Response from Princess to email re changes

[Z0nker]

On 8/20/2023 at 9:11 AM, memoak said:

I can understand when we were on the Discovery in June you could not get a seat for pizza without a one hour wait. Tons of families ordering multiple pizzas and leaving half uneaten 

Same thing happened to us on the Royal. Completely lost our enthusiasm for Alfredo’s. This needed to be done. 

[ceilidh1]

21 minutes ago, c-boy said:

there is an attendant at this table  ....right ?

Not when I took the picture! Boarding hadn’t started so no guests onboard yet.

[coo359a2]

2 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Also on sapphire (not sure if it was this thread but there were questions about upgrading onboard and coffee in buffet)

Looking at the coffee menu, there doesn’t seem to be any regular brewed coffee available 

[SCX22]

Was checking on the status of the EZAir ticketing status of my parent's reservation through the Cruise Personalizer and browsed other details of their booking.  It seems that the Princess package amenities descriptions have finally caught up with the recent changes under the Onboard Services tab.  

Edited August 23, 2023 by SCX22

[c-boy]

25 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

Not when I took the picture! Boarding hadn’t started so no guests onboard yet.

well they better get john ny on the spot, I can see a couple of our illustrious cc'ers stuffin' a bottle down their shorts when no one is looking 😄

[ceilidh1]

20 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Looking at the coffee menu, there doesn’t seem to be any regular brewed coffee available 

The blue Lavazza coffee is free, self serve in buffet! The menus are all charged (or included in packages).

[Asquare]

27 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

Was checking on the status of the EZAir ticketing status of my parent's reservation through the Cruise Personalizer and browsed other details of their booking.  It seems that the Princess package amenities descriptions have finally caught up with the recent changes under the Onboard Services tab.  

I had the Princess Plus as part of a package booked last fall.  My page now has a section on the bottom in red that states, “all benefits might not be available with your package.”  

[suzyed]

11 minutes ago, Asquare said:

I had the Princess Plus as part of a package booked last fall.  My page now has a section on the bottom in red that states, “all benefits might not be available with your package.”  

I guess they are saying if you booked it last fall you probably paid $40 or $50/pp/day so you would not get all the "perks".  You could upgrade to Plus 60 to be sure to get them.

[suzyed]

On 8/20/2023 at 8:28 PM, kywildcatfanone said:

I think that is the point of many people.  A lot of us don't see these changes as "small".  Removal/reductions of loyalty benefits, pricing for previous free venues, and higher prices for packages and the changing of what's included for what the customer paid for at time of booking.

I would love to see Princess do the right thing and grandfather in anyone who has paid final payment and give them what they booked and paid for.

 

[suzyed]

On 8/20/2023 at 8:28 PM, kywildcatfanone said:

I think that is the point of many people.  A lot of us don't see these changes as "small".  Removal/reductions of loyalty benefits, pricing for previous free venues, and higher prices for packages and the changing of what's included for what the customer paid for at time of booking.

Exactly!  Those who have already paid should be grandfathered in.   I sent that question as to whether Princess gave any thought to grandfathering us in to my contact in Corporate and the response was:
 

"To answer your question, yes, but as of today no word on if they will do this or  not.

 

I know many guests have brought this to executive management attention so the feedback is in front of the right people."

[CruzeQueen2]

19 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Let's do a twist to Princess' "reasoning".  You are getting more for your package.  How about having a check list.  I don't want this, I don't want that.  Please remove x $$$ from my package.

 

Let's see:

 

Caribbean Princess doesn't have an Alfredo's/Gigi's, Kai Sushi, Maybe Planks and Steamers/Salty Dog Bistro.  I don't want the desserts.  I don't go to the gym classes.  Princess has me paying full price (credit) for Elite 50% off internet.  I think 25% off for being elite is a fair price.  AND OH....I'm in a suite so room service should be free.  

 

Logistical NIGHTMARE (aka Sheldon Cooper).

Big Bang!

[Thrak]

I find the TA comments on the side of the webinar fascinating. (If you watch full screen you don't see the comments.) The TA comments are mostly negative about how unhappy their clients are and how clients are cancelling cruises with Princess and also about how they no longer feel they can recommend Princess. Lots of TA comments regarding how rotten it is for Princess to fail to grandfather these changes for people who have paid in full. Not a happy bunch of folks. Princess made their jobs much more difficult and they don't like being the ones who have to take the flak.

[MacMadame]

On 8/20/2023 at 1:14 PM, Mike07 said:

So, Princess contracted Accenture to build the app and deploy the tech behind said app.

