vinob

Hi Folks

We have the premium drinks package on our forthcoming cruise on Epic.

Bottled water is not included in the package, what is the price of bottled water on Epic at the bars, I tend to have an alcoholic drink then water for the next drink.

Thanks

Still haven't got the hang of posting, just realised I'm creating numerous replies. Could I just take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been so kind to reply to my question and have put my mind at rest.

Kind regards to you all.

Viv

if you booked your cruise through the uk site them you will not be charged the 18% grat. you will have to sign a bill for your drinks but 10% of nothing is nothing . don`t worry enjoy your cruise x

Many thanks June, we will certainly enjoy ourselves as lots of celebrations between the six of us. Kind regards Viv.

We were on the Jade in June around the Med and had the UBP included in our package and we didn't pay anything extra!! Enjoy it!

Thanks for posting, there are six of us going and we will be celebrating a 50th anniversary, a 70th birthday and another anniversary, so lots to celebrate and enjoy. Kind regards Viv.

For UK bookings the 18% gratuity is included in the package, for US bookings it is not.

Can't comment on Spanish vat as our only recent departures have been transatlantics rather than a closed loop Europe.

 

Mark & Heather

Many thanks for taking the time to reply, good to know the gratuity is included, the email from ncl in response to my question regarding the package was not very clear and led me to think that an additional 18% would be added.

Kind regards

Viv

Many thanks for your help Keith, its good to know we're not going to have a huge raft of extra charges. The cruise leaves Barcelona and takes in Morocco, the Canaries and Madeira, so hoping we will only have to pay the vat while we are in Barcelona & Malaga as I've been told that although Canaries belong to Spain they are not in the EU vat area, but not sure how true this is. Also good to know VAT on Drinks is only 10%. Kind regards Viv.

We are booked on the Epic in 2016 and have received the drinks package free of charge. Info I have received about package is very hazy, Can any NCL previous passengers advise.

If you have this free package do you have to pay 18% gratuity on each drink you order? I also understand that when in Spanish waters we will have to pay 21% vat on drinks. That makes a hefty 39% extra payable on each drink.

When we have taken drinks packages on other cruise lines the service charge has been factored into the drinks package cost as opposed to being charged on each individual drink.

Any advice would be appreciated.

We were on the Sapphire in January and they have a kettle in the room. We usually wake early and always ring room service for a cup of tea and it would arrive in 10 mins. Never had to wake along time.

Thats good to know, at least if they take our kettle off us, I'm not going to have to wait to long for room service.

Darn. Well, I'll bring along a small two-cup with an automatic shut off and some coffee packets next time.

Perhaps if quite a number of people take tea/coffee makers it might make Princess think about installing them in cabins when its next in for refit.

P & O have tea/coffee making facilities in all cabins and they're part of the same company so why not all the ships. I just don't want to have to get dressed when I wake at 3.00am and trail to IC for a cup of tea, nor do I want to have to wait for room service, I need a cuppa there and then. It's also a plus when we return to ship after a days sightseeing, means I can stretch my weary limbs out on the bed for an hour with a nice cuppa to hand.

Many thanks to everyone for responding, don't know what I would do without the CC family to help with my never ending questions.

Kind regards

viv

There have been some that take a coffee maker. (Cheaper model then leave it onboard)

It MUST (coffee/tea maker, water heater, etc) have an auto shutoff.

There still might be a possibility of it being confiscated.

Many thanks, we've just bought a new one with auto switch off, so hopefully no problems.

Hi folks, have any past Princess passengers taken travel kettles onboard. Often awake in the early hours and like a cup of tea, don't want room service coming in cabin in middle of night also read in reviews of long wait for room service. Much easier to make my own at these unearthly hours. Don't want to waste space in suitcase if they are going to remove it and return it at end of cruise. Any help/comments appreciated.

Hi Folks

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your views on the bar staff situation, feel reassured that on the whole won't be having to fetch our own drinks.

Kind regards

Viv

Hi Folks

I'm sure I read somewhere in a review that Princess has cut down on staff and that instead of having wait staff in the venues you go to the bar to get you're own drinks. I've not come across this on other cruise lines and wondering if there's any truth in it. Don't mind going to bar for service its possibly quicker but not really relaxing having to go fetch your own.

