Advantages to booking b2b2b or 1 long cruise

[sawtooth]

We are looking at a 33 day cruise from Sydney to Tokyo. It can also be booked in 3 different segments, a 7 day, a 12 day and a 14 day.

At this point we can secure the same cabin for all 3 cruises. The price differential is $140. We each have 1 future cruise credit.

If we book as 1 cruise we only have to put down the $100 deposit.

If we book as 3 segments do we need to place a deposit on each one? (that becomes a much larger financial commitment) but I believe we would get OBC of $100pp for each segment instead of just 1 $100 OBCpp for the entire cruise (from the TA).

Thoughts?

[Pam in CA]

There are pluses and minuses to booking as one cruise vs. Booking as separate cruises. It's cheaper to book as one but you would probably get less OBC. Don't forget that if eligible, you can apply for military and stockholder OBC which can add up to a significant amount of OBC.

 

If you book as one booking, you'll receive only one cruise credit rather than a cruise credit for each cruise. You'll have to go to the Captain's Circle Host to get your three cruise credits.

[paul929207]

Also, if you have at least 20 prior cruises on Princess, figure in the Loyalty OBC. One award or three depending on how you book.

[sawtooth]

Pam in Ca

So even if we did book as 1 cruise we can see the Captain Circle rep and they will credit us for 3? Am I understanding you correctly?

Also, how much OBC does one get for being a shareholder? Do you have to buy a minimum # of shares?

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

If you book as one booking, you'll receive only one cruise credit rather than a cruise credit for each cruise. You'll have to go to the Captain's Circle Host to get your three cruise credits.

 

I was told on a CB cruise last Sept that it has now become automatic & there's no need to request it any longer. So far it has held true but I check each time to make sure. (not that we need the cruise count increase at this point).

[skynight]

We are looking at a 33 day cruise from Sydney to Tokyo. It can also be booked in 3 different segments, a 7 day, a 12 day and a 14 day.

At this point we can secure the same cabin for all 3 cruises. The price differential is $140. We each have 1 future cruise credit.

If we book as 1 cruise we only have to put down the $100 deposit.

If we book as 3 segments do we need to place a deposit on each one? (that becomes a much larger financial commitment) but I believe we would get OBC of $100pp for each segment instead of just 1 $100 OBCpp for the entire cruise (from the TA).

Thoughts?

You must do your homework on this. Adding together all the fares and subtracting out all the OBC's., and taking into account non-refundable deposits if applicable. Usually when you book as separate cruises if the price on one changes you can get without disturbing the other segments.

 

Regarding the FCC if you book as a single cruise and each use your FCC to book you each will receive $125 OBC for an inside or outside cabin or $150 for a balcony or suite, plus you will receive any other OBC's that may be part of the booking promo. If you book as three separate cruises you can use your FCC for only one, presumably either the 12 day or the 14 day as these will provide you with the highest OBC amounts. Unless there is a special promo you will have to pay the full deposit for the other segments and you will not receive any OBC as you did for using the FCC. It may be possible to book as two, take a look there could be an advantage.

[hokiefans]

Pam in Ca

So even if we did book as 1 cruise we can see the Captain Circle rep and they will credit us for 3? Am I understanding you correctly?

Also, how much OBC does one get for being a shareholder? Do you have to buy a minimum # of shares?

 

Sawtooth,

 

I am not Pam in CA but here are the answers to your shareholder questions...

 

You need to own at least 100 CCL shares in advance of your cruise to be able to apply for Shareholder Benefit (your application must be made at least 14 days prior to cruise departure). The amount of OBC (onboard credit) you get depends on the length of your cruise.

 

6 days or less - $50 OBC

7 to 13 days - $100 OBC

14 days or longer - $250 OBC

 

So, if you booked in the three segments, you would get $100 for the 7 day, $100 for the 12 day, and $250 for the 14 day, for a total of $450 in OBC. However, if you booked as a single 33 day cruise, you would get $250 in OBC. Since I do not have military service, I am not sure how the military credit works, but it may be the same way.

 

You didn't mention how many times you have previously cruised with Princess but if you are at the Platinum loyalty level (50 days or 5 cruises), you would also be entitled for Captain's Circle Membership benefits, such as a number of free internet minutes.

 

Best of luck!

[paul929207]

Pam in Ca

So even if we did book as 1 cruise we can see the Captain Circle rep and they will credit us for 3? Am I understanding you correctly?

