April 1st - How Best To Respond????

[Druke I]

My wife and I are Elite, both under the former system and the current system of computing Captain's Circle status.

 

We both use the internet while aboard, but I don't feel the charges are out-of-line, nor do I plan to change my habits.

 

Like BDJAM above (and several others), if I go over, I will pay the surcharge. I don't consider it a big deal at all, and frankly don't understand all of the complaints - while I do understand some of them!

 

I think a boycott is an exercise in futility.

[cusyl]

Cusy...most of us long time cruisers no longer sail on 7 days cruises...if you are on 12 day or longer cruise this really does have an impact!

 

why anyone needs to use the internet is no one elses business...

 

and the thread that I just did about being onboard the dawn that was enjoyed by so many...would not have been possible without these perks!

All my cruises are not 7 days. We've done several longer ones. However, I still didn't go over $75. on my internet on my Med. cruise last year.

[ccrain]

I think a boycott is an exercise in futility.

 

Probably, but then I just happened to be looking at the phone rate sheet for the Doubletree Hotel where I am currently staying. For those of you on regular business travel, you can remember the exhorbitant fees charged by hotels when calling long distance and charging to your room.

 

Then came calling cards. Hotels continued to charge large fees, and then instituted a way to charge for calling card fees.

 

Then came cell phones and hotel phones became a teritary means of communications. Almost like a boycott.

 

Now I note that the exhorbitant fees once charged are substantially lower now. In fact, at this particular hotel, the first 60 minutes of a calling card call or toll free is now free with a $0.10 per minute after 60 minutes.

 

Even the direct dial rates are 50% less than I remember in the days before cell phones.

 

So switching to a competing and alternative form of communications can produce price reductions by forcing a provider to reduce charges, improve service or both.

 

Remember early wifi? It was supposed to produce a boon of new revenue sources. Now its everywhere and mostly, its free. Most of the early high speed internet adopters in the hotel world charged for it. Now for the most part, they advertise it as free access. The main reason for this is that most users of hotels, business persons, almost always require high speed internet access, especially lately.

 

The same is not true for cruising...yet. As long as the tourist industry holds up, the cruise lines don't have to offer significant advantages to semi-business travelers. More and more business people will need/want/desire some form of electronic communication during the "vacation" in order to stay competitive - or else they will stay home.

 

Personally, even if I had to work on vacation, which I do often enough anyway, I'd much rather do a couple hours of work each day rather than stay home and not get away at all.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens after April 1, but I will predict the following - the raise in prices to $0.75 per minute, the limiting of free access time and the lack of any improvement in overall service will result in a drastic reduction of on-board ship internet usage and because of it, we will see either a different internet cafe vendor within 6 months or a renegotiated contract, or both.

[Casshew]

I've been kicking around various response scenarios to the changes Princess will introduce to Platinum and Elite level internet access as of April 1st.

 

You have 5 countdowns to Princess cruises in your signature - if you are truly that unhappy why not cancel them all and write Princess as to why you are doing it?

 

Then cruise on another cruise line that gives you unlimited internet.... assuming one exists. :)

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

While I have heard all the reasons people need the Internet when on vacation I am simply amazed that Internet access is becoming a major if not the major decision making factor for some people when choosing a vacation style or a cruise line.:(

 

How did we all vacation 10 or more years ago before we had this perceived need to always be accessible. My suggestion would be that if you perceive yourself as being too indispensible at work or where ever to not be out of touch and end up spending an hour or two or more on the computer every day, then maybe this isn't the right time for you to be going on vacation or at least be at sea where access is very limited.

 

I agree SEATTLE!

 

Thanks for typing my exact thoughts for me so I wouldn't have to! :D

 

I just don't get it either.....

 

One of the best things about vacation FOR ME is GETTING AWAY from the darn computers! HAHA!

