Princess Secrets 2014!!!

[islandatsea]

This has been mentioned before, but deserves repeating. The best Princess secret is the embarkation day lunch in one of the main dining rooms. We are just off the Island Princess, Panama Canal full transit.

 

After the hubbub of embarkation, it was a quiet respite to have lunch in the MDR. When we first arrived it seemed that they weren't serving. There was no one at the host stand, no people to be seen. But we walked further in and a host saw us and motioned us in. There were only a handful of folks eating, tucked back into a corner!

 

Good food, good service. Great start to a great cruise!

 

We agree, great way to start a cruise :).

[Swtmaryc]

Hi all..

 

We are booked in an aft Suite on the Crown (C748) to Alaska in early Sept. ... first time in a suite, first time on Princess, first time to Alaska ... and can't wait to enjoy all the amenities. My question is ...

 

Our daughter is sailing with us (paying the solo premium), and she booked the inside cabin directly next door to us. It would be lovely to have her be able to join us at Sabatini's for breakfast, or join us in the suite line for embarkation, join us for lunch on embarkation day, etc., etc.. Is this worth asking Princess in advance or am I just going to get a resounding "no"? Or if she just comes along, what are the chances of getting rebuffed? No out to "steal" perks, just want to have her with us.

 

All help appreciated.

 

Mary

 

Any advice is appreciated.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Swtmaryc

[janecambridge]

Having read other threads,I would say no,but it's worth a try.nothing to lose.

[Thrak]

Is it only the coffee card that is cheaper to pre-order? What about liquor by the bottle? Can you get this from room service at the same price?

 

Yes, I'm pretty sure the only thing that is a "deal" to pre-order is the coffee card. Liquor is the same price pre-ordered as purchasing it on the ship. Just be sure to note that the bottles are 375ml - not 750ml. Some people have failed to notice that and been disappointed when they saw what they had purchased.

[essgee_ca]

I just came back from the July 12-19th sailing of CB and had purchased the soda and more package. I think I got my money's worth. My tip has to do with good soda. Most of the bars and restaurants give you fountain pop. I found the diet Coke to have a strange chemical taste when it came from the fountain and because I didn't buy the ultimate drink package (the $50 a day package) they didn't offer drinks from a can. However I found a bar on CB that only serves soda from can - no fountain. They don't give you the can, but pour it from a can into your glass. This bar is located just next to the aft adult pool on deck 15 - behind Horizon Court. Worth the walk to get some good soda.

[mrell345]

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/gifts_services/cellars_culinarydelights/princess_cellars/index.jsp

 

It's at the bottom of the page, you pre-order it.

 

 

Just a note here, anything you pre-order on these forms is immediately charged to your credit card and not to you shipboard account on the first day.

 

At least this has been my experience. So if you pre-order 3 months in advance you pay now and not later.

[Kentchikan]

Hi all..

 

We are booked in an aft Suite on the Crown (C748) to Alaska in early Sept. ... first time in a suite, first time on Princess, first time to Alaska ... and can't wait to enjoy all the amenities. My question is ...

 

Our daughter is sailing with us (paying the solo premium), and she booked the inside cabin directly next door to us. It would be lovely to have her be able to join us at Sabatini's for breakfast, or join us in the suite line for embarkation, join us for lunch on embarkation day, etc., etc.. Is this worth asking Princess in advance or am I just going to get a resounding "no"? Or if she just comes along, what are the chances of getting rebuffed? No out to "steal" perks, just want to have her with us.

 

All help appreciated.

 

Mary

 

Any advice is appreciated.

 

She can board with you in the priority boarding line. Anyone can eat lunch int he dining room on sailing day. As to Sabatini's I think it would depend on the Head Waiter in charge at the time. On one of our cruises the Head Waiter let non suite people in but on another cruise they were barred. I think it's different if she's your daughter and certainly worth a try. Sabatini's breakfasts are a great perk. Try the special which is a poached egg over potatoes served with a superb Hollandaise sauce. Also as you walk in there is a display of different kinds of breads that they will slice for you. Plus you can order off the menu if you wish. Another great perk is the free dinner in Crown Grill or Sabatini's the first night but it might be trickier to get that perk for her. As to priority disembarkation that should be easy to get. We have traveled in a suite with friends not in one and the room steward gave us enough tender tickets so that they could have priority tendering as well. And finally ther should not be a problem with getting her into the Suite/Elite/Platinum lounge. Enjoy.

[OCruisers]

Mary .... Just take your daughter with you. If they are looking at cards, get your DH to show his. They'll know he has his wife & daughter with him. Seriously, doubt you'll have a problem whatsoever. :)

LuLu

[Calgon1]

One "secret" we have used a few times is the Bon Voyage Experience.

