Coupon Books....... What are they?

[CBCruiser1960]

We are going on our first cruise in Feb 21/10. I see on CC alot of people talking about Coupon Books. Do you receive these books when you board? Do you purchase them? If you do have to purchase them what is the cost?

[justluv2cruisewithhubby]

Coupon books can not be purchased however if you made your reservations through your travel agent or Princess and they had a special it may be included in your package.

We happened to book through our TA and for our Jan 30th booking our package includes the coupon booklet which is valued at $325.00 something like that. Inside the booklet there are coupons such as:

• 15 free internet minutes if you buy an internet package
• 2 for 1 coffee coupons (the best coupon in the book for me)
• $10.00 off of a SPA package
• 2 for 1 Ice cream sundae's
• Money off of cruise photo's etc etc.

You would have to check with either your TA or Princess if you booked directly with them to see if your booking includes the coupon book.

[CBCruiser1960]

Thank you for the information. Will have to check with TA.

[patseacruiser]

Generally if your TA has a 'Princess Sale' with reduced deposits then Princess also offers a coupon book. But from experience nothing is really free. You have to buy something to get something and usually it's not what you would usually buy anyway. There might be some match play coupons at the casino and a 10% off of a wine package or things like that.

[jrblach]

our coupon book had a free entry to casino tournament. joan saved $20 using it as free admission to slot tournament

[hollydog]

We were on the Crown 11/14-11/21. Our coupon books each had a coupon for $20 off a portrait. We don't usually buy the ship pictures, but found two we really liked so they cost us $4.99 each. It was a good deal for us.

[ginagirl]

In the last 12 months, we have sailed on Princess 4 or 5 times and received coupon books on each of the 14 day or longer sailings. Never found 1 coupon that we would want to use in any of the books. The things we buy are NEVER discounted in any way. As for using the photo coupons, I don't even remember seeing any of those. However, if I buy one more photo on a sailing, I swear my DH will throw me overboard.
I did make a purchase in their Swarovski Shop and filled in the coupon for the drawing for the Swarovski replica of the Diamond Princess. Lo and Behold, with only one coupon being drawn at the end of the cruise, I was the lucky person to win it!!!!! The Diamond Princess just happens to be my favorite Princess ship, and the prize couldn't have made me any happier!!!

[Lynda90]

Originally Posted by ginagirl

In the last 12 months, we have sailed on Princess 4 or 5 times and received coupon books on each of the 14 day or longer sailings. Never found 1 coupon that we would want to use in any of the books. The things we buy are NEVER discounted in any way. As for using the photo coupons, I don't even remember seeing any of those. However, if I buy one more photo on a sailing, I swear my DH will throw me overboard.
I did make a purchase in their Swarovski Shop and filled in the coupon for the drawing for the Swarovski replica of the Diamond Princess. Lo and Behold, with only one coupon being drawn at the end of the cruise, I was the lucky person to win it!!!!! The Diamond Princess just happens to be my favorite Princess ship, and the prize couldn't have made me any happier!!!

The coupon books discussed on this thread are the ones you can only get from your travel agent. They are not the ones that are given by Princess and they are fairly new. The old ones the TA's gave out had mostly useless stuff. The new ones have many more useful coupons such as the 2 for 1 coffee card which many people use.

[caribill]

And since this is your first cruise, if onboard they offer a coupon book for sale with coupons for use at shops in the ports, save your money and do not buy it. It is essentially useless.

[bobhsv]

Lucky you dont live in Australia. I rang Princess today enquiring about these famous coupon books, and asked why we hadn't received one with our cruise documents. Answer....what coupon books, never heard of them!!

Cheers,
Jen

[CBCruiser1960]

Thank you everyone for your info and advice.

[bgbaird]

• Receive 15% off 1 bottle of Heidsieck Co. Monopole Blue Label champagne.

