Elite Happy Hour

[beg3yrs]

4 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

Just off the Island Princess for 38 days. Happy Hour was in the Explorer's Lounge as the Island has not Skywalkers or Vista Lounge. The snacks were in the dark and dreary back corner. We attended only a couple of times mostly on sea days as it was right after the afternoon Bingo session. Never saw a large number of people in there.

 

3 hours ago, Colorado Coasty said:

Agree, the PES experience on Island is by far the worst.

 

2 hours ago, Level six said:

We were on the Island  for 30 days and it was great for us. We went almost every night and met our friends there. They had club class dining, so we didn't have dinner with them (we would have, but the ship was so crowded that the dining experience was far different for club class compared to regular, quicker and better service for them so we wanted them to enjoy that benefit. 

Food was good, service was good and there was live music every night!  For us, the best part was there were so few people because of the large amount of covid  on board.  It was one of the few things I did enjoy on the Island. 

Of course different people have different experiences. Glad Level six had a much better time. Of course meeting up with friends makes a big difference too.

 

I didn't mean to come across as being down on the PES Happy Hour, we usually enjoy it, especially when it's in Skywalkers with the magnificent views.

[c-boy]

"Sorry, but except for our loyalty status with Princess and Celebrity, we are far, far from being elite people.  We live on a farm northwest of Toronto and you will find us most often in our rubber boots picking up dog poop from the dogs we foster (Samoyeds).  We clean up nicely when we cruise so as not to offend anyone."  

 

 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

How to you know if you do not visit.  Princess does provide a list on the special item featured each day, but there are other items.  We find the desirability of the appetizers vary.  

That's why I read Cruise Critic. They'll post something immediately. ☺️

[Lady Arwen]

34 minutes ago, c-boy said:

"Sorry, but except for our loyalty status with Princess and Celebrity, we are far, far from being elite people.  We live on a farm northwest of Toronto and you will find us most often in our rubber boots picking up dog poop from the dogs we foster (Samoyeds).  We clean up nicely when we cruise so as not to offend anyone."  

 

 

I’m sorry, but I have no idea why the pic of a bunny in response to my post.  Either I’m too old to get it or it’s gone over my head.  lol. Does it something to do with cruising?

[bigeagle12]

Are you allowed to take your drink out of the venue?

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, bigeagle12 said:

Are you allowed to take your drink out of the venue?

you can take any drink, anywhere on the ship at any time

[jennybenny]

We like to go and enjoy when it’s not well attended and we can chat it up with friends, get a snack and can easily order drinks. There are a couple of appetizers we look out for. Would enjoy if they changed it up and raised the bar on the appetizers but we go a few times every cruise 

[Thrak]

19 hours ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

Since it is less attended these days, It's a great, uncrowded venue and there are good snacks available.  You can use your package to order whatever you want and not be crowded out!  Also, the bartenders are usually superior as they are used to dealing with the "elite" crowd!

 

The bar service is quick not because one is Elite but because there are dedicated servers for a small number of people. The PES "event" is not only for Elite but, as the name implies, for Platinum, Elite, and Suite guests. We used to go frequently when we were Platinum and we didn't have the beverage package. Even when the beverage package was included (as a perk - we never paid for it until Princess Plus came along) we would still go frequently.

 

Prior to Princess Plus the PES event was often quite well attended. Even though we were not "Elite" we received excellent service and met some really great serving staff. Heck, we sometimes went just to chat with those folks.  One time I went in before my wife and Noel - a tall young man with very dark skin - called out to me, "Where's Mom?" Several people swiveled their heads from him to me - an older balding white guy - and looked confused. When my wife showed up he loudly called her "Mom" and gave her a big hug. It was a 28 day cruise and he was just one of the excellent crew members on that trip.

 

Edit: On our first visit to the PES event we met @Colo Cruiser. Haven't seen him on these boards in a long time. Just checked his profile and he apparently last posted back in March of 2020. He was quite prolific as a poster here on CC with over 68,000 posts. Wonder what happened to him.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Thrak

[STANCPA44]

I have not been on Princess for over ten years, I have questions in regards to the Elite Happy Hour,   Are the drinks free or discounted and if so how much.  I am considering back to back 15 day Panama canal trip.  I have 42 days in so after the first, I will be Elite.

I remember way back the wifi use to be free when you became Elite, now there is no mention of it. 

I hope that someone will clarify the above

Thank you

Stan

[Level six]

10 minutes ago, STANCPA44 said:

I have not been on Princess for over ten years, I have questions in regards to the Elite Happy Hour,   Are the drinks free or discounted and if so how much.  I am considering back to back 15 day Panama canal trip.  I have 42 days in so after the first, I will be Elite.

I remember way back the wifi use to be free when you became Elite, now there is no mention of it. 

I hope that someone will clarify the above

Thank you

Stan

There are usually about 6 drinks on special for about $6.50.  

No more free wifi. 

[1965]

14 minutes ago, STANCPA44 said:

I have not been on Princess for over ten years, I have questions in regards to the Elite Happy Hour,   Are the drinks free or discounted and if so how much.  I am considering back to back 15 day Panama canal trip.  I have 42 days in so after the first, I will be Elite.

I remember way back the wifi use to be free when you became Elite, now there is no mention of it. 

I hope that someone will clarify the above

Thank you

Stan

There are no longer free wifi minutes. Platinum & elite can buy unlimited wifi for $5 a day which is half the price for non p&e. There are also wifi deals if you have multiple devices but I don't know the particulars since I only have one device & my DH doesn't use his. You may already know elites get 10% off princess shore excursions. Welcome back to Princess. 😊 

[Thrak]

23 minutes ago, STANCPA44 said:

I remember way back the wifi use to be free when you became Elite, now there is no mention of it. 

 

Depending on the ship and the itinerary the Internet connection will be anywhere from "great" to "poor" to "almost non-existent". If you experience the latter on your cruise be sure to complain vociferously and demand a refund of the money you paid for a worthless Internet "connection".

[Cruise Raider]

7 hours ago, PRINCESS Sweet Pea said:

I thought I saw one where there was actually a couple performing some light entertainment.

Maybe that is rare?  Or maybe that was some other thing.

On the Royal Princess, there was live entertainment … fabulous!  We really enjoyed that on many occasions.  
We also loved the relaxed atmosphere … count us in no matter matter where they host it.  
that pepper cheese is amazing, BTW!  

[1965]

We're hoping to take a cruise with our daughter & sil who are not Elite. Are they allowed to accompany us to the Elite lounge for the afternoon appetizers & drinks? Thanks. 🙂

[Level six]

15 minutes ago, 1965 said:

We're hoping to take a cruise with our daughter & sil who are not Elite. Are they allowed to accompany us to the Elite lounge for the afternoon appetizers & drinks? Thanks. 🙂

They don't really ask for ID,(although on the Majestic there was someone there checking medallions)  so it will be fine.  It just has a sign at the entry that it is a private function

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

The bar service is tenquick not because one is Elite but because there are dedicated servers for a small number of people. The PES "event" is not only for Elite but, as the name implies, for Platinum, Elite, and Suite guests. We used to go frequently when we were Platinum and we didn't have the beverage package. Even when the beverage package was included (as a perk - we never paid for it until Princess Plus came along) we would still go frequently.

 

Prior to Princess Plus the PES event was often quite well attended. Even though we were not "Elite" we received excellent service and met some really great serving staff. Heck, we sometimes went just to chat with those folks.  One time I went in before my wife and Noel - a tall young man with very dark skin - called out to me, "Where's Mom?" Several people swiveled their heads from him to me - an older balding white guy - and looked confused. When my wife showed up he loudly called her "Mom" and gave her a big hug. It was a 28 day cruise and he was just one of the excellent crew members on that trip.

 

Edit: On our first visit to the PES event we met @Colo Cruiser. Haven't seen him on these boards in a long time. Just checked his profile and he apparently last posted back in March of 2020. He was quite prolific as a poster here on CC with over 68,000 posts. Wonder what happened to him.

The service in the PES lounge on the Caribbean this last time left a lot to be desired but mostly because there were not a enough servers....they were overwhelmed.  When DH went up to the bar to order us drinks after we waited 20 minutes for the waiter to be "right back", the bartender was rude and surly.  It was just the one time but it left a bad taste in our mouths.

