Best Sale Ever Starts December 11th

[Daniel A]

2 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

 

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.

I'd hold off for a few days and then try again.  I would specifically ask the TA to actually either call Princess or follow the instructions on the Retro Guidelines PDF Sheet and directly enter the appropriate offer code.  It just sounds to me that the bulk of the confusion and inconsistencies is coming from TAs who are shooting from the hip instead of actually trying to use to offer codes to do add ons to existing bookings.  Some of the confusion is probably coming from PAX requesting refares instead of requesting adding the coupon code to an existing booking.

[idahospud]

7 minutes ago, 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.  

Based on bookings I’ve done today, that appears to be correct. New bookings under the sale can combine with casino rates. Add-ones aren’t combining with casino rate.

[Lorabelle]

3 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

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....

 

I totally agree with you!  They stood to get an additional $60 per day from us for a 14 day cruise by allowing us to do the add-ons.  With our casino perks, we are already getting free drinks while playing in the casino, so the only drinks they would be forking out extra would be other cocktails/coffees we may have around the ship.  Honestly, I had to think long and hard as to whether it would even be worth the upgrade because of the fact some of our beverages are already comped.  But we decided it would be nice to have, so we were going to do the upgrade.  Now I need to re-crunch numbers to see if we want to pay the additional fare to refare the trip, as the rate has gone up if we change over to this sale.  Plus we will lose some shipboard credit and a few other things.

[Networker]

I did the math and ends up for us about an extra $35 day pp for this promotion.  For $35 per day I’m in for the drinks.  I really don’t care about the internet but will be nice on an Alaskan cruise.  Waiting to hear if her math shows the same thing.   Just realizEd  it doesn’t include the shipboard credit.  That’s $200.  If that’s the case it isn’t worth it.  

Edited December 11, 2019 by Networker

[BeantownLady]

I am also booked with a casino offer.  Just got off the phone with my Princess Vacation Planner - who is always super helpful and knowledgeable.

She tried to add the gratuities and drink package but had issues.  She had to call me back and explained that we could add the new offers, but would loose our casino offer and pricing - which does not work to our benefit.

That being said, I will keep and eye on this thread, and if anyone on the casino offer is successful with the add-ons, I will be on the phone again!!  

[pathi]

We were able to take advantage of this today. We used the add on code best2dw. This added the drink pkg and the unlimited wifi. We already had free grats.

 

And my travel agent even threw in a plate of chocolate strawberries. 🙂

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by pathi

[Thrak]

Checked our B2B2B next November/December for Australia/New Zealand. We already have the Sip and Sail and Gratuities plus OBC from the TA.  The pricing for this sale would cost us $528 more for the 3 cruises and we would, of course, lose the extra $950 (AUD) OBC from the TA. The total "loss" would be $1,478. All we would "gain" would be the Internet package and we will just use our 650 minutes each instead. While this obviously won't work for our booked cruises it seem it will be great for a lot of other folks. I didn't think this would benefit us but I appreciate the heads up so I could at least check to be sure. I would have absolutely LOVED this offer if it had been earlier and I could have had it for the two cruises we just finished.

[azbirdmom]

51 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I'd hold off for a few days and then try again.  I would specifically ask the TA to actually either call Princess or follow the instructions on the Retro Guidelines PDF Sheet and directly enter the appropriate offer code.  It just sounds to me that the bulk of the confusion and inconsistencies is coming from TAs who are shooting from the hip instead of actually trying to use to offer codes to do add ons to existing bookings.  Some of the confusion is probably coming from PAX requesting refares instead of requesting adding the coupon code to an existing booking.

 

Probably a good plan to wait.  I know that my TA followed the instructions to a T, I honestly think that this is such a new deal for Princess that it's going to take some time to get it all straightened out.

[Jnsplace1]

Called this afternoon and ended up doing the drinks + Grat add on to my 2021 cruise.   It was pretty much even to refare or do an add-on.  With the add on, I get to keep all my perks from the Cyber sale.  

I call that a win for sure.

 

 

[kywildcatfanone]

My currently booked cruise with free grats is refared about $300/pp higher, so not worth it for us.

[Daniel A]

3 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

My currently booked cruise with free grats is refared about $300/pp higher, so not worth it for us.

If you already have a promotion it's probably not good to refare.  Instead, use the offer code BEST2DW which keeps your current booking but adds Drinks and wifi for $25/pp/day.  See if that works better for you.

[CaliforniaDon]

If this has appeared before, I apologize but - - - - 

 

I called Princess this morning (about 20 min on hold) and added the $30 drinks and tips to the wi-fi  "travel later" deal that I booked yesterday.  (LA round trip to Alaska - july 25th 2020).  The lady had no issue with this, knew the promo, knew the codes etc, and added the cost and perks.

