3 for Free Details - September 6 - November 19

[Italy52]

I am surprised they have to call Princess. Most of the time they can just re-fare it on their Princess system (POLAR). There are sometimes weird circumstances where they do - mine had to when I had a price reduction after I had made final payment and paid for air, it wouldn't let her do it with out calling.

 

The only time I have problems with the TA having to call the cruise line is when I am doing a B2B which I am in this case. Going on almost an hour now.

[Coral]

The only time I have problems with the TA having to call the cruise line is when I am doing a B2B which I am in this case. Going on almost an hour now.

 

Oh - probably because they are linked. My TA would not link them because of this. Got you. I hope you are not on for too long.

[Cindy]

My cabin on the Ruby for next August only went down $130/person. It’s not worth it to me to give up the Sip & Sail for such a small savings. S&S seems to be a much better value for our circumstances. The category upgrade doesn’t help me, because we are in the lowest category Mini-Suite and that’s what we want. To me, moving from a mini with a covered balcony to a mini with a completely open balcony is not an upgrade in Alaska!

 

Darn! I was hoping for a savings like I got for the British Isles earlier this summer. I saved well over a thousand dollars by switching promos. I’ll have to keep my eyes open...

 

 

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[Astro Flyer]

Glad that 3FF is beneficial for some people but for the first time in several years it doesn’t benefit us.

 

The cruise fare has increased by 20% since we booked & even with 3FF our net price would increase. Currently our category of cabin is only a guarantee but even if we were able to keep our assigned cabin we’d pay more for it. And paying over $1,000 more in cruise fare our trip insurance cost would also increase.

 

I can now see 3FF listed under Deals to more easily search for another cruise. Also seeing the banner when searching for eligible cruises.

[Aulanis]

I still want to know when the 3FF as per Us & Can is coming to the u

UK.

This was their last pitiful offering

With up to $200 per person shore excursion credit, you are free to venture to those inspiring places you’ve always dreamt of – the stunning Trafalgar Falls in Dominica to the hidden World War II tunnels beneath the Rock of Gibraltar.

FREE bottle of wine

Each Princess cruise is stocked with some of the finest wines from all over the world. Start your holiday off in style with a complimentary voucher valid for a bottle of red or white to enjoy as you set sail or keep hold of it to commemorate a special moment onboard.

FREE fine dining experience

With so many incredible dining experiences onboard, you won’t go hungry. As part of the 3 For Free campaign, you’ll receive allocated dining in one of Princess’ sumptuous speciality restaurants at no extra charge.

[jaycruising]

I just re-booked our June Alaska cruise on Ruby and saved $775 CDN, we gave up S&S and a specialty dinner, but we just won’t drink enough to cover that cost... will use that money for expensive excursions instead.

 

 

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[shepp]

Sigh. I already had two Japan cruises booked with nice OBCs included. When I checked with my TA, the fare has increased so much that I'd actually lose money by rebooking free-for-three. There was also a fare increase on my 2020 Antartica cruise, but by rebooking and burning off the higher fare with the free gratuities I netted a big $100 OBC per person. A lot of math for not much. Oh well.

[cruzrbachoua]

TA was able to get us the perks of free grats and obc...but for some reason princess is not giving us the lowest fare. We booked an interior mid ship mid decks....we always book this type of cabin......in the past we have always been given the lowest price of interiors during the 3FF......however this time princess has ALL interior cabins at the same price except for these select few in mid ship......***....looks like they also did it with balconies and mini-suites as well.......our overall pp price went up $4pp to get about $300 in perks so in the end worth it to us...but seems a bit shady on princess part to not honor the lowest price of interiors for all interiors

[bobby3334]

I haven’t had a chance to study the 6 cruises I have booked for the next18 months but a lot depends if you are a big drinker. I booked a # under sip and sail as a place holder. At suggestion of Princess agents I put 2 on hold and called them in US today and switched to the new promotion since I am in London for Royal TA

Departing on the 10th. In the long run I realize they are going to have to pay for the so far unsuccessful ***** retrofit some way and that some way will be higher prices to the customers. Mike

 

 

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[spyro1952]

Glad that 3FF is beneficial for some people but for the first time in several years it doesn’t benefit us.

