Princess Secrets they Don't Tell You - 2013 version

[Julia’s Journey’s]

You can take it to the pursers desk and they will give you OBC

 

Have you done this and how recently?

I'd rather get Aubrey a soda card and pay the diff :p

[OCruisers]

Also, if you get a gift notification of the Ultimate Breakfast, you can get OBC for that. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[lovevacadays]

Absolutely not true. Not sure where your TA got this information but it's wrong.

 

Two things: The BOGO coffee card coupon has been gone for 2 1/2 years. Ancient history. The other thing is that TAs have a choice of perks to give clients on a particular cruise. All clients on that cruise get the same perk; it can't be personalized for each cabin. On my Royal cruise in October, I'm getting OBC and a bottle of wine. On my Royal 9/14 cruise, I'm getting OBC and the coupon book. (I'd rather have the wine.)

 

I would rather have the wine as well, Pam.:) I have been researching several cruises and a few have mentioned the coupon book so it is alive and well.

Edited June 26, 2013 by MichelleinOC

[Cruisin Oma]

It's been forever since I cruised on Princess and even though we've sailed the Star 2 times, this was just the thread I was looking for. Thank you

[azippy]

When a TA has a cruise night and someone books within a certain time frame they get the coupon book -- the wine and OBC are from 'amenity points' that are chosen when the group is taken out by the TA. Correct that they cant not be different for each cabin..

[paul929207]

When a TA has a cruise night and someone books within a certain time frame they get the coupon book -- the wine and OBC are from 'amenity points' that are chosen when the group is taken out by the TA. Correct that they cant not be different for each cabin..

Not sure what your question is??

[ceba]

My secret which is not so secret is that I use my free minutes being elite to call home using my magic jack' date=' use my laptop and bought a cheap princess phone as I like to talk into a phone and I can call my kids who are teens from my cruises.

 

I have now loaded the magic jack app on my kindle and have headphones with a mic and can call using that, worked great last month calling hubby and son from Europe.[/quote']

 

I'm so sorry if this question has been asked but I'm too lazy to read the entire thread. Someone tell me about the magic jack. Does it make the connection clearer? is it a type of Skype call?how do you use it with your Kindle? do you need to have a separate phone #? sounds interesting to me.

Edited June 26, 2013 by ceba

[culvercitycruiser]

I'm so sorry if this question has been asked but I'm too lazy to read the entire thread. Someone tell me about the magic jack. Does it make the connection clearer? is a type of Skype call? sounds interesting to me.

 

I Googled it...

 

Below is the description...

 

FREE Calls to U.S. and Canadian phone numbers – or to any magicJack number, anywhere in the world.

 

magicJack APP will NEVER use your mobile minutes and does not require a voice plan. WiFi or 4G recommended.

[paul929207]

I Googled it...

 

Below is the description...

 

FREE Calls to U.S. and Canadian phone numbers – or to any magicJack number, anywhere in the world.

 

magicJack APP will NEVER use your mobile minutes and does not require a voice plan. WiFi or 4G recommended.

So if you use it on the ship, you would be using your internet minutes. These cost 30 to 75 cents per minute depending on the package you purchase.

[culvercitycruiser]

So if you use it on the ship, you would be using your internet minutes. These cost 30 to 75 cents per minute depending on the package you purchase.

 

I was giving information to the poster who did not know what Magic Jack was. I would not use this. But in port in a internet café it might work for someone.

I try very hard not to use the internet on the ship. It is too expensive and worse than dial up.

[ceba]

I was giving information to the poster who did not know what Magic Jack was. I would not use this. But in port in a internet café it might work for someone.

I try very hard not to use the internet on the ship. It is too expensive and worse than dial up.

 

Thanks guys. I googled it too. If you have internet credits with the cruise line or can use it at a wireless cafe it would not be too bad I guess. If those two things are possible, is it a good deal?? It seems as hard as I try my phone bill after a cruise is more than I wish it was. My mom is elderly and though I don't mind the cost of calling her every couple of days, it would be nice to find a more cost effective way to do it. Tried teaching her to text but bless her heart, its just not going to happen!;)

Edited June 26, 2013 by ceba

[Shadavi]

After 20+ cruises with Princess, I discovered the following from Room Service a year or so ago regarding ordering breakfast room service from the card that is left on your pillow each night:

If you don't want to commit to a specific delivery time in the morning, just call Room Service when you are awake and ready to place an order. Room Service will be happy to deliver, always arriving quickly from my experience.

I discovered this by accident. On sea days, we never set an alarm clock (nothing worse than having to set an alarm for just room service delivery). One morning I called to place just a coffee order; the helpful room service person taking the order asked if I wanted anything else. I was surprised and told him that I was thought it was too late to order breakfast items since I didn't leave the card out the night before. He told me "No issue - just call in the morning when you are ready to order". I did this last year in all 3 cruises, not one issue.

