Internet Benefit Change

[Buddy604]

Hey there! I'm aboard the Sapphire for a Mexican Riviera and there's been a slight change to the internet benefit for Platinum and Elites.

 

Instead of the usual $75 credit against your account, now when you sign up for a package you are automatically given the 150 minute package for free and asked if you wish to upgrade it to 250 minutes for an additional $35. Also the additional bonus minutes promotion, which used to be available if you purchased time above your free allotment, is no longer applicable to Platinum and Elites.

 

Before, on a seven day cruise, you could purchase the 250 minute for $100, get $75 credited back, and get the bonus 30 minutes.

 

I spoke with the Captain's Circle Hostess and she says the change is being phased in fleet wide.

 

Although it's not the best change for power users like me :D it's great for people like my traveling buddy who never remembers how much she has free and ends up wasting her credit by buying the $55 package.

[West Coast]

Instead of the usual $75 credit against your account, now when you sign up for a package you are automatically given the 150 minute package for free and asked if you wish to upgrade it to 250 minutes for an additional $35.

 

Seems to me like another case of the internet manager doing his/her own thing.

 

Considering the 250 minute package is only $100 the 'upgrade' offer is a bit of a rip-off.

[West Coast]

Oh, and you may want to point out the following wording to the Captain Circle Host/ess:

 

Complimentary Internet Packages

 

Each Platinum Member will receive a credit towards the purchase of a package in our Internet Cafés or on a personal laptop! Our current internet packages onboard have now been expanded fleetwide to include wireless internet!

 

$75 for voyages of 7 days or less (equivalent to 150 minute package)

$100 for voyages of 8-20 days (equivalent to 250 minute package)

$200 for voyages of 21 or more days (equivalent to two 250 minute packages)

 

You can use your credit towards a larger package if necessary, or enjoy all those minutes - compliments of the Princess Captain's Circle!

If this was a fleet wide change, surely there would have been some sort of communication to their 10,000,000+ past passengers advising of the change!

[billet]

Seems to me like another case of the internet manager doing his/her own thing.

 

Considering the 250 minute package is only $100 the 'upgrade' offer is a bit of a rip-off.

Yep - another renegate Internet Manager and now the Captain's Circle Host is joining in!

[Pam in CA]

Not being able to get the 30 free minutes for signing up the first day has been in place for many months. I first heard of it almost a year ago and that was the case on my Sapphire cruise last April.

 

The number of minutes doesn't mean a whole lot to me. 150 minutes is more than enough, particularly for passengers like me who bring their own laptop and can sign on, download email, sign off, answer email, sign back on and send the email, using only 2 - 3 minutes of Internet time. I guess if you do a lot of Internet it would make a difference but I don't think it affects 90% of the Platinum/Elite passengers. By the time you've reached that level, you're pretty savvy about how to use the Internet minutes to best advantage.

[DrivesLikeMario]

It seems to depend on which ship you're on whether you get the extra internet minutes or not. We did on the Ruby last March, but my parents didn't on the Star in May.

[Lynda90]

It seems to depend on which ship you're on whether you get the extra internet minutes or not. We did on the Ruby last March, but my parents didn't on the Star in May.

Interesting. I was on the Ruby inaugural last November and we did not get the extra minutes. I think there was even a sign outside the cafe stating that there would be no extra minutes for Platinum and Elite.

[Ethel5]

Interesting. I was on the Ruby inaugural last November and we did not get the extra minutes. I think there was even a sign outside the cafe stating that there would be no extra minutes for Platinum and Elite.

 

Once again consistency prevails!:rolleyes:.....we got 30 extra minutes for signing up the first day on the Ruby last month.

[Coral]

Once again consistency prevails!:rolleyes:.....we got 30 extra minutes for signing up the first day on the Ruby last month.

 

On the Star in July and the Crown last month - we did not get the extra minutes. There was an astrick indicating that the extra minutes do not apply to platinum and elite benefits.

[Psee]

No problem getting the extra 30 minutes on our Feb. 2009 Ruby cruise for both DW and I.

 

Whatever... :rolleyes:

[mii]

Just got off of the Golden Nov. 8 and we did receive the extra 30 minutes the first day. Go figure.

 

Marilyn

[Buddy604]

Not being able to get the 30 free minutes for signing up the first day has been in place for many months. I first heard of it almost a year ago and that was the case on my Sapphire cruise last April.

 

The number of minutes doesn't mean a whole lot to me. 150 minutes is more than enough, particularly for passengers like me who bring their own laptop and can sign on, download email, sign off, answer email, sign back on and send the email, using only 2 - 3 minutes of Internet time. I guess if you do a lot of Internet it would make a difference but I don't think it affects 90% of the Platinum/Elite passengers. By the time you've reached that level, you're pretty savvy about how to use the Internet minutes to best advantage.

