Best Sale Ever Starts December 11th

[OC SeaPA]

Just now, capriccio said:

 

I noticed the "Cruises at capacity will be excluded" in the small print of the flyer but I interpreted that to mean for the entire ship not a cabin category.  If that is Princess' intention/interpretation they should have stated 'cabin categories (not cruises) or cruises and cabin categories at capacity will be excluded."

We are in an accessible cabin, and they upgraded as there were no accessible in the category we wanted.  now they say if we add on the best sale ever as an "upsell" it doubles our price!  I guess I'll just call back!  No go for me, and sooooo disappointed. 

[azbirdmom]

10 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

There aren't any cabins available in my category D4 but I was able to add it on.  The rate code I gave the rep to add drinks & grats is BEST2DG. I don't know the codes for the other options but they are a few pages back.

Call them again.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience.  It stinks that the folks at Princess are so inconsistent about what can and can't be done.  Hoping that this does get clarified, I know my TA has spent a ton of time on this for her clients today.

[Abercrombie2019]

2 hours ago, Storm Monkey said:

I see the ‘gifted’ soda package in our personalizer, but no reference yet to our drink packages even though the payments page does show our higher rate.

 

i will have to keep an eye on this.

Go to the "Boarding Pass & Travel Summary" in you Princess Personalizer.  If you print the travel summary it should show the drink package.  I had the same problem - couldn't see the drink package or wifi on the personalizer - but it shows up on the travel summary.

 

(Oops, should have read ahead, you already solved your problem)

Edited December 11, 2019 by Abercrombie2019

[Storm Monkey]

11 minutes ago, Abercrombie2019 said:

Go to the "Boarding Pass & Travel Summary" in you Princess Personalizer.  If you print the travel summary it should show the drink package.  I had the same problem - couldn't see the drink package or wifi on the personalizer - but it shows up on the travel summary.

 

(Oops, should have read ahead, you already solved your problem)

no worries! I see a few others have also been looking to find their add-ons noted when they log into their personalizer. It doesn’t seem to be intuitive that the print travel summary is where you need to look as other things you have purchased or other perks you have received are under the other section tabs. I know I originally didn’t look there as we don’t need our boarding pass yet. 

[lstone19]

2 hours ago, lstone19 said:

 

With more research, it appears to not be showing up for ALL Ruby Princess cruises in 2021 that are open for sale even though they're all on the list at https://book.princess.com/pdf/onesource/pc/sales_marketing/PC_BestSaleEver2020OSVoyageList.pdf

 

And now they're there.

[Renmar]

With this promotion we put a courtesy hold on a cabin we liked as soon as this sale opened up. Now we like our TA (we like her) to book it for us (did not contacted her yet). Can she just contact Princess and cancel our hold or do we have to do that and if we have to cancel how is that done? Any info is much appreciated.

 

Theo

[Tedferg]

18 minutes ago, Renmar said:

With this promotion we put a courtesy hold on a cabin we liked as soon as this sale opened up. Now we like our TA (we like her) to book it for us (did not contacted her yet). Can she just contact Princess and cancel our hold or do we have to do that and if we have to cancel how is that done? Any info is much appreciated.

 

Theo

I believe she can just confirm the Hold booking you have. Pretty sure we did this but it was a long time ago so don't remember too well.

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

 

Go to Check In > Print Travel Summary > Print Travel Summary again > Special Services.

Thanks, I alway forget how to find that Summary, all my add ons are shown. Must admit my heart skipped a beat when I saw PBP at $707, but then I realized that all perks both new and prior are shown with cost value 🙂

 

[Andrew J. Cat]

36 minutes ago, Storm Monkey said:

no worries! I see a few others have also been looking to find their add-ons noted when they log into their personalizer. It doesn’t seem to be intuitive that the print travel summary is where you need to look as other things you have purchased or other perks you have received are under the other section tabs. I know I originally didn’t look there as we don’t need our boarding pass yet. 

