Caribbean Tier Members

Wonder how they feel about having one of their major Perks being removed. Namely the option, when sailing from Southampton of, choosing boarding time and using Priority Boarding.

This has now been removed by P&O in one fell swoop & you are back to Mediterranean Tier and allocated boarding times. So all those repeat cruises and thousands of Pounds you laid out count for nothing with P&O ! So much for loyalty. What is the point of sticking with a cruise line that treats its Customers in this way.

If they wanted to change the embarkation process I am sure there must have been a way to alter it without penalising Caribbean tier members.

Effectively for this Perk we have been Relegated back one tier.

We are Ligurian members and have been allocated a time for boarding on 3rd November. We were not asked when we would like to board, but have been asked for disembarkation, in the past.

Perhaps it is not only Caribbean that is affected.

Basically there are too many Caribbean members to allow all priority boarding. The main problem is once you achieve Caribbean status you can not go back unlike the higher tiers. So even if you haven't cruised for years with P&O you will still be Caribbean the next time you cruise.

Caribbean tier and above have never had choice of boarding time just that they have priority boarding and lunch and drinks in dedicated lounge onboard. When we have arrived at Southampton at 1130ish we have always told the ladies at the top of the escalator we are Priority boarding and they have ignored the embarkation time on the e-ticket and directed us to dedicated area for priority boarding when check in desks opened. I have been told that this is what will happen in future so make sure if you want to arrive and board for the lunch tell the staff that give out the coloured tickets with letters on that you are higher tier in Peninsular Club.

We are Ligurian members and have been allocated a time for boarding on 3rd November. We were not asked when we would like to board, but have been asked for disembarkation, in the past.

Perhaps it is not only Caribbean that is affected.

If you are planning to arrive around midday tell them that you are Liguarian and you will be directed to priority area.

So from what has been posted all is not as you are painting it to be.....

I checked with P and O; Caribbean tier can still board early and have lunch in the aft lounge.

One more cruise to go; suppose I'll have to put up with their stupid new system for one more time. I told them exactly what I thought of it though, and did detect a bit of concern in the voice at the other end!

I checked with P and O; Caribbean tier can still board early and have lunch in the aft lounge.

 

One more cruise to go; suppose I'll have to put up with their stupid new system for one more time. I told them exactly what I thought of it though, and did detect a bit of concern in the voice at the other end!

We are Caribbean grade and have a cruise booked with P&O in May on a early saver. We have decided that if do not get priority boarding and do not get the dining option we want that will be it with P&O for us.

I fully accept that Select fares should get their preferred dining option but even on a Saver it is still not a cheap holiday and we feel that having spent many £1000's with P&O that we are not prepared to travel with a company where we cannot choose our dining time. We accept not choosing our cabin but not the dining and now the removal of a perk that we have paid for over and over.

We do not buy Select fares on P&O as we don't feel that the product is worth it anymore, at a Select fare we are in the Princess and Celebrity price range which are to us a better product.

Also other cruise lines manage to sell savers with dining choice available, why can't P&O - everything now seems so overly complicated.

I am currently writing to P&O to air our views but don't expect too much, we just feel that taking this perk away is the final straw and there are many other cruise lines to spend our money with.

Bee - ess - whereas I can't agree with you that levels of Tier should over ride the conditions of the various fares as regards Dining choices, I fully agree that you should get Priority boarding and whatever other extra treats you are awarded with your Tier. It is not an easy tier to reach and I think you have shown tremendous loyalty to P&O in getting this far and deserve just rewards.

Bee - ess - whereas I can't agree with you that levels of Tier should over ride the conditions of the various fares as regards Dining choices, I fully agree that you should get Priority boarding and whatever other extra treats you are awarded with your Tier. It is not an easy tier to reach and I think you have shown tremendous loyalty to P&O in getting this far and deserve just rewards.

Thanks Scriv. I respect your opinion regarding Dining for Saver fares, it is just something that doesn't sit well with us, and in a market place as the cruise industry is we have to choose what we are happy with, or rather not choose who we are unhappy with.

Thanks Scriv. I respect your opinion regarding Dining for Saver fares, it is just something that doesn't sit well with us, and in a market place as the cruise industry is we have to choose what we are happy with, or rather not choose who we are unhappy with.

