Elite Status Pursuer Question

[gkthorn]

My wife and I are getting close to becoming "Elite."  Someone suggested for my wife and I to take a cheapie repositioning cruise and each by a cabin and it would then count as two cruises since double occupancy is required.  Has anyone done this before? and if so is there a quick way to find out about these repositioning cruises?

Edited October 22, 2018 by gkthorn

[Pam in CA]

That “someone” is sort of correct. 

 

Solo passengers get two cruise credits but they pay 200% of the cruise fare. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a 1-day or 102-day cruise. It has nothing to do with a repositioning or any other type of cruise itinerary. 

 

If you are close to being Elite based on days, booking solo won’t help you as solos don’t get double the days. 

 

If you are close to being Elite based on cruise credits (Princess says “cruises” on their website but it’s really cruise credits), then booking each of you solo in a cabin will help.the negative is that you’ll pay double fare for each cabin. You might as well book another cruise IMHO. 

[neverbeenhere]

Couples have been known to each book a full suites on one night cruises to get to elite status faster.  Financially it makes no sense, but to each their own. 

 

Elite status benefits have a small financial value. 

Edited October 22, 2018 by neverbeenhere

[bemis12]

People do all sorts of things for negligible benefits.  Most businesses know this.

 

Heck, Cruise Critic knows that people will come here more and post more often just to get to "Blue Ribbon Cruiser" and whatever is next, even though they are completely without value.

[Colo Cruiser]

Take a Princess Commodore course, you won't even have to take a cruise.

[elliair]

1 hour ago, neverbeenhere said:

Couples have been known to each book a full suites on one night cruises to get to elite status faster.  Financially it makes no sense, but to each their own. 

 

Elite status benefits have a small financial value. 

This is true.  Reaching elite is no big deal IMHO.  You get priority boarding (nice).  Mini bar, I can take it or leave it as I don't drink the hard stuff.  I can take or leave the soda as well.  I do our own laundry, never have used the free laundry.  The internet minutes are nice, we like those.  I suite spa bag is nice, I give them to either my daughter or DIL as a gift.  The priority line at the pursers desk is no big deal, we rarely ever go there.  So, IMHO it's not worth the extra cost of booking a suite just to get elite.  What's the value price wise for laundry and a mini bar?

[paul929207]

I am Elite and not convinced that the Elite perks are worth spending a lot to "buy" the status. Maybe if you are going on a world cruise, but for most cruises, not worth it.

[Mike45LC]

I would not spend a lot to race to Elite.  The value is just not there for us.

 

The Elite Internet perk is nice.  Priority boarding would be nice if my wife would ever let us get to the ship before 2 p.m.  To us, the mini-bar set-up is worth under $3 per day,  the cost of one can of soda each night -- we buy the Soda and More Package, but my wife still raids the fridge every night for a can of soda.  And that is about all the benefit we use.

[DrivesLikeMario]

We met a couple once who had booked two inside cabins for themselves.  The thought of doing that had never even occurred to me.  They rarely used the second cabin but were doing this to get double the points on a short cruise.  Another way to do it is to book a suite but it's a lot more expensive. 

[neverbeenhere]

We appreciate the secret handshake and the private hidden lounge on deck 3. 

[geoherb]

The internet benefit is the same for Platinum and Elite passengers, so there's no reason to become Elite for it. Priority boarding is a few minutes ahead for Elite, but Platinum have it over regular folks.

 

For me, it would depend on the ease at which you could take a short cruise. Someone who lives in Seattle or Vancouver, for instance, could take a 1-day cruise at the beginning or end of the Alaska cruise season. The second thing I'd consider is how long is the cruise that you want to attain Elite status. If it's a long cruise and you'd take advantage of the free laundry, then it could be worth it for some folks. We used around $200 worth of laundry on our 15-night trans-Atlantic on the Royal last month. That's probably less than it would cost to sail solo in a suite even on a 1-night cruise.

 

[Hlitner]

Perhaps I have become very cynical at my ole age.  When younger we used to dream about being in the upper tiers of frequent cruiser clubs.  Now, we are in those high tiers on many different lines and have been Elite with Princess for over 15 years.  Big deal!  For the life of me I cannot understand folks going out of their way to achieve the higher status.  On Princess we do swap out our mini-bar for 2 coffee cards which is about a $70 (per couple benefit).  We get free laundry which we seldom use except on long cruises.  The Elite cocktail parties are, to us, a big joke and we seldom attend.  Those parties now have some cheap snacks (you can do better if you stop up in the Lido) and slightly reduced prices on a few silly drinks which we would never order.  If we want a regular drink it costs the regular price at those parties.  Yes, we get priority embarkation...but many times we see that the regular lines are shorter and just go to those lines.   The Internet benefits are nice (you get them at the Platinum level) but hardly worth spending the extra money on a few extra cruises.

 

So to the OP I say that if it is that important to you then do what you have to do.  And when you achieve a higher level you will smile and take advantage of the perks.  And eventually you will come to realize that its not a big deal.  For those who think these levels are very important we sometimes wonder if they have a real life.

