Princess Secrets they Don't Tell You - 2013 version

When we booked on Carnival they asked about a military benefit. I always assumed he didn't have his info after all this time. Did Carnival change their policy in the last three years?

Carnival only offers small discounts on certain cruises, never OBC.

This has been an extremely worthwhile investment, but I have discovered that our faces generally get lost. Good idea to remember exactly when you sent it or be prepared to fax a few times.

Bring our own. It used to be there were Purex washer/dryer sheets that you could buy in the grocery. They are no longer in the grocery stores but can be purchased from Amazon. There are also gel pacs, which I understand can rupture with airplane pressure and dryer sheets are easy to take. Fortunately we will be elite before we run out of the Purex washer/dryer sheets. Bur whatever you do, bring something from home. The ship stuff is expensive.

Bring our own. It used to be there were Purex washer/dryer sheets that you could buy in the grocery. They are no longer in the grocery stores but can be purchased from Amazon. There are also gel pacs, which I understand can rupture with airplane pressure and dryer sheets are easy to take. Fortunately we will be elite before we run out of the Purex washer/dryer sheets. Bur whatever you do, bring something from home. The ship stuff is expensive.

We brought the Tide pods on our last cruise. I doubled zip locked bagged them. They made it on the plane just fine and worked perfectly for the wash on board.

A lot of the time they are not there on the first day because they are mostly out being laundered, but they will usually appear late on embarkation day.

Thanks to everybody that have posted these great ideas. I'll be trying some of them out in two weeks.

Julie

Sorry posted on wrong thread

This is really helpful to know.

Can you do this if you're booked in a mini suite?

Thanks

You don't get a bar set up in a mini suite unless you are elite in which case you get it in any accommodation and yes you can switch.

I am not on the princess roll call boards on facebook because the privacy setting is on PUBLIC. Anyone can see who is on a sailing and the date! It is not hard to figure out where people are from just from looking at public fb post. I was disappointed in princess for this lack of security. :(

That's probably one of the reasons that Princess no longer sponsors the FB roll calls...

That's probably one of the reasons that Princess no longer sponsors the FB roll calls...

I have read that one should not put one's full names and hometown on anything online having to do with a cruise (or other trip for that matter). People can lurk and read the boards and find out that Hildegard and Elmer Hoppenstopper from Oregano, Oregon are sailing on a 21 day cruise and it's not a big leap for a crook to find the address. I've heard of it happening.

Great help, thank you very much for going the trouble to do that.

How do you do ecards?

It is on the log in page but on the link to the right for the free Princess site there is a list of things you can do for free

I will be a first-timer on Princess this fall.

I have a number of food allergies, so am wondering if Princess does like Celebrity and has certain items not always on the printed menus, but always available upon request? IIRC, broiled chicken and steak were two of them. It was a big help on nights that the regular menu had no entrees that I could eat.

I know I could probably do special meal requests ahead of time, but I really don't know what nights I'll want to eat in the MDR vs. the specialty options.

Thanks in advance.

Bring our own. It used to be there were Purex washer/dryer sheets that you could buy in the grocery. They are no longer in the grocery stores but can be purchased from Amazon. There are also gel pacs, which I understand can rupture with airplane pressure and dryer sheets are easy to take. Fortunately we will be elite before we run out of the Purex washer/dryer sheets. Bur whatever you do, bring something from home. The ship stuff is expensive.

The free laundry on the ship can be a bit rough on your clothing -esp whites-- my came back looking like a starry sky - with at least 50 little holes in my undies !!! it happened to at least one other gal !!! I hve never had a pod burst --they fit nicely in the Hillshirefarms deli containers - and the tide stain rmover prens fit there too -- safety sake: put in a ziplock - just in case

I will be a first-timer on Princess this fall.

 

I have a number of food allergies, so am wondering if Princess does like Celebrity and has certain items not always on the printed menus, but always available upon request? IIRC, broiled chicken and steak were two of them. It was a big help on nights that the regular menu had no entrees that I could eat.

 

I know I could probably do special meal requests ahead of time, but I really don't know what nights I'll want to eat in the MDR vs. the specialty options.

 

Thanks in advance.

YES there is a full menu on the left side of the reg menu steak and chicken, shrimp cocktail and baked potato come to mind

- I always ask for any sauce or salad dressing on the side -not for medical but some are just heavy handed == not a problem ever -- I substitute vegetables for all potatoes - I woudl rather have a plate of asparagus than a creamy cheesy potato -- they do have a steamed veggie plate as a side - broc/cali carrots

Ask and you will receive - also the menu is posted every morning outside the restaurants so you can prethink ----------------

enjoy yourself

azippy

I will be a first-timer on Princess this fall.

 

I have a number of food allergies, so am wondering if Princess does like Celebrity and has certain items not always on the printed menus, but always available upon request? IIRC, broiled chicken and steak were two of them. It was a big help on nights that the regular menu had no entrees that I could eat.

 

I know I could probably do special meal requests ahead of time, but I really don't know what nights I'll want to eat in the MDR vs. the specialty options.

 

Thanks in advance.

You can always ask the maître d every night for the next days menus. You can then decide what you would like to eat and order it.

Also make a topic for recent menus for your ship and see if you can eat what is on their or that is the day you can go speciality.

The free laundry on the ship can be a bit rough on your clothing -esp whites-- my came back looking like a starry sky - with at least 50 little holes in my undies !!! it happened to at least one other gal !!! I hve never had a pod burst --they fit nicely in the Hillshirefarms deli containers - and the tide stain rmover prens fit there too -- safety sake: put in a ziplock - just in case

The only problem that we have had was a pair of pants pressed on the wrong seam.

On the bright side we get constant 'cruise reminders' at home, finding laundry tags in the strangest places.:)

john

Among 'extras' I have asked and received; anchovies with my salad, snails, chopped garlic with about any meat, and fresh berries when they have them available. And every single breakfast I ask for smoked salmon, a personal favorite. They will mostly give you whatever you ask if available, and will 'take order's for the following day if you want something from a previous menu.

Doug

I will be a first-timer on Princess this fall.

 

I have a number of food allergies, so am wondering if Princess does like Celebrity and has certain items not always on the printed menus, but always available upon request? IIRC, broiled chicken and steak were two of them. It was a big help on nights that the regular menu had no entrees that I could eat.

 

I know I could probably do special meal requests ahead of time, but I really don't know what nights I'll want to eat in the MDR vs. the specialty options.

 

Thanks in advance.

There are always available items on the menu.

Among 'extras' I have asked and received; anchovies with my salad, snails, chopped garlic with about any meat, and fresh berries when they have them available. And every single breakfast I ask for smoked salmon, a personal favorite. They will mostly give you whatever you ask if available, and will 'take order's for the following day if you want something from a previous menu.

 

Doug

I'm with you I always get extra anchovies. I have had experience with them making things not on the menu for us as well. They are very accommodating.

The only problem that we have had was a pair of pants pressed on the wrong seam.

On the bright side we get constant 'cruise reminders' at home, finding laundry tags in the strangest places.:)

 

john

Hysterical. The same thing happens to us I'll get something out to put on and say, "Oh I must have had this laundered on board ship." :D

We are traveling in September to celebrate a friend's 70th birthday. Have not cruised Princess since 2013. Does anyone have any new tips or secrets?

2014 Secrets thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2297589&highlight=secrets+2014

2015 Secrets thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2169088&highlight=secrets+2016

2016 Secrets thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2357556&highlight=secrets+2016

A second 2016 thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2297589&highlight=secrets+2014