Milestone recognition being eliminated

[antsp]

23 minutes ago, fpsphil said:

Rumor has it this was cut so Padgett could fuel his race car for the next race. Gas is expensive 

Yes, this is true, it was on Reddit

[taxmantoo]

Sadly, Princess is not different from any other cruise line.  It has become quite evident to all that passengers are much more loyal to their cruise line of choice than cruise lines are loyal to their passengers.  The pandemic is a poor excuse used by most of them to justify their cutting back on a multitude of services.  The pandemic will never be justification for a clear lack of class!

[CruzinNoony]

14 hours ago, Chad_O said:

I would ask if 750 or 950 days on a cruise ship is a reward in itself or does it need to be announced in a public venue to validate it? I can't see where these recognition programs are different than a ship within a ship program- it is a manifestation of resources dedicated to cruising. To rail against those who buy into special cabin/class options and get a host of amenities is rather at odds with lamenting your lack of audience to celebrate your milestone. If you need that recognition I can't say I understand it but I support your need and I am sorry for you that the chance might be taken away. 

 

Although it made us feel special to be able to sit up front at the Captain Circle Party along with the most traveled guests and be recognized on the stage, the big loss is not having breakfast in Sabatini's.  This costs them virtually nothing.  A couple of eggs and a few strips of bacon costs the same rather you are having it in Sabatini's, in the dining room or in the buffet. 

[san diego sue]

I was the one who got email from friend regarding this elimination. Sorry I passed this on to another friend who posted it. Unless we hear from Princess or someone actually experiences this drop in benefit, don't know if every ship will do this, or maybe the rules will slightly change etc.

The person that actually emailed this to me usually gets things right but again, maybe this isn't for sure yet.

I did email my travel agent who is usually in the know on all Princess happenings and she wasn't aware of this benefit being dropped.

We are all seeing changes on Princess(us that have sailed with them for many years). If you go on other cruise lines, you will hear the same thing from passengers.

I was on Carnival with the Poster and expected nothing, just an inexpensive week away. So surprised how well the passengers with status were treated. To get laundry etc, only 75 days with them and you get it as Platinum members. Will I continue on Carnival as my new cruiseline of choice, probably not.Short cruising not what we do. 

[san diego sue]

7 minutes ago, CruzinNoony said:

 

Although it made us feel special to be able to sit up front at the Captain Circle Party along with the most traveled guests and be recognized on the stage, the big loss is not having breakfast in Sabatini's.  This costs them virtually nothing.  A couple of eggs and a few strips of bacon costs the same rather you are having it in Sabatini's, in the dining room or in the buffet. 

Totally agree with you on this. As I posted above, hope that what I told you isn't set in stone.Wonder if this is something that Princess will openly talk about or it will just fade away like the other benefits that were dropped.

[MissP22]

9 minutes ago, san diego sue said:

Totally agree with you on this. As I posted above, hope that what I told you isn't set in stone. Wonder if this is something that Princess will openly talk about or it will just fade away like the other benefits that were dropped.

Since they never really published it openly to begin with I seriously doubt if they would say anything if it is taken away. 

[PacnGoNow]

Again, this is hearsay. 

[partybarbie]

In about 10 days, I'll be boarding the Ruby. I will make it a point to ask and come back with an update. This is not the only chat group that has discussed the removal of the recognition benefits. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by partybarbie

[san diego sue]

4 minutes ago, partybarbie said:

In about 10 days, I'll be boarding the Ruby. I will make it a point to ask and come back with an update. This is not the only chat group that has discussed the removal of the recognition benefits. 

Thanks partybarbie. I was feeling very guilty that I mentioned it to the poster ,

possibly getting someone in trouble.Glad this is being talked about on other chat boards. This is the only board I read.

[PescadoAmarillo]

13 hours ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

So you'll be transitioning to other lines?