Thanks both of you for this info!  I was having an anxiety attack trying to find confirmation of this.  I had just re-fared two bookings and started to get worried that there was no confirmation of the add ons.  Cheers!

[pompeii]

Have we been able to determine if this promo is combinable with the casino discount?  Several posts back (couldn't find it just now)  seemed to say yes, but historically promos with drinks packages didn't combine with the casino discount.  Before I spend a bunch of time on the phone with Princess I wondered if anyone with a casino discount was successful in adding it.

[map03020]

I was bummed to find out that this doesn't apply to cruises sailing in February.  This would have earned my booking otherwise. 

 

[ghstudio]

This is perhaps one of the most confusing rollouts or a new option.  The "add on" to an existing booking part isn't even announced "officially" but seems to be active.  Agents have no clue what is going on....I was told that it's only for cruises that start after May (from one of the largest TA companies).  It's not at all clear what you lose if you do the add-on, for example, do you lose the on-board booking credit? stockholder credit? Call princess and get three different answers from two people....call your TA and you get a different answer.  Is it available as an add on if your cabin class is sold out....yes, no depending on who you ask.

 

I'm going to sit back for a few days and wait for the dust to clear and perhaps some sanity.  We are booked for an April cruise, so plenty of time....of course, that is if there isn't some capacity control in place.  

[sun&sea]

22 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

This is perhaps one of the most confusing rollouts or a new option.  The "add on" to an existing booking part isn't even announced "officially" but seems to be active.  Agents have no clue what is going on....I was told that it's only for cruises that start after May (from one of the largest TA companies).  It's not at all clear what you lose if you do the add-on, for example, do you lose the on-board booking credit? stockholder credit? Call princess and get three different answers from two people....call your TA and you get a different answer.  Is it available as an add on if your cabin class is sold out....yes, no depending on who you ask.

 

I'm going to sit back for a few days and wait for the dust to clear and perhaps some sanity.  We are booked for an April cruise, so plenty of time....of course, that is if there isn't some capacity control in place.  

In all my cruises, I have never seen such madness!! The first few reps I spoke with were like talking to someone on another planet. The last one was wonderful! She was appalled that the reps did not know about add-ons. She said training had been going on for some time!! 

I am happy my bookings have been resolved. However, I feel sorry for all the people who got so much misinformation today. This should not have happened. Don't give up!! Try again until someone will listen.

 

Janet

[MTNestr]

Could I use this promotion to get a glass of wine/drink with my meal in the dining room?

[EDDY0827]

4 hours ago, EDDY0827 said:

I have a 3 day repo cruise, Vancouver to SF on hold w/TA for 4/30/20. For us, this is a casino rate cruise with a balcony for $299 pp. minus 25%. Today with the "sale", the price is $619. More than doubled.

If I didn't have this one on hold, I wouldn't be a player in this game. I have an appt. with my TA in an hour and we shall see what kind of a deal we come up with.

Just back from the T/A. I found out that the casino rate cruises can NOT be combined with this sale. The best option for me was to take the casino offer with a discount of 25% and casino cash. It is a 3 day repo so grats are no biggie, and for 1 day at sea, we don't need internet and we don't drink more than 1-2 alcohol drinks per day.

Oh well, it would have been nice!

[OC SeaPA]

Just now, sun&sea said:

In all my cruises, I have never seen such madness!! The first few reps I spoke with were like talking to someone on another planet. The last one was wonderful! She was appalled that the reps did not know about add-ons. She said training had been going on for some time!! 

I am happy my bookings have been resolved. However, I feel sorry for all the people who got so much misinformation today. This should not have happened. Don't give up!! Try again until someone will listen.

 

Janet

Agreed- keep trying until you get someone who knows what is going on.  First rep waanted to double our price! I asked for a supervisor, then got cut off when on hold.  Called back- the second knew what I wanted, but apparently the code wouldn't take, so transferred to a supervisor.  Another wait, but supervisor was great, got promo, didn't touch anything else on our original booking. 

