Just gave up my Sip n Sail

I booked the 4/15 Regal TA months ago under the Sip n Sail promo. Was so happy to have the beverage package and not unhappy with the price for a deluxe balcony. A few days ago I was at the website and saw that prices had really dropped. I was able to rebook my same room at half the price and get $300 OBC pp and a specialty dining in exchange for the beverage package. I'm still in shock.

You gotta do whichever is the better deal unless a certain benefit is more important to you. I just booked the Anniversary Sale for the Royal in Dec and really like all the OBC, but would prefer a lower upfront cost. I'll be watching and comparing....

Very interesting that such a big price drop came just before final payment date rather than after, and is not marked "new bookings only". Great catch on the OP's part.

These caribbean sailings have really suffered, with last years hurricanes, etc....

We had booked an earlier Regal saiing at one of these fire-sale rates!

Like Joanne, this was before final payment.

Sadly, we had to cancel, due to my husband's medical situation.

It was just like Joanne... We do have this future sailing booked, with Sip and Sail... But, at that lower price, for a better cabin.

I was so excited and ready to board the Regal!!!

For anybody else.... If it is like what we did... When we rebooked, we did the 'drill down' thing, where you must be logged into your Captain's Circle, and when you get to actual cabin selection, you might find some lower fares.

We do have our original booking with Sip and Sail still out there.

Just for right now... Our cabin on that sailing would cost more, without the Sip and Sale promo!!!

Great deal! Congrats!

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We had a similar situation with our Royal 21 night Med cruise last September. We initially booked under Sip and Sail, then I noticed a huge price drop, contacted my TA and saved thousands of dollars, even taking into accounts drinks costs.

We had a similar experience on our upcoming cruise. We had a mini and S'n'S when I noticed a huge price reduction if we "sacrificed" and moved to a club class mini. It turned out the price reduction would more than pay for the PBP and speciality dining for both of us. Since we don't really get the full value out of a PBP, we will not be buying it but rather pay by the drink saving even more $$$. It pays to keep checking.

We are Princess cruisers, just on the Royal in November for our 8th sail with them. But I am totally clueless as to what “the drill down thing” is. Also, what is PBP?

The Sip n' Sail pricing is rarely ever good for our cruises. So far, every single one of them since they started this program has been hundreds less on just about any other promotion. It's probably good for people that are on cruises that are sure to sell out way ahead of time.

We are Princess cruisers, just on the Royal in November for our 8th sail with them. But I am totally clueless as to what “the drill down thing” is. Also, what is PBP?

I think it's Premium Beverage Package.

I have a cruise booked under SnS for December. The pricing now is actually quite a bit more now than what I paid under SnS! I check regularly just to make sure there isn't a better deal.

Good for you! It pays to pay attention.

The Sip n' Sail pricing is rarely ever good for our cruises. So far, every single one of them since they started this program has been hundreds less on just about any other promotion. It's probably good for people that are on cruises that are sure to sell out way ahead of time.

We booked 2 cruises under the 2016 Sip and Sail. A 28 day Hawaii/South Pacific cruise and a 14 day Circle Caribbean. Both were booked way early and both went up in price afterward. I checked throughout the waiting period for the first cruise and it was always more than we paid under the Sip and Sail promo. The second cruise doesn't leave until mid March but is currently $200 pp more than we paid. A couple of months ago it was selling for $1,100 pp more than we paid and that was, of course, under a "sale" price that people jumped on for the perks.

Sometimes one can get a better deal by booking immediately when the cruise comes out and snagging the promo offered at that time. I've booked the last 4 cruises way in advance and on each one have watched the price go up and up and never has the price gotten lower than we paid.

Always worth keeping an eye on price changes.

We gave up our Sip and Sail on our Baltic cruise in May 2017. Saved quite a chunk of change and honestly with that itinerary we weren’t on the ship enough to make it worthwhile. Also with so many early stops, and wanting to make the most of our port days, we were early to bed almost every evening!

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Congratulations! I just looked at the pricing for the 14 day cruise and the rates are fantastic. Oddly enough though if you book it as a 17 day cruise the price more than doubles. Apparently they are trying to entice folks to book for the shorter version. :o

we also dropped the s/s for this cruise and with the casino discount we saved over $2000 from original booking and ended up with $600 OBC from anniversary promo...win win for us and still have our balcony

We thought the Sip and Sail was a good deal but I called today before our final payment and received a decrease in the cruise payment and an increase in the cruise credits that offset the free gratuities that we lost.

We are Princess cruisers, just on the Royal in November for our 8th sail with them. But I am totally clueless as to what “the drill down thing” is. Also, what is PBP?

As already stated the PBP is the Premium Beverage Package where all drinks less than $12 are included in the package. There is a 15 alcohol drink maximum per day however but non-alcohol drinks (soda pop, coffee etc) are all you can drink.

The "drill down" is when you log into Princess and then go to the plan a cruise section and make a mock reservation on your upcoming cruise and cabin type. It will tell you what the going price is at that time for cabins in your price bracket. It is a mock booking since you don't go any further to actually book the cabin. That is how we find out if they are offering the same cabin type at a lower price (or higher in some cases!). You can then call Princess or your TA to switch to the new price if it is less than what you are now paying. However watch the sales for new bookings only. Clear as mud?

The Sip n' Sail pricing is rarely ever good for our cruises. So far, every single one of them since they started this program has been hundreds less on just about any other promotion. It's probably good for people that are on cruises that are sure to sell out way ahead of time.

We have found the opposite. We have done several S'n'S cruises and have two booked for the end of this year. So far only one cruise has made it economical to rebook losing the S'n'S bennies. I have been watching the price on the two upcoming S'n'S cruises and the price is the same without the bennies so far. In the past the price has gone up for the cabin and little or nothing offered to make up for the loss of the S'n'S.

I’m also on the 14 day TA in April and rebooked for the savings. Kind of bummed to lose out on the sip n sail, but the money I’m saving turned that frown upside down!

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As already stated the PBP is the Premium Beverage Package where all drinks less than $12 are included in the package. There is a 15 alcohol drink maximum per day however but non-alcohol drinks (soda pop, coffee etc) are all you can drink.

 

The "drill down" is when you log into Princess and then go to the plan a cruise section and make a mock reservation on your upcoming cruise and cabin type. It will tell you what the going price is at that time for cabins in your price bracket. It is a mock booking since you don't go any further to actually book the cabin. That is how we find out if they are offering the same cabin type at a lower price (or higher in some cases!). You can then call Princess or your TA to switch to the new price if it is less than what you are now paying. However watch the sales for new bookings only. Clear as mud?

Thanks to you and “Mario” for the replies, they were exactly what I needed to know!

We gave up our Sip and Sail on our Baltic cruise in May 2017. Saved quite a chunk of change and honestly with that itinerary we weren’t on the ship enough to make it worthwhile. Also with so many early stops, and wanting to make the most of our port days, we were early to bed almost every evening!

 

 

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Same for us--we're on the June 1st Baltic and originally booked under Sip and Sail, but under the anniversary sale, the prices were lower plus we received extra OBC, so overall $1000 per person savings. Can't turn that down. It usually pays to check frequently especially when new promotions begin.

We are booked on Crown April 28 Med Cruise. Originally under S&S but the '3 for Free' had much lower price, Free Gratuities and $200 Cabin OBC. Re-faring and then buying Drinks package saved money. Even with increased price for PBP we still save $375.

Just checked prices and there are only Suites available - so no more savings :D

today, Princess is only showing suites available today...

this afternoon, tonight, tomorrow? keep checking back, of course