The death of Captain's Circle cachet.

[ExplorerCA]

Remember those thousands of dollars you ponied up to Princess for all those cruises that established you as a Captain's Circle Gold, Platinum or Elite member? Boy, were you ripped off.

 

Now, by only taking online courses, travel agents can attain exactly the same level of membership that you spent all your money on. Complete the courses? We'll be glad to make you an Elite member.

 

Why does this matter? Because the Captain's Circle gatherings were a pleasant exchange of information among repeat cruisers. We'd discuss experiences on different ships and of different destinations. Now, Mabel from XYZ Travel will be in your meeting and it might very well be her first Princess cruise - ever. I can almost SEE the inevitable result - Mabel, business cards clutched in hand, going from person to person trying to get their business. What should be a relaxed social event will become a sales call free-for-all with travel agents jockeying for position. And the repeat cruisers you used to meet? Expect them to start avoiding the Captain's Circle Sales Call like the plague.

 

Oh, I know that some of you are saying that agents aren't supposed to solicit business onboard, but anyone who's been on a few cruises knows that that rule is complete nonsense. If I called all the agents whose cards I've received over the years, my long-distance bill would be in the thousands.

 

So, thanks but no thanks, Princess. I'm sorry I've spent ten years cruising your line when all I had to do was sit at home one afternoon and obtain Elite status. When everyone's 'elite', no one is.

[barbarah33]

Honestly, I'm disgusted to read that. I, too am sorry that Princess would allow such a thing. I was angry when RCCL and Celebrity allowed it so that if you had reached a higher status on one line you automatically got the equivalent status on the other even if you had never sailed on that line before. (I had to earn my status for both lines individually.) But at least you have to have cruised on at least one of lines to get that. To allow somebody who has never stepped onto a cruise ship to get platinum or diamond status is ridiculous!

[Born Cruiser 2]

IMHO, Princess needs to take another look at how they handle this matter.

 

How is this any different than the fact that someone can take a 1 day cruise

to "no where" and earn the exact same "cruise count" as my next Star Princess 17 day Transatlantic crossing with a B-T-B 10 day

Baltic = 27 days, but only two cruise credits.

 

Thus, this "one" day person could become Elite in 15 days.

 

When I have to finish my four traditional cruises which are never less than

10 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I do give credit to Celebrity/Royal Caribbean, they at least

give multiple cruise credits for any cruise greater than 10 days.

 

Go figure?

[Ethel5]

In your post, it quotes that TRAVEL AGENTS can take the online courses and get Elite status. If you are not a TA, what difference does it make? If you are a TA, then great for you! Princess will not give discounted rates to TA's unless they sell X amount of dollars with Princess per year. So maybe this is their way of thanking TA's for booking Princess. I don't see anything wrong with it because I'm not entitled to it.

 

I do agree with the poster about the way they count cruises instead of days toward Elite status. My cruises are all 10 nights and better and yet those who can take costal trips get to Elite much faster.

[cruiseryyc]

No one is forcing you to actually take the business card that's offered to you. A polite "no thanks", should suffice.

[Colo Cruiser]

It is not like I took my 31 cruises with Princess just to reach Elite status.

 

And all of mine except 3 are 7-34 days long.

 

I don't care if they give every TA or passenger in the world Elite status.

 

 

It is a nice perk but do I cruise Princess solely based on my Elite status?

Absolutly not. I cruise Princess because I love the product. :)

[caviargal]

I am a TA (I own my own incentive agency) and the highest level of frequent passenger on X and RCI based on cruises for which I paid full fare. I go to many of the special events on board because I earned them.

 

I have little personal experience with Princess but am signed up for the online course and have also booked a cruise which I way or may not take.

 

I have never once offered a business card to a passenger on a cruise, nor do I intend to do so.

 

Some of us happen to be professionals:).

[dorisday]

sorry OP that you feel so grieved about this.

 

However at the end of the day Princess & all other cruise lines are in the business to make money.

In order to get the bookings to make that money they need travel agents.

 

Travel agents will always get a good deal onboard & pay a mere token for it compared to what regular passengers pay.

 

As an ex cruise ship Bar's employee, I personally used to hate the freebie lunches & ship tours TA's always got, we had to pander to them all afternoon when we could have been ashore & not earn any tips from them.

