Cutbacks in Elite Service?

[BayCalif-Ariz R Us]

Sorry I know this is one of those topics that has been covered but I can't find it easily (what's up with that "search" feature lol?

 

1. Is Princess thinking about cutting back on the elite perks - like limiting the free laundy. Are some people really bringing dirty laundry onboard knowing they can get it cleaned free?

 

2. How easy is it to get exactly what you want in your mini bar?

 

3. If your fellow elite spouse does not want to do the wine tasting, can you take a friend?

[Toto2Kansas]

Sorry I know this is one of those topics that has been covered but I can't find it easily (what's up with that "search" feature lol?

 

1. Is Princess thinking about cutting back on the elite perks - like limiting the free laundy. Are some people really bringing dirty laundry onboard knowing they can get it cleaned free?

 

2. How easy is it to get exactly what you want in your mini bar?

 

3. If your fellow elite spouse does not want to do the wine tasting, can you take a friend?

 

Just returned from the Grand, and didn't see any Elite cutbacks, or hear any rumors to this effect while onboard.

 

I have seen those that do just that though, pack their dry cleanables dirty and have them done onboard, same with laundry. Although I can't imagine packing dirty clothes of any type to take on a cruise, ridiculous IMHO.

 

We have never had our mini bar switched out, or even requested it. I figure, it's a gift, and if that is what they want to give me, so be it.

 

Wine tasting I can't answer, never interested me.

[coiran]

I have not heard of any cutbacks like that - don't know about the wine tasting thing - we rarely attend it.

Ron

[bhopal21]

2. How easy is it to get exactly what you want in your mini bar?

 

Very easy, I have always just asked the steward to change mine to all gin and it was done within minutes after boarding. Some have said you should ask room service to make the change; but the steward has always handled it for me with no problems.

 

Mike:)

[gertz]

2. How easy is it to get exactly what you want in your mini bar?

 

3. If your fellow elite spouse does not want to do the wine tasting, can you take a friend?

 

We have always switched ours out with the cabin attendant also.

We enjoy the wine tasting and yes you can bring a friend if husband won't go.

[paul929207]

I have not heard of any cutbacks. Wasn't it fairly recently that they added the OBC starting with the 20th cruise? If they were cutting back, I think they would have announced both.

[Toto2Kansas]

I have not heard of any cutbacks. Wasn't it fairly recently that they added the OBC starting with the 20th cruise? If they were cutting back, I think they would have announced both.

 

I don't think that has been added recently. We have received it for several years now.

[gooch47]

All it takes is a simple call to Room Service to change out the bar. I'm always amazed at how fast they respond. The Room Steward is quite busy during this period so we just don't bother him/her with it.

[Sandy R]

As far as embarking with dirty clothes... quite often we stay in an embarkation city for the better part of a week. In 4 to 7 days of sightseeing and eating, it's easy to board with clothes that need laundering.

[sultan_sfo]

On some ships / cruises, wine tasting tickets are no longer distributed for Elite wine-tasting. Just reservations and Elite Card are needed. So one would have to give the Elite Card to the friend.

 

...

3. If your fellow elite spouse does not want to do the wine tasting, can you take a friend?

[caber]

I can`t imagine anyone boarding with dirty laundry unless, as had been said, you have have a few nights in port bvefore hand. Who would pack dirty clothes?:(

I haven`t heard of any cutbacks anyway.

 

We have never been able to change our mini bar set up to bacardi rum which we drink as they don`t do that in miniatures. It is not a problem.

[BigTimeCruiser]

We are on the Sapphire now and have not seen any changes in the Elite level.:):)

[mii]

I just used the Search this forum and put in Laundry Perks and there is a thread about elite perks about 1/4 away down.

 

Marilyn

[IKE]

Never had a problem with changing what is in the mini-bar. Sometimes, had to call room service and they were there within 1/2 hour or sometimes room steward took care of it. All perks are still there as of 2008. We sail again in March 2009. Will let you know if there were any cutbacks.

[coiran]

WE always bring on dirty clothes - we have a travel day and usually one or two days pre cruise - sure, we have them laundered and we alwaysn leave the ship with clean clothes.

 

Ron

[DrivesLikeMario]

We always call room service to get our mini-bar set up changed out to what we prefer. The cabin stewards have enough to handle on embarkation day.

