kywildcatfanone

I agree with this as one of those they would like to get rid of. We take 2 cruises a year, but rarely spend more than $2500-3000 in total for both. We book inside cabins most of the time, do not buy packages, or go to speciality dining anymore, and bring our own soft drinks and water on the ship at embarkation and ports. And we usually have enough OBC to cover tips and wifi. They would love to give my black medallion up for a blue one of someone who is on a first cruise, and is paying for the convenience of everything they offer. They would virtually double their money. They are certainly trying to push me out, and I do have one foot out the door, but I'm not gone yet.

I agree with you 100%. This should have had a start date, and everyone who bought packages prior to the announcement are grandfathered into the new benefits. None of these new things cost them that much money to provide good customer service to paid in full customers.

I will add that my hope is people will buy up all the packages they can. If they see the value in it, I'm all for it. I do hope also that because of that, the base cruise fares will remain relatively affordable. That would be a win/win to me.

Isn't that something you are going to have to pay for in the near future? What is your reasoning where they need to be if they are only gone 30 minutes. I can go to my room, the IC, Passenger services, lots of places and be back in 30 minutes. When I need to go to the bathroom, I go back to my cabin for example.

Cruise lines have learned that people will empty their pockets for anything perceived as "added value", without realizing some of those things were previously free that they now are paying a higher fee to enjoy. It's marketing.

Last I knew 30 minutes was the Princess policy, although I don't know if that is written anywhere. We are pool people (well, the wife is, so I do it too), and we are out there early and typically only leave to go to the bathroom, get something to eat, etc. I do agree people who put out towels and such early and then don't show up till noon are wrong. The deck hands really should figure out a way to track that at some level.

Agree I would suggest it needs to be 30 minutes. Most people can do whatever they need to do (bathroom, food, drink) in 30 minutes and get back to their chair. And you will be charged $5 everytime you sit down.

As has been mentioned by myself and many others in several threads, there have been significant loyalty benefits that have been changed or removed entirely. Can you just move on from this? If you are happy with the benefits reductions, be happy.

If you read the previous comments, it should be self explanatory. You can be gone for 30 minutes by default, but many people hold chairs for longer than that, hence the hours at a time comment.

We have our towels, and clips, and leave our bag with books and items on our chairs and table if we have one. Never had a problem, but we also aren't gone for hours at a time.

Princess has cut out almost all loyalty benefits. Loyalty is a thing of the past with Princess, and all cruise lines generally.

Because Princess is trying to get you to book via their phone operators, who will try vigorously from the Philippines to sell you package addons.

You will upset a lot of people with this comment. I think the general understanding is 30 minutes, but there are a lot of people who seem to think if you get up for anything you should take your possessions with you.

My understanding is that if you paid $50 for plus (which is now $60), you would have to pay $10/day to get the new benefits which include 2 meals at Alfredo's. Which is pretty terrible of them by the way. If you paid in full for benefits, and they change the price/benefits, should should still get what you paid for.

So is there going to be an adults only retreat area, or is that now just going to be an expanded sanctuary, since it seems the pool is inside the sanctuary proper?

No

It better be, or I will be visiting the PS desk.

We were told no, but you can take them and ask.

Usually around the 2 week mark to 10 days.

Yep. Princess is still cheaper than Celebrity both in booking prices and packages, but, to me, these package prices are way out of bounds. I can pay for tips and wifi (ouch itself on wifi cost), and bring on sodas and water and at least save quite a bit. If I may, I do have a Celebrity question from a regular Princess cruiser. I know you can bring on water and soda at embarkation and ports, but does Celebrity offer a bottled (aluminum can) water package itself of any kind? Princess let's you buy a 12 pack of bottles for $7, or a 1.5L bottle for $5 (plus gratuity of course) delivered to your room. At least in that scenario, I can buy a package of water and not have to buy it and bring it on board at embarkation, but does Celebrity offer anything similar?

Yep. These packages are ridiculous, and their handling of them are terrible.

That is such a ridiculously high price. It would be worth considering it if they included tips and wifi.

Yep. We have resigned ourselves to paying for our latte's even though it bugs me each time. Was such a simple benefit that cost them next to nothing to provide for a loyal cruiser.

Those "premium" desserts look disgusting.

Yes, that is quite eye opening that it isn't for the cruise you are on. That can be a bit bothersome to my line of thinking.