Hopefully they won't reduce the tier benefits. We pay a mixture of select and saver, let's hope they come up with a better solution. If I was head of logistics i'd be worried about my job the way things are looking [emoji6]

Hopefully they won't reduce the tier benefits. We pay a mixture of select and saver, let's hope they come up with a better solution. If I was head of logistics i'd be worried about my job the way things are looking [emoji6]

A few people coming on here and moaning about the new boarding arrangements , or the dining arrangements ,or on facebook will not be scareing them too much at the moment.

Too many people like their prices-compared to other brands with the 15% per drink etc added and higher grats.

Also a great number of their customers will not be internet savvy, so will still book as they have always done.

New cruisers will take things as they are, as they would not know what it was like before.

On the very long thread about boarding there are good comments now.

A few people coming on here and moaning about the new boarding arrangements , or the dining arrangements ,or on facebook will not be scareing them too much at the moment.

 

Too many people like their prices-compared to other brands with the 15% per drink etc added and higher grats.

 

Also a great number of their customers will not be internet savvy, so will still book as they have always done.

 

New cruisers will take things as they are, as they would not know what it was like before.

 

On the very long thread about boarding there are good comments now.

I agree your logic, it doesn't affect me too much personally at the moment. I would feel for Caribbean members if the priority boarding was withdrawn from them. I think this would cause great disengagement with their existing customer base, but hopefully it's just a rumour - if it's not can you imagine the moaning?

I agree your logic, it doesn't affect me too much personally at the moment. I would feel for Caribbean members if the priority boarding was withdrawn from them. I think this would cause great disengagement with their existing customer base, but hopefully it's just a rumour - if it's not can you imagine the moaning?

P&O has now confirmed in a statement by CE the new arrangements for boarding to be implemented with immediate effect.

Everyone will be allocated a boarding time. When Caribbean+ turn up at their time, they will be allowed to skip the queue and go straight to check-in then through security which apparently has been improved. Once onboard, canapés will be available from 1:30 - 3:30 in a welcome lounge.

P&O has now confirmed in a statement by CE the new arrangements for boarding to be implemented with immediate effect.

 

Everyone will be allocated a boarding time. When Caribbean+ turn up at their time, they will be allowed to skip the queue and go straight to check-in then through security which apparently has been improved. Once onboard, canapés will be available from 1:30 - 3:30 in a welcome lounge.

I think the key phrase here is 'at their time'. So if their time is 3:30 that is hardly priority boarding.

I have priority boarding with both Princess and Celebrity (after only 3 cruises !) and board as soon as I arrive or I did the last 2 cruises I have done with them.

P&O has now confirmed in a statement by CE the new arrangements for boarding to be implemented with immediate effect.

 

Everyone will be allocated a boarding time. When Caribbean+ turn up at their time, they will be allowed to skip the queue and go straight to check-in then through security which apparently has been improved. Once onboard, canapés will be available from 1:30 - 3:30 in a welcome lounge.

So what happens to all The Caribbean Tier members who have an allocated boarding time of 3.30/4.00 PM. Not only have they been deprived of the Perk of early boarding but they have also lost out on boarding lunch. Both of these were part of the benefits that were awarded to that tier. This is not very promising for all the passengers working their way up through the loyalty tiers and expecting those benefits to be honoured !

So what happens to all The Caribbean Tier members who have an allocated boarding time of 3.30/4.00 PM. Not only have they been deprived of the Perk of early boarding but they have also lost out on boarding lunch. Both of these were part of the benefits that were awarded to that tier. This is not very promising for all the passengers working their way up through the loyalty tiers and expecting those benefits to be honoured !

I concur!

We are Caribbean grade and have a cruise booked with P&O in May on a early saver. We have decided that if do not get priority boarding and do not get the dining option we want that will be it with P&O for us.

I fully accept that Select fares should get their preferred dining option but even on a Saver it is still not a cheap holiday and we feel that having spent many £1000's with P&O that we are not prepared to travel with a company where we cannot choose our dining time. We accept not choosing our cabin but not the dining and now the removal of a perk that we have paid for over and over.

We do not buy Select fares on P&O as we don't feel that the product is worth it anymore, at a Select fare we are in the Princess and Celebrity price range which are to us a better product.

Also other cruise lines manage to sell savers with dining choice available, why can't P&O - everything now seems so overly complicated.