• $5 discount to enroll in the Maitre D’ Wine Club Seminar.
• Receive 10% off any single purchase in fine jewelry, fine watches, or fine gifts.
• $10 off a single purchase of $100 or more in onboard boutiques.
• Free Metabolism Test with purchase of a personal training session.
• Receive $40 off Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow with massage while ship is in port.
• Receive $40 off Aroma Stone Therapy 75-minute treatment while ship is in port.
• Receive $35 off Oxydermy Facial 50-minute facial while ship is in port.
• $20 off any portrait photo purchase.
• $10 off your Embarkation Photo.
• 50% off the purchase of your Reflections DVD.
• 25% off your purchase of the Stock Photo Package.
• $5 Bonus-Bet match Play on one Blackjack hand or spin at the Roulette table.
• Purchase an Entry into a Slot or Table Game Tournament and receive a second tournament entry free.
• Purchase any Internet Time Package and get 15 minutes free.
• $10 off a Custom Frame on any purchased or won art.
• Buy one Coffee Card and receive the second one free.
• Buy one Ice Cream Creation and receive a second one free.

[caribill]

Originally Posted by bobhsv

asked why we hadn't received one with our cruise documents.

If you do get one (the good group of coupons), it will not be sent to you pre-cruise, but will be in your cabin when you board the ship. Your travel agent would be able to tell you if you are receiving one as it is a promotion that only involves travel agents.

[Colo Cruiser]

Originally Posted by bobhsv

Lucky you dont live in Australia. I rang Princess today enquiring about these famous coupon books, and asked why we hadn't received one with our cruise documents. Answer....what coupon books, never heard of them!!

Cheers,
Jen

Don't loose any sleep over it.

[leeanninfla]

Originally Posted by hollydog

We were on the Crown 11/14-11/21. Our coupon books each had a coupon for $20 off a portrait. We don't usually buy the ship pictures, but found two we really liked so they cost us $4.99 each. It was a good deal for us.

I was on the same sailing. I used to portrait coupon and the embarkation coupon. Picked up a nice formal night pic and the embarkation pick for $14.90 total. I was quite happy with that. Otherwise I would not have purchased the pictures.

[Pam in CA]

Originally Posted by bgbaird

• Receive 15% off 1 bottle of Heidsieck Co. Monopole Blue Label champagne.

• $5 discount to enroll in the Maitre D’ Wine Club Seminar.
• Receive 10% off any single purchase in fine jewelry, fine watches, or fine gifts.
• $10 off a single purchase of $100 or more in onboard boutiques.
• Free Metabolism Test with purchase of a personal training session.
• Receive $40 off Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow with massage while ship is in port.
• Receive $40 off Aroma Stone Therapy 75-minute treatment while ship is in port.
• Receive $35 off Oxydermy Facial 50-minute facial while ship is in port.
• $20 off any portrait photo purchase.
• $10 off your Embarkation Photo.
• 50% off the purchase of your Reflections DVD.
• 25% off your purchase of the Stock Photo Package.
• $5 Bonus-Bet match Play on one Blackjack hand or spin at the Roulette table.
• Purchase an Entry into a Slot or Table Game Tournament and receive a second tournament entry free.
• Purchase any Internet Time Package and get 15 minutes free.
• $10 off a Custom Frame on any purchased or won art.
• Buy one Coffee Card and receive the second one free.
• Buy one Ice Cream Creation and receive a second one free.

Thanks for the list. Essentially useless. I wonder if that 10% off in the stores is on top of my Elite discount? Likewise, the additional Internet minutes? I don't get the coffee card, don't buy photos, don't go to the casino, and don't go to the spa. I guess I'm in the minority but I don't see anything on this list that does me any good.

[Katie333]

We got this booklet on one of the first sailings after they changed from the old version. We were traveling with other couples and made good use of the 2 for 1 coffee card, as well as the embarkation photo discount, and the slot tournament entry fee. EVERY time we brought the coupons to the venues, we surprised and confused the staff, who claimed it was their first time seeing the coupons. I imagine it's pretty straight forward now.

This coupon booklet would never be an incentive for me on its own, but as others have said, it is typically is offered (often in lieu of better things like OBC) with low deposit promos.