Becoming Elite question

[caribill]

I'm at Platinum...I'll get to Elite whenever I get to Elite...by taking the cruises I want to take when I want to take them...

 

Yes, I already get those free internet minutes at Platinum...

 

So, what do I get extra at Elite on Princess?

A "minibar set up"...

Free Laundry...

Free Shoe Shining...

Priority tenders...

Canapes in the room on formal night...

Afternoon tea in my cabin if I reserve six hours in advance...

One free wine tasting...

 

Okay:

1) The minibar setup equates to what? 3 or 4 drinks? I could just buy those instead...and those are in my cabin, not in a bar, served...I could always just smuggle on my own mini bottles. 8 mini-bottles of liquor plus the cans of soda, the cans of beer and the bottles of water.

2) If it's a 7 night cruise or less, I really won't have to bother with laundry. If it's a longer cruise, the difference is I'd pay for a load of laundry...or use the laundromat.

3) I don't even pack shoes that need shining.

4) How many tender ports are there? And, if you are on a Princess shorex, this is irrelevant anyway

5) Like I need more food? I get these on Celebrity (where I am Elite Plus) and they usually go wasted anyway...I'm not in my cabin when they arrive and I can get a better choice of canapes elsewhere on the ship. Since sometime last year Princess eliminated the good choices from the elite canapes request list, so this is a very poor benefit now.

6) I'm not sitting around my cabin for tea.

7) Okay, I like wine...but I can also go to a bar and buy a couple of glasses of wine...doesn't cost that much.

 

 

see above in red

[Grego]

Interesting to see what you decide. Once upon a time we would have taken that shorter voyage just to get to Elite if we had a longer voyage booked later on. Then it was "cool" to be Elite and we enjoyed the status because we earned it the hard way......no short voyages because there weren't any on the east coast and most of ours averaged well over 8 days.

 

Now we are just part of the huge number on any voyage. Our last voyage we had nearly 1800 Platinum and Elite on the Regal Princess and nearly half were Elite. The free laundry did help on this 25 day itinerary where we had 5 formal nights, but other than that.......not so much. With 31 voyages booked we really don't see the benefit any longer. Would be nice if they offered free beverages or at least free "Happy Hour" after 25 voyages. Yes, the additional 10% discount in the boutiques is nice, especially if bling is purchased, but it doesn't count for much on the $10 Tshirts.

 

So, what the heck, I say go for it because at least you get to go to the front of the line at Passenger Services when your cruise card gets corrupted and you need a new one (happened 5 times last voyage)!

[Pierlesscruisers]

Not cost effective for the OP who lives in Florida.

 

An obvious statement.

[Thrak]

Once upon a time we would have taken that shorter voyage just to get to Elite if we had a longer voyage booked later on. Then it was "cool" to be Elite and we enjoyed the status because we earned it the hard way......no short voyages because there weren't any on the east coast and most of ours averaged well over 8 days.

 

Now we are just part of the huge number on any voyage.

 

So many Elite now. It was a bit odd on our last cruise as it was a southbound after a land tour in Alaska. Most of the passengers had blue cards. They ended up combining the Platinum and Elite get together with the Most Traveled deal because there were so few in total. Not the norm but then it was Alaska. :)

 

I have no idea if we will make it to Elite on number of cruise credits or number of days. We only have 7 cruises so far with 2 more booked but the cruises were mostly decent length with a couple of short getaway cruises that we could squeeze into our working schedule.

 

We have 7 completed and 2 booked. Nine cruises for 109 days. At this rate it's hard to say if we will reach 16 cruises first or 151 days first...

[GUT2407]

So many Elite now. It was a bit odd on our last cruise as it was a southbound after a land tour in Alaska. Most of the passengers had blue cards. They ended up combining the Platinum and Elite get together with the Most Traveled deal because there were so few in total. Not the norm but then it was Alaska. :)

 

I have no idea if we will make it to Elite on number of cruise credits or number of days. We only have 7 cruises so far with 2 more booked but the cruises were mostly decent length with a couple of short getaway cruises that we could squeeze into our working schedule.

 

We have 7 completed and 2 booked. Nine cruises for 109 days. At this rate it's hard to say if we will reach 16 cruises first or 151 days first...

 

Mrs Gut isn't Elite yet but hit Platinum in three cruises. Our next one is only seven days, but if all goes to plan the two following are 35 days and 75 days, so it will take her six to Elite and about 185 days, but still 14 cruises short of the $25 OBC. I have more.

[shredie]

Mrs Gut isn't Elite yet but hit Platinum in three cruises. Our next one is only seven days, but if all goes to plan the two following are 35 days and 75 days, so it will take her six to Elite and about 185 days, but still 14 cruises short of the $25 OBC. I have more.

 

I reached Elite on cruises, but DH was behind me and reached it with days. He doesn't much like those short cruises. It turned out to be only a couple of cruises difference in the end. I don't think he ever thought I was "cheating" by taking some coastal cruises.

[GUT2407]

My point isn't about how you get there so much as it's about consistence, each level of the Capts Circle is based on credits or days, but then things like the extra OBC is purely on credits, it (in my opinion) should alse be on both.

[cattman]

Oh heck, I've justified a cruise with less...