Optotronics

We are also somewhat shocked to read the posts about coffee cards. Perhaps we should review and post exactly what is written on those old cards:

 

"Unused specialty coffees redeemable on next voyage. Complimentary coffee/tea only applicable to voyage of purchase"

 

These cards are defacto written contracts. Under contract law you have purchased (called "consideration" under law) the card and are entitled to the benefits as written on that card. While Princess has every write to change the terms of new cards or even eliminate the cards entirely, they are bound by the contractual terms of the previously issued cards.

 

We wonder if there is some misunderstanding on some ships....or if Princess is unilaterally breaking the terms of a contract. Perhaps the folks who have been denied the use of their cards need to send a polite (but firm) complaint directly to Jan Swartz's Office.

 

Hank

I agree!

As for minimum wage and overtime, the crew signed contracts and they knew up front what they would paid.

Sure, pay them minimum wage and overtime... then subtract room and board from that....I think they are fairly compensated or they wouldn't be able to find a crew.

Boy princess is really taking the excitement out of our cruise in a few weeks:(

First they remove the water package and then they do the right thing and return it.

Then they take away happy hour.

Now the coffee card I have with one punch on it is no longer valid??? Kind of like stealing $30 from me. I paid for my card, it wasn't a free perk. Last cruise we both got a coffee card, but just used the wife's card most of time. We got as far as using her entire card, but only one punch from mine.

I just looked at the terms printed on the back of the card and it states.

"Unused specialty coffees redeemable on next voyage. Complimentary coffe/tea only applicable to voyage of purchase."

I'm getting a feeling of dread as to what else is "at risk" of being lost in the remaining 3 weeks until our cruise.

This is wrong.

Not quite as intimidating as the OP experienced, but I had a porter at Port Everglades tell me that “he worked for tips” before I even handed him our luggage, in a somewhat intimidating tone of voice. I showed him the tip that I was already holding in my hand and all of a sudden he became the friendliest porter. I’m guessing that a lot of people don’t tip, but that shouldn’t be a reason to act that way.

 

Like a lot of people, I worked for tips at one point in my life. Sometimes you get great tips, sometimes you get lousy ones, and sometimes you don’t get one. But you need to learn to keep smiling and doing your job.

 

 

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A good comeback to him would be, "I already prepaid my tips"

Then when he says he doesn't work for the cruise line reply " then if you're allowed to move cargo at port Everglades you must be a very well paid longshoreman"

As suggested, I emailed my comments to Customer Relations this morning. The important part of their response was:

 

"As our onboard events and offerings are always changing, Happy Hour is in the process of being phased out across the fleet while we develop new programs and promotions for your enjoyment."

 

In other words, "We're taking Happy Hour away and will, maybe, someday, replace it with something else. Enjoy your lesser experience in the mean time."

Just received this same message, it's much like the "our customers like the convenience of less product in the same size box at the same price...makes package lighter and easier to carry too" that retail manufacturers send out when they downsize.

I only have maybe 6-8 drinks at most on a 10 day cruise with a couple being during happy hour.

It would have been better to not have had a happy hour than to have it and abruptly take it away after it becomes popular. It makes the whole experience a let down when buy a cruise based on past experience knowing what will be there and find out they took it away right before your cruise.:(

Let them know how you feel about this, there is power in numbers.

- There were a number of complaints about the new balcony furniture.

- They tried to charge for Alfredo's (on the ships that have it). That was quickly rolled back.

Hi Jerry,

Tell me more, when did they try try turning Alfredo's into specialty dining?

How did the furniture change?

I just did my part and sent an email to them. I'll call them as well.

We use to rush back to be onboard by 3:00-3:30 to take advantage of the happy hour. I guess now we can stay at the beach an hour longer and have our own happy hour before going back to the ship.

Eliminating happy hour is a bad financial move on their part.

1. Happy hour lubricates the wallet and promotes spending (this is why drinks are free in land based casinos.

2. Once they get you to the happy hour and drinking, more likely than not the drinking will continue through the night and maybe even more gambling when happy hour is over thus making them more money.

3. Elimination will increase liquor smuggling, so a total loss of drink revenue there.

Maybe their logic that if the get rid of happy hour, they will sell more beverage packages, but that won't happen; big drinkers already buy it or smuggle it on board. Light drinkers who only have one or two, may just not drink or bring a bunch of liquor minis back onboard at their first port and be set.

I think it's just bad business to end all these nice little things that makes a cruise a cruise that long time customers expect.

I would rather they increase the price of their cruise than eliminate niceties that their customers expect.

I don't like the downsizing of products in grocery store and I don't like it here!

I've been cruising on princess only a little over a year and I've seen....

1. Steak in MDR go to a hamburger.....nice option on formal night NOT.

1. Almost lost ability to pre order water.

2. Reduction of all inclusive beverage package by reducing 40% discount on wine to 25.

3. Stopped allowing coffee card for gelato and added expiration date.

4. Happy hour

And many more in just the past couple years.

Add to this list, I'm sure I forgotten some.

Thanks,My CC has an offer for the first 2 rides on Uber- signed up/ got the app - still wonder when I should ask for a ride- before/ after we pick up our bags

I've never used uber, but have used lyft about 6 times on our cruise trips. They operate about the same I'm told, I just picked lyft cause they were cheaper than uber and require never cars than uber did.

Open the app and call for the driver once your outside and ready. I've never had them take more than 3 minutes to arrive:)

Which terminal does Princess normally use in Port Everglades? We are on Royal Princess in January 2019.

 

Thanks

 

 

Dennis

See if regal is in port that same day, then regal with be terminal 2 and you will be able to find out which terminal royal be located by looking at port Everglades website within 30 days of departure. If royal is not in port the same day as regal then royal will have terminal 2.

