Elite perks eliminated???

[Centsless_Cruiser]

Two other Elite Perks that have degraded are Priority Tendering and the Dedicated Disembarkation Lounge.

 

On our last two cruises (28-day Hawaii-Tahiti last Oct and this April) the Tendering Operation was all fouled up especially this April where they had Elites go to the same MDR location and then tried to herd everyone like cats (not very pretty). Prior to these cruises we would meet up in Explorers get an Elite Tender Ticket and then proceed to the Tenders when our number was called.

 

Both cruises had "Too Many Elites" to have a dedicated Disembarkation Lounge thereby eliminating a benefit that my DW and I both really like to help us transition back to the Real World :(:(:(

 

We commented on the post cruise survey's about both issues and hope Princess will look into fixing the Tendering Issues and maybe get more creative with Disembarkation.

 

Our 2 cents.

[satxdiver]

In the last few years we have been on cruises where there have been 800 or more elite aboard. Laundry took 3 days just like they had said when we boarded. The PES lounge has a limited list of drinks available for $6.50 but the famous chairman of the board was not included. I have tried a few and found them not so great. We have always received a card with the days the PES is open (not on Captain's Circle night) and what the food menu was. I always go on the night they have shrimp. We have early TD so it is difficult to go.

 

Other cruise lines have loyalty tiers of course but they base it on sea days and not cruises. I believe Princess needs to go to the same method of only using sea days. Someone takes 15 3-day cruises for 45 sea days and they are elite. It does not seem fair.

[pms4104]

Or how about 5 short sailings solo in a suite?

 

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[IECalCruiser]

The loyalty programs of other CCL lines vary. Carnival goes strictly by days with the top tier at 200 days, the loyalty program for HAL goes primarily by days with the top tier at 500 days but traveling in a full suite earns double days and you also earn days for every $300 of onboard spending, P&O goes by points with ten points earned per night that expire after three years with the top tier requiring 201 days in the last three years, Costa goes by points with a different amount of points earned per night (varying from 100 points for and inside to 450 for a full suite) that also expire after three years with the top tier requiring at least 26,001 points which equates to as many as 260 days in an inside or as few as 58 days in a full suite. Although a modified program would probably just eliminate points and possibly modify days required for each level, you could get a P&O or Costa program which would be very different. Be careful what you wish for [emoji848]

 

 

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[MGnut]

Be careful what you ask for.

 

Let's guess that the higher class would require a minimum of 500 cruise days and you would have to be at that new level for the laundry benefit.

 

Obviously many current elites would not be eligible for the new higher level and would no longer have the laundry benefit.

 

So which do you think most current elites would prefer?

a) Having a laundry benefit with a three day turnaround or

b) Having to wait until reaching 500 days to have the laundry benefit again.

 

If you're counting votes, I go for option "a)"

[paul929207]

Two other Elite Perks that have degraded are Priority Tendering and the Dedicated Disembarkation Lounge.

 

On our last two cruises (28-day Hawaii-Tahiti last Oct and this April) the Tendering Operation was all fouled up especially this April where they had Elites go to the same MDR location and then tried to herd everyone like cats (not very pretty). Prior to these cruises we would meet up in Explorers get an Elite Tender Ticket and then proceed to the Tenders when our number was called.

 

Both cruises had "Too Many Elites" to have a dedicated Disembarkation Lounge thereby eliminating a benefit that my DW and I both really like to help us transition back to the Real World :(:(:(

 

We commented on the post cruise survey's about both issues and hope Princess will look into fixing the Tendering Issues and maybe get more creative with Disembarkation.

 

Our 2 cents.

The problem is the Elite perks were designed when there were many fewer Elites. They are doing their best to accommodate all of the Elites.

[paul929207]

In the last few years we have been on cruises where there have been 800 or more elite aboard. Laundry took 3 days just like they had said when we boarded. The PES lounge has a limited list of drinks available for $6.50 but the famous chairman of the board was not included. I have tried a few and found them not so great. We have always received a card with the days the PES is open (not on Captain's Circle night) and what the food menu was. I always go on the night they have shrimp. We have early TD so it is difficult to go.

