danak13

Can anyone copy the link from Celebrity with the port status so I can check if my ports are open to explore independently?  I have been searching the website and must be missing it! 

3 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

If I might ask, what special perks are you afraid of losing if you upgrade to a higher category which will include the All Included perks?

We have free gratuities, free wifi, free premium beverage package and $300 onboard credit. The current promotion takes away the onboard credit and only included the classic drink package. 

I have a booking on Reflection for November.  It was a Lift and Shift from last Nov so we have really awesome perks Celebrity is not offering now.  However, I don't love our cabin and would like to upgrade to a better one.  I have asked two different Celebrity agents about upgrading but have been told both times I will lose my perks if I change rooms and will have to receive the current promotions.  I would get this if I was being refunded money but I am trying to give them more! LOL 

So is this just the standard or has anyone been able to upgrade and not lose their perks? 

We are booked on Reflection at the end of Nov and have one of the angled balconies on deck 6.  Excited for the extra space but worried about the lifeboats.  For those who have sailed on this deck, is the obstruction really that bad and worth paying more for another balcony or did you like this deck?  Thank you! 

2 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

 I believe the correct explanation is that if you choose option 1, you get the total value shown in the option 1 column as an FCC.  You do NOT get your original cruise payment PLUS that FCC amount.

 

(note the comment that option 1 gives  you 25% more total of $'s and FCC if you select that option)

This is what I am confused about.  I thought that it said what you are stating.  Our sailing was April 18th so I figured we would get our fare back plus 50%.  When I sent it to my SO, he read it differently-that we would get our fare back plus 150% FCC.  I went to relook at the email and I can see why there would be that confusion.  Still not 100% sure which is correct.  

23 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Love this drink. I have several things I regularly drink onboard.

 

24k Gold Margarita (on the rocks in a rocks glass -- I have to train them each time for this one)

Chairman of the Board Martini (straight up with a twist)

Bulleit Bourbon (straight up)

Bulleit Rye (straight up - I can only get this on certain ships with the expanded whiskey menu)

Talisker 12 Year (straight up)

Spellbound Petite Sirah (at Vines but they seem to have removed it from their options so we'll have to find a new favorite that falls within the boundaries of the beverage package)

 

When I'm having whiskey straight up I usually get a double. I've never had a problem getting a double with the beverage package. When I get a Chairman of the Board to take with me to the theater I have them put it in a rocks glass. Much easier to carry.

Just curious when you order a double of whiskey-do they charge you for two drinks off your package? 

On 1/12/2020 at 12:43 AM, NavyVeteran said:

You pay for the number of nights of the cruise - not the number of days. By a 14-day cruise, Princess means a cruise with 14 nights, so it actually has parts of 15 days. This is much more reasonable than some other lines that count the number of (partial) days.

 

For a 14-night cruise, you actually have 15 days to use the PBP - even though you pay for 14. On embarkation day, you have from embarkation until 6:00 am the next morning. You then have 13 full days from 6:00 am until 6:00 am. On disembarkation day, you have from 6:00 am until you leave the ship. I have had a couple of bloody marys for breakfast on disembarkation morning (charged to the PBP).

 

Even though I know several people who have drunk their full 15-drink allotment on some days, I don't know of anyone who has managed to drink 15 alcoholic drinks on disembarkation morning. That would really take some work.☺️

The drink package works on disembarkation morning for alcohol?  I have used it on other lines (never been on Princess) for coffees and waters but was always told alcohol was off limits in the morning.  This is the first time my SO can have a leisurely morning when we disembark versus having to travel so we may have to utilize this! 

I keep seeing conflicting info.  We are going to be in D735 if that helps and I believe there is a pullman bed in there but I can'f find out if these cabins have the beds in the ceiling or on the wall.  

Thanks! 

I don't think you are still on the ship but I was wondering about drink prices of scotches/bourbons/gins/etc.  What was available on the rocks and how much? 

1 minute ago, john_galt said:

You picked well...

 

Very nice!!! We just had our first aft balcony on the NCL Breakaway in December and we are hooked! 

Just now, john_galt said:

They are the same layout. D736 is actually next door to D734.

D735 is the same room only starboard side.

Grand and Caribbean are the same class. 

 

I appreciate the information.  Totally new to Princess so I am still trying to learn everything.  Even more excited now that we seemed to have picked out a great room! 

4 minutes ago, john_galt said:

This will help...

The big draw here is the balcony. We've sailed in D736 (next door) and are booked in D736 again for November.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGDy0HVYhC8

 

Thanks! assuming the ships are the same layout and if so, this will be fantastic! 

Just booked D735 on CB.  First time on Princess so I don't know much about their cabins.  Love aft views so I am hoping this was a good choice and hoping some on here might have photos of this cabin! 

On 12/20/2019 at 2:57 PM, JamieLogical said:

Just wanted to update all of you who helped me out. Yesterday we booked an aft balcony on the August 29 sailing of the Ruby Princess and put down our deposit. The itinerary is round-trip inside passage out of Seattle and includes Glacier Bay. The Ruby is being upgraded to MedallionClass in January. I like the concept of the Medallion and the supporting apps. Hope it actually works well!

