No more free internet for platinum & elite

[pms4104]

1 hour ago, jhannah said:

Sad. Eliminating perks that have been longstanding is a terrible move, IMO. If it was because the service is no longer available, that would be another matter. Covid-19 inflicted near-fatal blows to the company, so now they're trying to make up for those losses however they can.

Yes, very sad ...

 

Covid-19 dealt near-fatal blows to many, many organizations ...

 

And they are finding ways to welcome back loyal customers and generate new biz ... 

 

It can be done without alienating one's loyal base ...

 

But Princess missed the mark ...

 

Seems they do not really know their customers well, nor how to treat them properly

[RRFan]

31 minutes ago, voljeep said:

Some sort of 'free internet minutes' will be included in the " soon to be announced " next tier level ( to be named later ) that will be above the current 'elite' level

 

maybe ... or not

Princess has said this, or is this just passenger speculation?  I haven't seen anything about PCL saying they will make a next tier . . . 

[JF - retired RRT]

3 hours ago, 1965 said:

I can think of 5 perks I would gladly trade to get back my minutes. 

shoe shines top that list.

[JF - retired RRT]

18 minutes ago, RRFan said:

Princess has said this, or is this just passenger speculation?  I haven't seen anything about PCL saying they will make a next tier . . . 

You missed the satire.

"maybe ... or not"

[gardenbunny]

I am Elite.  A little disappointed but I have felt for a couple years that all cruise lines would be going to all inclusive or some type of fare options - basic or pay more and get the goodies.  I am like several others who commented, we don’t drink, don’t buy anything of significance on board, we do use excursions, prefer to do my own laundry on long trips (have suggested on my surveys to give Elite X number of tokens).  So, will just have to see if they give any discount on internet packages or offer any “buy minutes at a discount on line before cruise” deals.  I have free international roaming in ports with my cell provider so haven’t really used all my on board minutes in quite a while.  Just a convenience if I wanted to check something on a sea day.

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 

There is a much better work around.  Cancel all your upcoming Princess cruises and switch to another line.  Make sure that Princess knows why you have cancelled.

 

DON

That would be too much of a knee jerk reaction as other lines don't permit stacking (shareholder / military) OBC

[Ombud]

19 minutes ago, gardenbunny said:

they give any discount on internet packages

Its 50% off which is why I mentioned that it canceled out my loyalty OBC

[R**T]

16 minutes ago, gardenbunny said:

I prefer to do my own laundry on long trips (have suggested on my surveys to give Elite X number of tokens). 

 

Love this idea.  I  don't trust Princess not to ruin my clothes.  Last time I cruised Princess the tokens were $3 to wash and to dry.

[dockman]

51 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

You missed the satire.

"maybe ... or not"

actually maybe and maybe not are the same thing

[Omega1]

Would it be possible for people travelling together on different booking numbers (2 couples) to share the 4 device package? So one person buys the 4 device  package at $14.99 per day (less 50%) and all four people log in on a device each.

This would be $1.87pp per day for unlimited internet. Asking for a friend!😂🤣

Edited June 30, 2021 by Omega1

[mrstmaxx]

1. This really sucks.   I just did a comparison of Non Plus (or whatever the heck they call one all inclusive price) and what we booked.  it would be over $200 per cruise and we have 3 cruises upcoming.  We don't drink so the beverage package doesn't really work for us. I was so excited to get to Elite so I could have free internet and laundry.  They can take everything else away. Priority boarding and tender is nice but I'd give that up in a minute.   Like a previous poster said - they can get rid of the free canapes on formal night and afternoon tea.  Very sad😟

[Treasure Hunter]

I just spent a wasted half hour on a live chat with a Princess person who didn't know anything. We are booked through the Casino for a 7 day cruise December 4. I was offered a free ocean view cabin with no perks just $200 deposit that we will get back on board as $400 on board credit. We had to pay in full  upfront. The offer did not come with Princess plus and I don't want it as we don't drink alcohol and the suite comes with the free set up ( we trade it in for water and diet coke). Also the suite gets two free bottles of water a day. All I want is internet. When I booked, I assumed I'd have my 250 minutes and my husband would have 30. GONE. So I looked to buy it online on the Princess website or on the Medallion App. Not possible. So I heard the Rumor that first day on board you could buy unlimited for 50% off. But I asked the young lady 50% off what? Price? She had no idea. She kept trying to sell me Princess Plus.

When I asked for her Supervisor, she disconnected me. That's what you get for 35 cruises and most recent ones in suites. 

[Treasure Hunter]

8 minutes ago, mrstmaxx said:

1. This really sucks.   I just did a comparison of Non Plus (or whatever the heck they call one all inclusive price) and what we booked.  it would be over $200 per cruise and we have 3 cruises upcoming.  We don't drink so the beverage package doesn't really work for us. I was so excited to get to Elite so I could have free internet and laundry.  They can take everything else away. Priority boarding and tender is nice but I'd give that up in a minute.   Like a previous poster said - they can get rid of the free canapes on formal night and afternoon tea.  Very sad😟

And the chocolate covered strawberries are disgusting.

