"Fast Track" Elite status

[muggo11]

5 one day solo suite cruises would also get you Elite.

A few years back Princess couldn't give the short cruises out of LA away. These were put on 'fire sale'. (Cheap and your fare was credited to a longer cruise.) Plenty of pax were booking b2b2b to do the run up to Elite.

 

Yup. That was MY fast track to Elite. A solo cabin on a one-day from seattle to Vancouver (2 points), a bus ride back to Seattle and a 1-day solo full suite back to Vancouver (3 points). 5 credits in two days got me there!

 

 

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[SadieN]

....... But there's no way for Princess to know how many of my friends I have steered toward them.

 

 

Actually there is...

There's a program called something like Refer a Friend. If they book, you get some OBC.

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/referralRewards.page

Wonder how much you've lost out on? :D

[crochetcruise]

Even though we've only recently made elite, we've sailed in suited on a majority of our cruises so we have had the free laundry perk for awhile. We honestly do not use it that much mainly because of the increased times it takes to get things back. The one day turnaround on several occasions has turned into 2 or three days. In this regard, we started to use the self service washers and dryers for most of our laundry needs.....

 

Bob

 

If your laundry is ready by 9am in a Suite, it should be back the same day. I made a newbie mistake-didn't realise the time of lodging, and had to wait. No problems, I learned my lesson.

 

I'll stick with the Golden while she sails Australia with a suitable itinerary for me-found the Window Suites were "JUST RIGHT" for me, easy access to the elevators, International Café, several bars so I could easily get myself a cold drink, and great helpful staff with the gift of being there just at the right time to help but not in my face. I got the album with the ship's horn playing the Love Boat theme when I collected my Welcome Aboard Photo Package, I curiously looked at it, was told what it was and had a closer look, asked the price-promptly advised, and bought it freely! Absolutely the ONLY time anyone was in the least pushy, was at the Safety Drill to make sure I knew what to do in an emergency! And I sure don't mind that sort of pushiness, designed to protect me and others in the event of an emergency!

 

Thanks to someone-forgotten their name, hangs head and guiltily slinks into the corner in shame-I have identified my next cruise and by the end of next week, should have the booking confirmed!

 

A friend is cruising on the Majestic Princess and will check the doors out onto the balconies for me re weight and ease of opening, been warned they can be heavy.

[Bourbon Believer]

The casino's on Princess are not operated by Princess. The management company has an allotment of cabins they can offer to high roller customers and when this happens they usually get Elite benefits in the package. I saw this on my last cruise when a friend of mine from Chicago got a last minute invite to go on a cruise. He does not drink but his friend that invited him basically lived in the casino the entire cruise leaving my friend free to do whatever he wanted and also receive Elite privileges to boot.

[Go-Bucks!]

Just got back to checking on this thread ....... wow, some very interesting conversation.

 

I posted this info because I had not heard about getting fast tracked to Elite status for spending alot of money with Princess, although I did know that big casino spenders get comped cabins (and rooms in hotels of land casinos). I was curious if anyone else had heard of it. I had no intention of making people "brag" about their Princess perks or others to take offense.

 

Personally, I think the people who spend tons of money in casinos are throwing their money away and just adding to the Princess coffers; but it's their right to do whatever they want with it. Obviously they aren't getting ahead in the long run or Princess wouldn't be trying to get them back on the ship to keep prospering the cruiseline. But since I'm a CCL stockholder, I won't complain when any CCL cruiseline makes a bunch of money! I'm one of those, though, who spends very little on the ship but I do usually stay in full suites. I'm just as happy to get to Elite the old fashioned way.

 

But I was not wrong in bringing up this topic, despite what one poster said. First, this info can be shared with anyone - it's not a top classified national secret! :') Second, it's not a secret or the Captain Circle rep wouldn't have readily explained it to me.

 

So, whatever that silly saying about a fight club meant, I'm not worried about it. ;)

Edited April 20, 2017 by Go-Bucks!

[geoherb]

Actually there is...

There's a program called something like Refer a Friend. If they book, you get some OBC.

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/referralRewards.page

Wonder how much you've lost out on? :D

I tried that once and still have the active referral showing up when I log in. But those friends ended up going on Celebrity instead--another of my recommendations to them.

[Colo Cruiser]

Actually there is...

There's a program called something like Refer a Friend. If they book, you get some OBC.

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/referralRewards.page

Wonder how much you've lost out on? :D

 

 

Not OBC but $25 off the fare when we have done it.

[Mingus]

Actually there is...

There's a program called something like Refer a Friend. If they book, you get some OBC.

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/referralRewards.page

Wonder how much you've lost out on? :D

 

Not OBC but $25 off the fare when we have done it.

