Revamped Tier Levels Coming Soon

[NavyVeteran]

2 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

What? Seriously? We have a few suites booked for next year and were definitely looking forward to the steak house on the first night! Basically, none of the perks are valuable in a suite for an elite cruiser, then? Already get mini-bar, laundry, priority for being elite. What is the point of booking the suite?

The suite laundry benefit has been very useful to me (even though I am Elite). Suite laundry is one-day service (no matter how many Elites are onboard). Elite laundry is nominally two-day service but sometimes it takes longer.

 

Since I normally bathe and change clothes before dinner after being ashore (or onboard) all day, I place my laundry on my bed when I leave for dinner (in a suite). It is always back by the next evening.

[ceilidh1]

1 minute ago, NavyVeteran said:

The suite laundry benefit has been very useful to me (even though I am Elite). Suite laundry is one-day service (no matter how many Elites are onboard). Elite laundry is nominally two-day service but sometimes it takes longer.

 

Since I normally bathe and change clothes before dinner after being ashore (or onboard) all day, I place my laundry on my bed when I leave for dinner (in a suite). It is always back by the next evening.

I didn't know it was 1 day for suites? I guess I've never noticed...

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

But it was removed when you actually go to book a suite so which is accurate?  I have 5 cruises booked and 4 in full suites so I'm wondering if the specialty dinner will be included. If it is removed I will rethink the value of a full suite as an elite tier VS just a CC Mini and save a lot of money on the cabin.  The breakfast doesn't warrant the huge price difference for me. The mini suite size is big enough for 2 to be comfortable with all the granite counter space.

 

I see what you are talking about.  But to me it simply looks like another glitch on their website - and there are several at the moment.  The full suite benefits are still there in all the usual places, just not in the preview booking screens.  I don't think that they will remove suite passenger benefits that are being paid for in the increased fares.

[greenie082756]

I personally like the Plus package ($40 daily chg). I drink specialty coffees (3-4 a day), sometimes an afternoon cocktail by the pool, bottled water or soda, an evening cocktail before dinner and a glass or 2 of wine with dinner. That alone is about $30 - 40 a day. Even if I did not have cocktails and just coffee, water and sodas that would be about $20 in beverages.

Gratuities and wifi included would be about $25 a day. I like playing certain games online because it relaxes me. So I like the unlimited internet so I don't have to pay extra.

So not having the 250 free minutes as a platinum member to me has never been a big deal. I can use that up rather quickly in a few days.

Having the gratuities in the package as well is a good thing. 

Three things that are extra charges that have been applied against our OBC that are wrapped up in a package works for us.

We can now use that OBC for excursion and any purchases that fancies my eyes.

JMHO

[Tedferg]

17 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Yes and I remember how excited all of us were for this.  We never actually go to use it though as all of the cruises that we booked with it were cancelled.

 

Light bulb moment, I never understood why someone would choose BESTDW but now realize people would use OBC for Gratuities. For us BESTDG worked because of free internet with Platinum.

[Roberto256]

27 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

  I don't think they have this all sorted out yet.  Seems like this is another not-well-thought-out situation.

 

Knock me over with a feather!

[Astro Flyer]

43 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I would think, going forward, that Elites & Suites are going to get first dibs on Arrival Groups.  I don't think they have this all sorted out yet.  Seems like this is another not-well-thought-out situation. 

I agree with your comments although they’ve had 15+ months to figure it out & I feel they’ve had sufficient time to manage the Arrival Groups system.

 

Removing the free minutes to now charge all Platinum/Elite for internet benefits them financially but the boarding system doesn’t generate anything more than goodwill with their most loyal passengers…in my opinion that’s very disappointing.

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by Astro Flyer

[Ombud]

34 minutes ago, Thrak said:

I keep wondering about the folks who quote the "extra" cost of Princess Plus and then give the entire cost of the thing. They always seem to "forget" that it includes the gratuities (now called, of course, Crew Incentive).  Do they normally remove the gratuities?  If not, they should first deduct that cost from the cost of Princess Plus before stating how much "extra" it adds.

 

I have no beef with folks who don't like the program. If they don't drink and don't want to lose their free Internet minutes it makes perfect sense to not want to be pushed into booking Princess Plus. I just think it seems disingenuous to consider the gratuities as an "extra" fee being added into that program.

Thank you for the voice of reason. I'm boarding already booked cruises with 350-850 OBC + 50 loyalty OBC (if it still exists) but re-looking at Princess Plys $40 day:

15 gratuities 

5 internet

Leaves 15 beverage. Or 1 glass wine. Re-evaluating my decision to book lower price especially on 18 day Australia -> Asia. Think i need to text my PVP

[Roberto256]

38 minutes ago, Thrak said:

I keep wondering about the folks who quote the "extra" cost of Princess Plus and then give the entire cost of the thing. They always seem to "forget" that it includes the gratuities (now called, of course, Crew Incentive).

