Revamped Tier Levels Coming Soon

[suzyed]

2 hours ago, nocl said:

Any free drinks on Princess went away years ago. Though up until fairly recently they had 2 for 1 happy hours in some bars.

Yeah, that ended about 3-4 years ago.

 

[nocl]

2 hours ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

 

I thought there was a regular cocktail party at least a few times a cruise for Elite members where free cocktails are available.  Am I just completely misremembering whatever I once read?  I'm sure you'd know since you are a much more prolific and actual Elite member of Princess and I have not actually done any of these things.

there is the platinum and elite lounge but they only have snacks, and drinks at regular price except some very strange drinks ( a different special each night) at a reduced price.

 

There is 1 meeting each cruise of elite (also one for platinum if they are too many elite and they have a separate event. where drinks are served. just as there is free champagne served at the waterfall fountain event.

 

but on a daily basis, no.

Edited July 6, 2021 by nocl

[Ombud]

On my 4 cruises in 2019:

> 1st drink free on Medallion

> free drink loaded onto acct by captain

> Captain Circle drink

That was it. So that +1 bottle + 2 coffee programs can handle a week. I run out of free lattes

[nocl]

4 minutes ago, Ombud said:

On my 4 cruises in 2019:

> 1st drink free on Medallion

> free drink loaded onto acct by captain

> Captain Circle drink

That was it. So that +1 bottle + 2 coffee programs can handle a week. I run out of free lattes

if you take a cruise out of Australia it seems they try and see how many drinks they can get during the Elite party. Saw one couple with 7 each.

[Ombud]

1 minute ago, nocl said:

7 minutes ago, Ombud said:

On my 4 cruises in 2019:

> 1st drink free on Medallion

> free drink loaded onto acct by captain

> Captain Circle drink

That was it. So that +1 bottle + 2 coffee programs can handle a week. I run out of free lattes

Expand  

if you take a cruise out of Australia it seems they try and see how many drinks they can get during the Elite party. Saw one couple with 7 each.

On the December 2019 cruise Oz -> NZ they even gave me a full glass of wine when I was leaving the wine tasting. But that was the only time it was a full 6oz extra

[nocl]

Since we are talking about alcohol we should include the free wine tasting for Elites which is still included.

[maggie777]

33 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Smart devices are being used on every line I would travel on. However, you can still get paper menus and paper copies of their version of the Patter.  This was bound to happen eventually but Covid accelerated it.  

I was specifically asking about pre cruise input that we did on pc/personalizer

 and printed at home

[2 cruises a year]

1 hour ago, LACruiser88 said:

Don't get me going on the quality of the $1.29 bottles of "Sparkling" plonk they serve!  

 

53 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

You are valuing it too high.

 

I once cruised with a purchasing agent from another cruise line. He says the cruise line pays less than $1. a bottle.

I wonder how many passengers would threaten to change cruise lines if Princess stopped giving away the "Sparkling" plonk for winning the Hula Hoop contest?  😁

[Daniel A]

As fun as this thread is, I wonder how many posters think they will be changing a corporate decision.  Loyalty is a two way street.  I have friends and associates that I am extremely loyal to (similar to being elites).  I have known some of them for more than 50 years.  If I came over to their house and they were going through a hard time (like the cruise lines are) and they only offered me a glass of Kool Aide as they were going through a rough time, I certainly wouldn't tell them I'll never see them again because I didn't get a glass of beer or wine like I used to.  I might even want to offer to help out during their hard times if I could.

 

This will probably sail right over some peoples heads but I'm prepared for the flaming!  Some talk about being 'loyal' customers and want to abandon a friend when they need them the most.  I say good riddance. 

[mtnesterz]

@Daniel A you are entitled to your opinion, but many here have a different interpretion of the word, "Friend."

Edited July 6, 2021 by mtnesterz

[Iamcruzin]

35 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

As fun as this thread is, I wonder how many posters think they will be changing a corporate decision.  Loyalty is a two way street.  I have friends and associates that I am extremely loyal to (similar to being elites).  I have known some of them for more than 50 years.  If I came over to their house and they were going through a hard time (like the cruise lines are) and they only offered me a glass of Kool Aide as they were going through a rough time, I certainly wouldn't tell them I'll never see them again because I didn't get a glass of beer or wine like I used to.  I might even want to offer to help out during their hard times if I could.

