roxievegas

We flew into SF airport and used the Princess transfer to and from.

We had never done it before and it was very easy.  They had a rep at the bottom of the stairs at the luggage area, they directed us to get our luggage and then check in with another rep by the exit doors.  She checked our name off the list and we boarded the bus.

After getting off the ship back in SF, the parking lot is a cluster.  Lots of buses, so make sure you ask which ones are going to the airport. 

It was worth it to us and we had no problems. 

7 hours ago, Lakbayer. said:

When I logged online at Princess Cruises, I saw an offer from casino for free room and plus package for August for 17 days. I grabbed the offer and I got to pick my blocked ocean view room. I only had to pay $400 deposit for 2 plus taxes and port fees. The $400 will be refunded as onboard credit once I board the ship. I printed my Travel Summary after paying, and the Plus Package and crew appreciation was included. A few days later, they sent an email from Princess that they made an error in offering the free ocean view room and they will honor the deal but give me interior room which will be assigned later, and will convert my deposit to non refundable onboard credit if I did not reply by May 6 or upgrade to the original room at an added price. Unfortunately I did not read the email until today. I logged online and found out that the Travel Summary was changed- No more included Princess Plus Package and Crew Appreciation. Fortunately, I still have my original Travel Summary which included all the original offers. Is this a bait and switch? So if you are booking with an offer, make sure to get a screen shot of the offer. I wonder if many had been duped like me. 

I have read on other posts that people have booked a cruise (with a very discounted offer) and then received email that it was a "computer error".

Our offers in the past 18 months have been going down, down and down.  If I received an offer for a OV with plus package I would question it only because the plus offer has not been part of the casino offers in the past.

Don't know how bad you want to go on the cruise you have booked.  But if I had paid as you did, which is probably around $900 with the deposit and port tax, I would consider cancelling and calling my credit card and dispute the charge.  You have the back up and can show that you booked for one thing and they took it away.  They should not, but they will, take your $400 deposit as non refundable, but I would call and fight.  My guess, you won't win

Just my opinion.

26 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

You are confusing a Win Loss Statement sent by casinos and the cruiseline casino departments with a 1099. They are not the same thing. Casino winnings aren't reported on a 1099. Occasionally 1099s are sent for certain casino gift drawings. For example, on Carnival cruises, on an Ultra cruise where there's a drawing and guarantee winning of a gift or Freeplay, Carnival issues a 1099 for the value of the gift or Freeplay that everyone that signed up for the Ultra cruise will receives.

On a trip to Lake Tahoe, I won $1800+ and my husband $1600+, we received a tax form with the money amounts to be reported.  We also had a win/loss record from the casino and reported that on our taxes.

On a cruise with Celebrity, I hit a jackpot $1800+ and I had to fill out forms before they would give me my money (on the ship) and I received a tax form from the casino department at the end of the year, and I also requested a win/loss record .

I can only give you info that I personally have had.

you report your winnings on your 1040 form using the 1099 that is sent by the cruise line.  You get a win/loss statement from the cruise line.  

if you won $1,500 that goes as income, if you loss $2,000 you can only put down your losses that are equal or less than the amount you received on the 1099.  So you can only show a loss of $1,500 and it is a wash.   You can not claim that you loss more than what you received on the 1099.

your post is not real clear to me, so I will try to interpret what you are saying.  You sat at the machine, you charged money to your room cabin to play the machine, except you did not play the machine, you tried to cash out.

My understanding is that some people try to use the casino as a cash machine.  They charge money to a machine, play a few hands, sign out of the machine and then go to the cashier to get their money in cash.  The casino does not want you to do this.  They want you to play.

So if that is what you were attempting to do, then that is why you got locked out.

1 minute ago, oteixeira said:

Great explanation, thank you.  So first play it will create the casino account for me.  🙂

Yes

the last full day of the cruise, you may receive an offer under your door for your next cruise. 

Referred to the "come back and play" offer - if you have played enough.

After that you will receive emails and US mail offers sent to you with offers

Now they have you.

13 hours ago, Goofyisme said:

Thanks.

Do you remember what time you  arrived?

