Question about booking next cruise while on board current cruise.

[Pink Lady One]

We will be on a Princess cruise this August. We are planning on taking an Alaskan cruise with Princess next July (with friends). What are the benefits for booking the 2nd cruise while we are on ship during the first cruise?

 

Would our TA lose out any commission if we then transferred it to her when we got back on shore?

 

Our friends have never sailed on Princess, would they also be eligible for any of the benefits if we signed them up at the same time?

 

I know this has been addressed before, but I must not be using the correct terms for seaching it because I am not getting responses, so I appreciate any information that people can give me.

 

Thanks!

[chrysalis]

I have taken the following from the "Princess FAQ's" on the main princess page near the top......

 

While on board put a deposit down on a future cruise for only $100. This is good for four years. If you don't use it by then, your money will be refunded. You may also request a refund anytime prior. By securing a future cruise, the following FCC (future cruise credits) per person will be placed in your shipboard account when you book your future cruise. The amount is based on the number of days and the type of cabin:

 

7 - 9 days: $25 pp for inside; $50 pp for outside

10-15 days: 75 pp for inside; 100 pp for outside

16 + days: 125 pp for inside; 150 pp for outside

 

When you make your $100 deposit, you may also request (not always automatically given) "Share the Wealth" coupons so friends/and or family members who are sailing with you, may receive the same benefits.

[Host CJSKIDS]

We will be on a Princess cruise this August. We are planning on taking an Alaskan cruise with Princess next July (with friends). What are the benefits for booking the 2nd cruise while we are on ship during the first cruise?

 

Would our TA lose out any commission if we then transferred it to her when we got back on shore?

 

Our friends have never sailed on Princess, would they also be eligible for any of the benefits if we signed them up at the same time?

 

I know this has been addressed before, but I must not be using the correct terms for seaching it because I am not getting responses, so I appreciate any information that people can give me.

 

Thanks!

 

The benefit is that you can do either a definitive booking or an open booking and have a reduced deposit of only $100 per person plus receive on board credit depending which depends on the length of your cruise and whether or not you have an inside or outside cabin. I still received a coupon to give to my friends which gave the the on board credit but not the reduced deposit.

 

It's a great way to secure your next cruise as it's fully refundable within 4 years and you can do an open booking so you don't even have to decide upon a cruise while you're on board.

[JLC@SD]

Would our TA lose out any commission if we then transferred it to her when we got back on shore?Thanks!

No, the TA will still get a commission.

 

We booked a future cruise on our Dawn Princess cruise, and our TA said Princess will automatically notify your TA that you have booked a future cruise.

[Pink Lady One]

Thank you for your responses, it is very helpful!

 

Do you get less ship board credits for an inside room?

 

Also, do you get more credits if you specify a definitive cruise or doesn't that matter?

[Pam in CA]

We will be on a Princess cruise this August. We are planning on taking an Alaskan cruise with Princess next July (with friends). What are the benefits for booking the 2nd cruise while we are on ship during the first cruise?

 

Would our TA lose out any commission if we then transferred it to her when we got back on shore?

No... you can either book a specific cruise, and if you do, you have the option of booking it with Princess or the TA who booked your current cruise; or, you can pay $100 for an "open" future cruise. When you get home, your TA will be notified of the bookings and will be able to apply their own pricing if it's lower and your TA gets the commission. You also get an onboard credit for each booking that on a longer cruise, is equal to or more than the $100 down payment.

Our friends have never sailed on Princess, would they also be eligible for any of the benefits if we signed them up at the same time?

You won't be able to book onboard for your friends. However, when you book your future cruise onboard, you can ask for a coupon for your friends.

 

Yes, the sliding scale of onboard credits is less for an inside than an outside cabin. It doesn't matter which category within cabin type.

[enymarsh]

Thank you for your responses, it is very helpful!

 

Do you get less ship board credits for an inside room?

 

Also, do you get more credits if you specify a definitive cruise or doesn't that matter?

 

Yes - less onboard credits for inside (see post by Chrysalis)

 

No difference whether you book a specific cruise or just do an open booking.

 

One more piece of information: we used a "share-the-wealth" coupon for our next cruise and although we got the onboard credits, we had to pay a full deposit rather than the $100 one.

[tclowe]

Will I be able to apply the future cruise deposit and get a shipboard credit to my April 2007 cruise if I make my $100 deposit during our August 2006 cruise? If yes, does our TA have to cancel our existing 2007 booking and re-book applying the $100 deposit and crediting us with the shipboard credit (so this would be considered a new booking)? I wouldn't want to change our 2007 cruise price for $150 shipboard credit because our sailing has increased in price by $500 per cabin.

 

Thanks for any advice.

[JLC@SD]

Our friends have never sailed on Princess, would they also be eligible for any of the benefits if we signed them up at the same time?Thanks!

The bad news:( .........You will not be able to book them on your cruise.

 

The good news:) ..........When you book they will give you a cardboard flier with a mailer that you give to your friends that states......."join us on our next cruise escape."

