Free Internet eliminated from all suites

[Matcodixon]

Fair and reasonable compromise..IMHO

 

1. Look at booking date. If booked when unlimited WiFi was in effect, Customer should get that benefit.

2. Award a suite with the same free minutes that an Elite or Platinum gets. If an Elite or Platinum books a suite, allow both allotments.

 

 

BTW Last November the Princess website list of benefits for Suite was unlimited free internet In Internet Cafe does not include free WiFi

[Gbeman]

Please do tell, Which of the 503 should be excluded?

[billco]

 

Dear Mr. XXXXX,

 

The most interesting thing about the e-mail they completely misspelled my last name.

So I guess the computer in Grand Suite is for show, plus a perk.

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That is interesting, since your last name doesn't seem that difficult. What letters did they get wrong?

[Husky61]

I thought the response by Princess was reasonable.:)

[caribill]

Please do tell, Which of the 503 should be excluded?

 

None, but it should not be promoted to suite passengers in a way that suggests it is dedicated just to them.

[caribill]

I thought the response by Princess was reasonable.:)

 

I think a more reasonable response would be instead of unlimited Internet suite passengers could have xxx free minutes based on the length of the cruise.

 

Lets face it, if they purchased those minutes, the band width would be used just as much as if they had xxx free minutes.

 

Princess does not seem to be concerned with band width restrictions as long as the suite passengers pay for their minutes.

[Gbeman]

None, but it should not be promoted to suite passengers in a way that suggests it is dedicated just to them.

 

Dear Sir... I must tell you I agree 100 %.

[Woobstr112G]

This is the response I have just received following my email to Alan Buckelew:

 

Dear Mrs. Ringenoldus,

 

We apologize for any disappointment. We do periodically review our

 

programs and determined that the benefit was not sustainable given the limited bandwidth available on the ship. Over the past few years we have increased suite benefits to offer new and innovative favorites such as the Sabatini's Suite Breakfast and dedicated line at the Passenger Services Desk. While we never want to remove benefits, we did recognize that the internet benefit could not continue and made this change at the end of June 2012. We have recently introduced new benefits, such as complimentary cover charges for a Speciality Dining Restaurant on embarkation day. We hope these suite benefits are enjoyed by our passengers booking the top accommodations.

 

We will shortly be in touch with passengers who booked a suite prior to the change and plan to use the internet onboard.

 

Regards,

 

Princess Cruises

 

Customer Relations Specialist

 

I'm awaiting contact from Princess. I'm interested to see what, if anything, I'll be offered. I'm pretty much resigned to not having the free internet that was described in the suite benifits when I booked my cruise last year and paid it off in March of this year. I'm still going on the cruise in March 2013, but I've changed my outlook on Princess. Sure I was upset when I found out about the change, but that's not the issue. The issue is the way it was done. No notification is extremely poor business practices and shows a lack of caring for the customer that keeps the company in business. I switched to Princess exclusively in 2008 and have done five cruises with them. Now I think after my two cruises next year, I probably will try X or HAL.

 

Bob

[trojangirl90066]

This is the response I received from an e-mail to customer service.

 

Dear Mr. XXXXX,

 

We apologize for any disappointment. We do periodically review our programs and determined that the benefit was not sustainable given the limited bandwidth available on the ship. Over the past few years we have increased suite benefits to offer new and innovative favorites such as the Sabatini's Suite Breakfast and dedicated line at the Passenger Services Desk. While we never want to remove benefits, we did recognize that the internet benefit could not continue and made this change at the end of June 2012. We have recently introduced new benefits, such as complimentary cover charges for a Speciality Dining Restaurant on embarkation day. We hope these suite benefits are enjoyed by our passengers booking the top accommodations.

We will shortly be in touch with passengers who booked a suite prior to the change and plan to use the internet onboard.

 

Regards,

Princess Cruises

Customer Relations Specialist

customerrelations@princesscruises.com

 

The most interesting thing about the e-mail they completely misspelled my last name.

 

So I guess the computer in Grand Suite is for show, plus a perk.

 

Of course it will be sustainable if you pay for it.

[azbirdmom]

"Princess Cruises We apologize for any disappointment caused by the removal of unlimited Internet access for our suite passengers effective the end of June. While we don't wish to take away existing benefits, the limitations on shipboard bandwidth prompted our decision. We do hope that the other suite amenities we've added, like the Sabatini's suite breakfast, dedicated line at the Passenger Services Desk and complimentary specialty restaurant dining on embarkation day, are enjoyed by our passengers booking the top accommodations. We will shortly be in touch with passengers who booked a suite prior to the change and plan to use the internet onboard."

