Changes coming to Captains Circle Host Position.

[Guest ldtr]

13 hours ago, VibeGuy said:

Not add.  Add back. That was the whole point of the four unpublished loyalty commend levels that were, being unpublished, quietly eliminated before the restart.  
 

Cross-line loyalty recognition between Carnival brands will happen before they do anything that costs a dime.  They have 12 years of profits owing to bond holders.  

Considering that the number of Elite on cruised range between 20% and 40% of the passengers. The 3 most traveled are in 1000 to 2000 day range. It does not appear that Princess needs to add anything to retain sufficient Elite passengers or to get new cruisers to that status. As a result no reason for them to add anything. After all the loyalty program is a marketing program for which the results need to justify the expense and the results are doing that with what exists.

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Sounds like an existing job, not a newly created position, because Princess has always had someone to do those tasks.

I think it is more like a Director of Special Projects role in a company. A position you put people when their position gets eliminated, but where you need to put somewhere that still justifies there old rank.

 

The one I talked with was not happy with the change. Was not willing to go to work as a contractor with one. While the position kept their rank, it is a less prestigious and less visible in the ships hierarchy. 

 

I suspect as with a corporate director of special projects position, number of them will probably not stay in the position for long.

 

 

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, caribill said:

 

o Having more future sales people is good and nobody is complaining about that,

o Being unwilling/unable to work with you about existing reservations is not good.

o Being unable to work with you to resolve Captain's Circle point/days questions is not good.

I expect captain circle status will now be a part of the sales discussion, as in you are only X days from the next level and you can reach it by booking this number of cruises.

 

This is just like in the cold calls when reps from the same company called as started out their spiel by playing back our recent cruise history while trying to convince us that the fcc/hotel packages was a good idea. Those calls seem to have pretty much gone away.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

There was one cruise that the Capt. Circle Host posted a sign at her desk that informed everyone what the cutoff number was eliminating the usual line of people wanting to know.

Now that responsibility has transferred to the Future Sales person (as well as other questions) they'll be less available for questions about sales. 

I can only wonder how many people will just walk away, not wanting to wait an hour to discuss a future cruise. 

There are now 5 people in that dept. Not much of a line. A lot of time the staff seems to waiting for someone to talk to.

Edited May 7, 2023 by ldtr

[Knickearth]

I find it ironic that Princess wants to push for more cruises being purchased on board.  Over the years my experience with future cruise people and getting quotes were always soooo much higher than my travel agent. I would get a quote onboard and then email my agent for a quote. Ended up never purchasing onboard. 

 

It is almost like Princess is trying hard to lose its loyalty base with all the  changes that have been made in perks.  If we get "sales people" onboard getting aggressive with sales, that could also turn a lot of us off. 

 

I keep telling friends that cruising is going back to the 40's and 50's when it was a true luxury vacation and the average person could not afford it.  The prices have skyrocketed, and the next generation of vacationers won't be able to cruise.  Please don't jump all over me, it is my opinion.  Thanks

[MissP22]

3 minutes ago, Knickearth said:

I keep telling friends that cruising is going back to the 40's and 50's when it was a true luxury vacation and the average person could not afford it.  The prices have skyrocketed, and the next generation of vacationers won't be able to cruise. 

I also feel this way but there are many cruisers who today are sailing with the Premium & Plus packages that in past years would never have spent that much extra on a cruise. Also, the Specialty restaurants are doing a booming business almost every night and excursions seem to be doing OK.

Thankfully, I can tailor my cruise around these expensive add on items, for the moment.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Knickearth said:

I find it ironic that Princess wants to push for more cruises being purchased on board.  Over the years my experience with future cruise people and getting quotes were always soooo much higher than my travel agent. I would get a quote onboard and then email my agent for a quote. Ended up never purchasing onboard. 

 

It is almost like Princess is trying hard to lose its loyalty base with all the  changes that have been made in perks.  If we get "sales people" onboard getting aggressive with sales, that could also turn a lot of us off. 

 

I keep telling friends that cruising is going back to the 40's and 50's when it was a true luxury vacation and the average person could not afford it.  The prices have skyrocketed, and the next generation of vacationers won't be able to cruise.  Please don't jump all over me, it is my opinion.  Thanks

It looks like that with the collaboration with ONE, there may be some deals being offered on board that do not appear to be showing up elsewhere. For example on my current cruise they are apparently offering a 50% discount on some cruises that are less than 50 days out, when booked on board.

 

Not sure what the 50% discount is compared to, only that someone booked such a cruise and that they would be leaving on a other cruise in 15 days after this one ends.

 

Might be like Vacations to go calculates their listed discounts instead of discount to current price.

Edited May 7, 2023 by ldtr

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Knickearth said:

I find it ironic that Princess wants to push for more cruises being purchased on board.  Over the years my experience with future cruise people and getting quotes were always soooo much higher than my travel agent. I would get a quote onboard and then email my agent for a quote. Ended up never purchasing onboard. 

 

It is almost like Princess is trying hard to lose its loyalty base with all the  changes that have been made in perks.  If we get "sales people" onboard getting aggressive with sales, that could also turn a lot of us off. 

 

I keep telling friends that cruising is going back to the 40's and 50's when it was a true luxury vacation and the average person could not afford it.  The prices have skyrocketed, and the next generation of vacationers won't be able to cruise.  Please don't jump all over me, it is my opinion.  Thanks

Prices are going up, but not as much as their travel competition. In general Hotels, Airlines, land tour companies have gone up far more.

