Elite Benefits

[Reina del Mar]

We will be Elite on our next cruise.

 

Interested to know what the benefits will be regarding mini bar and being able to change what we don’t like.

 

Also…without wishing to sound grabby…if both of us will be Elite, are there two mini bar set ups??

 

Many thanks.

[CaptainPedantic]

On our last cruise, we got 6 miniatures - 2 each of vodka, gin and whisky - 2 beers, 2 coke, 2 sprite and 2 tonic waters. You can ask room service to swap any of them for an equivalent. And only one set-up!

[Reina del Mar]

Thank you..our cruise is 26 days, so won’t really touch the sides !!

 

Seems a bit unfair to have just one set up for two people..suppose it is cutbacks.

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

Thank you..our cruise is 26 days, so won’t really touch the sides !!

 

Seems a bit unfair to have just one set up for two people..suppose it is cutbacks.

It's always been allotted per cabin.

[1965]

3 hours ago, CaptainPedantic said:

On our last cruise, we got 6 miniatures - 2 each of vodka, gin and whisky - 2 beers, 2 coke, 2 sprite and 2 tonic waters. You can ask room service to swap any of them for an equivalent. And only one set-up!

We've been elite for our past 3 cruises but swapped for the coffee pkgs. This Nov. will be our 1st cruise to actually use the mini bar now that we can no longer swap for coffee. It's good to know what we'll be getting. 😊

[skynight]

3 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

Thank you..our cruise is 26 days, so won’t really touch the sides !!

 

Seems a bit unfair to have just one set up for two people. suppose it is cutbacks.

If the 26 day cruise is a b2b then you will receive one set up for each segment.

Not cutbacks. It has always been one setup per cabin. Exception is for full suites. Full suites receive one set up for being in a full suite and one set up for being elite.  

[1965]

Reina del mar is your 26 day cruise Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale departing Nov. 12? We're doing that one as 2 b2b cruises. 

[Reina del Mar]

Thank you. 

Don’t think it is a B2B..but who knows?  Booked as one cruise around Australia, as far as I know.

Debating a drinks’ package. We couldn’t order a water package on our last Australia cruise and doesn’t seem like we can do so this time either.

[Reina del Mar]

6 minutes ago, 1965 said:

Reina del mar is your 26 day cruise Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale departing Nov. 12? We're doing that one as 2 b2b cruises. 

No, it’s 26 days around Australia…delayed for several years due to Covid. Just grabbed what was offered, as we in UK, seem to be bottom of the list…was offered in Australia first, then States..then we had to grab left overs….need to look into it to see if it is sold in segments…just checked and is showing that it could be booked as 2 x B2B but currently unavailable, so probably full.

Edited September 29, 2023 by Reina del Mar

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

Thank you..our cruise is 26 days, so won’t really touch the sides !!

 

Seems a bit unfair to have just one set up for two people..suppose it is cutbacks.

That is how it has always been. one minibar setup per elite cabin even if both are Elites. Only difference is for suites where you get the suite minibar setup and 1 elite setup.

[Guest ldtr]

13 minutes ago, Reina del Mar said:

Thank you. 

Don’t think it is a B2B..but who knows?  Booked as one cruise around Australia, as far as I know.

Debating a drinks’ package. We couldn’t order a water package on our last Australia cruise and doesn’t seem like we can do so this time either.

If you cruise is sold as segments you will get one setup per segment, even if you book it as a single cruise.

[Reina del Mar]

Thank you- that’s good to know.

[capriccio]

37 minutes ago, ldtr said:

If you cruise is sold as segments you will get one setup per segment, even if you book it as a single cruise.

Not necessarily in Australia at least based on our experience last spring.  The Round Australia cruise was sold as both the full 28 days and a north/south B2B.  Maybe we were overlooked, but I didn't bother to ask since we had the Plus Package.

[Colorado Coasty]

4 hours ago, CaptainPedantic said:

On our last cruise, we got 6 miniatures - 2 each of vodka, gin and whisky - 2 beers, 2 coke, 2 sprite and 2 tonic waters. You can ask room service to swap any of them for an equivalent. And only one set-up!

Actually it should be 8 bottles, 2 each gin, vodka, whiskey, and brandy. If you are elite and in a suite, everything will doubled.

[flying boat]

You can swap the alcohol for alcohol and/or sodas, water, you can swap sodas/water for sodas/water if you prefer other than what is given.  You should get 10 alcohol (8 minis and 2 beer normally), 6 sodas and 4 water, selection can vary depending on what they have on board.

[Torfamm]

7 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

We will be Elite on our next cruise.

 

Interested to know what the benefits will be regarding mini bar and being able to change what we don’t like.

 

Also…without wishing to sound grabby…if both of us will be Elite, are there two mini bar set ups??

 

Many thanks.

We are both Elite and only got one mini bar set-uo. Nice idea though!!!!!

