Headache of trying to get Elite benefits on B2B

[Kabuki12]

I am on a B2B on Crown Princess.  I change from platinum to elite on the 2nd half which is tomorrow.   Someone posted on this site a few months ago that for some reason he could not get upgraded to elite on his second half of a B2B and that his PVP finally was able to straighten out the situation 4 days later.   I went to the customer service desk the 2nd day of the cruise and nobody seemed to know how this worked and if I would get elite benefits or stay platinum.  I was referred to loyalty.    One person at loyalty told me that I had to come back when the second cruise started and another told me to come back the day before.

 

I went into the loyalty department. today, which is the day before the cruise ends and spoke to the manager.  She instructed me to come back tomorrow afternoon.  She said that she could put in a request for the mini bar and looked up my account.  She than looked confused and asked me if I was a travel agent.  I informed her that I was not. She asked me 2 more times if I was a travel agent.   She than told me that I was cruising solo so she did not think that I was eligible for elite even though I will have 16 cruise credits at the end of this cruise.  I informed her that sailing solo should not matter and she looked back at her computer screen with a confused look on her face. Then she noticed my casino lanyard and asked if I was players club.   She told me that there was something under my account that looked like I may not be eligible for elite.    She did not understand why and did not elaborate what she was reading.   

 

I was not under the impression that sailing solo or getting comped rooms makes me not eligible for elite benefits unless this is a new cutback.   Can anybody shed some light on this subject?

Edited January 22 by Kabuki12

[karatemom2]

We get casino comps and those days are still added to our total number of cruising days, so that should not make any difference. And traveling solo should also not be an issue - most solos are paying a premium for traveling alone. Number of cruises or number of days is all that should be required to assess loyalty level. I would suggest you double check and make sure your booking was done correctly as a B2B. I know in some cases they do book B2B cruises as a single cruise (ie. 14 day instead of two 7 day). My daughter and her husband did a 21 day Med cruise this past summer and it was booked as a single cruise, although each segment was also sold as a 7 day.

Edited January 22 by karatemom2

[Kabuki12]

8 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

We get casino comps and those days are still added to our total number of cruising days, so that should not make any difference. And traveling solo should also not be an issue - most solos are paying a premium for traveling alone. Number and cruises or number of days is all that should be required to assess loyalty level. I would suggest you double check and make sure your booking was done correctly as a B2B. I know in some cases they do book B2B cruises as a single cruise (ie. 14 day instead of 2 7 day). My daughter and her husband did a 21 day Med cruise this past summer and it was booked as a single cruise, although each segment was also sold as a 7 day.

Interesting.  I can see this on Carribean cruises that are marketed for 7 days and 14 days and similar, but this is a 16-day Hawaii and a 10-day Mexico.   However, it's more of a logical explanation than being ineligible due to traveling solo or players club comped cruises.   They are listed as two separate cruises in the app and the website.  

 

If she can't figure it out by tomorrow, I will suggest that maybe that's the problem.  Can't hurt.  Thanks for the input.

Edited January 22 by Kabuki12

[Jadn13]

If you have 2 booking numbers it shouldn’t matter. Your Com’d cruises also should not come into play. They need to explain exactly what they are seeing that would make you ineligible because the excuses given aren’t a factor. 

[PacnGoNow]

1 minute ago, Kabuki12 said:

Interesting.  I can see this on Carribean cruises that are marketed for 7 days and 14 days and similar but this is a 16-day Hawaii and a 10-day Mexico.   However, it's more of a logical explanation than being ineligible due to traveling solo or players club comped cruises.   

 

If she can't figure it out by tomorrow, I will suggest that maybe that's the problem.  It just may be. Thank you. 

That’s why the ONE future cruise next should not be handling the loyalty desk.  They don’t know what they are doing, evidently.

 

 

[Kabuki12]

8 minutes ago, Jadn13 said:

If you have 2 booking numbers it shouldn’t matter. Your Com’d cruises also should not come into play. They need to explain exactly what they are seeing that would make you ineligible because the excuses given aren’t a factor. 

I do have 2 booking numbers.  She did not understand what she was seeing on the screen.  I get the feeling that this is the first time that she has dealt with this.  I failed to ask her if it is a code or something written that states that I am not eligible.  I will ask tomorrow for clarification.  

[Sprocket]

Log into the website and look at your cruises sailed.  It should show 2 credits for the cruise you are currently on, and 2 for your next cruise if booked separately. It won’t actually update until you complete the one you’re currently on.

Part of the issue could be that your medallion will be active for both cruises so I’d make a trip to guest services tomorrow after you’ve done the in transit portion and ask for a sticker that shows your Elite status.  
The system probably just needs time to update.

