Erosion on Elite Benefits?

[SHayesShip]

Wow, this changed quickly then on the Ruby. Because, we had the upgrades on the Ruby on the 1/9 to 1/13/2014 sailing.

 

 

We were aboard the Star over Christmas/New Year and the Ruby last week. Both times we were told by the cabin steward that these amenities were no longer available to Elite passengers.

[vickie_bernie]

A freshener for the bed sheets.

For me It never seems to have any sent. :confused:

 

Yeah I don't notice a scent either. When I get home I open the container up and drop a few drops of lavender oil in it and use it on my pillow....

[vickie_bernie]

One thing I wish Princess would do is when you start to collect the loyalty on board credit benefit they only give you one per cabin too. But both people have been loyal and both have spent a lot of money on cruises. Just think both should get the loyalty credit. My two cents.

[paul929207]

One thing I wish Princess would do is when you start to collect the loyalty on board credit benefit they only give you one per cabin too. But both people have been loyal and both have spent a lot of money on cruises. Just think both should get the loyalty credit. My two cents.

It would be nice (DW & I have same number of cruises). However, I am just happy to get something.

 

BTW, you could say the same thing about the mini-bar setup.

Edited January 24, 2014 by paul929207

[vickie_bernie]

It would be nice (DW & I have same number of cruises). However, I am just happy to get something.

 

BTW, you could say the same thing about the mini-bar setup.

 

very true, but I am happier with $$$ - but am glad I just get it, so won't complain too loudly...

 

happy sailing Paul :D

[helenb]

We're going to become Elite after our June cruise. I'm hoping they don't change the requirements before then! With Celebrity, they literally changed their program overnight and some people who were 1 cruise away from Elite suddenly found they were much further.

[caribill]

Our only quibble is that if there is one Elite in a cabin that person gets a mini-bar set up. If there are two Elites in the cabin -- voila- there is no second mini bar set up for that person. Hey that ain't fair.

 

 

Look at it this way.

 

There are two of everything in the setup, so if there are two elites in a cabin, both get a setup that includes all the items.

 

If there is only one elite in the cabin, the person is getting double what has been earned.

[Wehwalt]

One thing I wish Princess would do is when you start to collect the loyalty on board credit benefit they only give you one per cabin too. But both people have been loyal and both have spent a lot of money on cruises. Just think both should get the loyalty credit. My two cents.

 

It's not unfair. You are together paying the same fare I am, traveling alone. You, together, are also getting the same OBC back as I get, assuming we are on the same level. So if you got that, I'd want OBC to be per cruise credit to equal it up. Princess isn't rushing to do either.

[paul929207]

It's not unfair. You are together paying the same fare I am, traveling alone. You, together, are also getting the same OBC back as I get, assuming we are on the same level. So if you got that, I'd want OBC to be per cruise credit to equal it up. Princess isn't rushing to do either.

Wehwalt,

I hope you are not holding your breath.

[Wehwalt]

Wehwalt,

I hope you are not holding your breath.

 

I don't expect it at all. I was pointing out that it was fair based on the fare you are paying compared with the single traveler.

[chamima]

I don't expect it at all. I was pointing out that it was fair based on the fare you are paying compared with the single traveler.

 

 

But at least you get 2 cruise credits for being a single in a cabin which will allow you to get those loyalty benefits doubly as fast as a couple. (Not sure the extra $25 makes up for double the cruise fare, though.)

[Wehwalt]

But at least you get 2 cruise credits for being a single in a cabin which will allow you to get those loyalty benefits doubly as fast as a couple. (Not sure the extra $25 makes up for double the cruise fare, though.)

 

Likely not. But it's something.

[Roses2]

Over the past couple of years Princess has added to rather than eroded Elite benefits. The addition of OBC after reaching higher numbers of cruises is a relatively new perk. You can use OBC any way you like on board or even cash it in at the end of the cruise.

 

As far as the evening cocktails, we have never had a problem with over crowding. It may be just lucky choice of cruises or that we usually do not arrive until 6:30 pm. There always seems to be seats available then.

 

We never have paid much attention to the bathroom goodies we had before we were Elite or after.