 

The Bon Voyage Experience (BVE) is a program giving passengers the opportunity to invite their friends and family aboard their ship on embarkation day to share the fun and excitement of sail-away day. There is a fee of $39 for each BVE. None for the Booked passenger. You have four hours to show-off their stateroom and the ship, including signature Princess innovations, plus savor a four-course lunch in one of the beautiful dining rooms with friends and family.

 

This is also an excellent opportunity for our travel agents to invite new clients to go onboard and experience the Princess difference first-hand prior to making a booking.

 

The $39 USD per person fee includes:

* priority embarkation,

* a guided ship tour,

* a souvenir photo and

* a four-course lunch (wine included) in one of the beautiful dining rooms.

* In addition, each participant will receive a $39 USD Future Cruise Credit to be used as a discount on their next Princess cruise. The booking must be made within 3 months of the Bon Voyage Experience.

 

Here's the kicker . . . BVE participants grt on the ship BEFORE the Platinum and Elite cruisers. i.e. - BVEs are THE FIRST onboard. This is because Princess wants to give them the opportunity to see each category of cabin, and that's pretty hard to do if all the passengers are already aboard. It's kind of neat to see the folks, who were bragging about their status, still standing in the line while we went on 30 minutes before they did! :eek:

 

There is no requirement for you, or even your BVE guests to attend the tour. What I do is let DW SunFlower and the BVEs head off on the tour, while I go to our cabin and drop our carry-ons. Then, I meet up with them in the reserved dining room for that lunch and the free wine. :cool:

 

So, if you have friends, family, or old classmates in your embarkation port, you might want to consider this. If you have more than one, you can "rent" them out to fellow cruisers. Last cruise, my DD and SiL came for the BVE. WE sponsored out DD and Sil was sponsored by another couple on our roll-call. (we paid for both of them, just allowed the other couple to share in the perk). ;)

 

Not offered on every ship, or every sailing. And, it's limited to 50 BVEs. First come, first served. Not available until 120 before sailing. Call Princess Customer Service to get this set up. 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

 

Edited July 21, 2014 by Calgon1

[IECalCruiser]

Hi all..

 

We are booked in an aft Suite on the Crown (C748) to Alaska in early Sept. ... first time in a suite, first time on Princess, first time to Alaska ... and can't wait to enjoy all the amenities. My question is ...

 

Our daughter is sailing with us (paying the solo premium), and she booked the inside cabin directly next door to us. It would be lovely to have her be able to join us at Sabatini's for breakfast, or join us in the suite line for embarkation, join us for lunch on embarkation day, etc., etc.. Is this worth asking Princess in advance or am I just going to get a resounding "no"? Or if she just comes along, what are the chances of getting rebuffed? No out to "steal" perks, just want to have her with us.

 

All help appreciated.

 

Marry

 

Any advice is appreciated.

Why don't you just have DD stay in your suite with you. The price of a third person in a suite is significantly less. I did a trial booking and a third person in a suite was 50% of the first two or $1,149 for a $2,299 suite. Inside with a single supplement was $997. Why not treat her the extra $152. We shared a suite with our 31 year DD on a 11 day Baltic cruise and had a great time! If you have a TA thy can confirm their prices. The only caveat is that there needs to be capacity in cabins that accommodate 3 people.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited July 21, 2014 by IECalCruiser

[Thrak]

One "secret" we have used a few times is the Bon Voyage Experience.

 

The Bon Voyage Experience (BVE) is a program giving passengers the opportunity to invite their friends and family aboard their ship on embarkation day to share the fun and excitement of sail-away day. There is a fee of $39 for each BVE. None for the Booked passenger. You have four hours to show-off their stateroom and the ship, including signature Princess innovations, plus savor a four-course lunch in one of the beautiful dining rooms with friends and family.

 

This is also an excellent opportunity for our travel agents to invite new clients to go onboard and experience the Princess difference first-hand prior to making a booking.

 

The $39 USD per person fee includes:

* priority embarkation,

* a guided ship tour,

* a souvenir photo and

* a four-course lunch (wine included) in one of the beautiful dining rooms.

* In addition, each participant will receive a $39 USD Future Cruise Credit to be used as a discount on their next Princess cruise. The booking must be made within 3 months of the Bon Voyage Experience.