What an odd way to phrase that. Transitioning, as if there is no turning back once the process is completed. Of course we look at other cruise lines. We always have. Celebrity was our cruise line of choice even after we cruised on Princess. I wasn’t being facetious. When one cruises for three, four, five months at a time, the passenger laundries ARE very important. That is why we primarily cruised Princess (but have also been on Royal Caribbean, NCL and Holland America) in the past ten years or so. If we’re just cruising for a week or two, any cruise line is considered, with points for smaller ships and interesting itineraries (eg HAL over Princess).
 

I’ll admit that I’ve told my husband that he’s welcome to cruise on Princess alone…just let me know when he reaches 1500 days and I’ll be certain to join him for that. Face it…the chocolates, champagne, flowers, more champagne and - most of all - breakfast in Sabatini’s are all nice. But dropping milestone cruises alone is not enough to send me packing. It’s the death by a thousand cuts of horrible customer service, the travesty that is DMW, an app that would embarrass any other company, the elimination of the CC OBC and the effective elimination of the internet benefit that are starting to grate. 
 

So no.  No big announcement.  No flounce and run. I’ve sworn off cruising in the near term, and in the longer term I don’t see us spending winters on ships for a long time, if ever. So, as we have in the past, we’ll consider all our options. 

[CruzinNoony]

37 minutes ago, partybarbie said:

In about 10 days, I'll be boarding the Ruby. I will make it a point to ask and come back with an update. This is not the only chat group that has discussed the removal of the recognition benefits. 

 

  I am anxious to hear what you find out on the Ruby.  

[memoak]

19 hours ago, Kay S said:

Maybe, but Princess gives every indication of wanting to run off the old-timers in order to become "Classier Carnival."  Big ships full of families with lots (and lots) of little kids but without the "party drunks" problem.  They are constantly chipping away at Elite benefits, forcing a sorry little app on everyone, doing, in short, all they can to to get us old people to go away.  "Classier Carnival" won't be as  much fun with those pesky old people and their walkers in the way.

You just described Disney cruise line

[memoak]

This entire thread is nothing but speculation 

[luckyinpa]

23 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

If you are at 750 or 950 days onboard, Princess probably realizes that you're coming back with or without that milestone recognition.

 on a related note. i read a study that if you stay with your car insurance company a while. they will jack up your rates because you are staying. 

 

also i think cruising any cruise line to attain any status is silly. now if you like the line you like the line but to attain something and then mention it on an online forum is just tacky. kind of like politics in public.  so many posts saying i'm elite and i expect better service etc. no you dont. even the guy on his first trip on on inside deserves excellent service.  also status creates bad press when you stake things away from those with status. as evidenced by this thread. plus 'someone' pays for all that status. why not just give cheaper fares out? who's gonna complain about that. 

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Again, this is hearsay. 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. 🙂

[vjmatty]

6 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

 on a related note. i read a study that if you stay with your car insurance company a while. they will jack up your rates because you are staying. 

. 

 

Just like cable companies....they treat you better if you ditch them.

[pris993]

I am elite on Princess and Celebrity, still prefer Princess to Celebrity, at least did before the Pandemic.  I guess we made the right decision years ago when we elected cruises based on itineraries and for the fun of cruising on new ships.  Over the years we cruised on 9 different lines well over 60 cruises, lost count.  Going on our 31st Princess cruise in December this year.  At 90/75, we no longer care to fly, so only do closed loop cruises out of San Francisco.  That leaves Princess and Carnival as our only choices.  Never cruised on Carnival, don't plan to in the future.   While a lot has changed on Princess over the years, I am happy to be able to still cruise and just be at sea.   It is relaxing.  Sorry folks are losing benefits, does not seem like a smart business decision on the part of Princess.  

[srpilo]

The other lost elite perk which seems not to be getting much attention is the seemly loss of the 10% discounts in the shops... Just off the Sky 2 weeks ago, and there are what appears to be permanent stickers on all the shop windows saying " This Cruise Only 15% Off", . On our first purchase in one of the shops I noticed there was no Elite discount, and ask what about the discount, and the reply was "No", you got 15%, and my reply was so did everyone though, what about the published 10% benefit for Elites, she simply said new policy only one discount per purchase. The 15% window signs are a lie as I sat with a couple at the MTL who had been onboard for 33 days already, and he commented that he already complained to guest services about the out-right lie those shop signs covey, saying "This Cruise Only".

