Need 4 to be ELITE

[kruzinRiva]

Thanks Toto, Katherine and Paul for your quick responses. Your info coincides with my suspicions, sad to say. Sigh...

 

So, I'd best get busy -- I get to plan TWO Princess cruises instead of just one!!! It's all good!

 

Becca

 

Your mother's is correct. You do not get any Captain's Circle credit for land tours, only time at sea. So you get one cruise credit for the cruise (assuming not a full suite and two people in cabin) and 7 days.

[kath00]

LOL! Don't you just love motivation! By the way, it's important when you reserve B2B cruises that you get 2 separate confirmation numbers, even if you are in the same room and don't move. Otherwise the system may not recognize the 2 cruise credits. This happened to my SIL, who sailed in a suite B2B last year. She had the same # for both (Alaska on Diamond) and ended up having to talk to many people when she got home to get her 4 cruise credits!

 

Katherine

[paul929207]

LOL! Don't you just love motivation! By the way, it's important when you reserve B2B cruises that you get 2 separate confirmation numbers, even if you are in the same room and don't move. Otherwise the system may not recognize the 2 cruise credits. This happened to my SIL, who sailed in a suite B2B last year. She had the same # for both (Alaska on Diamond) and ended up having to talk to many people when she got home to get her 4 cruise credits!

 

Katherine

If you book a b2b as one cruise (one booking number), you should only get on cruise credit.

[Colo Cruiser]

LOL! Don't you just love motivation! By the way, it's important when you reserve B2B cruises that you get 2 separate confirmation numbers, even if you are in the same room and don't move. Otherwise the system may not recognize the 2 cruise credits. This happened to my SIL, who sailed in a suite B2B last year. She had the same # for both (Alaska on Diamond) and ended up having to talk to many people when she got home to get her 4 cruise credits!

 

Katherine

 

Aparently she did not book them as seperate cruises.

[kath00]

If you book a b2b as one cruise (one booking number), you should only get on cruise credit.

 

That's exactly my point. Why would you book them as one cruise if you can get twice as many credits (as you should)? Book them as 2 reservations that are connected instead of one reservation. If you are in the same room, you don't have to move either way. And regardless of the reservation, you need to get a new set of keys after the first week ends anyway. So there is no difference as far as inconvenience, but there is a big difference in the cruise credits! Price is the same regardless too.

 

She finally got 4 credits instead of 2 (suite). But it took a lot of work after the cruise was over to get it straightened out.

 

Katherine

[Colo Cruiser]

That's exactly my point. Why would you book them as one cruise if you can get twice as many credits (as you should)? Book them as 2 reservations that are connected instead of one reservation. If you are in the same room, you don't have to move either way. And regardless of the reservation, you need to get a new set of keys after the first week ends anyway. So there is no difference as far as inconvenience, but there is a big difference in the cruise credits! Price is the same regardless too.

 

She finally got 4 credits instead of 2 (suite). But it took a lot of work after the cruise was over to get it straightened out.

 

Katherine

 

She was lucky she received the extra credit.

As stated some are cheaper to book as 1.

Its a tough choice.

[BosoxI]

Becca, the cruise length is all that is counted towards your status in the Captain's Circle, actual days onboard the ship. Land tours do not count towards your status as they are not sailing days. I would guess there was an error made when applying your credits. Even the double credits for sailing solo have not been in effect for very long now (maybe just over a year), and you never were able to receive double the days, just the double cruise credits now. Past cruises are not grandfather in, just those that took place after the rules changed. ;) So, it sounds like you received credit by mistake and I doubt that they will catch it later on.

 

Even if they did catch it later on, Princess won't correct it, Toto. I have a friend who was credited with 3 cruises he didn't take. Being a very honest person, he called Princess and was told to forget about it. The cruises will remain. He is now approaching Elite thanks to the bonus.

[paul929207]

That's exactly my point. Why would you book them as one cruise if you can get twice as many credits (as you should)? Book them as 2 reservations that are connected instead of one reservation. If you are in the same room, you don't have to move either way. And regardless of the reservation, you need to get a new set of keys after the first week ends anyway. So there is no difference as far as inconvenience, but there is a big difference in the cruise credits! Price is the same regardless too.