 

Here's the kicker . . . BVE participants grt on the ship BEFORE the Platinum and Elite cruisers. i.e. - BVEs are THE FIRST onboard. This is because Princess wants to give them the opportunity to see each category of cabin, and that's pretty hard to do if all the passengers are already aboard. It's kind of neat to see the folks, who were bragging about their status, still standing in the line while we went on 30 minutes before they did! :eek:

 

There is no requirement for you, or even your BVE guests to attend the tour. What I do is let DW SunFlower and the BVEs head off on the tour, while I go to our cabin and drop our carry-ons. Then, I meet up with them in the reserved dining room for that lunch and the free wine. :cool:

 

So, if you have friends, family, or old classmates in your embarkation port, you might want to consider this. If you have more than one, you can "rent" them out to fellow cruisers. Last cruise, my DD and SiL came for the BVE. WE sponsored out DD and Sil was sponsored by another couple on our roll-call. (we paid for both of them, just allowed the other couple to share in the perk). ;)

 

Not offered on every ship, or every sailing. And, it's limited to 50 BVEs. First come, first served. Not available until 120 before sailing. Call Princess Customer Service to get this set up. 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

 

 

A few clarifications regarding the above info:

 

1. Any wedding party actually gets to board before the BVE people.

 

2, Only the BVE person gets the $39 credit for the next cruise. The booked passenger sponsoring the BVE doesn't get that credit.

 

3. The "free wine" is only for the BVE person. The booked passenger with the BVE person doesn't get free wine at lunch.

 

It's still an awesome thing to do. One of our sons drove us to SF for our last cruise and we paid for a BVE for him. We had his BVE booking linked to our booking so we all got early boarding.

 

We actually did a BVE on our own a while back as we had run out of FCC and you can only purchase those while onboard. We paid for the BVE for both of us, had our lunch (with wine), wandered around the ship, and bought more FCC. Of course we booked another cruise well within the time frame needed and the full $39 cost was applied to each of our accounts as OBC so it was free other than the drive to and from SF.

[pablo222]

One "secret" we have used a few times is the Bon Voyage Experience.

It's kind of neat to see the folks, who were bragging about their status, still standing in the line while we went on 30 minutes before they did!

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I would never feel special about having paid $39 to jump ahead

of someone else in line. I presume that if they cared to, they could

pay $39 and be right there with me.

 

Additionally, they will have the last laugh at 3:00pm, when you

have to disembark, and they remain onboard for an actual cruise.

[sminfiddle]

... It would be lovely to have her be able to join us at Sabatini's for breakfast, or join us in the suite line for embarkation, join us for lunch on embarkation day, etc., etc.. Not out to "steal" perks, just want to have her with us.

 

All help appreciated.

 

Mary

If she gets denied the Sabatini's breakfast (and this is the one perk where I think that may happen), here's how you could still eat breakfast together. If it's not too cold! ...

There are 4- or 6-top tables outside behind the Crown's Sabatini's and one of the "Princess Secrets" is that you can sit there to enjoy Horizon Court meals. You can ask to be served your Suite Breakfast there while your daughter makes her selections in the Horizon Court and walks aft, down one deck to join you.

 

Enjoy that aft suite. It's our favorite place to cruise.

Rick

[Thrak]

One "secret" we have used a few times is the Bon Voyage Experience.

 

It's kind of neat to see the folks, who were bragging about their status, still standing in the line while we went on 30 minutes before they did! :eek:

 

 

I would never feel special about having paid $39 to jump ahead

of someone else in line. I presume that if they cared to, they could

pay $39 and be right there with me.

 

Additionally, they will have the last laugh at 3:00pm, when you

have to disembark, and they remain onboard for an actual cruise.

 

I've boarded early for BVE twice and, while I didn't feel "special" for having paid, I did enjoy getting on early. Once we did the BVE specifically to buy more FCC as we had (less than cleverly) run out. The second time we were boarding as passengers but had early BVE boarding as we were treating one of our sons to the lunch, etc. as a "thank you" for driving us to SF and taking our car back home.

 

I think the person you were replying to felt that people who brag about how cool they are for being Elite are annoying and she enjoyed getting to board before them. Obviously there are truckloads of Elite members who aren't braggarts or obnoxious people but there are some and I "think" that's what the other person was referring to.

 

(Of course I may just be all wet on that as well. It certainly wouldn't be the first - or the last - time for me to be wrong!)

[Wehwalt]

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but at least some front desk will let you sign for quarters for the laundry machine, if you need to bleed down your OBC. Then late in the cruise bring them back and they will happily exchange them for foldable dough.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Wehwalt

[janetz]

I would never feel special about having paid $39 to jump ahead

of someone else in line. I presume that if they cared to, they could

pay $39 and be right there with me.

 

Additionally, they will have the last laugh at 3:00pm, when you

have to disembark, and they remain onboard for an actual cruise.

 

 

Who is feeling special? Do you feel special when you board? I could care less about when I get on a ship. Our daughter and her bf are driving us to Brooklyn in Oct, a 3 hour drive. I purchased the BVE for her to give her a nice break before driving another 3 hours back. Her bf has never been on a ship. I am excited to bring him on and I won't be laughing when they disembark. Its not all about getting to the front, but we will be heading right over to book the Enclave. ;)

Edited July 21, 2014 by janetz

[Calgon1]

. . . I think the person you were replying to felt that people who brag about how cool they are for being Elite are annoying and she enjoyed getting to board before them. Obviously there are truckloads of Elite members who aren't braggarts or obnoxious people but there are some and I "think" that's what the other person was referring to . . .

