What will I notice that’s different & all questions consolidated?

[rj59]

I went to my first Elite wine tasting last week on Majestic. It was actually nice, since as a solo frightened of Omicron I'd been avoiding being close to people, but they seated me at a table of 8 friendly people, so it ended up being a nice experience, despite the hour of blathering wine nonsense by guys from Indonesia and Serbia who we could hardly understand. It helped me relax over the cruise and not worry about covid or masking and instead just to experience the pleasures of Princess, the ocean, Mexico, and the crew and fellow passengers. 

[beg3yrs]

15 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

In that case avoid the spa like the plague. We don't use the spa but have read numerous posts about the staff trying to upsell various products.

Got to agree 100% with you there. Last cruise (Dec 2021) I specifically told the therapist ahead of time I didn't want to buy anything but I still got the pitch to purchase overpriced products. Wasn't real happy about that.

[Thrak]

We went on our last cruise just before the shutdown. When people at our table asked where we were from I said, "Northern California". One guy made a disgusted snorting sound and waved his hand dismissively. I think his wife may have been a bit embarrassed. I didn't let him get to me.

 

The wine voted "most liked" was Spellbound Petite Sirah. The maitre 'd who was "hosting" the event said it usually was the winner of the vote. I asked him afterward why, if people liked the wine so much, it was no longer available by the glass in Vines or MDR. He said he had no idea why that was but it was still available by the bottle in MDR. I thought it was strange. We usually drank that wine in Vines and were disappointed when it was pulled from the menu.

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, beg3yrs said:

Got to agree 100% with you there. Last cruise (Dec 2021) I specifically told the therapist ahead of time I didn't want to buy anything but I still got the pitch to purchase overpriced products. Wasn't real happy about that.

 

On one cruise we met a young couple who were, um, uhhh... Wealthier than we are. Very nice young couple but... The gentleman said his wife was "getting done" in the spa for formal night. OMG... When we met her later it looked like she had been to Clown Makeup School.  We were appalled. Total waste of money and she looked ridiculous. We really felt bad for her. Hopefully she (and he) liked it but it was horrible.

[Kmkub]

We had two massages and a pedi on Enchanted last month. After the first massage, we told them we had all the product we needed at home and we heard nothing else about it for the rest of the cruise.

 

I should also mention that when we embarked, there were no sales pitches anywhere. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Kmkub

[Thrak]

31 minutes ago, Kmkub said:

We had two massages and a pedi on Enchanted last month.

 

If you don't mind telling... What is the cost of a massage or a pedi?

[Kmkub]

14 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

If you don't mind telling... What is the cost of a massage or a pedi?

The pedi was $60 each. That’s about $20 more than I pay at home. 18% is automatically added for tip. That’s less than I tip at home, so I added some extra. This isn’t a basic pedi that only costs about 20. This is a full leg/foot treatment.

 

The base couples massage is $320 for a 75 minute. They auto add18% tip for each therapist. We got a 15% discount for doing it on a port day. For non port days, we’d get 10% for being platinum.

 

There are also less expensive 50 minute massages.

[donaldsc]

Nobody forces you to buy anything.  If you say "no thanks", they go away.  There are times when I go on a cruise and my total bill for extras not counting any ship excursions that I take is less than $20.  I will also add that I almost never take ship excursions but mainly take private excursions or what I might call "walk around" excursions.

 

DON

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Movies on Demand in your stateroom is free!  I don’t remember what cruise line we were on but we wanted to watch a movie and it had a charge for about $10 or $15 (I can’t remember).  

[Steelers36]

38 minutes ago, Kmkub said:

The pedi was $60 each. That’s about $20 more than I pay at home. 18% is automatically added for tip. That’s less than I tip at home, so I added some extra. This isn’t a basic pedi that only costs about 20. This is a full leg/foot treatment.

 

The base couples massage is $320 for a 75 minute. They auto add18% tip for each therapist. We got a 15% discount for doing it on a port day. For non port days, we’d get 10% for being platinum.

 

There are also less expensive 50 minute massages.

