Princess Secrets they Don't Tell You - 2013 version

[Mimosa09]

No.

 

Your cruise was in 2009 before they started the free soft-serve and eliminated the buffet ice cream hour.

 

:-( Oh well, it's calories I don't need. Soft-serve is NOT real ice cream to me.

 

-Rose

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Suzy6666]

Hi All,

I am new to this so be gentle.

My husband and I will be travelling on the golden princess in December for 31 days, I have heard that Princess offers a silver and gold wine package but when I emailed Princess my reply was that Princess does not and have never offered a wine package, so does anyone know who is dreaming?:)

[summerrain60]

The cost for the chef table is $100 but it is well worth it. Don't eat all day as you will need the room. I have done this twice. The secret to getting and invite is to go to the purse's desk as soon as you get on the ship,( before going to your room) and ask for the number you need to call for the chef's table and then call it from the purse's desk. I have been lucky to get to the table some people have been trying for several cruises before getting and invite.

[IECalCruiser]

The cost for the chef table is $100 but it is well worth it. Don't eat all day as you will need the room. I have done this twice. The secret to getting and invite is to go to the purse's desk as soon as you get on the ship,( before going to your room) and ask for the number you need to call for the chef's table and then call it from the purse's desk. I have been lucky to get to the table some people have been trying for several cruises before getting and invite.

The Chef's Table is currently $95/person except on the Royal (and presumably Regal) where the cost is $115/person.

[kb4683]

Hi All,

I am new to this so be gentle.

My husband and I will be travelling on the golden princess in December for 31 days, I have heard that Princess offers a silver and gold wine package but when I emailed Princess my reply was that Princess does not and have never offered a wine package, so does anyone know who is dreaming?:)

 

Hi Suzy6666 and welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

The following link will explain the wine package. We also experienced it in March/April of this year on the Star. http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=38600281&postcount=105

 

This link is to the Princess wine list as it was in March of this year http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1814677

 

We are looking forward to taking advantage of this offer again in December when we sail with you on the Golden 31 nighted around South America. :) Welcome to our roll call, too!

 

Kay

[jbmom2120]

You best get on it. I see you have three cruises in the next 6 months. If they are all less than 7 days, that will get you $150 OBC or about a 4% return. If they are all 14 days or longer they you get $750 or a 20% return.

 

Throw in the dividends and it is a great return

Thank you so much for your information on the stock. :) We just bought 100 shares today from my 401K. We are going to look into purchasing another 100 shares under my DH's name to get credit when we book a second cabin to take the DS & DD along.

 

On a different note, we will be arriving in Fort Lauderdale at 5:30am on the day the ship departs. (In the past, we have always arrived a day early.) Do you know how early we can arrive at the port? If we purchase the transfers thru Princess, will they pick us up at 5:30am & what will they do with us for the morning?

 

One more question, is there a list on Cruise Critic that describes what all the abbreviations that different people use mean? I have figured out several of them, just would like to be accurately decipher them all. ;) I have not figured out JMHO yet.

 

I really appreciate the knowledge that everyone shares here. Thank you all so much.

 

Karen

[canadarocks]

I have not figured out JMHO yet. Karen

 

Just My Humble Opinion :)

[Mimosa09]

One more question, is there a list on Cruise Critic that describes what all the abbreviations that different people use mean? I have figured out several of them, just would like to be accurately decipher them all. ;) I have not figured out JMHO yet.

 

I really appreciate the knowledge that everyone shares here. Thank you all so much.

 

Karen

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_reading_posting#faq_acronyms

 

Karen - try this link. It should take you to a page of acronyms & what they mean here on CC.

 

-Rose

[jbmom2120]

Just My Humble Opinion :)

LOL, thank you! :p

[jbmom2120]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_reading_posting#faq_acronyms

 

Karen - try this link. It should take you to a page of acronyms & what they mean here on CC.

