wallyj

Yes, many pictures have been posted showing Alfredo’s/Gigi’s quite empty. As reported earlier, on Majestic you should be able to find no charge pizza in the buffet, limited varieties, or order whole pie for $8.50 in the APP or room service. Without a package, Ocean Now has one time activation fee of about $15 and room service call from your cabin with incur $5 fee each call.

Short answer is No. For a little background info, I believe when Princess celebrated its 50th year(2015?), they created a milestone program where they would recognize your 50th cruise and then every 25 after. That program was eventually revised to be based on number of cruise days starting at 500 and then every 250 days increment. The milestone program was retired around the end of 2022, some were grandfathered if you booked during a certain period before program announced being retired and would be sailing in 2023. Also the loyalty command credit was discontinued with the restart, which awarded OBC based on your number of cruise credits starting at cruise credit 21 with $25 OBC and maxed out at $100 OBC after you completed 51 credits. You would receive the $100 OBC for every cruise afterwards, no matter the length or stateroom booked. Program has been discontinued.

@rj59, I recall a kinda recent thread from the Island where they did do Alfredo’s in Sabatini’s on a sea day, but it was considered Casual dining for a fee like on other ships and was not ‘included’ as in before casual dining was introduced. At one time, I know I did this July 2023 last year, you could order pizza in the APP and it was no charge. As of August 2023 on Emerald, ordering pizza in the APP/Ocean Now shows a fee of $8.50, so that is gone.

Obviously when u purchase the gift card, the balance should be the amount of the gift card($100 or $500). I know both Princess and Carnival have links on their websites to check gift card balances, so if you have a balance left after using to purchase cruise fare, you can verify how much if left if you did not use the full amount. A quick google will also bring the gift card balance links.

Did the same ‘freeze’ happen if you used one of the portals isstrad of your personal device?

@CTGirl74, A passenger with Premier can use one of their SD credits to cover someone without any credits. Example, I have a friend with Premier package, traveling with a friend in a separate cabin with no package. Friend 1 can take friend 2 to a SD using both of his credits. @MoreyCreek, suggest u cancel your CG reservation and just add yourself with suite guests for embarkation CG dinner which you will be able to use your OBC to cover. FYI, as of Dec 1, 2023, Specialty and Casual dining will incur a 18% service charge in addition to whatever the cover charge.

Princess WiFi is one speed, most have reported when it is working, passengers have been able to stream video. Some other cruise lines have a basic and premium plan, not Princess.

Yes, see post #7. Once on board when u open Explore the ship, you will see manage shipmates.

Princess cruises gift cards. You can buy at AARP at a 8% discount and you do not need to have an AARP membership.

@hatchda, if you have Plus or Premier package, I believe you can get just Gelato, any flavors instead of the Premium Sundae monstrosities. Discovery also has the premium Cakes at the Gelato bar, which are included in the packages, unlimited for Premier, 2x day for Plus.

Most last minute booking would occur AFTER final payment date, so if you were to book, you would be required to pay in full at time of booking. Princess within the last year has introduce non refundable deposits, most notably on the lowest lead In category of each cabin type(interior, oceanview, balcony, etc.) Some other promos May state non refundable deposits. Some other cruise lines also charge a lot higher cruise fare if you want to book with a refundable deposit. Princess sort of does as you usually need to book NOT the lowest sub category to get a refundable deposit. Princess like most other cruiselines have many sub categories usually depending on the location of the cabin. So more mid ship interiors are higher priced than those located all the way forward or aft. Cruiselines also offer promos where the deposit is non refundable even when the cruise is months before final payment. When booking, ask if your deposit is refundable and are you eligible for re fare if the price drops before final payment. Because of so many variables, there is no one size fits all or always true.

You will be charged the difference plus the current gratuity amount, currently 18%.

FYI, if you are solo, you will pay double the bid amount.

