Another Elite Benefit Bites the Dust AFAIK

[Jersey42]

16 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

I just tried to search for the .pdf file that itemizes the Captain's Circle benefits. but I failed.  Can anybody else find it? 

 

My recollection is that the Elite tender boarding benefit is described as something like "Priority (It may say'Preferred.') tender boarding from the ship."  I await somebody's confirmation of or correction to my septuagenarian memory.

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/cc/captains-circle-loyalty-benefits.pdf

 

The benefit currently says "priority ship-to-shore water shuttle embarkation".

Edited June 10, 2023 by Jersey42

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

Yes and nothing says you can go directly to the head of the line or get priority from shore to ship. What kind of elite perks have been lost ?

I believe the OP was thinking that you couldn't just arrive at the tender location to board when you were ready. Having first to report to another location and stand in line.

In my experience the Elite line is only 6 or 8 people at most waiting to go as a group.

So nothing really lost.

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Let them!

That's what I say, but Princess is to afraid of creating a mob scene. 

[Steelers36]

16 hours ago, Princess Chatterer said:

Our Captain’s Circle rep wasn’t especially pleased by the Elite policy change.  The reduction in Elite benefits apparently has been kept very quiet by Princess headquarters.  Our Elite waiting group was sent to join non Elite group(s) without giving us boarding tickets. Boarding tickets were asked for in the very chaotic tender lobby due to multiple groups being called all at the same time.

Sounds like there might have been a bit of organization confusion for a time there, but there has been no removal of an Elite benefit.  Priority access to water shuttles is still done and well organized from my experience last Fall.

[Jadn13]

Used this multiple times in April/May and it wasn’t an issue, worked out nicely. 
Waited in the Crown Grill and were walked on to a Water Shuttle as the last group. We didn’t have to wait for the boat to fill up and as soon as our group was seated we left. 
👍🏻👍🏻

[Bgwest]

5 hours ago, MissP22 said:

So nothing really lost.

Just a case of more misplaced hysteria. 

[Ombud]

Although I cannot jump the line by myself (and I haven't been able to for a few years) I was able to go to Michaelangelo MDR when I wanted to go into Maui yesterday and was put on the next water taxi. 

 

@Princess Chatterer I'm surprised that your experience was different.  We're both on the same ship aren't we?

 

I'm on the Emerald Princess 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2023 by Ombud

[Redwing55]

What doesn't make sense to me was the OP's comment about Princess personnel being unhappy about the change.  I ask myself what actually changed?   

[Bgwest]

12 minutes ago, Redwing55 said:

What doesn't make sense to me was the OP's comment about Princess personnel being unhappy about the change.  I ask myself what actually changed?   

See post #27

[Guest ldtr]

6 hours ago, MissP22 said:

That's what I say, but Princess is to afraid of creating a mob scene. 

You also tend to have the problem that many of the tender ports are only set up for a single line for returning passengers.

[Redwing55]

1 hour ago, Bgwest said:

See post #27

I did, but then why would Princess personnel be upset?  From what I've seen, this is a nothing burger.

[Ombud]

Let me restate: its exactly as it has been since pre-pandemic.  I think they just went to the general ticket line not the elite waiting area. Only 'certain people' (ones with appropriate tickets & ones escorted by crew) were permitted access to Deck 4 where the tenders were waiting once the tenders were waiting. My elite group had space for 14 and 12 were ready. We all got on the next shuttle (and per spreadsheet I'm on the same ship .... Emerald Princess tender in Maui)

[JimmyVWine]

3 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Just a case of more misplaced hysteria. 

What would Cruise Critic be without it?

[fpsphil]

Think this thread should get its title changed since it’s completely false

[PescadoAmarillo]

On 6/9/2023 at 7:32 PM, snoozecrooze said:

We saw this in practice on our most recent cruise and we have to say it worked quite seamlessly for us. YMMV, I suppose. I'm pretty sure this is how it's been for months now.