 

My suggestion is to do what you would normally do and let the rest just happen when it happens.  For decades we would cruise on many different lines (14 to date) and friends would tell us we were nutz not to be "loyal" to a single line so we could get extra perks.  Eventually we got high levels on nearly all those lines....and our reaction is "big deal."  In the scheme of things it is not that important.

 

Hank

[Thrak]

We will (probably) be elite one of these days but I can't imagine spending much in the way of extra effort and extra money just to get that status. I agree with others that the benefits really don't seem to amount to all that much. It will happen when it happens.

[jennybenny]

Free laundry is the biggest worthwhile perk for my husband.  He's OK with sending whatever to be laundered.  I on the other hand don't send much because Princess uses ultra hot water and dryers for the clothing.  I've had a couple of nice things ruined the first time I used the perk and now, just do my own laundry.  I sent it in, so I didn't complain.  I've heard people get reimbursed for ruined clothing, but that wasn't your question.  🙂 

 

I do understand that excitement that comes with becoming Elite though.  We get away for 24 getaways all the time because we have kids, they are both very active with school and sports and there is rarely time for mom and dad to have alone time.  The best we can muster is a quick getaway.  These days we will do an overnight in Seattle or Portland.  Anything local, we take the kids with us.  🙂  So, we would do a one night cruise for fun if we had those available out of San Francisco, but we don't.

 

So, regardless of getting to Elite, I do enjoy a quick getaway!  If you can swing it, do it!!  Have a blast getting to Elite.  Book a suite if you can, or book a guarantee and see if either of you get upgraded to a cool room!!  🙂

 

[caribill]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

  Yes, we get priority embarkation...but many times we see that the regular lines are shorter and just go to those lines.  

Priority embarkation is different from priority check-in which is what you are describing.

 

Priority embarkation only applies if you check-in before embarkation has started. If so, after check-in you will go to the elite lounge in the terminal and will be called to board before platinum passengers and those with lower or no Captain's Circle levels.

[gkthorn]

Awesome replies.  You have all given us something to think about.

[gkthorn]

Just out of curiosity res

7 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

Couples have been known to each book a full suites on one night cruises to get to elite status faster.  Financially it makes no sense, but to each their own. 

 

Elite status benefits have a small financial value. 

status?

[gkthorn]

How does reserving a suite bump your status?

We reserve club class mini-suites fairly frequently.

[justafem]

3 hours ago, gkthorn said:

How does reserving a suite bump your status?

We reserve club class mini-suites fairly frequently.

You only get one cruise credit for a mini-suite.  The full suites get double cruise credits.  

[skynight]

13 hours ago, gkthorn said:

My wife and I are getting close to becoming "Elite."  Someone suggested for my wife and I to take a cheapie repositioning cruise and each by a cabin and it would then count as two cruises since double occupancy is required.  Has anyone done this before? and if so is there a quick way to find out about these repositioning cruises?

Take the cruise if you want to take a cruise. Don't do it to become Elite. Only big financial benefits are laundry, and maybe the mini bar. If it's a short cruise that you like book a full suite, you'll receive 2X cruise credits.

[voljeep]

10 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

We appreciate the secret handshake and the private hidden lounge on deck 3. 

we will use the  status to book bowling lane times in advance

[neverbeenhere]

8 hours ago, gkthorn said:

How does reserving a suite bump your status?

We reserve club class mini-suites fairly frequently.

 

Three cruise credits for booking a suite as a solo cruiser. 

[sandyoftheseas]

My husband and I had a Panama Canal cruise booked it was our longest cruise at the time (12 day ) we wanted laundry service for that cruise so we booked two 1 day cruises out of Seattle (we live in Michigan) The first cruise we booked solo in an inside for $49 each and for the second cruise my husband booked and inside for $49 and I booked a mini suite for $149.  I ended up getting upgraded to the owners suite. That will be the only time I will ever stay in the best cabin on the ship!  We cruised from Seattle to Vancouver then drove back to Seattle.  We had never been to that part of the country and it was a beautiful drive.  We then got on our second one day cruise. After the cruise we stayed in Vancouver for a couple days.  For us it was worth it we turned it into a mini 5 day vacation.  We still talk about our 1 night in the owners suite and the fact the my husband got the best upgrade ever( inside to the owners suite) and the beautiful drive. 

[jennybenny]

11 hours ago, gkthorn said:

How does reserving a suite bump your status?

We reserve club class mini-suites fairly frequently.

A suite for a one day cruise is cheaper than a week long or longer cruise.  Why not try one!  Staying in a suite is also double cruise credits.  So, if someone is rushing to be elite it's a way to get there faster and more affordable to try a full suite on a 1 day cruise. 

 

A club class mini does not have the same perks as a suite.  

[Colo Cruiser]

13 hours ago, gkthorn said:

How does reserving a suite bump your status?

We reserve club class mini-suites fairly frequently.

I always say......

Mini Suites should not have the word suite in it.

There is no "special status".

You get 1 credit for sailing with someone in a regular cabin including a mini.

If you sail with someone in a suite you get 2.

If you travel solo in any cabin you get 2 cruise credits, if you sail solo in a suite you get 3.