Canadian Princess Cruisers

[senior lady]

Yup - worked like a charm. I had $300 pre-purchased OBC. I put my cruise card in a slot machine in the casino, moved $200 over to casino account. I then went to the desk in the casino and asked them to cash me out - $200 in cash. No questions asked.:D

 

Just remember to take it all out at once. I found out on my cruise last month that if you only take some out and don't gamble they will "freeze" your account.

I had to really convince the casino manager that I "really" wanted to gamble.

Next time I"ll take it all out at once.

[ceilidh1]

Just remember to take it all out at once. I found out on my cruise last month that if you only take some out and don't gamble they will "freeze" your account.

I had to really convince the casino manager that I "really" wanted to gamble.

Next time I"ll take it all out at once.

 

Ohh, I didn't know that - thanks for the tip! Do you mean cash it all out at once in the casino, or transfer it all over at once? Or both?

[senior lady]

cash it out all at once in casino.

[senior lady]

I had a $1000 OBC and only took a couple of hundred out at a time.

Then when I went to take the rest out the last day of cruise, is when I got into trouble from the Casino manager:o

[kruisey]

I have a cruise booked for Nov 2015. The Princess exchange rate at that time for purchasing OBC is 20%. Pretty much the same as the current exchange rate.

 

Does anyone know if Princess adjusts their rate as the CDN dollar grows stronger (if it does) in order for their rates to be more appealing? Otherwise I imagine the incentive would be diminished for those to pre-purchase OBC thru Princess.

 

thanks!

The rate 20% above is fixed for 2016 .:(

[RLK33853]

There is a $300 limit to cash out in the Casino and you can only do it twice before they freeze your account if you don't gamble.

[AE_Collector]

We're sailing on Sept 25.

 

Based on your experience, which ending is the 10% rate and which is the 20% rate, and wondering how you learned this?

 

It is simple really. Almost all cruise prices in US$ end in $9. $699 for example. They decided to charge Canadians a 10% premium which is $69.90 thus the Canadian price at 10% premium is $768.90. When they went to 20% premium the price became $838.80. So a persons fare ending in .90 is a 10% premium and ending in .80 is a 20% premium. Thus you can pre purchase OBC at those same rates EXCEPT it appears that even if you booked early enough to get the 10% rate on the cruise but then it was changed to 20% for people purchasing the cruise after a certain date, you will pay the 20% rate if you didn't pre purchase your OBC soon enough.

 

I have to say that all of those on here publicly saying how to get Princess to subsidize your private excursions while cruising and hotels after the cruise at the preferential rate threatens to scuttle this generous option for those of us who are happy that Princess gives us a preferred rate for the cruise and onboard spending. Just because you can get away with something doesn't make it right to do so.

 

JMHO.

Terry

[Karen Lynn]

Quote:

 

I have to say that all of those on here publicly saying how to get Princess to subsidize your private excursions while cruising and hotels after the cruise at the preferential rate threatens to scuttle this generous option for those of us who are happy that Princess gives us a preferred rate for the cruise and onboard spending. Just because you can get away with something doesn't make it right to do so.

 

 

Totally agree.

It's usually greed that ends up spoiling a perk isn't it?!

[St Paul Girl]

Quote:

 

I have to say that all of those on here publicly saying how to get Princess to subsidize your private excursions while cruising and hotels after the cruise at the preferential rate threatens to scuttle this generous option for those of us who are happy that Princess gives us a preferred rate for the cruise and onboard spending. Just because you can get away with something doesn't make it right to do so.

 

 

Totally agree.

It's usually greed that ends up spoiling a perk isn't it?!

 

Hi Everyone:

I think we have pretty much discussed this topic to an end? We are booked for a Tahitian Cruse on Oct 28th, 2015 and are still getting the 10% preferred rate on gratuities, etc. Actually, we looked into a pre-cruise option and Princess quoted us at "par" for the pre-cruise hotel. We were able to book the same hotel for a much better rate by booking direct with the hotel.

Anyway, Princess has always been good to us, but if you can play by the rules to your advantage, go for it.

Have a great cruise:

Norine and Gary

[Katies12]

Hello everyone,

Quick question on passports, I know there is an answer somewhere on CC, but thought this would be quicker.

I am taking a cruise/tour to Alaska in September, passport expires Jan 2016, is this okay?

I read somewhere about a 6 month time left on passport when completing a cruise, but TA says it will be okay.

Just thought I would check with the experts on CC.

Thank you in advance.

[Kamloops50]

Hello everyone,

Quick question on passports, I know there is an answer somewhere on CC, but thought this would be quicker.

I am taking a cruise/tour to Alaska in September, passport expires Jan 2016, is this okay?

I read somewhere about a 6 month time left on passport when completing a cruise, but TA says it will be okay.

Just thought I would check with the experts on CC.

Thank you in advance.

 

Yes you'll be OK. The US only requires a valid passport . Some countries requires 6 months left on a passport after day planned departure.

[Colo Cruiser]

Hello everyone,

Quick question on passports, I know there is an answer somewhere on CC, but thought this would be quicker.

I am taking a cruise/tour to Alaska in September, passport expires Jan 2016, is this okay?

I read somewhere about a 6 month time left on passport when completing a cruise, but TA says it will be okay.

