Princess Cruise Secrets 2017

[geoherb]

thanks for the replies Mingus & TimTrek!

I have Elite status and our upcoming Alaska booking includes the AI beverage package, so the mini bar is not really necessary. we love our espresso, so the coffee card was on our "to buy" list anyways!

The beverage package includes specialty coffee drinks, so you won't need the coffee cards for this cruise. You can always save them to use on future cruises when you don't have the beverage package.

[madmacs]

What do you mean above in red? I'd call Princess UK to get the answer you need.

Took me eight weeks to get my IBC back. Couldn't talk to folks at Southampton, I was given an email address. Eventually a chequer came by post.

[upwarduk]

Took me eight weeks to get my IBC back. Couldn't talk to folks at Southampton, I was given an email address. Eventually a chequer came by post.

 

Thank you.

[boca7]

A query for anyone who has had OBC refunded.

We are owed money and my final bill says that this is refunded in 4-6 weeks after disembarkation. We disembarked 27.05.17. So tomorrow ( Saturday 08.07.17 ) it will be 6 weeks ago.

So far nothing, either to my Credit Card ( as per Celebrity) or by cheque as indicated by Princess.

 

I have emailed Princess in U.K ( sent Wednesday 05.07.17)) but am still waiting for a reply.

 

Question

Where is the cheque sent from - will it be Southampton where Princess UK have an office, or America?

If I don't get a cheque tomorrow or a reply to my e mail, I will be phoning on Monday. I will leave it until then as I am sure Accounts don't work at the weekend.

My one suitcase was destroyed on leaving the ship this past winter & it took a very long time to get a check, they claim the refunds go thru a different process now. They obviously don`t care.

[Vineyard View]

Would you please clarify FCC? I know I buy it onboard only, that is is $100 that acts as a deposit on a future cruise within 2 years.....but what is the benefit to me in doing that? And then if I don't book a cruise within 2 years, is it refundable or lost money? Thank you

[Cruise Starter]

Regarding Future Cruise Credit

I think you pay only $100 deposit using your future cruise credit to book your cruise rather than the regular deposit, which is usually higher. Also you get on board credit, the amount is based on the length of cruise you book, increasing with longer cruises. We have received $100 US in on board credit for cruises we have booked using the future cruise credit to book.

 

 

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[Pierlesscruisers]

Would you please clarify FCC? I know I buy it onboard only, that is is $100 that acts as a deposit on a future cruise within 2 years.....but what is the benefit to me in doing that? And then if I don't book a cruise within 2 years, is it refundable or lost money? Thank you

 

$25 OBC or more is your benefit depending on the length of your cruise I believe, and if you don't book a cruise within the 2 years, it is returned to you.

 

Tom

[Vineyard View]

Thank you. Sure sounds like a nothing to loose deal!!

[upwarduk]

Took me eight weeks to get my OBC back. Couldn't talk to folks at Southampton, I was given an email address. Eventually a chequer came by post.

 

I did talk to a very helpful lady at customer services, ' who understood my frustration, especially as I had e mailed last Wednesday.'

She has to request a copy of our final account from America. When she had that, she can issue a sterling cheque, which she thinks I should have by the middle of next week.

She said the refund is automatic for U.S citizens due to the currency being the same.

[aqua2]

Great! Always nice to get free money!

 

 

Tom

Thanks a BUNCH from me, too. We are on a 15-day Panama Canal cruise this fall, and just got the $250 OBC for my husband's veteran status. We have cruised with Princess before, but I never knew about this benefit.

[Pierlesscruisers]

Thanks a BUNCH from me, too. We are on a 15-day Panama Canal cruise this fall, and just got the $250 OBC for my husband's veteran status. We have cruised with Princess before, but I never knew about this benefit.

 

My wife and I are both retired military so we both are eligible for the veterans' benefit. We were lucky enough to have a healthy amount of OBC on our Panama Canal cruise from FL to CA this past March and just barely got into our veterans' benefit which made for a nice check a couple of weeks after the cruise ended since the vet's benny is also refundable!

 

Tom

[upwarduk]

Just to add to post #161, our OBC cheque arrived today-7weeks after disembarkation.

[Gretchendz]

Wowie Zowie! That is good to hear. I love the appetizer portion in the Parmesan bowl!

