Elite Benefits

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

With the number of elites increasing by the minute it will not belong before ships sail with more than 50% elites.

 

So the status quo can not really be maintained,

 

We could have super elites then in another 10 years super super elites

 

 

So here's a thought for you folks to consider,

 

I think its un fair for those with 150 sea days to get same as folks with twice as many sea days on my last cruise the table average was around 30 cruises,

 

So how about keeping the basic benefits like checkin tenders etc

 

Then putting all other benefits on a menu

 

with folks selecting the number based upon sea days, say any four for elite

going up by 1 for every extra 50 sea days

 

this would make things a little more personal and might help tailor benefits to ones that folks want,

 

we could have

 

$25 on board credit

state room amenities

free meal in restaurant

mini bar

coffee card

flowers

wine

internet

laundry

tour credit

spa voucher

photo voucher

deluxe breakfast

shop voucher

 

 

yours Shogun

[Mom33]

Hi All

 

With the number of elites increasing by the minute it will not belong before ships sail with more than 50% elites.

 

So the status quo can not really be maintained,

 

We could have super elites then in another 10 years super super elites

 

 

So here's a thought for you folks to consider,

 

I think its un fair for those with 150 sea days to get same as folks with twice as many sea days on my last cruise the table average was around 30 cruises,

So how about keeping the basic benefits like checkin tenders etc

 

Then putting all other benefits on a menu

 

with folks selecting the number based upon sea days, say any four for elite

going up by 1 for every extra 50 sea days

 

this would make things a little more personal and might help tailor benefits to ones that folks want,

 

we could have

 

$25 on board credit

state room amenities

free meal in restaurant

mini bar

coffee card

flowers

wine

internet

laundry

tour credit

spa voucher

photo voucher

deluxe breakfast

shop voucher

 

 

yours Shogun

 

Did you think it was unfair as you approached 150 days? If Princess were to make a super elite category beyond 150 days, that would be fine by me. But as someone approaching Elite on our next cruise, we would not be happy with any decrease in the current Elite category. ;)

[2BeOnaBoat]

 

I think its un fair for those with 150 sea days to get same as folks with twice as many sea days on my last cruise the table average was around 30 cruises,

 

So how about keeping the basic benefits like checkin tenders etc

 

Then putting all other benefits on a menu

 

with folks selecting the number based upon sea days, say any four for elite

going up by 1 for every extra 50 sea days

 

 

I don't like any change based solely on the number of sea days. As a solo cruiser I pay close to double - my New England 7 day interior for next year is $1963 for me and $2028 for a friend and his wife. I see no problem in getting double credits to their one. If you do it by sea days then either I should get an amount that corresponds to the amount I pay or they should get fewer.

 

I could see Princess adding a new category, but removing perks or changing the math will be received with backlash.

 

Things like the 'most traveled' lunch reward the top xx number per cruise. That's 'day' based not 'credit' but it's still an incentive based perk. That might be an easier sell. Offer new perks for the top xx per cruise but find a blend of days/credits. Princess can fill in the x's and figure out the algorithm.

[nukesubsailor]

I think you have an idea worthy of consideration. Some other benefits that could be on the menu would be:

A free ship's tour behind the scenes.

A free Chef's dinner

A free balcony dinner

A free day in the Sanctuary

And my wife's favorite----a free 6-pack of bingo cards.

[shredie]

Again, the "fairness" argument. :rolleyes: What's "fair" is what Princess says it is. It's a Princess marketing tool, no more, no less. They make the rules and they decide who gets what. If they decide tomorrow that anyone with 150 sea days has to go back to Blue and start over, then that will be "fair" because that's the rule Princess writes. I am no better a person than anyone else because I got my status on sea days rather than number of cruises (or vice versa.) Oh well, the silly fairness argument will continue no matter what I (or any other sensible person) might say.

[tserface]

I kind of agree. I don't think the loyalty perks are any kind of entitlement. They are a benefit that are clearly listed as could change at any time.

 

I think people should just enjoy the benefits while they last and, perhaps mourn their loss if they get taken away, but I can't imagine anyone is actually cruising to get free laundry or some little bottles of booze. That doesn't mean those things aren't nice and worthy of consideration when selecting a next cruise, but it is what it is...

