whitecap

If I made it known to 25% of my customers that I no longer cared about them, I would expect that my business would close within months. I truly believe that the current Princess management team is trying hard to convenience the younger family crowd to switch from RCCL. I also believe that the 25% of Princess cruisers haven't seen all the changes yet. There are more coming that will further disenfranchise loyal cruisers in hopes of getting the younger crowd, who they believe will produce higher profit, to cruise Princess. A quick influx of income makes the world believe that you are doing well. Smoke and mirrors.

Just read an interesting article about Disney. Seems the old, forced out CEO, has been brought back to run the company once again and has stated that he is looking for former executives to re-join the company. Mr. Padgett, please call him and let him know you want to come back to fantasy land and please take all your crazy ideas with you. Hey Jan, your old office is waiting for you!!! 😎 please come home.

I have found it interesting that some on the thread will side step direct questions or use phrasing that attempts to explain away a situation in an attempt to bolster Princess. For instance the "crew" gratuity. I and others have posted how the automatic gratuities goes into a pool that Princess decides how to distribute and to whom. Never has it been said that the "crew" doesn't get it. It has been pointed out that crew members on the ship you are on, may or may not be selected by Princess to receive the gratuities paid into the pool and that the gratuities are paid out "fleet wide". Of course, those that keep trying to explain this away have been asked point blank how they can confirm that the crew on the ship they are currently on received any of the gratuities but they refuse to answer that direct question. They also continue to try and convenience others that there has been no change in Elite benefits. Um, 250 FREE minutes now COST $105. Zero to $105 seems to me to be a pretty big change. As a cruiser, I pay for what I use, compensate for good service, have no issue with shaking a hand and thanking someone for their kindness. Oh well, to each their own.

Thanks voljeep. Never knew that button exists. Always great to learn something new.

This conversation was between Steelers36 and myself but you seem to have to add your unsolicited comment. You keep trying to convenience others to "pay into a pool" and if you and they decided that is how you want to do it, great, go for it. Stop trying to shame me and others for paying our gratuities in the fashion that we deem most appropriate for us. And please, please, don't respond to any of my post as we completely disagree with how Princess has conducted themselves and how they are treating loyal customers.

I can accept you example regarding Alfredo's but we certainly disagree about the gratuities.

Is the same going to hold true for the specialty burger at the Lido grill? I order a fancy burger and pay the $18 bucks, sit at a table with my DW, cut the burger in half and give half to her. Is someone going to come by and demand to charge my wife the $18 bucks as well? or half the $18 bucks? Maybe I'll just sit down with it, turn my head, have her walk by and take the half and keep walking. 😎

😂 It is so funny you would use that as an example: The answer is Yes. We stopped paying the gouging price stores began charging and instead our breakfasts was, cereal, waffles, pancakes and of course, no southern man would be without grits!!

Nailed It!! 🥳 Now, I sure hope you are wrong and that Princess will come to their senses and realize that it is the loyal customer, most of whom cruise several times a year, that keeps them in business and not a first time person who might then decided to cruise once every couple of years.

Thanks...I re-read and had DW read and maybe what your are saying is that Princess no longer feels a need to be loyal to those who don't want to participate in their package schemes. Am I close?

I hope that I am mis-understanding your post. You aren't saying that those who purchase inside cabins are less worthy of benefits, are you? Your not saying that those who spend an average of $5,500.00 to $6,000.00 per cruise fare are less worthy, are you? Only those that decide to spend more for expensive packages are the worthy ones? Maybe Princess should simply eliminate the Standard choice and make everyone purchase one of the packages. Don't want a package, can't book with Princess.

I'm not sure what "tactics to screw down the price and minimise onboard spending" means? If I don't want a photo package am I "screwing down the price"? If I don't drink enough alcohol or soda to justify a drink package, am I "screwing down the price"? Respect your opinion but not understanding you meaning.

Not complaining, just pointing out one of many changes that have taken place on that now, one way street.

Not too long ago, DW and I both being Elite, got 250 minutes each of internet for a 14 day cruise as a benefit for being loyal. 500 minutes was clearly enough for us to check email and keep up with family. Now however, those minutes are gone replaced with a cost of $105 for a 14 day cruise and this change was advertised as something special for Elite because it was half priced. Um, half of no charge is, that's right No Charge whereas $105 is a major increase.

These changes may not be "consequential" to some but are to others however, the big picture is all the changes that have taken place, as minor or major as they may be, each alone might not be consequential but together, may be the proverbial straw.

And because we are so fortunate to be able to cruise is why we, no matter which side of the isle you are on, are so passionate about this and other topics.

You are so right!! Pizza is available elsewhere; seafood is served every night in the buffet; specialty sandwiches at the IC. There are so many options to avoid the extra charges.

I truly respect your opinion but please remember, what is "marginal" to you may not be to others. And also please remember that these changes/add fees, are just another change being made by Princess in what appears to be them trying to mimic other cruise lines. I personally have been loyal to Princess because of their demonstrated loyalty to me, as a passenger. My opinion is that the loyalty street has quickly become a one way road and it makes me sad.

tawlaw1526; thank you for voicing your opinion and describing what these changes mean to you personally. There are those who feel these changes mean little and don't consider how they affect others. Thanks again.

If what you say is correct I would like to say this to those at Princess: STOP THE INSANITY!! Don't try to be like all the others, continue to be the BEST!

Suggestion Princessfan20; don't engage!! 😇

And I would encourage anyone who is still confused, upset, or feeling that Princess has become disloyal to do the same.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

I stopped reading after the first sentence. I stand by my opinion, it is my opinion and you don't have to agree. Your condescending first sentence serves no purpose and as for me, your attempts at sugar coating these changes simply fall on deaf ears. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend.

But the bigger point is not who the shareholder/military OBC change affected, it is that this is just another one of the benefits that Princess passengers did receive and now its gone. Also gone, internet, loyalty OBC, bathroom amenities, coffee card, cost to get medallion, and I'm sure there is more I just can't think of at the moment. All these reductions with all these added fees/charges just makes one wonder how far will they go. I have a suggestion for Princess: No one likes taking off the bandaid slowly; please rip it off, go ahead and add all the fees you can think of and to get you started how about a cover charge to go to the buffet, Lido pizza and the grill; cover charge for MUTS and those little ice cream cones don't come cheap, put them in a vending machine and charge a buck for each. Go ahead, make all the reductions you can, do it all at once, PLEASE! You know it is in the plans. It will sting for a moment, but it will certainly help me make my decision.