 

Thrak, you nailed it! However, If you join the BVEs at the luncheon, you get the free wine too. The escort brings the group in together and the wait staff is advisewd that they are BVEs.

And yes, the VAST majority of Platinum and Elites are very nice, unpretensious people. One of the reasons I like Princess. . .

Pablo, you kind of missed it. My DD and SiL had to get off. DW and I didn't.

 

 

 

The main point I wanted to make is: The BVE is a great Princess "secret" and one that almost anytone can take advantage of . . .

Edited July 21, 2014 by Calgon1

[Cruise Raider]

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but at least some front desk will let you sign for quarters for the laundry machine, if you need to bleed down your OBC. Then late in the cruise bring them back and they will happily exchange them for foldable dough.

 

You can also upload credits onto your card in the casino and cash out at any time. Leave a 75 cents balance a few times and there you will also be able to get your quarters from your OBC -- or dollars, whichever you prefer.

[Kentchikan]

If she gets denied the Sabatini's breakfast (and this is the one perk where I think that may happen), here's how you could still eat breakfast together. If it's not too cold! ...

There are 4- or 6-top tables outside behind the Crown's Sabatini's and one of the "Princess Secrets" is that you can sit there to enjoy Horizon Court meals. You can ask to be served your Suite Breakfast there while your daughter makes her selections in the Horizon Court and walks aft, down one deck to join you.

 

Enjoy that aft suite. It's our favorite place to cruise.

Rick

 

Another thought is that you can order from an extended menu in the suite so perhaps you could order breakfast for her and eat it in front of Sabatini's at one of the outside tables and ask them to serve you there too.

[lone_stranger]

Once we did the BVE specifically to buy more FCC as we had (less than cleverly) run out.

 

Okay, we are new to Princess. What is an FCC and why would you want one? :confused: I am assuming we are not talking about the Federal Communication Commission. :D

[Thrak]

Okay, we are new to Princess. What is an FCC and why would you want one? :confused: I am assuming we are not talking about the Federal Communication Commission. :D

 

FCC is Future Cruise Credit. You can ONLY purchase them while onboard. They cost $100 each and can be used as the full deposit for any future cruise instead of having to come up with the 20% or whatever the regular deposit is. They also give you OBC (On Board Credit) on the cruise you use them for. The amount depends on the length of the cruise. We have booked a 17 day Panama Canal transit and used our FCC to make the deposit. Consequently our entire deposit for this cruise is only the $200 we spent for the FCC and we are getting $250 ($125 each) in OBC for using the FCC. This is essentially completely free money for using the FCC. It's a great deal. :)

 

Since you are new to Princess you might also consider purchasing 100 shares of Carnival Corporation stock (CCL). Because I own 100 shares of stock I will also be getting another $250 OBC on the 17 day cruise (again, the amount depends on the length of cruise with $250 per stateroom being the max). The stock isn't expensive and it does also pay $25 dividends regularly but the OBC is really the reason I hold the stock.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Thrak

[Colo Cruiser]

Yeah! What he said!! :D

[lone_stranger]

Since you are new to Princess you might also consider purchasing 100 shares of Carnival Corporation stock (CCL). Because I own 100 shares of stock I will also be getting another $250 OBC on the 17 day cruise (again, the amount depends on the length of cruise with $250 per stateroom being the max). The stock isn't expensive and it does also pay $25 dividends regularly but the OBC is really the reason I hold the stock.

 

Thanks for the information. Although I am new to Princess, I am not new to CCL having sailed with both Carnival and HAL. I have obtained the OBC for my upcoming Panama Canal transit cruise. That is the only thing that makes the stock worth owning IMHO. The Future Cruise Credit is something that only Princess has though. It is a great deal. Sort of like giving Princess a loan and getting it back with fun instead of interest.

[Smokeyham]

If you use a CPAP machine, they will supply you with your distilled water if you ask in advance.

 

Do you have to ask before the cruise (i.e. on the cruise personalizer), or just ask once you get on board?

[CruiserBruce]

Thanks for the information. Although I am new to Princess, I am not new to CCL having sailed with both Carnival and HAL. I have obtained the OBC for my upcoming Panama Canal transit cruise. That is the only thing that makes the stock worth owning IMHO. The Future Cruise Credit is something that only Princess has though. It is a great deal. Sort of like giving Princess a loan and getting it back with fun instead of interest.

 

HAL has the FCD/FCC.