Questions regarding captain cricle status on B2B cruises

[nunuc2000]

Howdy fellow cruisers!

 

I have some questions about our captain circle status that hopefully you folks can help with - I received two opposing answers directly from Princess, and figure you're all experienced enough that some of you will have encountered this scenario and be able to provide some guidance.

 

DH and I are currently Ruby level (4 cruises, 47 days). We are now booked for a cruise in 2015 in the Med and the TA that follows it. We booked the Med segment as a 21 day from Sept 12th to Oct 3rd, and then a 14 day TA from Oct 3rd to Oct 17th. The 21 day Med cruise is also available to be booked as 3 seven day cruises.

 

 

My Questions:

• will we receive credit for a total of 2 cruises (21 days and 14 days), or 4 cruises (3x7 days, and 1x14 days)?
  
• will we reach platinum status following the first 7 day segment, allowing us to take advantage of things like free internet, etc., or will we have to wait until AFTER the first 21 day segment is complete to be granted platinum status?
  

Thanks as always for the helpful answers folks. :)

 

Celine

Edited May 27, 2014 by nunuc2000

[sept10dsm]

We booked a 14 day last summer which was actually 2 seven day cruises. My husband became Platinum after the first leg (they gave us a 7 day cruisecard for the first leg) and he received the Platinum for the second leg and all benefits. If that doesn't happen, I would just go to the Captains Circle rep. We only received credit for 1 cruise though. Upon coming home I called and they changed that to represent 2 cruises.

[AKman2495]

I agree. Princess should update your status after the first cruise. However, it sometimes take a day or two to do so. If you are not upgraded when you receive the documents for the second cruise, just go to the Captains circle desk and he(she) will credit you.

 

Once you have been upgraded to platinum, you had all of the benefits immediately available.

 

On our last cruise, we were booked on a 14 day cruise that was really 2 7 day cruises B2B. We were upgraded to platinum by the CC host before sail away of the 2nd cruise. We had the free internet, the high grade thank you party, access to the elite lounge, etc with no problems.

[sept10dsm]

As an aside, we purchased the coffee card prior to leaving online. We booked as a 14 day and when we rec'd our cruise card it was only for the first 7 days. When picking up our Coffee cards, we did as to be sure it would be good for the entire cruise since that was how it was booked. We had no problem with this either (good 14 days) but I would surely as where you were getting coffee and let them be aware of it. ( we use mainly for the brewed so the punches are intact)

Edited May 27, 2014 by sept10dsm

[DougH]

It depends on how you booked it. If you have two booking #'s you will be upgraded to Platinum after the first 21 day cruise. (any earlier and consider yourself lucky) If you booked as 3 7 day cruises and have 4 total booking #'s it will be after the first 7 day segment.

 

In any case it sounds like a nice month+ cruise :)

Maybe you can squeeze in a short cruise before then and get to Platinum before this long one

[partybarbie]

Hi Celine!:)

 

This was our experience when DH made elite:

 

We booked a B2B Trans-Atlantic as one cruise. At the end of the 14-day portion, DH made elite. He was given a black card to use on the 18-day portion of the trip, and it showed as two cruises on his cruise history.

 

For me though, it showed up as one cruise. As I was already elite, I didn't care if it showed as one or two cruises.

 

As others have stated, your best bet is to contact the Captain's Circle Host. They will make sure that you get the correct status.

[caribill]

It depends on how you booked it. If you have two booking #'s you will be upgraded to Platinum after the first 21 day cruise.

 

Not true. At the end of the first segment of the first cruise you should, as others have posted in this thread, be upgraded to Platinum. Check with the Captain's Circle host if this does not happen.

[nunuc2000]

Thanks for the info everyone... Sounds like we should be successful in reaching platinum status after the first 7 day segment which will be terrific! Mind you, on this cruise I'm sure over 75% of the passengers will be platinum or elite, so we'll be sharing that "special" pre-dinner cocktail hour with a LOT of fellow passengers. :D the free Internet minutes will be a nice bonus though. :)

 

Celine

[sept10dsm]

It depends on how you booked it. If you have two booking #'s you will be upgraded to Platinum after the first 21 day cruise. (any earlier and consider yourself lucky) If you booked as 3 7 day cruises and have 4 total booking #'s it will be after the first 7 day segment.

