Princess Secrets they Don't Tell You

[Travels with Lisa]

thanks, I had no idea. Guess I should be more loyal to one line!

[mrspaper]

Now I realize what you were talking about with the repeat cruiser party. I thought you meant the platinum lounge

 

The "Captain's" party they have various drinks available, but you CAN ask for anything you want. They will bring it to you

[monakayk]

On some ships you can order what you want. On others, you cannot. Not sure what determines which occurs.

 

I usually ask for Red Wine...because the 'FoFo' drinks they serve are always waaaaay to sweet for me. I have always been served the Red Wine graciously by the servers.

[MikeGranberry]

This is my first cruise in 20 years and booked a suite. Are there any special amenities I should know about? Any lounges that are only available to suite passengers?

[Working 2 Cruise]

The suite amenities are listed on Princess's website. Don't miss breakfast at Sabatini's, one of the specialty restaurants... free of charge for suite passengers. No, there is no special lounge for suite passengers.

[IECalCruiser]

The suite amenities are listed on Princess's website. Don't miss breakfast at Sabatini's, one of the specialty restaurants... free of charge for suite passengers. No, there is no special lounge for suite passengers.

That answer will change with the Royal and the Regal because they do have a Concierge Lounge for suite passengers only located aft on Riviera deck. MikeGranberry, I assume that you a booked in a full suite and not a mini-suite.

 

This is the link to amenities for full suites:

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships/PrincessSuite_eFlyer.pdf

[Princess Chatterer]

Lanyards to clip your cruise card to your belt are available for free in the Casino.

 

Elites can swap the minibar setup for all water by calling room service.

 

You can purchase fountain or gun cokes (and other soft drinks) in the plastic glass for less money than the can cokes. Waiters often don't know this, claiming that you need a coke card but gun cokes are available for ALL passengers.

 

Cabin stewards can uncork your wine for free.

 

You can add unpublished items to the room service breakfast menu and change the delivery time to your liking.

 

You can have the cabin steward always leave an extra roll of T.P. in the (un) likely event of getting a norovirus.

 

Some cabin stewards, but not all, will make towel animals on request.

 

Some cabin stewards can get you Princess suite robes even though you are not in a suite. They also can get small sized slippers for you as well.

 

All cabin stewards can get you an extra Patter. One for your scrap book and one to fold and mutilate on your daily excursion.

 

The best time to get on the Internet is 4 am when the Internet can be smokin' fast.

 

If you can't get the excursion that you want the day before try waiting near the ticket taker to be on the standby list on the morning of the excursion.

 

Sometimes you can get a fare reduction after making final payment if you ask. Sometimes not.

 

Don't settle for one dessert in the MDR. Ask for two, or three!

 

Just because the dress code on formal night in the MDR says a certain thing, more often than not it doesn't make it so.

 

The Captains Circle host can tell you just how close you came to being invited to the Captain's lunch.

 

Take some of the things you hear from the Captains Circle host and the Future Cruise salesperson with a grain of salt.

 

If you do a luggage walk off on your own on disembarkation day on a short holiday cruise with a million kids aboard be prepared to wait in a long line.

[pompeii]

One mini bar can be traded back in for two Coffee Cards (as of March 2013 on the Crown Princess). Call Room Service; the Passenger Services Desk was unaware of the exchange program. What does this mean, exactly? We are in a minisuite. We don't drink alcohol so have no interest in the mini bar.

 

Sometimes you can get a fare reduction after making final payment if you ask. Sometimes not. We just got a fare reduction last night after final pmt earlier this month. The TA had to call to get approval from Princess, but we are getting a $200 credit back on our CC. Yay!!!

 

They no longer exist. They used to be part of a coupon book that was in the cabin. Regarding the coupon books with BOGO for a free coffee card, the travel agency was aware of them but said there wasn't one available for our cruise. Do they really no longer exist or can they still be found somewhere? I looked on eBay as suggested but didn't find anything.

 

Thanks!

[IECalCruiser]

One mini bar can be traded back in for two Coffee Cards (as of March 2013 on the Crown Princess). Call Room Service; the Passenger Services Desk was unaware of the exchange program. What does this mean, exactly? We are in a minisuite. We don't drink alcohol so have no interest in the mini bar.