[1965]

What can we get in exchange for the beer? We'd like soda if allowed. 

[MissP22]

6 minutes ago, 1965 said:

What can we get in exchange for the beer? We'd like soda if allowed. 

It is an option. 

[DUCHESSRN]

We exchange for Diet Coke , on Royal we got 12 cans ,on Discovery we got 10 cans.

[Steelers36]

48 minutes ago, 1965 said:

What can we get in exchange for the beer? We'd like soda if allowed. 

So, there have been some different answers.  The total mini-bar content is 10 alcohol and 10 non-alcohol.  The general standard has been 8 mini-liquor shots plus 2 beers.  In the other half, 6 sodas, 2 bottles of Perrier and 2 plastic bottles of still water.  Everything in pairs.

 

You can swap any alcohol for any other alcohol.  I swap all of it for my choice of beers.

You can swap any alcohol for a non-alcohol.

 

You can swap any of the non-alcohol for any other non-alcohol.  I swap all of ours for Perrier and we always get the pre-cruise water starter of 12 bottles for $7.

 

You can swap the whole thing for a bottle of not-so-great wine and I don't see that as good value.  But, it depends on personal preferences.

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Steelers36

[karatemom2]

We generally swap out for Diet Coke and Water and are provided with 10 of each.

[cruisingrob21]

9 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

Thank you..our cruise is 26 days, so won’t really touch the sides !!

 

Seems a bit unfair to have just one set up for two people..suppose it is cutbacks.

It's pretty hard to fit anything else in those mini-fridges beyond 1 setup with the cans of soda and bottles of sparkling and still water.

 

The mini-bar setup, free laundry, and priority line at guest services are the only real "elite' benefits anymore.  The discounted wifi is nice, but it was a sneaky way to take something that used to be free and charge for it.  The mini-bar setup is 'watered down' (pardon the pun) if you have princess plus.  The free laundry can take days on some cruises, so much so that a normal 7 day cruise isn't really worth it, and by day 7 of a 10 day cruise sometimes they stop accepting laundry or you don't get it back until the night before disembarking.

Edited September 29, 2023 by cruisingrob21

[karatemom2]

1 hour ago, cruisingrob21 said:

It's pretty hard to fit anything else in those mini-fridges beyond 1 setup with the cans of soda and bottles of sparkling and still water.

 

The mini-bar setup, free laundry, and priority line at guest services are the only real "elite' benefits anymore.  The discounted wifi is nice, but it was a sneaky way to take something that used to be free and charge for it.  The mini-bar setup is 'watered down' (pardon the pun) if you have princess plus.  The free laundry can take days on some cruises, so much so that a normal 7 day cruise isn't really worth it, and by day 7 of a 10 day cruise sometimes they stop accepting laundry or you don't get it back until the night before disembarking.

 

I still find our Elite benefits very worthwhile. Yes, there have been some adjustments like the wifi, but overall we still enjoy the value. Yes, it would be nice if the wifi was still free, but I'll take half price wifi that actually works well like it did on our most recent cruise. Very reliable! We love the laundry service - used it everyday on our recent 14 day Med cruise and if we sent our laundry out in the morning, we always got it back within two days, often just one. I haven't noticed any change at all in the mini bar set up since we first became Elite nearly 10 years ago. It is basically the same assortment. We always switch ours out for Diet Coke and water and we are still getting 10 each. We enjoy the free wine tasting every cruise and also the nightly cocktail hour with reduced drink prices and predinner snacks. And we really, really appreciate the priority tender services. It has made such a difference for us as we generally prefer to do our own tours and we always are able to get off the ship at tender ports quickly and easily while others spend a long time waiting for their group. And certainly, it's not a huge deal, but the 10 percent off at the shops, spa and shore excursions is nice too as well as the nice afternoon tea delivered to our room.  These perks, as well as DH casino benefits, are two big things that keep us coming back to Princess.

[CaptainPedantic]

On 9/29/2023 at 1:43 PM, Colorado Coasty said:

Actually it should be 8 bottles, 2 each gin, vodka, whiskey, and brandy. If you are elite and in a suite, everything will doubled.

 

On 9/29/2023 at 4:34 PM, Steelers36 said:

So, there have been some different answers.  The total mini-bar content is 10 alcohol and 10 non-alcohol.  The general standard has been 8 mini-liquor shots plus 2 beers.  In the other half, 6 sodas, 2 bottles of Perrier and 2 plastic bottles of still water.  Everything in pairs.

 

Should be or at least previously was 8 mini-bottles yes - but on our last 2 cruises we've only received 6, both times the brandy missing

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, CaptainPedantic said:

 

Should be or at least previously was 8 mini-bottles yes - but on our last 2 cruises we've only received 6, both times the brandy missing

Even if something was missing or out of stock, it should be replaced by something else such that the total content remains 10 + 10.  Otherwise, I'd ask for replacement.