3 For Free?

[PrincessLuver]

Princess is running a promotion now called "3 For Free." It is for free cabin upgrades, gratuities and a speciality dining promotion.

 

I am a little confused by the "free gratuities" offer.

 

First of all I always pay the gratuities but isn't it my choice anyway? Secondly, how does this impact the employees if a ship is full of passengers who got the "free gratuity" offer. Does Princess pay the gratuity for you?

 

It seems like a sneaky sales strategy to me which really is not costing Princess anything.

 

Is my thinking correct on this?

[cheeseclan]

Princess is paying the gratuities for you! you can always give someone extra if you choose to do so.

[Steelers36]

 

It seems like a sneaky sales strategy to me which really is not costing Princess anything.

 

Is my thinking correct on this?

 

I disagree. A couple in a cabin save at least $23/day and it does cost Princess as they have to contribute to the tip pool.

[PrincessLuver]

I disagree. A couple in a cabin save at least $23/day and it does cost Princess as they have to contribute to the tip pool.

 

So then Princess does pickup the cost.....I was unaware of that. :)

[Native Floridian 26]

This is an awesome promotion - extra cash for passengers if Princess if paying the tips. That's assuming the price of the cruise isn't inflated that much higher to cover it.

[caribill]

This is an awesome promotion - extra cash for passengers if Princess if paying the tips. That's assuming the price of the cruise isn't inflated that much higher to cover it.

 

This is offered so that Princess does not have to discount the price of the cruise.

 

By offering the free gratuities while keeping the normal pricing, it is the equivalent of having a discounted price for the cruise.

 

If the price of the cruise did go up, it is because of supply and demand, not because of the promotion.

[OCruisers]

Princess is paying your "auto tip" which is a very good savings.

Since we always have dinner in a specialty restaurant at least twice each sailing, having one for free works for us. :)

 

LuLu

[mmckm]

Nothing is free. Promotions most times are a way of making it look free or there trying to fill spots that are hard to sell. Looking at 3 for free and some other similar cruises that don't qualify, I don't see any big savings in most promotions they have.

[biker1972]

I booked a cruise prior to the "3 for free" promotion. When the promotion started I checked pricing and found that the balcony cabins on the cruise had increased $600 or more than enough to pay tips and a specialty dining cover charge. Since pricing was the same for all balcony cabins, the third benefit was pure fluff from Princess.

[JF - retired RRT]

I booked a cruise prior to the "3 for free" promotion. When the promotion started I checked pricing and found that the balcony cabins on the cruise had increased $600 or more than enough to pay tips and a specialty dining cover charge. Since pricing was the same for all balcony cabins, the third benefit was pure fluff from Princess.

I was booked on a Hawaii cruise and when the 3 for free started it cost an extra $39pp for the promotion. It was a no brainer.;)

[sunsetbeachgal]

We had the free gratuities included on our last Princess cruise...matter of fact on that promo the free gratuities only applied to balcony or higher, so the difference to upgrade became negligible...my stepdaughter just booked a cruise under the current promo and she booked an inside and it applied.

 

We always tip the auto-gratuity then most times extra cash to cabin steward. I love the promo, but for me whether the promo is free gratuity or extra OBC, it really doesn't matter.

Edited September 26, 2015 by sunsetbeachgal

[VTX-AL]

I booked a cruise prior to the "3 for free" promotion. When the promotion started I checked pricing and found that the balcony cabins on the cruise had increased $600 or more than enough to pay tips and a specialty dining cover charge. Since pricing was the same for all balcony cabins, the third benefit was pure fluff from Princess.

 

We didn't see that effect at all ! Booked an April '17 21 day Fll -Panama - Vancouver in June in an MA (highest cost) mini. By taking advantage of the 3 for free the cost of the MA mini dropped to the cheapest mini class , free paid gratuities save us over $700 (CDN $) and two free specialty restaurant meals (which we would have done anyway) all add up to a savings of over $1300.00. Well worth it in my opinion.

 

...VTX-Al