 

It is an invitation for your friends and offers them the same deal (including on-board credit per chrysalis' post).

 

They mail in the reply card to Princess to get the deal. Don't forget to get it when you book. When we booked, the confirmation letter for our booking and the invitation for the friends was delivered the next day to our cabin.

[enymarsh]

Will I be able to apply the future cruise deposit and get a shipboard credit to my April 2007 cruise if I make my $100 deposit during our August 2006 cruise? If yes, does our TA have to cancel our existing 2007 booking and re-book applying the $100 deposit and crediting us with the shipboard credit (so this would be considered a new booking)? I wouldn't want to change our 2007 cruise price for $150 shipboard credit because our sailing has increased in price by $500 per cabin.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

I think the best advice is to ask your TA since they are sure to know... but...

 

I don't think you can get the shipboard credit (that they call future cruise credit) on a booking that was made on land unless you use that coupon that has been mentioned and go on one that friends have already booked. I am doing that and although I did not get the reduced deposit I was able to get the shipboard credit.

 

Plus - it sounds like your TA might not be able to secure the price that you got back when you booked your 2007 cruise originally if you give up your original booking to get the reduced deposit on one booked at sea. It has to be a fresh booking which gives them the ability to price it at the current pricing.

 

Just my thoughts, sorry, not very encouraging...

[WCAB]

Be very careful when using the share the wealth coupon I had heard they were no longer giving this coupon out but if they are, be sure your friends either let the TA handle mailing it in or make sure your friends photo copy it and then mail it certified within a day of making the reservation. My sister used this coupon and waited about five days after our TA had done the booking to mail in the coupon and by then Princess had canceled the booking because they showed as not having received the full deposit. We were able to save the booking by showing the signed receipt for the coupon and had made copies of everything. Timing is everything when using the share the wealth coupon so do not delay getting it off in the mail.

 

Carol

[Coral]

Be very careful when using the share the wealth coupon I had heard they were no longer giving this coupon out but if they are, be sure your friends either let the TA handle mailing it in or make sure your friends photo copy it and then mail it certified within a day of making the reservation.

 

They are still handing the coupons out. I got 2 of them last week.

 

Friends no longer receive the lower deposit amount. They still receive the shipboard credit.

 

I agree, the coupons need to be handled carefully by the TA.

[kingtns]

When you book onboard & you get a reduced deposit...whats the big deal, if it's reduced in the beginning you pay it at final balance, I would rather pay a little more of a deposit & have less to pay off at the end. Unless I'm missing something here, whether your deposit is reduced or not, in the end it's the same price...right??

[cactusrose]

When you book onboard & you get a reduced deposit...whats the big deal, if it's reduced in the beginning you pay it at final balance, I would rather pay a little more of a deposit & have less to pay off at the end. Unless I'm missing something here, whether your deposit is reduced or not, in the end it's the same price...right??

 

Susan. . .you are correct that you will pay the same price in the end. However, I often book cruises up to 20 months ahead of sailing. I'd rather have use of my funds then to let Princess have use of them interest free. Just good money management.

[Coral]

When you book onboard & you get a reduced deposit...whats the big deal, if it's reduced in the beginning you pay it at final balance, I would rather pay a little more of a deposit & have less to pay off at the end. Unless I'm missing something here, whether your deposit is reduced or not, in the end it's the same price...right??

 

You get shipboard credit. So it pays to do an onboard deposit.

 

The cost of the cruise is the same but you are not tying up funds for a long period of time as you would with a higher deposit.

[Host CJSKIDS]

When you book onboard & you get a reduced deposit...whats the big deal, if it's reduced in the beginning you pay it at final balance, I would rather pay a little more of a deposit & have less to pay off at the end. Unless I'm missing something here, whether your deposit is reduced or not, in the end it's the same price...right??

 

It is the same price in the long run, but for some of the cruises the deposit can be as much as $600 per person and if you book on board it's only $100 per person. We booked our Norther Europe cruise about a year ahead and I had to only leave $400 with Princess vs. $2400.

The other bonus was that we got on board credit in the amount of $250.

[kingtns]

Thanks everyone for explaining that to me...I wasn't really sure how it worked...I kinda wish they'd have a layaway plan for cruises too...pay it off slowly & then you don't feel that huge bump all at once...LOL I just paid off for the new Crown...5 of us..2 rooms...1 HUGE check!!

[Host CJSKIDS]

Thanks everyone for explaining that to me...I wasn't really sure how it worked...I kinda wish they'd have a layaway plan for cruises too...pay it off slowly & then you don't feel that huge bump all at once...LOL I just paid off for the new Crown...5 of us..2 rooms...1 HUGE check!!

 

If your booking is directly with Princess you can make payments when ever you wish right on the cruise personalizer. I guess if you made a monthly payment it would be like a layaway plan.

[pasto5]

I just got off the CB and put a deposit down for both my dh and I. We had such an incredible time that we are sure that we will cruise in the next four years! It is a no lose situation in our minds as we can use the deposit for any cruise in that four year window.