Are Elite Perks Generous Enough?

[RDC1]

The laundry perk is the best - I have never had it take more than 2 days to get my laundry back even when they told us it might take longer due to all the elites (an example of under promising and over delivering). We send out 2 bags every 2-3 days on 3 week cruises - only need to pack for about 10 days of clothes that way. If you think you are going to do all your laundry in those dinky laundry rooms then you are going to spend a good deal of your cruise in the laundry room. If you leave while the washer is going then if it finishes before you return there is a good chance it will be dumped on a chair

 

 

If you use the laundry rooms you should be back before it finishes.

[floridalover5623]

 

If you had a price allowance......people will demand that their dress shirt is a t-shirt or mens shorts should be viewed as underwear.....Get real......

 

Just as they probably do right now.

No difference except that they would be paying or doing it them selves.

Laundry is probably the biggest over used perk that still remains.

As a matter of fact it probably is since it's unlimited.

With all the other minor cutbacks lately on Princess, can this be far behind?

[Pierlesscruisers]

Was anyone not allowed access to the game rules for obtaining elite loyalty status?

 

:)

 

 

Yep. Excellent point! Next thing you know, somebody is going to complain about how cruising is unfair to those who live in, say, Kansas or Nebraska or Winconsin because they have to fly all the way to Washington or California or New York or Florida to take a cruise so if they live in one of the midwest states that they ought to be able to somehow get credit for their travel expenses to give them some sort of credit toward the various loyalty levels. And, before you ask, yes, I do live very close to the Seattle port and yes, I have taken advantage a couple of times of the overnight cruises from Vancouver to Seattle or vice-versa. I'm also fortunate enough to be able to take more than 1 cruise a year usually. Should I be prohibited from taking more than a single cruise a year because that gives me the ability go get from one level to another more quickly than someone else? Everybody takes advantage of the things that give them an "edge" in a situation, whether it's using the number of cruises you take, the number of days at sea, good discounts they get on purchases somewhere, good health plans that they get from their employer, good paychecks from generous employers, you name it and most people take advantage of "things" in their lives that others don't get. With Princess, you get 2 ways to advance from one level to another that other cruise lines don't offer. EVERYBODY, and I do mean EVERYBODY, can take advantage of advancing from one level to another by taking many short cruises rather than a number of longer cruises. Airfare to a port city to take 1 or more short cruises will still cost you less, probably, than taking a longer cruise if you want to do it that way it will just cost you more than it will cost a person who lives in or near that port city. That's just life!

 

I suspect I'll probably get flamed for expressing my viewpoint. If that's the case, so be it! :confused:

 

Tom

[OCruisers]

So wish everyone would just be happy with the ELITE perks we have now. :D

[RDC1]

I am happy with the current elite perks. Would prefer that the cruise line keep costs down for everyone rather that funneling more to perks. Princess is already pretty generous compared to other lines with combine able OBC (shareholder, Veteran, FCC) the elite perks is just icing on the cake so to speak.

[land lover]

Yep. Excellent point! Next thing you know, somebody is going to complain about how cruising is unfair to those who live in, say, Kansas or Nebraska or Winconsin because they have to fly all the way to Washington or California or New York or Florida to take a cruise so if they live in one of the midwest states that they ought to be able to somehow get credit for their travel expenses to give them some sort of credit toward the various loyalty levels. And, before you ask, yes, I do live very close to the Seattle port and yes, I have taken advantage a couple of times of the overnight cruises from Vancouver to Seattle or vice-versa. I'm also fortunate enough to be able to take more than 1 cruise a year usually. Should I be prohibited from taking more than a single cruise a year because that gives me the ability go get from one level to another more quickly than someone else? Everybody takes advantage of the things that give them an "edge" in a situation, whether it's using the number of cruises you take, the number of days at sea, good discounts they get on purchases somewhere, good health plans that they get from their employer, good paychecks from generous employers, you name it and most people take advantage of "things" in their lives that others don't get. With Princess, you get 2 ways to advance from one level to another that other cruise lines don't offer. EVERYBODY, and I do mean EVERYBODY, can take advantage of advancing from one level to another by taking many short cruises rather than a number of longer cruises. Airfare to a port city to take 1 or more short cruises will still cost you less, probably, than taking a longer cruise if you want to do it that way it will just cost you more than it will cost a person who lives in or near that port city. That's just life!

