Princess Plus Frustration!

[nini]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I'm on the fence.  The medallions come is slick packaging that cannot be cheap to produce or ship.  We are used to getting free shipping from Amazon, but is it really free? Not when you pay a hefty annual fee for Prime.  15 ships leaving each week, each with an average of 3,000 people is 45,000 people per week.  Assuming two medallions per package, (we receive two in one box and one all by itself when we travel as three) and that is 22,500 boxes a week, times 45 weeks (to account for the fact that many cruises are more than 7 days), and you get to over one million shipments per year.  (But I assume it is less than that if they are not shipping them internationally.).  So cut that number in half.  500,000 shipments per year at a cost of probably $10 per package. $5M per year in shipping costs is not nickels and dimes, especially when there is no inconvenience to the passenger if they pick the Medallion up at the port.  I see no problem in having the customer pay for the shipping if they really want the Medallion to arrive early.  I don't see that I am "entitled" to free shipping."  While they could add the cost into the price of Plus or the cruise itself, that would be unfair to people who cannot get the Medallions shipped, or who prefer to pick them up at the port.  Better to just ask:  "Do you want it shipped?  If so, check this box and we will charge your card on file."  I prefer transparent and  honest charges when it comes to shipping.        

 

Thanks @JimmyVWine. I love it when you break things down. I think my main complaint is the inconsistency in the responses and lack of training of staff.

[kapsgp]

We were on the Regal in March for two weeks with the $40 Plus Package.  I can assure you the drink limit was $15. 

[justafem]

20 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I'm on the fence.  The medallions come is slick packaging that cannot be cheap to produce or ship.  We are used to getting free shipping from Amazon, but is it really free? Not when you pay a hefty annual fee for Prime.  15 ships leaving each week, each with an average of 3,000 people is 45,000 people per week.  Assuming two medallions per package, (we receive two in one box and one all by itself when we travel as three) and that is 22,500 boxes a week, times 45 weeks (to account for the fact that many cruises are more than 7 days), and you get to over one million shipments per year.  (But I assume it is less than that if they are not shipping them internationally.).  So cut that number in half.  500,000 shipments per year at a cost of probably $10 per package. $5M per year in shipping costs is not nickels and dimes, especially when there is no inconvenience to the passenger if they pick the Medallion up at the port.  I see no problem in having the customer pay for the shipping if they really want the Medallion to arrive early.  I don't see that I am "entitled" to free shipping."  While they could add the cost into the price of Plus or the cruise itself, that would be unfair to people who cannot get the Medallions shipped, or who prefer to pick them up at the port.  Better to just ask:  "Do you want it shipped?  If so, check this box and we will charge your card on file."  I prefer transparent and  honest charges when it comes to shipping.        

There's a reason they come from China.  They are manufactured there, along with the packaging, which means there's no import fees.  And the MOST important reason; it costs almost nothing to ship e-packet from China.  I'm talking pennies, much less than the cost of what we can mail within the US.  Post office actually loses money on these shipments.  

 

Boxes are cheap to produce when they're ordering in that quantity, I order 300 personalized silicone bracelets for every cruise for about $60 shipped or $0.20 each.  If I ordered 50, the cost would be the same.  But if I ordered 100,000 the per cost goes to $0.05 and I'm sure it would go down even further with the quantities princess needs to order. 

 

I'm guessing, with manufacture cost and shipping, it's about $3.50, price falls when they ship 2 in the package.  They're making a profit on shipping medallions.  

[justafem]

20 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I'm on the fence.  The medallions come is slick packaging that cannot be cheap to produce or ship.  We are used to getting free shipping from Amazon, but is it really free? Not when you pay a hefty annual fee for Prime.  15 ships leaving each week, each with an average of 3,000 people is 45,000 people per week.  Assuming two medallions per package, (we receive two in one box and one all by itself when we travel as three) and that is 22,500 boxes a week, times 45 weeks (to account for the fact that many cruises are more than 7 days), and you get to over one million shipments per year.  (But I assume it is less than that if they are not shipping them internationally.).  So cut that number in half.  500,000 shipments per year at a cost of probably $10 per package. $5M per year in shipping costs is not nickels and dimes, especially when there is no inconvenience to the passenger if they pick the Medallion up at the port.  I see no problem in having the customer pay for the shipping if they really want the Medallion to arrive early.  I don't see that I am "entitled" to free shipping."  While they could add the cost into the price of Plus or the cruise itself, that would be unfair to people who cannot get the Medallions shipped, or who prefer to pick them up at the port.  Better to just ask:  "Do you want it shipped?  If so, check this box and we will charge your card on file."  I prefer transparent and  honest charges when it comes to shipping.        

There's a reason they come from China.  They are manufactured there, along with the packaging, which means there's no import fees.  And the MOST important reason; it costs almost nothing to ship e-packet from China.  I'm talking pennies, much less than the cost of what we can mail within the US.  Post office actually loses money on these shipments.  

 

Boxes are cheap to produce when they're ordering in that quantity, I order 300 personalized silicone bracelets for every cruise for about $60 shipped or $0.20 each.  If I ordered 50, the cost would be the same.  But if I ordered 100,000 the per cost goes to $0.05 and I'm sure it would go down even further with the quantities princess needs to order. 

 

I'm guessing, with manufacture cost and shipping, it's about $3.50, price falls when they ship 2 in the package.  They're making a profit on shipping medallions.  

[JimmyVWine]

3 hours ago, justafem said:

There's a reason they come from China.

There was no evidence on my shipment that it came from China.

[Steelers36]

It used to be Singapore, IIRC.  But perhaps in bulk to Florida and then re-sent?

[justafem]

22 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

There was no evidence on my shipment that it came from China.

You notice how you get a shipping notice with a shipping number, then they get stuck in Carson CA for several days?  Carson is their sorting facility. They come in epackets.  

 

I do enough buying from China and selling online to know what the epackets look like.  No actual proof though, other than the tracking said originating from Singapore. 

[bmc alabama]

On 5/22/2023 at 1:02 AM, nini said:

That is hilarious because @JimmyVWine did a lovely thread for his recent cruise on the Regal. The limit on the "Old Plus" which transformed into the "New Plus" became $15.00.

Well, not sure if it’s hilarious or just that the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. I did ask the lady at GS if I was limited to $12 drinks because I bought my Plus before the change if they were going to honor the old prices of drinks at that time.  She didn’t have an answer to that one.

 

I did try 1 $15 drink and so far, it has not shown up on my account… (otherwise, most have been Dirty Bananas and under the limit of the old pricing anyway).

 

On another note, this cruise has been really good. Hopefully a sign things are going the right way!

[nini]

1 hour ago, bmc alabama said:

Well, not sure if it’s hilarious or just that the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. I did ask the lady at GS if I was limited to $12 drinks because I bought my Plus before the change if they were going to honor the old prices of drinks at that time.  She didn’t have an answer to that one.

 

I did try 1 $15 drink and so far, it has not shown up on my account… (otherwise, most have been Dirty Bananas and under the limit of the old pricing anyway).

 

On another note, this cruise has been really good. Hopefully a sign things are going the right way!

i used the word "hilarious" in lieu of "facetious".