Changes to Princess Plus, room service fees, Alfredo's and others. Fee changes. Etc

[UK1sttimer]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

So you're repeating what was stated, Americans are over charged on crew appreciation to supplement other countries. The dining room was never empty on any of my cruises when we tipped in cash, quite the contrary we were happy to see our tip going to the crew that deserved it. Now the pool has expanded to entertainment, revenue generating areas such a shops and shore excursions. 

Americans aren't overcharged gratuities, the cost is built into the cruise price when booking from those countries. The same 7 night New England cruise in October costs an extra $600 USD when booked in Australia.

[Rungee]

Now that Alfredo’s is no longer complimentary, and since Majestic doesn’t have a pizza bar on the lido deck, does that mean there is no longer any complimentary pizza options on Majestic?

[Human Tripod]

Why don’t you ask Princess?   their ship…

 

[SCX22]

23 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

If you would have read my post correctly you be aware that I said airlines, hotels and rental car companies treat their Elite customers much better then Princess does now.  Last summer we flew from west coast in international first class, stayed in Hilton hotels for three weeks and had a free Hertz rental using their loyalty reward programs.  Princess’ loyalty program was weak to begin with and then they weakened it even more by making cuts.  
 

Cannot understand why people are fanning over how great these cheap charges are.  Princess is not the company it use to be and that is because it is being run by executives who came from Carnival.  Drink up.

But love how enthusiastic the Princess cheerleaders are being on paying Princess for extras that use to be part of the cruise price.  BRILLIANT!

Comparing apples to oranges.  No cruise line’s loyalty program offers free passage based on loyalty.  If there is one please educate me.  Most “normal” people don’t travel enough or have to wait a long time before accumulating enough points for a free anything.  Most times you will be spending double or triple on a trip to gain enough points for the freebie.  Unless you’re riding on bonus earnings.

 

No one is forcing anyone to purchase the packages and the option of picking the Standard fare is still there.  For people that don’t use room service and are happy with the pizza on the Lido deck, like me, I’m happy I have the option of not purchasing the package and not paying for something I don’t use.

[CruizinSusan70]

4 hours ago, ldtr said:

On HAL you can now add veterans to your account before you book and get $100 in addition to shareholder.  If you are from the UK you can also get a veterans benefit  on P&O in addition to shareholder.  Do not know about Cunard.

On HAL you now get a benefit if you're an AARP member.  Anywhere from 50-200 per cabin in OBC.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

So you're repeating what was stated, Americans are over charged on crew appreciation to supplement other countries. The dining room was never empty on any of my cruises when we tipped in cash, quite the contrary we were happy to see our tip going to the crew that deserved it. Now the pool has expanded to entertainment, revenue generating areas such a shops and shore excursions. 

While one can interpret it that way if they choose to do so. most would probably not.

 

 The 3 major cruise holding companies NCLH, CCL, and RCL are all primarily US cutture based companies.  They are primarily North America focused.  Though CCL is the most diverse of the three with more brands focused on other parts of the world with those brands based upon the culture of those areas.  As a result most of the brands follows North American norms, which includes among other things tipping.  All three list their stock on US stock exchanges and must follow US accounting standards which has pretty specific rules for tipping (gratuities).  As a result NA focused brands including Princess have a standard gratuity,.  Some people from other parts of the world that do not have similar culture are more likely not to tip because it is not the norm in their country.  Just as some people from North America look for reasons to justify reducing or pulling their tips.

 

The majority do follow the system and recognize the work the crew puts in on their behalf. Even those from non-tipping cultures.

 

Even when it was  by envelope you had people not going to MDR on the last night to avoid tipping. When it was by ship it was a matter of percentages.  A heavy Australian or UK passenger load might result in 10% less tips. Enough to make the crew unhappy but most still tipping.

 

The structure of the cruise line payment system, including gratuities is well known and not a surprise to anyone.  Pretty common knowledge how the crew makes their money, just as it is in most set down dining venues in the US.  But some still try and justify their behavior in shorting the crew.

[Guest ldtr]

2 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

On HAL you now get a benefit if you're an AARP member.  Anywhere from 50-200 per cabin in OBC.

Yep they just added that as well as a benefit if you are a teacher or a retired teacher. Just as the Veterans benefit is also something new for them. I believe all of them require that you have the benefit linked to your account be fore booking though and cannot be added after you have booked.

[nasa1974]

2 hours ago, ldtr said:

HALs HIA varies by the sale they are putting on sometimes it includes gratuities sometimes it does not, for example.  So you can catch some very good HIA rates.  We never get a package on Princess due to the Elite benefits and OBC.  We do get HIA on HAL when we catch it at a good price.

Just like Royal Caribbeans dynamic pricing.

[Guest ldtr]

11 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

Comparing apples to oranges.  No cruise line’s loyalty program offers free passage based on loyalty.  If there is one please educate me.  Most “normal” people don’t travel enough or have to wait a long time before accumulating enough points for a free anything.  Most times you will be spending double or triple on a trip to gain enough points for the freebie.  Unless you’re riding on bonus earnings.

 

No one is forcing anyone to purchase the packages and the option of picking the Standard fare is still there.  For people that don’t use room service and are happy with the pizza on the Lido deck, like me, I’m happy I have the option of not purchasing the package and not paying for something I don’t use.

I believe Oceania does or at least used to give a cruise once some has cruise with them enough times.  I think it kicks in when you earn Platinum level and one earns an additional one as other levels are reached.  Complementary pre-paid gratuities kicks in after about 100 days when silver level is reached.

