Definitive email from Princess

[ceilidh1]

I got the email as a TA but never received it as an Elite guest. Not surprising. I NEVER seem to get emails from Princess, despite having opted in and being reassured by their "techs" that I am on the correct lists...

[Steelers36]

55 minutes ago, jennybenny said:

I'm curious as to the One device thing. I'd want it to be my computer, not my phone. 

You can be logged in to one device at a time.  You may have ay number of devices in play, but just use one at a time.  So, you can use both PC and phone - just not at the same moment in time.  When you connect on the second, it will notify you if the other one is logged on and log you out of it if continue.

 

[jennybenny]

Just now, Steelers36 said:

You can be logged in to one device at a time.  You may have ay number of devices in play, but just use one at a time.  So, you can use both PC and phone - just not at the same moment in time.  When you connect on the second, it will notify you if the other one is logged on and log you out of it if continue.

 

Thank you for explaining that! I'm relieved. I've been doing THAT for years with my "free minutes" 🙂Looks like I can continue the way I normally do, but in unlimited mode.... Honestly, I hope not to spend too much time on the internet while on vacation. 

[Steelers36]

4 minutes ago, jennybenny said:

Thank you for explaining that! I'm relieved. I've been doing THAT for years with my "free minutes" 🙂Looks like I can continue the way I normally do, but in unlimited mode.... Honestly, I hope not to spend too much time on the internet while on vacation. 

You could also do this with MedallionNet unlimited packages.

[caribill]

1 hour ago, jennybenny said:

 

 

The internet minutes don't bother me, we book Princess Plus, but I'm curious as to the One device thing. I'd want it to be my computer, not my phone. 

 

 

It is one device at a time and you can pick which device and can switch between devices anytime you want.

 

Unless both people in a cabin need to be on the Internet at the same time, once package can be used by both people, just switching which device is connected as you desire.

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, pthjudy said:

I also understand why there are cutbacks and loss of benefits. What I don’t particularly like is when they try to make it look like the change is for YOUR benefit (fast unlimited internet which you are paying for now rather than getting free generous minutes for years). Many cruise lines need to tighten the purse strings. Taking perks away from loyal cruisers is not going to help them in the long run. 

Seems to be standard procedure when something is taken away or a benefit it reduced to try to say it is for your own good. I think that pretty much everybody sees through that that it is not for your own good.

[CCFC]

6 hours ago, jennybenny said:

 

I'm annoyed by the loss of priority boarding. 

 

Priority boarding is still there, starts at Platinum as before.

[spyro1952]

12 hours ago, san diego sue said:

We  just got the Elite letter.In it it says "We no longer will offer on board credit for cruises taken".

Next sentence. We appreciate your loyalty---------etc.

For us with over 75 cruises taken we were getting $100 on board credit. To refresh peoples memory it started at 21 st cruise with $25.00 and went up as you cruised more till the max of $100.

This was very significant loss especially when we did B2B

So talk about losing benefits. No longer free internet and losing OBC. Nice Princess.

With 77 cruises and usually cruise solo paying double, that is a significant loss for me.  I don’t really care about the internet or free laundry but taking actual cash sucks big time.

[Steelers36]

25 minutes ago, CCFC said:

Priority boarding is still there, starts at Platinum as before.

Once you understand how Arrival Groups is going to work - according to info so far - you will see that priority boarding is basically gone except for a small few who are in first Arrival Group and are processed through check-in in the first few passengers.

[susancruzs]

In the long run, I'm not sure if this is a good move by Princess, time will tell.  I'll still cruise with Princess as my preferred line.  I cruise for itinerary, one or two a year, these changes don't impact me too much. 

 

I liked going to the internet cafe but plan on getting "modern" with my phone before my April cruise.

 

I don't care about the laundry, even on my longer cruises I'm using the laundry room, sending a few things out, maybe.  Cruising for 14+ days or more, I like variety in my clothes, take a big suitcase.

 

I've never understood about priority boarding, shortest line works for me.  My last cruise, people crowded into "special" area  There was a delay, I walked up to see, if there was a chair, nope.  They opened boarding, I walked on with others not able to fit in the "special" area.  We were Elite, standing nearby.  Noon worked for me that day! 🙂  Really it depends on hotel check out time, taking a cab, no need to rush.  Traveling alone, people watching is entertainment!

[Alaskanb]

I am really looking forward to Dine My Way. Hoping I book a table for 2 and actually get one! I have always regarded the perks as gifts and not something I've earned. We always book for itinerary and will never reach elite. 

