Princess Secrets they Don't Tell You - 2013 version

[caribill]

I read somewhere on cc - that once an item has been served in a dinning room you can order that item anytime later on that cruise.

 

Not true - I just got off the Sa on June 15th and they would not give me anything that was not on the menu for that day. I tried twice - once in

Savoy and once in Santa Fe.

 

If you ask your headwaiter or Matre'd 24 hours in advance, they can usually arrange a special dish for you if the ingredients are available.

 

Again, only if requested in advance and not from your waiter or assistant waiter.

 

And it does not have to be an item that has been served yet.

[baldercash]

To use the free email option, you must either know or have with you the email addresses. You will not have access to your electronic address book.

 

You need the address info to send written postcards as well.............

If you have them on your phone, tablet, laptop, written on a sheet of paper or memorized you have free emails off the ship.

 

We travel with an 11" Mac AirBook.

 

Saves you on your ships internet minutes. I think you are limited to about 200 words per Post card email.

Last trip 12 days on the Emerald I did not bother with a wifi package, when I hit a port I downloaded all my emails at a free wifi hot spot on shore.

Didn't waste time reading my emails until I was back on the ship and would reply with post cards when I had dead time on the ship.

 

If you have Google mail you can use it to call land and mobile numbers for free ( better then SKYPE ) anywhere in North America.

You need a fast wifi service but we did it from Med ports this spring on our TA.

Did a free 25 minute call from Rome to Toronto and one to LA.

 

Bring a laptop to TV connector cable and you can watch movies on your cabin TV ( by pass the horror of endless repeat shows and interrupted movies) .

Or work on slide shows of your travel pictures. ( I bring HDMI and RCA cables.)

 

This stuff you can do on any cruise line, but postcard emails I have only found on Princess.

Edited June 23, 2013 by baldercash

[caribill]

Just read / scanned 322 post and pretty thin on secrets!

Seems military discounts, the stock option OBC and the fact you can get a bath robe if you ask or that the food at the intentional cafe is free was all that is to be gleaned from all these post?

None are what I would call secrets.

 

They may not be "secrets", but not everybody knows them. Every few weeks there is a post by someone saying "I never went to the IC because I did not know it was free until the end of the cruise." Likewise, many people have learned about the military and stock OBCs after their cruises from reading Cruise Critic posts.

 

You can use the computers outside the cruise booking office to send free emails.

You access the Post card option and you can send free picture post cards of Princess ships and travel scenes to all your friends, family and work colleagues.

Send as many and as often as you want.

 

If the postcard option is still available, it can be used on any of the Internet Cafe computers or even on your own laptop. Just select the free options for Princess related sites.

 

See above in red

[Astro Flyer]

I read somewhere on cc - that once an item has been served in a dinning room you can order that item anytime later on that cruise.

 

Not true - I just got off the Sa on June 15th and they would not give me anything that was not on the menu for that day. I tried twice - once in

Savoy and once in Santa Fe.

 

If you ask your headwaiter or Matre'd 24 hours in advance, they can usually arrange a special dish for you if the ingredients are available.

 

Again, only if requested in advance and not from your waiter or assistant waiter.

 

And it does not have to be an item that has been served yet.

The menu changes late last year had eliminated the Eggplant Parmesan appetizer but we were able to order it another night. They're not going to immediately change their galley preparation when something not on the menu is requested so it does need to be requested in advance.

 

Fortunately they've changed the menus to offer Eggplant Parmesan again without having to make a special request.

[baldercash]

.They may not be "secrets", but not everybody knows them. Every few weeks there is a post by someone saying "I never went to the IC because I did not know it was free until the end of the cruise.

 

I am always amazed by this, there are posts on here and on the Celebrity site that you have to pay at the Boca cafe for similar food as well.

 

.Likewise, many people have learned about the military after their cruises from reading Cruise Critic posts..

 

The TA they are using should ask this, as well as senior or teacher discount, if they don't get a new TA!

I think most sites even if you book yourself on line ask this.

I agree the Stock Option is less known and not asked.

 

.If the postcard option is still available, it can be used on any of the Internet Cafe computers or even on your own laptop. Just select the free options for Princess related sites...

 

Something new, I did not know I could log in on my lap top to the on board wifi even to the free Princess site without a wifi package or wasting my minutes but have never tried.

 

I stumbled upon the POST CARD feature while waiting to see the booking agent.

[OCruisers]

I stumbled upon the POST CARD feature while waiting to see the booking agent.

 

There was also note in The Patter about the Post Card feature ... but I never tried it.

DH doesn't like for me to even get close to a computer while we're cruising.