 

For those of us that love to cruise a good Travel Agent is worth its weight in gold.

By cruising they will be able to sell from experience unlike 95% of UK TA's who get their information from the brochures & cruise line help desks

[abrakadabra]

I am a TA (I own my own incentive agency) and the highest level of frequent passenger on X and RCI based on cruises for which I paid full fare. I go to many of the special events on board because I earned them.

 

I have little personal experience with Princess but am signed up for the online course and have also booked a cruise which I way or may not take.

 

I have never once offered a business card to a passenger on a cruise, nor do I intend to do so.

 

Some of us happen to be professionals:).

 

Hi Caviargal,

 

could you give me a link or website where i can sign up for this course too?

 

:) good luck for your business,without you TA's we would pay these high "Princess direct Prices"

 

greets, abrakadabra

[travelscrapper]

I'm a TA and have paid the "going rate" for some of my Princess cruises just becuase there was not an "agent" rate on the sailing that I wanted to go on. Agent rates are not available on all sailings.

 

I also have never solocited business when I'm on a cruise I'm on vacation. I'm more than happy to talk about it with people but have not given out my card trying to solicit business. In reality when we "take" a booking from another agent we are just shifiting market share---most cruise lines are looking for new customers who we can turn into "Elite" memebers and "Steal" away from RCL and other cruise lines.

[SeaTeacher]

Now my life is ruined. WWWaaaaaa!

[ExplorerCA]

Loss of cachet is not the same as 'life being ruined', drama queeniness to the contrary. My point is this - if AMEX offered every one of its clients a Platinum card, would anyone sign up for it (or pay hundreds a year for it)? No.

 

Now I know this whole site is chock full o' travel agents. So I expect some negative reactions to my post. But no, you do NOT have the same experience that current Elite members have. You don't get that from online, you don't get that from a brochure. So, diluting the Captain's Circle with a bunch of travel agents is inappropriate. If Princess wishes to fete you separately, then more power to them. But the loss is in that you do not have the cruising experience the current members have and your presence at the higher 'frequent floater' events is, IMHO, incorrect and inappropriate.

 

Okay, now unleash that notorious sense of entitlement ...

[Colo Cruiser]

Loss of cachet is not the same as 'life being ruined', drama queeniness to the contrary. My point is this - if AMEX offered every one of its clients a Platinum card, would anyone sign up for it (or pay hundreds a year for it)? No.

 

Now I know this whole site is chock full o' travel agents. So I expect some negative reactions to my post. But no, you do NOT have the same experience that current Elite members have. You don't get that from online, you don't get that from a brochure. So, diluting the Captain's Circle with a bunch of travel agents is inappropriate. If Princess wishes to fete you separately, then more power to them. But the loss is in that you do not have the cruising experience the current members have and your presence at the higher 'frequent floater' events is, IMHO, incorrect and inappropriate.

 

Okay, now unleash that notorious sense of entitlement ...

 

 

Sorry no TA here, but I would be interested in how you found out about this and what is the big draw for you as you sound very angry about it?

[ExplorerCA]

I heard of it and called Princess to confirm. I save 'anger' for World issues, but I'm disappointed and think that this idea is sloppy, poorly conceived and wholly inappropriate.

 

I can almost envision the conference room meeting. "Let's do something special for the travel agents". "No, that would cost too much - I know, let's just add them to the Captain's Circle group!".

 

I suppose they figured they'd do so 'behind the scenes', but nowadays, information travels fast.

[MaryPoppinz]

I didn't think it had all that much cachet to begin with? A few useful perks, yeah, but I don't really care much for discussing cruising at onboard cocktail parties and little events. In fact, the braggadocio is sort of a turn-off.

[Ethel5]

So, diluting the Captain's Circle with a bunch of travel agents is inappropriate.

 

One is entered into the Captain's Circle after only one cruise. Sooo what's the problem with having TA's in the same group? If your complaint is against having TA's in the Elite level, what's the big deal? So they get a bar set up and some appitizers, oh, and laundry service. Having them mingle with the "upper crust" just might give them an insight on traveling on Princess, making them better at selling Princess.

[Ethel5]

could you give me a link or website where i can sign up for this course too?

 

Can't do it unless you have an IATA, CLIA or ARC certificate.