What is upsetting me about the changes? The way it was implemented without thinking and/or managing the impacts. Yes, cruises paid in full should have been grandfathered. But also, these items should have been taken in consideration:
1. Same number of included dining no matter the number of days of the cruise makes no sense.
2. Maybe allocate the number of dining credit the same way as the free mini bar set-up. One for each segment (no matter how the cruises were booked)
3. How to retain a valuable benefit for Elite cruisers (loyalty is still valued in the tourism industry; air line, hotels etc.).
4. How to continue to make suite client feel « special ». What is the benefit of free happy hour for exemple when you have a package? Should they really pay for room service if they dont have a package?
5. Insure that cruisers can take advantage of the services they are now paying for as part of their package. We are currently on the Diamond. Was able to place an order with my medallion only once. Always a problem with location. Before I would have been ok with it. Now that Princess is telling me I paid $14 for the service through my package, I am upset to have to get up to get my drink. On the Diamond, there is only 1 casual dining venue. Before August 12th, you had to pay to eat at the Sushi restaurant. Now, a lot of cruisers got told they paid for it as part of their package. They want to take advantage of it. Now, if you want to eat there, who have to wait in line a minimum of 45 minutes. If you prefer lunch in the dining room, expect to wait up to 30 minutes. Is it because you have to pay for room service? I dont know but it is unacceptable. This is cruise 30 for us with Princess and I never experience something like this.
It is not the fault of the staff. They are great in the circonstances. But you can tell they are feeling bad about how this is impacting the clients.
Maybe somewhere in the Finance department they thought about all of this and said the hell with it. The 80% rule. Time will tell is this is good or bad for the business. Many of us older cruiser that travel during the shoulder season, take long cruises or take advantage of last minute deals that allow the ship to cruise full are not important for the corporation. This is ok with me. We are also a group with a lot of flexibility on how we spend our travel $$$.
I am not saying I wont travel with Princess anymore. But I will decide if it makes sense for me while taking in consideration these changes. Right now, other way of travel sound a lot more attractive than before. But we just book a 21 days repositioning cruises for this October, including the Premier package. Why? Because Princess is making us a great deal. So I guess, somewhere at head office, someone still wants our business!