Also, how much OBC does one get for being a shareholder? Do you have to buy a minimum # of shares?

Yes, you can get the three cruise credits even if you book the cruise as one long cruise. I have done it a number of times.

 

As to the shareholder OBC, you must own at least 100 shares of Carnival Corporation. If the cruise is 1 to 6 days, the OBC is $50, 7 to 13 days it is $100. 14 or more days it is $250. One OBC award per cabin. The Military OBC is the same amount, but awarded to each veteran.

[fishywood]

I'm curious about one thing--would your travel agent actually give you triple their incentive if you booked as three cruises rather than one, even though that means extra work for them?

 

Since the deposit amount is a concern (I gather you don't have three FCC each in the bank) I would press your TA for the best offer they can give for booking as one. As others have said the Circle host will make sure you get three cruise credits, three invites to Captain's Circle parties, internet credit all three segments plus whichever other onboard benefits you are entitled to.

[paul929207]

I'm curious about one thing--would your travel agent actually give you triple their incentive if you booked as three cruises rather than one, even though that means extra work for them?

 

Since the deposit amount is a concern (I gather you don't have three FCC each in the bank) I would press your TA for the best offer they can give for booking as one. As others have said the Circle host will make sure you get three cruise credits, three invites to Captain's Circle parties, internet credit all three segments plus whichever other onboard benefits you are entitled to.

I would think you would get about the same amount from your TA whether you book the trip as one or three cruises.

[Pam in CA]

Hokiefans has answered your question. :)

 

While Princess is my preferred cruise line and I've taken many Princess cruises, I never assume anything. Even if the OBC is listed in my Personalizer. Too many times, I've boarded the ship to find that confirmed credits weren't posted to my folio and a few times, I've had to present my documentation to prove I'm due the OBC. Including FCC and shareholder OBC. So I now always bring a copy of my fax for the shareholder OBC as well as confirmations for anything else.

[AE_Collector]

If you book as one booking, you'll receive only one cruise credit rather than a cruise credit for each cruise. You'll have to go to the Captain's Circle Host to get your three cruise credits.

 

As others have said, this is no longer the case. From the time we booked our two 7 day B2B's (as a single 14 day) on Ruby in December it was showing in the personalizer as pending at 2 credits. And it remained that way afterwards showing in the total as well 2 credits.

 

One other item to factor into the math of determining which way to book it is the port fees and taxes. We have booked three cruises as combined "logical" cruises now and each time the fees and taxes were a little lower than they would have been if booked as individual cruises.

 

If you are Platinum or higher you get some free internet time which varies with the length of the cruise as well so you may want to consider that as well.

 

Now you see why it is good to keep more than one FCC each as well. We are now up to 6 each as we are booking more and more cruises since I retired.

 

Terry

Edited December 31, 2014 by AE_Collector

[VibeGuy]

The Internet always seems to be allotted per "smallest sellable voyage", in my experience.

[sawtooth]

So if I am understanding correctly, we would get new internet minutes for each segments of the cruise? And, if we did not use all of them on one segment, they would roll over to the next?

After much thought and conversation we will stay with the one cruise. Our reasoning is primarily due to the cost of the deposit that is required to book 2 segments of the three since we only have 1 FCC each.

We are cruising in January so will probably buy more FCC and we may look at the numbers again when we get back.

Thanks for all your advice.

[paul929207]

So if I am understanding correctly, we would get new internet minutes for each segments of the cruise? And, if we did not use all of them on one segment, they would roll over to the next?

After much thought and conversation we will stay with the one cruise. Our reasoning is primarily due to the cost of the deposit that is required to book 2 segments of the three since we only have 1 FCC each.

We are cruising in January so will probably buy more FCC and we may look at the numbers again when we get back.

Thanks for all your advice.

We have always been able to carry over unused internet minutes to the second segment whether we booked as one cruise or two.

[beg3yrs]

So if I am understanding correctly, we would get new internet minutes for each segments of the cruise? And, if we did not use all of them on one segment, they would roll over to the next?

After much thought and conversation we will stay with the one cruise. Our reasoning is primarily due to the cost of the deposit that is required to book 2 segments of the three since we only have 1 FCC each.

We are cruising in January so will probably buy more FCC and we may look at the numbers again when we get back.

Thanks for all your advice.

 

Sounds like a good plan. Booking the long version for now will keep the same cabin available for the whole journey if once you've acquired the extra FCC, you find booking the segments as separate cruises works better.