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Elite Tier Benefits

Tayscot

By Tayscot,
in Princess Cruises

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Tayscot

Tayscot

Posted
Posted

About to go on our first Princess Cruise and are Elite Tier due to transfer of P & O points. Have asked for info previously and understand the ins and outs of the Minibar set up, preferential embarkation and tender priority, free internet minutes etc.

 

Can anyone elaborate on the "members only onboard events" and the grapevine wine tasting ( is it worthwhile and do we have to book a place or is one set aside for us?). On P & O we had a Captains Welcome Party, a Cocktail Party for the appropriate Tier and a special lunch all with free drinks. Does Princess have a similar programme ? Is there a limit on the number of times you can order the free afternoon tea on your balcony?

 

Thanks once again for any replies.

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JF - retired RRT

JF - retired RRT

Posted
Posted
Can anyone elaborate on the "members only onboard events" and the grapevine wine tasting ( is it worthwhile and do we have to book a place or is one set aside for us?)You will get a card in your cabin for the wine tasting. Just present the card when you enter.

Is it worth it? Depends. If you are a wine lover...yes or maybe, depending on what is served.

On P & O we had a Captains Welcome Party, a Cocktail Party for the appropriate Tier and a special lunch all with free drinks. There is a cocktail party for Captain Circle Platinum/Elite/Suites - usually on a formal night.

There is a lunch for the "most traveled" passengers. The cutoff for invitations depends on the makeup of the ship. So that is a maybe for every cruise, unless you have a lot of days at sea. We have 200 and haven't been invited yet, although the cutoff is sometimes that low. Is there a limit on the number of times you can order the free afternoon tea on your balcony? No limit on the tea,but they bring a lot of food. I prefer going to the MDR for tea and can pick and choose the things I want.

See above

 

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Kamloops50

Kamloops50

Posted
Posted
About to go on our first Princess Cruise and are Elite Tier due to transfer of P & O points. Have asked for info previously and understand the ins and outs of the Minibar set up, preferential embarkation and tender priority, free internet minutes etc.

 

Can anyone elaborate on the "members only onboard events" and the grapevine wine tasting ( is it worthwhile and do we have to book a place or is one set aside for us?). On P & O we had a Captains Welcome Party, a Cocktail Party for the appropriate Tier and a special lunch all with free drinks. Does Princess have a similar programme ? Is there a limit on the number of times you can order the free afternoon tea on your balcony?

 

Thanks once again for any replies.

Being Elite you'll have a seperate check in line for cabins. If they haven't started boarding they have a seperate area with coffee,tea ,water and juice for you to wait. Free internet is loaded to your card . When you first login you'l set up an account . It will show your complimentary minutes and the cost for a bigger package . Also if your significant our is elite , you both receive the free time . It's not on a per cabin but per person for elite/platinum.

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LACruiser88 "Live from...." Rare

LACruiser88

Posted
Posted

As far as the Grapevine Wine Tasting, if you know anything about wine you will not enjoy it. It is the most basic wine "talk" and the wines are bottom of the wine lists wines...

 

The Maitre'd Wine Tasting is a different story but that is not free...

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skynight

skynight

Posted
Posted (edited)
About to go on our first Princess Cruise and are Elite Tier due to transfer of P & O points. Have asked for info previously and understand the ins and outs of the Minibar set up, preferential embarkation and tender priority, free internet minutes etc.

 

Can anyone elaborate on the "members only onboard events" and the grapevine wine tasting ( is it worthwhile and do we have to book a place or is one set aside for us?). On P & O we had a Captains Welcome Party, a Cocktail Party for the appropriate Tier and a special lunch all with free drinks. Does Princess have a similar programme ? Is there a limit on the number of times you can order the free afternoon tea on your balcony?

 

Thanks once again for any replies.

Basically:

Priority Check in lines.

Free Laundry service, no limits, just ask your cabin steward how it works.