I get a 60 Min massage from a RMT at home for about $100 (and that's in CAD, so less in USD if they took it).

[cr8tiv1]

23 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I get a 60 Min massage from a RMT at home for about $100 (and that's in CAD, so less in USD if they took it).

 

I did a massage once on a ship.  Now I get them covered under my insurance and it costs me $0.00.  Never even considered using OBC for SPA services.  I think it is because of the contracted vendor.  Shudder.

[2 cruises a year]

5 hours ago, iamaqt2 said:

Book Princess Plus fare, and there will be zero nickel and dining.  It's literally a truly all-inclusive fare unless you purchase high end drinks or bottles of wine.

Even then, you only pay the difference above $12.  I get a double of a premium Scotch for about 52 cents.  I guess some might call that nickel and diming.

[2 cruises a year]

5 hours ago, envy4u said:

Thanks for the info. I hate staff asking if I want to buy this or that? If I want to buy something I just buy it. Hate the up-selling. When I was on the phone this week after a 4 hour wait, not consecutive, asking about my shareholder credit the agent asks me “ so do you want to order chocolate strawberries?” I just burst out laughing.  

Good Point. They should have offered you the chocolate strawberries for your inconvenience. A whole $8 retail.

[Kmkub]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I get a 60 Min massage from a RMT at home for about $100 (and that's in CAD, so less in USD if they took it).

Understood. Us, too. 
 

There is something special about a cruise massage. I believe it’s related to how long the effects last, simply because we don’t go right back to the stresses that caused the need for a massage.

 

Besides, our casino winnings paid all but $200 of our spa visits. So, it was a much bigger splurge than is our norm.

[Kmkub]

1 hour ago, 2 cruises a year said:

Even then, you only pay the difference above $12.  I get a double of a premium Scotch for about 52 cents.  I guess some might call that nickel and diming.

Don’t order a double. Order two singles.

 

One night, we ordered 4 Heineken, 4 brandy and 2 frozen drinks to the cabin. Easy peasy.

 

If the bartender won’t cooperate, use the app to order delivery to the bar.

[2 cruises a year]

4 minutes ago, Kmkub said:

Don’t order a double. Order two singles.

 

One night, we ordered 4 Heineken, 4 brandy and 2 frozen drinks to the cabin. Easy peasy.

 

If the bartender won’t cooperate, use the app to order delivery to the bar.

???

The point was nickel diming, if I had ordered two singles of a premium Scotch, it would have been 26 cents each.  I was being facetious.  I have never had a bartender not cooperate.  After the first drink,  they know me.  We all get along just fine.

I do appreciate your input though, thanks.

[Kmkub]

41 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

???

The point was nickel diming, if I had ordered two singles of a premium Scotch, it would have been 26 cents each.  I was being facetious.  I have never had a bartender not cooperate.  After the first drink,  they know me.  We all get along just fine.

I do appreciate your input though, thanks.

Apologies. Sir. I get frustrated when people assume I don't know something.  

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I did a massage once on a ship.  Now I get them covered under my insurance and it costs me $0.00.  Never even considered using OBC for SPA services.  I think it is because of the contracted vendor.  Shudder.

Same, but I do have an annual limit.

[envy4u]

Sorry someone did not like the thread title but it did get some attention 😂

 

Funny how a thread can go in a different direction. 

 

Thanks for all the info. 

 

We board tomorrow. 

 

Will write a review on the Sky upon our return. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by envy4u

[envy4u]

We are elite and was wondering if they will just iron hubby shirts as I’m sure they will be all wrinkled in luggage. Won’t need to be laundered. 

[chrysalis]

yes

[envy4u]

First time on board on V. Day  

 

will they do anything special ?

[CineGraphic]

A cheaper option is the irons in the laundry rooms which are free to use.

[envy4u]

would like to keep half bar set up. Can we return half of it and just get one coffee card?

[coo359a2]

Checked laundry ticket they use on Emerald Princess now and for press only it shows it is $4.00 per shirt.   The ticket says that press only is 80% of professional cleaning prices

 

laundry price for a shirt is $3.50

Edited February 11, 2022 by coo359a2