[Croooser]

JMO and FYI, we don't really have a dog in this hunt as we are only Platinum and booked our two upcoming Princess cruises with the Princess Plus offering...

 

It is easy to understand that, in a post pandemic world, businesses that have been hit especially hard need to reevaluate their offerings and their pricing and their loyalty programs and benefits.

 

However, there is plenty of precedent in the business world for how to do this in a way that lowers the future costs of benefits without alienating good customers. 

 

Princess had a choice to make and they chose to unilaterally across the board reduce loyalty benefits for everyone.

 

The option which they did not choose was to grandfather members of their loyalty programs in at the existing benefit structure for their respective level, while instituting a revised structure for everyone going forward. In many large corporations, changes in employee benefits have been handled very well this way, without alienating longer term employees. It would require a little bit of IT work to keep things straight, but it is not particularly difficult since they already track individual benefits (think OBC, comp specialty restaurant, wifi, etc.).

 

As one of the many self-appointed armchair experts on CC, I believe that Princess has some rationale that tells them that they no longer need to have a meaningful Loyalty Benefit program. The calculation probably includes:

 

- Some people won't notice or won't care

- Some loyal customers will be motivated to consider other lines but will, in the end, still prefer Princess sans the old benefits

- Some high level customers will stick with Princess and will now book with Princess Plus

- The most loyal passengers are mostly a decidedly older demographic that will be going away in the short to mid term anyway

- For the next couple of years (and perhaps longer) pent up demand is larger than ever, so filling the ships won't be a problem. Therefore, why not with a reduced loyalty benefit cost?

 

I can't see any way that they did not deliberately consider this and decide that irritating some long term passengers was in their best interest.

 

YMMV

 

 

[Shoalwater]

We're elite with 40+ on Princess, but I contend we really don't matter as much as the first time, newer to cruising passengers.  We all pay the same for our cabins based on type, but the equality ends there.  How many more photos do we need?  How many more inches of gold" chain will we buy, or port Tee shirts or emblem sweatshirts?  How much alcohol will we buy, or how many trips to the plethora of up-charge specialty restaurants now on the mega ships?  Face it folks, your cabin fare and low spending ways are incongruous to the revenue per passenger yield.  Ten or more years ago the analytics were different, and us 40+ trippers were probably filling the coffers adequately, but no more with the mega ships sailing.  We are essentially (please forgive me here) "dead space".  Maybe unproductive space would read better, but what the he11.  Its all about cash flow, and after the holding company CCL lost billions from COVID look for more changes.  I didn't get the email, but once I got a similar type letter from our bank.  It started out "For your banking convenience we will now be closed on Saturday.".  Sorry folks, Princess has graduated into the mass market cruising world, and they will be happy to replace us old specialty type sailors with younger ones that per capita spend more.  And that's the way it is.  By the way, our next voyage in 10 days is with Viking Ocean.  You can guess why, the value calculation for me has switched.  As the famous line in the first Godfather film goes when Al Tessio (Abe Vigoda) says to Tom Hagen, MIchael Corliones cappo "Tell Mike it was only business. I always liked him".

Edited July 2, 2021 by Shoalwater

[caribill]

18 hours ago, susancruzs said:

 

I've never understood about priority boarding, shortest line works for me. 

 

Priority boarding was never about the check-in line.

 

It only had value for those who arrived and checked in before boarding started.

 

Elites/suites would wait in one area. Platinum would wait in another area. The unwashed masses would wait in a third area.

 

When boarding started, Elites/suites would board before Platinum who would board before the unwashed masses. That was what priority boarding meant.

 

Of course anyone who arrived after general boarding started went directly to the ship no matter what status they had, so once general boarding started there was no priority boarding benefit,

[getting older slowly]

Yes also got the email....... change cruise lines..... well Princess home port in our city, offer a good range of cruise, and we like the product... as well as the cost..

 

So the perks  done bother us too much.... honestly I pay for laundry  if it wasn't included...

 

In the big picture the perks are only worth a small amount  compared to the overall cost of the cruise.....

 

So bit of a disappointment   but no game changer...

[Steelers36]

21 hours ago, susancruzs said:

shortest (check-in) line works for me

In future, the shortest check-in line is most likely to be the folks who are not OceanReady without a smart device and will require much more processing per person.  Bit more of a judgment call.

[PRNole47]

So now I only have to pay $4.99/day for wi-fi instead of $9.99/day?!? LOL! Where do I sign up?