 

Thank you again for all of the great info and advice!

Hey Jamie, 

Just wanted to say I see a lot of your posts on the NCL page as that is my SO and I's favorite line.  Ironically, like you, we just put down a deposit for a Princess cruise in April because we couldn't find any good deals with NCL.  It's our first time on Princess so it should be a fun experience for us both trying something new! 

Since I started this thread, I wanted to make sure that I came back and reported how the Priority Access went for me.  Boarded the Breakaway in Port Canaveral last Saturday.  

We got everything that was promised.  Designated line at check in; we were the only ones in it.  Checked in within three minutes.  We literally sat for less than five minutes before they called us (this was around 10:30-10:45ish).  Not sure if Haven already got on as I did not hear them called, but we were called before anyone else on the loud speaker.  Boarded with anyone with disabilities/wheelchairs.  The staff on board said we were the first ones they saw board the ship that day. 

We had a letter in our stateroom with all of the benefits on the first day.  

Got our canapes on Day 2 (nothing exciting but they remembered)

Got another letter in our stateroom about Priority Tendering.  They had a conference room set up for us to wait in if we chose to be on the first tender.  After the process started, we could go down whenever and get on the first available tender. 

Had room service (hot food included) for breakfast three days and was never charged. 

They left luggage tags in our room without us asking for priority disembarkation.  We chose to walk off with our luggage but had we used the tags, we had the 8AM time slot.

Hope this helps! 

On 11/19/2019 at 12:46 PM, luckyinpa said:

 

good to know about the 10% but the 50 shore credit would pay for 2 umbrellas (3 ppl). which brings up something else. how close to each other are they. will the 3rd person be far away?

 

 

Can you use the shore credit to rent umbrellas?? How do you go about doing this? Thank you! 

19 minutes ago, MNcruisingcouple said:

He should definitely try all the single malt scotches including some high ended blends like Johnny Walker Blue and Chevis Royal Solute(Blend of 21 yr scotch).  Some of these are not on the menu but if he goes to the whiskey bar which is maltings on most ships and they get to know him they will have suggestions of good whiskeys and Scotches to try.  I personally did not care for the whistle pig rye which everyone raves about but we all have different taste.  I really enjoyed the higher end Scotches.  If either one of you are martini drinkers the  botanist gin makes a flavorful martini.   We also enjoyed having sparkling water and cappuccinos with meals in addition to the bottles of wine. 

We love gin so I'm very excited to try the botanist! 

13 minutes ago, albertamom said:

Btw...your SO is a lucky man.  What a wonderful surprise! ❤️

Thank you 😊. And thank you very much for the recommendations! Very excited for those martinis!!

Surprising my SO with the upgraded drink package because he has really gotten into craft cocktails and good liquors this year. What should we put on our "must order" list?? 

1 minute ago, Kwakwa630 said:

Somebody earlier in the thread said they were embarking in 2 weeks. I embark in 3 weeks with Priority Access, so I can report back then!

Ironically, as the thread starter hoping to learn more about this, it seems I am the one who will be boarding first and seeing how it all works out! I am on the Breakaway in 9 days 🙂

10 hours ago, phissy said:

Wow, almost double from original price.

I actually was lucky and heard about it at the $99 price and thought it was worth a shot.  We have a tender port so I am hoping it will make that process a bit easier.  $179 is too rich for my blood! 

I took a gamble and booked it for my cruise in two weeks but haven't heard much about it and if it worked for those who bought it.  

2 hours ago, TheDougOut said:

The prior summer my parents wanted to go on a big family cruise in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.  We narrowed our ship possibilities down to the Celebrity Summit & the Norwegian Breakaway, eventually deciding on the Breakaway.  

 

For the months leading up to our cruise, we all second-guessed our decision based on all the negative posts & reviews found on CruiseCritic & elsewhere.  Impossible to get a drink at the bar, an hour-wait for a trip down a water slide, rude staff, etc. - we read it all.  

 

We then boarded a fully-booked ship and were blown away by every aspect of the experience.  It was absolutely perfect, and all week we just kept shaking our heads, trying to figure out how someone could experience anything other than a great time on that ship.

 

First, thank you for your review! I loved seeing the new ship and following along.  Also, this commentary on the Breakaway was refreshing to see.  My SO and I will be on her for the first time in three weeks (and his first time on a large ship) and with all the negative reviews, I was a little worried that we may not have made the right choice.  It is nice to hear you and your whole family loved it so much! 

This is my cruise too and I am hoping for the same (my SO and I are traveling).  We went the week of Thanksgiving the last two years and it was surprisingly not overrun with kids that week either, but we were traveling on a smaller ship. 

Very rarely and only when we try to order something they don't know how to make.  We love French 75s and try to make it our first drink onboard but after getting blank stares at the Atrium bars upon boarding every cruise we have given up and just order champagne! LOL