Erosion on Elite Benefits?

[AE_Collector]

(Sorry, darned 20 minute editing timer got me)

 

They could probably keep it real simple and change to only half a credit for anything less than 1 week but there will be endless complaints no matter what they do. If they learn anything from how Celebrity implemented the change, they should give a minimum of 90 days notice of any upcoming reduction in cruise credits so that anyone who has passed the final payment date on an upcoming cruise doesn't learn that they will not receive the credit that they thought they would when they paid. As long as someone is still free to cancel without any financial penalty if they are annoyed enough with the changes then the cruise line doesn't owe them anything.

 

In our case with Celebrity, the change happened while we were actually on a cruise and when we disembarked we received about half the credit that we thought we would for the trip. That just isn't the way to earn a customers loyalty and they have decided to not bend the new rules for anyone no matter what the circumstance so it is grin and bear it. Or in our case, return to Princess booking a B2B2B making it to Elite in the process.

 

Terry

[caribill]

I agree with the fact that Princess might change their loyalty programs. I was looking at X's new program and I like some of the changes. It would be interesting to see what Princess might come up with should they decide to make some changes.....

 

 

Be careful what you ask for. They may add additional higher levels and move some of the perks platinum and elite currently enjoy to only be with the higher levels.

[chamima]

Be careful what you ask for. They may add additional higher levels and move some of the perks platinum and elite currently enjoy to only be with the higher levels.

 

As badly as Celebrity handled their changeover, they still didn't take away any benefits from anyone that had already reached any level. They just made it harder to reach the next level.

[Grego]

I agree completely. This has happened to me a couple of cruises when there were so many Platinum and Elite (over 1,300 on one cruise) that you couldn't find a seat until the early seating people left. With all the new Platinum/Elite due to the short cruises, it's going to get even more difficult to find a room big enough.

 

The opportunity for cruisers to attain Elite status by jumping on a bunch of 3 day voyages to reach a total of 15 is the biggest gripe I have with the program. It really isn't fair to those of us that have invested a lot more in time and expense to achieve a loyalty level with Princess to have those "diluted" members get that status. Princess should have seen this coming when they started the short itineraries on the coast and create a new higher level based upon days as a priority. Just sayin'.

[azdmelani]

The bag is canvas, beige and blue with a small seawitch repeated pattern. Only available in the suites.

 

I was traveling with people who were in a suite last month, and the cabin steward gave me (solo in an inside cabin) the canvas bag. I LOVE it and used it this past week on the Crown.

 

I am 3 cruises away from elite and am considering doing a 3 day cruise solo to get make elite after my Grand Med cruise later this year.

[azdmelani]

The opportunity for cruisers to attain Elite status by jumping on a bunch of 3 day voyages to reach a total of 15 is the biggest gripe I have with the program. It really isn't fair to those of us that have invested a lot more in time and expense to achieve a loyalty level with Princess to have those "diluted" members get that status. Princess should have seen this coming when they started the short itineraries on the coast and create a new higher level based upon days as a priority. Just sayin'.

 

The opposite is also true, if you take a number of longer cruises, you're able to take advantage of the 150 days versus 15 cruises to make Elite. The loyalty program was redesigned to make it "fair" for everyone.

[Coral]

delete

Edited January 26, 2014 by Coral

[Ethel5]

The opposite is also true, if you take a number of longer cruises, you're able to take advantage of the 150 days versus 15 cruises to make Elite. The loyalty program was redesigned to make it "fair" for everyone.

 

Five three night cruises do not come close to paying for 150 cruise days. The system is not fair. They should go back to counting days only. Now there are so many Elites that it is messing up the system. Preferred tendering has become a mess and on the royal, the laundry situation was unacceptable.

[geoherb]

I'm still confused by Celebrity's switch to its loyalty program. I always list X as one of the cruise lines I look at before booking a cruise, but lately we've booked all our cruises on Carnival Corp. brands. The OBC for being a stockholder is great. And when we sail on Princess, getting the free Internet minutes is great. One more cruise at Platinum before we're Elite. The 4-night back-to-back cruises on the Ruby are helping us get there a little bit quicker. I was tempted to try to take another shorty on the Ruby to get to Elite before our next longer cruise. The dates have not worked out.

[Waimea'sMom]

It doesn't bother me how people attain their Elite benefits (be it through days or sailings) since that is the way the system has been set up. What does irritate me is that there is no benefit beyond Elite.