 

[mtnesterz]

17 hours ago, Shoalwater said:

Sorry folks, Princess has graduated into the mass market cruising world, and they will be happy to replace us old specialty type sailors with younger ones that per capita spend more.

What no one has brought up yet is this: While many of us Elites are older and don't spend like young adults, we also know how to get by without internet and cell phones. May not want to, but we can. Younger folks would be flummoxed.

We won't be buying an internet package on our next and last Princess sailing. They can continue their race to the bottom without us.

Princess features stage shows, formal dining, cocktail parties and art auctions. Do they really think twentysomethings want that?  

Edited July 3, 2021 by mtnesterz

[alfieisgod]

What they are giving me:

• exclusive, early access to Dine My Way reservations (ability to make them before final payment!) 

I never eat in the MDR’s

• 10% off Lotus Spa^® treatments

A small discount on something I would never buy

• 10% off Photo Gallery offerings

A small discount on something I would never buy

 

What the are taking from me:

 

·       Loyalty OBC’s

Free money to spend on anything

·       Free Internet minutes

Free minutes I have been able to manage to meet all of my internet needs for about 20 cruises.

 

I don’t see how this can be seen as “rewarding my loyalty”. Very disappointing!

 

 

[nocl]

17 hours ago, Shoalwater said:

We're elite with 40+ on Princess, but I contend we really don't matter as much as the first time, newer to cruising passengers.  We all pay the same for our cabins based on type, but the equality ends there.  How many more photos do we need?  How many more inches of gold" chain will we buy, or port Tee shirts or emblem sweatshirts?  How much alcohol will we buy, or how many trips to the plethora of up-charge specialty restaurants now on the mega ships?  Face it folks, your cabin fare and low spending ways are incongruous to the revenue per passenger yield.  Ten or more years ago the analytics were different, and us 40+ trippers were probably filling the coffers adequately, but no more with the mega ships sailing.  We are essentially (please forgive me here) "dead space".  Maybe unproductive space would read better, but what the he11.  Its all about cash flow, and after the holding company CCL lost billions from COVID look for more changes.  I didn't get the email, but once I got a similar type letter from our bank.  It started out "For your banking convenience we will now be closed on Saturday.".  Sorry folks, Princess has graduated into the mass market cruising world, and they will be happy to replace us old specialty type sailors with younger ones that per capita spend more.  And that's the way it is.  By the way, our next voyage in 10 days is with Viking Ocean.  You can guess why, the value calculation for me has switched.  As the famous line in the first Godfather film goes when Al Tessio (Abe Vigoda) says to Tom Hagen, MIchael Corliones cappo "Tell Mike it was only business. I always liked him".

Princess aling with HAL, and  Celebrity have always been mass market. A little more elevated mass market that Royal or Carnival, but certainly mass market. 

[JSandage]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:23 PM, racj846 said:

The Platinum/Elite Lounge is still shown as a benefit in the link attached to the email. 

Our cruise in January 2022 will be our first as elite. We did receive the email with the new benefits explanation. We have never heard of the Platinum/Elite lounge - what is it??

[JF - retired RRT]

28 minutes ago, JSandage said:

Our cruise in January 2022 will be our first as elite. We did receive the email with the new benefits explanation. We have never heard of the Platinum/Elite lounge - what is it??

Carrot sticks, tomatoes, crackers, maybe shrimp or steak tartare, guacamole, chips, plus discount on drinks from an approved list.

We go for the snacks on occasion, but usually food we don't eat/want and to close to our dinner time.

You'll get an invitation (either through the medallion on your phone or a card in your cabin - who knows?).

[caribill]

1 hour ago, JSandage said:

Our cruise in January 2022 will be our first as elite. We did receive the email with the new benefits explanation. We have never heard of the Platinum/Elite lounge - what is it??

 

53 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Carrot sticks, tomatoes, crackers, maybe shrimp or steak tartare, guacamole, chips, plus discount on drinks from an approved list.

We go for the snacks on occasion, but usually food we don't eat/want and to close to our dinner time.

You'll get an invitation (either through the medallion on your phone or a card in your cabin - who knows?).

 

It is usually held for about two hours (for example: 5 PM-7 PM)  in a location such as (depending on the ship) Skywalker's or Take 5 or similar lounge. If a large number of P/E/S passengers on board, it may be held in the rear lounge.

 

The list of drinks that have a discount contains drinks that most people would not order at any price. However, with so many people booking with Princess Plus rates that include the beverage package, it does not matter since there is no cost for any drink covered by the package.