 

In any case it sounds like a nice month+ cruise :)

Maybe you can squeeze in a short cruise before then and get to Platinum before this long one

 

That isn't what happened to us. We booked as a 14 day (and got the Military OBC as such) but our cruise card was for the 7 day first leg and then status change for my husband as well as benefits. The coffee card was good for the entire trip since booked as such.

[sept10dsm]

Thanks for the info everyone... Sounds like we should be successful in reaching platinum status after the first 7 day segment which will be terrific! Mind you, on this cruise I'm sure over 75% of the passengers will be platinum or elite, so we'll be sharing that "special" pre-dinner cocktail hour with a LOT of fellow passengers. :D the free Internet minutes will be a nice bonus though. :)

 

Celine

Are either of you Military or own Carnival stock? With all those cruises, many OBC to be had!

[nunuc2000]

Are either of you Military or own Carnival stock? With all those cruises, many OBC to be had!

 

Ooooohhh good point!!! We REALLY need to get those shares... we keep saying we will and never end up following through! LOL! But this is really good motivation!:D

 

Celine

[skynight]

Here is what I think will happen and what you can do. At the end of the 1st seven days you should receive a new cruise card, for the 2nd 7 days. If it isn't platinum, visit the Captain's Circle host, to be upgraded. The host should be able to add one cruise credit at zero days to your records thus making you eligible for platinum level benefits, mainly the internet. If it is platinum still make the visit. You want to be sure you get credit for all the days as well as all the cruise credits. At the end of your cruise you should wind up with 82 days and 8 cruise credits. Two of those cruise credits will probably show on your records as zero days. Hope this makes sense. If you are in a full suite the cruise credits will double.

[sept10dsm]

Ooooohhh good point!!! We REALLY need to get those shares... we keep saying we will and never end up following through! LOL! But this is really good motivation!:D

 

Celine

 

Yes, may be worth it with all the cruises. $250 for 14 days and greater. $100 for the 7 day. Based on how you book.

[sept10dsm]

To me worth it to buy for at least a $500 obc.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Although it sounds like others have been able to get around this with the help of an efficient Captains Circle host, in our experience, we have never been able to get zero day cruises added until the original cruise showed up in our CC account, which is 24-48 hours after the end of a cruise (so, in your case, 24-48 hours after the end of your 21-night cruise). I just want you to be prepared for disappointment...

 

While we haven't experienced the need for this for CC status, we have always reached the next higher CC loyalty OBC level (at 21, 32, 42, 52 cruises) in the middle of B2B cruises, and it has always been difficult (though not impossible) to get the additional $25 due to us.

 

I wish you better luck, and enjoy those cruises!

[sept10dsm]

Although it sounds like others have been able to get around this with the help of an efficient Captains Circle host, in our experience, we have never been able to get zero day cruises added until the original cruise showed up in our CC account, which is 24-48 hours after the end of a cruise (so, in your case, 24-48 hours after the end of your 21-night cruise). I just want you to be prepared for disappointment...

 

While we haven't experienced the need for this for CC status, we have always reached the next higher CC loyalty OBC level (at 21, 32, 42, 52 cruises) in the middle of B2B cruises, and it has always been difficult (though not impossible) to get the additional $25 due to us.

 

I wish you better luck, and enjoy those cruises!

While the number of cruises wasn't changed until home, my husband's change to Platinum happened automatically for the second leg of the 2 seven day we booked as a 14. All the benefits were explained in the letter he rec'd. We really didn't care about the number of cruises until home since all benefits were recd

[LynnMW3]

While the number of cruises wasn't changed until home, my husband's change to Platinum happened automatically for the second leg of the 2 seven day we booked as a 14. All the benefits were explained in the letter he rec'd. We really didn't care about the number of cruises until home since all benefits were recd

 

I sure hope you're right, because we're in the same situation...we booked as a 14-day, but it is selling as two 7-day cruises...after the first leg, we'd be eligible for Platinum, if they let us...I guess we'll find out...wish us luck:D