Only people in full suites and Elite level passengers receive a mini-bar set up. Does not apply to you. In addition this may only have been offered on a couple of cruises because of the large number of Elites doing a B2B.

 

They no longer exist. They used to be part of a coupon book that was in the cabin. Regarding the coupon books with BOGO for a free coffee card, the travel agency was aware of them but said there wasn't one available for our cruise. Do they really no longer exist or can they still be found somewhere? I looked on eBay as suggested but didn't find anything.

The BOGO card was removed from the 2012 TA coupon book and is not in the 2013 TA coupon book either. It is a thing of the past. It would be no good to look on eBay because the last BOGO card had a 12/31/2011 expiration date.

[Princess Chatterer]

Unless they changed the conditions within the past year, coffee cards never expire as long as you have at least one punch mark left unpunched. That gets you free brewed coffee in the coffee bars in perpetuity.

 

The unused coffee card punches are still perpetual (as of the time of this post) but the coffee card free brewed coffee and hot chocolate privilege expires at the end of that cruise. Each coffee card is now dated as an enforcement mechanism.

[paradise4ever]

love the "if you don't ask you don"t get. keep up the good work.

[awhcruiser]

Has anyone had recent success ordering hot items for breakfast from room service?

 

You can add unpublished items to the room service breakfast menu and change the delivery time to your liking.

 

[IECalCruiser]

You can purchase fountain or gun cokes (and other soft drinks) in the plastic glass for less money than the can cokes. Waiters often don't know this, claiming that you need a coke card but gun cokes are available for ALL passengers.

I haven't seen a lower price for "gun" sodas and why would you want the nonuniform "gun" soda when you can get a can for the same price?

Cabin stewards can uncork your wine for free.

They can often get you a corkscrew but have never heard them opening a bottle for you.

You can have the cabin steward always leave an extra roll of T.P. in the (un) likely event of getting a norovirus.

That has been standard practice in our cabins with no special request.

Some cabin stewards can get you Princess suite robes even though you are not in a suite. They also can get small sized slippers for you as well.

They can easily get you the waffle robes. We haven't received the suite robes, even as Elite.

All cabin stewards can get you an extra Patter. One for your scrap book and one to fold and mutilate on your daily excursion.

You can also get as many extra Patters as you want at the Passenger Services Desk.

Don't settle for one dessert in the MDR. Ask for two, or three!

You can do the same for Appetizers, Soups/Salads and Entrees as well if your metabolism/waistline can handle it :eek:

[Princess Chatterer]

1. The gun cokes are always 50 cents cheaper than the can cokes. Because of this the waiters get a smaller tip with the gun cokes so IMHO they pretend that gun cokes are not available unless you have a coke sticker which is a big fat lie. If you get any guff on buying the cheaper gun coke then take it up with the ship's food and beverage manager and he will always side with you and make things right. I'm 100% correct on this as this has been a major issue for me in the past and I know the Princess coke policy (which exists on all ships as of the time of this post) and I refuse to play the victim to the waiter's games. In addition I submit that the gun cokes taste better.
   
2. I bring my own corkscrew now but in the past the cabin steward has always been obliging to uncork our carry on wine for free.
   
3. 100% of the time the cabin steward has given us the fluffy suite robes, even in our inside cabin, but I prefer the thin waffle robe which is always a bit too small. My DW loves the suite robe and wears the one she bought from Princess here at home Our cabin is almost always close by the suites so it is very easy for the cabin steward to find an extra suite robe or two for us. Like I say, if you don't ask, you don't get.
   

[Princess Chatterer]

I know that the steward always leaves one extra roll of T.P. but I request that the cabin steward leave TWO. Roll number two must always be in view under the sink at all times even though I have no intent to use it. It's my way of having some noro virus insurance, not that noro virus ever happens on Princess ships. :o

[Cruisin'Mama 10]

This thread is awesome! I've read all 86 pages! :eek: I have a tip or two to share. On our upcoming DP Alaska trip with two adults and two kids (13, 9) we will bring several organizers for the closet to help keep stuff together. I went to the dollar store and bought a shoe organizer that I will hang on a hanger. Has lots of small pockets to keep my girls "stuff" like pens, notepads, magazines, small toys (my 9-year-old loves little tiny toys things). We'll store lanyards and patters and other "stuff" that tends to clutter up the room in those hanging organizers. Folds flat and takes up no space in luggage.