There is no special cocktail hour with free drinks for Elite passengers. There is a cocktail hour 5pm to 7pm each evening for Platinum, Elite and Full suite passengers with apps and $5 drinks.

There are Captain's Circle get togethers, half hour, where they have free drinks as well as some other events open to all passengers with free drinks.

You will get priority tender service, but there is a procedure to follow. The process varies by port and vessel.

No special lunch, unless you are one of Princess' top forty most traveled passengers ,for which you will not qualify. The cut off is usually in the 400 days on board range.

You can get a special afternoon tea from Room Service, the details are in the instruction letter. By the way room service is 24 hour and you can order tea at any time. There is a free tea around 3:30pm each afternoon in one of the DR's There are some special apps for you cabin you can order for formal nights. there will be an order form in you cabin.

You shoul have a letter in your cabin explaining all the details.

There is a free wine tasting, you will receive an invitation. It is crowded.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

Edited by sknight
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Astro Flyer

Astro Flyer

Posted
Posted (edited)

Originally Posted by Tayscot View Post

Can anyone elaborate on the "members only onboard events" and the grapevine wine tasting ( is it worthwhile and do we have to book a place or is one set aside for us?)You will get a card in your cabin for the wine tasting. Just present the card when you enter.

Is it worth it? Depends. If you are a wine lover...yes or maybe, depending on what is served.

On P & O we had a Captains Welcome Party, a Cocktail Party for the appropriate Tier and a special lunch all with free drinks. There is a cocktail party for Captain Circle Platinum/Elite/Suites - usually on a formal night.

There is a lunch for the "most traveled" passengers. The cutoff for invitations depends on the makeup of the ship. So that is a maybe for every cruise, unless you have a lot of days at sea. We have 200 and haven't been invited yet, although the cutoff is sometimes that low.Is there a limit on the number of times you can order the free afternoon tea on your balcony? No limit on the tea,but they bring a lot of food. I prefer going to the MDR for tea and can pick and choose the things I want.

 

See above

 

Unfortunately the "most travelled passengers" (top 40 travelers) is not always the great lunch with wine that I've read about. We've been invited to four MTP events on 7 day cruises (Alaska & CA Coastal) and they've only been an evening cocktail party with appetizers (any drink you want & tasty snacks). On our longer cruises the Captain's Circle rep just politely chuckles when asking if with over a year of sailing on Princess we made the cutoff. ;)

 

We've previously attended the Grapevine tastings but now only go if there's nothing else we'd rather do. Ours have usually been at about 3:00 before a formal night but we rarely go now. It takes about 45-60 minutes but it's too much talking & only 5 small tastes of the same wine on each cruise. I don't know if they still do it however the last time we went they were still giving a free Princess logo shot glass which is used for the dessert wine. The $25 Maître d' Wine Club (it used to be the Sommelier Wine Club until they eliminated the sommelier) is higher quality (up to about $170 wine when I attended) and much better appetizers.

Edited by Astro Flyer
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Cruise Raider Great Review Rare

Cruise Raider

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Posted
We've previously attended the Grapevine tastings but now only go if there's nothing else we'd rather do. Ours have usually been at about 3:00 before a formal night but we rarely go now. It takes about 45-60 minutes but it's too much talking & only 5 small tastes of the same wine on each cruise. I don't know if they still do it however the last time we went they were still giving a free Princess logo shot glass which is used for the dessert wine. The $25 Maître d' Wine Club (it used to be the Sommelier Wine Club until they eliminated the sommelier) is higher quality (up to about $170 wine when I attended) and much better appetizers.

 

We usually go to the Grapevine wine tasting event your assumption is correct ... they no longer provide the Princess logo shot glass.

The wine is in the $7 - $11 range if bought at home so nothing all that special but you can get an idea of what you might want to order with dinner. Appetizers are now a grape and a piece of cheese. Don't get me wrong, I still think it is worthwhile to attend but it used to be a little more special. We only went to the Maitre d' wine club but consider it too pricey for what you get. We live pretty close to wine country so expectations are set high for that pricing.