 

Basically is it a place to relax and socialize with snacks provided and beverages available. However, the time it is available can conflict with many people's dinner times.

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, JSandage said:

Our cruise in January 2022 will be our first as elite. We did receive the email with the new benefits explanation. We have never heard of the Platinum/Elite lounge - what is it??

 

If you are now Elite then you should have been receiving a card in your stateroom on every cruise you did as Platinum. The card lists where and when the PES Lounge would be held and also list what the "main food item" would be each night. I'm not sure how one goes through the Platinum level cruises without ever hearing about the PES Lounge.

[nocl]

21 hours ago, Croooser said:

JMO and FYI, we don't really have a dog in this hunt as we are only Platinum and booked our two upcoming Princess cruises with the Princess Plus offering...

 

It is easy to understand that, in a post pandemic world, businesses that have been hit especially hard need to reevaluate their offerings and their pricing and their loyalty programs and benefits.

 

However, there is plenty of precedent in the business world for how to do this in a way that lowers the future costs of benefits without alienating good customers. 

 

Princess had a choice to make and they chose to unilaterally across the board reduce loyalty benefits for everyone.

 

The option which they did not choose was to grandfather members of their loyalty programs in at the existing benefit structure for their respective level, while instituting a revised structure for everyone going forward. In many large corporations, changes in employee benefits have been handled very well this way, without alienating longer term employees. It would require a little bit of IT work to keep things straight, but it is not particularly difficult since they already track individual benefits (think OBC, comp specialty restaurant, wifi, etc.).

 

As one of the many self-appointed armchair experts on CC, I believe that Princess has some rationale that tells them that they no longer need to have a meaningful Loyalty Benefit program. The calculation probably includes:

 

- Some people won't notice or won't care

- Some loyal customers will be motivated to consider other lines but will, in the end, still prefer Princess sans the old benefits

- Some high level customers will stick with Princess and will now book with Princess Plus

- The most loyal passengers are mostly a decidedly older demographic that will be going away in the short to mid term anyway

- For the next couple of years (and perhaps longer) pent up demand is larger than ever, so filling the ships won't be a problem. Therefore, why not with a reduced loyalty benefit cost?

 

I can't see any way that they did not deliberately consider this and decide that irritating some long term passengers was in their best interest.

 

YMMV

 

 

Except they still have a meaningful loyalty program.  One that still has substantial value.  For those that buy excursions and use more than a limited set of minutes the changes may be even more valuable than what was removed.

 

The problem is more that the cruise lines loyalty programs are set up in such a way (benefits based upon total lifetime use) that they doomed to collapse (one of the main reasons grandfathering really made no sense with the changes).

 

The internet change was due to a complete change in how they manage internet on board ship (the new discount is about the equivalent in dollars to the old "free" minutes value in the old program).  The old benefit was a carry over from when internet time was sold in minutes.  Now internet time is sold by number of active devices.  Continuing that benefit would require maintaining an entirely separate management system just for some that did not want the more expansive package.  A system that from a support point of view had a number of problems with complaints about lost minutes due to failure to log off, minutes wasted when the system was slow, etc. 

 

For some of the other benefits how much value is a benefit for jumping the line for a tender to shore if half of the ship has the same benefit, not much.  Or a free laundry benefit if it takes a week to get your clothes back.  Problems that are increasing as more reach the level in their lifetime use.

 

In the case of the loyalty OBC I would expect what was at one time expected to be a token benefit for a relatively few number of passengers, had now become a benefit being claimed by a not insignificant number of passengers each cruise, a number that (because it was a life time benefit) would only continue to increase.  One where a lot of those passengers are pretty cost focused and not exactly big on board spenders.

 

So yes by not grandfathering it in, Princess may lose some passengers.  Some may sail less with them.  But when one looks at the economics from the cruise line perspective they may be just the passengers that the cruise line is willing to lose. If a $100 benefit becomes the deciding factor of remaining with a cruise line or not.

 

Just to be clear we might also be in the category of those that the cruise line would not miss.  We sail around 100 days per year.  Many in inside cabins (which I actually prefer because they tend to be quieter) though sometimes in other categories depending upon route.  Tend to get a lot of OBC that is mostly used for excursions.  Do not drink much.  Get coffee from trading in minibar for 2 coffee "cards" (the electronic equivalent).  Basically those that at the end of the cruise have very little additional in the bill other than gratuities.

Edited July 3, 2021 by nocl