No. of Cruises vs. Days at Sea Toward CC Status

[SpeakerOfMind]

In another thread someone was talking about the fact that they felt many past passengers of Princess are angry about the criteria of Captain's Circle being "voyages", not "days at sea".

 

So many people have mentioned this, and give good solid reasons why the plan should be changed. That people can get credit on a 3 day coastal cruise for example. But I never really hear from people who say this: "The plan has been presented to us this way. So what could be MORE unfair than all of a sudden changing the criteria for membership"?

 

You can do all the complaining you like, but it doesn't change the fact that people have gone out of their ways at times to take these "cruises to nowhere" purely to get credit for a voyage. These repositioning cruises are packed with people who wouldn't be onboard if they weren't trying to gain the next level of membership.

 

If you've been fortunate enough to take a 28-day cruise through the orient you knew the day you boarded (or when the CC specifics were presented to all of us) that you would have been better off taking four 7-day cruises somewhere else.

 

If Princess were to say "okay people, new plan. It's sea days only," there would be a larger number of outraged people than there are now.

 

My bottom line: You know how the plan works. If you've not been able to benefit from it as those of us who have taken many shorter cruises, you really just have to let it go. It's not going to be changing any time soon. More of 'us' who have adhered to the plan would be angry than those of you who have the expendable income to afford these longer cruises. So stop your belly-aching.

[Druke I]

There are reasons other than "building status" for taking the short Coastals.

 

They are a great way to try out a new ship.

 

They make a great "long weekend" getaway, without impinging too much on either budget or vacation accrual.

 

It doesn't matter (to me) which way Princess wants to recognize their different categories - I have a sufficient number of cruises two weeks or longer to make top category - but I still enjoy the short Coastals.

[spongerob]

How about an either/or set of criteria? 5 cruises regardless of length or 35 total days for Platinum, and 15 cruises or 105 days for Elite? (personal note: I'm closer to 105 days than I am 15 cruises).

[Murphey]

One thing they do is for the "most traveled" passengers on each cruise, they use sea days, not # of cruises.

[Druke I]

Spongerob

 

"either/or" would work for me and my completed 229 nights on Princess, but like so many things in life, an arbitrary decision was made to do it a certain way, and we have to live with their corporate decision, until such time as they change it for whatever reason.

[spongerob]

I know, Druke. The coastal cruises weren't supposed to count towards the total originally. The minimum length of cruise to qualify for Platinum/Elite status was supposed to be 7 days, if memory serves.

[jody]

SpeakerOfMind,

You seem a little upset with those who take longer cruises. Maybe you need a longer cruise to relax you a little more. :-) I prefer to take longer and more exotic vacations and so I am 'hurt' by the current rules. Yes, it's frustrating that the current setup does not reward me as it would if it was per night, but I am not angry. I just think Princess's current process of counting cruises not days, rewards people who generally spend less per cruise versus those who spend more. I personally would want to reward my customers who traditionally spent more and would therefore be 'better' customers. That would be a good business decision. I understand every rule is going to work better for some that others, but it seems odd to basically punish those who spend the most time and money with you.

 

I definitely would prefer the either/or scenario as it is the best of both worlds for everyone.

jody

4 cruises with 36 days (but not yet platinum)

[Toto2Kansas]

I agree totally jody, very well stated! ;)

[calikak]

As one of those people who takes the short cruises (I'll be platinum after just 20 nights at sea), I wouldn't be mad if they changed it to # of days at sea. Especially if they didn't take away status from people who had earned it under the old system, which is often how those kinds of transitions work. Whatever system they use, somebody will be mad about it, so they might as well reward the passengers who are creating the most revenue, which would be the people who spend the most days on board. It seems silly to have it set up the way it is now, unless their only goal is to promote the coastal cruises, which I don't think it is.

 

Then again, I don't get that upset about smokers, people who wear jeans in the dining room, chair hogs, cell phone users, kids riding in the elevators, or a lot of other things that create thread after thread of angry posts, so maybe I'm too laid back to have a useful opinion.

[Ziggy7]

I too agree, rewards in the real world are for those who fly the most, spend the most, particapte the most, etc .... so it would seem proper to award those who cruise the most days, but I do have to say that those who take shorter crusies and cruise alot more can spend just as much money as those who cruise longer crusies but only once a year. So I think it would be more fair to use both measuring methods :) JMHO :)

[kryos]

If Princess were to say "okay people, new plan. It's sea days only," there would be a larger number of outraged people than there are now.