 

This creates an interesting situation.  As we all know, there are some folks who alwasys cancel gratuties, no matter what they are called.

Because they are 'optional'...

 

If Princess now incents people to purchase a package, including gratuties (which can't be cancelled within the package),

they have 'solved' the cancel problem...

 

...at least if the incentive to purchase a package is overwhelming.

 

I also think they should call gratuties different things, depending on your country of origin.

For instance, most europeans would be familiar with 'service' added to a hotel bill;

while retching at 'tips'.

 

[Thrak]

1 minute ago, Roberto256 said:

I also think they should call gratuties different things, depending on your country of origin.

For instance, most europeans would be familiar with 'service' added to a hotel bill;

while retching at 'tips'.

 

Gratuities are now listed as "Crew Incentive".

[Steelers36]

9 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Thank you for the voice of reason. I'm boarding already booked cruises with 350-850 OBC + 50 loyalty OBC (if it still exists) but re-looking at Princess Plys $40 day:

15 gratuities 

5 internet

Leaves 15 beverage. Or 1 glass wine. Re-evaluating my decision to book lower price especially on 18 day Australia -> Asia. Think i need to text my PVP

Math says it leaves ~$20 for drinks.

 

With 50% off Internet, I am in same place or need to spend even more on drinks to justify Plus.  We can get the 4-device package and share with friends when we cruise together.  That's going to be less than $5/pp/day now (assuming internet prices don't go up).

 

[Tedferg]

Slightly off topic, but to those who say they will choose Celebrity over Princess, I don't think it is apples to apples. We cruised once with Celebrity and enjoyed it, however comparing Princess and Celebrity similar itineraries, we find Celebrity to be more expensive per day, Their drinks package is more limited in choice, upgraded drink package is $30 per day. Or $60 per day for upgraded drinks and Wi Fi.

 

A 7 day Alaska Balcony was $4090 for two on Princess, $4890 on Celebrity, plus $30 pp pd for comparable drinks package, and Celebrity charges $450 extra for refundable deposit.

[Ombud]

28 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Math says it leaves ~$20 for drinks.

 

With 50% off Internet, I am in same place or need to spend even more on drinks to justify Plus.  We can get the 4-device package and share with friends when we cruise together.  That's going to be less than $5/pp/day now (assuming internet prices don't go up).

 

😅🤣😂 I can do math (usually)😅🤣😂

[Host CJSKIDS]

3 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

But 50% of what?

 

Without the cost of those packages being displayed in the Cruise Personalizer they could be increasing. So 50% off a higher priced plan that we’re being forced to purchase by eliminating free minutes is a reduction in Captain’s Circle benefits for me.

 

It still shows priority boarding beginning at Platinum but based on the opinion of their SVP of Sales expressed at his most recent webinar that benefit isn’t necessary because everyone can make an Arrival Group time request. However when that’s not based on Captain’s Circle level but upon who requests first he doesn’t understand the problem. It’s been my experience that many passengers who are eligible for priority boarding want to arrive early & by not basing the order of requests on Captain’s Circle level then a first time PCL cruiser could board first & an Elite passengers last. Based on posts on this board that is happening for the first cruises next month. And Princess hasn’t even clearly stated about when Arrival Group times will be available which requires passengers to check regularly in an effort to get an early group & not like before being based on Captain’s Circle level..a lost repeat passenger benefit that doesn’t cost Princess anything..

 

When these two changes appeared to be part of their improvements, I emailed the Customer Relations address posted in this thread a week ago with my concerns about these reductions of benefits. I know they’re busy & understand why like previously they didn’t call to discuss my concerns but by not calling they’re apparently receiving a lot of input & doubt if most of it is complimentary.

 

 

 

I often book my cruises last minute or with short notice and am not happy to see the elite perk of boarding times go away.  I get a weekly pass usually or at least sea days in the Sanctuary so am always at the port early so I can board early.  

As some of the elite perks start to erode, it may be time to start looking elsewhere.  My friend who is a senior exec with NCL always asked me why I chose Princess over his line all the time and one of my answers was always it’s hard to give up the perks. 

[Daniel A]

39 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

I often book my cruises last minute or with short notice and am not happy to see the elite perk of boarding times go away. 

The new CC benefits statement says at Platinum, priority boarding is one of the bennies.  If you're Elite, those bennies grandfather over to you.  How all this will work with stricter boarding times is anybody's guess.

[2 cruises a year]

3 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

 

I see what you are talking about.  But to me it simply looks like another glitch on their website - and there are several at the moment.  The full suite benefits are still there in all the usual places, just not in the preview booking screens.  I don't think that they will remove suite passenger benefits that are being paid for in the increased fares.

