Do you think the TFF promo will ever come back?

[EllieinNJ]

We usually book with the Three for Free promo because it suits our needs.  We do not drink so do not want the Princess Plus promo that has been here for quite some time.  Will TFF ever come back?

[Coral]

I personally think it will be a long time before things will be "normal" with Princess. For example, bookings are probably up next year with all of the FCC that I don't think they will be running promos other than Princess Plus. Promos are run to increase bookings and if they don't need to increase bookings, they don't need to run promos.

 

Even if bookings are not up  yet for next year, they will be once a vaccination is available because people will be anxious to use the FCC.

[Tak8]

I agree with Coral.  Between the Princess Plus and FCC from cancelled cruises, there is going to be demand on cruises once things open up.  I don't want to cruise until I feel fairly safe and I don't know how to define that at the moment.  At the same time, every time new cancellations are announced, I feel the ticking of the FCC expiration date.  At some point, cruise lines will have to consider extending the deadline to complete travel for all the FCC.  

[Mud_Shark]

what you see now is what you are gonna get for the next couple years.

 

Don

[Roger88]

The demand will be very high, I suspect it to rise like x2 or even tripple. There are many people who dont give a thing about the limitations and covid. They dont believe that it can affect them in any way and they will travel just like they did before. So expect these cruisers to be overfilled with people. I think they will experience some capacity problems in these first cruises

[Earthworm Jim]

1 hour ago, Roger88 said:

The demand will be very high, I suspect it to rise like x2 or even tripple. There are many people who dont give a thing about the limitations and covid. They dont believe that it can affect them in any way and they will travel just like they did before. So expect these cruisers to be overfilled with people. I think they will experience some capacity problems in these first cruises

 

Unless cruisers start coming down with Covid, and they have a recurrence of the "What port will take us; How will we get home; Will we need to be quarantined?" problems again. Then most everyone will be afraid to take a cruise. That could force them to offer some bargains.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Earthworm Jim

[Shaver John]

Hey Earthworm Jim, I wonder if the cruise ships have an outbreak and cruiser have as much trouble getting home as we did when this happened do you think that the cruise companies will be able to stay in business? I know this only affected a few of us, but I guess that with so much publicity about what went on that lots of folks know how difficult it was, and I guess I am not sure that many folks would choose to go through this again. Maybe I will be wrong and you will be right that bargains will return, just curious what folks think. This is a good discussion, nice to see what folks are thinking about the future.

[LDVinNC]

16 hours ago, Roger88 said:

The demand will be very high, I suspect it to rise like x2 or even tripple. There are many people who dont give a thing about the limitations and covid. They dont believe that it can affect them in any way and they will travel just like they did before. So expect these cruisers to be overfilled with people. I think they will experience some capacity problems in these first cruises

 

I doubt this very much.  I know there are idiots who think "it can't happen to me" but most people are smarter than that.

[rocklinmom]

Bummer I will miss the 3FF promo. It was our favorite. 

[Daniel A]

I got a great deal last October & December for a cruise in March of 2021.  I booked under three for free in October and in December, was able to add on Wifi and Premium Beverage Package for $25/day.  Win-win.  😁  I think this bare bones fare versus plus fare is/was just a trend in the industry.  I've seen it on other websites for other lines.

 

I think they will bring back three for free sometime in the future but I don't know when.  It worked well for Princess in the past so why fix something that isn't broken?

[Coral]

17 hours ago, Roger88 said:

The demand will be very high, I suspect it to rise like x2 or even tripple. There are many people who dont give a thing about the limitations and covid. They dont believe that it can affect them in any way and they will travel just like they did before. So expect these cruisers to be overfilled with people. I think they will experience some capacity problems in these first cruises

I also doubt this. They need a vaccination or COVID-19 to go away before people will start cruising.

[capriccio]

6 minutes ago, Coral said:

They need a vaccination or COVID-19 to go away before people will start cruising.

 

We used to cruise at least twice a year.  I know this is our minimum requirement before our next cruise.

[Coral]

8 minutes ago, capriccio said:

 

We used to cruise at least twice a year.  I know this is our minimum requirement before our next cruise.

That is what it will take before I get on a cruise. Looking at a river cruise next fall and hope things fall into place for that.

[san diego sue]

With Princess' two choice pricing, don't know how they will do their freebees. Princess has adopted what a lot of cruise lines have been doing for some time. Nothing offered at one price, and pretty much everything offered at a higher price.I never liked that on other cruise lines and liked that Princess didn't do that. To me it is almost deceptive pricing. I know it really isn't because we can figure out the worth of the extras in that pricing and figure it out ourselves. I much prefer the sales and catching them when we see it.