20 minutes ago ·

 

I received the exact same response. Looks like this is the company line for now. I actually think a fair compromise would have been to keep this amenity for suite passengers who are paying in full but eliminate it for those who have been upgraded.

[WarEagle76]

Received same response. Responded by thanking them for their quick response (as spoke to them on Friday), was looking forward to hearing from them (at which time I'll let you know Husky61 if we thought it was reasonable), and told them to PLEASE remove the information under the FAQs, Onboard Experience, Stateroom that states complimentary internet access is still available (still there 5 minutes ago) and advise TAs of the change if they didn't communicate it to them today.

[robgvic]

In actuality, the internet use "costs" Princess almost nothing, but providing it free to suite passengers is a loss of additional revenue. I certainly hope that it will not be the next platinum and elite casualty.

 

I would equate it to airline baggage fees. They used to take the bags for free, it costs them almost nothing to send the bags with the passenger, but now there is additional revenue to be gleaned.

 

Have you ever compared the price of a call on a regular cell phone and one that uses a satellite? Satellite internet is not cheap. I guess Princess could increase the price of a suite but I can hear the screams now.

The same is true with airlines and baggage. They could increase the fare and give free baggage. I haven't heard of many airlines that are making great profits.

[Roses2]

After receiving the canned Princess response to our earlier query, we sent the following reply to Customer Relations:

 

Dear Customer Representative.

 

Being among those who booked and fully paid for a full suite well before your change in Internet access, we believe you have a contractual obligation to provide such service.

 

Since we both are Elite (and thus far you have not changed that benefit), the number of minutes provided is not at the crux of our objection. Our very strong objection is based on ethical business practice.

 

When we paid for our suite, the benefits including unlimited WiFi Internet access covered by our payment were plainly listed. To make an ex post facto change to the contract we each entered into, is not what we expect from Princess based our extensive cruising experience.

 

We believe in Princess and Carnival as well run ethical businesses. That is why we hold Carnival stock in our portfolios. We have absolutely no problem with Princess management making changes to our cruising benefits as good business decisions, as long as those changes are made overtly and not covertly and the benefits we pay for are those we get.

 

We would appreciate your providing our reply to any and all senior management officials at Princess.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I made our booking on 6/24, looks like I might have slipped in under the wire if some sort of change is made -- though I only put down the required deposit... STILL!

 

Time will tell!

 

Tom

[Cancun01]

"Bad business" is the best description of this situation It is not a matter of need or how much usage one expects, it is a matter of Princess creating an incentive to purchase their product and then dropping that incentive altogether.

 

I believe that this type of marketing is known as "bait and switch". In many places there are consumer laws against this sort of thing - not sure if it applies here.

[A&L_Ont]

 

Wondering what internet perks the other cruise lines have?

 

Just got back from Oasis and have been on her 3 times in the last year and there are no free Internet minutes for suite guests. Last week we were in the Royal Loft Suite and no freebies in that room.

 

I really missed the free laundry that Princess offers as well. I don't mind paying for Internet but the laundry was a wonderful perk.

[4cats4me]

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[4cats4me]

I can't believe how many problems this is causing. I wonder how many responders actually stay in suites.

Yes, Princess is removing some of the features but look how fuel costs have gone up and fares haven't even though they have the option to do it.

I have enjoyed the free internet in a suite but that was not my reason for takingn it.

 

Does it really matter? The point is, Princess once AGAIN for the umpteenth time this year is whittling away yet another amenity/perk/entitlement to which its customers are accustomed to, which begs the question, if they're taking away so much with very little in return, what incentive is there to continue to stay with the line?

And yes, I have stayed in full suites, but no, never used one minute of our Internet BENEFIT.

[DubbyLee]

Just got back from Oasis and have been on her 3 times in the last year and there are no free Internet minutes for suite guests. Last week we were in the Royal Loft Suite and no freebies in that room.

 

I really missed the free laundry that Princess offers as well. I don't mind paying for Internet but the laundry was a wonderful perk.

 

I agree. The laundry and Sabatini breakfast would probably be a deal breaker for us. The larger room and balcony are fabulous but those other things really help.

[4cats4me]

In all probability, many Elites have spent an awful lot more than you in your first suite on Princess to be able to get a 'limited' amount of free internet minutes. I also realise that a lot of Elites have got there by booking a majority of very short cruises in inside cabins. However, I do think if your suite has been booked and paid for under the old system, then Princess should not change your access to free unlimited internet but I also think that 'perks' should really come from loyalty to the Princess brand and by the number of days cruised, not the number of cruises.