 

 

 

[Jadn13]

2 minutes ago, Kabuki12 said:

I do have 2 booking numbers.  She did not understand what she was seeing on the screen.  I get the feeling that this is the first time that she has dealt with this.  I failed to ask her if it is a code or something written that states that I am not eligible.  I will ask tomorrow for clarification.  

I sail on comps and solo at times and I’m Elite. 
I would go to guest services if you don’t get the correct answers from the Captain Circle/whatever they merged with desk.

Edited January 22 by Jadn13

[Kabuki12]

1 minute ago, Sprocket said:

Log into the website and look at your cruises sailed.  It should show 2 credits for the cruise you are currently on, and 2 for your next cruise if booked separately. It won’t actually update until you complete the one you’re currently on.

Part of the issue could be that your medallion will be active for both cruises so I’d make a trip to guest services tomorrow after you’ve done the in transit portion and ask for a sticker that shows your Elite status.  
The system probably just needs time to update.

 

 

 

I hope that that's all it is.  Guest services will not give me an elite sticker.  They said that loyalty had to do the status change.

[coo359a2]

I was told some years ago (pre medallion time) by cruise friends who were Elite  that when they were sailing under the  Family and Friends rate, that they sailed as a Blue Card and Not as Elite.  Don't know if comped cruises might be the same.

Edited January 22 by coo359a2

[skents]

Check your account on the Princess website.  It updates when your cruise ends. It will look like this:

 

Your Captain’s Circle level is Elite

17 Cruises Sailed

 

 

[Kabuki12]

1 minute ago, coo359a2 said:

I was told some years ago(pre medallion time) that when they were sailing under the  Family and Friends rate that they sailed as a Blue Card and Not as Elite.  Don't know if comped cruises might be the same.

Most of my cruises have been comped and I have been moved up in status.  I suspect it's the b2b status change on the 2nd leg that's the problem.

[Kabuki12]

1 minute ago, skents said:

Check your account on the Princess website.  It updates when your cruise ends. It will look like this:

 

Your Captain’s Circle level is Elite

17 Cruises Sailed

 

 

It appears to me that she is not disputing the number of cruises that I have. She seemed to be grasping at straws trying to rationalize why she was seeing something on her screen that seemed to make me not eligible for elite.  She was going to order a mini bar set up and then refused to do so because she saw something on her screen that confused her.    

[Sprocket]

9 minutes ago, Kabuki12 said:

I hope that that's all it is.  Guest services will not give me an elite sticker.  They said that loyalty had to do the status change.

This really should not be an issue, people level up all the time on the ships.  Patience is key here I think honestly so just wait until your cruise is completed then see about updating to Elite level.

Edited January 22 by Sprocket

[Kabuki12]

3 minutes ago, Sprocket said:

This really should not be an issue, people level up all the time on the ships.  Patience is key here I think honestly so just wait until your cruise is completed then see about updating to Elite level.

Good advice.  The other person that had problems with this went around and around with loyalty and customer relations for four days.  His PVP finally straightened it out.  I can't find his post.

 

If the loyalty manager remains confused and refuses to give me elite benefits tomorrow, I'm just going to let it go.  I can't spend four days beating my head against a wall and let it ruin my cruise.  It's not worth it.  I get the feeling that she thinks that I am a travel agent and am trying to pull one over on her. She wasn't exactly the warm friendly type and there was no apology for the hassle.   I'll just put a detailed statement my review so that maybe they can fix the glitch in the system.

[Kabuki12]

3 minutes ago, Kabuki12 said:

 

 

Edited January 22 by Kabuki12

[HBCcruiser]

1 minute ago, Kabuki12 said:

Good advice.  The other person that had problems with this went around and around with loyalty and customer relations for four days.  His PVP finally straightened it out.  I can't find his post.

 

If the loyalty manager remains confused and refuses to give me elite benefits tomorrow, I'm just going to let it go.  I can't spend four days beating my head against a wall and let it ruin my cruise.  It's not worth it.  I get the feeling that she thinks that I am a travel agent and am trying to pull one over on her. She wasn't exactly the warm friendly type and there was no apology for the hassle.   I'll just put a detailed statement my review so that maybe they can fix the glitch in the system.

Or show her your account with the number of cruises sailed including the one you just completed. The numbers don't lie. Good luck!

[Kabuki12]

2 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

Or show her your account with the number of cruises sailed including the one you just completed. The numbers don't lie. Good luck!

She has pulled up my account and does see that I will have 16 cruises sailed at the end of this first leg. She not disputing the number of cruises.

[Sprocket]

6 minutes ago, Kabuki12 said:

Good advice.  The other person that had problems with this went around and around with loyalty and customer relations for four days.  His PVP finally straightened it out.  I can't find his post.