 

For us we appreciate the perks of being Elite as well as the OBC for military service, Carnival stock, and future cruise booking. We believe Princess rewards us well for our loyalty as well as providing OBC that many other lines do not provide.

 

Perhaps the old saying about gift horses just might apply

 

P&J

[Pia1913]

Over the past couple of years Princess has added to rather than eroded Elite benefits. The addition of OBC after reaching higher numbers of cruises is a relatively new perk. You can use OBC any way you like on board or even cash it in at the end of the cruise.

 

As far as the evening cocktails, we have never had a problem with over crowding. It may be just lucky choice of cruises or that we usually do not arrive until 6:30 pm. There always seems to be seats available then.

 

We never have paid much attention to the bathroom goodies we had before we were Elite or after.

 

For us we appreciate the perks of being Elite as well as the OBC for military service, Carnival stock, and future cruise booking. We believe Princess rewards us well for our loyalty as well as providing OBC that many other lines do not provide.

 

Perhaps the old saying about gift horses just might apply

 

P&J

 

I didn't read this whole thread, and I totally agree with your statement above. I love that extra $100 we get on each cruise. We do quintuple dipping and no other cruise line lets you do that.

[Griller]

Absolutely agree that Princess is generous with the OBC, we have another 5 day coming up on Ruby soon and our total bill was $509 for 2 in an inside, and we will receive Stockholder OBC of $50, $15, $15, $50 and $50 Military, and $50 for Captain's Circle.

Thats $230 off $509 so our net is $261 for the pair of us for 5 days, getting free laundry, minibar or coffee cards.

Not to mention the excellent food, well maintained clean ship etc.

Never mind fancy toiletries which we have a stack of unused here at home already, or the special lounge, we have a lovely quiet virtually private lounge where we meet which hardly anyone seems to know about.

 

I just hope they can afford to carry on with the OBC............................

[shastatroy]

Quick comment and question.

 

we have been elite since 2007. thankful for every internet minute, bar set-up and every item of laundry I didn't have to handle.

 

Question - what is the upgraded princess bag?

 

We are also diamond on Carnival, which requires 200 days. Even at those days, the perks do not compare to princess. No internet minutes, no bar set-up and the wash and fold laundry is a joke.

 

Shirley

 

The bag is canvas, beige and blue with a small seawitch repeated pattern. Only available in the suites.

[haloau]

We became Elite on our last cruise so looking forward to our next cruise as Elite passengers we are going on the Diamond from Sydney to Singapore on the 21st Feb.

 

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk

[IECalCruiser]

As far as the evening cocktails, we have never had a problem with over crowding. It may be just lucky choice of cruises or that we usually do not arrive until 6:30 pm. There always seems to be seats available.

We got off a Sapphire 4 day Coastal. They moved the Elite Lounge to Club Fusion to have more room and had two serving lines. It was quite full by 5:15 with lines waiting for food at both stations. However by 5:45 it was less than 25% full. Guess a lot of the Elites/Suite/Platinum diners have early seating for dinner.

 

 

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[shepp]

We're going to become Elite after our June cruise. I'm hoping they don't change the requirements before then! With Celebrity, they literally changed their program overnight and some people who were 1 cruise away from Elite suddenly found they were much further.

 

Being at 143 cruise days and going elite after next month's cruise, I'm gratuitously miffed. I just got the email about Princess adding a bunch of short Caribbean cruises this summer. It was iffy enough when they added a bunch of 3-day coastals. But it's getting increasingly easy for someone to be onboard 45 or so days and still fulfill the 15-cruise requirement.

 

This wouldn't matter at all if so many of the perks weren't zero-sum games. But with the ballooning numbers of higher-status passengers, that means more people waiting for priority tendering, longer waits for early embarkation and disembarkation, and lots more free internet minute to help keep wi-fi slowed to a crawl. And yeah, more crowded lounges. Heck, on the Royal's TA, there were so many old-line elites getting free dry cleaning that the laundry simply stopped taking in new washing, and that will probably be the case on more and more sailings. So all those perks are de facto devalued without actually being changed.

 

Sure, anyone who's already got CC credits should be grandfathered in. But if you can easily go Platinum after just two weeks at sea, maybe something should change. Like basing status strictly on the number of days sailed?

