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

[SCX22]

3 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Exactly my first thought.  We've been Elite for years.  How about tossing us a few benefits instead of adding more Elite to the ranks, Princess?  I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the nickel and diming would soon include selling loyalty status to everyone on the ship.

 

That's way of travel loyalty as of recent.  You can buy your way to attain status.  Look at airlines' milage programs and hotel rewards programs and how to accrue points.  The more you spend the more points you get.  

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

This is a pure cash grab. Regardless of how full their ships are, cash is king and Princess still needs it badly. Their treasurer must live in a state of perpetual anxiety. 

I don’t see it as a cash grab. I see it as a way to get new cruisers because this really means that this does nothing for those of us who cruise Princess on a regular basis and are already elite. Double credits when I already have over 50 cruises does me no good at all and I have already booked all my cruises for the next 18 months

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5 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

This is a pure cash grab. Regardless of how full their ships are, cash is king and Princess still needs it badly. Their treasurer must live in a state of perpetual anxiety. 

 

I think Princess got the IT bill for the implementation of the new dining changes.  Princess couldn't pay it and the IT is holding the program hostage until they can get paid.  Thus the delayed July 1st rollout.  Thus Princess needing stoop to fundraising in this manner.

[kywildcatfanone]

8 hours ago, ebeluga said:

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!

That's exactly what will happen.  Not that there are many elite benefits left anyway.

[latebloomer56]

1 minute ago, kywildcatfanone said:

That's exactly what will happen.  Not that there are many elite benefits left anyway.

Of course they will because we will be Elite after this years cruise.

[kywildcatfanone]

3 hours ago, TM said:

IMHO Princess is not doing this because they value their clients.  These packages are clearly moneymakers for the cruise line.  And what is the big incentive to getting to an elite level?  Oh yeah, free laundry so Princess can shrink my clothes.  Or a mini-bar set-up which probably costs the cruise line at most $20 because of their bulk buying capability.  I got to elite the hard way doing 25+ cruises with 275 sea days.  I appreciate the mini-bar setup but that's about the only elite benefit I use except maybe for priority tender disembarkation.

Agree 100%

[Ombud]

6 hours ago, Ellipooh said:

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?

That's how I interpret it. 1 day / 2 day / 3 day solo in suite = 6 credits. 3 days SF -> Vancouver on 1 ship then 1 day Vancouver -> Seattle on another = 6 credits. 1 day back to Vancouver = 6 credits. There. 5 days = Elite. 

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10 minutes ago, memoak said:

I see it as a way to get new cruisers because this really means that this does nothing for those of us who cruise Princess on a regular basis and are already elite.

 

Not so sure about about enticing new cruisers.  The tangible benefits don't start until Platinum, lounge access and MedallionNet discount (which is nil if you purchased the package to begin with.  This, for now, is only a temporary, lasting only 4 months.  An average person doesn't have the time or the means to take 3 cruises in 4 months.  It would help those on the cusp of moving up, though.

 

I think it's a way to entice those who don't usually purchase a package (like myself, unless it's discounted) to try and purchase a package.  Once they see the "convenience" of the package and try it out for themselves, they are more likely to purchase it again in the future, which is more $$$ for Princess (the cash grab ideology).

[PescadoAmarillo]

43 minutes ago, memoak said:

I don’t see it as a cash grab. I see it as a way to get new cruisers because this really means that this does nothing for those of us who cruise Princess on a regular basis and are already elite. Double credits when I already have over 50 cruises does me no good at all and I have already booked all my cruises for the next 18 months

I disagree that it does nothing for us who are already elite. Sure, Princess has done away with the nice benefits for the top three most traveled on each voyage, and Captains Circle OBC is a thing of the past, but as long as they offer specialty dining breakfasts for the first most traveled guests on each sailing, days count.  There are a plethora of people in the 1300-1800 day range.  Many of them are likely to look at this promotion, move onto a ship on August 1 and not leave for four months. Assuming they weren’t already booked to be on one.😉

 

Edited June 21 by PescadoAmarillo

[memoak]

15 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

I disagree that it does nothing for us who are already elite. Sure, Princess has done away with the nice benefits for the top three most traveled on each voyage, and Captains Circle OBC is a thing of the past, but as long as they offer specialty dining breakfasts for the first most traveled guests on each sailing, days count.  There are a plethora of people in the 1300-1800 day range.  Many of them are likely to look at this promotion, move onto a ship on August 1 and not leave for four months. Assuming they weren’t already booked to be on one.😉

 

My guess is that most of us with 500 + days book pretty much in advance   I have cruises booked for this year and next for about 70 days. Heck my last cruise a group at my table at most traveled lunch were first time cruisers who won lunch though premier prizes and on one last year the most traveled brow beat future cruises into letting them bring people they met on the cruise

[So_Tweetie]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

It looks like most premier packages are being sold on short 4-7 day cruises. When we are on 14-21 day cruises I see few people with premier or the specialty and casual venues would be more crowded. I have also seen people who had plus packages and didn’t even know it

 

True - the longer the cruise, the less valuable any package is IMO. I know that I've definitely given more consideration than before to shorter cruises knowing that in this new era I don't want to sail without at least Plus. 

[memoak]

29 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

True - the longer the cruise, the less valuable any package is IMO. I know that I've definitely given more consideration than before to shorter cruises knowing that in this new era I don't want to sail without at least Plus. 