 

Last Princess cruise, we overheard the Italian family next to us asking for the fettuccine as a side dish. We followed suit and now we do it every meal in the MDR. It's terrific! Ask, even if not on the menu :) Don't care about the parmesan bowl :)

 

Thanks to all the great tips on this thread. We'll be buying stock, replacing mini bar with coffee cards and getting cheese and fruit plates :) Thank you all.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Gretchendz

[Bababooey Land]

On our cruise that just ended. They offered $3 shots of house bourbon. House vodka. Kamikaze drink. Came in a FREE princess shot glass that had several different colors. I ordered a shot or two of bourbon with a glass of ice. And I had a nice drink for 3 or 6 bucks. This was an unadvertised special. Not sure if on every ship or for how long it will be offered.

 

 

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[upwarduk]

On our cruise that just ended. They offered $3 shots of house bourbon. House vodka. Kamikaze drink. Came in a FREE princess shot glass that had several different colors. I ordered a shot or two of bourbon with a glass of ice. And I had a nice drink for 3 or 6 bucks. This was an unadvertised special. Not sure if on every ship or for how long it will be offered.

 

 

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We had it on 2 nd Formal night on Crown in May.

The glasses were green and red.

We were told the 'liquid' helped digestion.

Edited July 16, 2017 by upwarduk

[Bababooey Land]

We had it on 2 nd Formal night on Crown in May.

The glasses were green and red.

We were told the 'liquid' helped digestion.

 

 

 

"Liquid" definitely helped me sleep. Ha

 

We were able to get these drinks in the dining rooms all nights also worked in crown grill. Glasses came in about 4 or 5 different colors, if you ask your waiter for a specific color, they are able to get it. They had clear, blue, amber, red and green I believe.

Also, if you get 6-8 glasses, Ask for a box. They have them so you can pack them away securely.

 

 

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[pablo222]

On our cruise that just ended. They offered $3 shots of house bourbon. House vodka. Kamikaze drink. Came in a FREE princess shot glass that had several different colors. I ordered a shot or two of bourbon with a glass of ice. And I had a nice drink for 3 or 6 bucks. This was an unadvertised special. Not sure if on every ship or for how long it will be offered.

 

If it were something that could be counted on ... you could certainly balance a few $3 shots against

the beverage package. (where a few = 18)

 

The problem with princess is that they are consistently inconsistent. You just don't know what you can

count on for an upcoming cruise.

[calimn]

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[Pierlesscruisers]

Certainly can't argue with what you said in that post, calimn!

 

Tom

[paintlady]

ummm - this is an amazing tip! Thank you for this!

How do you do that? Just let your stateroom steward know? Or is it done in advance?

We always exchange the mini-bar for water bottles when we first get into our cabin .... just let Room service know you want to exchange.

[Todd320]

I've done it both with the form and without the form. It makes absolutely no difference. If you don't use the form just make sure your name, voyage number, booking number, etc. are clearly listed on the info you fax to Princess. Sadly (at least in the US) you can't email the info.

 

Make sure your stock holdings are clearly identified as belonging to you and that the info you submit is no more than 90 days old. If you submit it farther out than 90 days before you cruise it won't be accepted.

 

I submitted last week my Carnival stock to Princess for all my cruises (5) through March 2018 and have received credit for them. The 90 day thing must just be a suggestion.

[jcruizer]

It depends as I usually do it early but I was knocked back the last time as too early and told to wait till 90 days out.

 

 

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[floridalover5623]

I submitted last week my Carnival stock to Princess for all my cruises (5) through March 2018 and have received credit for them. The 90 day thing must just be a suggestion.

Unless they've changed lately it's always been 90 days.

They returned mine because it a month to early one time.

[JoRoy218]

Would someone please talk food!, not money - what are some of the "don't miss" menu items. I am first time Princess cruiser and I know there will always be choices on the menu - would love to know what old timers look forward to when back on board.

 

And did I read somewhere that on the Alaskan cruisers the grill near the pool may have some "unadvertised" specials like crab cakes? That would be good to know!

 

Same here -- prime rib first night in MDR; creme brûlée (on menu every night in MDR), the filet of course (order slightly less done than you prefer and it should be perfect -- they tend to overlook the red meat). I also enjoy the cold soups. And yes, the goat cheese soufflé is wonderful! And my personal opinion, am pretty picky about my crab cakes, those were nothing to brag about, way too much breading and very bland.

[Todd320]

Unless they've changed lately it's always been 90 days.

They returned mine because it a month to early one time.

 

I guess I was lucky. I had seen another post that said they were able to do them well beyond 90 days.