Princess no longer has ‘traditional’ 1st seating , late seating, fixed time dining where you are assigned a time and table which is yours every night. With any time dining you are able to show up when you want to dine, during operating hours, but be aware you might have a wait, since there are only so many tables. Princess allows you to make ‘reservations’ which theoretically will save you some waiting time, as the restaurants will have 2 lines, reservations and no reservations. Depending on your sailing and when you decide to dine will determine if a reservation will be helpful/recommended or not. Some passengers have reported success in requesting the same table/section for every night, when they have found wait staff to their liking, but YMMV.

Yes, you will be able to sign up on board and there is an ‘entry’ fee. The event should be listed in the patter/event listing and you can ask the casino host if one will be scheduled for your sailing. The casino usually has a list of the various ‘events’ they will be hosting such as poker tournaments and such. Some sailings will have ‘private’ tournaments for people invited by the casino. There will most likely be ‘qualifying’ rounds which determine the high scorers who will ultimately play in the final round where that top score will be awarded the ‘prize’, which in the past was $500.

So far, only on the Majestic Princess. You do get a noodle bar instead which is worth a try and included in your fare. A venue not on any other Royal class ship.

Where the pool/lido pizza place on other Royal class ships, on the Majestic it has a Noodle bar, so no lido/included pizza. You may find pizza in the buffet but very limited variety which is supposedly made at Alfredo’s, but i do not know for certain.

Crab Shack is NOT a casual dining venue. I believe the fare is about $30/person. I am sure you could use 1 of your SD credits with Premier, but your are not getting as good value as Crown Grill is $39. The Sapphire introduced Ocean Terrace to serve the set Sushi menu on Sea days, so wonder if they will do the same on sister ships? Currently with only Vines and Gastropub as Casual dining on Ruby, no casual dining available for lunch, unless they introduce Ocean Terrace like they have done on Sapphire.

Did u book direct or thru a TA? Some TA’s do not participate in the upgrade program so you would not be eligible, most notably that big box store. There are also reports, the opening date of when they start accepting bids is not fixed, so it could be closer to sailing date, when the bidding system will open for your particular sailing.

I think we need to clarify as OP says they did early payment for their EZAir , which sounds like ‘early’ ticketing which I thought means their ticket becomes ‘restricted’ and subject to cancellation fees? @love to cruz, please clarify.

I think many passengers confuse ‘check in’ time with boarding time. Vancouver/Canada Place is notorious for long lines as they funnel all cruise passengers no matter which ship into a security line before you are separated into your individual cruise line waiting areas, sometimes you are mixed in one large area of chairs. Depending on the number of ships in port that day, it can be quite hectic with long lines. If you have luggage to drop off you usually do that first on the lower parking level. Then you need to go to the upper level to check in by cruise line. I boarded the Crown and Sapphire last summer from Canada Place. You will normally check in to receive your Medallion or finalize documents check in up stairs by cruise line in the upper conference rooms. Then you head downstairs for security screening, then US customs if your next port is a US port, then waiting area to be called to board. I believe I arrived at Canada Place around 10:30 am and as Elite, was invited to board the ship around 11:30. YMMV.

If you are asking if one passenger has Plus but the other wants Premier is this possible? The answer is both passengers have to have the SAME package.

Unfortunately, Princess has NOT updated the deck plans for the Emerald and Ruby as they still display Steam and Saunas in the changing rooms, but I can assure you, they were removed. I was on the Emerald last July and August, and saw the remodeled space. A passenger who was on the Ruby after the recent dry dock reported the same, steam and saunas were removed. I believe the spaces were converted to accessible treatment rooms for the Spa.

Not on Ruby or Emerald anymore. They were removed during their last dry docks. Showers still available, but no more steam or sauna.

They were removed with last dry dock of the Emerald and Ruby recently. Sapphire, Caribbean and Crown still have, but assume will be removed eventually like Princess has done with Emerald and Ruby. I think Diamond which is normally based in Japan, still has complimentary steam and sauna in changing rooms. Royal class ships do NOT have complimentary steam and saunas, their locker room by fitness center have toilets, lockers and showers only.