We have a deal. I don't use computers or check stock market quotes and he doesn't watch TV in our cabin! :D

 

LuLu

~~~~

[PurpleHays]

 

This stuff you can do on any cruise line, but postcard emails I have only found on Princess.

 

We sent postcards from the Allure of the Seas, so it's not only Princess.

[Holomoku]

 

If you have Google mail you can use it to call land and mobile numbers for free ( better then SKYPE ) anywhere in North America.

You need a fast wifi service but we did it from Med ports this spring on our TA.

Did a free 25 minute call from Rome to Toronto and one to LA.

 

Ahoy baldercash,

I have Google mail but can't find anything on the website about this. Great Secret though, how does one log into this on Gmail?

We don't remember any computers outside of the Cruise Sales office on any of the ships we have been on, but then maybe we just did not pay attention to it.:o

[NSWP]

I love the adventure before dementia quote.

Thank you, yes I reckon 'Adventure before Dementia' is applicable to many of us cruisers ! We were in SF last year for 8 nights, stayed at Marines Memorial Club Hotel, had a wonderful time, seeing the City and outside, Napa, Muir Woods, Monterey, Carmel etc. Loved San Francisco.

[loliola]

On our panama canal cruise we asked the waiter whether we might be able to get escargot at some point during the trip... he replied that they were going to be on the menu two nights later. The following evening, he brought 4 orders to our table upon our arrival. The expression on my parents' faces (who have never eaten snails) was priceless...they had no choice but to try them...and of course they loved them!

[Kentchikan]

Ahoy baldercash,

We don't remember any computers outside of the Cruise Sales office on any of the ships we have been on, but then maybe we just did not pay attention to it.

 

I don't remember there being computers outside the sales office either but you send free electronic post cards from the internet cafe or from your room if you have a laptop with you.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Kentskie

[Kentchikan]

:confused:Duplicate post...sorry. I swear sometimes I can't get them to upload at all and now this.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Kentskie

[Kentchikan]

Oops I've been duped again.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Kentskie

[Kentchikan]

On our panama canal cruise we asked the waiter whether we might be able to get escargot at some point during the trip... he replied that they were going to be on the menu two nights later. The following evening, he brought 4 orders to our table upon our arrival. The expression on my parents' faces (who have never eaten snails) was priceless...they had no choice but to try them...and of course they loved them!

 

I'm never sure whether I like the Escargot or the garlic butter. :confused:

P.S. I have friends in New Hampshire a beautiful place.

[Kentchikan]

Thank you, yes I reckon 'Adventure before Dementia' is applicable to many of us cruisers ! We were in SF last year for 8 nights, stayed at Marines Memorial Club Hotel, had a wonderful time, seeing the City and outside, Napa, Muir Woods, Monterey, Carmel etc. Loved San Francisco.

 

I've been to the Marines Memorial many times. Very nice place. You hit good spots.

[caribill]

We don't remember any computers outside of the Cruise Sales office on any of the ships we have been on, but then maybe we just did not pay attention to it.:o

 

I don't remember there being computers outside the sales office either.

 

Below is a picture from the Crown Princess from several years ago. I do not know if these computers still exist.

[Kentchikan]

Below is a picture from the Crown Princess from several years ago. I do not know if these computers still exist.

 

Thanks for the pix. I've not been on the "new" ships. The newest I've been on are the Star and the Golden. The oldest was the Carla in the 70's. We don't usually get the newer ships out of S.F.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Kentskie

[Astro Flyer]

Below is a picture from the Crown Princess from several years ago. I do not know if these computers still exist.

They were still there on the Crown at the end of last year.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Astro Flyer

[IECalCruiser]

Below is a picture from the Crown Princess from several years ago. I do not know if these computers still exist.

The same arrangement was on the Emerald two weeks ago.

[missdenise]

If you ask your headwaiter or Matre'd 24 hours in advance, they can usually arrange a special dish for you if the ingredients are available.

 

Again, only if requested in advance and not from your waiter or assistant waiter.

 

And it does not have to be an item that has been served yet.

 

Thanks for information.. I guess I didn't make myself clear in my statement/question.

 

I did not want or request a special dish.

 

Escargot was served one evening. The next night and the following night I asked for it as an appetizer again. I was told both nights that I could not have it since it was not on the menu. I also asked if the ox-tail wagon wheel pasta could be served again and was also told, No as it was not on the menu.

My point was that I never would have thought to ask for these items had I not read it on cc. I wish I could find that post again but it is prolly somewhere within the HUGE secrets thread that has been closed.

All I know is that it stated once an item has been served from the menu it is available later anytime on the ship and it was not on my cruise.

 

I did not want anyone else thinking as I did - oh, if I do not get something tonight I can always get it another evening and be disappointed.