 

Also bought one of those hanging outfit organizers that little kids use to set out their outfits for the week (usually has a day of the week on each box and the whole thing attaches to the closet bar and hangs to the floor). we'll use that for PJs, fluffies and diaries as well as shoes since my kids upper berths will be put away during the day. This also folds fairly flat and is very light-weight.

 

Finally, I bought (also at the dollar store) small containers of hand sanitizer with a hook to have on our lanyards so the kids can have clean(ish) hands before they reach for a snack wherever they are. Might help fight off any virus (that of course isn't on Princess ship :D)

 

Happy Cruising!

[Tucker in Texas]

Here's hint for those going to Alaska for sure. Not sure about other cruises.

 

They charge for hot chocolate. Bring a box of Swiss Miss and you'll have a lot of newbestfriends!

 

Tucker in Texas

[EatPrayCruise]

Here's hint for those going to Alaska for sure. Not sure about other cruises.

 

They charge for hot chocolate. Bring a box of Swiss Miss and you'll have a lot of newbestfriends!

 

Tucker in Texas

 

Shoot, I was wondering about that. We cruised to Alaska in May 2009, 2011, and going again May 18, 2013. On the previous two cruises, I was able to get hot chocolate on the ship and by room service without a charge. I wondered if they had changed that yet or not.

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll bring my own!

 

:o

[IECalCruiser]

Here's hint for those going to Alaska for sure. Not sure about other cruises.

 

They charge for hot chocolate. Bring a box of Swiss Miss and you'll have a lot of newbestfriends!

 

Tucker in Texas

There used to be complementary packages of Swiss Miss in the HC next to the teas, but no longer. However, on our Alaskan cruises on the Golden last September there was complementary hot chocolate available from dispensers in the HC all day. Others have posted that it was the same on other Princess ships in Alaska last year. In addition, hot chocolate is complementary in the dining room during breakfast on all Princess ships/itineraries. The hot chocolate at the IC, even in Alaska, is extra cost or "complementary" with the purchase of a coffee card.

[sunneesmile]

This my general list of things that I recommend.

 

ITEMS I RECOMMEND TAKING

 

 

 Highlighter-for marking your schedule in the newsletter

 Extension cord and power strip

 Send copy of passport and credit card to external mail (yahoo) in case of a problem

 Also send a copy of those documents to someone here at home to hold onto in case you need to contact them if documents are lost.

 Take 2 credit cards and call the company to notify them will have unusual or foreign charges. Also, put a copy of the credit card contact info inside of your makeup bag or some other place besides your wallet or purse, in case your credit card and wallet/purse get lost.

 Binoculars

 Big thermal mugs for keeping water in your room and for filling with coffee to take on deck.

 Water bottle. The bottled water on the ship is expensive, so you may want to take your own refillable one. The water from the tap tastes great.

 Partial roll of duct tape in case your luggage comes open or gets damaged-I have had to use this before

 Leatherman tool with screwdriver. Pack this in your checked luggage-can’t take onboard the aircraft.

 Sewing kit

 Your own blow dryer-the ones on board are a bit weak—more on this at the bottom

 Post it notes-to leave message on your friends door or to leave a message for your room steward

 Envelopes to set aside gratuity $---I know you can get these at the purser’s desk, but I like to take a couple thank you notes for “special staff members”

 Envelope to keep receipts in-this helps when the final bill comes and you do a quick reconcile. They do make mistakes some time….I have caught a $300 error before. I also write on the receipt what I charged to help me remember.

 A couple of clothespins or binder clips….to keep the shower curtain from flopping around

 Simple first aid items, band aids-neosporin-sinus meds-tums-etc (these things are expensive on board)

 Extra zip loc bags-very handy for all kinds of stuff

 Pop up mesh laundry bag to keep dirty laundry in is very convenient

 Ipod and docking speaker

 Phone and battery chargers



 

 

 

If possible, get a balcony room. There is nothing like being able to hang out on your own private vista of the high seas. In a warm climate, it is nice to go out there in the evening when it is pitch black and just gaze at the wake crashing against the ship and see the stars. Also, my hubby will hang on the balcony while I am getting ready for dinner. When travelling with friends, we visit each others balcony before dinner for a glass of wine.