 

She finally got 4 credits instead of 2 (suite). But it took a lot of work after the cruise was over to get it straightened out.

 

Katherine

On some cruises, there is a significant price difference if book as one cruise

[robgvic]

My partner needs two cruises to get to Platinum and we are booked for a September one. I am thinking of having a friend join us and share with him in the booking and booking my patner into a single booking. We would then just change the cabins when on board. IF we do this at the Pursers Desk do you think they would then give him only the one cruise credit or are the two credited when he checks in dockside. Hope I made this clearer than mud.

[Colo Cruiser]

I would think by that time he would still get the 2 credits regardless.

[kath00]

On some cruises, there is a significant price difference if book as one cruise

 

I don't think the B2B on the Diamond in AK are offered as one cruise. I actually don't really see any B2B that are less than if booked separately. Can someone point one out to me? We love doing B2B but I would love to get a price break if there is really one. The one exception I am aware of are the small cruise ships World Cruises, where taking the 100+ day cruise is way less money than the itiniaries if they are separated. But in the Caribbean/Alaska/MX/EU itiniaries, I don't ever see a B2B combined cruise option...

 

Katherine

[kath00]

My partner needs two cruises to get to Platinum and we are booked for a September one. I am thinking of having a friend join us and share with him in the booking and booking my patner into a single booking. We would then just change the cabins when on board. IF we do this at the Pursers Desk do you think they would then give him only the one cruise credit or are the two credited when he checks in dockside. Hope I made this clearer than mud.

 

Can you wait to get him into the single room the second day, or maybe really late the first day, like after you sail? It seems to me that it would be safer than switching him right away when you board. Room changes on the ship after sailing are probably quite common and doubt that they effect the way the cruise credits are handled. However, if you change too soon (ie noon), I would think it might mess things up. This is purely a guess but I would wait till you are well past dinner....

 

On another note, each floor has a max passenger capacity (actually each hallway of each floor). So make sure the rooms are booked close together, preferrably on the same hallway, so that you don't get the "no" from the Pursers for fire safety/capacity reasons! If you are on the same hallway on the same end of the ship (let's say deck 10 aft Port side), doing a switch would be "neutral" to the evacuation safety max and there should be no problems.

 

 

Katherine

[paul929207]

I don't think the B2B on the Diamond in AK are offered as one cruise. I actually don't really see any B2B that are less than if booked separately. Can someone point one out to me? We love doing B2B but I would love to get a price break if there is really one.

 

Now on HAL, I see discounts quite often. But where are they on Princess?

 

Katherine

We are on the Ocean Princess Next April/May for a b2b for Shanghai to Singapore to Rome. We saved about $750 per person by booking as one cruise.

[kath00]

We are on the Ocean Princess Next April/May for a b2b for Shanghai to Singapore to Rome. We saved about $750 per person by booking as one cruise.

 

Wow, you replied as I was editing my post. Yes, I realized that those unique itiniaries for the small ships are waaay cheaper when combined. :) Thanks.

 

Katherine

[Colo Cruiser]

Wow, you replied as I was editing my post. Yes, I realized that those unique itiniaries for the small ships are waaay cheaper when combined. :) Thanks.

 

Katherine

 

I agree, on the majority I don't see any significant discount on most booking as one.

[bhopal21]

My partner needs two cruises to get to Platinum and we are booked for a September one. I am thinking of having a friend join us and share with him in the booking and booking my patner into a single booking. We would then just change the cabins when on board. IF we do this at the Pursers Desk do you think they would then give him only the one cruise credit or are the two credited when he checks in dockside. Hope I made this clearer than mud.

 

Heck just go ahead and book a suite and you will all get double credits.

 

Mike:D

[rdsqrl]

I don't think the B2B on the Diamond in AK are offered as one cruise. I actually don't really see any B2B that are less than if booked separately. Can someone point one out to me? We love doing B2B but I would love to get a price break if there is really one. The one exception I am aware of are the small cruise ships World Cruises, where taking the 100+ day cruise is way less money than the itiniaries if they are separated. But in the Caribbean/Alaska/MX/EU itiniaries, I don't ever see a B2B combined cruise option...