Years. The last time we just went directly to the tender loading area was on the Pacific Princess 8 years ago, and even then we had very few elites on board. 

[snoozecrooze]

1 minute ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Years

Correct lol I didn't want to sound totally overconfident when I initially said "months" as I'm a bit absentminded, but everyone has been reminding me now of the yesteryears, ah, and the Pacific - dearly missed.

 

Part of the scenario by the OP here still confuses me because I have no idea why this suddenly became an issue by the CC host (as it has been referred to) onboard their cruise if this policy is literally nothing new...

[cr8tiv1]

For the life of me, I can not understand why 3000 passengers want to get off in Lahaina.  Same foods can be found on the other islands.  There is a small Hilo Hatties.  Getting back on the tenders is a nightmarish line.  There are no whales in the summer and in the winter you can see them from the ship.  The shops will all be waiting for you when you get off at 11 AM.  But there is a huge banyan tree and a little bit of history.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

For the life of me, I can not understand why 3000 passengers want to get off in Lahaina.  Same foods can be found on the other islands.  There is a small Hilo Hatties.  Getting back on the tenders is a nightmarish line.  There are no whales in the summer and in the winter you can see them from the ship.  The shops will all be waiting for you when you get off at 11 AM.  But there is a huge banyan tree and a little bit of history.

Not everyone is as familiar with the island as you are. 

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

Not everyone is as familiar with the island as you are. 

I agree with your statement.  It’s just that Lahaina has always been a difficult tender port.  Thankfully, most times, there is only one ship anchored.  Plan on huge crowds trying to be the first off and long lines to return.  Take lots of water.  Dress for the heat.  
 

All I am saying is that you can spend about 3 hours in Lahaina to see everything, unless you are doing a tour or heading out of town.  Be on Hawaii time and “hang loose”. 

[Astro Flyer]

14 hours ago, memoak said:

Yes and nothing says you can go directly to the head of the line

Maybe too many elites didn’t join the back of the tender line & attempted to push their way to the front resulting in always requiring going to a meeting place now to be sent to a tender when ready. I think that many of us have experienced rude elites who want to go to the front of the line & to not just join the back as mandated.

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Astro Flyer

[justafem]

It's been many many years since people just showed up at the tender and boarded.  I remember that cluster!

 

Actually so much better now that there are boarding groups. 

[Cruise till you drop]

On 6/9/2023 at 9:17 PM, Princess Chatterer said:

Elites can no longer join the tender boarding line at will for tendering from the ship to the shore.  Elites must now wait in a ship waiting room until called.  This policy change was confirmed in writing from three Emerald Princess admin. sources and by personal observation.  Maybe this is old news to some but for us it was a brand new Elite befit reduction.

Is this perk really such a big deal?  Tenders aren’t so common and we’ve never really waited in line long to get one

[Guest ldtr]

10 hours ago, snoozecrooze said:

Correct lol I didn't want to sound totally overconfident when I initially said "months" as I'm a bit absentminded, but everyone has been reminding me now of the yesteryears, ah, and the Pacific - dearly missed.

 

Part of the scenario by the OP here still confuses me because I have no idea why this suddenly became an issue by the CC host (as it has been referred to) onboard their cruise if this policy is literally nothing new...

Ship employees will often agree with passengers when they complain about something rather than getting an arguement with them.

 

 There are other changes occurring with the CC host position according to the one on my last cruise. That may also beenan impact.

[Guest ldtr]

12 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

Is this perk really such a big deal?  Tenders aren’t so common and we’ve never really waited in line long to get one

Only an issue if you have a independant tour scheduled and you need to get to shore quickly when the ship arrives.

[skynight]

34 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

Is this perk really such a big deal?  Tenders aren’t so common and we’ve never really waited in line long to get one

I would not call it a big deal. It is comfortable to know that you can board a tender fairly quickly and not have to wait in an early morning long que. The ticket procedure is usually abandoned by late morning. At that time everyone can just report to the pontoon.