 

I suspect I'll probably get flamed for expressing my viewpoint. If that's the case, so be it! :confused:

 

Tom

 

No flames here......

 

I have always appreciated the perks offered.

 

 

My favorite benefit afternoon tea......always have it every cruise......we have some every memorable teas in our cabins and on our baconies with other CCers.

Edited August 4, 2018 by land lover

[getting older slowly]

I think some put to much importance on the colour, of their cruise card.

 

But when you look at Princess, they offer a lot of perks over other cruise lines, in regard to

loyalty , defence personal , and the one we like is perks travelling in a suite.

 

Looking at it things change, thanks to always wanting more return on investment,

it is business, prime directive is make money... so if you wish to give them money for their product, and you are happy with what you get, to come back to buy to more. If not you go least where.

 

Anyway I just happy to be able to go cruising

 

Cheers Don

[kywildcatfanone]

We are elite, and I like it, the laundry is nice, we do take advantage of it. Trading the mini bar for the coffee cards is nice too, as otherwise we would be paying for those.

 

 

 

Don't care for the other perks, of no value to use, but everyone is different.

[elliair]

- afternoon tea

- shoeshine

- canapes

- wine tasting

 

 

We don't use any of those perks nor do we use the laundry. Give me the tokens to do my own laundry, that would be a nice perk. Shoeshine my tennis shoes? Canapes - never received canapes and if we did we wouldn't eat them. We give the wine tasting invitation away, going to one was enough. A grape, a cracker, a small piece of cheese and only one drinkable wine (maybe) - big whoop! We like the alcohol package - DH likes the Dewar, and we exchange everything else for Zero Sprite. We give the 2 bottles of beer away. Even the platinum/elite Captain's party was getting unreal. We use to get nice samples of food, but now it's a jar of cheap rice crackers. Well over $150,000 spent to become elite, and all you get is a watered down cocktail and a jar of crackers. It's embarrassing. :(

[cruiseintoheaven]

While I would not miss any of the perks mentioned by the OP, I'm sure other Elites would. I do miss the chocolate-covered strawberries as a choice for the formal night canapes. We did not receive the order form in our cabin on our cruise on the Regal last month, and I did not care since they've been removed from the choices.

 

 

 

Free drinks during the Platinum, Elite, and Suite cocktail event would be nice for a new tier past Elite. Princess could easily load two free drinks per day onto the accounts of Elite-plus tier passengers that could only be redeemed at that event. Or even better, load two free drinks onto these passengers' accounts that could be used anywhere.

 

 

 

And on cruises where the number of Elites causes a long delay in having laundry done, giving Elites one expedited bag with a limited number of items for overnight laundry service. Also give free tokens to the self-service laundries for those Elites who'd rather do their own laundry.

 

 

Love the idea of free tokens for laundry - we were SO DANG excited about free laundry when we reached Elite but seldom use it....just prefer to do it in our own.

 

 

 

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[FritzG]

I am happy with the current elite perks. Would prefer that the cruise line keep costs down for everyone rather that funneling more to perks. Princess is already pretty generous compared to other lines with combine able OBC (shareholder, Veteran, FCC) the elite perks is just icing on the cake so to speak.

 

Agree!

[paul929207]

So wish everyone would just be happy with the ELITE perks we have now. :D

I agree!!!

[pris993]

I am happy with the elite perks as well, in cabin free liquor, free laundry pressing, priority boarding, 10% discount in gift shop, free internet are some we use. Free wine tasting, shoe shinning, free laundry (other than pressing), afternoon tea, canapes are not something we use at all.. but okay that others like them. We have 26 princess cruises, are elite on Celebrity, 2 star on HAL find the perks on Princess are better than other lines.

[bobby3334]

I am happy as well and have been elite for many years. The problem is there are now too many of us. On some cruises recently well over 50% are elite. If almost everyone is elite then in certain areas no one is elite eg boarding, tendering etc. I cruise a lot but nothing compared to those who spend a majority of their lives doing so. This obviously will only get worse. What is the solution?

I have no idea. I can imagine the howl if some perks were removed and reserved for a new higher category. I am sure Princess is stumped too.

