NRWPA

I've done it a few times on Serenade, Adventure and Harmony in the past year. The food is very good. Depending on the chef, it's interesting when they explain exactly how they prepare each course. If you don't have the drink package, it's especially worth the price. A welcome drink, one glass of wine with each course (5 courses) and the finale, a salted caramel martini. YMMV but I've had full glasses of wine served. The one I saved the menu from served the following wines: Attems Pinot Grigio, Conundrum white blend, Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc, Rombauer Chardonnay and Beringer Knight Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Although I've gone 3 times so far and the menu (other than the wines) is exactly the same each time you may want to do it one and done. It's good to experience at least once imo

I called and told them I needed them to add the credit right away - I wanted to shop for beverage package, etc. I didn't use the credit until on board but that's really none of their business. I want to see the credit when I redeem it, not have to keep checking on it.

30 minutes ago, CaptainR said:

Daghis - Do recall the hours that the Coastal Kitchen is open in particular the hours for dinner? Thanks in advance.

 

CaptainR

It was 5:30 to 9 on Harmony a couple of weeks ago

5 hours ago, Daghis said:

I noticed a new offer appear, but I haven't received the card in the mail with the promotion. Looks like it's the January 28, 2024, on Harmony of the Seas.

 

yes, it's 7 night Harmony out of Galveston. Woodford Reserve - includes welcome party, private tasting dinner, exclusive mixology class (sorry, tried to attach original, but couldn't get it to work) Also says "several very special events throughout the sailing"

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Hmm... not sure the math on that one, but seems like $540 plus an odd amount for the insurance (not exactly 12%, presuming you have the Princess Premium and don't get the Platinum discount). 

 

Wonder what the deal is based on?

I am already booked for the cruise, a free cabin with some perks. I purchased insurance that is only $39 thru Princess. I am Elite so assumed I'm upgraded to the Platinum plan - no way to tell as it's only listed as "travel protection". I was pricing Princess Plus (not Premier) and the price comes up $609.

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

We might get a bit more insight if a CC Member reading this thread has a 10-night booking with Standard Fare and checks the cost of upgrading to Plus in the Personalizer.  Hopefully a different ship and voyage than the OP.  @Esjung1, do mind sharing your ship and departure date?  Perhaps a CC Member with a 7-nighter or 14-nighter at Standard Fare could also check and see what they would be charged if looking to upgrade.  I would expect any guest waiting until embarkation day will be charged $60/pp/day, less a flat $10 (Medallion shipping credit).

 

I'll be on a 10 day panama canal solo. Checked the price for one - $609 (I have insurance)

I don't know if you'll get the points and I've never done this with Royal, but I did do it with NCL and it all worked out. I just let the other person be a no-show. The other person's tax/port charges were refunded and none of the cruise fare was. The port agent asked where, when, if the other person would be on the cruise and I just said I didn't know (in this case, I really didn't know for sure). Maybe someone else with knowledge of Royal's policy can help more here.

On 7/25/2023 at 3:08 PM, NRWPA said:

This is good to hear. I booked a Come back and Sail cruise a few days ago. First the rep told me "No Panama Canal" so I read the offer to him. He then had me email a copy of the offer, which I did. Still my $600 free play did not show up. He "escalated" it...I received the offer in June and had until 7/24 to book it. The offer showed up on my Circle/Onboard Credit page so why they can't book it - who knows. I was told on the 24th it will be done in 10-14 days. I don't like that the book by date has expired and the free play still doesn't show but nothing more I can do but hope they fix it like they did with yours.

So, here I am sitting, still waiting to get my $600 free play added. Ridiculous to have to wait. Maybe I should have held back paying for the "free" cruise but that would only have screwed me out of the cruise altogether since I only had until 7/24 to book and pay. The offer was on my account back in June, I complied with all the rules - why can't they?

On 8/6/2023 at 11:58 AM, Vera/Lee said:

Our next cruise is on Adventure, so I'm sad to hear this:(  

I just got off Adventure July 8. I didn't play too much but 2nd to last day played about 30 minutes, won one hand pay and 3 majors on Lightning. It was very good for me. I actually just booked her today for 5/10 😉 

38 minutes ago, Crism said:

Icon cruises are on some of the certificates for August sailings.

