Princess Plus and Galveston Port

[coopco]

1 hour ago, rheathslc said:

Oh good point! I am Elite now. My next cruise will be my 2nd at Elite so I didn't think about the minibar. 🙂 But we also had it in a suite before and yes, it was there when we were first allowed in the rooms. If you try to get into your cabin before the announcement that they are all ready it MIGHT not be there yet. 

We just made Elite but also had a suite on our last cruise (so we could make Elite) and the minibar was set up but I wasn’t sure if it’s different out of Galveston. My husband prefers rum and Diet Coke and it took over a day to get the minibar swapped out so that won’t help too much on the first day waiting to get to international waters. So that’s why I’m thinking buy a small bottle. We always get Plus so I honestly can’t remember if we had the bottle in the room the last time I bought one (before drink packages). I’m thinking I can just bring a bottle of wine but that was the beauty of Plus. I don’t need to haul around bottles of wine, bottled water, and Diet Coke anymore! Our next cruises are out of Galveston and San Francisco. I knew about Galveston but will be interested to see what happens in California.

[rheathslc]

20 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

Agree as it is a Carnival holding and Carnival out of Manhattan has the package for six days of a seven day cruise because the package can't be used that first day. We sailed at 4:00 from Manhattan I'm sure we were well away from NY within a few hours but you had to pay on your cabin charge until the next day. Not sure if that started at midnight I was in bed.

Are the Carnival packages drinks only or do they include the other things the Plus and Premier do as well? My CVP told me the Plus and Premier package cannot be pro-rated because they include so many other things. 

Which I get. But in that case a discount on days that drinks cannot be include would be better than nothing. 

[So_Tweetie]

Just now, rheathslc said:

My CVP told me the Plus and Premier package cannot be pro-rated because they include so many other things. 

 

This is new in my understanding - when I was on Regal last November I was told that you could upgrade to a package on day 2 and it would be pro-rated, but that the crew appreciation and any drink charges from embarkation day would remain. I agree that a discount is warranted on embarkation/limitation days if Princess cannot figure out a better method. 

[rheathslc]

9 minutes ago, coopco said:

We just made Elite but also had a suite on our last cruise (so we could make Elite) and the minibar was set up but I wasn’t sure if it’s different out of Galveston. My husband prefers rum and Diet Coke and it took over a day to get the minibar swapped out so that won’t help too much on the first day waiting to get to international waters. So that’s why I’m thinking buy a small bottle. We always get Plus so I honestly can’t remember if we had the bottle in the room the last time I bought one (before drink packages). I’m thinking I can just bring a bottle of wine but that was the beauty of Plus. I don’t need to haul around bottles of wine, bottled water, and Diet Coke anymore! Our next cruises are out of Galveston and San Francisco. I knew about Galveston but will be interested to see what happens in California.

Since we get the package I don't bother bringing wine but I'm thinking I'll bring a bottle on my next cruise even though I'm flying in late the night before so I will have to buy the bottle in Utah where it is more expensive. Unless I can get bottle of wine somewhere in the San Francisco financial district after midnight or before 9am.

Edited 16 hours ago by rheathslc

[rheathslc]

2 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

This is new in my understanding - when I was on Regal last November I was told that you could upgrade to a package on day 2 and it would be pro-rated, but that the crew appreciation and any drink charges from embarkation day would remain. I agree that a discount is warranted on embarkation/limitation days if Princess cannot figure out a better method. 

That's what I thought! I told him that in my reply but have not heard back yet. 

[latebloomer56]

16 minutes ago, rheathslc said:

Are the Carnival packages drinks only or do they include the other things the Plus and Premier do as well? My CVP told me the Plus and Premier package cannot be pro-rated because they include so many other things. 

Which I get. But in that case a discount on days that drinks cannot be include would be better than nothing. 

Just alcohol the soda wasn't effected.

[rheathslc]

What Princess really ought to do is charge folios for the drinks on days they have to per whatever laws are in effect, but then comp each folio that has a package for that amount after the fact. They're already getting the package money. If they don't do this then imo they're just using the new laws as an excuse to squeeze more money from guests.

[So_Tweetie]

4 minutes ago, rheathslc said:

What Princess really ought to do is charge folios for the drinks on days they have to per whatever laws are in effect, but then comp each folio that has a package for that amount after the fact. They're already getting the package money. If they don't do this then imo they're just using the new laws as an excuse to squeeze more money from guests.

This is my takeaway. 100% 

[coopco]

4 hours ago, rheathslc said:

Since we get the package I don't bother bringing wine but I'm thinking I'll bring a bottle on my next cruise even though I'm flying in late the night before so I will have to buy the bottle in Utah where it is more expensive. Unless I can get bottle of wine somewhere in the San Francisco financial district after midnight or before 9am.

You might call your hotel and tell them you’ll be staying with them and ask if there’s anyplace to buy a bottle of wine close by and then Goggle their hours. I remember finding a little deli like store that had some beverages also and I was able to pick up a nice bottle of wine. I tried to figure out the name of the place from Google maps but nothing sounded familiar. We were staying at the Hilton Financial District and I remember the place was about a block away.