6/20/24: Double Cruise Credits for Captain's Circle Guests with Princess Cruises' New Loyalty Accelerator Program

[LACruiser88]

June 20, 2024 9:30 AM EDT   Double Cruise Credits for Captain's Circle Guests with Princess Cruises' New Loyalty Accelerator Program

Program Fast Tracks Loyalty Tier Advancement for Guests Sailing with Princess Plus/Premier Packages between August 1 and December 1, 2024   FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone loves to move up the ranks in travel loyalty programs for better rewards, and Princess Cruises today announced a new Captain's Circle Loyalty Accelerator program that offers guests double the cruise credits with the purchase of the inclusive Princess Plus and Premier Packages.     Princess guests sailing with a Princess Plus or Premier Package on voyages embarking between August 1 and December 1, 2024 will receive double the cruise credits to fast track them closer to their next loyalty tier.   "Princess Premier and Princess Plus are the best way to experience Princess and offer the best value in the vacation business," said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. "The Loyalty Accelerator Program gives our most valued guests even more reasons to sail with our industry-leading bundles."   The Captain's Circle program features four levels: Gold: After the first cruise and includes early booking offers, members-only onboard event and access to the onboard Circle Host.   Ruby: With three cruises or 30 cruise days, everything in Gold plus exclusive access to the Captain's Circle help desk, and Princess Platinum Vacation Protection upgrade.   Platinum: With five cruises or 50 cruise days, everything in Ruby plus 50% off MedallionNet Packages, 10% off Lotus Spa treatments, and access to Platinum and Elite Lounge.   Elite: With 15 cruises or 150 cruise days, everything in Platinum plus 10% off at the Shops of Princess, 10% off shore excursions, priority boarding for ship-to-shore tender service, stateroom mini-bar setup, Grapevine Wine Tasting event, complimentary canapes on formal nights, afternoon tea in stateroom, laundry and shoe polish services, and priority disembarkation.   Guests booking Princess Plus or Princess Premier add popular amenities like WiFi, beverages, specialty dining, desserts, fitness classes, crew gratuities and more at an even greater savings of up 65% when the inclusive package amenities are purchased separately.  More details on this exclusive Loyalty Accelerator limited-time offer can be found here: https://www.princess.com/en-us/cruise-deals-promotions/double-the-love.   No matter the cruise, Princess delivers a premium vacation with the line's award-winning, signature Princess MedallionClass experience which offers unparalleled service and personalization. All 16 ships in the Princess fleet offer well-appointed staterooms, world class dining, grand performances, award-winning casinos and entertainment, luxurious spas, imaginative experiences and boundless activities.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Now they do this...just as I'm about to make Elite!

[ebeluga]

I guess they really want to push those packages. Next thing they will do is to eliminate more Elite benefits as people are accelerated into the tier!

[EDDY0827]

6 credits for sailing solo in a suite for 3 days?

[Esprit]

11 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Now they do this...just as I'm about to make Elite!

But the extra points will count to most travelled guest total. The points will also be added for those already booked pre 1 August if they pre booked Princess plus or Premier.

[LACruiser88]

5 minutes ago, Esprit said:

But the extra points will count to most travelled guest total

I believe you meant "will NOT" count towards Most Traveled Guest total.  The MTG's are based on actual sea days sailed, not cruise credits.

 

 

Edited June 20 by LACruiser88

[Citizenxnz]

They are doubling cruise credits and sea days. Their FAQs specifically call out that this helps for MTGs

[LACruiser88]

12 minutes ago, Citizenxnz said:

They are doubling cruise credits and sea days. Their FAQs specifically call out that this helps for MTGs

You are correct and I was incorrect.  I just read the promotion from their web site (below), that was not clear in the press release.

 

ANY guest who purchases Princess Plus or Princess Premier package at least two days prior to sailing and who sails during the sailing time period (August 1 – December 1, 2024) qualifies and will have their cruise and # of days cruised count double towards their Captain’s Circle level achievement.

 

So, our 32-day cruise on the Coral in October will count as 64-days.  Not that we need the credits!  🤣

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 20 by LACruiser88

[memoak]

16 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

You are correct and I was incorrect.  I just read the promotion from their web site (below), that was not clear in the press release.

 

ANY guest who purchases Princess Plus or Princess Premier package at least two days prior to sailing and who sails during the sailing time period (August 1 – December 1, 2024) qualifies and will have their cruise and # of days cruised count double towards their Captain’s Circle level achievement.

 

So, our 32-day cruise on the Coral in October will count as 64-days.  Not that we need the credits!  🤣

 

 

 

 

 

It would take a lot for a new cruiser to get up to the 500 days or usually needed to qualify for most traveled lunches

[dreaminofcruisin]

It is interesting that it is for just a short period of time. They must be trying it out and perhaps that is the 'slow' season....or sales of Plus/Premier are down for some reason?