 

About a year ago (maybe longer), it was changed from $25 off the fare to non-refundable obc.

[muggo11]

I referred 4 friends (2 couples) who joined us on Regal last month. They each got $25 OBC on that cruise. Since I was cruising on a casino freebie offer and neither CCL shareholder benefits nor other promos like refer-a-friend can be combined on the casino deals, i will get $100 on my next paid cruise next year. Fine by me.

 

 

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[PescadoAmarillo]

I think it is in poor taste for those getting something that they know others are not and, if they have half a brain, know it will annoy and offend the person should keep their mouth shut. Talk to anyone on a cruise or on a flight and one of you is walking away from that conversation feeling cheated. Going out of the way to tell someone else is rude and mean.

Amen and hallelujah!!!!

 

There are only two reasons to brag about special perks...to make yourself feel good and/or make others feel bad. I fervently hope I am never in need of either.

[Colo Cruiser]

About a year ago (maybe longer), it was changed from $25 off the fare to non-refundable obc.

 

 

I was not aware it changed. Thanks.

[Direwolves]

Just curious, but hasn't your spending on extras diminished considerable from you first few cruises to today. Ours certainly has. On our last 10 or 15 trips we've had cabin credit that we just don't know what to do with. I send the wife off to spend it in the shops & she can't find anything she hasn't seen before or wants to throw money away on. As far as excursions go, just how many times can you do the same things over & over? We've seen everything we care to many times.

So we just take it back in cash and call it even.

 

Agreed. The first cruise we did excursions at every port, had the pop package (barely used it) and got married by the Captain on the ship. The second cruise we had the pop package (barely used it again) did a couple less excursions and thought more about the excursions we did do. Now we don't get a drink package unless it is part of a deal and are more mindful of our spending.

 

 

Side note: Getting married on the cruise was the best thing ever. The Captain did it on our first full day at sea (going to Alaska) so we counted the rest of the week as our honeymoon. Would recommend it to anyone.

[as400guy]

It occurs to me that Elite members have another value to Princess. Elite members are walking, talking advertising for Princess. How many times have you been at dinner and a black cardholder uses his card. Questions about cruising and Princess almost always follow.

 

Have you ever heard an Elite member say "... This is our 23rd cruise and we really hate cruising Princess. It's overpriced and we never have fun..."? I never have. The relatively minor concessions Princess makes to Elite members pays them back via a fortune in word of mouth endorsements and stories of past good cruise experiences on Princess.

 

You have to hand it to Princess. They know their marketing.

[rbt001]

It occurs to me that Elite members have another value to Princess. Elite members are walking, talking advertising for Princess. How many times have you been at dinner and a black cardholder uses his card. Questions about cruising and Princess almost always follow.

 

Have you ever heard an Elite member say "... This is our 23rd cruise and we really hate cruising Princess. It's overpriced and we never have fun..."? I never have. The relatively minor concessions Princess makes to Elite members pays them back via a fortune in word of mouth endorsements and stories of past good cruise experiences on Princess.

 

You have to hand it to Princess. They know their marketing.

They take this a step further with a Referral Program that rewards both the new passenger that was referred as well as the person that made the referral.

[peety3]

On a related but different note, a friend told me that she cruised on another line (can't remember which) with someone who was Elite (or equivalent), and because she was in a cabin with an Elite, she was automatically granted Elite level from that point forward. Anyone know if Princess does anything similar?

[JF - retired RRT]

On a related but different note, a friend told me that she cruised on another line (can't remember which) with someone who was Elite (or equivalent), and because she was in a cabin with an Elite, she was automatically granted Elite level from that point forward. Anyone know if Princess does anything similar?

Don't think so.

[rkmw]

On a related but different note, a friend told me that she cruised on another line (can't remember which) with someone who was Elite (or equivalent), and because she was in a cabin with an Elite, she was automatically granted Elite level from that point forward. Anyone know if Princess does anything similar?

 

would never happen on princess

[floridalover5623]

On a related but different note, a friend told me that she cruised on another line (can't remember which) with someone who was Elite (or equivalent), and because she was in a cabin with an Elite, she was automatically granted Elite level from that point forward. Anyone know if Princess does anything similar?

I think she meant to imply that she benefited from her friends Elite status on that trip. Thinks like laundry, Captains repeater party, tender service and possible even an invite to the most traveled party.

[pris993]

Recently I was on the Caribbean Princess and talked separately with 2 women who each said that they were on their 3rd cruise with Princess and they were told on embarkation that they had been elevated to Elite status. After the first woman told this to me, I told my daughter (who was present) that the woman was either confused or lying because it takes 15 cruise credits or 150 sail days to become Elite. The next day another woman said the same thing. This woman said she spent alot of money in the casino and wondered if that had something to do with it.