 

And yes they appear to have just raised the ticket prices on everything 15%, and then lower it again with the discount at check out. So apparently bye bye 10% Elite discount 😝

 

Use the search feature here on CC, and you'll find this being reported on posts from others ships fleet wide, not just the Sky

 

PS. I personally think the next benefit to go is the mini-bar -- Their rationale will be "With Princess Plus" there's no longer a need for a mini-bars .........

 

 

 

.

Edited September 27, 2022 by srpilo

[Roberto256]

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Again, this is hearsay. 

No!   It was confirmed on reddit!

 

So, it has all the reliability of anyone who can type, and has an internet connection!

 

 

[vjmatty]

14 minutes ago, srpilo said:

The other lost elite perk which seems not to be getting much attention is the seemly loss of the 10% discounts in the shops... Just off the Sky 2 weeks ago, and there are what appears to be permanent stickers on all the shop windows saying " This Cruise Only 15% Off", . On our first purchase in one of the shops I noticed there was no Elite discount, and ask what about the discount, and the reply was "No", you got 15%, and my reply was so did everyone though, what about the published 10% benefit for Elites, she simply said new policy only one discount per purchase. The 15% window signs are a lie as I sat with a couple at the MTL who had been onboard for 33 days already, and he commented that he already complained to guest services about the out-right lie those shop signs covey, saying "This Cruise Only".

 

And yes they appear to have just raised the ticket prices on everything 15%, and then lower it again with the discount at check out. So apparently bye bye 10% Elite discount 😝

 

Use the search feature here on CC, and you'll find this being reported on posts from others ships fleet wide, not just the Sky

.

 

Wow.... if that is true they've reached a level of pettiness that I can't even wrap my mind around.  Just to avoid the "horror" of granting a 10% discount on items that are already marked up 300% as soon as they hit the store.

[srpilo]

2 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

 

Wow.... if that is true they've reached a level of pettiness that I can't even wrap my mind around.  Just to avoid the "horror" of granting a 10% discount on items that are already marked up 300% as soon as they hit the store.

 

Here's the best part.. That table mate at the luncheon said as an example of them raising the prices before the discounts, was a carton of cigarettes (10 packs) was selling in the shops for $51.00, yet you could buy the same brand single pack at the casino bar for $4.00 per pack = $4.00 X 10 = $40.00 not $51.00

 

Pettiness by Princess is exactly the right word

[PacnGoNow]

29 minutes ago, srpilo said:

 

Here's the best part.. That table mate at the luncheon said as an example of them raising the prices before the discounts, was a carton of cigarettes (10 packs) was selling in the shops for $51.00, yet you could buy the same brand single pack at the casino bar for $4.00 per pack = $4.00 X 10 = $40.00 not $51.00

 

Pettiness by Princess is exactly the right word

They’re not still selling cigarettes, are they?

[Kay S]

1 minute ago, PacnGoNow said:

They’re not still selling cigarettes, are they?

I saw some for sale on the Majestic this year.  I don't think Princess will turn down a chance to make some money off the smokers.  It's still legal in "designated areas."

[cruisequeen4ever]

Whether or not this is true, some rewards should still be offered to loyal pax as we are the bread and butter and are the ones who will spread the word of how wonderful Princess is. Though every cruise line is making cutbacks, I haven’t read of other cruise lines reducing their loyalty benefits. 

[Kay S]

2 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

Whether or not this is true, some rewards should still be offered to loyal pax as we are the bread and butter and are the ones who will spread the word of how wonderful Princess is. Though every cruise line is making cutbacks, I haven’t read of other cruise lines reducing their loyalty benefits. 

It's the new business model.  They want to attract new cruisers and stop spending money on the old ones who were loyal and were promised perks.  Princess is not the same company it was pre-covid.