 

If the loyalty manager remains confused and refuses to give me elite benefits tomorrow, I'm just going to let it go.  I can't spend four days beating my head against a wall and let it ruin my cruise.  It's not worth it.  I get the feeling that she thinks that I am a travel agent and am trying to pull one over on her. She wasn't exactly the warm friendly type and there was no apology for the hassle.   I'll just put a detailed statement my review so that maybe they can fix the glitch in the system.

 

When I went to Platinum from Ruby on a B2B guest services gave me a new sticker but maybe that has changed.  I see no logical reason that you would be ineligible even if you were a travel agent.  Do you have your Summary for your next cruise it should tell you on there how it was booked?

 

And I hate to even put this out there but your cruise is still active?  For a while the casino department was notorious for not paying their portion and people myself included had their cruises cancelled.

 

.

 

[dickinson]

7 minutes ago, Kabuki12 said:

She has pulled up my account and does see that I will have 16 cruises sailed at the end of this first leg. She not disputing the number of cruises.

I thought Elite was after 15 cruises.  Anyways, it does not matter how the b2b was booked (7 days, 14 days, etc). What matters is the legs.  Turnaround day is the end of a cruise even if you are staying on for another.  If you booked two 7 day cruises as one 14 day cruise it is two cruises.  This loyalty person doesn't know what she is doing.  Just go tomorrow after this leg is over and show her on either your app or princess.com that you are now Elite. good luck

[Kabuki12]

12 minutes ago, Sprocket said:

 

When I went to Platinum from Ruby on a B2B guest services gave me a new sticker but maybe that has changed.  I see no logical reason that you would be ineligible even if you were a travel agent.  Do you have your Summary for your next cruise it should tell you on there how it was booked?

 

And I hate to even put this out there but your cruise is still active?  For a while the casino department was notorious for not paying their portion and people myself included had their cruises cancelled.

 

.

 

That was my first thought that the casino had dropped my cruise but it still shows active.  It seems that guest services still puts a sticker on your medallion on a b2b but you have to physically go to loyalty to get the benefits for elite.  It does not automatically happen.   They order the mini bars for the rooms the day before. 

[icat2000]

Is it because you havent actually reached the milestone yet. Maybe go back at the start of your next cruise (ie the second back to back). Though I suspect its something to do with the mediallion which lump the whole cruise together. If you log into the ap what does it say?

[Kabuki12]

14 minutes ago, dickinson said:

I thought Elite was after 15 cruises.  Anyways, it does not matter how the b2b was booked (7 days, 14 days, etc). What matters is the legs.  Turnaround day is the end of a cruise even if you are staying on for another.  If you booked two 7 day cruises as one 14 day cruise it is two cruises.  This loyalty person doesn't know what she is doing.  Just go tomorrow after this leg is over and show her on either your app or princess.com that you are now Elite. good luck

Yes, it's after 15 cruises.  I will have 16 after this.   She does know that I will be on my 17th cruise. She is not disputing that.   I agree that she does not know what she is doing. Of course, she is the manager so there is no going over her head.  This is not solving quadratic equations.   It's pretty much cut and dry.  Elite is after 15 cruises.  I will have 16 cruises done tomorrow which makes me eligible for elite status.   A prudent rational person with common sense would have taken ownership and ordered the mini bar.  

[Kabuki12]

13 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

Is it because you havent actually reached the milestone yet. Maybe go back at the start of your next cruise (ie the second back to back). Though I suspect its something to do with the mediallion which lump the whole cruise together. If you log into the ap what does it say?

That's probably it.  I'm still at 14 cruises.  I'll post the outcome tomorrow or when she gets back to me.  She said that she will notify me with an answer.  The medallion lists as two seperate cruises.

Edited January 22 by Kabuki12

[cr8tiv1]

3 minutes ago, Kabuki12 said:

Yes, it's after 15 cruises.  I will have 16 after this.   She does know that I will be on my 17th cruise. She is not disputing that.   I agree that she does not know what she is doing. Of course, she is the manager so there is no going over her head.  This is not solving quadratic equations.   It's pretty much cut and dry.  Elite is after 15 cruises.  I will have 16 cruises done tomorrow which makes me eligible for elite status.   A prudent rational person with common sense would have taken ownership and ordered the mini bar.  

 

Yes, you can go above her head.  If not Customer Service Officer and/or revenue person.  I have been "fighting" with Princess on my next cruise.  Fianlly starting to see some resolutions.  It's not just the mini-bar, it's also laundry, discounts, and other perks that she is denying you as an elite member.  

 

While you are in her office, request that she allow you to call Captain Circle office land based to rectify the issue (on her dime).