 

 

I have traveled with people who actually take a case of water on board, taped up with duct tape and a handle. I am a filtered water drinker and even though I am picky, I have found the water from the faucet tastes just fine.

 

Ask your room steward for soft feather pillows. They sure beat the hard ones you normally get. Ask your room steward for an egg-crate mattress pad. They make those hard mattress's very comfortable and if you don’t want it, it can be removed. But if you want it after the ship sails, they may not have any spares.

Take an extra electrical cord or even better a power strip…because your cabin won't have enough outlets, or it will be in an awkward place, for charging cam batteries, cell phones, curling irons, etc

 

The hair dryers on board are very weak. Suggest taking one from home. Also the dryer is located in the bathroom. I preferred doing my hair at the dressing table/desk out in the room. More space available and not as warm, humid and you are not “hogging” the bathroom from your suitemate.

 

Also....always carry the onboard daily newsletter (Princess Patter) with you on shore excursions....it always lists the cruise line port agent in case you have too many pina coladas and get into trouble. We always ask our cabin steward to leave 2 daily newsletters in our room. One goes in our "mementos" pile; the other is carried around the ship and port all day, and gets very dog-eared, or lost.

 

Order the fruit every day. The in cabin free fruit basket is a great way to get yourself to eat fruit. Don’t take any fresh food from the ship into port because of agricultural and environmental laws.

 

If you want to take any snacks into port, bring along granola bars or cheese crackers….I recommend taking only pre packaged food in port.

 

If you and your spouse have joint credit cards already, be sure to take different ones between the two of you (leave the '2nd' card in the safe while onshore). If one is stolen or lost, you'll still have another card to use.

 

If you have a balcony….have coffee delivered, sit and enjoy. Watching the ship arrive in port can be the most relaxing part of the day...you have get up early to do this.

 

Don't jump at buying your pictures right away -- they take lots of pictures and you can decide later in the week which ones to buy. On formal night, have lots of formal pictures taken at all location's (that part is free) so you have a nice selection to choose from. If you have had pictures taken, go by the photography area each day and locate your printed photograph. Move all of them to the same “pocket” on the display. The photographers do not mind and when they take down the display and put it up again each day, they usually put the photographs all back in the same pocket for you. This makes it less time consuming if you wish to purchase.

 

They can burn your digital camera photos (upload) to a CD for about $10.00-19.00 and that will free up all your memory space if you don’t have an extra SD card. You may take more photos that you originally thought you would.

 

We always ask our cabin steward to have two champagne flutes and two wine glasses in the cabin, for wine we bring on board and enjoy in our cabin.

 

Generally, I like to board around 1pm for a 4-5pm sailing. Get onboard, have some food, and get acclimated to the ship. Normally your bags will be at your room within an hour or so. Once the bags are there, unpack and put stuff in drawers, closet, etc, just like at home. Most ships have room beneath the bed to store your luggage…if not, the steward can tell you where to put it. You will be more relaxed in your room if you have places to put stuff, because it is not like a suite at the Hilton…will be small no matter what category of room you booked.

 

If you have rooms that are next to your friends, they will open the room dividers on the balcony if each room requests it.

[parisbully]

The suite amenities are listed on Princess's website. Don't miss breakfast at Sabatini's, one of the specialty restaurants... free of charge for suite passengers. No, there is no special lounge for suite passengers.

 

We have a suite on our next cruise with Princess. Is there a special menu for breakfast at Sabatini's or is it the MDR menu?

[IECalCruiser]

We have a suite on our next cruise with Princess. Is there a special menu for breakfast at Sabatini's or is it the MDR menu?

There is a separate menu that is the same every day. There are items not available in the dining room that are quite good. There are also the standard breakfast items also.

[caribill]

Following photos are from another poster on Cruise Critic:

 

 

 

[parisbully]

caribill, thank you so much. That is just what I was hoping for....

[kluv2cruz]

we'll use that for PJs' date=' fluffies and diaries as well as shoes since my kids upper berths will be put away during the day. This also folds fairly flat and is very light-weight.

[/quote']

 

We asked to have the bunk left down during the day for the cruise and it was great - mind you we had a jr suite & the bunk was in a separate area over the sofabed but it meant our teen could lay in his bed instead of all over ours (which he did as well).