[PacnGoNow]

Another push for the Plus and Premier packages.  Are the bookings down during that period?

 

 

 

 

[Ellipooh]

Prices on eligible sailings seem quite high. 
 

EDIT: maybe not, I found some others…

Edited June 20 by Ellipooh

[Ombud]

As they rapidly increase the # of Elite the value in that package decreases. Longer waits for tender & laundry

 

Wondering if this is because the perceived value of Plus➕ and Premier is decreasing  (I'm not saying anyone here feels that way, I am saying that non-social media pax may)

[gsmith2424]

1 minute ago, Ombud said:

As they rapidly increase the # of Elite the value in that package decreases. Longer waits for tender & laundry

 

Wondering if this is because the perceived value of Plus➕ and Premier is decreasing  (I'm not saying anyone here feels that way, I am saying that non-social media pax may)

I think it's because people don't think the Plus/Premier package are worth it at all and rather nickel/dime everything once they get on the ship. It doesn't take much on the ship to add up to one day of either package.

[azbirdmom]

I just hope that this doesn't increase the upper level ranks so much that they take away some of the current Elite perks.  Other than that I've got no problem with this.

[azbirdmom]

Whoops!  Bit of a typo on Platinum eligibility:

 

[Essex Racer]

My take on the promotion is to encourage cruisers to pre-book the package and pay hard cash for it as has to be pre-booked and paid for at least 2 days before sailing, rather than waiting to book once onboard and then using OBC to pay for it???

[enfuego4cruising]

Once Princess swells the ranks of Elite passengers, it will be time to announce a new, higher tier.

[Astro Flyer]

Based on Padgett’s statement, those of us who cruise frequently on Princess without packages are not as valued as those who sail infrequently with packages.

 

"The Loyalty Accelerator Program gives our most valued guests even more reasons to sail with our industry-leading bundles."

 

He wants to increase the number of elite level passengers while continuing to remove benefits of reaching that level. In 2010 I was invited to my first MTG event with only 160 days but on my recent cruise 500+ days was not enough to be invited…it took about 750 days.

 

Edited June 20 by Astro Flyer

[LACruiser88]

1 minute ago, enfuego4cruising said:

Once Princess swells the ranks of Elite passengers, it will be time to announce a new, higher tier.

It was time for a new tier about 10 years ago!  Let's see what the future holds!

[gsmith2424]

1 minute ago, Astro Flyer said:

Based on Padgett’s statement, those of us who cruise frequently on Princess without packages are not as valued as those who sail infrequently with packages.

 

"The Loyalty Accelerator Program gives our most valued guests even more reasons to sail with our industry-leading bundles."

 

He wants to increase the number of elite level passengers while continuing to remove benefits of reaching that level. In 2010 I was invited to my first MTG event but on my recent cruise 500+ days was not enough to be invited…it took about 750 days.

 

On the last one I was one the top person was at 3500 days and 2/3 were both at around 1200 days.

[LACruiser88]

1 minute ago, Astro Flyer said:

on my recent cruise 500+ days was not enough to be invited…it took about 750 days.

On our recent TA in Nov/Dec we did not make the MTG luncheon with 800 sea days.  The cut-off was 885 days.

[memoak]

5 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

On our recent TA in Nov/Dec we did not make the MTG luncheon with 800 sea days.  The cut-off was 885 days.

It all depends on the itinerary. We have never missed the cut on Alaskan cruises from Vancouver and barely made it on our recent Hawaii cruise. 10 day cruise to Mexico out of SF forget about it. We have well over 500 days

[Ellipooh]

2 hours ago, EDDY0827 said:

6 credits for sailing solo in a suite for 3 days?

 

I want this to be true.

I've got a call into my CVP to ask, but had to leave a message.

The fine print says "All Captain’s Circle™ and Princess Plus and Princess Premier terms and conditions apply (including that Captain’s Circle tier calculation and doubling only applies to cruise portion of the trip)."

Ordinarily, I would take that to mean doubling applies to the on-ship days and not the land portion of a package purchased through Princess.

I really am looking for 6 credits out of a solo 3-day Coastal in a Suite.  Do you think this means what I think it means?

 

[SeaTheWorldOnPrincess]

My wife and I have been loyal Princess cruisers for the past 25+ years with 25 cruise & 150+ days at sea. We feel that since Padgett took over Princess he seems to have focused his energy on turning Princess into a family/party cruise line like Royal Caribbean with big new mega ships and a big push to buy drink packages.

 

Our 28 day voyage down the Amazon on the Volendam (Holland America) felt like a Princess cruise of old from the pre-Padgett era.  
 

After our Princess cruise to Greenland in August we feel it may be time to look at booking voyages on Holland America and expedition lines like Hurtigruten.