Note: I have never ordered anything that is not listed on the room service menu for breakfast. Don't want to go there, especially if I discover they will deliver bacon. We try to eat "light" for breakfast. LOL

Sue from Fairfield, CA

 

Our 'alarm' is the room service delivery knock:cool:

[razerbackmom]

First, thanks to those who shared about the OBC benefit of owning stock. I have a quick, maybe dumb question:o question. I could not find a form for requesting the OBC on the corporate web site, so I assume you fax the requested information to the number listed for the appropriate cruise line. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong!:D Also, do they confirm by return fax or do I watch my reservation on line to see if it shows up in 7 working days?

 

Linda

[pengu1n]

I couldn't find it either, so I emailed my TA and she sent me a copy.

[dorisis]

We have always faxed it in but never got any reply except the sheet that shows the fax was received. That had no info on it/ However...we have always recieved the proper amount of OBC

[paul929207]

I fax a copy of the proof of ownership along with my info (name, ship, cabin, booking number and sailing date). I have never used a form.

[ehogan]

We just send a fax to the number provided for the cruise line, including proof of shares held, sailing info.

 

Don't assume all is well without checking. I faxed info June 5 and followed up with a phone call three days ago, they said they had my info but had not posted the OBC to my account. after my call I received a confirmation email that it was posted. The Pincess agent said it would show on My Personalized but I can't see a spot for it.

 

It is easier to do this with a Carnival cruise since it shows up clearly on your on line invoice.

 

As recommended by others, I will bring all my documentation on board just to be sure.

[razerbackmom]

Thanks to all for the prompt replies.

 

Linda

[Wateron]

First, thanks to those who shared about the OBC benefit of owning stock. I have a quick, maybe dumb question:o question. I could not find a form for requesting the OBC on the corporate web site, so I assume you fax the requested information to the number listed for the appropriate cruise line. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong!:D Also, do they confirm by return fax or do I watch my reservation on line to see if it shows up in 7 working days?

 

Linda

 

Call Princess they will email the Princess form

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[tartanexile81]

Hi everybody

It's a few years since we cruised with Princess so we've been following this thread. Because of all our other cruises with ships flying the Carnival Brand flag we find ourselves reaching Elite :D so thanks for the heads-up on the mini-bar. We always take up our shareholder's OBC, but we're not Vets..... although we love Banana Splits :)! Thanks everybody.

 

NOW.......Any more secrets to share before our cruise on Ruby??

[Working 2 Cruise]

Hi everybody

It's a few years since we cruised with Princess so we've been following this thread. Because of all our other cruises with ships flying the Carnival Brand flag we find ourselves reaching Elite :D so thanks for the heads-up on the mini-bar. We always take up our shareholder's OBC, but we're not Vets..... although we love Banana Splits :)! Thanks everybody.

 

NOW.......Any more secrets to share before our cruise on Ruby??

 

Unless I missed something, you do not qualify as elite. The only credits you can get is from P&O cruises. Unless you have sailed over 15 Times with these 2 cruise lines ... Once you have reached 15 cruises, then you will qualify. None of the other cruise lines will count.

Edited June 27, 2013 by Working 2 Cruise

[Kentchikan]

Unless I missed something, you do not qualify as elite. The only credits you can get is from P&O cruises. Unless you have sailed over 15 Times with these 2 cruise lines ... Once you have reached 15 cruises, then you will qualify. None of the other cruise lines will count.

 

That is what I've heard from Captain's Circle people. It's too bad you can't combine them across brands. It's interesting that each brand is run differently. I'd like to combine the best of all of them.

[Working 2 Cruise]

That is what I've heard from Captain's Circle people. It's too bad you can't combine them across brands. It's interesting that each brand is run differently. I'd like to combine the best of all of them.

 

No way this is going to happen. It is a loyalty program designed for loyal passengers... If all cruise lines combined the perks there would be no loyalty...

[sept10dsm]

That is what I've heard from Captain's Circle people. It's too bad you can't combine them across brands. It's interesting that each brand is run differently. I'd like to combine the best of all of them.

I guess when the companies are bought, the agreements allow them to run their own company as they see fit. I'm sure there are requirements that must be met, but all the lines Carnival owns seem to keep their brand. Also, while Carnival (the parent) doesn't allow cruises to be counted for all of their lines, it seems, I receive offers with my Princess Captain Circle number on them. The only line I've ever cruised was with Princess aside from a 3 day cruise on Costa over 35 yrs ago (from the Carnival product)

[Kentchikan]

No way this is going to happen. It is a loyalty program designed for loyal passengers... If all cruise lines combined the perks there would be no loyalty...

 

I know. I don't think it will ever happen but I just think it would be nice if it did. Of course the logistics would be horrendous.

What amazes me are the variations in perks at various levels as well as the suite perks which were non existent on Carnival and amazing on Holland America.

They're getting better on Princess. They are also good on NCL and Celebrity.

It's interesting to sail the different lines and see their procedures.

Edited June 27, 2013 by Kentskie