Elite

[Toto2Kansas]

Apparently none of you folks cruised with Princess before the Blue, Gold, Platinum and elite statuses were initiated. They gave out pins for various stages of loyalty bgoing to the maximum of Commodore which we still have all of the pins for. There were NO perks attached, yet we proudly wore our pins on formal night and to the Captains Circle events.

 

We DO NOTwave our black cards around and we DO NOT feel we are special, yet we do enjoy the benefits that come with loyalty.

 

I ran across a few of our pins the other day (from before the time of Captain's Circle perks), while I was cleaning out an old jewelry box. ;)

[Pam in CA]

I ran across a few of our pins the other day (from before the time of Captain's Circle perks), while I was cleaning out an old jewelry box. ;)

I've got a bunch of pins somewhere.

 

I cruised as a single in a cabin for years, paying 150-200% of the per-person rate before the benefits were changed from the # of cruises to include the # of days, so I paid a LOT of money to cruise while working two jobs concurrently 90-100 hours per week. Many of us have earned the perks we now get. I saved, invested and retired, and now I get to explore the world and enjoy life. I don't think that makes me snobbish or elitist.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Apparently none of you folks cruised with Princess before the Blue, Gold, Platinum and elite statuses were initiated. They gave out pins for various stages of loyalty bgoing to the maximum of Commodore which we still have all of the pins for. There were NO perks attached, yet we proudly wore our pins on formal night and to the Captains Circle events.

We DO NOTwave our black cards around and we DO NOT feel we are special, yet we do enjoy the benefits that come with loyalty.

 

I still have my Commodore pin.

I think if I wore it these days , very few of the staff on board would know what it was.:D

[sultan_sfo]

Each Elite will find in their cabins a Silver Crown and a Silver Tiara (or 2 Crowns and 2 Tiaras). They will be entitled to their Elite Privileges only when wearing them so every one knows their status.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Each Elite will find in their cabins a Silver Crown and a Silver Tiara (or 2 Crowns and 2 Tiaras). They will be entitled to their Elite Privileges only when wearing them so every one knows their status.

 

If they were silver, some on board may mistake that for Platinum.:D:D

[sultan_sfo]

Tarnished silver so they appear black?

 

If they were silver, some on board may mistake that for Platinum.:D:D

[geoherb]

I dont really get it.

I'm a first time cruiser on Princess and have paid a lot of money to go on this cruise yet I will see others getting something that I've not "qualified" for.

Doesnt make me feel like coming back.

Surely it would be better to reward "Elite" etc with slightly discounted prices/upgrades etc.

Some of us dont have the money or indeed time because of work etc to cruise all the time.

Seems a bit snobby and silly to me.....

Nothing against any of you folks here who enjoy these perks just my own personal thoughts- I dont feel its a good way of attracting new customers...

For the most part, you won't see others getting their benefits. For instance, the cocktail time each evening is held in a quiet out-of-the-way space. People using the free Internet minutes look just like the people who paid to use the Internet. And if you just happen to walk by the venue holding the past passenger party, you would notice that everyone going into that room is holding an invitation.

[silvercruiser]

After years of doing laundry by hand on land trips abroad and on ships with no launderettes in those days, I got very good at it, but boy! am I glad to have reached Elite status and the free laundry.

I still remember a 49-day cruise on the old Regency Sea where we all waited for a day when the water wasn't quite as rusty as usual to wash clothes and shampoo hair. Everyone's cabin had drying laundry hanging around the cabin in every available place. And on land trips in Europe, whenever there was a two-day stay in a hotel, well, that meant a chance to do laundry. If a bathtub was there to use in doing laundry it was a real treat.

I just love getting free laundry on Princess.

[gacruisergal]

Now to throw a ringer into the picture.....I am Elite on Princess but since I have sailed on Celebrity just as much, I am also in the the top category on RCCL and Azamara since these three all share the same perks. I have never sailed on Azamara but when I do, I wll receive all the top status perks because of this share.

 

It doesn't hurt to spread the wealth. We have been cruising for 40 years and have been on over 30 cruises. Some long, some short but everyone counts to a higher status..................I don't feel like a snob, just a smart cruiser and this is what we love to do for a vacation rather than driving or flying around the country. Hotels and restaurant expenses add up and a cruise is like unpacking once and taking you 5 star hotel with you all over the world!!

[User Error]

Can someone please explain what "Higher level of service" means then if you are Elite?

Does this mean the service isnt as good for un Elite etc passengers?

I'm just interested thats all...Not out to diss anyone, upset anyone etc, just curious.

I work in the leisure business myself and as well as being aware that you need to keep your regular and loyal customers happy, I'm also aware that you need to attract new customers and make them regular and loyal ones too....

This was why I was asking in the first place- Not to knock anyones perks or criticise but to query what they were and to indeed wonder if they do the job.

Do people return to Princess because of them?

Would as many return if they werent there?

[OCruisers]

Since we started cruising long before there were any benefits given to those that sailed a lot on Princess, I guess we just feel they are now a nice 'little' perk. But even without them, I would still cruise princess (we have tried most of the other mainstream cruise lines and always came back to Princess). So, sailing on Princess really doesn't have a lot to do with the Elite perks for us. ;)

 

Same with us! Totally agree with you and is exactly what we would have said.