[chamima]

Originally Posted by caribill View Post

If you ask your headwaiter or Matre'd 24 hours in advance, they can usually arrange a special dish for you if the ingredients are available.

 

Again, only if requested in advance and not from your waiter or assistant waiter.

 

And it does not have to be an item that has been served yet.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for information.. I guess I didn't make myself clear in my statement/question.

 

I did not want or request a special dish.

 

Escargot was served one evening. The next night and the following night I asked for it as an appetizer again. I was told both nights that I could not have it since it was not on the menu. I also asked if the ox-tail wagon wheel pasta could be served again and was also told, No as it was not on the menu.

My point was that I never would have thought to ask for these items had I not read it on cc. I wish I could find that post again but it is prolly somewhere within the HUGE secrets thread that has been closed.

All I know is that it stated once an item has been served from the menu it is available later anytime on the ship and it was not on my cruise.

 

I did not want anyone else thinking as I did - oh, if I do not get something tonight I can always get it another evening and be disappointed.

 

Did you ask the Maitre D'?

I'm only asking you because my husband is a vegan and I'm a vegetarian. We've been on about 25 Princess cruises and usually speak to the Maitre D' (or Headwaiter for our dining room, NOT our waiter!) every evening to order something for the next evening's dinner.

It's never been a problem and I've often remarked that the care taken on a cruise ship far surpasses any service we've received even in 5 star resorts!

[missdenise]

Did you ask the Maitre D'?

I'm only asking you because my husband is a vegan and I'm a vegetarian. We've been on about 25 Princess cruises and usually speak to the Maitre D' (or Headwaiter for our dining room, NOT our waiter!) every evening to order something for the next evening's dinner.

It's never been a problem and I've often remarked that the care taken on a cruise ship far surpasses any service we've received even in 5 star resorts!

 

 

The first evening I asked the head waiter, the second evening I asked the Matre'd.

I did not ask 24 hours in advance as the op did not say it was necessary.

 

My point is, if anyone else read the same post that I did, I would not want them disappointed. I am not complaining about the service and not saying that you would have an issue getting your vegan meals.

 

I could not get escargot a second night contrary to what this person got on the Coral Princess.

 

The OP: We were on the Coral Princess last April and yes, they serve escargot in the MDR. A Princess secret is that once something has been on the menu you can order it even if it is not on the menu that particular night- last April we had escargot almost every night of a 15 day cruise- we told the waiter the night before so that he would be ready.

[baldercash]

 

If you have Google mail you can use it to call land and mobile numbers for free ( better then SKYPE ) anywhere in North America.

You need a fast wifi service but we did it from Med ports this spring on our TA.

Did a free 25 minute call from Rome to Toronto and one to LA.

 

Ahoy baldercash,

I have Google mail but can't find anything on the website about this. Great Secret though, how does one log into this on Gmail?

We don't remember any computers outside of the Cruise Sales office on any of the ships we have been on, but then maybe we just did not pay attention to it.:o

 

Here is the link. Easy to install. You click and the feature appears in your Gmail.

 

http://www.google.com/chat/voice/#utm_campaign=en_US&utm_medium=homepage&utm_source=en_US-gizmo5

 

When using put the country icon to USA, my daughter has been traveling extensively and uses it to call us from Asia for free.

I was using a VPN as I live in Canada and many US internet Video & TV functions like Hulu are blocked to us.

The VPN gives us access https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network allows you to watch Netflix for instance from anywhere in the world.

She is not using a VPN.

Edited June 24, 2013 by baldercash

[chamima]

The first evening I asked the head waiter, the second evening I asked the Matre'd.

I did not ask 24 hours in advance as the op did not say it was necessary.

 

My point is, if anyone else read the same post that I did, I would not want them disappointed. I am not complaining about the service and not saying that you would have an issue getting your vegan meals.

 

I could not get escargot a second night contrary to what this person got on the Coral Princess.

 

The OP: We were on the Coral Princess last April and yes, they serve escargot in the MDR. A Princess secret is that once something has been on the menu you can order it even if it is not on the menu that particular night- last April we had escargot almost every night of a 15 day cruise- we told the waiter the night before so that he would be ready.

 

 

It's easy to miss details that turn out to be essential when reading posts.

It's too bad the people you asked didn't offer to make your requests for a future evening.

As far as Escargot, I know that last year there was a HUGE shortage and it was a big deal to be able to get it at all so maybe they had used up their share for that cruise.

[baldercash]

Below is a picture from the Crown Princess from several years ago. I do not know if these computers still exist.

 

They had that same set up on Emerald last fall so I assume they are still there on them all.

Edited June 24, 2013 by baldercash