 

 

One very popular cruiser who used to post on this board with 40,000 postings until she quit posting, was in the Grand Suite last year for a 28-day cruise to Tahiti. Most likely that cruise in a Grand Suite was at least $20,000? Maybe $30,000, So, if that had been her first cruise, $30K isn't enough to get a little benefit like the Internet in the Grand Suite? Really? I seriously doubt someone taking a bunch of 1, 2 or 3-day cruises with a 7 or 10-day cruise thrown it could compete with someone who puts out the REALLY big bucks. If you are willing to spend that kind of money for a nice palatial Grand Suite, then you should be entitled to some free Internet. Furthermore, it's pretty evident that Princess doesn't truly value its repeat customers anymore. It seems that lately, they are quite dismissive of them.:)

[DrivesLikeMario]

Just confirmed this directly through Princess. No grandfathering of prior bookings. It was eliminated on June 27th and the agent had no further information.

 

Don't worry though. You now get free welcome goodies from the chef on embarkation day. Good grief! :rolleyes:

 

That's the way they do things. It was the same when they cut out butlers for the full suites. The cruise the week prior to ours had them, ours didn't even though we booked 18 months in advance under that brochure that promised butlers. Oh well - we didn't miss him anyway.

[azbirdmom]

After receiving the canned Princess response to our earlier query, we sent the following reply to Customer Relations:

 

Dear Customer Representative.

 

Being among those who booked and fully paid for a full suite well before your change in Internet access, we believe you have a contractual obligation to provide such service.

 

Since we both are Elite (and thus far you have not changed that benefit), the number of minutes provided is not at the crux of our objection. Our very strong objection is based on ethical business practice.

 

When we paid for our suite, the benefits including unlimited WiFi Internet access covered by our payment were plainly listed. To make an ex post facto change to the contract we each entered into, is not what we expect from Princess based our extensive cruising experience.

 

We believe in Princess and Carnival as well run ethical businesses. That is why we hold Carnival stock in our portfolios. We have absolutely no problem with Princess management making changes to our cruising benefits as good business decisions, as long as those changes are made overtly and not covertly and the benefits we pay for are those we get.

 

We would appreciate your providing our reply to any and all senior management officials at Princess.

 

Well done, Roses2!

[Dorset Cruiser]

and I quite agree with you but the person you are referring to in no way represents a 'normal' suite cruise passenger. She pointed out, time and time again, that she would never travel in anything other than a suite and she was obviously well placed financially to travel in this manner. In any event she was probably Elite status and would have received her 'limited' free internet access. Many of the normal suite passengers that I read about on this site are lucky enough to be upgraded to a suite from, say, a mini-suite, and would probably never be able to actually book a suite themselves. Are you really telling me that someone who has had the good fortune to be upgraded to a suite would object to paying for internet access or that someone who can afford to spend $30,000 on a cruise is going to quibble over paying for internet access?

 

I am still of the opinion (and it is only MY opinion) that perks such as limited free internet should be reserved for those passengers who have shown brand loyalty by cruising for a certain number of days (not cruises) with a cruiseline.

 

Princess should, however, honour the booking conditions for people who have booked a suite expecting free internet and publish a firm cut-off date for this particular perk. In the current climate, I am sure this will not be the last cut they make.

[Coral]

and I quite agree with you but the person you are referring to in no way represents a 'normal' suite cruise passenger. She pointed out, time and time again, that she would never travel in anything other than a suite and she was obviously well placed financially to travel in this manner. In any event she was probably Elite status and would have received her 'limited' free internet access.

 

If it is who I am thinking of, she didn't always book a suite. On the cruise before the Tahiti cruise, she had booked a mini suite and then been upgraded to a suite. She had quite a few mini suites in her history. The Grand Suite on the Sapphire had been a dream for her.

[billco]

Furthermore, it's pretty evident that Princess doesn't truly value its repeat customers anymore. It seems that lately, they are quite dismissive of them.:)

I am very happy with Princess and plan to continue to cruise Princess exclusively. But, I can see why Princess might not value us as much as a younger couple with only only one or two cruises. The younger couple doesn't get any perks and spends more money on board. We don't dine in specialty restaurants. We don't use the spa services. We don't buy pictures. We don't buy drinks or wine. We don't buy soda cards. We don't attend art auctions. We don't use the casino or play bingo. We seldom exceed our OBCs. We buy few souvenirs. As long as Princess continues with most of the perks and treats us the same as everyone else, I'll be happy whether Princess values my patronage or not.