Princess Elite changes?

[shamrockace]

I hate that they did away with the free internet minutes for elite & platinum. We love to disconnect on cruises and the free minutes was enough to pay our bills on longer cruises. 

[boca7]

when you say no loyalty benefits are you referring  to amount of cruises you have acumalated?

[nocl]

On 11/22/2021 at 1:31 PM, Ombud said:

So the biggest changes are:

1. Paying for wifi

2. Not get loyalty OBC

3. No turndown service

You can get around #1 by buying it pre-cruise & receiving 50% back as OBC. No way to get around #2. To get around #3 just request it one time or nightly once you board. Miniscule issue IMHO

I found it.

Edited November 27, 2021 by nocl

[Astro Flyer]

23 minutes ago, boca7 said:

when you say no loyalty benefits are you referring  to amount of cruises you have acumalated?

Loyalty OBC was based on the number of cruise credits and not on the number of cruises.
 

Passengers received extra cruise credits when booking solo, in suites or when on a longer cruise that could be booked as shorter cruises. We had a 28 day cruise that could be booked as 3 shorter cruises (7/7/14 days) and received 3 credits.

[caribill]

10 hours ago, Gretchendz said:

Missing chocolates?  I suspect that it is not hard to find chocolate on most ships 🙂

 

Complimentary ones?

[JF - retired RRT]

17 hours ago, Kruznkat said:

I’ve been on many Princess cruises since getting to Elite level, and had slippers on every one of them. They we fabric slides with rubber soles. Pretty much disposables, but great for wearing in cabin and balcony. I have never stayed in any other than a balcony cabin. 

Lucky you. We've been Elite for 4 or 5 years (pre-Covid), never gotten slippers.

[JF - retired RRT]

14 hours ago, Shelly97060 said:

 

Double post...not me, CC.

Edited November 27, 2021 by JF - retired RRT

[JF - retired RRT]

14 hours ago, Shelly97060 said:

 

Triple post.

Edited November 27, 2021 by JF - retired RRT

[JF - retired RRT]

12 hours ago, boca7 said:

when you say no loyalty benefits are you referring  to amount of cruises you have accumulated?

Cruise credits.

Edited November 27, 2021 by JF - retired RRT

[geoherb]

I hate that Princess did away with the loyalty OBC. It was one thing that people could continue to advance in levels after achieving Elite. I was fortunate to get it on nine cruises. I would have moved up to the $50 level on my August cruise if it still had existed then. 

 

[billco]

On 11/22/2021 at 12:59 PM, pms4104 said:

Yes, there have been changes ...

 

Princess ought to be embarrassed to provide only an Emory board.  I can buy a pkg of a dozen boards at The Dollar Store for $1.

 

I suspect it's either cash flow or supply chain issues.

How much would it cost to buy all the Elite perks that Princess used to provide? We enjoy a cruise now about the same as we did as Gold and Platinum, so it wouldn't affect us that much if they dropped the Elite benefit altogether. Our favorite perk is the Plus package.

Edited November 27, 2021 by billco

[geoherb]

32 minutes ago, billco said:

How much would it cost to buy all the Elite perks that Princess used to provide? We enjoy a cruise now about the same as we did as Gold and Platinum, so it wouldn't affect us that much if they dropped the Elite benefit altogether. Our favorite perk is the Plus package.

 

It costs us $5 a day for internet instead of the free minutes we used to get. The good news is that the new discount is better for those who previously purchased the unlimited package. The upgraded bathroom amenities are currently hit or miss. If you don't get them and need to buy the items on the ship or in port, they'd probably add up to $10-$15. They probably cost Princess around $2. The lack of the loyalty benefit is up to $100 in OBC for those who had more than 50 cruise credits. 

 

Free laundry is still a benefit. On one transatlantic cruise, our total cost for laundry would have added up to $149.75 if we had to pay for it. Of course if we did not have the free laundry benefit, we would have used the self-service laundry instead.

[pms4104]

59 minutes ago, billco said:

How much would it cost to buy all the Elite perks that Princess used to provide? We enjoy a cruise now about the same as we did as Gold and Platinum, so it wouldn't affect us that much if they dropped the Elite benefit altogether. Our favorite perk is the Plus package.

It isn't so much the actual cost but, if Princess claims to provide updated amenities, they ought to provide something more than one emory board ... or abandon that endeavor.

 

I wasn't aware that there is a Plus pkg offered as an elite perk.  Is that new?

[gardenbunny]

My “wish” would be a package deal for non-drinkers - free wifi, free gratuities, and a soda package.

On very rare occassions we have taken a deal with a drink package because the fare was better but such a waste when all we drink is soda. Don’t use special coffees, wine, liquor.

Being elite, DH will get a couple beers in our bar set up that we exchange for canned drinks and his few beers.