 

Other cruise lines have loyalty tiers of course but they base it on sea days and not cruises. I believe Princess needs to go to the same method of only using sea days. Someone takes 15 3-day cruises for 45 sea days and they are elite. It does not seem fair.

I am not sure what is fair or unfair about people taking short cruises to run up their cruise credits & reach a higher category. I got to enjoy every one of the 150 days it took to make Elite. The people building up the count do not have this pleasure

[paul929207]

Or how about 5 short sailings solo in a suite?

 

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That would be the short way to Elite status.

[Lucky TGO]

The special at the platinum/elite lounge has been rather weird (at least to us) lately so we have not been ordering drinks. Just munch on whatever they have

 

Ditto. :(

Tony

[Sillyjilly]

I was told, while on Caribbean Princess, that the unlimited laundry perk has a change coming - mostly due to abuse of the privilege. Specifically, sending out laundry for others not elegible for the perk; I.e., grandparents sending grandchildren’s clothing.

 

It was interesting, as it was our first time with complimentary laundry, to see the complimentary charges of $35 and $48 (backed out to zero) - lots of lost dollars to bean counters.

 

Everyone is aware of the new expiration dates on coffee cards, one gentleman purchased two coffee cards off eBay for $15. More lost revenue to bean counters.

 

Exactly why the Elites lost unlimited internet.. Too much sharing and all of us lose out.

[Sillyjilly]

I am not sure what is fair or unfair about people taking short cruises to run up their cruise credits & reach a higher category. I got to enjoy every one of the 150 days it took to make Elite. The people building up the count do not have this pleasure

 

It's the me, me, me, what about me? Life isn't always fair. Get over it people.

Someone posted recently that someone got more OBC than she did and they are still crying over it. Good Grief.

[CDay]

It is possible to qualify in Australia by taking the 2 or 3 day cruises-either Melbourne-Sydney or vice versa, or Sydney-Brisbane and vice versa.

 

What about those people who need to budget very carefully for their chance to enjoy a cruise? They may only be able to manage the shorter cruises. Why should they be penalized for enjoying the shorter cruises?

 

How is anyone being 'penalized' for taking shorter cruises, other than the fact that it will take longer to reach Elite? :rolleyes: Days are days and that is truly the more equitable way to reach the different levels.

 

Those on the West coast can sail as a single, in an inside cabin, on a one night cruise, and get 2 cruise credits. 8 days and poof, you are Elite. Another person sails alone on a world cruise of 111 days and gets the same 2 credits? :confused:

 

I don't consider the laundry a great perk. I have had some items ruined and now very rarely use it. On my last cruise, my roommate wanted to wash a couple of things. I figured since she was sending some stuff I would add a T shirt I spilled coffee on one morning. I got the T shirt back 3 days later with a note attached that they were unable to remove the stains and further laundering would ruin the item. I took it home, threw it in the machine with some oxy-clean and what do you know? Good as new!

 

A real perk for me would be a separate line for Suites & Elites when returning to the ship after a day in port. A priority tender line back to the ship would be nice too. But it would have to be for the Elite and their cabin mate only, not all 22 ancillary friends they picked up along the way! :D ;)

[neverbeenhere]

Point of ...

 

Do you really only get two credits for sailing a world cruise Solo? It seems they sell them in segments too.

[abbydancer2003]

Why is it that every time Elite Perks are discussed, somebody starts complaining about how people got there?

 

The cruise line sets the rules. It's not a matter of fairness -as both methods (nights or cruises) are open to anyone.

 

And for that matter, sailing solo, in a suite, or both is open to anyone who wants to spend way more money.

 

Have a nice night everyone.

[neverbeenhere]

Why is it that every time Elite Perks are discussed, somebody starts complaining about how people got there?

 

The cruise line sets the rules. It's not a matter of fairness -as both methods (nights or cruises) are open to anyone.

 

And for that matter, sailing solo, in a suite, or both is open to anyone who wants to spend way more money.

 

Have a nice night everyone.