We flew in the day before, stayed at local hotel, took taxi to port (which got lost) but we arrived around 11:30 and we had no one around and check in was a breeze

We used Princess transfers to take us to airport and end of cruise and that was a bit of a mess with buses all over the place, no signs saying which bus was going where, but we made it to the airport just fine.

15 minutes ago, oteixeira said:

So basically if I use my cash (I bring cash for the slots) do I check into the machine with my medallion and I am good, or do I need to sign up for some Players Club thing?  LOL  You would think I would have asked this years ago but first time back on Princess in a very long time and they seem to be more generous with casino stuff then NCL is.  

The first time you sit down at the machine, it will ask for your birthdate (use to be you created a "code").  It reads your medallion, and matches the birthdate to your medallion and cabin.

You can feed "real" money into the machine, or you can choose to take money (the amount is charged to your cabin) and have it put in your "casino bank".  

If you play cash, when you decide to get off that machine, and you still have money left on the machine it will go to your "casino bank" and you go to the next machine and draw from that money to play the next machine, or you put real cash in again.  At anytime you can go to the cashier cage and get real money out of your casino bank.

But if you are going to be playing for 7 days or longer, just continue to use the money in your "casino bank" and wait until the end of the cruise to hopefully cash out.

2 hours ago, Globaler said:

I have been receiving an interior room and some free play since my 2023 TA last year. I received a balcony cabin offer and more free play from my 2024 TA this year. Will my offers forth coming be a balcony and more free play?

I think it will for the next few offer periods.  If you don't book anything the offers may drop back down.

On 4/20/2024 at 9:19 AM, pootsien2 said:

"Mystery freeplay reveals onboard"!!  I see this is one of my new options on my Princess offers. I am curious but not going to use the offer. I wouldn't want to get on a cruise and go to the casino, only to find out it is just $100 freeplay. Hope someone will post if they use this one. 

We got the same offer.  Wondered what it would be.  Yesterday got an email that said the same offer, but this time it said go to the casino and find out what the mystery is

$50 or up to $250.

currently our offers are free interior with $50 casino free play

six months ago it was interior with $250

year ago it was Balcony with $400

we have only one casino offer cruise booked, for next may 2025, for interior with $250 (we paid extra to upgrade to oceanview)

27 minutes ago, 20165 said:

I didnt want to open a new topic for this question because im pretty sure someone on this post knows the answer.  If i use my onboard account for casino/gambling money, does that get charged to my credit card as a regular charge or a cash advance?

thanks

regular charge.

The casino posts the monies to your cabin account and it will all be charged to your credit card in one lump sum at the end of your cruise if you choose not to pay some of it down with your winnings.

I played next to a lady that was up $1,000 and she was debating if she should cash out the $1,000 and go to guest services and pay it towards her cabin bill.  

high five to "dog" - we cruise the same as him.  

We currently have a 17 day Alaska cruise coming up in 2025.  I have already prepaid for 2 cases of water, and prepaid the gratuities.  We will have $400 on board credit and that will be used to pay for our coffee in the morning, and soda for my husband - he gets one a day with dinner.

We will not get the internet (we are elite and pay half price) because we will be getting off the ship almost every day and we will take our phones and use the internet to check emails and text messages then.

We do not alcohol drinkers and we do not need the gelato.  We eat in the MDR, buffet, and all the freebie eats.

You can spend as much or as little as you like, but for us the packages make no sense.

We also enjoy Celebrity, but they do not do cruises out of Los Angeles and that is our home port.  

As with any cruiser, it depends on why you are cruising, is it for the location, the getaway, the food, the adventure, etc.  I read this column every day and can't wait to get on board, but I have a 13 month wait.  I enjoy the ship and being on vacation.

Going to the casino and using the machines are easy - we do not play table games, so someone else will have to advise you

You sit at a machine, place your medallion next to the box and the screen will ask for your birthdate.  You then can put cash in the machine or enter the amount of money that you want to start off with.  It will charge that amount to your cabin.  Sample:  $500.  you now play the machine, the machine will keep track of your play amount and award you points.  After playing $100 you want to move, you hit cash out and WAIT for the machine to say that you are signed out and the left over money is back in your bank.   You go to the next machine and it will ask how much you want to play  -  you have $400 in your bank so you ask for $100 and you start playing again.  You never get cash out of the machine, nor a ticket.  Everything is tied into your medallion.