 

I've done 31 cruises with Princess and have over 300 days, and other than the token additional OBC they offer each sailing there is nothing to reward loyal passengers above fifteen sailings.

 

Heck, since Platinum gets internet and the Elite lounge too, their really is no difference from Platinum on that score.

 

I wish they would institute some type of level above Elite -- at 30 or 40 or 50 cruises, whatever they wish. They could offer a free specialty dinner, or breakfast in Sabatinis or dare I wish, double the internet minutes. But having the same number of internet minutes as my spouse (who has six completed sailings) seems crazy to me.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Waimea'sMom

[swedish weave]

Wouldn't it be fun to be the Princess employee who is responsible for the loyalty programs and trying to please everyone ???????

[Pia1913]

It doesn't bother me how people attain their Elite benefits (be it through days or sailings) since that is the way the system has been set up. What does irritate me is that there is no benefit beyond Elite.

 

I've done 31 cruises with Princess and have over 300 days' date=' and other than the token additional OBC they offer each sailing there is nothing to reward loyal passengers above fifteen sailings.[/b']

 

Heck, since Platinum gets internet and the Elite lounge too, their really is no difference from Platinum on that score.

 

I wish they would institute some type of level above Elite -- at 30 or 40 or 50 cruises, whatever they wish. They could offer a free specialty dinner, or breakfast in Sabatinis or dare I wish, double the internet minutes. But having the same number of internet minutes as my spouse (who has six completed sailings) seems crazy to me.

 

What should I say? I have more than double your numbers in both catagories.

 

As for specialty dining, they have now started to give breakfast at Sabatini's on the 50th cruise. It wasn't in effect when we reached that number, so the next one will be at #75. I will post it if/when it happens.

[Phyljim]

 

As for specialty dining, they have now started to give breakfast at Sabatini's on the 50th cruise. It wasn't in effect when we reached that number, so the next one will be at #75. I will post it if/when it happens.

 

???Pia, our 50th cruise was our NY's cruise just past. We were not offered breakfast at Sabatini's. ??:( Altho they made the cruise a special event for us, lots of nice perks, breakfast at Sabatini's would have really been nice. We could have gained even more pounds.

 

Enjoyed meeting you on the Ruby shorty in January.

[earljr]

Five three night cruises do not come close to paying for 150 cruise days. The system is not fair. They should go back to counting days only. Now there are so many Elites that it is messing up the system. Preferred tendering has become a mess and on the royal, the laundry situation was unacceptable.

 

Spot on-- as they say:)

[Pia1913]

???Pia, our 50th cruise was our NY's cruise just past. We were not offered breakfast at Sabatini's. ??:( Altho they made the cruise a special event for us, lots of nice perks, breakfast at Sabatini's would have really been nice. We could have gained even more pounds.

 

Enjoyed meeting you on the Ruby shorty in January.

 

Hi Phyl and Jim: nice meeting you too. I was told it happened at #50, but I don't know of anyone who got it. Besides Sabatini's you're supposed to get flowers and maybe bottle of wine too. The person who told me was on their 75th and they were getting it on that particular cruise. So I will definitely tell all on my 75th if we get it. Soon. ;)

[Phyljim]

Hi Phyl and Jim: nice meeting you too. I was told it happened at #50, but I don't know of anyone who got it. Besides Sabatini's you're supposed to get flowers and maybe bottle of wine too. The person who told me was on their 75th and they were getting it on that particular cruise. So I will definitely tell all on my 75th if we get it. Soon. ;)

 

We did get flowers, phone call from the "majors" on ship. bottle of Champaign-which we do not care for at all-traded for two bottles of nice chardonnay, tuxedo strawberries, and private tour of the bridge. Yes, your 75th is very, very soon. Will watch for your 'tell all'. We also received a nice card congratulating us on our 50th.

[Pia1913]

We did get flowers, phone call from the "majors" on ship. bottle of Champaign-which we do not care for at all-traded for two bottles of nice chardonnay, tuxedo strawberries, and private tour of the bridge. Yes, your 75th is very, very soon. Will watch for your 'tell all'. We also received a nice card congratulating us on our 50th.

 

I guess you did #50 recently, because there was nothing special when we reached that plateau. Did you get Sabatini's too?

[Phyljim]

I guess you did #50 recently, because there was nothing special when we reached that plateau. Did you get Sabatini's too?

 

???Pia, our 50th cruise was our NY's cruise just past. We were not offered breakfast at Sabatini's. ?? Altho they made the cruise a special event for us, lots of nice perks, breakfast at Sabatini's would have really been nice. We could have gained even more pounds.