Even though we now have to pay a little for the wifi pkg, I am OK with that.  I remember several years ago we were on the Regal, I think, when they were bringing out the MedallionNet and the cruise included free wifi for all.  I must admit it was so nice that it was always there, no logging in or out - or forgetting to log out and all your free minutes were gone!  Remember that nightmare?!

So we will use the OBC refund to apply against excursions or maybe a specialty restaurant.

[beg3yrs]

1 hour ago, pms4104 said:

....

 

I wasn't aware that there is a Plus pkg offered as an elite perk.  Is that new?

The Plus Package is not an Elite perk. It's an option anyone can select when initially booking acabin. I think Billco's wording was a little bit awkward but meant to say that the benefits of the PP feel like Elite benefits.

[pms4104]

6 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

The Plus Package is not an Elite perk. It's an option anyone can select when initially booking acabin. I think Billco's wording was a little bit awkward but meant to say that the benefits of the PP feel like Elite benefits.

I surmised as much.

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, billco said:

How much would it cost to buy all the Elite perks that Princess used to provide? We enjoy a cruise now about the same as we did as Gold and Platinum, so it wouldn't affect us that much if they dropped the Elite benefit altogether. Our favorite perk is the Plus package.

Per day cost to replace removed perks on my 12/21 10 day cruise:

$5 internet

$5 Loyalty OBC ($50 / 10 days)

$10 total

 

Per day cost FOR ME to replace plus pkg on my next 10 day cruise:

$14.50 crew incentive

$5 internet

$2 (carrying on 2 bottles)

$0 trading mini bar for 2 coffee pkgs

$21.50 -- or can buy Princess Plus for $40 a day. Plus using my PVP gifted OBC to cover crew incentives + 2nd bottle fee

[beg3yrs]

Hey y'all, there was one new benefit, 10% discount on Princess excursions ...

[Ombud]

True!!! And I used it on the Alaska voyage, using it in about a week, and takes the sting out of a $150 small group excursion (in a jeep) next year. 

[billco]

40 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Per day cost to replace removed perks on my 12/21 10 day cruise:

$5 internet

$5 Loyalty OBC ($50 / 10 days)

$10 total

 

Per day cost FOR ME to replace plus pkg on my next 10 day cruise:

$14.50 crew incentive

$5 internet

$2 (carrying on 2 bottles)

$0 trading mini bar for 2 coffee pkgs

$21.50 -- or can buy Princess Plus for $40 a day. Plus using my PVP gifted OBC to cover crew incentives + 2nd bottle fee

We (2) had the plus package on our recent 7 day Alaska cruise on the Majestic, 7 day cruise on the Regal and 14 day cruise TA on the Regal. Average sea day - Specialty coffee in the morning - 2-3 glasses of wine at lunch, 1-2 mixed drinks or wine at happy hour, 2 glasses of wine at dinner, 3-4 mixed drinks or wine during evening. (glass of wine on ship is half the size of a glass of wine on home). 

[billco]

1 hour ago, beg3yrs said:

The Plus Package is not an Elite perk. It's an option anyone can select when initially booking a cabin. I think Billco's wording was a little bit awkward but meant to say that the benefits of the PP feel like Elite benefits.

You are correct. I have long been awkward with my wording and seem to become more so as the years pass. 

[Ombud]

30 minutes ago, billco said:

We (2) had the plus package on our recent 7 day Alaska cruise on the Majestic, 7 day cruise on the Regal and 14 day cruise TA on the Regal. Average sea day - Specialty coffee in the morning - 2-3 glasses of wine at lunch, 1-2 mixed drinks or wine at happy hour, 2 glasses of wine at dinner, 3-4 mixed drinks or wine during evening. (glass of wine on ship is half the size of a glass of wine on home). 

8-11 glasses of wine a day!?! I'm good for 1 at dinner. 2 lattes in the morning, pot of tea mid afternoon, cocoa at bedtime. That's 3 a day from IC. Trading the minibar gives me 30 per cruise (tea & cocoa are free)

[Gretchendz]

22 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

 

We always tell our steward on day 1 that we'd like to have an extra set of towels for the entire cruise, and have never had a problem.

 

Great idea!

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

8-11 glasses of wine a day!?! I'm good for 1 at dinner. 

We once had tablemates (on 2 different cruises, same couple) who drank 2 bottles of wine with dinner every night.🤢

[rdsqrl]

11 hours ago, Ombud said:

8-11 glasses of wine a day!?! I'm good for 1 at dinner. 2 lattes in the morning, pot of tea mid afternoon, cocoa at bedtime. That's 3 a day from IC. Trading the minibar gives me 30 per cruise (tea & cocoa are free)

Those Princess glasses are a small pour -- I don't even think 5 ounces.  So two glass aboard = one glass in a restaurant on land.  And possibly equals only half a glass at home, depending on how liberal one is with the pour in one's own kitchen . . .