Always wait for the machine to verify that the money has gone back to your bank before you leave the machine.

I do not travel in a suite- so I will ask a stupid question:

isn't the conceirge part of the service of the suite occupants ??

why are you going to tip each time you go and ask for their help with something.  You paid for that service when you booked the suite and overpaid for the cabin

Sorry, but it is beginning to feel that you should walk on board the ship - hand over your wallet, credit cards and first born child and sail away.  

18 minutes ago, negn said:

I hope I get this.  Have always gotten balcony and free play offers. On Feb. 23 offers expired and I now get 35-45% off. No thank you.  Presently onboard with 17000 points.  Can’t wait to see the CBS offer. For the money I pour in these machines, I can do a nice all inclusive and not have to fight for a lounge chair

We would never get to 17,000 points, will be interested to hear what they offer as a come back and play offer.

I hope that you are at least having fun.

Just received an email asking me to fill out a survey.  All questions related to the offers and booking the offers.

I completed the survey and also let them know that the offers have gotten worse.

12 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

LOL! 

 

Have you seen how many posts I have here? Don't you think I would know that?

 

You may not have offended me if you hadn't "shouted" with the capitals. I felt as though it was rather demanding.

 

It doesn't need a thread on its own. I wasn't asking a question... I was trying to point out to the poster that they could try to get their cruise re-fared. That is all. It was something on the side that just came up in conversation and it is not uncommon or unusual to have side discussions in threads. 

 

OK, you didn't want that here but a quiet "... hey guys, can we keep it on topic please... this is interesting" would have been way better and more effective. As it turned out your exclamation took us even further off topic.

13 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

LOL! 

 

Have you seen how many posts I have here? Don't you think I would know that?

 

You may not have offended me if you hadn't "shouted" with the capitals. I felt as though it was rather demanding.

 

It doesn't need a thread on its own. I wasn't asking a question... I was trying to point out to the poster that they could try to get their cruise re-fared. That is all. It was something on the side that just came up in conversation and it is not uncommon or unusual to have side discussions in threads. 

 

OK, you didn't want that here but a quiet "... hey guys, can we keep it on topic please... this is interesting" would have been way better and more effective. As it turned out your exclamation took us even further off topic.

I will answer because it is not totally off topic.  It is part of getting a casino offer and using it.

When you get a casino offer for a free cabin, when you book your cruise, you pay for the cruise up front 

so ie, the cruise has port tax/fee of $295 per person, and the offer is for a free interior.  You will pay $295 for taxes, plus $200 deposit which is returned to you in OBC once you board the ship - so you can not use the OBC prior to the cruise.

In our case, the Alaska cruise is $595 each for the port tax, plus $200 each for deposit, plus we get the princess insurance and then we upgraded to OV cabin, so we paid $2900+ at the time of booking.  If we cancel for any reason we lose the $200 each deposit.  This is part of the agreement for booking the cruise with a casino offer.  Making changes because the cost of the cruise goes down may not change the cost of what you have to pay to upgrade to a higher class cabin.

Over all getting a free offer for a cabin is money saving, but the trade off is spending the money in the casino,which is what we do

1 hour ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Thanks everyone. 

 

No... not chasing comps. I am in the casino because it is fun. We set a budget and when it is gone we walk out. Has to be that way. 

 

But I could see myself spending more time in there than we have on previous cruises. I want to learn craps but no idea yet so I'll have to get onto YouTube to learn how to play... there are lots of vids to help 🙂 

You don't have to spend a ton of money - hopefully you win enough to keep playing and accumulating points.

We don't get as great of offers as we did and we continue to gamble the amount that we would have spent for the cabin. ie.  if we get a free balcony and it would have cost $1599 ea then we have a budget of $3,000 - total between the two of us to gamble.  If the cabin is not free, we would have spent the $3,000 anyway.

We now get free interior cabins and free play.  We have one cruise booked for 2025 a

17 day Ultimate Alaska

cost when I booked it back in Fall of 2023, the cost from the Princess website was

interior $2398, OV $3598, balcony $4248, mini suite $5398

we got the interior for free, but paid $1200 (total) to get an ocean view that has the full length window on Deck 14.  So the cost of the OV would have been $7200, but we paid $1200.

the cost has gone down on that cruise now, but once you book it you are locked in.