 

She said she would call first rep and get her straightened out as to the promo. 

 

But it does really refare it, so if a lower price comes along you will probably loose this perk. I'm good to go- got balcony cabin through Panama Canal (15 days), air, gratuities, and beverage package for$135pp/pd-plus $360 OBC! 

[capriccio]

5 minutes ago, MTNestr said:

Could I use this promotion to get a glass of wine/drink with my meal in the dining room?

 

The premium beverage package - a perk of the sale or as an add-on to an qualifying cruise you've already booked - includes up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day from all of the dining rooms and bars but not from room service.  It also includes unlimited non-alcoholic drinks (mocktails, specialty coffees and teas, bottled water, soda, etc.).

 

The Premier Beverage Package

Terms & Conditions 2019

What is Included

• The package includes all beer, spirits, wine by the glass and cocktails $12.00 USD and under as listed on our menu(s), or $16.00 AUD and under for voyages departing from and returning to Australia and New Zealand.
• The package includes all bottled water (500ml only), fountain sodas, fresh juices (if available), specialty coffees and teas, Gong Cha items, Frappés at Coffee & Cones, milk shakes (if available) and Red Bull energy drinks.
• The package provides a 25% discount on the following excluded items: all bottles of wine, one liter bottles of water, canned soda and bottled juices.
• The package may be used on our private islands, all food and beverage venues, and other areas such as the theater or public spaces that offer beverage service. Selections and service are limited to each venue’s menu offerings and operating hours.
• If dining at a specialty dining venue, a large bottle of water (one liter) of still or sparkling is covered by the package.

[Lorabelle]

6 hours ago, Torfamm said:

I just called and was told we are not eligible for the  Gratuities and Beverage Package add on because we had a casino discount applied to our Cyber Sale fare.  Anyone else have any experience with not being able to do an add-on to an existing booking?

 

Refaring is not going to save us anything on the cruise we have booked for December, 2020

I have the same situation.  We can refare to the new sale and lose the perks we had with our old booking, but we cannot add on the extras either due to booking with a casino promotion.  So, we would stand to lose our shipboard credit, our specialty dining, the wine (which we don't drink and would gift to someone onboard anyway).  Plus with our casino promotion, we get free beverages while playing in the casino anyway.  Would be nice to have free beverages throughout the ship, though, and for times when the casino is closed.  

 

Now, we need to sit down and crunch some facts and figures to see whether we should stay with our original Cyber Event package, or change over to the new one.  

[Ken the cruiser]

When we called our TA this morning, she didn't have a clue either about the various facets of this new promotion. But why should she, cruise lines are coming out with new promotions all of the time. I can't expect her to be on top of every one when they first come out.

 

So we gave her a verbal heads up and sent her some of the more definitive Princess Travel Center links posted on this great thread along with what we would like done to each of our 6 applicable bookings! Hopefully she will be successful in her adventure with Princess to make the changes. Time will tell ...

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, pompeii said:

Have we been able to determine if this promo is combinable with the casino discount?  Several posts back (couldn't find it just now)  seemed to say yes, but historically promos with drinks packages didn't combine with the casino discount.  Before I spend a bunch of time on the phone with Princess I wondered if anyone with a casino discount was successful in adding it.

 

51 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

Just back from the T/A. I found out that the casino rate cruises can NOT be combined with this sale. The best option for me was to take the casino offer with a discount of 25% and casino cash. It is a 3 day repo so grats are no biggie, and for 1 day at sea, we don't need internet and we don't drink more than 1-2 alcohol drinks per day.

Oh well, it would have been nice!

 

6 minutes ago, Lorabelle said:

I have the same situation.  We can refare to the new sale and lose the perks we had with our old booking, but we cannot add on the extras either due to booking with a casino promotion.  So, we would stand to lose our shipboard credit, our specialty dining, the wine (which we don't drink and would gift to someone onboard anyway).  Plus with our casino promotion, we get free beverages while playing in the casino anyway.  Would be nice to have free beverages throughout the ship, though, and for times when the casino is closed.  