 

Katherine

Actually, the Emerald's alternating Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries for this summer could be booked separately or as a combined 14-day itinerary, and the 14-day was a little cheaper than booking them as two 7-days.

[caribill]

I actually don't really see any B2B that are less than if booked separately. Can someone point one out to me?

 

You are more likely to see B2Bs priced differently when the itineraries are very different.

 

Examples:

Fort Lauderdale to Rome followed by Rome to Venice

Singapore to Sydney followed by Sydney to Auckland.

[Retirement]

Actually, the Emerald's alternating Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries for this summer could be booked separately or as a combined 14-day itinerary, and the 14-day was a little cheaper than booking them as two 7-days.

 

Yes, and if you book separately, as we did, you get 2 Future Cruise Shipboard Credits, 2 shareholder's credits, and 2 TA onboard credits. Plus, you get credit for two cruises rather than just one from Princess. Also, if you are Elite, you get 2 minibar setups!:)

[kath00]

Very good point! Do you know if the FCCs are per room. We've never purchased one before but probably will this next time. We have one room for DH and I and one room for my younger DD and my nanny. Would I get 2 FCCs then for the cruise? And could my younger DD use the FCC next cruise or does it have to go to an adult. We may not have my nanny with us next time, which is why I am wondering.

 

Thanks! Katherine

[cherylandtk]

The FCC can only be purchased onboard and then used in a subsequent cruise by that same person. So no, you cannot purchase one for your DD or nanny unless they happen to be on the ship with you.

 

You will need one for each person in order to get the onboard credit, so you and your DH would need one each.

[kath00]

The FCC can only be purchased onboard and then used in a subsequent cruise by that same person. So no, you cannot purchase one for your DD or nanny unless they happen to be on the ship with you.

 

You will need one for each person in order to get the onboard credit, so you and your DH would need one each.

 

My DD and nanny will be on this cruise but my nanny will likely not come with us in 2012. So I can buy one for my DD it sounds like (she'll be with us in December)?

 

Katherine

[Av8tor]

My DD and nanny will be on this cruise but my nanny will likely not come with us in 2012. So I can buy one for my DD it sounds like (she'll be with us in December)?

 

Katherine

 

If your DD is on the cruise, you can buy a FCC for her also.

 

Also, note that you CAN buy more than one FCC per person while on a cruise. I'm not sure there is a limit, but just make sure you'll be able to use them all by the time they expire, I heard the can be a PITA to get refunded, especially if the credit card number you originally charged them to has changed or expired...

[spongerob]

so our neighbor on Crown at dinner tells us we can do it in 2 cruises & 4 days in a true suite (VS). She pulls out an ad she got in the mail from Princess that shows Sapphire 9/19 SEA-VAN (1 nt) and then Sapphire 9/20 VAN-LAX (3 nts). Both booked on seperate invocies & 2 points per sail - 4 points.

I think someone is confused here. Sapphire Princess does indeed go to Vancouver from Seattle on the 19th, but the following cruise is a 2-night cruise to San Francisco. If you could somehow arrange to book those two cruises in violation of PVSA the cost to sail in a VS category would be around $1,000pp (then there is airfare, hotels etc.)

 

Your only other option is to spend 6 days in Vancouver then return to LA on the 26th aboard Golden Princess. That violates no regulations.

 

I don't think there is any way to "work the system" here. Regardless of the PVSA, spending what would likely be over 3 Grand just to get elite perks doesn't make a lot of sense.

[AFT_LOVER]

I was told to get an invoice for each cruise. I had the mailing from my Crown neighbor showing 9/19 Sapphire SEA-VAN & 9/20 to LA, so I tried to book it & my TA tells me that Princess will not let you break the Jones Act. THe same ship cannot be used, so we would have to stay for 4 nts to get Golden to LA. So forget that. So now we are out for short cruises, booked not as B2B. I will even use 2 different agents to book them to get the 4 credits.

 

A rich friend who loves to sail solo get double points for booking a balcony & 3 for a suite. But she cannot give them to us..............

 

If you do a back to back solo you only get credit for two cruises not four unless you book each of the two cruises separately.

I have been checking this because I only need three more to become Elite.

WCC