I think i have some interior and deck pics i can put up...

As for tipping, there is an automatic $US10 per person per day of your cruise automatically added to your shipboard account. You can cancel that at anytime if you wish. You can also personally give crewmembers cash, just as you would in a hotel (they dont seem to object!). We chose to enclose large sums of money in a Princess envelope (you can get them at the pursers desk) with a note of thank you.

being an aussie tipping isnt a very big part of our lives! i feel princess should maybe include the tips in the fares in future when positioning ships downunder!

While i was onboard though, I did pick up all the Princess brochures for the 2004-2005 season (The American addition) and was shocked that they were so thick! Pages and pages filled with pictures and tips on cruising, what to bring, full deck plans, everything!

Now in comparison to what garbage we get here in Australia, its a whole era away! I thought it was around the world...and I'm not happy that we are discriminated against since we dont get these sort of tips, early bird discounts or love boat discounts.

quote:

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Originally posted by robyn:
Now Princess USA - that's another matter - they won't post their "full" brochure outside of the US

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Anyhow, it's awfully stingy of them to save the real brochures for Americans... I suppose their excuse is that P&O UK markets them in the UK, Seetours in Germany, and P&O Australia in Australia, and that they all have their own brochures for Princess, but all of those are very abbreviated.

In contrast, P&O UK, P&O Australia, and Seetours will gladly send their brochures here and presumably anywhere else. This is because, of all reasons, they are not marketed here!

Similarly though, Cunard will not send me a British brochure because there is an American one; Costa will not send me an Italian brochure because there is an American one, etc.

As bad as i may sound by saying this, and judging from what robyn said, 'won't post their "full" brochure outside of the US', personally i believe that Princess USA discriminates against everyone else? Australia and the UK (supposedly) sends their local brochures to America and in return? Nothing!

The same can be said for their captains circle club thingo...currently only open to USA and Canadian residents ONLY...how discriminantary is that! That means we never get any of the perks such as the captains cocktail party, but more importantly, member only discounts.

Another thing, seeing from the brochures, USA and Canadian customers get an early bird discount and love boat discount or something...I booked the Star Princess cruise 11 months in advance and got nothing!

Ditto for P&O UK with their World Cruise sectors. The newly formed Portunus Club (ex POSH club) for P&O UK -doesn't count any of these sectors as a cruise ( go figure). And no point in trying to get any benefits with P&O Australia - as they don't recognise any past passengers - no loyalty club, no benefits - again on board or not!
Suppose you can do that if you have a virtual monopoly down here.

There - I've had my whinge for the day and feel better (sort of)

[ 01-24-2004: Message edited by: robyn ]

It seems like the "Captains Circle" syndrome and I think both "clubs" are discriminatory against anyone not from UK or USA.

Question - do other lines under the Carnival group also seemingly discriminate?

While it doesn't discourage me from cruising with them (can't really think of anything that would ) it would be great to receive some recognition.

Let's hope the information given to pungpui of at least Captain's Circle being available to us in 2 to 3 months is correct. With my "Tahitian Princess" cruise coming up in June -I might be lucky!

[ 01-25-2004: Message edited by: robyn ]

A Wavelength arrived not long before Christmas.. di you get one?

Pam

[ 01-25-2004: Message edited by: PamM ]

- The Princess Cruises Caribbean & Mexico (incl. Mexican Riviera) 2004/2005 brochure advertises a Lido/Caribe Balcony cabin for $US999

- When i convert from $US to $AUD, it turns out to be $AUD1296.89

-P&O Australia's advertised 'special' price for the exact same grade is $AUD1471

The same can be said for every other grade on that cruise:

US brochure: $US679 for the top grade inside cabin

My calculations from US to AUD is 881.47

P&O Australia's advertised figure is $AUD1025

Is this yet again more discrimination??

Yes is it true that full membership and benefits of the Captains Circle club are only available to US and Canadian residents, however passengers from other countries such as Australia and New Zealand who have sailed with Princess or P&O are entitled to ALL the onboard benefits after registering their information with the Captains Circle host!

bmajor i especially can't beleive the response you got onboard Star Princess considering i was on the Very Next Cruise.... was the captains circle host lady Liza by any chance? I went and saw her the day i boarded after being advised to do so by my TA and after she recorded all my other cruises she awarded me with the level of CC benefits according, this meant i was a Platinum member and recieved a new platinum room/charge card, a bottle of champagne in the cabin, a new platinum name tag on our "letter box", an invite to the captains circle cocktail party as well as an afternoon tea in the wheelhouse and ofcourse that free internet you mentioned! which is the only way i was able to post while i was onboard, i certainly wouldnt have paid for it. Oh and we also used the captains circle facilities in the wheelhouse on disembarkation day.

She even awarded my travel partner with the Platinum even though they were only entitled to gold because she didnt think it was fit to discriminate between us!

Infact Liza couldnt have been more helpful and i found her friendly and helpful in all mny dealings with her. When i joined there were many other Aussies doing the same thing and she said all Australians and New Zealanders can simply register each time onboard, its just there comupter system doesnt allow us to be permanently recorded and recieve all the post outs, specials etc.

This almost works in your favour as they have no record of your actual cruises there is nothing to stop you making a few up and getting platinum membership, which i know a few people did lol, here we have it over the Americans as Princess knows exactly what youve done!

And from what my TA has told me the same is true of P&O UK, simpy register your details once onboard to recieve FULL entitlements (for that cruise only) etc...