 

I don't want to cause a fuss or anything, but are these the same people who must leave their cell phones on during the shows too so they can be contacted??? That's for a different time and place...I know.... :eek:

[Charles4515]

It will be interesting to see what happens after April 1, but I will predict the following - the raise in prices to $0.75 per minute, the limiting of free access time and the lack of any improvement in overall service will result in a drastic reduction of on-board ship internet usage and because of it, we will see either a different internet cafe vendor within 6 months or a renegotiated contract, or both.

 

The .75 per minute rate has been charged by the same vendor on the other cruise lines prior to their contract with Princess and that did not stop them from contracting with Princess at that rate. After April 1 there will be a limit on free usage, that won't hurt the vendor. Princess is no worse than any of the other cruise lines for what they charge for internet access and they are still better for those with six or more cruises than the other cruise lines. None offer $75 or more free access to any level of cruise passenger.

 

The only way the cruise companies will be hurt is if people choose land vacations over cruises because of internet access rates. It is possible that could happen some day. I am sure that the cruise industry would make changes then. But don't expect any changes on Princess in six months. That is wishful thinking.

[Charles4515]

It always amazes me on this board how people like to "decide" what others should do or when someone else goes on vacation.....did you ever think that having internet access may allow someone to cruise more often or maybe prior to having access to the internet they weren't ever able to get away? Many of us who manage or own a business need to access the internet every few days or some may need to daily...why should anyone care?:D

 

I agree with you on that. If people want to spend time on the internet for whatever reason that is their business. Other people should not care how they use their time.

[spongerob]

That's been my point all along, Mike. If you absolutely need the service for business, and you have to pay, then expense it and be done with it. I personally don't care how much time anyone wants to spend on the computer, nor does it matter the reasons why. And now that there is cell phone service available from your cabin, it's just that much easier to stay in touch.

 

It's really a matter of competition. Some hotels started providing Wi-Fi for "free" (you're still paying for it, just those who don't use it subsidize those who do), any hotel that courts business travelers would have to follow suit. There is a different competitive model in cruising - so far, cruise lines aren't advertising themselves as a place to travel AND stay in touch with the home office.

[ccrain]

You have 5 countdowns to Princess cruises in your signature - if you are truly that unhappy why not cancel them all and write Princess as to why you are doing it?

 

Then cruise on another cruise line that gives you unlimited internet.... assuming one exists. :)

 

...I just want the best deal for my money. And extract as many freebies and bonuses as I possibly can in the process.

 

So far those five cruises are the best deal possible for my vacation dollars, even given the limited internet access. If that situation changes in the future, then so will the countdowns.

 

Its all part of being an active, aware and cost concious consumer.

 

Its a very simple calculation...

[ccrain]

The .75 per minute rate has been charged by the same vendor on the other cruise lines prior to their contract with Princess and that did not stop them from contracting with Princess at that rate. After April 1 there will be a limit on free usage, that won't hurt the vendor. Princess is no worse than any of the other cruise lines for what they charge for internet access and they are still better for those with six or more cruises than the other cruise lines. None offer $75 or more free access to any level of cruise passenger.

 

Did those other lines receive the same damning praise from the CC internet access review as Princess did? When the price was 0.35 per minute, CC questioned the value based on the quality of service.

 

At $0.75 a minute that disparity should be even larger if Princess has not upgraded the satellite linkage equipment and from current reports the quality, even with the new vendor, has not improved.

[ccrain]

While I have heard all the reasons people need the Internet when on vacation I am simply amazed that Internet access is becoming a major if not the major decision making factor for some people when choosing a vacation style or a cruise line.:(

 

How did we all vacation 10 or more years ago before we had this perceived need to always be accessible. My suggestion would be that if you perceive yourself as being too indispensible at work or where ever to not be out of touch and end up spending an hour or two or more on the computer every day, then maybe this isn't the right time for you to be going on vacation or at least be at sea where access is very limited.

 

Just look in the mirror and question your own approach nowadays to doing business or being a consumer.

 

Do you not require immediacy? Good customer service? Attention to detail?

 

Business has changed immensely in the past 10 years due to the information revolution and the globilization of the economy. That revolution has tipped the scale in favor of the larger businesses, with their larger staffs and purchasing power, and against the single or small business person.

