A couple of Captains Circle questions ( Elite )

Ship - Sapphire Princess

Is there anything on the cruise card to show your an Elite in the Captains Circle? I'm wondering how the onboard shops would know you are entitled to a discount.

What can I expect to find upon arrival in my cabin?

Complimentary mini bar. Can the drinks be change if we don't like the selection offered?

Afternoon tea in the cabin. Is this once only? Is it worth it? Can one of the teas be coffee?

Is there anything we should miss out on? Not sure about the party but what about the wine tasting?

Anticipate becoming Elite next year on same ship and hope we can get answers.

Yes, you can swap the entire mini-bar set up for two coffee cards. You can also swap out item for item--want Sprite instead of Coke? No problem. One alcohol product for another, also no problem.

Yes, your card is color coded and electronically coded to show your status.

Afternoon tea in your cabin is complimentary...so not sure what you mean by "worth it." It is the same tea as is served in one of the dining rooms daily with the same munchies...they just bring it to your cabin. Yes, you can request coffee.

Ship - Sapphire Princess

 

Is there anything on the cruise card to show your an Elite in the Captains Circle? I'm wondering how the onboard shops would know you are entitled to a discount.

 

What can I expect to find upon arrival in my cabin?

 

Complimentary mini bar. Can the drinks be change if we don't like the selection offered?

 

Afternoon tea in the cabin. Is this once only? Is it worth it? Can one of the teas be coffee?

 

Is there anything we should miss out on? Not sure about the party but what about the wine tasting?

The color of your cruise card tells your Captain's Circle status. Blue = Newby, Gold = gold, Magenta like color = Ruby, silver grayish = Platinum, Black = elite

Yes, you can change the automatic mini bar set-up, but there are guidelines. I do not have all in my head. I know that you can full swap for 1 bottle of wine from their list, or 2 coffee cards. There are also partial swaps. You must call room service to do any swapping and don't use any part of it until the swap happens.

The wine tasting is usually on a sea day at 3:00 pm, I have gone, it's fine. I don't love the CC parties, kinda cheesy IMO.

I have not done the "tea" in my cabin, but I like the one in the dining room in the afternoon

Your discount is embedded in your card that they will scan.

Is there anything on the cruise card to show your an Elite in the Captains Circle? I'm wondering how the onboard shops would know you are entitled to a discount.

The color of your cruise card changes as you move through the tiers: blue for first Princess cruise, followed by gold for Gold, then pink-ish for Ruby, then a washed-out gray for Platinum--and now you will have a black card (similar to AMEX Black) for Elite. How does one not notice this over the years???

What can I expect to find upon arrival in my cabin?

The mini bar set up. Invitation to the Elite Lounge each evening with the list of nightly appetizers. A cloth bag of upgraded bath accessories. Other communications will come in as events are scheduled.

 

 

Complimentary mini bar. Can the drinks be change if we don't like the selection offered?

Yes. Rules are in the Captains Circle FAQs:

I’m an Elite member, is there a way to customize my mini-bar?

Yes, you can make changes onboard by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged; liquor can also be exchanged for beer. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only.

 

Afternoon tea in the cabin. Is this once only? Is it worth it? Can one of the teas be coffee?

As many times as you wish. No cost other than optional gratuity, so certainly "worth it" if you would rather not head to the MDR Tea instead. Coffee always available from room service.

 

Is there anything we should miss out on? Not sure about the party but what about the wine tasting?

Wine tasting usually at teatime the final sea day. If you have something better to do, do it.

See comments above. I encourage you to review all the Circle benefits on the Princess website

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/membershipBenefits.page (you may have to be logged in to view this page)

Remeber the benefits are cumulative; I suspect there ones you have been entitled to since becoming Platinum that you went unaware of.

"Tea Time" can be enjoyed in your stateroom. Keep these things in mind:

Must be during regular tea time in the MDR

Must be ordered ahead of time (I recall 6 hours/but not sure)

There is a lot of food...I mean a lot...tea for two is enough for 4 (be sure to request more cups and plates)

Please do consider tipping for this service. They bring it to you AND set it up (not to mention remove)

You can request items (scones/cookies/desserts/sandwiches)

Ship - Sapphire Princess

 

Is there anything on the cruise card to show your an Elite in the Captains Circle? I'm wondering how the onboard shops would know you are entitled to a discount.

Are you thinking you are Elite on Princess? I cannot see how you do not know the colour coding system for the Captain's Circle.

Kind Regards John

"Tea Time" can be enjoyed in your stateroom. Keep these things in mind:

 

Must be during regular tea time in the MDR

Must be ordered ahead of time (I recall 6 hours/but not sure)

There is a lot of food...I mean a lot...tea for two is enough for 4 (be sure to request more cups and plates)

Please do consider tipping for this service. They bring it to you AND set it up (not to mention remove)

 

You can request items (scones/cookies/desserts/sandwiches)

Personally think Princess already charge too much for their daily gratuity without tipping extra and at the end of the day its a benefit that you receive because of the number of cruises already previously cruised.

