Sapphire Princess Staying In OZ Winter 2020?

[thistledoo]

11 minutes ago, Cootakid said:

Is there such a thing as an Australian contact number for Princess Cruises?  Having a couple of dramas with a Sapphire booking and called the generic number to the overseas call centre a couple times, to no satisfaction....... 😞  

Fully understand!    Do you have 1300 550 748.   That was the number on top of the Sapphire brochure and when I eventually got a call back it was lovely to hear an Aussie voice on the line.  Good luck.

[cheznandy]

25 minutes ago, thistledoo said:

Fully understand!    Do you have 1300 550 748.   That was the number on top of the Sapphire brochure and when I eventually got a call back it was lovely to hear an Aussie voice on the line.  Good luck.

or try Carnival Australia head office at Chatswood,  02 8326 4000

they may be ale to put you through to someone that can help.

I believe Carnival. P&O and Princess work from there.

[OzKiwiJJ]

48 minutes ago, thistledoo said:

Fully understand!    Do you have 1300 550 748.   That was the number on top of the Sapphire brochure and when I eventually got a call back it was lovely to hear an Aussie voice on the line.  Good luck.

Also if you call first thing in the morning, Australian east coast times, you are more likely to get an Australian call rep.

[cheznandy]

For those that have booked cruises on the Sapphire, did you book the Value Fare?

We didn't originally, then did a bit of calculation and it worked out $40 a day p/p.

We added up a couple of martinis, buying our wine and paying the corkage and couple of coffees etc and we are in front.

 

We are only on an 8 nighter, so not a lot to outlay. 

 

I called and they changed the booking to the new fare and they also sent a copy of the amenities including the drink package and wifi included, although I did find it in the personaliser under "Onboard Services"  "Reservations and Purchases" if anyone is looking where to find receipt of it.

It states $794.64  x 2 for Premium Drink package and $115.60 x 2 for the wifi = Complimentary gift.

 

Also, I had booked this cruise as two 4 nighters to start with, then worked out if it was beneficial re perks, FCD and shareholder OBC.  Decided to just book it as an 8 nighter as the Value Fare is not available on 4 night cruises.

 I noticed on my cruise history they have allocated 2 credits for the 8 nighter. So if you have booked a long cruise or multiple sectors, they may be giving a credit for each sector, even if you have one booking number........if you are nearing a higher status in Captains Circle it may help!!

We have had this before on the Sapphire with one booking number and 2 credits.

[Cootakid]

Thanks guys 🙂

 

I’ll give those numbers a crack in the morning.

[OzKiwiJJ]

44 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

For those that have booked cruises on the Sapphire, did you book the Value Fare?

We didn't originally, then did a bit of calculation and it worked out $40 a day p/p.

We added up a couple of martinis, buying our wine and paying the corkage and couple of coffees etc and we are in front.

I'm still trying to decide whether this would work for us. The problem is that half of the wines we like aren't available by the glass so I have to factor in the cost of buying those ones with the 25% discount on wines by the bottle. It's a pity it's still not the old 40% discount, then it would be a no-brainer. Plus we have had issues in the past with getting wines by the glass under a package - we could get the first glass OK, but getting subsequent glasses when we want them (ie when the food we've chosen that wine for has been served) was a big problem.  It is tempting though, mainly for the extra internet. Hmmm, I'll think about it overnight.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, cheznandy said:

Also, I had booked this cruise as two 4 nighters to start with, then worked out if it was beneficial re perks, FCD and shareholder OBC.  Decided to just book it as an 8 nighter as the Value Fare is not available on 4 night cruises.

 I noticed on my cruise history they have allocated 2 credits for the 8 nighter. So if you have booked a long cruise or multiple sectors, they may be giving a credit for each sector, even if you have one booking number........if you are nearing a higher status in Captains Circle it may help!!

We have had this before on the Sapphire with one booking number and 2 credits.

The 30 night cruise is showing as 5 credits. 😮

 

Now as Elite I wonder what that does to the free internet allowance?

[cheznandy]

9 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The 30 night cruise is showing as 5 credits. 😮

 

Now as Elite I wonder what that does to the free internet allowance?

I am glad you looked😀

Not sure, each ship do things differently. We did an 11 night Sapphire cruise which we got 2 credits for although we booked it as one ( it was a 7night and 3 nighter) We have also done a 23 night Diamond cruise which was made up of 2 cruises as well, we booked as one but got 1 credit, so who knows.

[dizzy1948]

2 hours ago, Cootakid said:

Thanks guys 🙂

 

I’ll give those numbers a crack in the morning.

I rang the number on the Princess Aus website - 1300 551 853 -  Aussie person - wonderfully helpful. 

Edited March 3, 2020 by dizzy1948

[Cootakid]

38 minutes ago, dizzy1948 said:

I rang the number on the Princess Aus website - 1300 551 853 -  Aussie person - wonderfully helpful. 