Hi Pam. I'm not sure what your experience has been - especially if you say the 150 minutes does you well, but in the past if you purchased only the amount of your free benefit - say $75 for 150 minutes - you did not receive the extra 30 minues, but if you purchased above and beyond you free allotment - say $100 for 250 minutes - you did get the bonus time. This was true as of two months ago on the Golden Princess.

 

I'm sure that 150 minutes is more than enough for many folks, but as I mentioned, power users are getting a worse deal, with the extra time costing $35 instead of $25 and the 30 bonus minutes being stripped, which accounts for another 12% clawback. Not that I'm complaining, I just don't care for they way they've done it, with no notice and their own Captain's Circle Elite letters and the onboard web page faq still referring to the old policy of applying the credit to a larger package.

 

Elousie, the Captain's Circle Hostess onboard tells me this is a trial program that is going to moved out fleetwide, but when I asked if it she has any official comunication from Princess on this, she said no and referred me to customer relations and to the internet manager. When I asked about past passengers receiving and notice about the changed she told me that all offers were subject to change at any time and required no notice.

[Buddy604]

As per Elouise's instructions, here is a copy of my letter to customer relations:

Hi there, I'm currently aboard the Sapphire Princess and I have a question regarding the Captain's Circle Internet Benefit Change currently being trialed onboard.

 

As you are no doubt aware, the Princess Website says:

 

Complimentary Internet Packages

Each Platinum Member will receive a credit towards the purchase of a package in our Internet Cafés or on a personal laptop! Our current internet packages onboard have now been expanded fleetwide to include wireless internet!

 

$75 for voyages of 7 days or less (equivalent to 150 minute package)

$100 for voyages of 8-20 days (equivalent to 250 minute package)

$200 for voyages of 21 or more days (equivalent to two 250 minute packages)

 

You can use your credit towards a larger package if necessary, or enjoy all those minutes - compliments of the Princess Captain's Circle!

 

Unfortunate, aboard the Sapphire, there has been an unpublished change. Now, when signing on for the first time, we are given the option of only purchasing the $75 -150 minute package for free or upgrading to the 250 minute package for an additional $35. Additionally, when upgrading, Platinum and Elite members no longer qualify for any additional time bonus. In the past, if you purchased time over and above your free allotment, you qualified for the 30 minute bonus. Under the new policy, the 250 minute package costs the elites 40% more and includes up to 12% fewer minutes. The new policy is also in direct conflict with your published benefits ("You can use your credit towards a larger package if necessary, or enjoy all those minutes - compliments of the Princess Captain's Circle! ") as well as the onboard Elite benefits letter and onboard Internet Cafe Captain's Circle Benefit FAQ.

 

I spoke with Elousie, the Captain's Circle Hostess onboard, and she tells me this is a trial program that is going to moved out fleetwide, but when I asked if she has any official communication from Princess on this, she said no and referred me to you, customer relations and to the internet manager. When I asked about past passengers receiving and notice about the changed she told me that the Captain's Circle benefit offers were "subject to change at any time" and required no notice.

 

If I could impose on you for some clarification on this new policy, the reduction in Captain's Circle benefits, and timeline for rollout, I would appreciate it. If this policy is still under review, I'd like to take a moment to voice my opinion that although I think this is a great idea in general in helping folks who neglect to maximize their free time when signing up for a basic package, it should be implemented in a way that does not penalize other loyal users by charging them more for less benefit. Certainly you can make a case for eliminating the 30 minute bonus even though we are putting cash into the internet till, but charging $35 for a package upgrade with a list price of only $25 more than our stated benefit is just plain greedy, no two ways about it.

 

I'd appreciate a reply this week, if possible, so that I can discuss their further with the folks onboard and update my posting about this change on Cruise Critic.

 

Thanks very much!

 

 

Mike B----

Captains Circle No. XXXXXXXXX

 

Hopefully, I'll hear back and we can get some semi-definitive answers. Hah!:rolleyes: :D

[Buddy604]

On the plus side, though, the internet has been VERY fast!! Best I've ever experienced.

[Colo Cruiser]

Each ship interprets/applies company policy differently unfortunatley. :(

[Pam in CA]

Hi Pam. I'm not sure what your experience has been - especially if you say the 150 minutes does you well, but in the past if you purchased only the amount of your free benefit - say $75 for 150 minutes - you did not receive the extra 30 minues, but if you purchased above and beyond you free allotment - say $100 for 250 minutes - you did get the bonus time. This was true as of two months ago on the Golden Princess.

You are right to a certain extent. I rarely take a 7-day cruise so I've always gotten the 250 minutes AND the 30 minute bonus. Until last April. I didn't get it on my 7-day Sapphire cruise in April nor my 12-day Crown cruise in July. I got 500 minutes (two 250-minute packages) on my 31-day Sapphire cruise in April '08.