 

The cruise fare has increased by 20% since we booked & even with 3FF our net price would increase. Currently our category of cabin is only a guarantee but even if we were able to keep our assigned cabin we’d pay more for it. And paying over $1,000 more in cruise fare our trip insurance cost would also increase.

 

I can now see 3FF listed under Deals to more easily search for another cruise. Also seeing the banner when searching for eligible cruises.

 

Same here. Prices on my booked cruises increased and my ta on the sky was booked with sns and that fare increased also and perks aren’t enough to cover $1450 drinks package

[Storm Monkey]

Noticed the three for free sale posted when i checked back at lunchtime. when i investigated cabins, most of the mini suites that were available this morning (ahead of the sale banner showing on the main page) are now booked! and this is for a cruise in April 2020!

[compozer]

Question:

Some of you are getting such great deals with this offer vs S&S. People are saying they are saving $600 - $750 plus OBC and more by switching from S&S to this promotion. Are you doing short cruises? One of mine is 29 days so our sip and sail promotion gives us a value of $2414 each for a total of $4828 value on drinks. There is no way we will drink that much, especially me. There is no way a cruise would go down that much.

What am I missing?

[Italy52]

I am surprised they have to call Princess. Most of the time they can just re-fare it on their Princess system (POLAR). There are sometimes weird circumstances where they do - mine had to when I had a price reduction after I had made final payment and paid for air, it wouldn't let her do it with out calling.

 

Coral, got my 3FF promo finally worked out --- only took about 2 hours. :eek: After hanging on for about an hour I left and TA called me back. TA said that she gave up on Princess and called back --- that time she only waited 20 minutes. Princess and TAs are going nuts with this new promo; said cabins are being heavily booked.

 

 

Asked my TA about POLAR and she said that their company doesn't use it as they have a different system -- they are a big box TA.

[shepp]

Tin the past we have always been given the lowest price of interiors during the 3FF......however this time princess has ALL interior cabins at the same price except for these select few in mid ship......***....looks like they also did it with balconies and mini-suites as well.......our overall pp price went up $4pp to get about $300 in perks so in the end worth it to us...but seems a bit shady on princess part to not honor the lowest price of interiors for all interiors

 

The "free upgrade" means that, by definition, all inside cabins will cost the same. (And, AFAIK, it's always been that way.) In your case, sounds like you wanted a cheaper location and now won't save on the fare by booking that rather than a mid-ship. Princess won't honor a fare from before the sale started. After the sale, will the price of lower inside categories - without the current bonuses - go back down or not? No one knows.

 

It's up to you to decide whether the grats and OBC make booking during 3-for-free worthwhile.

[Ombud]

Re my 2 booked cruises:

1. Booked while on Tasmania cruise & got free gratuities / $300 off air / room I wanted so maybe I'm ahead?

2. Got $175 OBC, on "upgrade list" - checking with Princess Cruise Planner to see if this is better but used FCD so if I lose that it'll be a toss up

it's only for cruises from June 2019 - May 2020 so no such luck. Looking for one in that date range

[cruzrbachoua]

The "free upgrade" means that, by definition, all inside cabins will cost the same. (And, AFAIK, it's always been that way.) In your case, sounds like you wanted a cheaper location and now won't save on the fare by booking that rather than a mid-ship. Princess won't honor a fare from before the sale started. After the sale, will the price of lower inside categories - without the current bonuses - go back down or not? No one knows.

 

It's up to you to decide whether the grats and OBC make booking during 3-for-free worthwhile.

 

No our mid ship cabin was always more than the other interiors before the sale and now it is still higher by $75pp. For our cruise all interiors are $678pp except the ones that are midship are being charged $753pp. I noticed it is also happening to the balconies...all balconies are one price except the ones midship are higher.

[Steelers36]

I re-did the math for our Baltic cruise next June and we can save $190 net-net if we drop from IA to IB, so going to check the deck plan and pick one and get swapped.

