Need adivce please on special offer to switch cruises!

[kiska]

I just got a "Special Offer" email from Princess, and need opinions on whether people think it's a good deal, please help :).

 

I currently have a booking set to sail this Sunday out of San Juan for Southern Caribbean with Caribbean Princess for a 7-day cruise, inside cabin. Islands are Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Dominica, St. Thomas, all of which I've been to except for Bonaire. The offer states the following:

 

Special offer, limited time. Move to Caribbean Princess sailing out of New York 9-day cruise leaving June 20th or later and receive: Second passenger fare free, complimentary upgrade to balcony, will cover air change fee up to $150.

 

I checked the new itinerary, and it has 4 sea days, Bermuda (West End), Grand Turk, St. Thomas, and San Juan. Do you think it's a good deal, or not such a great offer. Any comments would be appreciated!!

[espo56]

It's a great deal. But the value depends on how much you paid for the trip you are giving up. I just booked a trip on the CB for July and I can tell you that the balcony cabins are going for around $3,700. The CB is a great ship. The sea days were filled with activities when we were on it the same week as you last year and the weather was great in all the ports. Good luck.

[oldgator]

I just got a "Special Offer" email from Princess, and need opinions on whether people think it's a good deal, please help :).

 

I currently have a booking set to sail this Sunday out of San Juan for Southern Caribbean with Caribbean Princess for a 7-day cruise, inside cabin. Islands are Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Dominica, St. Thomas, all of which I've been to except for Bonaire. The offer states the following:

 

Special offer, limited time. Move to Caribbean Princess sailing out of New York 9-day cruise leaving June 20th or later and receive: Second passenger fare free, complimentary upgrade to balcony, will cover air change fee up to $150.

 

I checked the new itinerary, and it has 4 sea days, Bermuda (West End), Grand Turk, St. Thomas, and San Juan. Do you think it's a good deal, or not such a great offer. Any comments would be appreciated!!

 

Were it me, I would stay with the Southern Carribbean. The Islands are very beautiful and much smaller. Sounds like they overbooked the So. Carribbean and can't give the trip out of NY away.

[RealDeal]

Don't forget, after 6/20 all the kids will be out of school, so you're going to have a very different demographic than doing S. Caribbean on Sunday. Yes, the 9-day CB has a heftier price tag, but a large reason for that is BECAUSE kids are out school, so that's when families go away. I'm doing CB 6/11 & I'm terrified enough of how many kids will be on THAT ship...LOL.

 

If the ports interest you for the CB, the kids won't bother you, & you can do it schedule-wise, then go for it, as it's a longer cruise, better cabin, etc.

[Pam in CA]

Special offer, limited time. Move to Caribbean Princess sailing out of New York 9-day cruise leaving June 20th or later and receive: Second passenger fare free, complimentary upgrade to balcony, will cover air change fee up to $150.

 

I checked the new itinerary, and it has 4 sea days, Bermuda (West End), Grand Turk, St. Thomas, and San Juan. Do you think it's a good deal, or not such a great offer. Any comments would be appreciated!!

This sounds like a good deal to me: you get two extra days, less travel time, free 2nd passenger and go from an inside to a balcony. If Bonaire is that important to you, then perhaps reconsider but you're getting a terrific upgrade for a longer cruise and the 2nd person is free. IMHO, what's not to like? :) You'll love the balcony on those sea days.

[leoandhugh]

Unless you had your heart set on the other itinerary, I think the offer is a great deal. If it were me, I would not hesitate to grab on to it - more days, different ports and a balcony upgrade good offer:)

[kiska]

No, Bonaire isn't all that important to me, especially since the stay there would only be 7-1pm. This would be my 7th Caribbean cruise, at which points most islands kind of blend in :), but it would be my boyfriend's first cruise anywhere, so I really wanted to make sure it's a great one. I know it's not a question for this board, but I'm mildly concerned about Bermuda travel, what with all the stories you hear about the Triangle. Logic dictates that if bad things were happening, ships wouldn't sail there, but still ... And palmetto cockroaches scare me. Personally, I love at sea days, when you can just be as lazy as you want, the casino gets to benefit a little too much from me during those days, hehe.

[Shifra]

If I were you I would grab it! Longer cruise - balcony cabin - 2nd in cabin free.....not sure what is holding you back. :confused:

[JudithLynne]

If this is your boyfriend's first cruise, make the switch and let him experience a balcony room. Please let us all know what you decide.

 

Judith

[kiska]

Okay, I called the Princess agent to see what the exact details on this offer are, and if there is a better date in the summer that both of us can do, it would be fabulous to switch to this cruise. Will post and let you know :). The only things holding me back would be how much more I'd have to pay for the airfare and if I can get time off work for the 9-day cruise. I guess all the islands are the same, right - Caribbean and Bahamas.