While I admit that anything that can happen, will happen, I don't think that a glitch deleted it from one place, I believe that it just hasn't been deleted everywhere by the IT group yet.

[Astro Flyer]

42 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

 

 

I often book my cruises last minute or with short notice and am not happy to see the elite perk of boarding times go away.  I get a weekly pass usually or at least sea days in the Sanctuary so am always at the port early so I can board early.  

As some of the elite perks start to erode, it may be time to start looking elsewhere.  My friend who is a senior exec with NCL always asked me why I chose Princess over his line all the time and one of my answers was always it’s hard to give up the perks. 

 

For over 30 years Princess has provided our best cruise experience for the price I'm paying but now I'm more seriously considering other options my TA shares with me. Obviously any cruise line has pros & cons so the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the hill.

 

Like you the perks are part of the reason for our PCL loyalty...my cruising desires haven't changed but Princess is changing including their elite benefits.

 

[azbirdmom]

12 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

While I admit that anything that can happen, will happen, I don't think that a glitch deleted it from one place, I believe that it just hasn't been deleted everywhere by the IT group yet.

 

We will find out soon enough.  The perks for the mini suites on that page behaves the same as that for the suites.  They have been tinkering a lot with that page lately so my money is still on them breaking the "more" (expansion) feature when they made other changes.

[billco]

53 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

 

 

I often book my cruises last minute or with short notice and am not happy to see the elite perk of boarding times go away.  I get a weekly pass usually or at least sea days in the Sanctuary so am always at the port early so I can board early.  

As some of the elite perks start to erode, it may be time to start looking elsewhere.  My friend who is a senior exec with NCL always asked me why I chose Princess over his line all the time and one of my answers was always it’s hard to give up the perks. 

We have been moving toward NCL for several years. We love the entertainment - broadway shows vice Princess production shows. The NCL experience just seems to fit our lifestyle better. Once we have exhausted our FCCs (5 upcoming cruises) I imagine we will be moving to other cruise line experience.

[2 cruises a year]

6 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

We will find out soon enough.  The perks for the mini suites on that page behaves the same as that for the suites.  They have been tinkering a lot with that page lately so my money is still on them breaking the "more" (expansion) feature when they made other changes.

We are all on your side. Nobody likes to see perks go away.  But it looks like they removed the free Platinum/ Elite/ Suite internet. That justifiably ruffled some feathers.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We were, frankly, shocked at the quality of the NCL product when we cruised on the (admittedly a smaller ship) NCL Spirit. The food was way above Princess’s offerings, which surprised us because their food on our only prior NCL cruise was abysmal. But most of their ships still have tiny inside cabins.

 

Honestly, given our experiences dealing with Princess since the shut down began, if we were new to their project, we would have already been turned off. We have been repeatedly treated pretty badly by many folks in California, and the Medallion app issues are kind of sealing the deal. However, we’ve always been sooooo happy with the on board experience. I’m hoping our upcoming Alaska cruise goes a long way toward soothing bad feelings. 

[azbirdmom]

3 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

We are all on your side. Nobody likes to see perks go away.  But it looks like they removed the free Platinum/ Elite/ Suite internet. That justifiably ruffled some feathers.

 

The suite internet has been gone for years.  In fact, we were holding a suite reservation and we were on the cusp of being Platinum when they made that decision.  I wrote to Customer Relations and got them to give us the free minutes for that booking.  But yes, I agree the elimination of the Platinum / Elite perk is a big loss to many.  We are Elite now and I don't like that they did it, but our upcoming cruises are all booked as Princess Plus (now "Best Value") so it won't mean a change for us.

[memoak]

44 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

We are all on your side. Nobody likes to see perks go away.  But it looks like they removed the free Platinum/ Elite/ Suite internet. That justifiably ruffled some feathers.

When I look at suite and mini suite perks for booking they are totally different.  The specialty first night dining for full suites is still there.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

The new CC benefits statement says at Platinum, priority boarding is one of the bennies.  If you're Elite, those bennies grandfather over to you.  How all this will work with stricter boarding times is anybody's guess.

Only if we get access to select Arrival Groups ahead of the rest of the guests.

[Steelers36]

41 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

We were, frankly, shocked at the quality of the NCL product when we cruised on the (admittedly a smaller ship) NCL Spirit. The food was way above Princess’s offerings, which surprised us because their food on our only prior NCL cruise was abysmal. But most of their ships still have tiny inside cabins.

 

Honestly, given our experiences dealing with Princess since the shut down began, if we were new to their project, we would have already been turned off. We have been repeatedly treated pretty badly by many folks in California, and the Medallion app issues are kind of sealing the deal. However, we’ve always been sooooo happy with the on board experience. I’m hoping our upcoming Alaska cruise goes a long way toward soothing bad feelings. 

Glass half-full.