 

Tom

 

Again, the "fairness" argument. :rolleyes: What's "fair" is what Princess says it is. It's a Princess marketing tool, no more, no less. They make the rules and they decide who gets what. If they decide tomorrow that anyone with 150 sea days has to go back to Blue and start over, then that will be "fair" because that's the rule Princess writes. I am no better a person than anyone else because I got my status on sea days rather than number of cruises (or vice versa.) Oh well, the silly fairness argument will continue no matter what I (or any other sensible person) might say.

[BigTimeCruiser]

With only four membership levels within the Captain's Circle Club (Gold, Ruby, Platinum, and Elite), it makes it very difficult to differentiate the levels. This is especially true with most of the benefits being achieved with a relatively low number of cruise credits. This has placed a huge load on the Internet services (bandwidth); laundry; as well as the staff attempting to hold multiple Captain's Circle parties.

 

I don't have an answer, but feel that Princess should seriously look at how they can improve a program that has grown to be extremely "top heavy" today. There has to be a better way!:confused:

[NavyVeteran]

Platinum and Elite benefits are a Princess marketing tool - nothing more and nothing less. The sole purpose of these benefits is to get people to keep coming back for more cruises. Based on the number of Elites on some voyages, it appears to be working.

 

Princess added the Ruby level with a few more benefits in order to try to capture first time cruisers to come back. People who have 150 days or 15 cruise credits have generally already decided they like Princess and will return. Why should Princess give additional benefits to people who are already sold on Princess? As long as a group of people keeps coming back to Princess, Princess has no incentive to give that group any more benefits.

[Pam in CA]

Steve, what about the Loyalty OBC? There already are additional benefits for those with more than 15 cruise credits. I sure wouldn't want those to go away. I'd much rather get the additional OBC than have to pick from a menu of items that in reality, wouldn't have as much value.

 

21 - 31 cruise credits $25 onboard cabin credit

32 - 41 cruise credits $50 onboard cabin credit

42 - 51 cruise credits $75 onboard cabin credit

52+ cruise credits $100 onboard cabin credit

Edited October 19, 2015 by Pam in CA

[Shogun]

Hi Pam,

 

I think the obc scheme is a good one, what made me start this thread,

 

was elite folks turning mini bar in for coffee cards

 

others turning in internet into obc

 

others saying no benefit being elite on my last cruise, no tenders, long lines at check in and no room amenities, all on my last cruise

 

others saying they were losing interest in Princess, product just not ticking all the boxes the way it did

 

now I do think Princess should have given something to those elites that missed out due to no stock, even if it was just $10 obc

 

yours Shogun

[Putterdude]

Another 30 days and another Elite benefit thread....or has it even been that long since the last one?:eek:

[fishywood]

As someone also at the cusp of Elite, I don't see how Princess should not be able to furnish the benefits that essentially duplicate Suite perks to all Elites even though the current system results in a high plurality of Elites on repositions and other long cruises. The "fairness" of how one got there should have no bearing on preparedness for the known number that will be on each cruise; its just a given that it will vary from cruise to cruise.

 

The loudest complaint seems to be that laundry turnaround time is too long. Thus the idea that Princess should offer a list of alternative benefits to select from. But someone like myself who is highly unlikely to use that benefit unless on a two week or longer cruise would simply receive a different benefit without relieving any burden on the system (possibly adding one depending on the new benefit). To get someone who prefers it to relinquish their free laundry would probably take something on the order of several bottles of (good) wine or 2-for-1 Chef's Table or UST. A much bigger drop in the bucket than a few photos or a couple coffee cards.

 

But we all have to foresee programs with real capacity issues--such as priority tendering or even admission to the platinum/elite/suite lounge--eventually switching to strictly number of days sailed as criteria for eligibility. Question then is how do you calculate the days for previous cruises as a solo and/or in a suite? Hindsight being 20/20 it would have been more fair (there's that 'f'-word again) to award those passengers bonus cruise days rather than bonus cruise credits from the beginning. But now I've missed taking the Loyalty OBC into account. [Excuse me while I scrape up all these worms off my keyboard...]

