Wife and I have several future cruise credits with Princess and plan to just let them expire and refund out. We have enjoyed the last two classes of ship and just love Discovery Princess. The changes you are talking about are spot on examples of what has soured us on Princess. Princess has also demonstrated a willingness to change package terms just days before a sailing with no grace or grandfathering period and no recourse for the already paid cruiser. Yes they "can" do that per contract but that doesn't make it fair or leave us feeling less cheated. I do hope moving forward that their get their act together. I have heard mixed reviews on the Sphere class ship so looking forward to hearing your perspective. Even if you don't have children with you on a cruise, consider this: Princess had designed, built and proceeded to put into service, a ship with an attraction geared towards young people / kids that is so unsafe, it has never opened for use by the onboard guests. Millions of dollars in resources wasted and no explanation has been given for what happened, how it happened or what they plan to do with the space in the future. Princess as a business seems to be a bit lost right now in my opinion.
I hope you have resolved any confusion! ( Yes, these changes can be confusing and infuriating! ). I am pretty sure my comments below are correct, and can help ! If you are in a SUITE, you WILL have full access to the Sanctuary. No problem there! All Suites on Sun Princess have always had access to the Sanctuary. ( these customer service agents, especially the overseas call center, do NOT know that much. ) If you get a Suite you WILL have access to the Sanctuary!!!!! Yes, it looks like those Suites, AFT on upper decks, will be known as VISTA SUITES, Starting October 14. Looks like just a name change. Still the same Suites and benefits. Enjoy the Suite Lounge and the Sanctuary! NOTE: IF YOU SAIL IN YOUR MINI-SUITE, YOU CAN ACCESS THE SANCTUARY. COST IS $99.00 per person per day, on sea days, Less on Port days. This is capacity controlled... so when you board, go IMMEDIATELY AND DIRECTLY to the Sanctuary and see how to go about making your reservations. (I do not know if this is day-by-day and has to be done on the morning of the 'day-of', or can be done ahead. I don't know how that part works. ) And, of course, you should have NO problem with the NEW Premier Package. If you were able to upgrade to the New Premier, then you WILL have the New Premier. (prior post below is incorrect, New Premier is being rolled out beginning Aug 31.) As you have noticed, there is some confusion and discrepancies in how these Specialty Dining reservations (and other refunds) are handled and refunded. Yes, it appears that you can simply show them that you need to be refunded, at Customer Service, onboard. (We are in the exact same boat on our upcoming Princess cruise. ) Here are two notes: 1. MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THAT $180.00 in REFUNDABLE Onboard Credit. Not in NON-refundable OBC. 2. MAKE SURE THAT ANY SHIPBOARD CHARGES THAT YOU DO INCUR ARE CHARGED TO YOUR NON-REFUNDABLE OBC first (if you have any). Not the REFUNDABLE OBC. Make a request on the last day of cruise, or when leaving the ship, that AFTER the cruise, Princess will send you a check to give any REFUNDABLE OBC that was not used back to you. Hope this helps. ENJOY YOUR CRUISE !!!!
I’m on your TA cruise, I share in your confusion. I’ve submitted an upgrade bid, despite conflicting representations as to what is included. Good luck to us both!
@@TravelTuesday11 i’m not sure this is where I comment but I booked two mini suites on San Princess for November of this year and I was upgraded to the sanctuary. I got the grand suite and my other family which I paid for has the mini suite. We paid for premium packages. And now we’re told that we have to upgrade it. It would cost me close to $700. The mini suite is the same price or four dollars less than a comparative mini suite but they are getting the $630 per person discount because they’re getting, the new premium plus. I think it’s pretty unfair because I booked early and I am paying $630 times five and only get two specialty dinners per person when they’re getting unlimited and I think they’re only paying like four dollars more on their cruise state.
This happened to me on our last Princess cruise. Everything was taken care of on the ship. All money was returned. We will be on, not only the transatlantic cruise, the 9 days prior from Barcelona. Today we did get notified that we our upgrade bid was accepted.
I upgraded to the new premier and I was refunded for the additional specialties that I had booked. I have since booked my entire week with specialty. I am booked on Sun for March 2026.
@@brooksterabbit felt like you were harsh on him . I agree with you about being thankful 100% because that’s how I live too but telling someone else you don’t know anything g about to live that way is not your business . It’s his opinions on here that’s all .
@@cruisepryor We all share opinions. Those were my opinions of his report of changes post booking. I traveled for business for over 40 years. So much can go wrong and does go wrong with plans. I stopped stressing and learned to be thankful.
Yes , I’d be confused as well and I have done many Princess cruises . I have a great TA who irons out any issues or questions for me . Sounds like a great cruise and looking forward to your review .
We did a transatlantic and back on Sky Princess in September 2022 from the UK. No problem apart from some poor organisation. We followed up with a week long cruise down to Spain and back and the offer was for two free speciality dining, all shown when we booked. Lo and behold they charged us for the free dining. I tried calling but Princess had no UK call centre and the US people said they couldnt help, it was a system problem. Cancel or sort it out on board, with a week long cruise we put out faith in Princess and we were refunded. As a regular UK cruiser, our experiences do not see Princess as a superior brand. We are off on a 6 day repositioning cruise with a UK cruise line - no gratuities and all inclusive drinks, much easier than US cruise ships with a coin slot for toilet paper in the cabim - ok, a bit of an exageration but you know what I mean.
I'm actually booked for the Sun Princess in a Cabana Mini Suite late next year. I'll be curious on if they will open the outdoor Cabana deck to all Cabana suite rooms. I've seen some videos of guests not staying in those deck 9 Cabana suites still having access to the deck.
This is funny! I have one cruise line that we use, because it's simple. I've thought about trying other lines but after watching this, I am glad that we have stuck with this one cruise line. It's more expensive, but we like it, it's not for all but every time I try to go to other cruise line websites I get confused and then just leave the website....
I did a Upgrade bid on a Celebrity Tour. They make it clear : if you win that Bid..you will have the Room, but NOT all the benefits that comes with it, when booking with the originally price! So.. no sanctuary a.s o. ! Feels like a Landlord, with no land..
Im pretty sure you get the sanctuary benefits! It comes with the suite. I think. You are rightfully confused. You should ask Allison of Let’s Go Travel Tips. She knows this stuff. You will get a refund on the specialty dinners.
Not a huge fan of changing the rules or options after booking. I understand being able to upgrade at times but not happy when they make confusing changes after the fact
Wife and I have several future cruise credits with Princess and plan to just let them expire and refund out. We have enjoyed the last two classes of ship and just love Discovery Princess. The changes you are talking about are spot on examples of what has soured us on Princess. Princess has also demonstrated a willingness to change package terms just days before a sailing with no grace or grandfathering period and no recourse for the already paid cruiser. Yes they "can" do that per contract but that doesn't make it fair or leave us feeling less cheated. I do hope moving forward that their get their act together. I have heard mixed reviews on the Sphere class ship so looking forward to hearing your perspective. Even if you don't have children with you on a cruise, consider this: Princess had designed, built and proceeded to put into service, a ship with an attraction geared towards young people / kids that is so unsafe, it has never opened for use by the onboard guests. Millions of dollars in resources wasted and no explanation has been given for what happened, how it happened or what they plan to do with the space in the future. Princess as a business seems to be a bit lost right now in my opinion.
I hope you have resolved any confusion! ( Yes, these changes can be confusing and infuriating! ). I am pretty sure my comments below are correct, and can help !
If you are in a SUITE, you WILL have full access to the Sanctuary. No problem there! All Suites on Sun Princess have always had access to the Sanctuary.
( these customer service agents, especially the overseas call center, do NOT know that much. ) If you get a Suite you WILL have access to the Sanctuary!!!!!
Yes, it looks like those Suites, AFT on upper decks, will be known as VISTA SUITES, Starting October 14. Looks like just a name change. Still the same Suites and benefits.
Enjoy the Suite Lounge and the Sanctuary!
NOTE: IF YOU SAIL IN YOUR MINI-SUITE, YOU CAN ACCESS THE SANCTUARY. COST IS $99.00 per person per day, on sea days, Less on Port days.
This is capacity controlled... so when you board, go IMMEDIATELY AND DIRECTLY to the Sanctuary and see how to go about making your reservations. (I do not know if this is day-by-day and has to be done on the morning of the 'day-of', or can be done ahead. I don't know how that part works. )
And, of course, you should have NO problem with the NEW Premier Package.
If you were able to upgrade to the New Premier, then you WILL have the New Premier. (prior post below is incorrect, New Premier is being rolled out beginning Aug 31.)
As you have noticed, there is some confusion and discrepancies in how these Specialty Dining reservations (and other refunds) are handled and refunded.
Yes, it appears that you can simply show them that you need to be refunded, at Customer Service, onboard. (We are in the exact same boat on our upcoming Princess cruise. )
Here are two notes:
1. MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THAT $180.00 in REFUNDABLE Onboard Credit. Not in NON-refundable OBC.
2. MAKE SURE THAT ANY SHIPBOARD CHARGES THAT YOU DO INCUR ARE CHARGED TO YOUR NON-REFUNDABLE OBC first (if you have any). Not the REFUNDABLE OBC.
Make a request on the last day of cruise, or when leaving the ship, that AFTER the cruise, Princess will send you a check to give any REFUNDABLE OBC that was not used back to you.
Hope this helps.
ENJOY YOUR CRUISE !!!!
I’m on your TA cruise, I share in your confusion. I’ve submitted an upgrade bid, despite conflicting representations as to what is included. Good luck to us both!
@@TravelTuesday11 i’m not sure this is where I comment but I booked two mini suites on San Princess for November of this year and I was upgraded to the sanctuary. I got the grand suite and my other family which I paid for has the mini suite. We paid for premium packages. And now we’re told that we have to upgrade it. It would cost me close to $700. The mini suite is the same price or four dollars less than a comparative mini suite but they are getting the $630 per person discount because they’re getting, the new premium plus. I think it’s pretty unfair because I booked early and I am paying $630 times five and only get two specialty dinners per person when they’re getting unlimited and I think they’re only paying like four dollars more on their cruise state.
This happened to me on our last Princess cruise. Everything was taken care of on the ship. All money was returned. We will be on, not only the transatlantic cruise, the 9 days prior from Barcelona. Today we did get notified that we our upgrade bid was accepted.
I upgraded to the new premier and I was refunded for the additional specialties that I had booked. I have since booked my entire week with specialty. I am booked on Sun for March 2026.
You need to lower your expectations. Enjoy the wonderful life you are living. Be thankful
@@brooksterabb he doesn’t “need” to do anything you say . It’s his channel and his life . Don’t like it then don’t watch him.
@@cruisepryor wow that was a harsh response. It’s stuff I tell myself everyday. Enjoy what I have and don’t forget to be thankful.
@@brooksterabbit felt like you were harsh on him . I agree with you about being thankful 100% because that’s how I live too but telling someone else you don’t know anything g about to live that way is not your business . It’s his opinions on here that’s all .
I took no offense.
@@cruisepryor We all share opinions. Those were my opinions of his report of changes post booking. I traveled for business for over 40 years. So much can go wrong and does go wrong with plans. I stopped stressing and learned to be thankful.
Yes , I’d be confused as well and I have done many Princess cruises . I have a great TA who irons out any issues or questions for me . Sounds like a great cruise and looking forward to your review .
I've seen a lot of videos about this and everyone says they got refunded on the ship . The new premiere does not start until after your cruise
We did a transatlantic and back on Sky Princess in September 2022 from the UK. No problem apart from some poor organisation. We followed up with a week long cruise down to Spain and back and the offer was for two free speciality dining, all shown when we booked. Lo and behold they charged us for the free dining. I tried calling but Princess had no UK call centre and the US people said they couldnt help, it was a system problem. Cancel or sort it out on board, with a week long cruise we put out faith in Princess and we were refunded. As a regular UK cruiser, our experiences do not see Princess as a superior brand. We are off on a 6 day repositioning cruise with a UK cruise line - no gratuities and all inclusive drinks, much easier than US cruise ships with a coin slot for toilet paper in the cabim - ok, a bit of an exageration but you know what I mean.
I'm actually booked for the Sun Princess in a Cabana Mini Suite late next year. I'll be curious on if they will open the outdoor Cabana deck to all Cabana suite rooms. I've seen some videos of guests not staying in those deck 9 Cabana suites still having access to the deck.
This is funny! I have one cruise line that we use, because it's simple. I've thought about trying other lines but after watching this, I am glad that we have stuck with this one cruise line. It's more expensive, but we like it, it's not for all but every time I try to go to other cruise line websites I get confused and then just leave the website....
I did a Upgrade bid on a Celebrity Tour. They make it clear : if you win that Bid..you will have the Room, but NOT all the benefits that comes with it, when booking with the originally price!
So..
no sanctuary a.s o. !
Feels like a Landlord, with no land..
And, Princess does not make that clear.
Im pretty sure you get the sanctuary benefits! It comes with the suite. I think. You are rightfully confused. You should ask Allison of Let’s Go Travel Tips. She knows this stuff. You will get a refund on the specialty dinners.
I think you are correct, now that I think about it.
Not a huge fan of changing the rules or options after booking. I understand being able to upgrade at times but not happy when they make confusing changes after the fact
You get a refund onboard you get refundable obc for upgrading your premium package