 

This will probably sail right over some peoples heads but I'm prepared for the flaming!  Some talk about being 'loyal' customers and want to abandon a friend when they need them the most.  I say good riddance. 

The business is there to provide a service. If the service changes and no longer meets your needs then you move on.  I don't understand being loyal to a corporation like it's your child, family member or friend.  I'm not going to accept changes that don't meet my expectation just to keep them in business. The loyalists got sucked into a marketing scheme  that was eventually going to change to meet the financial needs of the cruise line. So many were sucked in and there were actually some who booked those short cruises solo in a suite just to get extra points to make it to Elite for their next longer cruise.   Now here we are with a new business model and people are angry, disappointed and feel betrayed. The mistake made by the marketing teams of the cruise lines was referring to it as a loyalty program. Maybe if it was called a bonus incentive they wouldn't feel so let down. In business bonus incentives change all of the time so changes may have been tolerated better.

 

 

[caribill]

2 hours ago, nocl said:

 

 

There is 1 meeting each cruise of elite (also one for platinum if they are too many elite and they have a separate event. where drinks are served. just as there is free champagne served at the waterfall fountain event.

 

but on a daily basis, no.

 

That is really a past passenger event and everyone but first time Princess cruisers is invited.

 

They usually have two sessions timed for early and late seating, usually on a formal evening. It is at these sessions that the three most traveled passengers are announced.

 

Sometimes they have to do this on multiple days to accomodate all the repeat passengers.

 

Sometimes they instead invite those below platinum status to a meeting in the Princess theater where they pass out a coupon that can be used for a drink at a bar later in the cruise.

 

Often many passengers skip the event having been to it many times before.

[nocl]

57 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

As fun as this thread is, I wonder how many posters think they will be changing a corporate decision.  Loyalty is a two way street.  I have friends and associates that I am extremely loyal to (similar to being elites).  I have known some of them for more than 50 years.  If I came over to their house and they were going through a hard time (like the cruise lines are) and they only offered me a glass of Kool Aide as they were going through a rough time, I certainly wouldn't tell them I'll never see them again because I didn't get a glass of beer or wine like I used to.  I might even want to offer to help out during their hard times if I could.

 

This will probably sail right over some peoples heads but I'm prepared for the flaming!  Some talk about being 'loyal' customers and want to abandon a friend when they need them the most.  I say good riddance. 

Companies loyalty   are first and foremost to the company.

 

Sometimes it aligns with long term customers, at other times it doesnt

[nocl]

1 minute ago, caribill said:

 

That is really a past passenger event and everyone but first time Princess cruisers is invited.

 

They usually have two sessions timed for early and late seating, usually on a formal evening. It is at these sessions that the three most traveled passengers are announced.

 

Sometimes they have to do this on multiple days to accomodate all the repeat passengers.

 

Sometimes they instead invite those below platinum status to a meeting in the Princess theater where they pass out a coupon that can be used for a drink at a bar later in the cruise.

 

Often many passengers skip the event having been to it many times before.

They tend to have platinum and elite together in the rear showroom. Gold and whatever the red color is tend to meet in the theater, and get a drink coupon, not actual drinks served at the event.  Sometimes elite and platinum are together, sometimes they are separate, sometimes they have too many and have the people split between  them.

 

In the last 5 years I have not seen the two lower categories invited to the same event as the two upper.

[cruzsnooze]

6 hours ago, maggie777 said:

Do you know if Princess is the only cruise line requiring a smart device for pre-cruise preparation? That along with loss of internet minutes and loyalty obc has me shopping other cruise lines. 

It is not required but suggested. I will be in the check in line without the app at the pier. 

[cruzsnooze]

7 hours ago, Ombud said:

Now that we know what this means* and idea what this means^? Does your source still indicate there actually be another tier or is that just talk? I'm so over the loss of benefits but it would cost me more to move to another line then simply buy wifi & OBC (just spent 2 promo cards to get a week of wifi + 65.97 OBC)

They said they were aware of there being too many elites and looking to revamp the tiers and benefits. Apparently they didn't get far enough with the tiers but did revamp the benefits to our disadvantage. 