 

Since I was really confused, I went and talked with the Captains Circle rep. She reluctantly admitted that about 18 mo. ago Carnival Corp. started a new policy on Princess where people who spend ALOT of money on the ship and/or on a Princess credit card (she said about $1,500/day) get into the new program called "Fast Track" Elite status! She said she didn't agree with it but couldn't do anything about it.

 

 

Anyone else heard about this? I can't remember reading anything about this on CC. :confused:

 

Absolutely it does... once we were on a Crystal cruise, there was a table of folks across from us, every night staff from the casino came to make sure they had everything they wanted including alcohol in the MDR....it was very obivous... of course, they paid for it one way or another..

[Iamcruzin]

There is a difference in spending money and losing money. When you spend money you are receiving something in exchange. If you spend $10,000 on earrings after you deduct the wholesale cost, there may only be a $5000 profit. If you lose $10,000 in the casino that's all profit. Anyone who could afford to lose an excessive amount of money in a casino probably doesn't really care about free laundry and a bar set up or the status of a loyalty program. It's the comped and discounted cruises that brings them back.

[elfinmagic]

There is a way to become elite before even taking a Princess cruise and your first cruise will be free. Become a TA and take the Commodores course online.

[MrMan]

Sheesh. Maybe I should ask the next cruise I'm on. I don't spend that much in the casino but I sure spend my fair share on cruises. One cruise I not only paid for 12 people but I also paid their on board expenses including shore excursions. That didn't cover my expensive new necklace and earnings. The only thing I got for it was the bill. I've spent well over $10,000 on board in just one cruise. Wondering now where my reward is for all that spending. Think I'll ask. Heck last cruise I spent well over $500 just in photos.

 

 

 

Yup, I'm gonna ask and I suggest everyone else does too. Not fair because people spend money in the casino they not only get free cruises but escalated status. If I didn't have to pay for 8 cabins I could spend tons in the casino. I've had a friend that lost over $6,000 in one cruise. He didn't get offered a free cruise or more points towards his status.

 

 

 

If you pay for these costs on a Prince credit card you will be rewarded through point redemption. Travel companies make a lot of money selling points to credit card companies.

 

 

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[Iamcruzin]

Even though we've only recently made elite, we've sailed in suited on a majority of our cruises so we have had the free laundry perk for awhile. We honestly do not use it that much mainly because of the increased times it takes to get things back. The one day turnaround on several occasions has turned into 2 or three days. In this regard, we started to use the self service washers and dryers for most of our laundry needs.....

 

Bob

That's a shame Bob. I'm only Platinum and was hoping to sail with a full ship of Elites so that I could have the laundry room to myself.....:D

[getting older slowly]

I think the card colour system is ok, and it the same with other places regulars get some perks, which is great. but looking at the benefits on princess you get all the good ones by taking a suite, which is what we have done.

 

It was funny on our cruise the rudest guest we met was an elite, at sabitinis, they looked like a fish out of water, and we were sitting at the next table, ( we had already dined 8 times on that cruise at sabitinis ) and explained a couple things on the menu for them, Then he saw our blue card and promptly told me he was a black card and what would I know.

 

We had a bit of laugh to ourselves and left them to it, then they got a bottle of champagne delivered and asked for it to be warmed.

 

the world it full of different people, one thing I am glad that suite guest do not get a different card, as we just want to blend in, and enjoy the fact that we can go on a cruise and go in a suite without saying look at me.

 

Cheers Don

[Thrak]

I think the card colour system is ok, and it the same with other places regulars get some perks, which is great. but looking at the benefits on princess you get all the good ones by taking a suite, which is what we have done.

 

It was funny on our cruise the rudest guest we met was an elite, at sabitinis, they looked like a fish out of water, and we were sitting at the next table, ( we had already dined 8 times on that cruise at sabitinis ) and explained a couple things on the menu for them, Then he saw our blue card and promptly told me he was a black card and what would I know.

 

We had a bit of laugh to ourselves and left them to it, then they got a bottle of champagne delivered and asked for it to be warmed.

 

the world it full of different people, one thing I am glad that suite guest do not get a different card, as we just want to blend in, and enjoy the fact that we can go on a cruise and go in a suite without saying look at me.

 

Cheers Don

 

Nice attitude - unlike the clueless black card guy. I am sometimes jealous of the blue cards. Of course it doesn't mean it's their first cruise - just their first on Princess (or that they are under 18 years of age no matter how many times they have cruised with Princess). I do kind of envy folks on their first cruise though. I can remember how amazing it all was. What a great feeling. :D