Traveling with first timers

[ojaidenny]

We are elite passengers and we are traveling with first timers.  When checking in can we take them with us into the elite area for embarking?

Would hate to leave them behind if we don't have to. 

Edited July 16, 2022 by ojaidenny

[Potstech]

Sometimes you can and sometimes you can not. When you can not we just sit with them in the general waiting area. No big deal and no reason to "leave them behind"

[SargassoPirate]

2 minutes ago, Potstech said:

Sometimes you can and sometimes you can not. When you can not we just sit with them in the general waiting area. No big deal and no reason to "leave them behind"

Agree with you.  When we take first timers - whether it be their first cruise ever or first cruise on Princess - we stick with them for boarding and exploring the ship on boarding day.

 

Since they can't use the Elite lounge, we just arrange to meet up later or depending on how they feel about it we just meet up in one of the other venues.

 

 

[PacnGoNow]

7 minutes ago, ojaidenny said:

We are elite passengers and we are traveling with first timers.  When checking in can we take them with us into the elite area for embarking?

Would hate to leave them behind if we don't have to. 

 

5 minutes ago, Potstech said:

Sometimes you can and sometimes you can not. When you can not we just sit with them in the general waiting area. No big deal and no reason to "leave them behind"

Agree.  We’ve asked and have been able to.  Probably because my DS n BIL looked so lost!  😬

[cruzsnooze]

The lounge is for elite tier, which those people EARNED. If everyone is allowed to bring 2 people in who aren't elite tier it would crowded. What's the value of earning a reward or perk if anyone can have it without having earned it. You can join your friends in the general boarding area.

  This type of question also comes up regarding club class dining. If you didn't pay for it or get it as a perk for loyalty tiers then it's not yours to use. 

  Thanks to the OP for asking so that they know they don't have to leave them and can join them in the general boarding area. If you arrive early you could get into the first group to board after the B2Ber's and elite tier which is still early.

[Daniel A]

7 hours ago, ojaidenny said:

We are elite passengers and we are traveling with first timers.  When checking in can we take them with us into the elite area for embarking?

Would hate to leave them behind if we don't have to. 

I am Platinum and when checking in with my SIL and DN, I advised each check point that the they were in my travel party and there was no problem at embarkation or the PES lounge.  YMMV.

[MissP22]

You might as well invite them to the Platinum/Elite lounge, have them give you their laundry and stick with you on the priority tender. 

[Bobbiegentry]

14 hours ago, Daniel A said:

I am Platinum and when checking in with my SIL and DN, I advised each check point that the they were in my travel party and there was no problem at embarkation or the PES lounge.  YMMV.

That's a real shame. 

[ojaidenny]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

You might as well invite them to the Platinum/Elite lounge, have them give you their laundry and stick with you on the priority tender. 

I never thought of that, thanks

[donaldsc]

I am going to be blunt here.  You earned your elite status.  They have not.  They should not be allowed to enjoy any of the elite perks. 

 

DON

[LACruiser88]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I am going to be blunt here.  You earned your elite status.  They have not.  They should not be allowed to enjoy any of the elite perks. 

 

DON

Ditto!

[wcflats]

Ditto and agreed with LACruiser88!

[MileHighAko]

Yeah you earned it! You went on way more vacations than those other people. If only they would have vacationed more, they could hang out with you, but they didn't!  :p

 

Seriously speaking (that was sarcasm above by the way), I'd personally just hang with them. Life is too short to worry about and extra 30 min of boarding pleasure. :)

[Daniel A]

4 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I am going to be blunt here.  You earned your elite status.  They have not.  They should not be allowed to enjoy any of the elite perks. 

 

DON

 

4 hours ago, Bobbiegentry said:

That's a real shame. 

I see it as a benefit to the people who have earned the special perks.  If I am Platinum or Elite and my travel party has two people who have never sailed before, I would think permitting me to bring the 2 people with me at embarkation rather than making me stay with the 2 first time cruisers is actually extending to me the benefit I've earned.  I wouldn't leave family members to their own devices for their first embarkation.

 

Should someone who only booked an inside cabin be banned from joining friends on their suite's balcony?  After all, they didn't earn the right to use a private balcony...

[Mary loves to travel]

It's safe to assume that Princess knows how to turn people away from early boarding if they would like.   Why not leave it to Princess to implement their program?

 

I can easily see how it would benefit Princess to allow a couple who are Elite to bring along a couple of newbies at early boarding.

 

Mary

[LACruiser88]

I'm sorry Daniel, but I do not agree with your point.  Your Elite/Platinum privileges were awarded to YOU by Princess because of the status that YOU earned.  In the Princess Platinum/Elite list of privileges, it does not state that you can choose to allow non-Elite/Platinum passengers to enjoy YOUR Platinum/Elite earned privileges.

 

And in your comparison, you are comparing apples to artichokes.  If I booked a suite, I can allow any one I wish to enjoy my balcony.  I have that privilege based on the fact that I paid for the suite.