 

Enjoyed meeting you on the Ruby shorty in January. __________________

As I said earlier, No we did not get Sabatini's.:( Yes, very recent, we were on the Emerald for Christmas and NewYears, then ship hopped over to the Ruby for the free shortys.

 

After 34 days at sea we are now home facing reality. No suites, room stewards, laundry service and all those other special things.

[avcruz]

Poster said he was in a suite.

 

 

I don't see anywhere in the OP's original post that he says he was in a suite???

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[shepp]

What should I say? I have more than double your numbers in both catagories.

 

If there were any justice, they'd name the next ship for you.

 

The Pia Princess. Hmmm. Has a nice ring. ;)

Edited January 27, 2014 by shepp

[shepp]

The opposite is also true, if you take a number of longer cruises, you're able to take advantage of the 150 days versus 15 cruises to make Elite. The loyalty program was redesigned to make it "fair" for everyone.

 

I'm not sure what's "fair" about making 45 days equivalent to 150 days. Perhaps you could explain?

Edited January 27, 2014 by shepp

[Pia1913]

If there were any justice, they'd name the next ship for you.

 

The Pia Princess. Hmmm. Has a nice ring. ;)

 

Oh hush! :D Actually, I'd like to create a trivia or two. :rolleyes:

[By The Bay]

Has Princess been to successful with their loyalty programme?

 

The people doing the short cruises to attain status quickly are not complaining. ;)

 

Princess made the rules and need to adapt to the increase in Platinum and Elite passengers by providing more resources and different procedures to keep everybody happy. Happy Princess circle members will tell their friends and will continue to cruise with Princess. :)

 

Change a successful programme and you will lose some future passengers.:mad:

 

Standing by for incoming with port and cheese at the ready.:D

[Wehwalt]

Five three night cruises do not come close to paying for 150 cruise days. The system is not fair. They should go back to counting days only. Now there are so many Elites that it is messing up the system. Preferred tendering has become a mess and on the royal, the laundry situation was unacceptable.

 

Five three night cruises would have to be alone in a suite to get you elite. I got elite on 76 nights, and I took PVSA cruises to make it there. However, even if I granted your proposition, I would not feel guilty as I paid for 152 nights as every one of them was solo.

 

There is no ideal solution. People pay hugely varying fares depending on where they choose to rest their heads onboard, and Princess has to make sense of that somehow. Given that all we get are a few perks of slight monetary value, and must pay fair sums of money to board ships to get those (we don't even get a car rental discount), I think it's reasonably fair. Oh, you get a pin, I hear, I never got mine. I think they go for five bucks on eBay.

 

Princess wants people who are willing to spend fair sums of money on them on a fairly regular basis. There are many staterooms in my cruise line's megaship, and many paths to get there. What counts is that they are willing to spend the money in future, because you have nothing but the pin when you are not on the ship.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Wehwalt

[chamima]

It doesn't bother me how people attain their Elite benefits (be it through days or sailings) since that is the way the system has been set up. What does irritate me is that there is no benefit beyond Elite.

 

I've done 31 cruises with Princess and have over 300 days' date=' and other than the token additional OBC they offer each sailing there is nothing to reward loyal passengers above fifteen sailings.

 

Heck, since Platinum gets internet and the Elite lounge too, their really is no difference from Platinum on that score.

 

I wish they would institute some type of level above Elite -- at 30 or 40 or 50 cruises, whatever they wish. They could offer a free specialty dinner, or breakfast in Sabatinis or dare I wish, double the internet minutes. But having the same number of internet minutes as my spouse (who has six completed sailings) seems crazy to me.[/quote']

 

 

 

 

We've "only" sailed with Princess 27 times and have only 230 sea days but I happen to think the benefits we get as Elite are awesome.

There's no comparison to what we get on Celebrity.

I'll list-- free laundry and dry cleaning vs. one bag of laundry and one dry cleaning item, generous internet (depending on cruise length, usually 150 or so minutes) vs. 90 minutes no matter the length of the cruise, priority tendering the same, cabin liquor set-up that we can drink when we want vs. 2 hour cocktail party that can interfere with your schedule (but to be fair it is free drinks for those 2 hours) .

We choose each cruise for where we want to go and which ship sails there. The loyalty benefits are a really nice addition, like icing on a good cake .

Maybe after another 27 cruises the benefits will get old but for now I'm really happy and grateful to get what we do get.

Edited January 27, 2014 by chamima