I miss cruising, it became a way of life for us. Most important was the  lifetime friendships we made.

I enjoyed reading Cruise Critic and the Live postings from our fellow cruisers. Sad that all our posts are regarding getting money refunded. Probably won't be cruising till there is a vaccine so hope that happens soon.I don't want to be on a quarantined Cruise ship and floating around at sea with no ports allowing us to land.

[voljeep]

46 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I got a great deal last October & December for a cruise in March of 2021.  I booked under three for free in October and in December, was able to add on Wifi and Premium Beverage Package for $25/day.  Win-win.  😁  I think this bare bones fare versus plus fare is/was just a trend in the industry.  I've seen it on other websites for other lines.

 

I think they will bring back three for free sometime in the future but I don't know when.  It worked well for Princess in the past so why fix something that isn't broken?

yep, that worked well with the BEST.SALE, EVER. add-on's

 

Princess Plus works well for us , but the wifi is just a throw-in as we don't use it that much 

[mustgo]

2 hours ago, rocklinmom said:

Bummer I will miss the 3FF promo. It was our favorite. 

Me too.  They need a promotion that is good for non-drinkers.

[Coral]

10 minutes ago, mustgo said:

Me too.  They need a promotion that is good for non-drinkers.

I don't drink and I found the triple package with drink package to still be a great deal. I will periodically get hot chocolate, Mocktails, fresh squeezed oj, water, and milk shakes.

Edited June 14, 2020 by Coral

[mustgo]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I don't drink and I found the triple package with drink package to still be a great deal. I will periodically get hot chocolate, Mocktails, fresh squeezed oj, water, and milk shakes.

The math does not work for us.  We get free internet minutes with our status and can trade in the minibar for coffee cards.  So the only thing the plus really gives us is gratuities.  It is much cheaper to pay the lower price and just buy a few drinks.   The 3 for free made sense since it also gave an onboard credit.  We had 1 cruise booked where the plus was the same price with or without so naturally we booked it.  Along came the corona virus and the cruise was cancelled.

[Coral]

47 minutes ago, mustgo said:

The math does not work for us.  We get free internet minutes with our status and can trade in the minibar for coffee cards.  So the only thing the plus really gives us is gratuities.  It is much cheaper to pay the lower price and just buy a few drinks.   The 3 for free made sense since it also gave an onboard credit.  We had 1 cruise booked where the plus was the same price with or without so naturally we booked it.  Along came the corona virus and the cruise was cancelled.

The free internet minutes are not enough for me. It may cost me a few extra dollars but I like having the all inclusive so I don't have to feel nickel and dimed every minute. Maybe I pay more for it but it is just easier. 

[mustgo]

It is always good to have choices.

[Earthworm Jim]

20 hours ago, Shaver John said:

Hey Earthworm Jim, I wonder if the cruise ships have an outbreak and cruiser have as much trouble getting home as we did when this happened do you think that the cruise companies will be able to stay in business?

 

That's a good question. I'm certainly no expert on the cruise lines' finances. But I think your point is on the money: They really can't afford to start these cruises too early and have problems again. When they do it, they have to get it right the first time.

[Roberto256]

4 hours ago, capriccio said:

 

We used to cruise at least twice a year.  I know this is our minimum requirement before our next cruise.

 

4 hours ago, Coral said:

That is what it will take before I get on a cruise. Looking at a river cruise next fall and hope things fall into place for that.

 

Me too!

 

Although, I suppose I could be swayed by some simple, super-effective treatment.

 

 

[WAMarathoner]

11 hours ago, LDVinNC said:

 

I doubt this very much.  I know there are idiots who think "it can't happen to me" but most people are smarter than that.

 

Or they have weighed their individual risk and determined it's low enough that they're unlikely to be affected.

 

"I know there are idiots who think "it's going to happen to me!" but most people are smarter than that." -- Do you see how condescending what you wrote is?

 

If you're sick, STAY HOME.  Otherwise, see you on the seas.

[caribill]

16 hours ago, rocklinmom said:

Bummer I will miss the 3FF promo. It was our favorite. 

 

13 hours ago, mustgo said:

Me too.  They need a promotion that is good for non-drinkers.

 

 

Before my August cruise was cancelled by Princess, I switched from 3FF to the new basic fare. After giving up the OBC and having to pay gratuities, I was still $$$ ahead by doing this. I was able to keep the higher cabin category that was booked with 3FF.

[mustgo]

Yes, sometimes that is better and I have also switched.