[Steelers36]

FWIW, I think Steve (Shogun) has a very decent idea percolating there.

 

Platinum and wondering if we'll be lost in the swarm of Elite's once we get there. At that point, I think the benefit I will enjoy the most is the opportunity to be first on board after the B2B's.

[Mindy97]

I don't see the "choose four" menu as working to ease crowding, because I think many/most will choose laundry, internet, and either mini bar or coffee cards as three of their four.

 

M.

[WISH84]

FWIW, I think Steve (Shogun) has a very decent idea percolating there.

 

Platinum and wondering if we'll be lost in the swarm of Elite's once we get there. At that point, I think the benefit I will enjoy the most is the opportunity to be first on board after the B2B's.

 

You and I were thinking alike. I'll be Platinum on our December 2016 Regal cruise and while I recognize some of the perks I receive as a Platinum guest on Carnival won't be achieved until the "Elite" status on Princess, I was okay with taking my journey to get there.

 

Now after reading so many reviews and realizing how many Elite guests there can be on one single ship, I would have to agree with Steve (Shogun) that maybe having a look at revamping the loyalty program would be a good thing. I would rather see it changed now than one day after I achieve a certain level. :cool:

[sonomaphil]

Another 30 days and another Elite benefit thread....or has it even been that long since the last one?:eek:

 

 

More of the same.

 

I'm special, you're not, now Princess what are you going to do for ME?

[seafish]

JMO - A carve out based the number of Sea-Days Sailed should have no bearing on whatever Princess offers as loyalty level perks. Some like booking cruises with lots of sea-days ... others not so much.

[srpilo]

Another 30 days and another Elite benefit thread....or has it even been that long since the last one?:eek:

 

+1

 

Maybe we should have just one mega-thread ... "The Smoking - Formal Night - Elite thread "

 

 

Srpilo

[Hlitner]

Celebrity faced a similar situation and finally acted a couple of years ago. Their top tier used to also be called Elite. When they revamped their program they added two higher tiers (Elite Plus and Zenith). A few years ago HAL also added a higher category (5 Star) with a minimum 500 cruise days to qualify. In the case of both of those cruise lines they did not take anything away from those who already were at the highest level, but simply added additional benefits for those in the ultra high categories.

 

We do agree that it makes sense to do all these benefit categories on "days" rather then "cruises." Most other cruise lines have moved to this type of system. We once had lunch with a delightful lady on HAL who told us that she was only on her 5th cruise (this was a 62 day cruise). She later told us that her first 4 cruises had all been the full World Cruise (usually around 105 days). So she had in excess of 400 days on only 4 cruises! Compare that to someone that has 10 seven day cruises.

 

Hank

[icat2000]

I think that Princess needs to add a couple of levels above Elite.

 

Ruby level doesn't really make much sense. I always felt they should have added a Elite Plus rather than sticking a level in between Gold and Platinum.

[shredie]

+1

 

Maybe we should have just one mega-thread ... "The Smoking - Formal Night - Elite thread "

 

 

Srpilo

 

Hahahahaha! You could throw in tipping!

[frothy]

having read your plan for adjusting for elite status based on people reaching 150 days vs. more days, one perk you forgot is that once you start hitting your 20th cruise you receive an extra $25. in shipboard credits. And you continue with that. 15 trips doesn't get that. So there is an extra perk.

[cr8tiv1]

Just spoke to the Captain Circle Representative on the Crown Princess. Before I could ask her anything, she told me that there are no plans for Elite Plus. When I looked puzzled, she said that that is the most frequently asked question. I went to see her for another reason....

[Putterdude]

Just spoke to the Captain Circle Representative on the Crown Princess. Before I could ask her anything, she told me that there are no plans for Elite Plus. When I looked puzzled, she said that that is the most frequently asked question. I went to see her for another reason....

 

I am sure they are about as tired of this question as some us are of these silly threads that have absolutely no bearing on anything.

[OCruisers]

Is there any reason to think Princess is considering changing the Elite program? :confused: