Suite internet fee soon?

[donna5]

Yesterday I signed in once in twice, today signed in this morning and when I signed in it said "as a suite passenger you have unlimited internet, you will be charge a $3.95 access fee." I called down to Internet cafe and was told "you are probably seeing a new page, don't worry you won't be charged but that is in the future. So now they are going to charge you for something that is suppose to be free:eek:! I wonder if you are just signing in as elite what they are seeing, If I hear I will post later. I'll also watch my account.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I didn't see the charge on the Emerald last two cruises...Nov 8 & 18.

[Loonbeam]

It wouldn't surprise me if that was to occur. Depending on the software they use, they may pay the provider per license per trip as well as usage. $3.95 per trip is still a better deal than the internet package.

 

Yesterday I signed in once in twice, today signed in this morning and when I signed in it said "as a suite passenger you have unlimited internet, you will be charge a $3.95 access fee." I called down to Internet cafe and was told "you are probably seeing a new page, don't worry you won't be charged but that is in the future. So now they are going to charge you for something that is suppose to be free:eek:! I wonder if you are just signing in as elite what they are seeing, If I hear I will post later. I'll also watch my account.

[2little time]

It wouldn't surprise me if that was to occur. Depending on the software they use, they may pay the provider per license per trip as well as usage. $3.95 per trip is still a better deal than the internet package.

While I agree with you Loonbeam it seems as though the "free" perks for suites are getting smaller. After hearing about all the VIP's getting access to Sabatini's for breakfast and now a possible connect fee I wonder what will be next.:confused:

[A&L_Ont]

After hearing about all the VIP's getting access to Sabatini's for breakfast and now a possible connect fee I wonder what will be next.:confused:

 

I missed this one... please explain as we are suite lovers and I am wondering who all the VIPs are.

 

Thank-you,

Andrew

[compozer]

It really does seem like the suite perks AREN'T that special anymore. Elites already get most of them and since there seem to be more or more elites on every cruise, the suite people aren't being treated that special anymore. And why would an elite even pay the extra money for a suite? - they already get the same perks. Do they get a discount when booking the suite? - NO! There are many ways Princess could give out some FREE perks to suites. We had a thread about this a while back and many neat ideas came out of it. I'd like to see a check in line just for suites. If no suite people are in line, then they can pull out the next person in the adjacent elite line. That won't cost anything extra and there really aren't that many suites on each ship so it won't really hold the other people up.

 

I know most people who do not book suites could care less.

[paul929207]

I would think that if they put in the fee for suite passengers, platinum and elite passengers would also get hit.

[dbeckett]

The $3.95 connection fee has been mentioned for a while but not charged to suite (or elite) passengers.

[RickEk]

Maybe the fee will only be for suite passengers who are NOT Platinum/Elite... :)

[scmexico]

The staff that operates the internet cafe and wireless internet are not Princess Employees. They are subcontractors.

[hmh60]

Had the same thing logging in. We were in a suite and this came up but we were never charged the 3.95. It seems like they are always doing something screwy with the Internet.

[weaselwatchr]

We just got back two weeks ago and were in a suite on the Star. It said the same thing the first time we logged in, but were never charged.

[hmh60]

While I agree with you Loonbeam it seems as though the "free" perks for suites are getting smaller. After hearing about all the VIP's getting access to Sabatini's for breakfast and now a possible connect fee I wonder what will be next.:confused:

 

VIP's in Sabatini's has been going on for quite a while. Usually there aren't very many of them. We are just off the Ruby and Sabatini's was wonderful. We were in a suite and not VIPs.

[tjcox9]

Okay, gotta ask. What constitutes being a VIP on Princess??

[chamima]

Either last year (or two years ago, not sure) I didn't sign up for the internet until the second or third day of the cruise. We're Elite, not in a suite, but they charged me the 3.95.

My husband signed up the first day and was NOT charged.

So it looks as if this charge is slightly arbitrary.

It didn't seem worth it to go argue for the $4 - maybe I should have....... :confused:

[StillPooh]

I didn't even know about the suite perks when we booked. I just wanted a bathtub and a bigger cabin! :D

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

VIPS appear to be from a number of groups,

 

Investors in Carnival I assume at a very high level

 

Travel agent or cruise industry important people

 

Folks that lose a lot in the casino

 

Friends ? family of senior crew

 

have never seen more than dozen on a ship at any one time

 

got a VIP badge when I visited a ship in port but that was just for the day

 

yours shogun

[BarbaraP]

When we were on the Sapphire last month we saw a sign in the Internet Cafe saying that internet service is now available in cabins. "Please enquire at the internet desk to see if your cabin has service."

Can anyone tell me if internet service is available in mini suites on the upgraded ships? I didn't have my laptop so I forgot to check before we got off the ship.

Thanx for the info, Barb:confused:

[srphnx]

Yes, you will have wifi in nearly all cabins, you will log in and off like you do at a hotel. If you are platinum or elite you can apply your credits to wifi as well, that is a somewhat recent change from the old days.

[jeromep]

This thread seems to have morphed a bit, to cover the erosion of suite perks. I'm not so sure I'd be that bothered if Princess wanted to charge $3.95 as a one-time access charge for unlimited internet. That is a bargain, assuming that it is a once-a-voyage fee. If it were daily, well it would still be less expensive than what plenty of hotels charge, but I'd start getting annoyed at that, especially after paying the price for a suite.

 

In the end I still see booking a Suite as a pretty good value, especially on longer itineraries. The free laundry service is quite valuable and Sabatini's for breakfast is very nice.

 

As for Princess Elite passengers, that number is going to continue to expand and not contract. I'm not elite, but I anticipate that at the rate we cruise in about 10 years my wife and I should be and we are both pretty young. We all know that elite passengers get a lot of suite-like perks. I know a couple of elites who almost never book suites, but certainly do use their elite privileges.

[donna5]

Maybe the fee will only be for suite passengers who are NOT Platinum/Elite... :)

 

We are elite and in a suite. I asked a couple in the I.C. last night , they were elite, and it was also showing up when they signed in. They too said they wouldn't be charged. Well when I get our next shipboard print out we'll see if we are charged.

[hmh60]

This thread seems to have morphed a bit, to cover the erosion of suite perks. I'm not so sure I'd be that bothered if Princess wanted to charge $3.95 as a one-time access charge for unlimited internet. That is a bargain, assuming that it is a once-a-voyage fee. If it were daily, well it would still be less expensive than what plenty of hotels charge, but I'd start getting annoyed at that, especially after paying the price for a suite.

 

In the end I still see booking a Suite as a pretty good value, especially on longer itineraries. The free laundry service is quite valuable and Sabatini's for breakfast is very nice.

 

As for Princess Elite passengers, that number is going to continue to expand and not contract. I'm not elite, but I anticipate that at the rate we cruise in about 10 years my wife and I should be and we are both pretty young. We all know that elite passengers get a lot of suite-like perks. I know a couple of elites who almost never book suites, but certainly do use their elite privileges.

I would't mind a one time charge, but it came up every time you logged in.

[kraken]

I only book full suites otherwise I don't go. The perks that Princess gives to the full suites are much more than any other cruise line out there. For example, I don't know of any other cruise line that provides complimentary internet for their suite passengers as well as breakfast in their specialty restaurant. Free internet is a big thing for me as I do need to stay in contact with my business. If Princess takes that away, I'll be looking at other cruise lines. Plus, if you book a full suite you get credit for two cruises making your achievement of elite status happen much quicker.

[compozer]

I only book full suites otherwise I don't go. The perks that Princess gives to the full suites are much more than any other cruise line out there. For example, I don't know of any other cruise line that provides complimentary internet for their suite passengers as well as breakfast in their specialty restaurant. Free internet is a big thing for me as I do need to stay in contact with my business. If Princess takes that away, I'll be looking at other cruise lines. Plus, if you book a full suite you get credit for two cruises making your achievement of elite status happen much quicker.

 

 

But if you only book suites, what are the advantages of becoming Elite? an extra bar setup? We also have started to only book suites.

[RickEk]

This thread seems to have morphed a bit, to cover the erosion of suite perks. I'm not so sure I'd be that bothered if Princess wanted to charge $3.95 as a one-time access charge for unlimited internet. That is a bargain, assuming that it is a once-a-voyage fee. If it were daily, well it would still be less expensive than what plenty of hotels charge, but I'd start getting annoyed at that, especially after paying the price for a suite.

 

In the end I still see booking a Suite as a pretty good value, especially on longer itineraries. The free laundry service is quite valuable and Sabatini's for breakfast is very nice.

 

As for Princess Elite passengers, that number is going to continue to expand and not contract. I'm not elite, but I anticipate that at the rate we cruise in about 10 years my wife and I should be and we are both pretty young. We all know that elite passengers get a lot of suite-like perks. I know a couple of elites who almost never book suites, but certainly do use their elite privileges.

 

My thoughts exactly... it's only $3.95. Chump change for someone who has booked a suite. :rolleyes:

 

I only book full suites otherwise I don't go. The perks that Princess gives to the full suites are much more than any other cruise line out there. For example, I don't know of any other cruise line that provides complimentary internet for their suite passengers as well as breakfast in their specialty restaurant. Free internet is a big thing for me as I do need to stay in contact with my business. If Princess takes that away, I'll be looking at other cruise lines. Plus, if you book a full suite you get credit for two cruises making your achievement of elite status happen much quicker.

 

Again... it sounds like it's a one-time $3.95 access fee... no worries!