Disney also contracts out the development of their app. Which is why it also sucks.  🙂

[Guest ldtr]

55 minutes ago, Thrak said:

I find the TA comments on the side of the webinar fascinating. (If you watch full screen you don't see the comments.) The TA comments are mostly negative about how unhappy their clients are and how clients are cancelling cruises with Princess and also about how they no longer feel they can recommend Princess. Lots of TA comments regarding how rotten it is for Princess to fail to grandfather these changes for people who have paid in full. Not a happy bunch of folks. Princess made their jobs much more difficult and they don't like being the ones who have to take the flak.

Royal Caribbean appears to have raised prices substantial on their casual dining venues without any advance notice or grandfathering.  Kind of funny after their pizza survey and now that they have gotten their dig in they have raised prices by as much as 40%

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/prices-increase-dramatically-at-royal-caribbean-dining-venue/109133

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by ldtr

[caribill]

10 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Is this true that they are now going to charge for Alfredos? 

 

True if you book a standard fare.

 

If you book a Princess Plus fare, you can eat there twice and pay if you eat there more than two times.

 

If you book a Princess fare, there will be no charge no matter how many times you eat there.

 

[suzyed]

10 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Just because they now charge $12 for a pizza?  

No, just because they changed the "rules" for those beyond final payment.

[caribill]

7 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

The $8.50 you've seen is the new room service offerings for pizza.

 

Right.

 

Most people have not noticed that Room Service pizza price has been raised from $3 to $8.50, an increase of 176%.

 

That is in addition to a charge for standard fare passengers to order it in the first place.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

3 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

Looking at the coffee menu, there doesn’t seem to be any regular brewed coffee available 

 

Just order Americano.

It beats the regular brew in the buffet.....which tastes watered down to me.

I always get the americano at the IC. 

 

[Mike07]

37 minutes ago, MacMadame said:

Disney also contracts out the development of their app. Which is why it also sucks.  🙂

 

The Walt Disney company has also contracted out IT development on projects.... Including to Accenture.... And has also sued Accenture for the product they got back. I don't know if it was specifically Disney Cruise lines, but Disney didn't like the spaghetti code sent back from the Philippines.

[Mike07]

4 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Right.

 

Most people have not noticed that Room Service pizza price has been raised from $3 to $8.50, an increase of 176%.

 

That is in addition to a charge for standard fare passengers to order in in the first place.

 

Holy smokes

[Mike07]

3 hours ago, SCX22 said:

Was checking on the status of the EZAir ticketing status of my parent's reservation through the Cruise Personalizer and browsed other details of their booking.  It seems that the Princess package amenities descriptions have finally caught up with the recent changes under the Onboard Services tab.  

 

 

Princess should throw in more free fitness courses and early and late access to the gyms to further fluff up the numbers of the value added to the packages.

[SCX22]

8 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

Princess should throw in more free fitness courses and early and late access to the gyms to further fluff up the numbers of the value added to the packages.

 

No matter how cruise lines market their packages, there will be some cruisers, like me, who will always take the standard fare.  If it's not included I can do without or can pay for it piecemeal.  The only time I've purchased amenity packages from Princess is when they've been on sale, i.e. there was a 50% promo for Princess packages for cruises booked through Future Cruise, so for $30 pppd, it was a no brainer.  As has been stated before by some, myself included, Princess cruise fare and package pricing is still lower than it's mass market competitors.  Don't like the all inclusive pricing of more niche cruise lines because you don't get rebated back what you don't use.  For example on Viking Ocean, passengers won't get a rebate on unused shore excursions which is why the vast majority of passengers take them. 

 

What would get me to react more would be if they were to charge for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the MDR and buffet or for cabin steward service.  Then the standard base fare isn't all that it's cracked up to be.  EasyCruise, related to Europe's EasyJet airline, tried a concept where there was a base fare for transportation and accommodation and an upcharge for every thing else, but it didn't last for too long.

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

Right.

 

Most people have not noticed that Room Service pizza price has been raised from $3 to $8.50, an increase of 176%.

 

That is in addition to a charge for standard fare passengers to order it in the first place.

They were basic pizzas before, cheese, pepperoni, etc. They're now gourmet, similar to Alfredo's.

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

True if you book a standard fare.

 

If you book a Princess Plus fare, you can eat there twice and pay if you eat there more than two times.

 

If you book a Princess fare, there will be no charge no matter how many times you eat there.

 

Premier fare

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Right.

 

Most people have not noticed that Room Service pizza price has been raised from $3 to $8.50, an increase of 176%.

 

That is in addition to a charge for standard fare passengers to order it in the first place.

What is the percentage increase for Alfredo's from $0 to $8.50?