[Jeter02]

1 hour ago, ldtr said:

I expect captain circle status will now be a part of the sales discussion, as in you are only X days from the next level and you can reach it by booking this number of cruises.

 

This is just like in the cold calls when reps from the same company called as started out their spiel by playing back our recent cruise history while trying to convince us that the fcc/hotel packages was a good idea. Those calls seem to have pretty much gone away.

I'm still upset from several months ago when I got that call with how extremely aggressive they were. It was so not appreciative and now if we can conclude that that is actually this contracted company that's taken over makes me dislike the idea even more even though the will have people staffed for more hours to work that section which is great and all but such a sour taste. I remember telling them no thank you as it was too expensive and I financially can't handle it and they were still pushing saying but this is a great opportunity I don't understand why this wouldn't work for you and just kept pushing and pushing and pushing till I hung up and blocked their number. I mean I haven't seen or heard them being that aggressive on board but if they were to be they're going to lose passengers left and right who will never sail princess again if that were to happen face-to-face

Edited May 7, 2023 by Jeter02

[Jeter02]

16 minutes ago, ldtr said:

It looks like that with the collaboration with ONE, there may be some deals being offered on board that do not appear to be showing up elsewhere. For example on my current cruise they are apparently offering a 50% discount on some cruises that are less than 50 days out, when booked on board.

 

Not sure what the 50% discount is compared to, only that someone booked such a cruise and that they would be leaving on a other cruise in 15 days after this one ends.

 

Might be like Vacations to go calculates their listed discounts instead of discount to current price.

The 50% off for cruises within 50 days as been around for quite some time that's really nothing new

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Jeter02 said:

The 50% off for cruises within 50 days as been around for quite some time that's really nothing new

I had not heard it before, but then my travel schedule is usually filled a year out.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Jeter02 said:

I'm still upset from several months ago when I got that call with how extremely aggressive they were. It was so not appreciative and now if we can conclude that that is actually this contracted company that's taken over makes me dislike the idea even more even though the will have people staffed for more hours to work that section which is great and all but such a sour taste. I remember telling them no thank you as it was too expensive and I financially can't handle it and they were still pushing saying but this is a great opportunity I don't understand why this wouldn't work for you and just kept pushing and pushing and pushing till I hung up and blocked their number. I mean I haven't seen or heard them being that aggressive on board but if they were to be they're going to lose passengers left and right who will never sail princess again if that were to happen face-to-face

Have not heard or seen any aggressive sales behavior on board. Only not wanting to deal with general questions and changes to existing cruises.

 

But did not care for the time share like sales in the cold calls. Which fits since the owners of ONE built and sold a company that swapped time share weeks for cruises.

[Guest ldtr]

I did talk with another person the the future cruise sales department. He indicated that they would still handle refares on existing cruises and did not know why another rep said that they could not.

 

He did say that those  were only done by the department head since they could be rather complex.

[caribill]

3 hours ago, Jeter02 said:

The 50% off for cruises within 50 days as been around for quite some time that's really nothing new

 

3 hours ago, ldtr said:

I had not heard it before, but then my travel schedule is usually filled a year out.

 

These close to sailing prices are not generally advertised, but any good TA can find them.

[Jeter02]

4 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

 

These close to sailing prices are not generally advertised, but any good TA can find them.

Agreed.

[Coral]

23 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

 

These close to sailing prices are not generally advertised, but any good TA can find them.

Yes this is true. They are often not on the Princess site but a TA has access to them.

[startedwithamouse]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

 

You will have to see how well the sales people can answer those questions on your next cruise.

Or just use crew chat from anywhere on the ship, without having to wait in a line to ask.

[caribill]

16 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Or just use crew chat from anywhere on the ship, without having to wait in a line to ask.

I do not have faith the crew chat person would be able to answer those questions.

[startedwithamouse]

3 minutes ago, caribill said:

I do not have faith the crew chat person would be able to answer those questions.

We always use crew chat and it works well.  Why don't you think they would not be able to answer questions?  Much more efficient. 

[caribill]

5 hours ago, ldtr said:

Prices are going up, but not as much as their travel competition. In general Hotels, Airlines, land tour companies have gone up far more.

 

At the Royal Caribbean stock analysts call, Royal Caribbean said "Cruising remains an exceptional value proposition, I would actually say it's too attractive of a value proposition, which is allowing us to outperform broader leisure travel as we seek to close the gap to land-based vacations and drive better revenue and happy customers.......So, our goal is to close the gap."

[caribill]

1 minute ago, startedwithamouse said:

We always use crew chat and it works well.  Why don't you think they would not be able to answer questions?  Much more efficient. 

 

I do not think they would have access to this information.

[startedwithamouse]

15 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

I do not think they would have access to this information.

Why not?

[caribill]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

Or just use crew chat from anywhere on the ship, without having to wait in a line to ask.

 

Can you use crew chat with your cabin TV?

 

Not everyone has a smart phone with a current fully functioning Princess app.

o have digital devices, but not ones that Princess supports the app on

o have no smart phone at all (a minority of people)

[caribill]

7 hours ago, Knickearth said:

I find it ironic that Princess wants to push for more cruises being purchased on board.  Over the years my experience with future cruise people and getting quotes were always soooo much higher than my travel agent. I would get a quote onboard and then email my agent for a quote. Ended up never purchasing onboard. 

 

 

The on board rep always could make the booking (with the on board pricing), but assign the booking to your TA.

 

So I booked on board and then contacted  my TA to find out the actual pricing I would have from her.

[VibeGuy]

The 50% deal is legit.  They manually adjust 50% off the lowest Basic fare other than casino offers that comes up on a user’s account.