Just thought I would check with the experts on CC.

Thank you in advance.

 

Princess requires your passport to be valid 6 months beyond your cruise/tour.

You may want to call Princess.

[Kamloops50]

Princess requires your passport to be valid 6 months beyond your cruise/tour.

You may want to call Princess.

 

Passport requirements are set by individual countries not the cruise line.

 

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[Karen Lynn]

I wouldn't chance it ..

I did Alaska July 2013 ..PP expired in September. I renewed it before the cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

Passport requirements are set by individual countries not the cruise line.

 

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However Princess can deny you boarding.

Its their playground.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[Kamloops50]

However Princess can deny you boarding.

Its their playground.

 

In Vancouver they don't even see your passport until your thru US Customs and Immigration. They only use the passport to confirm identification.

 

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[Steelers36]

I have a cruise booked for Nov 2015. The Princess exchange rate at that time for purchasing OBC is 20%. Pretty much the same as the current exchange rate.

 

Does anyone know if Princess adjusts their rate as the CDN dollar grows stronger (if it does) in order for their rates to be more appealing? Otherwise I imagine the incentive would be diminished for those to pre-purchase OBC thru Princess.

 

thanks!

 

Princess only sets the exchange rate for CAD bookings periodically (once per season as I have noticed). It's been 10% for the past winter and had we booked early for our planned NOV, 2015, cruise, we could have got the 10% rate. Now it's 20% for that time frame. But dollar exchange is about 25% + bank fees right now, so Princess is still a good deal. 10% was a GREAT deal!! In the past, I have mainly booked in USD - think I will use CAD for this NOV.

[Kamloops50]

However Princess can deny you boarding.

Its their playground.

 

Maybe. I can cruise to Alaska with a Enhanced drivers license or Nexus card.

An they are both accepted with no problems.

 

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[Karen Lynn]

For 4 months? Why would you take the chance?:confused:

[Steelers36]

We're sailing on Sept 25.

 

Our 'Base Fare' (line one on our invoice) ends in .80.

The breakdown by passenger ends .90.

 

Based on your experience, which ending is the 10% rate and which is the 20% rate, and wondering how you learned this?

 

Just take the CAD fare quote and divide by 1.10 or 1.20 to arrive at the USD fare. Almost all USD fares end in a 9, so you can easily tell which exchange rate is applied to your cruise/cabin.

 

If still not sure, just use a US website to lookup a cruise quote for Princess and it will be in USD. Then look up the same cruise/cabin on Princess and you can figure out the exchange rate. They use the same rate for the Port charges and even all the extra goodies you can order.

 

What is MADDENING to me is that Princess doesn't have a "flag switch" or currency switch on the home screen to allow customers to display fares in whatever currency desired. They are doing it based on location of your IP address.

 

LOTS and LOTS of online vendors in the travel (and other) industries provide this convenient feature. Please help the cause by asking Princess to put this feature on the website and allow us to manage it for ourselves!!

[Katies12]

Hello everyone,

 

Quick question on passports, I know there is an answer somewhere on CC, but thought this would be quicker.

 

I am taking a cruise/tour to Alaska in September, passport expires Jan 2016, is this okay?

 

I read somewhere about a 6 month time left on passport when completing a cruise, but TA says it will be okay.

 

Just thought I would check with the experts on CC.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

I guess I should clarify: fly from Kelowna to Seattle to Fairbanks, do Denali Explorer Tour then onto Star Princess, to float down to Vancouver.

By the way, thanks for all the advice. Love CC!

[Putterdude]

However Princess can deny you boarding.

Its their playground.

 

Canada and the US have a reciprocal agreement wherein a Canadian and US traveller may use their passport up to and including the day of expiration. I have had the experience of using my Canadian passport on Princess going to Alaska where when I returned to Vancouver I had less than a week before it expired; Princess was not the least bit concerned.

[Colo Cruiser]

Canada and the US have a reciprocal agreement wherein a Canadian and US traveller may use their passport up to and including the day of expiration. I have had the experience of using my Canadian passport on Princess going to Alaska where when I returned to Vancouver I had less than a week before it expired; Princess was not the least bit concerned.

 

Good for you. I am just answering the posters question. Its Princess policy.

If they want to take a chance that's up to them.

[victoriaj]

From what I understand, if a Canadian purchases a cruise in CDN, then the booking is flagged that way. Any pre-purchases that are added to the booking are charged then in CDN.

 

We are Canadians and sailed on the Grand last month. I pre-purchased a gift card for myself, coffee card and prepaid gratuities and all were charged at the same exchange rate as time of booking (10%) even though current rate was about 25% it was charged through Princess Vancouver. We have future CC in both U.S. and Cdn they have been available that way for years and have had no trouble with them converting U.S. to Cdn if we happened to be out of Cdn CC. Gift cards etc. for myself meant I had virtually a nil balance owing at cruise end, which felt real good !!!!!! Had there been a balance it would have been charged in U.S. current rates

 

Just wanted to pass on recent first hand experience. P.S. 50 cruises 35 with Princess so not my first merry-go-round !!! Happy Cruising All:)

[M4dC0w]

In Vancouver they don't even see your passport until your thru US Customs and Immigration. They only use the passport to confirm identification.

 

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You havd to fill in passport information for your booking expiry and all