Also on your cruise card in the lower right hand side of it, you'll see a number like "28A" or "19A". That means you have that many points with the Captain's Circle and you are an adult. So, if you ever forget how many points you have, just take a look at that. That's how they can also tell what level you're at even if they don't happen to notice the blaringly obvious color on your card. :D

Also on your cruise card in the lower right hand side of it, you'll see a number like "28A" or "19A". That means you have that many points with the Captain's Circle and you are an adult. So, if you ever forget how many points you have, just take a look at that. That's how they can also tell what level you're at even if they don't happen to notice the blaringly obvious color on your card. :D

The cruise credits in the bottom right hand corner is not a good way to tell the person's captain circle level. Some people attain a level based on the number of days on Princess. For Instance, we had 150 day and 11 cruise credits. So we were Elite.

Isn't there also some internet credit?. Is it per person or per cabin.

Isn't there also some internet credit?. Is it per person or per cabin.

All the benefits are listed at the website, yes - there's some Internet minutes, how many depends on length of cruise. It's per member, not per cabin . Each CC member gets their own perks..

Are you thinking you are Elite on Princess? I cannot see how you do not know the colour coding system for the Captain's Circle.

 

Kind Regards John

Looking at OP past postings, they have sailed on P&O, so doesn't status transfer? Could explain why on their first Princess sailing they are coming in as Elite and know nothing about benefits

Looking at OP past postings, they have sailed on P&O, so doesn't status transfer? Could explain why on their first Princess sailing they are coming in as Elite and know nothing about benefits

Princess made changes in December 2017 towards counting P&O sailings to Princess Captain's circle.

Here is a thread on the changes.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2570632

Isn't there also some internet credit?. Is it per person or per cabin.

Yes, Platinum and Elite passengers get an internet credit. It is one credit per Platinum and Elite passenger. For cruises shorter than 8 days, the award is 150 minutes, for 8 to 20 days it is 250, and for longer cruises it is 500.

P&O cruise days count toward the Princess total. In OP's case this could very well move them to Elite on their forst Princess cruise.

P&O cruise days count toward the Princess total. In OP's case this could very well move them to Elite on their forst Princess cruise.

There was an enormous change in the Captains Circle eligibility criteria during 2017. Originally if a passenger had sailed on P&O UK those sailings were credited as days sailed and number of cruises completed in exactly the same way as if they were actual Princess Cruises. However on 12 December 2017 a rule was brought in which said your previous P&O cruise history would only be accepted if at least one cruise had been completed on an actual bonafide Princess Cruise prior to that date. This has meant a lot of long term UK cruisers who have been loyal to P&O are now BLUE on princess. This rule was widely explained to UK cruisers but probably not circulated to US cruisers as they probably never sailed P&O.

Regards John

Are you thinking you are Elite on Princess? I cannot see how you do not know the colour coding system for the Captain's Circle.

 

Kind Regards John

We are regular P&O cruises trying our first Princess cruise.We booked twelve months ago and have six months to wait. We were awarded Elite in the Captains circle.

I've looked up the benefits and some are self explanatory but others I needed a little help with.

I hope you have gotten all the answers you need. If not just keep asking.

We are regular P&O cruises trying our first Princess cruise.We booked twelve months ago and have six months to wait. We were awarded Elite in the Captains circle.

I've looked up the benefits and some are self explanatory but others I needed a little help with.

Might be worth checking on your cruise personaliser on Princess webpage to make sure if you are still Elite things have changed since you booked and with not cruised with Princess yet your Captain's Circle might have changed.

Elite has free laundry.

To find out your status, go onto the official Princess Cruise Line website and click on: sign/register to create a Captains Circle Account. Register as requested. Then Login and click - Captains Circle Cruise History. You should see all your cruises listed as "Completed" or "Future" There is a tally at the top of (a) Number of Cruises* and (b) Number of Days Cruised.

* I believe the number of cruises completed is actually how many "cruise credits" Princess have tallied as each cruise counts as one, but solo in a cabin or occupying a suite gives two finally solo travellers in a suite scores three. World cruises are a credit per sector. All P&O solo/suite etc was always one cruise credit never doubled as solo etc.

Future cruises are listed but not included in the tallies but will be counted into the totals 24/48 hours after you successfully complete a cruise.

Main benefits of Elite status are Priority Boarding, Free Laundry and Free Internet minutes which vary on length of cruise. Priority Boarding comes in at Platinum Level a lot earlier than Elite.

Any problems phone Carnival House Southampton and speak to Princess Captains Circle Team.

Regards John

As far as switching out the items in the mini bar setup, they will only offer certain liquor for exchange. For example, if there's one in there that you don't like, you can't ask for something totally different than what is already offered, they will only come take away what you don't like, and replace it with one or two of the others that are already there. Except for some kinds of beer, soda and water. They'll exchange any of your sodas or liquor for those. And maybe wine....not sure about that, since we don't drink wine.

Might be worth checking on your cruise personaliser on Princess webpage to make sure if you are still Elite things have changed since you booked and with not cruised with Princess yet your Captain's Circle might have changed.

I have checked the cruise personaliser and we are Elite.

I have checked the cruise personaliser and we are Elite.

I think this is because you completed your booking long before 12 December 2017. Various interpretations of the Princess' email were inferred by different people due to its ambiguities. This is very fortunate. The UK thread is below.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2569871&highlight=captains+circle

Regards John