As luck would have it our last cruise on royal was a day with regal in port as well and they docked the royal at terminal 21

Thanks, I will call them.

I was concerned about having something for her to sit in while waiting in that long check in line.

I guess we've been lucky to never have any wait a 2nd time to board the ship after we check in and get our cruise cards.

I just ordered a scooter for my mother in law to use during our cruise.

They told us the scooter would be waiting in the cabin, but what about during check in and boarding?

She can walk short distances and I'm sure would not have a problem walking to her cabin without one if there is no standing in line waiting (as is usually the case for us). Standing in line for long will tire her out. Does princess have wheelchairs available at the terminal to help her out?

I would like the answer to this as well. Thanks.

on those dates. I wait until final payment is made before buying insurance. Of course if you have preexisting medical issues you need to get insurance right away in case you need to cancel cruise

They had Lobster a couple days on the royal last November. It was not promoted as such, and didn't last long as word spread quickly. I went by the HC around 1:30 afternoon and there they were, lobster tails. If you wouldn't have gone by the buffet during that 30min or so feeding frenzy you missed it.

On our November cruise on the royal, I hand wrote hash browns and bacon on our breakfast card and they brought everything.

I tipped them at debarkation last time as the nice fellow carted our bags all the way to our car; he deserved it, it was above and beyond his normal duty. For those taking 5 seconds to move our bags 6 feet onto the carts at embarkation, no they are just doing their job and are very well paid for what they do. Remember we are paying their 100k+/year wages indirectly with our port fees.

Thanks to all. Derdejoh, I think you’re right on first sea Day and GC cause of 10pm departure in Coz. Our friends are trying to schedule the Ultimate Balcony around formal.

 

The trip is

FLL

Princess Cay

Sea Day

Jamaica

Grand Cayman

Cozumel

Sea Day

FLL

We had almost this exact same cruise on the regal a little over a year ago.

1st formal night was the princess cays day and 2nd night was grand cayman. Neither was on a sea day.

You will be able to find out when on board. They will let you change your UBD night once onboard.

We did the UBD on rear facing Ruby balcony that was great and spacious. Is Dolphin 410 on the Royal reasonably large enough to be comfortable doing UBD?

We were in D438 which has their standard balcony and it was fine. I didn't feel confined and I'm over 250lbs and not small. They brought the table, set it up and it was great! Much better to spend a hundred on this than going to crown grill. Surf and turf at the grill for 2 would be $80... for $20 more you get an 8x10 photo, flowers, before dinner drink and champagne/wine.... plus all that food and the wonderful ocean below:)

I hope your wifes ankle began to recover quickly!!!

I wonder if they would have had a wheelchair or rollater for her!!!

 

 

Either that, or this was a medical situation, and they should have allowed and/or provided options other than room service for her!!!!

Somebody on that Princess ship dropped the ball on that one.

Thanks it did, our steward was the best! He rigged up some trash liners and filled them with ice to wrap around the ankle. She stayed off if for the night and next morning it was much better.

I can understand why they don't allow takeout at alfredos. If they did, so many orders would be happening that they wouldn't be able to handle the customers who want to eat there.

No big deal, I found something she would like at the IC and we are at alfredos another time.

What I didn't get was why room service couldn't build a pepperoni and pineapple pizza??

We were there twice this past November and both times there were handicapped passengers.

I think what their rule is is that they don't allow scooters and you have to be able to get on board the tender without being in the wheelchair and they stow the wheelchair onboard on the way to the cays.

Can this be done?

I haven't seen this mentioned, but thought I would ask!

 

What if you want better pizza in your cabin, or on deck, etc...

No way, I tried to get a pizza from alfredos for my wife who had twisted her ankle earlier in the day and was unable to leave the cabin. They told me they don't do take out. They said I could order pizza from room service or get some slices for her from the pizza place on lido deck by the pool. I ended up getting her something from IC. The room service pizza is not nearly as good and they said pineapple is not an available topping for room service pizza.

Thanks, Optotrinics! So no ABC, NBC, CBS, or FOX locals are available in cabins?

That's right. Oh and CNN is available too.

Can anyone please tell me which TV channels are currently available in Princess cabins? TIA.

They don't have regular broadcast channels nor hbo or showtime.

They do have a selection of other cable channels, but they are not live, it's just select episodes from various shows.

A decent assortment of newer movies as well.

What I missed most was basic weather channel.

Yes we've had the old drink package before. But it included cans of pop. The new one doesn't. I doubt they are bringing fountain sodas on shore.

So with pop excluded from the new PBP, but with Princess advertising that the PBP is usable on Princess Cays, how are pop and pop mixed drinks handled on Princess Cays?

Thanks.

I am certain they do have soda fountains there, probably just bring new tanks of carbonated water and syrup.

I do remember they have canned beer, but don't recall seeing any soda cans

Hi,

Could someone who has sailed recently with the Premier Beverage Package please tell me what the arrangements are on Princess Cays?

 

If we order a pop will we get a can and pay with the 25% discount?

If we order a rum and coke will it be covered by the PBP? Or will the lack of fountain soda result in a charge?

Did they have a method of tracking your number of alcoholic beverages under PBP on Princess Cays? Just curious - not intending on trying to beat the 15 that day! ;)

 

I'm not fussed about which way the answer goes, I just want to know what to expect.

 

Thanks!

It's just like on the ship. If you have a drink package then you're all set. If not they scan your card and charge just like on the ship. In fact all food and beverages are transported to shore from each ship.

Have never tipped in crown grill. This must be new.

I wonder how they justify this when we see some of the same waitstaff in crown grilll as we see in the regular dining room???