ceilidh1

Yes - I'm a TA and am currently dealing with this exact issue for a client that has "side-to-side" bookings. The app has lumped them together as one long booking on the same ship (which is incorrect). I have spoken to Princess folks, too, with no resolution. I supposedly have a ticket in - I will keep you posted. It's the most frustrating app ever!

Oh the irony…just got an email encouraging me to make my dining selections 🤣🤣🤣

I'm hoping that something will miraculously take place to allow me to book Churascarria on Sapphire. No issues with any other specialty dining except this one...

It does...and I've never had a an issue previously with the app recognizing that. Once I logged out and back in it went back to saying nothing available...

I've been checking on dining reservations on and off for a week or so (just in case they pop up before the 17th). Each time the app has just shown no availability. Last night I went in and got a new message "You cannot reserve dining at this time. Either you are not Platinum/Elite or your cruise is not paid in full). Hmmm...I'm elite AND my cruise is paid in full). I did the old "log out/log in" trick and it went back to showing no availability. It will be interesting to see the roll out tomorrow...

You only get the "extra" if the agency have taken out group holds on that sailing. I would say that 90% of sailings do have a group hold since the agency is so big (the group rate is sometimes much less, sometimes much more - you don't need to book at the group rate to receive the extra OBC). If you are on a sailing that does not have the group hold, there would be no additional OBC .

Sorry for the confusion - 3rd and 4th get $20 per person total (not per day). I have had so many numbers floating around my head the past three days that it's tough to keep track. I've gone back to check on all the bookings I made (a few with 3rd/4th) and the credit has all applied correctly. I cancelled and rebooked 6 sailings as the pricing was exactly the same but they were able to get the OBC in addition. None were tied to their original rooms (though I was able to get the same room back after I cancelled) and only one had other components booked (EZ Air and specialty dining) but as soon as I rebooked they were able to go back and redo both. The rest of my bookings were either higher priced or the client wasn't interested in messing with the original.

What is the length of your cruise? In an oceanview you would get $20 pp per day. So for 7 days it would be $140 per person for a total of $560. In addition, the agency often has a small obc for their bookings that would be on top of that.

The 3rd and 4th free would apply if your sailing was eligible. I booked several with free 3rd and 4th and got the OBC. As others have posted the OBC depends on type of room and length of cruise. 3rd and 4th get $20 per person per day regardless of room type/length. An oceanview would get $20 per person, per day for 1st and 2nd. If the sailing came with any additional OBC that would be added on afterwards.

They are only on grand class ships in the Princess fleet.

The flyer I have says June 30th...🤣 Flyer.pdf

There is nothing to say that you can't (but it's Princess, so who knows). One of the agents asked (in the live presentation) about pre-booking specialty dining and using the credit. The answer was that YES it would be available to use for pre-booking (this is not usually the case as you normally have to wait until on the ship to access the "free" OBC). We will have to see how it all actually plays out! I have a couple of clients who will cancel and rebook if their price doesn't increase (they aren't tied to their cabins) but I also have some that have EZ air attached at good pricing so they have no interest in cancelling and losing that air price!

The fine print says the OBC is combinable with the standard fare so, if it's worthwhile amount/price, you could book standard and use the OBC to get plus onboard?

Just bear in mind that this is not a refare - it's a cancel and rebook. If you are tied to your room, or if you have airfare attached, you won't be able to guarantee any of that on the rebook. Additionally, you would need to put down another, (non refundable), deposit on the rebook. Your original deposit (assuming it was refundable) would be refunded back to your original form of payment...

You nailed this! Last cruise I was solo and was sat with a Korean family of 5 - they were pleasant enough, but spent most of the dinner talking to one another in Korean and didn't actually order any of the regular grill items as they customized everything (obviously knew what they were doing) so it was an "odd" experience. The first time was better/more fun as we were sat with other pairs, but even then there were two that just didn't want anything to do with the "game" and that made things a little awkward...On a short cruise, this is the restaurant I would skip!

Has anyone been successful in reservin the new Churasscaria on Sapphire? I was able to book (with Premiere) for Sabatinis without issue, but not one single time slot available for the other specialty dining on this ship...

I believe it’s meant to reflect whatever the Princess exchange rate was when you booked. So if you booked when it was 1.30 but then it changes to 1.35, the rate for the package should still convert as 1.30. At least that’s how it’s supposed to work!

I would say it's very likely! Their current "sale" ends this Friday, so I'm expecting some sort of increase...

Looking more closely, it would appear that you CAN get the credit if booking standard fare. The marketing spin makes it appear as though that is not the case, but the small print implies it is! I guess we will find out June 6th!

Onboard Spending Money is awarded as an onboard credit. Offer is applicable to guests 1 and 2 in a stateroom. Guests 3 and 4 receive a total of $20 onboard spending money regardless of duration. Guests with single occupancy will receive the same per guest credit amount. Onboard spending money must be used on the single voyage that it was awarded in connection with, is not redeemable for cash, cannot be used in the casino, is not applicable during the land portion of cruisetours, and expires at the end of that voyage.

I believe this is the first time it’s been a non-refundable deposit (at least as far as I can remember) and maybe they will rethink it. I won’t book non-refundable, even if it’s “only” $100 per person. Too much uncertainty in life for that…

You are correct! It is now a non- refundable deposit. This puts it in the “no thanks” camp for me…

Deposit - yes OBC - no

Yup! I agree 100%.... If I have Plus, what do I have to spend that credit on? Maybe an excursion but I'm betting you won't get that credit until you are on the ship...by which time most of the excursions would be full! It's a good buy if you were already getting Plus but not so great if you weren't! On another note, I'm "jumping ship" again in August as my teens want to try one of the "Mammoth of the Seas" ships. I haven't been silent about my disenchantment with Princess recently, and my dislike of the packages forcing you to pay for what was otherwise included, BUT now that I'm on this other line (with all the extras as truly extra rather than bundled) I'm starting to change my mind! When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong...

I'm not sure you would get $1200 on a 10 day! OBC (guest 1 & 2): $20 OBC per person, per day for interior & oceanview, $30 OBC per person, per day for balcony staterooms & above. Max $400 per guest for interior and oceanview staterooms, max $600 per guest for balcony and above staterooms.