Don't know if I'll get a cert but will be on Harmony in 2 weeks so I'll check it out

I was invited to Masters event but already had a cruise booked for those dates

I'm Masters and have not

On 7/15/2023 at 4:10 PM, Greyhound3 said:

UPDATE:

 

The offer (comped mini-suite, Princess Plus and $1500 free play) finally showed up in my listings on 7/10/23. However, when I tried to use it, it would not apply to any cruise. Apparently there was some "glitch" that wouldn't let the offer be used and it needed to be "further escalated", which the Navigator promised to do. To be honest, I wasn't holding my breath, but this time, the wheels turned swiftly.

 

On 7/12/23 I received a phone call from Ian, one of the Navigators in the Casino booking department, saying they had straightened out the issue and could book the cruise for me (with all the perks) immediately, which was done. VERY impressed and thankful for the excellent customer service shown by Princess casino booking staff for their resolution to the problem. 

 

 

This is good to hear. I booked a Come back and Sail cruise a few days ago. First the rep told me "No Panama Canal" so I read the offer to him. He then had me email a copy of the offer, which I did. Still my $600 free play did not show up. He "escalated" it...I received the offer in June and had until 7/24 to book it. The offer showed up on my Circle/Onboard Credit page so why they can't book it - who knows. I was told on the 24th it will be done in 10-14 days. I don't like that the book by date has expired and the free play still doesn't show but nothing more I can do but hope they fix it like they did with yours.

2 minutes ago, Lady Hudson said:

Thanks for the information.  My sister was trying for a solo on a cruise that was listed as available to her.  Who knows??  Things seem to be changing rapidly.  

Don't know...I just booked a free solo balcony yesterday

On 7/12/2023 at 9:16 PM, Lady Hudson said:

So — I am going on a 9 day cruise with my sister because — the casino folks would not allow my sister to book a solo balcony cabin.  So as a solo you are denied a balcony cabin even though you received an offer.  If my sister took an inside instead it would have been ok.  Strange.  

I doubt this is a Club Royale rule...I am booked solo for 16 free cruises right now - all in balcony or above. Possibly if she had chosen a different cruise, she would have been able to book the balcony solo. However, I was on the RC website a couple of months ago and tried to do a fake booking just to see which balcony cabins were available for an offer I had. When I listed one guest it said there were no balconies available. When I changed it to two guests a few cabins came up. I'm not sure if this is some RC internal policy or what it is. I think I ended up just booking a different cruise with Club Royale.

26 minutes ago, JGmf said:

 

 

Holy *&(@!! @NRWPA!!  That's, um, a lot of cruises!!! Do you keep track of them on a spreadsheet somewhere?

LOL! I DO keep a list including what each one cost - port charge/tax and for Princess, the deposit - and what I get - free play, OBC, etc. They're also in my calendar on my phone - ports and times. I often have to look at the phone in the morning to figure out where I am on any particular day. I know if I look up and see a fan, I'm home. I'm good through April next year 😉 

25 minutes ago, WeLuvVacation said:

Hi, I checked the WOTS deck plans and I do not see any area labeled "Mason Jar." Can someone tell me what deck it is on and the general location.

 

Thanks, Joe. 

Deck 15, starboard before Windjammer

13 hours ago, emmak8 said:

Usually the free room offer is for one cruise? Has anyone received multiple offers ? More than 3 free cruises of 20 days or less?

I currently have 5 comped cruises booked with Princess. Two 20 day, two 14 day and 1 10 day. Most of the offers I received were 20 days or less, some were fewer days. Most of them, I'm able to book up to 3 times (per offer). I haven't received an offer with Princess Plus included in a while. I usually book w/o Plus then call later and add it on. Regarding points, there is no rhyme or reason as far as what I get. I was on one cruise b2b in May and earned over 20k the first week, then settled down the second week and "only" got about 9k. My offer was ridiculously small for the number of points - balcony, no plus, $400 free play. I didn't book the offer.

I cruise Royal Caribbean a lot. Their casino rules for points needed for a free cruise are much clearer and actually posted at the host desk. I currently have 16 cruises booked with them. I was able to get to Diamond Plus with them within about a year (I travel solo). I will be Pinnacle (top ship status) later this year (btw, I have been Elite with Princess for several years). I had one Royal Caribbean cruise before the pandemic and now have 32 past cruises - I haven't paid for any of them other than what I spend gambling. Too bad Princess casino doesn't listen...