 

If you are in Club Class, should you be able to bring in non-Club Class passengers to the dining room?  If you fly Business Class and your companions are in coach, should you be allowed to bring them into the Business Class Lounge?

 

As far as separating from your non-Platinum/Elite companions at embarkation, what we have done in that situation is to get in the regular line with our companions.  Not extend OUR earned privileges to those that have not earned or have a right to them.

 

Sorry, I had to speak my truth...

 

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, wcflats said:

Ditto and agreed with LACruiser88!

Even if they are your family members?

 

[Bgwest]

25 minutes ago, suzyed said:

Even if they are your family members?

 

Even if they are family members. The dynamic does not change because of any familial or other relationship. See the point above made by @LACruiser88 about Club Class dining, etc  

 

The PES folks are always welcome to join their families in their respective groups. 

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Bgwest

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

 

I see it as a benefit to the people who have earned the special perks.  If I am Platinum or Elite and my travel party has two people who have never sailed before, I would think permitting me to bring the 2 people with me at embarkation rather than making me stay with the 2 first time cruisers is actually extending to me the benefit I've earned.  I wouldn't leave family members to their own devices for their first embarkation.

 

Should someone who only booked an inside cabin be banned from joining friends on their suite's balcony?  After all, they didn't earn the right to use a private balcony...

As much as you and I are on the same page on so many things, I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. All I hear you doing is justifying an indefensible argument.  @LACruiser88 sums it up perfectly. 

As I've heard others point out.......what if every PES guest brought 2, 3 or more non-qualified folks with them?

And I absolutely agree with you. I wouldn't leave family members alone on their first embarkation either. I would join them in their group. 

[Daniel A]

24 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

And I absolutely agree with you. I wouldn't leave family members alone on their first embarkation either. I would join them in their group. 

That's my point:  Princess is extending a courtesy to me by allowing my party to stay together while I enjoy the perk I've earned.  (Plus, Princess probably appreciates me bringing two new future customers to their line.)  It's not like we were sneaks, the Princess staff clearly saw the blue medallions with us and said it was ok for them to accompany us.  As @Mary loves to travel stated, if Princess permits it, then is there really an issue?  it's their embarkation policy and procedures, not ours.  If Princess staff wouldn't let them board with us we would have waited with them in their group.  It was just nice that we didn't have to do that.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I am going to be blunt here.  You earned your elite status.  They have not.  They should not be allowed to enjoy any of the elite perks. 

 

DON

Personally, I could care less if a couple asks their two friends to the PES.  We rarely go and when I have gone, it is sparsely attended relative to the number of PES on board. 

 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, LACruiser88 said:

If you fly Business Class and your companions are in coach, should you be allowed to bring them into the Business Class Lounge?

Actually, most airlines do allow a +1, but they reserve right to say no based on capacity limits.

 

ETA:  That is not to say that PCL should expand CC footprint in the DR so that +1's can be included.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Steelers36

[Steelers36]

50 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

And I absolutely agree with you. I wouldn't leave family members alone on their first embarkation either. I would join them in their group. 

 

For me, I guess it would depend who it was.  After all, we got onto our first Princess ship all by ourselves.  If Princess didn't want the other couple with us (we have asked before and they have said no problem in Port Everglades), I would split up such that myself and one of the other couple are together in Elite boarding and the other two in regular.  If I was sailing on a Caribbean itinerary and wanted Sanctuary, no way would I give up my first on the ship position.  LOL.

 

[Steelers36]

19 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

It's not like we were sneaks, the Princess staff clearly saw the blue medallions with us and said it was ok for them to accompany us.

This has been my experience the couple of times we did this.  Once was with daughter and SIL and once with our friends who were not yet Platinum (that was a long time ago in a port far, far away).  I had also read of others having the same experience.  In reality, there probably aren't that many on any given cruise, but Princess has the option to handle it how they wish. 

[tml1230]

1 hour ago, LACruiser88 said:

I'm sorry Daniel, but I do not agree with your point.  Your Elite/Platinum privileges were awarded to YOU by Princess because of the status that YOU earned.  In the Princess Platinum/Elite list of privileges, it does not state that you can choose to allow non-Elite/Platinum passengers to enjoy YOUR Platinum/Elite earned privileges.

 

And in your comparison, you are comparing apples to artichokes.  If I booked a suite, I can allow any one I wish to enjoy my balcony.  I have that privilege based on the fact that I paid for the suite.

 

If you are in Club Class, should you be able to bring in non-Club Class passengers to the dining room?  If you fly Business Class and your companions are in coach, should you be allowed to bring them into the Business Class Lounge?

 

As far as separating from your non-Platinum/Elite companions at embarkation, what we have done in that situation is to get in the regular line with our companions.  Not extend OUR earned privileges to those that have not earned or have a right to them.

 

Sorry, I had to speak my truth...

 

Spot on! very well said!..... Daniel, using your logic ....can your friends use your free elite laundry perc?