 

 

Exactly

[caribill]

 

Those on the West coast can sail as a single, in an inside cabin, on a one night cruise, and get 2 cruise credits. 8 days and poof, you are Elite. Another person sails alone on a world cruise of 111 days and gets the same 2 credits? :confused:

 

Actually, a world cruise is divided up into segments. A single in an inside cabin on the Pacific Princess world cruise would get 2 credits for each segment even if booked as a single cruise. With six segments, that would be 12 points. Would also get 111 days.

[caribill]

Exactly why the Elites lost unlimited internet.. Too much sharing and all of us lose out.

 

When the unlimited free Internet was part of being in a suite or having platinum or elite status, there were relatively few Internet devices on the ship. For passengers, there would be less than 20 in the Internet Cafe plus one in each full suite.

 

Yes, there was some "cheating," but when the benefit was eliminated for full suites and was cut down to a number of minutes for platinum/elites, many passengers had their own Internet enabled devices and the technology did have sufficient bandwidth for a number of people to be on at the same time.

 

Nowadays it is more likely that the number of Internet devices on the ship is about one for every passenger. And of course, also one for each crew member. Princess is catching up with current technology which would allow greater bandwidth to be used in many parts of the world.

[paul929207]

Exactly why the Elites lost unlimited internet.. Too much sharing and all of us lose out.

We heard it was not just sharing internet that was a problem. Some entrepreneurs were selling their sign on info.

[paul929207]

A real perk for me would be a separate line for Suites & Elites when returning to the ship after a day in port. A priority tender line back to the ship would be nice too. But it would have to be for the Elite and their cabin mate only, not all 22 ancillary friends they picked up along the way! :D ;)

 

With often a 1000 Elites and some unknown number of non-elite cabin mates, this would be a mess to administer. People could be standing in the non-elite tender line for literally hours. I think that a perk like this would only be for a new "super elite" category. Give it a cutoff of 500 or more and you get a much smaller number on each cruise. Then there would only be a few on each tender coming back to the ship.

[floridalover5623]

With often a 1000 Elites and some unknown number of non-elite cabin mates, this would be a mess to administer. People could be standing in the non-elite tender line for literally hours. I think that a perk like this would only be for a new "super elite" category. Give it a cutoff of 500 or more and you get a much smaller number on each cruise. Then there would only be a few on each tender coming back to the ship.

Having a cutoff of 500 days couldn't possibly interfere with the normal flow of boarding, plus the fact that this perk wouldn't cost Princess a dime.

[soccergang]

We just returned from the T/A and Baltic on the Regal, and it was 1-2 days tops, and there were many elite on board. Last year, we did an Alaskan cruise tour and we were actually invited to the most traveled passenger luncheon. (there were only 40 elite on board, so we qualified--a great surprise) However, our laundry took a full 72 hours. So, I was thinking that maybe it is the ship personnel on the Star, not a Princess decision. We also think that our room steward on the Regal, who was the best ever, made it happen quicker.

[Murphey]

We just returned from the T/A and Baltic on the Regal, and it was 1-2 days tops, and there were many elite on board. Last year, we did an Alaskan cruise tour and we were actually invited to the most traveled passenger luncheon. (there were only 40 elite on board, so we qualified--a great surprise) However, our laundry took a full 72 hours. So, I was thinking that maybe it is the ship personnel on the Star, not a Princess decision. We also think that our room steward on the Regal, who was the best ever, made it happen quicker.

 

Alaska can be different as they have to close the laundry in much of Alaskan waters. It will be printed in the patter. Launderettes are also closed.

[Thrak]

Having a cutoff of 500 days couldn't possibly interfere with the normal flow of boarding, plus the fact that this perk wouldn't cost Princess a dime.

 

Fuel costs. Princess wouldn't want to be running "priority tenders" back and forth with only a few passengers.

[floridalover5623]

Fuel costs. Princess wouldn't want to be running "priority tenders" back and forth with only a few passengers.

Of course not but having a few people cut in front of the long line couldn't possible slow down service that much.

[myfuzzy]

Alaska can be different as they have to close the laundry in much of Alaskan waters. It will be printed in the patter. Launderettes are also closed.

 

We haven't done Alaska yet, why are the launderettes closed?