Not if they left everyone at the status they are now; i.e., if you are already Elite, you don't lose that ... if you are already Platinum, you keep that, etc. ... there shouldn't be much complaining. People who are already benefiting from the higher status would continue to benefit, while others could earn that better status in a more fair manner.

 

HAL does things on a days at sea basis. I never could understand why Princess uses voyages. It really isn't fair since my 15-day Circle Hawaii cruise gives me the same benefit as your three-day Coastal one.

 

Of course, to be honest, I really don't care ... most of the perks of Elite status I probably wouldn't even use. But, I will say that based on how Princess does things, I would think twice about taking a very long voyage with them. There simply wouldn't be as much benefit in booking it with them, as opposed to booking with HAL.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I know, Druke. The coastal cruises weren't supposed to count towards the total originally. The minimum length of cruise to qualify for Platinum/Elite status was supposed to be 7 days, if memory serves.

I'm surprised anything under seven days counts as a full voyage, personally.

 

However, if Princess wanted to continue using voyages, counting any voyage no matter how short, they should say 7 days and less counts as one voyage, and then increments of seven additional days beyond that counts as a second voyage, and so on.

 

Would seem to level things out a bit, wouldn't it? And, the new policy would only go forward. People who already received credits for voyages of less time would keep what they have. Those who took longer voyages in the past, and did not get any additional credit for them would also remain at their current status. The new policy would go forward, and thus shouldn't upset too many people.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[cherylandtk]

Spongerob, I do like that either/or scenario. But what I REALLY would like to see is another Peanut Butter Jar Manifesto on this new Captains Circle program that not only counts total days and/or number of cruises, but also has a profitability factor thrown in, something to do with the price paid per day of cruising, Cat. N vs. Cat A, or somesuch. I can imagine that reading those rules will be only slightly less confusing than reading the insurance coverage. But only on alternate Thursdays and every other 4th of July.

[spongerob]

We'll see what shows up on the doorstep in the next couple of days, Cheryl. :D

[mii]

How about an either/or set of criteria? 5 cruises regardless of length or 35 total days for Platinum, and 15 cruises or 105 days for Elite? (personal note: I'm closer to 105 days than I am 15 cruises).

 

That fits me too. I am much closer to 105 days than 15 cruises.

 

marilyn

[coiran]

I agree with the original poster - get on with your life - it's the way it is - we started cruisig with Princess before there was an elite or platinum - we kept taking Princess cruises because "if it ain't broke - don't fix it". We now are elite and did it with 15 cruises and 128 days - and - never taking any 1, 2 or 3 or 4 day cruises - they have all been 7 days plus - as a matter of fact we usually book a 10 or 14 day cruise because we feel a 7 day is too short - when we do take a 7 day we usually do a back to back.

 

Ron

[BigTimeCruiser]

Spongerob, I do like that either/or scenario. But what I REALLY would like to see is another Peanut Butter Jar Manifesto on this new Captains Circle program that not only counts total days and/or number of cruises, but also has a profitability factor thrown in, something to do with the price paid per day of cruising, Cat. N vs. Cat A, or somesuch. I can imagine that reading those rules will be only slightly less confusing than reading the insurance coverage. But only on alternate Thursdays and every other 4th of July.

 

Or you could do like the X cruiseline. Give credit for purchasing a more costly cabin. I sure hope Princess never does what that cruiseline has done.:(

[SpeakerOfMind]

Not if they left everyone at the status they are now; i.e., if you are already Elite, you don't lose that ... if you are already Platinum, you keep that, etc. ...

 

The people who have NOT yet gained a level they've been working toward would certainly not be pleased. Most people on their second cruise really think to themselves, "okay, just three more and I'm platinum." Those next three trips might be a year apart each. If Princess began the grandfathered-in concept where would they draw the line? All I'm saying is that there is now a standard. The standard is voyages. If you went to your airline and said "hey I paid ten times as much for my flight than that guy, you should count dollars, not miles" I don't think you'd prompt an airline to reprint all their brochures and restructure a new awards chart. Using that analogy there are many people who can honestly say that using miles instead of dollars for air awards "hurts" them.

 

I like Kryos' idea of "7 days and less counts as one voyage, and then increments of seven additional days beyond that counts as a second voyage, and so on". But the truth is... they have a frequent cruiser plan that it's taken them years to initiate. Anyone thinking that plan will change, in the near or even distant future, isn't being realistic.

