. Still an OV for $200 can't be beat. I love having a balcony but don't want to go that high on a comp'd cruise.

I've used my shareholder credit once (only purchased recently). This was on Carnival and you have to point out that it's not comp'd as you are paying for the upgrade. Otherwise, your shareholder's credit won't be applied to a free cruise.

Enjoy your cruising!

Thanks! I called today and sadly the answer was no about changing to any other region or choosing a cruise longer than what's on my offer. I had made a few alternate selections to check availability on 10 day cruises in Sept/Oct..and all of them had inside cabin space.

 

Maybe I am wrong, but after talking to the person at the casino booking desk I got the distinct feeling they are only empowered to assist you with exactly what the your casino host has given you...they are not casino hosts themselves. So, if you want/need to make those kinds of requests you'd need to have access to a host who can consider your request.

 

The pricing for cabin upgrades, extra people..they were all in the computer and varied by cruise. And the costs did not at all mirror the actual price differential I saw online for what was for sale to the public on those cruises...in fact it was quite a bit more expensive per person to upgrade...at least on the cruises I asked about. Granted these are several months out.

 

I haven't booked anything yet..still have deciding to do. One good feature I learned.. she said if I book any cruise before my cutoff reservation date..I can change it to a different cruise or cancel for no cost as long as I do so 30 days prior to the sailing I've booked. That actually can buy you time.

Could you share what the cost of the upgrade was? As noted before I'm used to Carnival's offers like this but not Princess. On Carnival, upgrade from free inside to Balcony is usually 250 - 260 per person on a 7 or 8 night cruise. Upgrade to OV usually 100. But you can choose the highest balcony category in that group.

I've cruised once princess solo and several times on carnival. While I love cruising with family and friends cruising solo is a special treat. It's all about me! Also I love the alone time when I feel like it. I never get to be alone in everyday life.

When are you thinking of going? I'm on the 10/29 sailing?

8,000 points in Princess ship casino, for future free (2) Inside cruise.

Only thing, its only for a month to book, then must sail before times up,

approx 8 months.

This is a much smaller window to book & sail, than the casino offers

I get from NCL.

Thanks for the info! My next cruise with Princess is a VIP Casino cruise and cabin (OV) was free. With so many sea days, I'll need to figure out some way of staying out of the casino but want to get whatever points they look for.

Carnival's 'bounce back' offers are also time limited. Have to book within 2 weeks and sail within 6 months. I've gotten those but have never been able to book one.

Thanks again for the info and good luck on your future cruises!

Unless the slot hand pay was $1200 or more ($1200 or more one on a single spin), there's no reporting and no W2G is given. You say 'small' hand pays. How much each and were they on slot wins?

I don't rack up a lot of points as I primarily play blackjack. If memory serves i generally have 1500 to 2000 points from video poker.

 

 

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Thanks muggo. I'm hoping that the OP will come back and share his points on the ship since he said it was the points that got the free cruise offer. Like I said, Carnival's minimum seems to be 5,000 points. Just curious if Princess is running the same program now.

To CalLuvsCrusingToo,

Can I ask how many points you had to get the free cruise offer? I have a Princess cruise booked for later this year but when I last cruised them, they didn't do this sort of thing.

I have been cruising Carnival with their free cruise offers and generally, if you get 5,000 points or more you'll probably get a 'bounce back' offer for a free interior on another cruise. You have only two weeks to book and the cruise has to be taken within 6 months. Depending on your points, may be only a 6 night with limited choices or if you have a lot of points, may be up to 15 night on almost any cruise.

With your post, looks like Princess is doing the same or similar program.

Thanks,

I've been on one Princess Casino VIP cruise several years ago. Going on another in October. These are invites sent with a list of specific cruises to choose from. Offer may include casino cash and/or discount on cabin or comp'd cabin.

You'll have a drinks-on-us card in your cabin on boarding which will give you free drinks while playing in the casino. There will be a cocktail party the first night shortly after sailaway, some gifts during the cruise, free slot tourney, maybe drawings in the casino.

I cruised Princess several times (am platinium) and then for the last several years have cruised Carnival. My next cruise is on Princess. Both lines have there + and -.

Things I'll miss on my Princess cruise that Carnival does better: Better cabin layout with sofa; A little larger bath/shower; Better free restaurant or food choices such as Cucina del Capitano, Burrito Bar (or Blue Iguana), Deli is better, Mongolian wok, Seaside BBQ (on Dream class), Red Frog; more comfortable theater seating (bench style with drink tables); Network TV (ABC, CBS, NBC); In cabin review of folio, menus, etc.

Things I like on Princess: Better and more pool choices on Grand Class ships with more adult only pools; Better movies on MUTS; Also like the way the MUTS movies are shown on different venues (like in cabin and in Vista or Wheelhouse); Better closet layout in cabin; on Grand Class wider balconies(although I can't afford a balcony anymore; Better service in the buffet with drink service, utensils on table; International café.

You'll have a great time.

We did a tour that included a lunch Bosphorus cruise in 2009. It also toured Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and went to part of the palace. One of the best tours ever and we loved the cruise. Food was very good. Don't know who the tour company was.

My then teen daughter and I did a Mediterranean cruise from 11/18 - 11/30 several years ago. She turned 16 on the cruise. There were only a handful of kids on board. I think there were only 3 or 4 teens including here. But she had fun during evenings between ports. There was a lot of attention from the teen counselors.

I'm sure even on a two week cruise in March there will be more teens than on our med cruise.

Usually even if there's a big group, they still end up in small groups or hit it off with one or two and pal around the whole time. So it really only takes one kid for her to have a great time if they hit it off.

Just be sure she goes to the first night welcome/hang out.

Plus Fat Jimmy's C-Side BBQ and Pizzeria del Capitano.

It's Cucina del Capitano. It's a pasta kitchen. Free at lunch. You order your own choice of pasta, sauce extras. No pizza. At night it's a per person charge of $15 and choice of courses.

Pizza Pirate is separate place.

I like it. Distinctive but classier than what I've seen on other lines. When you pass a ship at sea, there'll be no question whether it's a Princess ship or not. Now, if they'd only add the Love Boat horn to every Princess ship. Nothing more thrilling than hearing the Love Boat at sailaway.

Ditto!

No list that I've ever heard about or read about. It just part of the booking where you indicate if you'll take an upgrade or not. If you say yes, you're on the 'list'.

I've done Princess in late March and April. There will be plenty of kids-all ages. But likely not out of control. Plus princess has two truly adult pools. You'll have a great time.

Loving your tie in to Walking Dead!

Can't wait for more!

Congratulations! I have a premium OV on the Grand to Hawaii. You're living my dream. Figured they would usually only offer the OV Suites as upsells to other OVs. But alas they are all booked up on my sailing.

Have a great time!