 

FYI, dealing with the Princess Internet Cafe managers is a dream compared to my HAL experience. I was using my netbook and had a question, and the guy literally yelled at me and told me that if I wasn't using the netbook IN the Internet Cafe, he wouldn't help me. He informed me that even though there's WiFi in the cabins, he wouldn't support it or help anyone who used it. He was really nasty and did the same thing to anyone who asked him about using the WiFi.

[ocngypz]

On my Emerald 11/1 sailing, I got the 150 minutes for $75 credited.. and since I signed up the first day, I got an additional 40 minutes free.

[ocngypz]

On the plus side, though, the internet has been VERY fast!! Best I've ever experienced.

 

 

Internet on the Emerald was the worst I've seen at sea to date. Didn't matter whether you were on wireless or sitting in the computer center on one of their desktops. This wasn't the case at all on the Ruby last Dec.

[ginagirl]

Just got off of the Golden Nov. 8 and we did receive the extra 30 minutes the first day. Go figure.

 

Marilyn

We just got off the Golden Nov 8 also, signed up for the 250 minutes on embarkation but didn't get the bonus minutes for the very first time ever. Not that we needed them, but I prefer and respect consistency in supposed policy. We did get to eat in the Dining Room upon embarkation though. I think there were a total of 4 couples.:D

[LETS PARTY]

Don't try to figure it out, because you can't...........I was on the Sapphire 10/17 no extra min.....10/24 got the extra min...go figure

[TwinCruiserMom]

I decided long ago that if we get the bonus minutes it will be just that, a bonus. I am not counting on them.

 

However, I was planning on buying the 250 minute package for $100 and having them credit my account $75. It is a real rip off to charge a passenger $35 for a $25 package upgrade! That part has me concerned as I do need the extra minutes for this cruise. It is only $10 but what is their reasoning for charging that $10 more?

[BosoxI]

Internet on the Emerald was the worst I've seen at sea to date. Didn't matter whether you were on wireless or sitting in the computer center on one of their desktops. This wasn't the case at all on the Ruby last Dec.

 

DW and I were on the Emerald's 10/25 cruise and received no bonus, but the WiFi was excellent in our cabin or in the computer center. Go figure

[Buddy604]

However, I was planning on buying the 250 minute package for $100 and having them credit my account $75. It is a real rip off to charge a passenger $35 for a $25 package upgrade! That part has me concerned as I do need the extra minutes for this cruise. It is only $10 but what is their reasoning for charging that $10 more?

I spoke with the internet manager today and he said this was a direct change ordered by princess with the rationale now being they are selling you an additional 100 minutes at the bargain price of $0.35 a minute. The change took place one month ago according to him and is being tried here first. I suggest people drop a line to princess if they are opposed. :D

 

Just one of a number of subtle cost cutting measures I've noticed, but nothing that's going to ruin my vacation.

 

I am going to need more internet time though....

[Buddy604]

So I heard back from Princess today and, surprise!, their letter doesn't even address the dichotomy between the $25 upgrade for regular folks and the $35 upgrade for Platinum and Elites, in direct conflict with their stated benefits.

 

Dear Mr. B____,

 

The Customer Relations Department is in receipt of you email regarding your cruise aboard Sapphire Princess. I appreciate the time you have taken to share your comments.

 

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Platinum and Elite Internet Benefit. We hope that you enjoyed your sailing. The Captain's Circle host onboard has advised that we are currently testing a new system onboard that delivers the benefit in minutes, rather than as a credit to your onboard account. You will have the option to purchase additional minutes, if you choose, from the Internet Cafe. Any additional offers that have been offered in the past have been a promotion of the Internet Cafe, and not part of the Princess Captain's Circle Program benefit.

 

This benefit has not changes. Currently, as a Platinum or Elite Member, you will receive the following:

 

7 days or less: 150 minutes/$75 value

8-20 days: 250 minutes/$100 value

21+ days: 500 minuses/$200 value

 

Mr. B____, thank you for taking the time to provide us with your comments. We look forward to welcoming you and _____ onboard again in the near future. Until then, you have my kind regards.

 

Sincerely,

 

Michael K. Morrison

Specialist, Customer Relations

 

cc: Manager, Customer Relations and Loyalty Programs

[Nancyquilts]

We just got off the Golden Nov 8 also, signed up for the 250 minutes on embarkation but didn't get the bonus minutes for the very first time ever. Not that we needed them, but I prefer and respect consistency in supposed policy. We did get to eat in the Dining Room upon embarkation though. I think there were a total of 4 couples.:D

Gina - we didn't get the extra minutes either, but 500 did for both of us, especially when dh doesn't use it. Congrats to Marilyn! Nancy