On 7/9/2023 at 3:11 PM, harbourxie said:

Yes - cruise line casino programs - like Blue Chip Club for Celebrity, Club Royale for RCL, CAS for NCL, Princess Player Club for Princess. 

 

Thanks a lot,

I think Club Royale would be your best bet (pun intended). They offer free drinks in the casino as soon as you get to 2500 points - that is for the casino year 4/1 to 3/31. You do not have to be playing to drink there. Once you're at 2500, drinks are free for all your future cruises through 3/31. With the amount you play you most likely would qualify within a single cruise. As soon as you get to 2500, go to the casino host and they will put a "Prime" sticker on your card that entitles you to free drinks. My last cruise, I had slightly over 9000 points and my offer was for a balcony cabin and $1000 free play with a list of cruises I could take. I booked an 8 day on Odyssey for Jan 2024. If you get an offer on board, ask the casino host for the FULL list of cruises you can take. The list that comes on the offer is limited - maybe 20 cruises, but the FULL list (for me) was about 12 pages double sided.

In order to book whatever offer you receive on board, you have to place a Next Cruise rez - you must book NC while on your [current] cruise (but NC is like a placeholder - you can book the future cruise after you get home), pay $200 to NC but the $200 is used to pay your port charges and taxes on the future cruise. Next Cruise gives you $100 OBC in addition to the casino offer.

I've found Club Royale to be much better than Princess player's club and NCL Casinos at Sea as far as future offers go and I've done all 3 (haven't done Blue Chip). I hope this info helps

20 minutes ago, TN-Mountains said:

Thank you!  That is where I’ve been looking but I only see my FCD.  Same with my husbands account.  My husband asked the casino dept to escalate the issue, but I’ll not hold my breath.  The cruise we want is so cheap, it probably won’t be worth the headache.  Do you know if casino rates are allowed on cabins with 3 people?  

I believe so, but you have to pay for third person. I don't know from personal experience, just what I've read other people posting on FB and other parts of this website

23 minutes ago, TN-Mountains said:

We were on Sky June 3rd and got this same offer.  My husband tried to book something today and was told this offer isn't in the system.  How did you finally get them "find" your offer?  Although after reading your story, maybe I'll skip the headache and just pay cash!  And for anyone else following this thread that mentioned booking casino rates online in the USA...how do you do this?  I don't see anywhere to put in a promo code and I don't see any discounted rates between mine and hubby's accounts.  He got the free cabin offer and I only got an OBC offer.

To see your offers: Go to princess.com, login, go to "my account", click the tab that says "my profile", then click on "circle savings/cruise credits", then click on "on board credits" and "view details". Any offers you have will show there. You will most likely have to do this for each of you since you have different offers. If nothing is there, you'll have to call 😞 

If the offer is showing, do a cruise search with any pertinent details (what month, number of days, etc.) Click the green button "view xxx cruises". The applicable cruises will show up and indicate the amount you would pay for an inside. Click on the cruise you are interested in and continue booking where you will be shown pricing for all cabin types. 

I hope this helps answer your question. I travel solo so don't know how the two different offers you have are handled and you may still have to call.

I give candy or salty snacks, sometimes Ramen noodles along with my EXTRA cash tip (I asked, they do have a way to heat the noodles - and it's a break from the every day food in the crew mess). I don't do it to make ME feel good, I do it to make the CREW I talk to and interact with every day feel good. I keep in touch with several people via WhatsApp and/or FB. I don't bother them when they're busy and I don't expect anything in return. I cruise every couple of weeks and see many of the same crew members multiple times a year. BTW, the first sentence is in answer to the OP, the rest is for the cynics on here who feel like no crew member could possibly enjoy being treated a little bit special.

44 minutes ago, slyster said:

What time is AM schedule?  I prefer morning, but my wife likes to sleep in on sea days and doesn't usually leave cabin until 11 or so.

You can ask them to do it toward the end of their "morning" shift. I never had a problem but since have switched to evening cleaning since sometimes I just don't feel like going out and about but still want ice and dry towels once a day. I am one of those who really uses my balcony cabin.

I was on Adventure last week and pizza IS available in Cafe Promenade, deck 5. You will not be disowned.  ;)