 

-Rose

 

Thank you Rose!! I tried to find it earlier, but must have been in the wrong place. :confused: I need to get to know the site better. Could spend 24 hours a day and not get to it all.

 

I appreciate your help.

[Cruisin Oma]

 

One more question, is there a list on Cruise Critic that describes what all the abbreviations that different people use mean? I have figured out several of them, just would like to be accurately decipher them all. ;) I have not figured out JMHO yet.

 

I really appreciate the knowledge that everyone shares here. Thank you all so much.

 

Karen

 

I don't know about a list, I'd say you could always Google it, but can help you with JMHO, I think it stands for Just My Honest Opinion.

[JanaJohn]

:-( Oh well, it's calories I don't need. Soft-serve is NOT real ice cream to me.

While I love the price for soft-serve (FREE) on ship I don't want the extra calories that come with it. If I'm going to get the calories I'd rather pay my $1.50 and get some gelato at the International Cafe. At home if I get the taste for ice cream I go to a local place and get their premium ice cream. I can't remember the last time I had soft-serve.

[operabob1]

Late to the party on this question but I'll add my 2 cents (well 0 cents as in Canada we got rid of the penny and must round up or down now).

 

I'm from BC and bought my CCL through my discount broker. If you don't have a broker another way to go is:

 

http://www.directinvesting.com/securefiles/static/DRIP_enrollment_order_s.cfm?c=1807&s=&z=#cart

 

This is the brokerage arm for MoneyPaper magazine. While US brokers are closed to Canadians you can still set up a direct purchase plan through this company as they do not hold your shares in account. All account set up fees should be covered by what DirectInvesting charges you (they do all the work but expect them to be slow).

 

DI used to allow you to purchase up to 100 shares but recent policy changes restrict it to 1 share now. You would then purchase the other 99 shares directly from Carnival through their transfer agent Computershare.

 

Banking issues are that DI will accept a Canadian bank $US cheque or Money order but after that CS only accepts cheques from US banks.

 

All sounds a bit involved but there are people here who will help you with the process:

 

http://dripinvesting.org/Boards/Boards.asp

 

Press "end" to get past the old data base. It's an enthusiast's site. No junk or spam will come your way.

 

Carnival has a tendency to trade between $20 - $60. Currently it's around $36 (I bought mine at $30). If you believe the US economy is really going to recover then CCL should spike (nothing beats rich Americans travelling).

 

As an aside, I don't know if they've established a shareholder's benefits program yet but NCL might be worth investigating. They recently went public and as they are the 3rd largest line by a fair margin the investment community is looking at them as a growth company. I have not looked at their share price lately so do your diligence rather than go on my say-so.

 

Another tip:

 

Get a coffee card at the specialty bar in the atrium. Specialty coffees ar half what you'd pay at Starbuck's and you get unlimited fresh ground coffee which is a heck of a lot better than the syrup based coffee they serve in the restaurants.

[operabob1]

Another tip (if not covered already):

 

Many of the lines are starting to become more restrictive on what counts towards your passenger levels: bronze, silver, gold, etc.

 

Princess is still going by number of trips.

 

You can really boost your level fast by taking 1, 2, 3 or 4 day trips. In fact this year it was possible to combine a 1 + 3 + 4 = 8 day trip from Seattle to Vancouver to LA to Catalina to LA for about the same price as an 8 - 10 day regular trip as they are all repositioning.

 

This counted as 3 trips and it wasn't much more to upgrade to a mini suite making it count as 6 trips.

 

Only thing is Vancouver to LA is a coastal which can have heavier seas than a Caribbean cruise (mind you the Gravol made it fine for us and I get sea sick easily).

[operabob1]

One additional OBC from Princess is the Loyalty. It starts when you are on your 21st Princess cruise. Amounts are:

 

21st thru 31st = $25

32nd thru 41st = $50

42nd thru 51st = $75

52st thru 1,000,000 = $100

 

Amount is per cabin based on the person with the highest number of cruises in the cabin

 

Can't recall 4 sure but doesn't the $100 down payment on board towards your next cruise get you $25 OBC as well?

