Sip and sail Promotion

[bemis12]

The sip and sale promo includes bar gratuities

[OCruisers]

13 minutes ago, bemis12 said:

The sip and sale promo includes bar gratuities

 

The above is correct.

We've booked under several "S&S" promotions and the bar gratuities are included.  

[mnocket]

6 hours ago, sfspider said:

mnocket, What TA offers that?

 

Unfortunately we aren't allowed to name TAs on this site.  I suggest around mid-June you start googling 3-Day Sale.

[sfspider]

Thanks

6 hours ago, mnocket said:

 

Unfortunately we aren't allowed to name TAs on this site.  I suggest around mid-June you start googling 3-Day Sale.

Thanks for your response. Sorry I asked a question you aren't supposed to answer, I wasn't aware of the rule. Won't happen again.

[bemis12]

37 minutes ago, sfspider said:

Thanks

Thanks for your response. Sorry I asked a question you aren't supposed to answer, I wasn't aware of the rule. Won't happen again.

 

They are more often known for booking general travel, not cruises specifically.  Someone previously gave a great hint.

[phabric]

8 hours ago, mnocket said:

 

Unfortunately we aren't allowed to name TAs on this site.  I suggest around mid-June you start googling 3-Day Sale.

The 3 day sale is June 6,7,8.

[sfspider]

20 minutes ago, phabric said:

The 3 day sale is June 6,7,8.

Thank you for your help with this.  Sorry to bother you further, but do you all know whether I can book a cabin now through the correct TA (sailing Spring of 2020) and then call to convert my reservation to the sip and sale package during the 3-day sale?  Rather secure a preferred cabin location when there are still a wide variety of choices (if conversion will work).  Thanks again to all of you knowledgeable cruisers -- I'm a relative amateur with only 3 lifetime cruises under my belt.

[Baystate]

14 minutes ago, sfspider said:

Thank you for your help with this.  Sorry to bother you further, but do you all know whether I can book a cabin now through the correct TA (sailing Spring of 2020) and then call to convert my reservation to the sip and sale package during the 3-day sale?  Rather secure a preferred cabin location when there are still a wide variety of choices (if conversion will work).  Thanks again to all of you knowledgeable cruisers -- I'm a relative amateur with only 3 lifetime cruises under my belt.

Yes, but your price may change.  I have done this to secure the cabin that I wanted.

[Photofinish4]

are you booking threw Princess or what people call big box store?

[wenpop]

So if you change promotions you have to pay the cabin price difference, they can't just add the promotion?

[sfspider]

 

5 minutes ago, Photofinish4 said:

are you booking threw Princess or what people call big box store?

 

I am booking through a TA having the 3-day sip and sail (sale) in early June.  Not booking directly through Princess.  I am well aware that my rate will change (and likely for the worse) if I change promotions, I was just wondering whether there was any disadvantage to just booking now (still fully refundable for a cruise 11 months from now) and choosing the cabin that I want today, then calling TA in early June to switch my booking during the 3-day sip and sale promotion.  While my price may go up from my current booking, as long as the price after "transferring" my room to the new promotion in June would be the same as it would to just make a brand new reservation for the same room during the June sale, I figured I'd just go ahead now and book the room I want (while the selection is still slightly better).

[happy cruzer]

12 minutes ago, wenpop said:

So if you change promotions you have to pay the cabin price difference, they can't just add the promotion?

Yes you do pay if it goes up, but you also get the lower price if it goes down.  Works for me.  If the price goes up too much stay with what you have.

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, sfspider said:

 

 

I am booking through a TA having the 3-day sip and sail (sale) in early June.  Not booking directly through Princess.  I am well aware that my rate will change (and likely for the worse) if I change promotions, I was just wondering whether there was any disadvantage to just booking now (still fully refundable for a cruise 11 months from now) and choosing the cabin that I want today, then calling TA in early June to switch my booking during the 3-day sip and sale promotion.  While my price may go up from my current booking, as long as the price after "transferring" my room to the new promotion in June would be the same as it would to just make a brand new reservation for the same room during the June sale, I figured I'd just go ahead now and book the room I want (while the selection is still slightly better).

Only problem is if the agency charges change fees (from promo to promo) and the problems you mentioned (price may go up). If the agency doesn't charge change fees, I would do as you have planned and get the cabin you want.

[partybarbie]

Last year, I booked the cabin I wanted directly with Princess.  When the 3-day sale started, I was able to transfer the booking.  If you don't like the offer, then just keep the Princess booking.

[jagoffee]

2 hours ago, partybarbie said:

Last year, I booked the cabin I wanted directly with Princess.  When the 3-day sale started, I was able to transfer the booking.  If you don't like the offer, then just keep the Princess booking.

But as you probably know now, you have to transfer your booking within 60 days.

 

You could cancel your original booking and book a new one.  Although you might lose your cabin choice.

[partybarbie]

19 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

But as you probably know now, you have to transfer your booking within 60 days.

 

You could cancel your original booking and book a new one.  Although you might lose your cabin choice.

 

Yes, I did know, but there are other members that may not.  Good information! 🙂

 

[phabric]

6 hours ago, phabric said:

The 3 day sale is June 6,7,8.

My agent says the sale will offer free beverage package and free tips for balcony and higher.  I asked if you can take OBC instead of beverage package and answer is no.

[terry&mike]

The reason they said "my agent" is because this company has storefront travel agencies also, with travel agents who work with clients. The exact details of the inclusions of the sale as to perks, sailing dates included, actual sailings included will be announced on April 24, and the sale will run June 6-8 as mentioned above.

[happy cruzer]

Anyone monitoring what the prices are doing before and after the promotion?  🙂

[capriccio]

7 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

Anyone monitoring what the prices are doing before and after the promotion?  🙂

It varies cruise by cruise by everything reported here.  It is recommended to price your preferred cabin for a few months before the sail. 

 

Two immediate pluses for us booking with the promo is that by booking so far in advance we've never had a problem getting our desired cabins and, if cruising on longer itineraries, the promo is even better because we aren't willing to shell out $1,000+ per person for the separate premium beverage package.

 

Our first Sip and Sail promo cabin was on an LA to Rio cruise (31 days) in December 2016 that I reserved in June 2015 (that may have been the first year for Sip and Sail). The promo did not add to the current price. That is a very popular (and rare) itinerary and the cabin price never went down.

 

Our second Sip and Sail promo cabin was a Rome to Fort Lauderdale cruise (25 days) in October 2017 that I reserved in June 2016. The promo did not add to the current price. Again a very popular (and rare) itinerary and the cabin price never went down.

 

Our third Sip and Sail promo cabin was a round trip Seattle Alaska cruise (7 days) in June 2018  where we were taking the entire family (6 adults, one child) that we booked in June 2017.  In this case I never even checked the price fluctuation because everyone wanted the drink package.

 

Our fourth Sip and Sail promo is a Norway cruise (14 days) this June that we booked in June 2018.  I followed that price and it actually went down when the promo was announced!  Again a very popular (and rare) itinerary (we will be above the Arctic Circle for the solstice). We got the cabin we want and the price never went down until after final payment (and even then it was just a little, definitely less than the value of the drink package) which only applies to new bookings.

 

Remember that if the price does go down before final payment and it makes economic sense to you to drop the package (maybe a new promo is more advantageous) you can do that on Princess.

 

 

 

 

[caribill]

1 hour ago, happy cruzer said:

Anyone monitoring what the prices are doing before and after the promotion?  🙂

 

Last year there were posts saying the following:

a) Price went up from before the promotion

b) Price stayed the same from before the promotion

c) Price went down from before the promotion

 

Possible conclusion: supply and demand determined any pricing changes

[Coffeeluvr05]

I have not had time to read through all of the replies in this thread, but the sip & sail is usually late June and if I remember correctly it will include sailings for the following spring/summer season.  It will not likely include winter sailings.  You could always book when the price is right and re-book under the sip & sail if the numbers are right.

 

We have booked one each year with sip & sail so far.  You have to watch prices though.  We only book it when it make sense for the money.  If you are just paying for the AIBP built into the fare, there may be a better sail.  It does require both passengers to take the package so we always consider that since my husband only drinks soda and the occasional milkshake.  

[OCruisers]

We booked our Sip & Sail in June 2018 for our January 2020 cruise.

To get a winter S&S sailing it has to be booked about a year and a half out.  

[mrav8tr]

Does anyone know if the Sip and Sale promos are available on the 5 day cruises?

[Steelers36]

On 4/17/2019 at 6:37 AM, bemis12 said:

 

They are more often known for booking general travel, not cruises specifically.  Someone previously gave a great hint.

Yes, it is pretty Easy to figure out which agency has this special pre-sale with a small effort on Google.  I figured it was one of the two with third last letter of alphabet in the name.  I am always amused how "big box store" gets by the moderators and is allowed when it is patently obvious which organization it is.