 

 

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[neverbeenhere]

See Celebrity, HAL and other lines programs for the solution, if a solution is needed. Their programs have slowed the advancement down or at least made it necessary to pay to play.

[bobby3334]

See Celebrity, HAL and other lines programs for the solution, if a solution is needed. Their programs have slowed the advancement down or at least made it necessary to pay to play.

 

 

 

A nice thought. Plus someone is going to have to pay for so far failed *****

 

 

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[bobby3334]

I don’t know anything about the programs on the other lines. Did they make it retroactive or for future elites?

 

 

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[neverbeenhere]

Future folks won’t gain status as easily. They will be waiting for the current “crew” to thin out with the six feet under plan.

[bobby3334]

Now that’s a plan. Thanks for the info. Kind of like the lottery!

 

 

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[RDC1]

I am happy as well and have been elite for many years. The problem is there are now too many of us. On some cruises recently well over 50% are elite. If almost everyone is elite then in certain areas no one is elite eg boarding, tendering etc. I cruise a lot but nothing compared to those who spend a majority of their lives doing so. This obviously will only get worse. What is the solution?

I have no idea. I can imagine the howl if some perks were removed and reserved for a new higher category. I am sure Princess is stumped too.

 

 

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One of the main reasons for not increasing elite benefits. Maybe they should limit the benefits to the first X number of bookings on a cruise (first 500 for example).;);):confused:

 

I would much rather be on a cruise with a mix of new cruisers and experienced cruisers, instead on one that is 70% elite.

[The Wilkies]

We don't use any of those perks nor do we use the laundry. Give me the tokens to do my own laundry, that would be a nice perk. :(

 

Yes please. Only used laundry once, completely ruined DH dress shirt. Prefer to do own.

 

I’m not complaining. Do like the swop for coffee cards though and the internet package. Plus afternoon tea in cabin on packing day!

 

RDC1. Go to Japan, first week 85 Elite, second 84. Only time been to most travelled party. The Round Britain cruise in June only had about 400 Elite. Most were blue or gold.

 

Someone once asked me how to get a “black card”. Reply “a lot of money”

[RDC1]

Yes please. Only used laundry once, completely ruined DH dress shirt. Prefer to do own.

 

Do like the swop for coffee cards though and the internet package. Plus afternoon tea in cabin on packing day!

 

RDC1. Go to Japan, first week 85 Elite, second 84. Only time been to most travelled party. The Round Britain cruise in June only had about 400 Elite. Most were blue or gold.

 

Someone once asked me how to get a “black card”. Reply “a lot of money”

 

I have traveled there, though on two other cruise lines, also around South America on Princess, and will be spending 20 days in Singapore in Feb. followed by 30 days on a TA and Med in May.

 

My round Britain cruise last year had about 800 elites, the transatlantic via Iceland the year before had 1400 with another 650 Platinum.

 

Bottom line is the number of Elites is growing fairly rapidly, it is getting almost as bad on Princess as on HAL when dealing with the percentage of high status passengers.

 

About the only place you can escape having a fairly high percentage these days is to do short Alaska and Caribbean cruises.

 

In relative terms does not take that much money to get a black card, just some time. Far cheaper then doing similar trips in other ways. Have been elite for a while.

 

The key point is how fast the number of elites have grown, especially in the last 5 years or so. 10 Years ago a 100 elite would have been a high number, these days 4 times that is low.

 

While I use some of the benefits I would almost prefer that they just did away with them in total along with the status categories.

Edited August 4, 2018 by RDC1

[Wehwalt]

I consider the benefits for being Elite on Princess better than those for being 5-Star on HAL. You might disagree with me if you happen to like the Pinnacle Grill on HAL, which I do not.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Future folks won’t gain status as easily. They will be waiting for the current “crew” to thin out with the six feet under plan.

Goodness, let’s hope for our sakes it’s a long wait!

[getting older slowly]

My mum is 92 and still cruising, and having just finish her last cruise is about to plan another one.... and she isn't going up or down soon....

 

The perks are good for loyal passengers, but with the increasing number, that may have to look at money rewards ( ie Discounts ).. as they don't seam to have the resources to do some of the perks.... which is pity... and this is why from a business point of view some have been dropped...

 

only 90 days till our next cruise

 

Cheers Don