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Astro Flyer

Astro Flyer

Posted
Posted (edited)
We usually go to the Grapevine wine tasting event your assumption is correct ... they no longer provide the Princess logo shot glass.

The wine is in the $7 - $11 range if bought at home so nothing all that special but you can get an idea of what you might want to order with dinner. Appetizers are now a grape and a piece of cheese. Don't get me wrong, I still think it is worthwhile to attend but it used to be a little more special. We only went to the Maitre d' wine club but consider it too pricey for what you get. We live pretty close to wine country so expectations are set high for that pricing.

Thanks...I try to never assume anything. ;)

 

When Princess had a sommelier, I asked him about why Princess does not vary the wines used for the Grapevine wine tasting. He had asked HQ the same question because after the tasting those wines had a big surge is sales. I would much prefer being introduced to different wines than the same old ones to discover new wines to purchase in the dining room.

 

One of the advantages for me of their Wine Package is trying new wines from their inventory which I would enjoy on cruises without the package.

 

However if HQ doesn't listen to their sommeliers (before eliminating them again) about having variety in the Grapevine tasting to increase sales of other bottles of wine, then they won't listen to their passengers either.

 

I've been on a cruise with 1,250 elites onboard & inviting all of them required more than one Grapevine tasting just for the elite level passengers. We didn't attend because it conflicted with another activity & wonder how many attended the complimentary wine tasting. ;)

Edited by Astro Flyer
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cr8tiv1 Holiday Sharing Rare

cr8tiv1

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Posted

I'm reaching the point where the Grapevine tasting is losing it's appeal. Only really went for my glass since I only drink white wine. The red wine drinkers on my table were very lucky. They don't even have the dessert wine any longer.

 

Oh me, oh my.

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floridalover5623

floridalover5623

Posted
Posted

I've been on a cruise with 1,250 elites onboard & inviting all of them required more than one Grapevine tasting just for the elite level passengers. We didn't attend because it conflicted with another activity & wonder how many attended the complimentary wine tasting. ;)

 

The increase in the number of Elites in the past few years sounds like it's probably the main reason why they no longer give our the shot glasses.

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Glenndale

Glenndale

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Posted
I'm reaching the point where the Grapevine tasting is losing it's appeal. Only really went for my glass since I only drink white wine. The red wine drinkers on my table were very lucky. They don't even have the dessert wine any longer.

 

Oh me, oh my.

 

So you get to keep the glass? :)

I still have a cocktail glass from the original loveboat, the deal was you bought one cocktail and had unlimited fill ups - well I think that was the deal, it was a while ago :)

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JF - retired RRT

JF - retired RRT

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How do you go about trading the mini bar for the coffee cards? thanks

Don't ask your steward.

Call Room Service. You can exchange for 2 coffee cards or switch out any/all bottles for other bottles, i.e. there are 2 bottles of vodka and 2 bottles of gin, don't want the gin, exchange for 2 more bottles of vodka.

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john watson

john watson

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At Southampton the Elite and Suite queue for boarding is marked and if you cannot see it just ask. You will be directed to a shorter queue and will be able to check in almost immediately you arrive after 12 noon when they initially start. The proportion of Elite passengers outside of the US is generally small.

 

Regards John

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HomelessBear

HomelessBear

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DH and I will also be first time elite on our cruise in June. Will we be able to swap our mini bar alcohol for non alcohol (i.e. pop / soda)? If so, is this through room service? We rarely drink coffee so swapping to the coffee cards wouldn't be any good for us.

 

Many thanks.

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GUT2407

GUT2407

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DH and I will also be first time elite on our cruise in June. Will we be able to swap our mini bar alcohol for non alcohol (i.e. pop / soda)? If so, is this through room service? We rarely drink coffee so swapping to the coffee cards wouldn't be any good for us.

 

Many thanks.

 

Yep its one for one.

 

So they take a $10 bottle of spirits and give you a $3 can of soda.

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