[VibeGuy]

Comfy seats, attentive beverage service and a commanding sunset view are a winning formula for me in general, but our experience since the restart, with a hot hors d’oeuvre added to the usual spread, has been even better.   I may not be a salted peanut who can be had for the price of a cocktail, but anyone opening the negotiations with a couple of those arancini might be surprised how far they get.  It’s a genuine upgrade - I’ve always been a little envious of HAL and Cunard cruisers who got hot hors d’oeuvre with their evening libations, and now I look down on them.   From Skywalkers.  Literally.  They’re mostly beneath me.  In a purely geometric sense.  
 

I do think some thought goes in to scheduling the service staff - at least on Ruby, it’s been the A Team, for hustle and hospitality, and the majority of the servers from our first forty nights were there when we came back a few months later for another thirty - so it’s either a desirable gig that they request or management staffs to the service expectation and knows who delivers it.  Either way, it works. 
 

If I had one wish list item, it would be for the wine options to improve.  It’s the standard Skywalkers pours which are roughly the same as those at the open deck bars.  I’d love for them to feature a wine of the day, by the glass, chosen to compliment the featured appetizer.  
 

 

[Thrak]

2 minutes ago, suzyed said:

The service in the PES lounge on the Caribbean this last time left a lot to be desired but mostly because there were not a enough servers....they were overwhelmed.  When DH went up to the bar to order us drinks after we waited 20 minutes for the waiter to be "right back", the bartender was rude and surly.  It was just the one time but it left a bad taste in our mouths.

 

In May the service in Vines was almost non-existent. They only had a server or two and they seemed to be occupied taking care of people who ordered on the app to have wine delivered to places other than the actual venue. It took maybe 10 minutes to order because a server was clearing a table 3 feet from us apparently couldn't see us and then, after waiting at least 15 minutes for my order, I gave up. I went up to the bar and told them if they ever got around to filling my order they should just drink it themselves because I was done waiting.

[Thrak]

6 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

I may not be a salted peanut who can be had for the price of a cocktail, but anyone opening the negotiations with a couple of those arancini might be surprised how far they get.

 

Wow! Haven't seen those offered before but I would definitely be all over that. 😉

[suzyed]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

 

In May the service in Vines was almost non-existent. They only had a server or two and they seemed to be occupied taking care of people who ordered on the app to have wine delivered to places other than the actual venue. It took maybe 10 minutes to order because a server was clearing a table 3 feet from us apparently couldn't see us and then, after waiting at least 15 minutes for my order, I gave up. I went up to the bar and told them if they ever got around to filling my order they should just drink it themselves because I was done waiting.

What ship!  Our bartender, Kieran, on the Caribbean was amazing!  As we approached Vines, he would have our wine poured by the time we sat and swirled it as he carried it over to us....every evening! 

[Thrak]

Just now, suzyed said:

What ship!  Our bartender, Kieran, on the Caribbean was amazing!  As we approached Vines, he would have our wine poured by the time we sat and swirled it as he carried it over to us....every evening! 

 

Sounds like the kind of service we got used to in Vines in the past. Hopefully things will be universally headed that way soon.

[VibeGuy]

3 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Wow! Haven't seen those offered before but I would definitely be all over that. 😉

Yeah, it was a definite pleasant surprise, and a nice variety - meatballs, pigs in blankets, rumaki, samosas, etc.   They were individually plated on a warmer at the other end of the buffet from the “action station”.  It’s such a small thing, but it’s a *nice* small thing. 

[1965]

6 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Wow! Haven't seen those offered before but I would definitely be all over that. 😉

I had to google arancini. They do sound very tempting! 

[MissP22]

12 hours ago, 1965 said:

We're hoping to take a cruise with our daughter & sil who are not Elite. Are they allowed to accompany us to the Elite lounge for the afternoon appetizers & drinks? Thanks. 🙂

Looking back at the minimal attendance on the Enchanted last spring, they'll probably let anyone in although not give them discounted drinks. Of course you can pay for your daughter & sil. 😉😉

[boone2]

We completed a 28 day on the grand last month and attended most evenings. We met a lot of very nice people, enjoyed the canapés and the live music   And the room was full most nights.  And we were so well looked after by the bartenders especially as they got to know our likes.  It was a very enjoyable experience before our later dinner 

Terry