 

For example, a lot of people rail against the "big box" stores and the death of the mom and pop corner store, yet they certainly like the prices of the "big box" and the 24/7 access. There's never a "gone fishing (or cruising)" sign on the big box store.

 

To compete, the small business person needs to a) work 24/7 and b) either vacation or die an early and painful death.

[Charles4515]

Did those other lines receive the same damning praise from the CC internet access review as Princess did? When the price was 0.35 per minute, CC questioned the value based on the quality of service.

 

At $0.75 a minute that disparity should be even larger if Princess has not upgraded the satellite linkage equipment and from current reports the quality, even with the new vendor, has not improved.

 

I don't know about the CC review but having been on over 25 cruises, and on 5 different cruise lines I can give my own interent access review.

 

Besides Princess I have used the internet on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, NCL and Carnival. I did not notice much difference. All current satellite internet service onboard ships has a lot of latency, and is slower than a home wired connection, all tending to run between 300 kbps and 450 bkps. Princess is no worse or better than any of the other lines I have used the internet on.

[ccrain]

It's really a matter of competition. Some hotels started providing Wi-Fi for "free" (you're still paying for it, just those who don't use it subsidize those who do), any hotel that courts business travelers would have to follow suit. There is a different competitive model in cruising - so far, cruise lines aren't advertising themselves as a place to travel AND stay in touch with the home office.

 

I have noticed a trend in the all-inclusives and resorts that DO advertise a place to relax AND stay in touch. This is probably because the competition in the resort arena is pretty intense.

 

Will cruising ever get there? Who knows. How many would have predicted full time cruising "condos" for retirement?

[ccrain]

I don't know about the CC review but having been on over 25 cruises, and on 5 different cruise lines I can give my own interent access review.

 

Besides Princess I have used the internet on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, NCL and Carnival. I did not notice much difference. All current satellite internet service onboard ships has a lot of latency, and is slower than a home wired connection, all tending to run between 300 kbps and 450 bkps. Princess is no worse or better than any of the other lines I have used the internet on.

 

 

Try this one:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseplanning/articles.cfm?ID=45

 

Princess Summary -

 

"Princess Cruises

 

Internet: Princess Cruises offers the cheapest rates at sea at its ships' Internet cafes -- 35 cents per minute. Alas, it also features one of the most excruciating and time-wasting connections at sea. So you don't really come out ahead and as a result of the frustration factor you actually come out behind. Wireless hotspots are available in public areas (though not in cabins) on all ships. The Sun Princess, Dawn Princess and Regal Princess have new Internet cafes; the number of terminals ranges from 8 to 26 depending on the ship.

 

Fees & Equipment: The aforementioned 35 cents per minute. One perk of its top tier frequent cruiser program is that those folks get free use of the Internet. Guests with laptops without wireless network cards can purchase a "Windows XP" compatible card onboard.

 

Cell Phones: Princess, so far, is one of the lone holdouts and offers no cell service."

[Casshew]

 

Its all part of being an active, aware and cost concious consumer.

 

Its a very simple calculation...

 

It remains that your boycott of the internet cafe may go unoticed by Princess whereas your cancellation of 5 cruises with a letter explaining why could be more effective.

[Charles4515]

Try this one:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseplanning/articles.cfm?ID=45

 

 

That is interesting but I prefer to go by my own experience which I just posted. The internet access on the five cruise lines I have been on is about the same. That includes nine times on Princess. Princess is not worse than the other cruise lines I have used the internet access on. They have all been about the same with the access on all those lines having ups and downs. On Royal Caribbean I have had to go to the pursers desk and request refunds. Never had to do that on Princess but I am sure others have. Satellite access is still bad across the board compared to wired like cable or DSL but hopefully it will improve in the future. Unfortunatly if we want internet access onboard we are stuck with the worst kind of access, through a satellite relay.

[Charles4515]

I have noticed a trend in the all-inclusives and resorts that DO advertise a place to relax AND stay in touch. This is probably because the competition in the resort arena is pretty intense.

 

Will cruising ever get there? Who knows. How many would have predicted full time cruising "condos" for retirement?

 

Probably an all inclusive or resort would be a better place for you to vacation for the type of internet access you require with your business. I spent a week at a Disney World Resort and for $9 a day they provided an excellent internet connection. Way better than you could get on any cruise line currently. a cruise vacation is not the best vacation for everyone.

[Pam in CA]

My wife and I are Elite, both under the former system and the current system of computing Captain's Circle status.

 

We both use the internet while aboard, but I don't feel the charges are out-of-line, nor do I plan to change my habits.

 

Like BDJAM above (and several others), if I go over, I will pay the surcharge. I don't consider it a big deal at all, and frankly don't understand all of the complaints - while I do understand some of them!

 

I think a boycott is an exercise in futility.

Hear! Hear! I agree completely.

[bjkTX]

But - if all the people getting free internet boycott and don't use it (the free minutes) and the paying folks keep paying (probably more since more computers will be available) - what does Princess lose and how does that teach Princess anything?

[Princess Patches]

The Princess is no worse than any of the other cruise lines for what they charge for internet access and they are still better for those with six or more cruises than the other cruise lines. None offer $75 or more free access to any level of cruise passenger.

 

Not true. Regent Seven Seas offers free unlimited internet access after just 21 sea days. Yes, I know they are a more expensive cruise line.

 

I guess I will be technically joining your boycott because I don't intend to buy any internet packages. I don't want the hassle of going to the Purser's desk to argue about charges due to the computer freezes that occur daily or checking with the Purser constantly to make sure I haven't gone over my minutes allotment. The internet usage just isn't worth 75 cents per minute to me. I think that is exorbitant. I can't imagine many people will use it at that price. I will just return to my pre-elite/platinum days and not use it at all. I can use the computer at the airport to print off my boarding pass.

 

As far as all of these implications that people aren't enjoying their vacations if they use the internet I think that is silly. Give me the hard working folks who can't forget about their responsibilities to work and family while on vacation any day over the folks drinking, gambling and sunbathing.

[Princess Chatterer]

Please boycott and free up the space. That way I don't have to stand in line so long outside the Internet Cafe.

[Charles4515]

Not true. Regent Seven Seas offers free unlimited internet access after just 21 sea days. Yes, I know they are a more expensive cruise line.

 

 

Regent is a luxury cruise line in a different class than the mainstream cruise lines we are discussing. But by all means take all your cruises on Regent if that access is your priority. And if your bill on Princess would come out to two or three thousand dollars a week for access that would certainly make up the difference between Regent fares and Princess fares.....

[Princess Patches]

Actually a friend of mine has sailed on Regent Seven Seas several times and paid less than the Princess fares. He travels solo and was charged only a 30% single supplement whereas Princess always charges him 100% single supplement. The first person fare was more than Princess, but his overall fare was on par with Princess. Any solo travelers interested in unlimited internet access should check out Regent Seven Seas.

[Charles4515]

Actually a friend of mine has sailed on Regent Seven Seas several times and paid less than the Princess fares. He travels solo and was charged only a 30% single supplement whereas Princess always charges him 100% single supplement. The first person fare was more than Princess, but his overall fare was on par with Princess. Any solo travelers interested in unlimited internet access should check out Regent Seven Seas.

 

Several of the luxury cruise lines charge a lower single supplement than the mainstream cruise lines. Kind of makes my point that Regent is in a different catagory than the mainstream lines. By all means those who want free unlimited interent access should check out Regent. Something tells me though that very few are going to end up booking Regent for that reason.........

 

........except maybe the fellow on another forum who bragged that he was using several thousand dollars worth of access every sailing.

[ccrain]

It remains that your boycott of the internet cafe may go unoticed by Princess whereas your cancellation of 5 cruises with a letter explaining why could be more effective.

 

With ships sailing full, a cancellation of 5 cruises would be pretty much unnoticed. Sort of like not shopping at Wal Mart.