 

Now, we need to sit down and crunch some facts and figures to see whether we should stay with our original Cyber Event package, or change over to the new one.  

 

The fine print at the bottom of the first page of this document that is still out on the Princess website makes it clear that this promo IS combinable with casino discounts.  https://book.princess.com/pdf/onesource/pc/sales_marketing/PC_BestSaleEver_TA_Flyer_R3_jq-updated.pdf

 

I am wondering how long it will take for all of the conflicting info to be clarified but this is as poor of a roll out as I've ever seen from Princess.

[CineGraphic]

Just tried to add drinks and wifi to a sailing we originally booked under the "3 For Free", but could not, because we were already getting the casino rate.

[MamaFej]

I just want to thank the OP, Daniel, and anyone else who posted helpful links to travel agent information. I copied and sent along information to my TA friend several days ago. He responded with, "Thanks for doing my research for me, I hadn't gotten around to learning this one yet."with a big ol' "Lol."

 

Today, he was on top of it before I even had a chance to remind him. 

 

To those who have benefitted, congratulations. To those who haven't, better luck next time (and we all know there will be a next time, accompanied by plenty of confusion). To those still dealing with less-than-helpful-or-knowledgable phone reps, keep fighting the good fight!

 

When we first started cruising a few years ago, I had no idea I'd be constantly monitoring sales, doing the math, re-doing the math, re-doing the re-done math, and making lists and checking them twice more than Santa does, but when I'm on a cruise relaxing, it all seems worthwhile.

[Lorabelle]

1 hour ago, pompeii said:

Have we been able to determine if this promo is combinable with the casino discount?  Several posts back (couldn't find it just now)  seemed to say yes, but historically promos with drinks packages didn't combine with the casino discount.  Before I spend a bunch of time on the phone with Princess I wondered if anyone with a casino discount was successful in adding it.

 

My TA tried to do the add ons for us as we are sailing with the Cyber Sale and also casino discount/promotion.  It was a no-go.  Our only option is to refare, which will increase the cost of our trip.  However, we are still crunching our own habits and the costs to see if it's worth the extra fare to gain some perks, but lose others. 

[Lorabelle]

14 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

 

 

The fine print at the bottom of the first page of this document that is still out on the Princess website makes it clear that this promo IS combinable with casino discounts.  https://book.princess.com/pdf/onesource/pc/sales_marketing/PC_BestSaleEver_TA_Flyer_R3_jq-updated.pdf

 

I am wondering how long it will take for all of the conflicting info to be clarified but this is as poor of a roll out as I've ever seen from Princess.

 

As it was explained to me by my TA, (if they got correct info from Princess. That's debatable!), is that the sale IS combinable with a casino discount, just as the original sale we booked under.  (The Cyber Sale).  What is NOT allowed is to do the add-ons with the casino discounts.  So, we can refare our cruise to the Best. Sale. Ever. and still use our casino discount and the perks that come along with it.  But we will lose our Cyber Sale perks.  We cannot keep the Cyber Sale perks and apply just the add ons because we have the casino promotion.  

[azbirdmom]

Just now, Lorabelle said:

 

As it was explained to me by my TA, (if they got correct info from Princess. That's debatable!), is that the sale IS combinable with a casino discount, just as the original sale we booked under.  (The Cyber Sale).  What is NOT allowed is to do the add-ons with the casino discounts.  So, we can refare our cruise to the Best. Sale. Ever. and still use our casino discount and the perks that come along with it.  But we will lose our Cyber Sale perks.  We cannot keep the Cyber Sale perks and apply just the add ons because we have the casino promotion.  

 

That makes no sense.  If you outright booked a new cruise today, you would get the casino discount on the entire fare into which the cost of the perks are embedded.  So why would you you not be able to add the buy-up only at 100% of the quoted fare?  Doesn't Princess wind up ahead?  I guess I should stop applying logic to this situation....