[billco]

Doesn't bother us. We are always going to purchase unlimited internet, either separately or part of the plus package.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, Ombud said:

I'll trade:

1. 10% discount in stores

2. 10% discount on excursions

3. 10% discount in spa

4. 10% discount on photos 

5. Deluxe canapés selection on formal nights

6. Complementary afternoon tea in stateroom

 

Benefits to me (and its all subjective):

1. Priority tender 

2. Laundry

3. Wine tasting

4. Minibar 

5. Loyalty OBC (will now be spent on internet pkg)

6. Shareholder OBC

Anyone can get #6.  I like wine a lot but don't need to go to their wine-tasting again and again.  Not far enough for Loyalty OBC as yet. 

 

Love the 50% internet discount.

Rarely might use the store discount.

 

Agree with rest of your "trade" list.  I'd trade all that for 100% internet discount.  LOL.

 

This thread seems a duplicate of all the complaints on the pre-existing thread.

 

 

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

What is the cost for internet?  The discount is half off, is that for all packages?

 

I can't even find it to add to my booked cruises.

 

We don't know the prices - or rather we don't know if they are going to be different than pre-Covid-19.  Of course the discount will apply off every voyage length.

[simong]

that was expected to remove the free internet minutes when they improved the speed of the internet. for the folks that use shareholder credit to apply to the crew incentives. making the $40 per day plan a good option as it caps the profit of the bar service. if 15 per day goes to "crew incentives" leaving 25 for the rest the $10 per day for fast internet is a deal the "drink" include premium coffees, bottled water, sodas, tips included, this makes the major profit centers: "art auctions" ship sponsored excursions, the retail stores and premium dining rooms, my issue is until things normalize will cruises be a deal as compared to other forms of travel, if one avoids the "traps"

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Omega1 said:

Would it be possible for people travelling together on different booking numbers (2 couples) to share the 4 device package? So one person buys the 4 device  package at $14.99 per day (less 50%) and all four people log in on a device each.

This would be $1.87pp per day for unlimited internet. Asking for a friend!😂🤣

Yes.  Not sure where your $15/day number is from and what length of voyage.  But 4 people can share the 4-device package.  Or 2 or 3 people.  The person with the login info who booked it controls the usage.

[Thrak]

51 minutes ago, mrstmaxx said:

I was so excited to get to Elite so I could have free internet and laundry. 

 

Free Internet became available at Platinum. It's wasn't an Elite only benefit. We tried the laundry. They lost my wife's pants and gave her a pair of jeans that "might" fit a 10 year old girl. It took days to get it sorted out. She also sent in a dress for "cleaning" to have a stain removed. It came back with the stain still in place. (She managed to deal with the stain herself but the cleaning was supposed to take care of it for her.)

[Steelers36]

Most people posting are unhappy, but we have appreciated the unlimited internet packages.  I did feel before, the way they calculated the discount, that 25% wasn't all that much of a benefit.  50% is a much fairer replacement for the old free minutes. 

 

Different strokes folks.  Some like other benefits/perks that don't mean as much to us.

[Ombud]

5 hours ago, pms4104 said:

Sure, push the Plus pricing ... then drop the Basic fares and increase fares by, oh, maybe $50 or $60pppd ... 

Still less than a city stay where room alone is $250 a day + food + entertainment 

 

The 4 device option was $14.99 a day. If it becomes $7.50 a day its worth it when I take 2 kids (assume only 1 can be on it at a time)

Edited June 30, 2021 by Ombud

[Astro Flyer]

3 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Is this not the case?

No…only this benefit: 50% off MedallionNet package.

 

For me this is not a benefit but a downgrade in Captain’s Circle benefits. Eliminating free minutes to require everyone to pay for internet usage is a downgrade for me. I recall your sharing the new benefits they promoted to TAs…that was false news.

 

While requiring everyone to pay for internet increases their income the change to priority boarding does not. Based on their statements it’s not necessary because everyone can chose their Arrival Group. Currently there is no procedure to allow Platinum/Elite passengers to get first choice & if that’s early boarding it might not be available when noticing we can make an Arrival Group booking. Priority boarding has no cash incentive & only generates goodwill towards their most loyal passengers which currently is gone.

[oskidunker]

Is this effective now?

[Omega1]

11 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Yes.  Not sure where your $15/day number is from and what length of voyage.  But 4 people can share the 4-device package.  Or 2 or 3 people.  The person with the login info who booked it controls the usage.

I took the pricing information from the Princess website - actually a link from the Princess site to someone’s blog, but the pricing was correct when operations ceased in 2020. $9.99 per day for unlimited WiFi for one device, $14.99 pd for up to 4 devices. Of course, those prices are likely to go up slightly. The prices are per day so the length of voyage doesn’t matter.

[Thrak]

17 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Most people posting are unhappy, but we have appreciated the unlimited internet packages.  I did feel before, the way they calculated the discount, that 25% wasn't all that much of a benefit.  50% is a much fairer replacement for the old free minutes. 

 

Different strokes folks.  Some like other benefits/perks that don't mean as much to us.

 

We love Princess Plus and plan to book all our cruises under that umbrella. We actually didn't use all of our Internet minutes on our last couple of cruises but it was mostly because the service was so incredibly bad. Always-on Internet works for us. No more logging out that "didn't take" which we experienced in the past. All of your minutes are magically gone. Now that the app is working for us We have zero issue with the new way of doing things and love the freedom of Princess Plus.

 

Folks are different. If everybody was just like me it would be a horrible world. It's unfortunate though that the new way of doing things and the change to perks is so upsetting to some. It's extra unfortunate that Princess didn't provide for folks who don't have brand new high end devices.