[wrongwaywatson]

I'm confused. You paid for 2 people, correct? They are giving you an upgrade and the second person is free? Basically, the other person isn't exactly free, because you already paid, correct?

[kiska]

Hmm, I wonder, there's another bullet point that says refund will be given as onboard credit. So ... it may be that they'll refund the price of the second person as onboard credit, or it may be that I'll have to buy first person at the new price and the second person will be free. Still waiting for the Princess person to call me back with more details on this one.

[hubofhockey]

reminds me a t-shirt i just saw in st maarten or st thomas, "different day, different island, same old s--t"

 

i have been to aruba several times (none on a cruise) and don't see anything special about going there. if you scuba, i guess bonair is special. but bermuda in the summer isn't too shabby. if you consider the ports to be around the same, there's no reason not to make the switch. sounds like a lot of money to be saved but don't know what your air cancellation fees are. hey, ask for a mini-suite and see what they say. ;)

[RickEk]

Hmm, I wonder, there's another bullet point that says refund will be given as onboard credit. So ... it may be that they'll refund the price of the second person as onboard credit, or it may be that I'll have to buy first person at the new price and the second person will be free. Still waiting for the Princess person to call me back with more details on this one.

 

Well, with the OBC, you'll be able to have "free" drinks, specialty restaurant meals, excursions, casino play, photos, souvenirs, tips, etc. Not a bad deal...

 

And hey, don't worry about the mysterious "Triangle"... just an old wive's tale. We sailed through it a few years ago on Golden Princess in a race to avoid Hurricane Wilma and nothing bad happened at all... :)

[ggprincess2004]

I would take that offer in a heartbeat, and since you are in Maryland I would ask about the Princess transfers to the port in NY. You are going to get a refund for what you already paid for the second passenger and an upgrade to a balcony stateroom. If you are worried about the number of kids on board, with part of the savings, I would be doing Sanctuary for the duration of the cruise.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I think it's a great deal. Ask them to throw in the transfers. They may not do it, but it never hurts to ask. Good luck & keep us posted. :)

[Pam in CA]

...but it would be my boyfriend's first cruise anywhere, so I really wanted to make sure it's a great one.

Then you definitely want to get the balcony! :) He'll fall in love with cruising.

[katisdale]

I would make the trade if it were offered to me and my DH could get that time off from work.

[ellenh]

We received the same offer today and jumped on it!

 

We had some special considerations such that it actually worked out a little better for us to cruise at the later date so the offer was really a stroke of luck for us. And to gain two days, upgrade from inside to balcony, save one fare, and cruise out of our hometown was all a bonus. Hard to say "no"!

 

However, we will miss diving in Bonaire and Dominica and we will especially miss cruising with some friends who will be on the 5/3 cruise. Hopefully we'll be able to schedule something with them a little later.

 

--Ellen in NYC

[stemie]

I took a similar offer last month. We were supposed to cruise on the Crown April 5th. We are sailing the 9th day on CB June 20th. We are getting a cabin upgrade from balcony to mini, an OBC for 2nd passenger fare. Did you get your airfare from the cruise line? If you did sometimes you can get them to refund that also.

[stemie]

I took a similar offer last month. We were supposed to cruise on the Crown April 5th. We are sailing the 9 day on CB June 20th. We are getting a cabin upgrade from balcony to mini, an OBC for 2nd passenger fare. Did you get your airfare from the cruise line? If you did sometimes you can get them to refund that also.

[sempronialou]

It sounds like an awesome deal to jump on. My husband and I are going on the CB on 6/20 which will be our first cruise.

[BlushPell]

You would be much happier in a balcony than an inside and the two extra days would be nice.

 

I am on this sailing Sunday in a guaranteed room and still do not have a cabin yet. I think they really overbooked this one.

[Spender Nui]

Interesting. We're booked in August along with our daughter's family of 4. You didn't say how long after 6/20 the offer was for.

 

Almost everything seems to be booked. I wonder if this was an offer specific to you for a reason.

[kiska]

I think this offer went out to everyone who had a category II-M. I know this probably sounds crazy, as this is an amazing offer, but I talked to my boyfriend about it, and we're going to stick with the one that sails this Sunday. It'll be our first vacation together, and while the balcony would be really nice, we're already excited about this one, I have to admit I like the itinerary better, and as he said next time we'll take the balcony anyways ;). I'll just have to make sure to show him everything the cruise has to offer so that he falls in love with cruising anyways!! Thanks everyone for the advice, and happy cruising!