tothemall&beyond

I hope you are being funny because that's the point... Princess is forcing people who don't want all those cocktails to take very expensive packages into which they're loading "perks" that used to be free for everyone or at least for Elite pax.

I didn't say I have only sailed on one line. I have actually sailed on 5 lines other than Princess - just not so much in the past 23 years. In my first post, I said only two times on other lines in those 23 years, but I realize now I was in error as it was actually 4 times.

Not any longer - unless you give them money to ship it to you ahead of time. Something that was advertised as free and touted as a huge benefit. Now you have to wait to get the medallion just like we had to do back in days of cruise cards.

And don't standard fare pax have a right to be upset?

Not necessarily true. We sailed for 11 nights this past December through Norway on a small Hurtigruten passenger ship, paying far less per night than Princess's current fares, and we received complimentary unlimited fast wifi, complimentary 24/7 brewed coffee and tea, generous amounts in OBC, even gifts at the end of the cruise, and did not have to pay any port fees, taxes or gratuities (and the service was superb).

What a total bunch of c**p Princess is shoveling. Do they really take us for such fools and patsies? The corporate response is actually insulting. Princess is not the only game in town for people who want to travel and explore the world. We've been very loyal to Princess for the past 23 years, only cruising on other lines twice in that entire span of time, but they clearly no longer value nor deserve that loyalty.

Amen!!!!

Your response does not make any sense because I did not say anything about what I have or have not ever done personally. I did, however, based upon what you wrote (and my 33 years of frequent cruising and 15+ years of reading CC boards) admittedly surmise (as did others reading your posts) what may have taken place here which is that it seems you had $0 in your casino purse but wanted the casino cage to cash out the OBC in your onboard account. If I was in error in this regard, my apologies. But, as stated above, others reached the same conclusion.

It sounds to me like the OP went to some crew member, told them they had unspent OBC's they wanted to cash out and asked how to do it via the casino. That has never been an option.

Same for us last year on the Greenland cruise. Thought DuVaul would be CD - he wasn't. And Nash wasn't Capt.

Yes, once many years ago, we made the mistake of ordering a coffee package while still in Port Everglades and got charged Florida tax. We went to Guest Services and they reversed the purchase of as yet unused package. We waited to sail out of US waters and re-purchased it without taxes.

August 12th!

Yup. Exactly. We have an upcoming 32 night cruise for which we have to make final payment 120 days in advance of sailing. We fear what changes they'll "suddenly" invoke post-final payment that would materially change our cruise experience -- most notably, free laundry service. Ugh.

Emerald, too.

Has anyone noticed that, suddenly, as of today, ALL sailings on the Sapphire, Grand and Caribbean are showing - in the dreaded red ink - as being unavailable? Being sold? Itineraries being switched? Charters? Feeling nervous as we are booked on a 32 night Hawaii/South Pacific on the Sapphire.

It's not on the website yet because the new fees/charges don't start till August 12th. Then it will be there for sure.

I was only talking about Alfredo's. But using Ocean Now to order bevs or food while at pool, in lounges, in theater, or anywhere else, isn't free anymore either. If you want to order something and you don't have a Plus or Premier package, you have to pay a $15 one-time fee. So much for the "Medallion Class Experience".

Nope. No more free items for Standard fare. It's prix fixe @ $14.99 for the 3-course meal or a la carte for everything else. It literally says so. The addition of new three-course, pre-fixed menus gives Plus and Premier guests more food options than ever before without any extra charges. For those who prefer sailing on Princess Standard, the casual prix fixe dining will be $14.99 and individual selections will continue with a la carte pricing.

I read the plain language as $14.99 for the new prix fixe 3-course menu, and a la cart pricing for all other food, so no free items any more, including the pizza. Not a happy cruiser!

That is a separate issue. In this case, the person with the military benefit would obviously choose the military OBC instead of the CCL OBC. And if there's a spouse in the cabin who jointly owns the stock, they can still get the CCL OBC.

Look again at your shipping info. Does it say UPS or USPS? Also, even if it shows UPS, look to see if it also indicates "Mail Innovations", in which case it's coming via USPS. We've been sailing with medallions since Dec 2017 when they were first rolling them out on select decks of select ships, and they have never come via UPS. Came via USPS, except very early on, when they were novel, being actively promoted and had beautiful presentation boxes, when they may have used FedEx. But never UPS.

Remember that you have to add it for both passengers in the cabin.

The email was vague as to which voyages qualified and it certainly didn't contain the caveat about it being for "new bookings only".

It is certainly deceptive, whether intentionally or negligently, and violates both federal FTC regs and Calif state law for fair trade practices. But unless people bring it to the attention of the authorities, they'll get away wit it.