Kind regards

Viv

Hi Everyone

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has responded, your thoughts on drinks package have given us lots to think about.

Kind regards

Viv

There is something starting to concern me. I don't remember reading about the Princess shuttles to Stockholm leaving so late last year (can any longstanding forumites or people who sailed the Regal/Royal last season confirm the time of the shuttles)?

 

My understanding (which could be wrong) is that the 1 hour train into Stockholm is basically a commuter train. Does anyone know what the train capacity is? I'd be a little concerned if the Princess shuttles are running so late, and there are 3,500 people who mostly want to get to Stockholm as early as possible that the train may sell out quickly.

 

You might want to ask people on the Stockholm expert thread about whether or not it is possible to purchase tickets in advance.

 

I'm sorry if I am alarming you unnecessarily - I am not at all familiar with this train and everything might be completely fine. Maybe they run extra trains on the days where the Regal/Royal dock there or the train may normally run frequently, but I'd just want to confirm the train schedule prior to arrival (Stockholm really was one of the absolute highlights of our cruise, and I'd hate to miss part of it waiting in a train station).

 

The public transportation within the city of Stockholm is excellent, and you will have no problems getting around on your own within the city limits.

 

 

Note: I've tried to google this, and this appears to be the site with the train schedule: http://sl.se

 

It appears that currently the trains are running every 30 minutes (I don't know if they run more frequently in the summer or on days the ships dock)

 

It also appears you can purchase tickets ahead of time at http://sl.se/en/fares--tickets/

Hi Kitkat

Either Princess aren't advertising the shuttles or they are no longer doing them, when I checked excursions in the planner the only thing they had for people who want to do their own thing was "Stocholm on your own" at just under $65 pp and the only time it gave was 9.45am, but to me this seems the same as a shuttle only they are billing it as an excursion.

Kind regards

Viv

Hi Folks

Hoping those who have previously cruised with Princess can help.

On other cruise lines we've always taken the wine package because A/I packages weren't available. We are considering taking the full alcholic drinks package on our forthcoming cruise.

The package states that wine is by the glass, at dinner would we have a choice of wines or would it just be a house red or white. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Viv.

I think a lot of people think the drink package applies to only alcoholic drinks. We use it for the good coffees, soda, and bottled water. And a glass of wine with supper. It's not just sitting at the bar all day. Everyone has to figure out what they drink all day.

Hi Jules

If you take the package and you want wine with dinner is it just a house wine or are there a number of wines to choose from, just concerned that because its by the glass it might just be house wine. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Viv

Hi

Don't know if its of any use but I came across video on youtube showing the bar menu with prices page by page, it was from 2014. I think I just searched Princess cruises bar menu or something similar.

Many thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply, its certainly given us something to think about.

Kind regards

Viv.

Hi Folks

Hoping those who have cruised with Princess before may be able to help.

Does anyone know if princess ever do specials on their full drinks packages once you're onboard. £900 for 2 of us on 12 nt cruise seems rather a lot of money, however princess are saying you only need to have 5 drinks pppd to break even.

Any information would be appreicated. Many thanks Viv.

HHT28 & Aquahound

Thank you so much for taking time to reply. Will Post it on Princess forum

Hi Folks

Will be sailing with Princess for the first time this year, does anyone who has sailed with them previously know whether they ever do any special deals on the full drinks package, as nearly £1000 for the 2 of us on drinks seems an awful lot of money but have been told by princess that it only takes 5 drinks pppd to break even. We do have a number of sea days when we would probably have more than 5 drinks including their special coffees etc. Previously we've always sailed with P & O and their drinks are similar to local pub prices in the uk.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. Viv.

We wanted to try Princess for a change from P & O. So booked on Royal Princess 14/6/2015, wanted to do our own thing but hadn't realised tendering and distance from Stockholm. Have looked at Princesses shuttle but it doesn't leave til 9.45am which probably means 5 hours tops in Stocholm . Any suggestions on doing own thing or private tour companies would be appreciated. As an alternative is Nynashamn worth visiting is there much to see. Many thanks Viv.