[Steelers36]

No our mid ship cabin was always more than the other interiors before the sale and now it is still higher by $75pp. For our cruise all interiors are $678pp except the ones that are midship are being charged $753pp. I noticed it is also happening to the balconies...all balconies are one price except the ones midship are higher.

 

I am not sure why this is confusing you. Princess indeed is showing one price from category "F" thru "B" (if all available). But the price shown is for the lowest available category. You are saving the upcharge per letter category. On our Baltic cruise for next June, all Interiors are priced $2269, but IA is $2394. This $125 difference or $25 per letter if you do the math - and that is exactly the variance by letter code that it was prior to 3FF. Every letter grade you go up from IF costs another $25, until you hit IA. But in 3FF, those bumps are waived - except for IA. Hope this helps clarify.

[ehogan]

Website seems to be on overload. Had to put our desired cabin on hold before it disappears and I will try a Princess TA to finish. I got most of the way through the booking but using a FCC seems to confuse it.

[famski740]

The sale states that all cabins are priced the same as the lowest cabin in that category except for Premium cabins in that category. The A cabins are being considered as premium due to location.

[cruzrbachoua]

I am not sure why this is confusing you. Princess indeed is showing one price from category "F" thru "B" (if all available). But the price shown is for the lowest available category. You are saving the upcharge per letter category. On our Baltic cruise for next June, all Interiors are priced $2269, but IA is $2394. This $125 difference or $25 per letter if you do the math - and that is exactly the variance by letter code that it was prior to 3FF. Every letter grade you go up from IF costs another $25, until you hit IA. But in 3FF, those bumps are waived - except for IA. Hope this helps clarify.

 

Its confusing me because as I stated we always book the same type of room and every time they have the 3FF sale we get the lowest price and ALL interiors are priced exactly the same...this is the first time I have had our room be a different price.

 

We were on the Regal and had this exact same cabin and when the 3FF came we got the price of the lowest cabin as every single interior from front to back was the same price no matter IA or IE etc....so this is odd that now on the Royal with the same room and same type of sale every interior is $678 except the cabins located mid ship and on mid decks 9-12....

[cruzrbachoua]

The sale states that all cabins are priced the same as the lowest cabin in that category except for Premium cabins in that category. The A cabins are being considered as premium.

 

Ok that makes a bit more sense but wish I had saved past fliers as to why now the "A" cabins are now premium when in the past they were not...

[brody013]

Thank you CCers for info re potential reduction in cruise fare and location of gratuity and OBC offers. As a result of your tips, we received not only a $960 price reduction for a window suite on a 17 nights Australian cruise in April, 2020; but also prepaid gratuities ($527 value) and $400 in OBC. The booking change did result in the loss of the premier beverage package and a reduction in TA provided OBC.

[mthomp5]

Question:

Some of you are getting such great deals with this offer vs S&S. People are saying they are saving $600 - $750 plus OBC and more by switching from S&S to this promotion. Are you doing short cruises? One of mine is 29 days so our sip and sail promotion gives us a value of $2414 each for a total of $4828 value on drinks. There is no way we will drink that much, especially me. There is no way a cruise would go down that much.

What am I missing?

 

I switched from SNS to 3FF today. It’s for a 7 day cruise. We switched because we just don’t drink enough to make SNS worth it. Even though the Premium Beverage Package Cost $400+ per person, we don’t value it as such. We typically get DH the soda and more package and myself the bottled water package.

 

By switching today, our fare for same cabin dropped by about $200 per person (including lower insurance), got $100 OBC per person, and prepaid gratuities (rounded to $100 per person). So that’s a reduction in net price to me of $400 per person or $800 for two.

 

If you think you’ll make use of the drink package, it might be useful for you on a long cruise, especially if it was something you were going to buy anyway.

[Steelers36]

Ok that makes a bit more sense but wish I had saved past fliers as to why now the "A" cabins are now premium when in the past they were not...

 

Well maybe it was that way at one time, but I can tell you that we booked under 3FF last year and "A" was excluded. I think it was year before too, but don't take my word for it. But last year 100% for sure "A" was excluded - IOW it cost more than B thru F.