[Ombud]

A few points:

1. PCL: smart device preferable but not required

2. RCI: new chat feature $2 pd will have user utilizing smart device, again preferable not required

3. MSC: using MSC for Me gadgets require smart devices 

Face it. Times change especially post pandemic 

 

You can Google the above. When I tried to post links my post was hidden

[caribill]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

A few points:

1. PCL: smart device preferable but not required

2. RCI: new chat feature $2 pd will have user utilizing smart device, again preferable not required

3. MSC: using MSC for Me gadgets require smart devices 

Face it. Times change especially post pandemic 

 

 

 

Those are on the ship.

 

But pre-cruise, the only company where it is 99% essential you have an app compatible smart device (and not all smart devices and operating system versions are compatible) is Princess.

 

Yes, you can wait to do many things at check-in such as submitting the Covid-19 health declaration. But you will board the ship without setting up any dining arrangements (good luck getting what you want then) and other selectable items for the cruise.

 

Actually, not sure how you would know when to show up for boarding since so far the only way to know when your assigned boarding time is via the app.

[Daniel A]

13 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

@Daniel A you are entitled to your opinion, but many here have a different interpretion of the word, "Friend."

It appears some also have difficulty with the concept of being "most loyal."  I just have an issue with those who pontificate about how they're the "most loyal" when in fact, the only loyalty they have is to themselves.  @Iamcruzin really hit the nail on the head when writing "The mistake made by the marketing teams of the cruise lines was referring to it as a loyalty program. Maybe if it was called a bonus incentive they wouldn't feel so let down."

[skynight]

22 hours ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

 

They are talking about the free cocktail hours that they lost as Elite members.  Along with the internet minutes they lost.  They apparently are not interest in getting the Plus package.

There are no free elite cocktail hours on Princess ships. There are platinum, elite, suite cocktail hours, with a limited selection of cocktails sold for $6 +18%. each. All other beverages were at the menu price +18%each. 

 

 

[caribill]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

 "The mistake made by the marketing teams of the cruise lines was referring to it as a loyalty program. Maybe if it was called a bonus incentive they wouldn't feel so let down."

 

No. Call it a "passenger incentive."

 

Sort of like the "crew incentive" but for passengers.

[nocl]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

It appears some also have difficulty with the concept of being "most loyal."  I just have an issue with those who pontificate about how they're the "most loyal" when in fact, the only loyalty they have is to themselves.  @Iamcruzin really hit the nail on the head when writing "The mistake made by the marketing teams of the cruise lines was referring to it as a loyalty program. Maybe if it was called a bonus incentive they wouldn't feel so let down."

maybe they could have called the entitled incentive.

[cruzsnooze]

9 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Those are on the ship.

 

But pre-cruise, the only company where it is 99% essential you have an app compatible smart device (and not all smart devices and operating system versions are compatible) is Princess.

 

Yes, you can wait to do many things at check-in such as submitting the Covid-19 health declaration. But you will board the ship without setting up any dining arrangements (good luck getting what you want then) and other selectable items for the cruise.

 

Actually, not sure how you would know when to show up for boarding since so far the only way to know when your assigned boarding time is via the app.

You can call Princess and they will set up what you need for dining and boarding time. Since I personally have club class it doesn't need to be set up with a time.  Princess has a work around for those of us who don't want to use a smart phone to run our lives. 

[cruzsnooze]

On 7/7/2021 at 7:59 AM, cruzsnooze said:

You can call Princess and they will set up what you need for dining and boarding time. Since I personally have club class it doesn't need to be set up with a time.  Princess has a work around for those of us who don't want to use a smart phone to run our lives. 

Here is the phone number for Ocean Ready / Medallion help line

844-525-0942

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

Here is the phone number for Ocean Ready / Medallion help line

844-525-0942

No good if you are having issues with Medallion in the UK and cannot get through on UK phone number because they dont answer the phone and PM on Facebook is either ignored or given no beneficial answer.