So many elites, I pretended to be blue

[#1winelover]

Because Princess already gives so much for Elite that there isn't much they could add!

I think the value of what we get between Princess and Celebrity isn't even close. Even the new Elite Plus on Celebrity doesn't touch Princess Elite for us.

 

Karen! You have always posted great advice ever since I read your first post back in 2013. I think it may have been the Royal Trans-Atlantic...not sure. But I'm glad to see that you are consistent in that value-added approach! thank you! :)

[#1winelover]

I believe they've mostly discontinued the tickets entirely, so your black card just lets you go down to the tender area and WAIT in line until it becomes available. No, it doesn't put you ahead of the others, but too many feel entitlement. On one of our recent cruises we went down to the tender area and got in line. My husband was using a cane and someone said we should go ahead and up front. I didn't want to do that, but it would have been harder to argue than to do it. I appreciated the offer, but it really wasn't necessary.

PIA!!! I've missed your posts! But I guess I'm not following the same threads that your are on! I'm booked on the 11/6 and 11/9 Regal Princess this year and cannot wait. Are you planning anything on her?? I just figured you would be on the TA as you were on the Royal!

 

Hope all is well with you!

[#1winelover]

[/b]

 

This is not correct.

 

And that's all you have to say????? Qualify your statement with facts and data, or just don't make the statement. I for one am curious as to what the REAL facts are about this "new" way of qualifying frequent floaters may be!! :confused:

[#1winelover]

Just wondering, how many elites out there wear their elite captain circle pins when cruising? That's a lot worse than wearing your elite card around your neck. I don't like to brag, I'd rather be low keyed, just my view.

 

Ken! Agreed! My pin, whatever it might be (Elite now), stays affixed to my suit jacket. Soooo, if I am NOT wearing said suit, it will not be seen, just like the Royal cruise we shared in November! I didn't even wear my suit at all on that b2b cruise! :eek: Too many other great places to eat!! You probably won't see much of that pin this November either!! :D

[#1winelover]

I actually get a little embarrassed when someone asks if this is our first cruise. First answer we give is a simple, "no" but if pressed we do tell the truth. A lot of people don't believe us.

 

WOW! I am surprised that you can still walk on dry land without staggering!! :eek:

[#1winelover]

People should actually be jealous of the folks with BLUE cards. They are the lucky ones who are getting to experience their first cruise! You only get to do that once and it's really a wonderful experience.

 

Totally GREAT observation! Thanks for sharing that!

[Stateroom_Sailor]

Wow, we haven't sailed Princess yet, but I've got just the thing for the entitled Elites. I'll put my black Elite La Quinta card in a lanyard inside my shirt, and ask what their status is at the hotel ;)

[gooch47]

WOW! I am surprised that you can still walk on dry land without staggering!! :eek:

 

Compared to many cruisers on Princess who get awarded the "most traveled passenger" designation, we are beginners.

 

Pam, I keep detailed records as a holdover from my IT job before I retired.

Edited March 15, 2014 by gooch47

[Hlitner]

I actually get a little embarrassed when someone asks if this is our first cruise. First answer we give is a simple, "no" but if pressed we do tell the truth. A lot of people don't believe us.

 

Agree and like! We are actually embarrassed to answer when asked how many cruises we have taken and try to tiptoe around the answer (the truth is that we do not even remember anymore). But sometimes it can become of funny topic. So here is a true story of what happened last year when we happened to take back to back 7 day Westerdam cruises (the first 7 day cruises we had taken in over 20 years).

 

We are waiting in line (queue for you Brits) in the Port Everglades terminal (between our 2 cruises) in order for the ship to be "zeroed out" so we could reboard. Two ladies, standing right in front of DW, were arguing about how many cruises they had taken. I think one was saying something like 4 cruises on HAL and the other was boasting she had 5. Then for some reason one of the women, with almost the look of anger on her face, turned to DW (who had not said a word and was not even listening to their loud argument) and asked DW "how many cruise lines have you been on." DW quietly responded, "excurse me." The other woman turned and loudly said, "how many cruise lines have you been on." So finally DW said, "14." The first woman then got louder and said "I said how many cruise lines....not how many cruises." And DW (getting annoyed at this point) again said 14! By this time several other cruisers (one who we knew had over 1000 days just on HAL) were laughing. The good news was that both these ladies finally shut-up :).

 

And here is the "kicker" for anyone that cares. We have done an awful lot of cruising (we measure our cruising in terms of years on ships rather then number of cruises) and have never, ever had a decent upgrade! And when it comes to cruising on Princess Grand Class ships, we make it clear we do not want any upgrade. We love our Caribe Deck balconies and would be very unhappy if we got upgraded to a mini-suite (on D deck) with their totally open balconies.