[CanuckCurlers]

Perhaps a silly question but here goes. We just had to cancel our cruise due to an accident that my DH had. We do have cancellation insurance so will get our money back but Princess will still get their money so do we get the credit of these cruise days? Anyone know? We would like to reach platinum for the internet credits.

[Toto2Kansas]

Perhaps a silly question but here goes. We just had to cancel our cruise due to an accident that my DH had. We do have cancellation insurance so will get our money back but Princess will still get their money so do we get the credit of these cruise days? Anyone know? We would like to reach platinum for the internet credits.

No, sorry, in order to get credit for the cruise towards your captain's circle status, you must have physically been on the ship. Even though the insurance paid for the cancelled cruise, you will not receive credit for it.

[wizard-of-roz]

Boy, you talk about a silly question, here goes: I'm Elite and my daughter, who is traveling with me is not. Will the nameplate on the door reflect my status and hers separately. Usually, when it's my husband and me it's Mr. & Mrs. with black on our name plate. Will there be two names each showing a different color?

I told you it was silly. But, I 'm still curious and want to know the answer.

[ibfern]

Boy, aint that the truth. My DH suggested that I could probably buy that new Engagement Ring faster if I gave-up a few cruises.

 

Let's see: "Ring"...."Cruise"....."Ring"....."Cruise"....What do you think I chose?

 

I hope I'm not the only one who does this but when I'm walking down the hallways do you look to see how many black or gold nameplates are on the cabin doors. And, when someone is presenting their key-card do you look to see what color it is?

 

Talk about snobbery!!!! :rolleyes:

 

I always ask for a cruise rather than Jewelry and I totally look at the nameplates! Great minds think alike...

[wizard-of-roz]

I always ask for a cruise rather than Jewelry and I totally look at the nameplates! Great minds think alike...

 

I am not alone.........Amelia, thank you for sharing. I feel so much better now!

[Astro Flyer]

Boy, you talk about a silly question, here goes: I'm Elite and my daughter, who is traveling with me is not. Will the nameplate on the door reflect my status and hers separately. Usually, when it's my husband and me it's Mr. & Mrs. with black on our name plate. Will there be two names each showing a different color?

 

I told you it was silly. But, I 'm still curious and want to know the answer.

When I sailed with my brother who is a Platinum & I'm an Elite...it was in black. :)

[windsor26]

I am elite although I had to wait for it (my first cruise on Princess was 76 days but I was a virgin the whole time (no segment allowance here)

 

Strangely I did not notice or know that the name plates on the cabin doors were different colours to show status (I must be in a dream (or had a couple of wines)):)

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

Can someone please explain what "Higher level of service" means then if you are Elite?

Does this mean the service isnt as good for un Elite etc passengers?

I'm just interested thats all...Not out to diss anyone, upset anyone etc, just curious.

I work in the leisure business myself and as well as being aware that you need to keep your regular and loyal customers happy, I'm also aware that you need to attract new customers and make them regular and loyal ones too....

This was why I was asking in the first place- Not to knock anyones perks or criticise but to query what they were and to indeed wonder if they do the job.

Do people return to Princess because of them?

Would as many return if they werent there?

 

I've probably cruised 20-25 times and have sailed on Princess (Platinum, almost elite), HAL, RCCL, and Celebrity. I've never been on a bad cruise, loved them all.

 

If several cruise lines are offering a similar itinerary at a similar price, then I would select Princess because of the perks. However, if the other cruise line has a better price, then I'm on that ship.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Now to throw a ringer into the picture.....I am Elite on Princess but since I have sailed on Celebrity just as much, I am also in the the top category on RCCL and Azamara since these three all share the same perks. I have never sailed on Azamara but when I do, I wll receive all the top status perks because of this share!

 

I hate to have to tell you this (because we missed out, too, and didn't cruise Azamara in time), but the Celebrity benefits no longer apply to Azamara as of 1/1/2011. But X/RC still honor the higher of the others' benefits.

[adonisr]

I dont really get it.

I'm a first time cruiser on Princess and have paid a lot of money to go on this cruise yet I will see others getting something that I've not "qualified" for.

Doesnt make me feel like coming back.

Surely it would be better to reward "Elite" etc with slightly discounted prices/upgrades etc.

Some of us dont have the money or indeed time because of work etc to cruise all the time.

Seems a bit snobby and silly to me.....

Nothing against any of you folks here who enjoy these perks just my own personal thoughts- I dont feel its a good way of attracting new customers...

 

I'm guessing you don't like airline frequent flier programs either, or credit card cash back programs, etc. You'd rather have a loyalty benefit NOW rather than actually exhibit some loyalty first?

[wizard-of-roz]

I'm guessing you don't like airline frequent flier programs either, or credit card cash back programs, etc. You'd rather have a loyalty benefit NOW rather than actually exhibit some loyalty first?

 

Yep! The voice of reason has appeared!

[paul929207]

Don't worry, it won't last long. :)

[CanuckCurlers]

No, sorry, in order to get credit for the cruise towards your captain's circle status, you must have physically been on the ship. Even though the insurance paid for the cancelled cruise, you will not receive credit for it.

Thanks. Do you know if we will get our future cruise credit back?

[Toto2Kansas]

Thanks. Do you know if we will get our future cruise credit back?

If you cancel the cruise, and insurance must pay, no, you will not get your FCC returned. The money you paid for the cruise is forfeited, and the insurance will reimburse what you lost if you cancelled for a covered reason, minus the insurance premium. I am gathering that this is after final payment date or well within the penalty phase to cancel?