 

Though my savings from Elite benefits have totaled enough over the years to pay for several of my cruises on Princess, just as my OBC has.

[Guest ldtr]

8 minutes ago, nasa1974 said:

Just like Royal Caribbeans dynamic pricing.

I believe RC benefits in the package stay fixed and the price varies based upon the number sold.  HAL adds and subtracts features from their HIA offer, usually as part of sales promotions.

[Guest ldtr]

Loyalty programs are first an foremost marketing programs (though airline programs have become a business of their own with businesses buying points from the airlines to give their their customers).

 

Programs only continue if the value they deliver to the business is greater than their cost to the business.  Princess Elite benefits have changed very little with most changes occurring as that component of the business has changed (internet going from per minute to unlimited per day as an example).  The coffee card no longer being available as a minibar swap, because the coffee card program was removed.  

 

The only flat deletion  was the bag of toiletries.

 

Though the benefits are less valuable if one buys a package since that includes internet and thus would negate the value of the benefit.  However, that is ones choice if they choose to buy the package instead of taking the benefit.  The benefit is still there.

[ceilidh1]

32 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

Comparing apples to oranges.  No cruise line’s loyalty program offers free passage based on loyalty.  If there is one please educate me.  Most “normal” people don’t travel enough or have to wait a long time before accumulating enough points for a free anything.  Most times you will be spending double or triple on a trip to gain enough points for the freebie.  Unless you’re riding on bonus earnings.

 

No one is forcing anyone to purchase the packages and the option of picking the Standard fare is still there.  For people that don’t use room service and are happy with the pizza on the Lido deck, like me, I’m happy I have the option of not purchasing the package and not paying for something I don’t use.

NCL at ambassador level gets a free 7 night cruise in a balcony cabin. Just a one-time thing, but free all the same.

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

So you're repeating what was stated, Americans are over charged on crew appreciation to supplement other countries. The dining room was never empty on any of my cruises when we tipped in cash, quite the contrary we were happy to see our tip going to the crew that deserved it. Now the pool has expanded to entertainment, revenue generating areas such a shops and shore excursions. 

You might try P&O UK or P&O Australia since they are not NA focused cruise lines they do not charge gratuities, but instead have them included in the price.

[CruizinSusan70]

13 hours ago, gah_cruise said:

is it possible to remove/reduce crew appreciation if you have Plus/Premier package?

 

3 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

No, so go basic, save 60 a day, save another 16 a day by removing your tips.  Then you'll save money by spending less than 76 a day on a la carte drinks & wifi.

 

3 hours ago, spunks said:

I think it is a damned shame that people would consider removing tips to get at the cruise lines.

 

as for the idea of starting over with loyalty points mentioned above....we are close to top tier with RCCL as well

 

Spunks, I was answering a post from another cruiser, which I attached above.  I have never and will never remove gratuities.  Haven't done it over 55 cruises and will never consider it.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Princessfan20 said:

If you would have read my post correctly you be aware that I said airlines, hotels and rental car companies treat their Elite customers much better then Princess does now.  Last summer we flew from west coast in international first class, stayed in Hilton hotels for three weeks and had a free Hertz rental using their loyalty reward programs.  Princess’ loyalty program was weak to begin with and then they weakened it even more by making cuts.  
 

Cannot understand why people are fanning over how great these cheap charges are.  Princess is not the company it use to be and that is because it is being run by executives who came from Carnival.  Drink up.

But love how enthusiastic the Princess cheerleaders are being on paying Princess for extras that use to be part of the cruise price.  BRILLIANT!

Guess you do not read all of the complaints about various hotel and airline loyalty systems, including the lack of consistency in various hotels in both the Marriot chains and Hilton chains in honoring upper tier benefits. As well as the substantial devaluation of points over the past 2 years.

 

Lets see baggage used to be free on airlines and now you pay.  Seat selection used to be free and now you pay just as some examples.  Hotels never used to charge resort fees and now they are common.  Do you make the same complaints about them.

 

I would prefer if cruise lines did away with the systems as they exist today and go to a points based system.  Because they are lifetime they get too overload in top tiers.  Compared to Hotels and Airlines where status must be earned annually (Though I have million mile status on 2 airlines, and lifetime blackcard status on Marriot)

Edited July 30, 2023 by ldtr

[Guest ldtr]

43 minutes ago, Rungee said:

Now that Alfredo’s is no longer complimentary, and since Majestic doesn’t have a pizza bar on the lido deck, does that mean there is no longer any complimentary pizza options on Majestic?

They tend to have a pizza station in the buffet most nights. Similar to slice receipe.

[ceilidh1]

Some more info is starting to get posted to TA site. Planks Menu (is that even around these days?)

Planks.pdf

[CruizinSusan70]

3 hours ago, sunviking90 said:

It is better than HALs usual “Have it All” which doesn’t usually include Crew Appreciation.

The grats must be the "early booking bonus".  We've never sailed on HAL since their largest ships are only 99.5K tons.  Including future booked cruises, it would have been about 35-40 cruises since we've cruised on a ship that small.

 

But it's nice to know about that promotion in case they happen to get on our radar.

[ceilidh1]

Vines as of August 31st

Vines 0831.pdf

[ceilidh1]

Steamers

Steamers.pdf

[ceilidh1]

Ocean Terrace

Ocean Terrace.pdf

[ceilidh1]

O Malleys

O Malleys.pdf

[ceilidh1]

Kai Sushi

Kai.pdf

[ceilidh1]

GiGi's

GiGis.pdf

[ceilidh1]

Alfredos (ship dependent - ship codes are at bottom right of menu)

Alfredos 1.pdf Alfredos 2.pdf