 

When on Princess cruises we do "hide" our black cards and not generally talk about cruise experience. But inevitably, usually at dinner or in a bar, somebody will ask "how many cruises have you taken?" My answer is usually something like "we do not remember." Sometimes that suffices and the subject is changed. But other times people will just not let it go...and then it can get UGLY. But then we tell the story of the lady we met on an HAL cruise who told us she only had been on 6 cruises. When she was later pressed for some details she explained that 5 of those cruises had been World Cruises (each over 100 days) and the 6th cruise was the "short" cruise we were then taking (62 days). Go figure.

 

Hank

Edited March 15, 2014 by Hlitner

[Dreamer333]

Shout it out! We love to live vicariously through you ladies, and your adventures on sea!!!!! :)

 

I actually get a little embarrassed when someone asks if this is our first cruise. First answer we give is a simple, "no" but if pressed we do tell the truth. A lot of people don't believe us.

 

I agree. On my cruise in January, the person organizing the M&G went around the room and had each person state how many cruises they'd been on. When they got to me, I said that I didn't know and it didn't matter. And, it doesn't.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Dreamer333

[imgrdy]

Plus they get alot more ugrades too. :rolleyes: :eek:

 

1st cruise upgraded to Suite

... j :D

[Pam in CA]

Pam, I keep detailed records as a holdover from my IT job before I retired.

So do I but since it's such a low priority for me to count the number of cruises, I never remember. ;)

[Pia1913]

PIA!!! I've missed your posts! But I guess I'm not following the same threads that your are on! I'm booked on the 11/6 and 11/9 Regal Princess this year and cannot wait. Are you planning anything on her?? I just figured you would be on the TA as you were on the Royal!

 

Hope all is well with you!

 

No Regal for us this year. We're doing 25 days on the Emerald including the TA; 10/14 to 11/8. Upcoming cruises are in sig line.

[Colo Cruiser]

No Regal for us this year. We're doing 25 days on the Emerald including the TA; 10/14 to 11/8. Upcoming cruises are in sig line.

 

 

There are only so many days in a year.

[caribill]

I keep detailed records as a holdover from my IT job before I retired.

 

At least for Princess, the number of cruise credits (which can be more than the number of cruises) is printed on your cruise card.

[janetz]

I find it odd that Princess has my DH listed one tier up from me. He must have taken a cruise I did not know about. :D

[Ethel5]

I wish I were more organized, but I never kept track of who the Captain, CD or MD was on a any ship. I'm glad some of you have that info for when I might have a question.:D

[Pia1913]

At least for Princess, the number of cruise credits (which can be more than the number of cruises) is printed on your cruise card.

 

Which reminds me of a time we in an elevator and a woman was staring at my chest. Actually not. She was staring at my cruise card and twisting her head from side to side. I asked if there was something I should know about, and she responded she was trying to see how many cruises I had taken. :eek: Lots of weird people out there.

[gooch47]

So do I but since it's such a low priority for me to count the number of cruises, I never remember. ;)

 

Now you have me feeling guilty that I post my totals in my signature. But like I said, compared to many, many others, we are novices.

[Colo Cruiser]

Now you have me feeling guilty that I post my totals in my signature. But like I said, compared to many, many others, we are novices.

 

 

Nothing wrong with being proud of your cruising accomplishments.

[Woobstr112G]

Now you have me feeling guilty that I post my totals in my signature. But like I said, compared to many, many others, we are novices.

 

No reason to feel guilty whatsoever......:):):)

 

Bob

[recyclelady]

I actually counted my Princess days of cruising....72. (I have some more on Celebrity, Carnival and Viking). In the eyes of my co-workers I am a super cruiser. To most everyone on these boards, I've barely gotten started! :D

Edited March 15, 2014 by recyclelady

[Cruise Junky]

I find it odd that Princess has my DH listed one tier up from me. He must have taken a cruise I did not know about. :D

 

That happened to us too. He reached platinum one cruise before I did

[Pam in CA]

Now you have me feeling guilty that I post my totals in my signature. But like I said, compared to many, many others, we are novices.

I used to. Don't any more. Too many people slammed me for "bragging" so it wasn't worth the nasty comments. I thought I was just keeping track for myself and anyone who had a question. :(

[Cruise Junky]

I used to. Don't any more. Too many people slammed me for "bragging" so it wasn't worth the nasty comments. I thought I was just keeping track for myself and anyone who had a question. :(

 

I love seeing peoples trips in their signature. Some people will always be snarky. I see no bragging putting it in signatures. Now if you opened every conversation with. Hi, my name us Pam and I have X amount of cruises, I might think differently :)

 

I wish Pia had it in her sig.