[susancruzs]

I made the mistake of saying something about this somewhere (not here) and was promptly told the "rules" for Princess and the "rules" for RCI, in no uncertain terms.

 

I was merely stating how I felt and that no matter what, no ones going to be totally happy. I prefer longer cruises rather than 7 days so my 5 with Princess have been 1 for 7 days and the rest longer. I simply mentioned I achieved a higher status with RCI before Princess but only cruised with them 4 times. I found out I got a credit for one 7 day cruise but my other cruises (3) were longer so I got more cruise credits.

 

I wasn't complaining just stating/wondering if there was a better way. All in all, it doesn't matter to me, I'll still cruise both cruise lines and be happy with whatever.

 

Susie

[Smiles3usa]

As a first time soon to be Princess cruiser, this post probably doesn't apply to me. (Albeit, my first cruise will be a 16 day one). However, I firmly believe that folks have the right to "belly ache" about anything that they darn well feel like belly aching about. While I agree that you have a right to your opinion, I also think that those who do not agree with you have a right to their opinion too.

 

Take your shorter cruise, get your credits, and forget bemoaning those who want something different from Princess. Who knows, perhaps one day soon, you will be belly aching about how Princess changed the rules mid-stream. Really, I don't understand why people not only want their way, they want everyone to agree that their way is better, if not the best. What gives?

[Times Prince]

My bottom line: You know how the plan works. If you've not been able to benefit from it as those of us who have taken many shorter cruises, you really just have to let it go. It's not going to be changing any time soon. More of 'us' who have adhered to the plan would be angry than those of you who have the expendable income to afford these longer cruises. So stop your belly-aching.

Unfortunately, plans change, so we DON'T KNOW how the plan works. We were on several 12 day cruises where the Captain (not the CD or anyone with lesser authority) made an announcement that the single cruise counted as two towards Captain's Circle awards. My daughter who was on board for her first cruise was awarded the CC pin and invited to the CC party, not usual for first time cruisers. So the plan does change. It made it that much more difficult to reach Platinum.

 

I'm not "belly-aching" but simply stating the expectation is that credits earned prior to any plan change should be grand-fathered, not lost.

 

Then again if you've ever gotten Mileage Plus from that airline, you will have noticed they keep raising the requirements for awards or premier membership. I've lost more miles in their program that would have paid for several round trips earlier on. It is unfortunate that cruise lines are following suit.

[chaswelf]

Rewarding voyages short and long the same seems to make sense if you look at it from princess standpoint. While they say the program is to reward you, the fact of the matter is the program is princess way to put the "golden handcuff's" on you can keep you from wondering to the other lines. I would bet that if you took the average on-board spend per person per day on a week long cruise compared to a 2/3/4 day cruise the short cruises would be higher because people have only a short time to drink, gamble and shop. If this is the case it would be good business for princess to give the short cruise people the same treatment because they are just as or more profitable then people that take longer cruises.

 

It's kind of like comp's in vegas. It doesn't matter how long you stay only how much you spend.

[SpeakerOfMind]

I firmly believe that folks have the right to "belly ache" about anything that they darn well feel like belly aching about. Take your shorter cruise, get your credits, and forget bemoaning those who want something different from Princess.

 

While you're fighting for the rights of belly-achers who are aching about Princess... why not take a moment to allow those who are belly-aching about belly-achers to have a say? Freedom of speech is my friend too. I assume your 'forget bemoaning' line was a polite way to tell me to shutup. Oh, the irony.

[Smiles3usa]

To the contrary, I don't think there is a polite way to say shut up. And my post in was no intended to tell you to do so, Speakerofmind. You've got just as much right to belly ache as anyone else. And like everyone else, you've got the right to know that not everyone is on your side. You want to think your way is the ONLY way--get used to the dissent.

[Crowsie]

78 days and 6 cruises...I'm averaging 13 days per cruise.

 

Life is good...I'd be in favor of the either/or scenario, too.

 

Unfortunately for us, because we take the longer (and more expensive) cruises we can only afford to go every 2 - 2 1/2 years...rats.

 

I met a couple while I was on the Sapphire that was taking all 5 legs. They got on in Aukland, did the last Aukland to Sydney of the season..then they're staying on for the entire Asia portion plus doing the crossing and getting off in Seattle.

5 segments and 86 days...instant platinum status for them! Man, was I jealous of all the places they got to see in one trip!