Yep, that’s what I tried a couple of times, no Aussie and no joy 🥺. Will try the other numbers tomorrow......

[dizzy1948]

5 minutes ago, Cootakid said:

Yep, that’s what I tried a couple of times, no Aussie and no joy 🥺. Will try the other numbers tomorrow......

Must have been my lucky day then ☺️

[The_Big_M]

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The 30 night cruise is showing as 5 credits. 😮

 

Now as Elite I wonder what that does to the free internet allowance?

 

Should align with how its keyed so you'd get 5 x avg 7 days long allowances.

[Cootakid]

16 hours ago, cheznandy said:

or try Carnival Australia head office at Chatswood,  02 8326 4000

they may be ale to put you through to someone that can help.

I believe Carnival. P&O and Princess work from there.

Thanks Chez 🙂

 

Rang this number and they gave me a good tip.   If you ring the Princess 1300 number before 9.30am or after 6.30pm NSW time, you will get an Australian Rep.  In between that time, all go to Manila call centre .....

 

Will test that after 6.30pm tonight.....

[cheznandy]

21 minutes ago, Cootakid said:

Thanks Chez 🙂

 

Rang this number and they gave me a good tip.   If you ring the Princess 1300 number before 9.30am or after 6.30pm NSW time, you will get an Australian Rep.  In between that time, all go to Manila call centre .....

 

Will test that after 6.30pm tonight.....

Good stuff, thats a great tip too!! Yes, the Manilla call centre.....it can be hit and miss.

I do all my bookings via Princess myself but sometimes I have to call to apply a FCD where the facility wasn't available to do online. Yesterday I got someone great, day before it was like hurry hurry next please, perhaps they are on a quota haha!!

 

I think most of the call centre can only  simple booking stuff, I have been transferred to a "Sales team" when I wanted to cancel  booking, move a FCD refare and keep a cabin number. 

Edited March 3, 2020 by cheznandy

[OzKiwiJJ]

New cabins have opened up on the 30 night circumnavigation from Sydney, and possibly some other options as well.

 

I'm a happy little vegemite. I've managed to get a mid-aft IB on Caribe deck, which is where we like to be, so can cancel the cabin under the pool. Phew! Luckily we had spare FCDs, much easier to book a new cabin then cancel the other one than to deal with trying to change cabins. Also after much calculation we decided to go with the Best Value deal so will see if Princess have improved their wine by the glass service. Even if we did end up getting some wine by the bottle we should end up paying less than buying individual drinks, plus I can now try a few more cocktails to see if I like them without wasting money if I don't like them.

Edited March 6, 2020 by OzKiwiJJ

[OzKiwiJJ]

Yikes! I was dead lucky getting the new cabin. I went back to take that cruise off my favourites and it's sold out again. 

[dizzy1948]

Got an email from Princess a short while ago with updated conditions 

 

·        Sailings departing between April 4 and May 31*: booked guests can cancel by March 31, 2020, receive a Future Cruise Credit for 100% of the cancellation fee amount, and move your booking to any voyage that departs by December 31, 2021.

T    This is the best bit :

If you choose to keep your booking as currently scheduled for departures between March 9 and May 31, you will receive the following Onboard Credit amounts:

·        $100 USD/ $150 AUD per cabin for 3 and 4 day cruises (That's us)

·        $150 USD / $225 AUD per cabin for 5 day cruises

 

·        $200 USD / $300 AUD per cabin for 6 day and longer cruises

What's not to like - cruise cheap as chips and bonus for OBC bring it on 😂

 

😁

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by dizzy1948

[possum52]

Who has received notification from Princess via email re temporary cancellation policy? We haven't as of now but I noticed many on the Princess board have and dizzy1948 has in the above post.

 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

I haven't received an email, and I didn't get one about the new Sapphire itineraries either.

 

I know they have my correct email address because I cancelled a booking yesterday and the phone rep confirmed my email address while she was talking to me.

[thistledoo]

No, but our next is not until June.    I hope they extend the offer by another month, the OBC would be nice!

[OzKiwiJJ]

Maybe they are only sending the emails out to those who have cruises booked up to the end of May.

[possum52]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Maybe they are only sending the emails out to those who have cruises booked up to the end of May.

Possibly, but the cruises after have changed final payment dates. 
 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, possum52 said:

Possibly, but the cruises after have changed final payment dates. 
 

Leigh

Good point. My next cruise with Princess isn't until September though so outside the scope of those temporary changes.

[cheznandy]

57 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Good point. My next cruise with Princess isn't until September though so outside the scope of those temporary changes.

For some reason I thought you had booked the June cruise.......we get on in Adelaide so see you on board for the last week!!

[OzKiwiJJ]

20 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

For some reason I thought you had booked the June cruise.......we get on in Adelaide so see you on board for the last week!!

No, the full 30 night circumnavigation from Sydney. That's why I was concerned about getting a different cabin. 

 

Are you doing the full circumnavigation from Adelaide, or just Adelaide to Perth?