 

She said that this was "done" and in the personalizer and that I would also get a confirmation.  The email confirmation came in about 30 minutes but the personalizer did and does not show these where I have seen them before.  On the payments tab, I still can "buy pre-paid tips" by using my credit card.  Last year they showed as already paid.  The drinks package does not show on the on-board services tab either.  The free meal, bottles of wine and Internet are still there but not the booze.

 

Both of these items show up on the PDF attachment called Gifts and Services Summary, and the new rate - including the $30 showed up in the second email PDF attachment named booking confirmation.

 

So, it all worked as expected, just does not show up where I was used to..  Salud!

[Daniel A]

21 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

Probably a good plan to wait.  I know that my TA followed the instructions to a T, I honestly think that this is such a new deal for Princess that it's going to take some time to get it all straightened out.

The PAX on my roll call who was told they can't get the sale because their category was sold out just wrote in that when they specifically asked the TA to enter the proper offer code that it worked and now they have Drinks and wifi and keeps 3 for free using BEST2DW.  I think that's what your TA told you too if I remember correctly.  It still may be a good plan to wait a while.

[MamaFej]

1 minute ago, Daniel A said:

The PAX on my roll call who was told they can't get the sale because their category was sold out just wrote in that when they specifically asked the TA to enter the proper offer code that it worked and now they have Drinks and wifi and keeps 3 for free using BEST2DW.  I think that's what your TA told you too if I remember correctly.  It still may be a good plan to wait a while.

It worked for my TA on our "sold out" Singapore to Sydney cruise as well. 

[mthomp5]

3 hours ago, map03020 said:

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

 

Same here...bummed it doesn’t apply to our March 2020 cruise. Princess would have made additional $ off of us too with the add ons.

[marden1970]

We booked a Panama Canal for next September under 3 for free and with a casino rate.  They wouldn't add anything to it; I was trying for PBP and wi-fi.  I would of had to refare under the new promo, still using a casino rate ( which went up $364 p/p).  We would also lose the $400 OBC so we just stayed with what we had.

[kywildcatfanone]

22 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

If you already have a promotion it's probably not good to refare.  Instead, use the offer code BEST2DW which keeps your current booking but adds Drinks and wifi for $25/pp/day.  See if that works better for you.

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to have to know more, where do you find this information to apply offer codes to get other discounts?  I haven't read thru the entire thread, but it's probably in somewhere.  Where do you find the codes and options for them?

[sun&sea]

5 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to have to know more, where do you find this information to apply offer codes to get other discounts?  I haven't read thru the entire thread, but it's probably in somewhere.  Where do you find the codes and options for them?

See page one of this thread.

[CaliforniaDon]

31 minutes ago, CaliforniaDon said:

The drinks package does not show on the on-board services tab either.  The free meal, bottles of wine and Internet are still there but not the booze.

When I re-checked, the drink package WAS on the services tab. The tips are still shown as not paid -  I guess the backup is slowing things down.

[capriccio]

26 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to have to know more, where do you find this information to apply offer codes to get other discounts?  I haven't read thru the entire thread, but it's probably in somewhere.  Where do you find the codes and options for them?

Posts 112 and 115 on this thread (among others).

[Kennact]

My TA called and was told that I could not get the $25 price, only "today's price" which is $200 per person to add Wifi and Premium Beverage package to a 3 for Free booking. It is a 7 day cruise. Does that sound right?? 

[Daniel A]

24 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to have to know more, where do you find this information to apply offer codes to get other discounts?  I haven't read thru the entire thread, but it's probably in somewhere.  Where do you find the codes and options for them?

This PDF has all the codes to add on different types of add ons.  Basically there are 3 options for add ons Drinks & wifi - $25/pp/day; Drinks & Gratuities - $30/pp/day and Drinks, Wifi and Gratuities - $40/pp/day.  The offer codes for these are BEST2DW; BEST2DG & BEST3 respectively.  The TA needs to follow the instructions on this sheet and it should work.  Remember, you do not want to refare or rebook - you want to add an offer code to your existing booking.

 

Here's the guidelines for adding to a prior booking.  https://book.princess.com/pdf/onesource/pc/sales_marketing/PC_Best_Sale_Ever_Retro_Guidelines_FINAL.pdf

 

Good Luck!

[Daniel A]

8 minutes ago, Kennact said:

My TA called and was told that I could not get the $25 price, only "today's price" which is $200 per person to add Wifi and Premium Beverage package to a 3 for Free booking. It is a 7 day cruise. Does that sound right?? 

It is $25 per person per day.  How long is your cruise?

[Kennact]

3 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

It is $25 per person per day.  How long is your cruise?

It is 7 days

[kywildcatfanone]

Thanks all for the replies.  If you don't drink alcohol, do they substitute one of the other packages?