 

As far as I know, they aren't cutting back on Elite perks, but they are cutting out some of the dry cleaning. Laundry is still available, but dry cleaning isn't on every ship. Not sure if they were just taking out old machines and replacing them with new ones or if this is a fleet wide reduction of the dry cleaning service.

[rcacace]

Sorry I know this is one of those topics that has been covered but I can't find it easily (what's up with that "search" feature lol?

 

1. Is Princess thinking about cutting back on the elite perks - like limiting the free laundy. Are some people really bringing dirty laundry onboard knowing they can get it cleaned free?

 

2. How easy is it to get exactly what you want in your mini bar?

 

3. If your fellow elite spouse does not want to do the wine tasting, can you take a friend?

 

There has been some talk about the eliminating of the laundry for Elite. Nothing definite for now but it does appear that something is in the works.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=903225&page=9

[BayCalif-Ariz R Us]

Thank you all for your comments - we still have one more cruise in April/May as platinum and then will become elite in July. It sounds like the status is pretty much quo still, which is good news. Love this Cruise Critic site as there are always nice people available to answer any and all questions no matter how often they've been covered.

[coiran]

There has been some talk about the eliminating of the laundry for Elite. Nothing definite for now but it does appear that something is in the works.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=903225&page=9

 

The only place I have seen any talk about eliminating free laundry has been idle talk and speculation here on CC and it all started when someone mentioned that there was no longer any dry cleaning. Unless you have a "mole" in the Princess Headquarters!!

 

Ron

[BayCalif-Ariz R Us]

Hi Ron & Connie - we certainly enjoyed meeting you guys on an earlier cruise and hope we'll have another chance someday! I guess that is kind of the downside to CC. Some people simply think they HAVE to post, even when they have nothing to say, or, worse, don't know what they're talking about. Denise

[Toto2Kansas]

The only place I have seen any talk about eliminating free laundry has been idle talk and speculation here on CC and it all started when someone mentioned that there was no longer any dry cleaning. Unless you have a "mole" in the Princess Headquarters!!

 

Ron

 

I think these rumors began when the old Renaissance ships came into the fleet. Since they do not have dry cleaning facilities onboard most, if not all of them, the rumors began to fly that Princess was 'cutting back' on perks.

 

Kind of hard to supply dry cleaning on a ship that doesn't offer it.:eek: But here on CC, that seems to be all it takes to start the rumors flying. :D

[bhopal21]

I think these rumors began when the old Renaissance ships came into the fleet. Since they do not have dry cleaning facilities onboard most, if not all of them, the rumors began to fly that Princess was 'cutting back' on perks.

 

Kind of hard to supply dry cleaning on a ship that doesn't offer it.:eek: But here on CC, that seems to be all it takes to start the rumors flying. :D

 

I agree.;) It was easy to convert the story to affect all Princess ships.

 

Mike:)

[rcacace]

The only place I have seen any talk about eliminating free laundry has been idle talk and speculation here on CC and it all started when someone mentioned that there was no longer any dry cleaning. Unless you have a "mole" in the Princess Headquarters!!

 

Ron

 

The dry cleaning service has been totally eliminated on the Emerald for anyone.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=903225&page=10

 

There is no word about it being replaced with another type of dry cleaning. All that remains is the laundry service. As of last month when we were aboard I didn't take notice as we didn't send in anything to have cleaned.

[coiran]

The dry cleaning service has been totally eliminated on the Emerald for anyone.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=903225&page=10

 

There is no word about it being replaced with another type of dry cleaning. All that remains is the laundry service. As of last month when we were aboard I didn't take notice as we didn't send in anything to have cleaned.

 

Do you have a link to the Princess announcement? I would think they would notify all elite cardholders or at least make some mention of it on their website.

 

The thread you referred to only has some idle rumors. I understand from other cruise forums they have replsced the chemical dry cleaning with a water/steam process.

 

Ron

[coiran]

This from a poster on cruisemates

 

 

They are NOT eliminating the dry cleaning perc for elite members. What they are doing is switching from "dry cleaning" to steam cleaning. They have been doing this for a few months now and I think your clothes come back just as clean when they have been steamed as they were when they were dry cleaned.

Jim..

Rumor or Fact - who knows. We will be cruising on the Grand in three weeks - I will try to find out the "skinny" on drycleaning.

Ron