Rare eroller Posted August 3, 2005 #1 Share Posted August 3, 2005 I was playing around with the Princess reservation system (called POLAR) and something caught my attention. Cunard is now fully integrated into POLAR, and making a booking on Cunard is now exactly like making one on Princess. There is a drop down menu to indicate whether you want to book Princess or Cunard. Anyway, a feature of POLAR has always been a search to find out a passengers Captain's Circle number. Once you do, it automatically enters the passengers name and Captain's Circle number into the booking template. The same search feature exists on the Cunard "side" of POLAR as well. I entered my name and phone number to see if it would bring up my Cunard World Club number. It did bring up my information, but it was my Princess Captain's Circle number and POLAR entered it onto my Cunard booking. This got me thinking. One of three things is going to happen. 1. The Princess Captain's Circle Club and Cunard's World Club are going to somehow be merged, combined, or compliment each other (like Celebrity and Royal Caribbean). 2. All Cunard World Club numbers are going to be resequenced to conform with the Princess reservation system. 3. It's a temporary glitch and the Cunard World Club database hasn't been integrated into POLAR yet. I wonder what it will be? Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guernseyguy Posted August 3, 2005 #2 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Ernie, Any tips on registering for POLAR? You can see both Cunard/Princess there - but I keep getting a message 'Agency name does not match telephone' Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druke I Posted August 3, 2005 #3 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Interesting question. At one time, Princess and P&O's clubs were intermingled, but that seems to no longer be the case, although my P&O cruises (and Sitmar) did count towards my Princess Elite status. It is still difficult to book a P&O cruise through Princess, and almost impossible to get P&O Australia info from from Princess, although Future Cruise Consultants on Princess have assured me that Princess "is working on the problem", and that one day it will be resolved favorably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare eroller Posted August 3, 2005 Author #4 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Ernie, Any tips on registering for POLAR? You can see both Cunard/Princess there - but I keep getting a message 'Agency name does not match telephone' Peter Hi Peter, Email me privately at eroller@msn.com and I'll see if I can't help you out. Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuAnn Posted August 3, 2005 #5 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Hi Peter,Email me privately at eroller@msn.com and I'll see if I can't help you out. Ernie Ernie...I am a Platinium member of Princess and have just booked the QM2 for a fall cruise (never been on Cunard before)...is there any way to utilize my standing with Princess to 1) get this cruise booked toward my total with Princess and 2) have the Platinium standing with Cunard? Thanks for any help! LuAnn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calliope Posted August 4, 2005 #6 Share Posted August 4, 2005 When I booked last January for next year's trip on the QM2 I was assigned a new Cunard World Club membership number. I don't know if it matches my Princess Cruises' Captain's Circle number or not. I just haven't thought about it, as I'm not planning on making another Princess trip soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JYGresham Posted August 4, 2005 #7 Share Posted August 4, 2005 How does one get to the POLAR site? We have been on numerous Princsss cruises but this will be our first time on Cunard (This Tuesday, Aug. 9) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougnewmanatsea Posted August 5, 2005 #8 Share Posted August 5, 2005 How does one get to the POLAR site? It is for travel agents only. POLAR has the capability to provide for direct online booking, but neither Princess nor Cunard use this. However, P&O Cruises in the UK do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elaine61 Posted August 5, 2005 #9 Share Posted August 5, 2005 It is for travel agents only. POLAR has the capability to provide for direct online booking, but neither Princess nor Cunard use this. However, P&O Cruises in the UK do. Yes you can book on line with P & O when the system isn't down!!!!! Seems to have been out of action for quite a long period. It came back on line and then went down again!!!!! Like most things good when it works!!!!!! Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare eroller Posted August 11, 2005 Author #10 Share Posted August 11, 2005 I just called Cunard (aka Princess Cruises) to get rates for myself on the January 3 QE2 sailing. I'm interested in the 6-day transatlantic crossing which is actually the first segment of the World Cruise. FYI, there are some good deals being offered. Anyway, the agent (who was useless BTW) asked for my "past passenger number". I gave her my 12-digit Cunard World Club number. She pulled it up and verified my information. Then she said, leave me give you the "correct" number. She proceeded to give me my Princess Cruises past passenger number. I told her that was my Princess number and asked her were they the same now? She seemed confused and clueless and just said "some things are the same" and went on to misquote me prices for the sailing. She originally insisted the segment could not be priced separately from the full World Cruise and seemed to be reading rates from a sheet of paper rather than a computer. Anyway, I wonder when Princess/Cunard will announce whatever is happening with the past passenger clubs. It's obvious now they are using the same number (the Princess number) for both Cunard and Princess. Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare eroller Posted August 12, 2005 Author #11 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Update - I just spoke with a much more informed agent at Cunard/Princess that told me yes, the Cunard/Princess past passenger numbers are being combined, but depending on which cruise line you book with, the number will automatically list your cruise history with that specific line. Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guernseyguy Posted August 12, 2005 #12 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Ernie, I spoke with a helpful & well informed Cunard booking agent in Valencia and she told me my 'new' number - which as you say is my Princess Circle number - If this means I can access my Cunard cruise history online a la Princess, then all to the good.....but one does wonder what else will follow..... Peter PS....thinking about Caronia for this crossing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elaine61 Posted August 12, 2005 #13 Share Posted August 12, 2005 I wonder if they take into account P & O portunus points. We are gold members of the portunus club. But unlike the princess rewards programme the benefits are not all that great. You get 10% discount on certain things and priority boarding!! That's about it really. I know that the princess reward programme at the top level gives you an abundance of things. Mind you P & O and Cunard loyalty programmes are very similar. In fact you probably get more with P & O!! Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakedLidoGuy Posted August 12, 2005 #14 Share Posted August 12, 2005 I just called Cunard (aka Princess Cruises) to get rates for myself on the January 3 QE2 sailing. I'm interested in the 6-day transatlantic crossing which is actually the first segment of the World Cruise. FYI, there are some good deals being offered. Hello, Sir Ernie! I'm waitlisted for the Jan3 crossing. Now I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to take advantage of these new good deals .. my TA hasn't got back to me yet, and it's killing me! All I want is a single CA cabin. And now Cunard is giving special offers?? Did I miss something? If there are cabins available, I should get one, right?? And at the special fares being offered.... (on my knees) :confused: Signed .... 'Dazed and Confused in the Bronx' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunardqueen Posted August 12, 2005 #15 Share Posted August 12, 2005 CUNARD/PRINCESS past passenger club numbers.... l hope that those in charge dont mess around too much with the numbers.. l might be cunardQUEEN but NEVER a princess... EVER!!!!!!! cheers Myles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare eroller Posted August 12, 2005 Author #16 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Ernie, I spoke with a helpful & well informed Cunard booking agent in Valencia and she told me my 'new' number - which as you say is my Princess Circle number - If this means I can access my Cunard cruise history online a la Princess, then all to the good.....but one does wonder what else will follow..... Peter PS....thinking about Caronia for this crossing? test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare eroller Posted August 12, 2005 Author #17 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Hi Peter, Who knows what Princess/Cunard have in store for the past passenger clubs? The combined numbers might just be a consequence of Cunard switching to the Princess reservation platform, or maybe there will be more to it in the future? For now, you can't check your Cunard cruise history on the Princess website. Even though the past passenger numbers are the same, the programmers have kept the cruise histories separate. I'm thinking that Cunard will soon have a revamped website that will offer some of the features that Princess has. Express check-in and a "cruise personalizer" option. At least that is what I'm hoping, as both are great features. No doubt Cunard will soon get much more interactive. Yes, I'm currently booked in Caronia Class for the QE2 on January 3. Looks like everything is a go and I will probably make payment today. I'll be sailing with my brother as my partner Christopffre has no desire to be at sea for six days .... especially in January! We are taking a Hawaii cruise together in October so he will have his fill then. He really doesn't like ships/cruises to begin with, but he will go if there are a lot of ports involved. The Hawaii cruise has a port everyday. At least he doesn't mind when I go without him. Since I'm a flight attendant he is used to us being apart for days at a time, and I think both of us appreciate our "away time". It's probably one reason we have been together almost 10 years, and it also makes us appreciate our time together that much more. Looks like I will see you onboard QE2! Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare eroller Posted August 12, 2005 Author #18 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Hello, Sir Ernie! I'm waitlisted for the Jan3 crossing. Now I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to take advantage of these new good deals .. my TA hasn't got back to me yet, and it's killing me! All I want is a single CA cabin. And now Cunard is giving special offers?? Did I miss something? If there are cabins available, I should get one, right?? And at the special fares being offered.... (on my knees) :confused: Signed .... 'Dazed and Confused in the Bronx' Hi 'Dazed', There is definitely space in a CA guarantee. Rates include one-way air from JFK. Get on that travel agent!! ;) Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guernseyguy Posted August 12, 2005 #19 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Looks like I will see you onboard QE2! Ernie Yes indeed - similarly sans partner, who does not much like the QE2, nor rough weather - so I've persuaded the friend who came with me on the December crossing - which he enjoyed enormously - to come along again. It will be interesting to sail in Caronia - I may stick exclusively to Quarter Deck! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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