[helenb]

maybe something should change. Like basing status strictly on the number of days sailed?

 

That's exactly what Celebrity did. It used to be 10 cruise credits (and you could earn up to 3 per cruise, depending on what kind of cabin you were in and how long the cruise was) and now it's a points system based on number of days at sea, with more points being given for more expensive cabins. HAL has a similar system, based on days at sea + extra points/stars for onboard spending or being in a suite. I'm not familiar with it, but I believe the RCCL system is the same way.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Princess change the program to something of that nature. Even more, when Celebrity changed their system, they added 2 more elite levels: elite+ and super elite, IIRC. Again, I could see Princess doing this.

 

You make a good point though. Before these free getaway cruises were introduced, we were 4 cruises/30 days away from making Elite. We had planned on another 2 cruises (22 days) this year. Given that we take longer cruises, I expected that we would hit the days sometime on our 14th cruise, thereby meeting the days requirement before the cruises requirement. Now with the getaway cruises (in suites, no less) we will be Elite after our upcoming June cruise, still at 130 days.

[Sincity]

So what happens when you travel with another couple where one couple is Elite and the other is not and you book with the two girls in one stateroom and the guys in another? Do both staterooms get a minibar?

[Pia1913]

So what happens when you travel with another couple where one couple is Elite and the other is not and you book with the two girls in one stateroom and the guys in another? Do both staterooms get a minibar?

 

Each Elite person would have to book the cabin in their name; husband books with other husband, wife books with other wife. Then you get your setups.

[Woobstr112G]

That's exactly what Celebrity did. It used to be 10 cruise credits (and you could earn up to 3 per cruise, depending on what kind of cabin you were in and how long the cruise was) and now it's a points system based on number of days at sea, with more points being given for more expensive cabins. HAL has a similar system, based on days at sea + extra points/stars for onboard spending or being in a suite. I'm not familiar with it, but I believe the RCCL system is the same way.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Princess change the program to something of that nature. Even more, when Celebrity changed their system, they added 2 more elite levels: elite+ and super elite, IIRC. Again, I could see Princess doing this.

 

You make a good point though. Before these free getaway cruises were introduced, we were 4 cruises/30 days away from making Elite. We had planned on another 2 cruises (22 days) this year. Given that we take longer cruises, I expected that we would hit the days sometime on our 14th cruise, thereby meeting the days requirement before the cruises requirement. Now with the getaway cruises (in suites, no less) we will be Elite after our upcoming June cruise, still at 130 days.

 

I agree with the fact that Princess might change their loyalty programs. I was looking at X's new program and I like some of the changes. It would be interesting to see what Princess might come up with should they decide to make some changes.....

 

Bob

[rdsqrl]

I certainly wouldn't mind if they went to only counting days at sea, even though it would set me back from becoming Elite. I'm galloping toward that black card, in fact I'm on the eve of it, thanks to the double credit, but at the same time, it really doesn't seem like I've earned it because it is due to the double credit.

 

I'd really much rather enjoy a minimal single punishment, er, I mean supplement, for repeat passengers than earn double Captain's Circle credit, though. There isn't the perk they could invent that's worth paying double fare.

Edited January 26, 2014 by rdsqrl

[AE_Collector]

No matter what Princess does as far as changes, they couldn't handle the switch over to a new revised program any worse than Celebrity did! Celebrity appeared to go out of their way to annoy as many passengers as possible with the way they implemented the changes so that they would go back to other cruise lines such as Princess thus quickly reducing the over crowding in the Celebrity Elite Lounges. Excellent work Celebrity, we are back to Princess again after our brief experiment elsewhere.

 

With Princess we were on track to complete 15 cruises with about 150 days until I learned that Princess will give you two cruise credits on combined or bundled cruises (B2B that was marketed and booked as one single longer cruise). We had two such cruises that Princess happily gave us one extra credit for each one when I called so we will now make Elite with only 130 days.

 

They old probably keep it real simple and change to half a credit for anything less than 1 week but there will be endless complaints no tater what they do.

 

Terry

Edited January 26, 2014 by AE_Collector