[operabob1]

OK, don't laugh, but here's my question. The answer may be different from everyone, but WHAT does gelato taste like? Does it have a LOT of calories in it like regular ice cream? Someone mentioned the Nutella flavor, and I love that.:)

 

You haven't ridden a motorcycle until you've ridden a Harley!

 

You haven't had gelato until you go to Firenze!

[caribill]

Can't recall 4 sure but doesn't the $100 down payment on board towards your next cruise get you $25 OBC as well?

 

The Loyalty benefit is not connected in any way to the onboard booking or use of an FCC.

 

The onboard booking/FCC will get you from $15 to $150 depending on the length of the cruise and the type of cabin booked.

[caribill]

This counted as 3 trips and it wasn't much more to upgrade to a mini suite making it count as 6 trips.

 

 

Being in a mini-suite would still just get you credit for three cruises.

 

You need to be in a full suite to make it count as six cruises.

[operabob1]

Thanks Car,

[myjillian]

Thank you so much for your information on the stock. :) We just bought 100 shares today from my 401K. We are going to look into purchasing another 100 shares under my DH's name to get credit when we book a second cabin to take the DS & DD along.

 

On a different note, we will be arriving in Fort Lauderdale at 5:30am on the day the ship departs. (In the past, we have always arrived a day early.) Do you know how early we can arrive at the port? If we purchase the transfers thru Princess, will they pick us up at 5:30am & what will they do with us for the morning?

 

One more question, is there a list on Cruise Critic that describes what all the abbreviations that different people use mean? I have figured out several of them, just would like to be accurately decipher them all. ;) I have not figured out JMHO yet.

 

I really appreciate the knowledge that everyone shares here. Thank you all so much.

 

Karen

In the past , when we arrived in Ft. lauderdale with transfers we had to wait until everyone else with transfers arrived.....but I don't remember ever arriving so early.

[myjillian]

You haven't ridden a motorcycle until you've ridden a Harley!

 

You haven't had gelato until you go to Firenze!

You havn't had gelato until you go to Venice...then you are spoiled for life;)

[Cruise Starter]

[quote=operabob1;39815063

 

Another tip:

 

Get a coffee card at the specialty bar in the atrium. Specialty coffees ar half what you'd pay at Starbuck's and you get unlimited fresh ground coffee which is a heck of a lot better than the syrup based coffee they serve in the restaurants.

 

Regardiing the coffee card, we were told on a 14 day cruise that we could get the free brewed coffee for the full 14 day cruise when we purchased the card (we were on a 14 day return Alaska cruise that could also be booked as two 7 days) but once the second seven days started they told us at the coffee shop that it is company policy that they only give the free brewed on a coffee card purchased on each leg. We had booked the cruise as a 14 day, not two sevens.

 

It is much better coffee than is served elsewhere on the ship. I take along a good quality coffee cup sized thermos and get brewed coffee in the morning.

 

As an aside, the Captains Circle representative was able to break the cruise into two to give us two cruise credits toward our next loyalty level rather than just one as we would have received otherwise. This matters if you take shorter cruises and would get to he next level faster than by using the number of days cruised to get to the next loyalty level.

[operabob1]

In the past I arrived around 11:00 am and walked straight on.

 

This last time they put us in a holding barn and after an hour called us by colour code.

[operabob1]

As an aside, the Captains Circle representative was able to break the cruise into two to give us two cruise credits toward our next loyalty level rather than just one as we would have received otherwise. This matters if you take shorter cruises and would get to he next level faster than by using the number of days cruised to get to the next loyalty level.

__________________

 

Wonder if they'd do that on a 10 day cruise as 7 + 3. Can't hurt to ask.

 

PS: Has anyone mentioned the duty free trick with B2B or are we not talking about it?

[canadarocks]

Has anyone mentioned the duty free trick with B2B or are we not talking about it?

 

I would love to know what this is please! :cool: