What being Elite saves

[Talisker92]

We just became Elite for this cruise-We are not bragging or anything- there are many CC'ers with more cruisers than we have done. I was curious so see what it was worth in $.

Combined with the Platinum perks, I came up with about $300!

I priced the minibar setup by the card in the room and that came up to about $75

We had done a land tour with Princess prior to the cruise, and the laundry we had done would have cost $85.

The Internet package was worth $100

The free canapes and tea were worth another $40.

My wife became Platinum this trip, and now she has her own Internet minutes!

[Astro Flyer]

We just became Elite for this cruise-We are not bragging or anything- there are many CC'ers with more cruisers than we have done. I was curious so see what it was worth in $.

Combined with the Platinum perks, I came up with about $300!

I priced the minibar setup by the card in the room and that came up to about $75

We had done a land tour with Princess prior to the cruise, and the laundry we had done would have cost $85.

The Internet package was worth $100

The free canapes and tea were worth another $40.

My wife became Platinum this trip, and now she has her own Internet minutes!

That's why they don't mind trading in the $75 minibar setup for a $25 bottle of wine. :p

 

For those like me who enjoy the free Princess Grapevine wine tasting, that's another benefit. Priority tendering is a nice benefit but it's only a savings in time. ;)

[windsor26]

You forgot to factor in the savings in luggage costs as you can bring less clothes with the free laundry perk The extra toiletries are also nice and save carrying too much in the flight luggage:)

[janina]

Being the shopper that I am remember that you also get 10% off at the boutiques onboard.;)

[PescadoAmarillo]

I look at the value a bit differently. I consider what I would have been willing to spend for those benefits, not what Princess values them at.

 

Minibar- $10 or so for bottles of water; $0 for everything else (we buy soda stickers)

Internet- if we had to pay, we would keep it to $25 per week

Laundry- on Princess, with self serve laundries, maybe $3 a day total ($0 on some days, maybe some cleaning on others)

Canapes- $10 a cruise for the chocolate covered strawberries; $0 for everything else

Tea in cabin- $0

Priority tendering- $10 each time

Captains Circle OBC- $25 per cruise

 

So, for us, the value is between $50 and $75 total (for 2 of us) per week. It's not enough to make us loyal Princess cruisers. What IS enough to frequently influence us toward Princess are all the combinable OBCs that we get, that, for the most part are available to people with only 1 previous cruise.

[Fletch1]

You forgot to factor in the savings in luggage costs as you can bring less clothes with the free laundry perk The extra toiletries are also nice and save carrying too much in the flight luggage:)

 

Hi Yvonne and Colin,

 

How was your India and South Africa cruise? We were booked on that cruise with you but had to cancel. We were actually in Fremantle when you sailed and we were on the side of the river as you sailed off into the sunset (literally) thinking of you guys.

 

Hope it was a good one.

 

Russell.

[caribill]

Captains Circle OBC- $25 per cruise

 

 

Not for all elites. Starts with 21st cruise.

[windsor26]

Hi Yvonne and Colin,

 

How was your India and South Africa cruise? We were booked on that cruise with you but had to cancel. We were actually in Fremantle when you sailed and we were on the side of the river as you sailed off into the sunset (literally) thinking of you guys.

 

Hope it was a good one.

 

Russell.

 

HI Russell It was fabulous Shame you missed it. The day tours were so good and worked out so cheap we were able to do all of them (12) for about $1100 for the two of us and that included the 2 safaris with meals, the two marvellous days stroking cheetahs and taking lions for a walk in the wild, as well as the elephant ride and show with meal in Penang. The day 48 of us took to the tuk-tuks in Goa was a hoot.! It is one of those cruises you will not forget. So many of our fellow cruisers are on this new cruise that it will be like home coming week.:):)

[1 HappyCruiser]

I look at the value a bit differently. I consider what I would have been willing to spend for those benefits, not what Princess values them at.

 

Minibar- $10 or so for bottles of water; $0 for everything else (we buy soda stickers)

Internet- if we had to pay, we would keep it to $25 per week

Laundry- on Princess, with self serve laundries, maybe $3 a day total ($0 on some days, maybe some cleaning on others)

Canapes- $10 a cruise for the chocolate covered strawberries; $0 for everything else

Tea in cabin- $0

Priority tendering- $10 each time

Captains Circle OBC- $25 per cruise

 

So, for us, the value is between $50 and $75 total (for 2 of us) per week. It's not enough to make us loyal Princess cruisers. What IS enough to frequently influence us toward Princess are all the combinable OBCs that we get, that, for the most part are available to people with only 1 previous cruise.

 

A much more realistic view of true value. :)

[Coral]

I look at the value a bit differently. I consider what I would have been willing to spend for those benefits, not what Princess values them at.

 

Minibar- $10 or so for bottles of water; $0 for everything else (we buy soda stickers)

Internet- if we had to pay, we would keep it to $25 per week

Laundry- on Princess, with self serve laundries, maybe $3 a day total ($0 on some days, maybe some cleaning on others)

Canapes- $10 a cruise for the chocolate covered strawberries; $0 for everything else

Tea in cabin- $0

Priority tendering- $10 each time

Captains Circle OBC- $25 per cruise

 

So, for us, the value is between $50 and $75 total (for 2 of us) per week. It's not enough to make us loyal Princess cruisers. What IS enough to frequently influence us toward Princess are all the combinable OBCs that we get, that, for the most part are available to people with only 1 previous cruise.

 

I tend to agree. I swap my liquor for bottled water which is worth about $5 if I bought it at the store (not buying in bulk like the cruise lines do).

 

Internet is vastly over priced. Heck, the company (maybe in-house) that used to take care of Princess's internet was far cheaper and more reliable. They only charged .35/minute and I have no doubts the costs have gone down in the past 5-10 years. Considering internet is pretty cheap to provide - they are raking in the profits on this. I know it is more expensive at sea but for what they are charging - it is ridiculous.

 

Canapes - this is hit or miss but most times we are not offered an Elite card and it is more work to track it down than it is to enjoy the canapés which are minimal.

[Pia1913]

Not for all elites. Starts with 21st cruise.

 

And ends at $100 after cruise #51.

[PescadoAmarillo]

And ends at $100 after cruise #51.

I'll hate it when that happens. If it happens. Please, oh please, let it happen!!

[Pia1913]

I'll hate it when that happens. If it happens. Please, oh please, let it happen!!

 

It'll happen. Your stats are pretty good thus far. Just stop playing musical cruise lines. ;)

[1 HappyCruiser]

And ends at $100 after cruise #51.

 

That $100 each cruise sure comes in handy. :D:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Pia1913]

That $100 each cruise sure comes in handy. :D:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

It doesn't sound like much, but anything extra definitely comes in handy. Especially when you get it on short cruises too.

[1 HappyCruiser]

It doesn't sound like much, but anything extra definitely comes in handy. Especially when you get it on short cruises too.

 

I know it like asking for ice water in hell but I really wish they would increase the upper level. It wouldn't kill them to give $150 for people over say 60 or 65 cruises. Not that most people would ever reach that level.

[Pia1913]

I know it like asking for ice water in hell but I really wish they would increase the upper level. It wouldn't kill them to give $150 for people over say 60 or 65 cruises. Not that most people would ever reach that level.

 

We still have a way to go, but we have friends you have more than 80 cruises, and that's how I know that $100 is THE END. I'm with you, but meanwhile I appreciate graduating from $75 to $100.

[Samcorl]

Actually, I believe the first estimate of value for Elite perks was more in line than some. For instance, if you are really comparing apples to apples, you should consider the "cost" of an amenity as it relates to other cruise lines, not your corner grocery store. I for one, consider the laundry and cleaning (and ironing) to be a huge benefit, and always take advantage of the service at least twice per cruise. The ironing of clothes (which I detest) is worth the price of admission all by itself. Also, although you can go to the dining room for tea,it really is lovely to have it in your stateroom. We've had tea in our balcony cabin and an inside cabin, and both times were very nice. As for the internet minutes, of course they are overpriced . . . anywhere. So, if you have access to $75, $150 or whatever, it is still worth that amount, regardless of how little you might use it. My husband and I have cruised with several other lines, but because of his Platinum and my Elite status, we tend to lean towards Princess.

[BridgeMates]

We love our elite perks, even if we don't use them all on every cruise, most especially the minibar setup, the laundry and the priority tender passes. To some people they might not amount to much, but try and take them away and we'll hear the screaming.....:D

[vickie_bernie]

what you are all missing the lovely extra toilitries you get :) priceless

 

I really like the afternoon tea in the cabin but would value it at $15 we usually have two friends over as it is just too much to enjoy for two. The tea quickly turns to wine though

 

10% off in the stores is nice

 

and the priority embarkation saves us time, two weeks ago it saved us about 40 min

 

laundry, well honey use to always do the laundry, and it probably costed us about $15 - $20 for a 20 day cruise using their machines. Now we bring less and they do it for us.

 

Drink special in elite lounge, probably breaks out even as we often get the discounted drink special but then again we are drinking more because it is a drink special :p

 

 

 

 

one thing I wanted to see is that we have been getting the loyalty credit of $25 per cabin for the past few sailings. This last cruise we did we each got the $25 -- has Princess changed their policy? I believe it should be each person who is sailing since we are both over 21 sailings. Or is this just a one off. Has anyone else gotten this?

 

Vickie

[Toto2Kansas]

one thing I wanted to see is that we have been getting the loyalty credit of $25 per cabin for the past few sailings. This last cruise we did we each got the $25 -- has Princess changed their policy? I believe it should be each person who is sailing since we are both over 21 sailings. Or is this just a one off. Has anyone else gotten this?

 

Vickie

We have never gotten it per person, it has always been per cabin.

This next cruise, we move up to $50 as it is our 33nd cruise credit. But it has never been given to us on a per person basis.

[Pia1913]

We have never gotten it per person, it has always been per cabin.

This next cruise, we move up to $50 as it is our 33nd cruise credit. But it has never been given to us on a per person basis.

 

Agree. It's per cabin. And we too are moving up this next cruise; it's #52 and we go from $75 to $100.

 

Vickie: If you got it PP.............shhhhhhhh. It was an error. ;)

[Times Prince]

Personally I don't try to put a monetary value on the Elite perks. We tend to think more in terms of "now we can send laundry out, saving some room in our luggage" or how we enjoyed that free mixed drink or soda before dinner with the canapes we would never have gotten otherwise. The extra bath items are nice too.

 

Express check-in has always been a value starting with Platinum as we dislike lines, and although we haven't had a tendering port since we became Elite, we've been on cruises where early tendering meant getting ashore at all for that port.

 

There's such a thing as looking a gift horse in the mouth. No matter what the cruise line's cost for an item or even if we will be using it, it is really nice to be appreciated a little more for our return business.

 

Thanks, Princess.

[vickie_bernie]

:)

We have never gotten it per person, it has always been per cabin.

This next cruise, we move up to $50 as it is our 33nd cruise credit. But it has never been given to us on a per person basis.

 

Agree. It's per cabin. And we too are moving up this next cruise; it's #52 and we go from $75 to $100.

 

Vickie: If you got it PP.............shhhhhhhh. It was an error. ;)

 

yeah we were surprised it was per person, and was hoping that Princess changed their policy. Oh well it didn't last long anyways :)

 

one perk we like is the new elite line up at the Purser's desk even though we often get "looks" from others - but I like to think we only paid $50,000 for this priveledge.

 

Vickie

[caribill]

:)

 

 

 

 

one perk we like is the new elite line up at the Purser's desk even though we often get "looks" from others - but I like to think we only paid $50,000 for this priveledge.

 

 

 

Sometimes that is a good perk, other times it is not.

 

If the person handling the elite line is working on a time-consuming problem, the regular line will move much faster than the elite line.