Our normal cruises are 14-21 days. Plus works great but even when we do 10 day cruises the premier still doesn’t work for us. Our normal drinks fit under plus

[bellebaby]

Am I missing something?  It seems like Priority Embarkation is no longer an Elite benefit.  Only for ship to shore tendering.

 

B

[t&atravel]

4 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Did something change? I always thought we get the same number of cruise day credits regardless of whether we booked a suite or not. For example, we went on a 25-day "single itinerary" cruise in a vista suite and received 2 cruise credits and 25 cruise day credits.

 

However, if this promotion applied to that cruise, we would have gotten 4 cruise credits and 50 days in cruise day credits.

 

Moving On Up

Each voyage moves you closer to the next loyalty level.² Book and sail in a full suite or pay the exclusive occupancy fare when traveling solo, and you'll receive two cruise credits instead of one.³ And because we also track the number of days you spend with us, longer cruises can give you a boost too.

 

¹Residents of the EEA are required to enroll to be Captain’s Circle Members and receive their loyalty benefits by registering on princess.com and creating a My Princess account.

²Members are eligible for a higher tier level on the next cruise following completion of necessary cruises and/or cruise days. Land portion of cruisetour does not apply. Only cruises taken on Princess® and P&O Australia count toward the Princess Captain’s Circle Program. P&O UK cruises are no longer eligible.

³Princess Captain's Circle Double cruise credits for booking and sailing in a full suite (mini-suites excluded) or sailing at the exclusive occupancy fare are effective with sailings beginning on or after December 7, 2008. Cruises only, and not cruise days are doubled. The exclusive occupancy fare is for solo guests occupying a stateroom alone and who paid the single traveller supplement.

 

@Ken the cruiser Yes you’re right! Sorry I went off the what the person I responded to wrote and caught part of their error not all of it.  Good catch.

[FLAlaska]

So if you have a sanctuary booking that comes with premier? Does it count as an added package?

[So_Tweetie]

3 minutes ago, FLAlaska said:

So if you have a sanctuary booking that comes with premier? Does it count as an added package?

I would assume so, since it would be a punishment for booking that category otherwise. But then again, some see the lower levels of Sanctuary Collection cabins having the same benefits as a slap in the face to Suite cruisers...it's hard to figure out Princess's logic on much of what they're doing lately. 

[azbirdmom]

35 minutes ago, bellebaby said:

Am I missing something?  It seems like Priority Embarkation is no longer an Elite benefit.  Only for ship to shore tendering.

 

B

That's kind of been gone for a while.  Either you're Blue or Green lane.  They do still have the separate seating areas by CC status if they haven't started boarding yet and they do prioritize those groups when boarding starts.  But if they are already boarding it makes no difference if you're a red or black card.

[bellebaby]

28 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

That's kind of been gone for a while.  Either you're Blue or Green lane.  They do still have the separate seating areas by CC status if they haven't started boarding yet and they do prioritize those groups when boarding starts.  But if they are already boarding it makes no difference if you're a red or black card.

Thanks.  

I sailed on the Discovery in May.  You are correct regarding the Blue or Green lane for check-in.  Suites and Elites were seated in one area and boarded first. Platinum in another, everyone else in another.

 

I hope this continues.  The Elite benefits used to say Priority Boarding.  I guess the Blue and Green lanes changed things.

 

B

 

 

[Ellipooh]

3 hours ago, rwmiller said:

Have we gotten confirmation that the supplemental cruise credits (suite, solo bonus) are also doubled? I have read through the Princess description of the promotion, and it is not obvious to me they are also double. 

Here’s a link to The Points Guy article on the promotion. Not exactly official confirmation, but perhaps a step above “I think…” - The Points Guy

[MsSoCalCruiser]

6 hours ago, alexand278 said:

Just got off an Hour chat and they say the double credits only count for the cruise portion of any trip.  So don't get too excited if you're going on a CruiseTour.

 

So disappointed!!!

I’m not 100% positive but I don’t think the land portion ever counted. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Here’s a question for you… We booked a b2b as a single 14 day cruise in October. It is listed as 2 cruise credits. Does that mean that we will earn 4 credits? I’ve been Elite for a long time, but I think my friend will hit Elite if it will be counted as 4 credits. 

[startedwithamouse]

24 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I’m not 100% positive but I don’t think the land portion ever counted. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong. 

It didn't. 

[startedwithamouse]

14 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

Here’s a question for you… We booked a b2b as a single 14 day cruise in October. It is listed as 2 cruise credits. Does that mean that we will earn 4 credits? I’ve been Elite for a long time, but I think my friend will hit Elite if it will be counted as 4 credits. 

It you have Plus or Premier, yes.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

3 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

It you have Plus or Premier, yes.

Thank you for always being so helpful. We do have Plus. My friend will be very happy. 
 

It doesn’t matter that this cruise has been booked for over a year, correct? 

[Papa Yoda]

4 hours ago, rwmiller said:

Can someone tell me if unused non-refundable OBC rolls over to the second B2B cruise? If so, I can buy packages for the first cruise early and second onboard. Also, how strict are they on use of OBC for casino charges? With all gratuities / drinks paid for, I would have a hard time using my OBC if not in the casino.

 

Thanks all,

Bob

 

It rolls over.  (We've done many b2b's and OBC of any kind has never gone away)

Edited June 21 by Papa Yoda