We have been on 14 princess cruises using the casino offer.  We gamble the same for each cruise, accumulating around 3,000+ points each, But the offers have gone down in value.

In the beginning we would get offers for a free balcony, plus package and $400 free play

Now we get free interior (low free to upgrade to OV, balcony) no plus package and $50 free play

We took 7 cruises in the aftermath of covid, but as the offers are worse, we only have one cruise booked, using our free interior and $250 free play - 17 day Ultimate Alaska cruise.

If offers don't get better, we won't book anymore.

I forgot to mention that I had researched non Princess excursions with companies that others had recommended.

one - the price was comparable to Princess or close enough

two - some stated that you had to pay now and no refund if cancelled within 48 hours

I do know that sometimes the ship arrives late to port or has to change things around and I didn't want to have to deal with an outside company not being able to use them and lose my money.  At least with Princess, I know that I will be refunded if something goes wrong.

We have an Alaska cruise booked for May 2025.  After I booked the cruise I went to the excursions and put on wishlist the ones for each port I was interested in.  After reading here that the price had gone up, I went to my wish list and saw that one had gone up $14 each and the other $10 each.  The rest are still the same.

Yesterday I went on line and purchased five excursions.  I have leaving the others to be "get off the ship and walk around"

We are elite, so we are suppose to get 10% back once we are on board.

I also purchase our gratuities - we are 14 months out and I figured we will see a price increase by then.

16 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Well..it took me “showing her” that i only care about HER; and putting “my money where my mouth is”..about half a million dollars in cash, for a second chance. (Ie: if I mess up this chance, I sign absolutely everything over to her no questions asked)

I found peace and solace in this.

It is a big risk; but I would rather have love than all that money. 
(even still I’d still have my job and my 401k)

Good luck to you and her.  I hope you both work hard to keep your marriage a top priority.

You married each other for a reason, keep that love going.

Take a cruise and keep us posted, we enjoyed your posts.

2 hours ago, funship freddy said:

We are cruising on Enchanted Princess from Brooklyn on 9/07/2024

Any idea how much an Uber would be from

LaGuardia ?

We flew into LaGuardia, but took taxi to hotel in Brooklyn, half way between airport and Red Hook.

We paid $30 (with tip) for that.  Next morning took taxi to Red Hook paid $30 again to get to port.

Please give driver the address for the port - our driver drove us all around the waterfront - he coulnd not find the entrance to the port area.

12 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

For closure for everyone that saw this; I was informed this evening that it is indeed over with the wife; so this indeed was my final cruise. (I may or may not use that CBS offer…)

This news is too new and too much right now for you to digest.  Please find comfort with family and friends and get through this difficult time.  You are going to be on an emotional rollercoaster for the next few months.  Getting away for a week or two may be something to get your mind off everything.

Please know that "we" (at least 50%) have been in your shoes.  There is life after divorce.

Wishing you all the best.

31 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Perfect! Thank you for this data point!

and you had earned the 18,000 points before Friday?

With our last offer, which was free inside/$250 each free play we booked a 17 day Alaska cruise

our cost to upgrade to deluxe oceanview on Lido deck was $1200 total

                                                 balcony is $2,900, or mini $5,000 or suite $18,200

we decided to upgrade to the deluxe oceanview - it has a full wall window and the interior cabin is as large as a balcony cabin.

our budget for gambling is what the cost of the cabin would have cost us if we had to pay for the cabin. So not getting the free interior would have cost $4,000, the oceanview room $7,000 

so $7,000 - minus the $1200 for paying to upgrade leaves us $5,800 towards our gambling fund plus using the $500 free play that we get on the cruise.  We use the $200 deposit each that turns into the OBC for paying for coffee and soda.  We don't pay for the plus package - only use that if given to us.

we have cruises where we hit the limit and others where we came home with money.  Or we fall somewhere in the middle.  We get the cruise, get the dining, and we get to gamble.  We have a nice vacation and we don't break the bank.

We like to see where the cut off is now for getting the free oceanview, free balcony.