I am currently writing to P&O to air our views but don't expect too much, we just feel that taking this perk away is the final straw and there are many other cruise lines to spend our money with.

I'm stunned that Princess & Celebrity are the same prices as P&O.. I've always found them way overpriced, especially when you take into account the 15% vat, higher drink and gratuity prices.

I'be always booked select fare with P&O as we find them extremely good value for money.

I will checkout Celebrity though and just see if I can get similar for the same price but I suspect not.

P&O has now confirmed in a statement by CE the new arrangements for boarding to be implemented with immediate effect.

 

Everyone will be allocated a boarding time. When Caribbean+ turn up at their time, they will be allowed to skip the queue and go straight to check-in then through security which apparently has been improved. Once onboard, canapés will be available from 1:30 - 3:30 in a welcome lounge.

I reached Caribbean level a few cruises ago and have yet to avail myself of drinks and canapés, despite arriving at " welcome" ?? lounge before 2 o'clock I've been told " you're too late we're closed". I did say I would give p & 0 a miss for a little while as I've not been happy with the way loyalty is rewarded but had such an excellent cruise last month that I booked another while on board. I have however booked my main cruise for next year with Cunard. It will be interesting to compare companies.

I reached Caribbean level a few cruises ago and have yet to avail myself of drinks and canapés, despite arriving at " welcome" ?? lounge before 2 o'clock I've been told " you're too late we're closed". I did say I would give p & 0 a miss for a little while as I've not been happy with the way loyalty is rewarded but had such an excellent cruise last month that I booked another while on board. I have however booked my main cruise for next year with Cunard. It will be interesting to compare companies.

I was looking last night at booking a taster on Princess, couldn't figure their website site at all and gave up! Mind you I was just on my iPhone and hadn't registered so maybe I need to do that to get the info I needed.

I was looking last night at booking a taster on Princess, couldn't figure their website site at all and gave up! Mind you I was just on my iPhone and hadn't registered so maybe I need to do that to get the info I needed.

Captains Circle Elite Tier with Princess corresponds with the Caribbean Tier with P&O. Benefits include free dry cleaning, free internet access, free minibar , priority tendering, & express boarding & disembarkation ! Best bit though is every cruise you have taken with P&0 contributes towards your loyalty tier with Princess. So that in most cases a passenger can embark in the top tier ..Elite and they do know how to treat their customers and honour their obligations.

Captains Circle Elite Tier with Princess corresponds with the Caribbean Tier with P&O. Benefits include free dry cleaning, free internet access, free minibar , priority tendering, & express boarding & disembarkation ! Best bit though is every cruise you have taken with P&0 contributes towards your loyalty tier with Princess. So that in most cases a passenger can embark in the top tier ..Elite and they do know how to treat their customers and honour their obligations.

Yes thanks for the info, that's who I was looking. I thought I'd get a cruise in soon so that I know if I like it but also to secure my points before they change any rules! The only thing that puts me off is no tea and coffee facilities in the room. Do you know if this can be ordered free on room service? Thx

Yes thanks for the info, that's who I was looking. I thought I'd get a cruise in soon so that I know if I like it but also to secure my points before they change any rules! The only thing that puts me off is no tea and coffee facilities in the room. Do you know if this can be ordered free on room service? Thx

24 hour free room service.

24 hour free room service.

That's not so bad then :) got my eye on a short one in the spring [emoji106]🏼

I'm stunned that Princess & Celebrity are the same prices as P&O.. I've always found them way overpriced, especially when you take into account the 15% vat, higher drink and gratuity prices.

I'be always booked select fare with P&O as we find them extremely good value for money.

 

I will checkout Celebrity though and just see if I can get similar for the same price but I suspect not.

Here is a quick comparison for similar cruise next June.

P&O – June 18th 2016 – Arcadia - 14 nights Baltic from Southampton

Balcony Select from £2149 (up to £330 per Cabin OBC) - From £4300 for 2

Free Car Parking

Celebrity – June 19th 2016 – Eclipse – 14 nights Baltic from Southampton

Balcony from £2750 – guarantee cabins

2nd passenger goes half price on non- guarantee cabins which starts at £4200 for 2 inc free drinks packages.

This comparison makes them very similar, although Celebrity have the 2nd person 50% off promotion on at the moment with free drinks packages. The tips are more on Celebrity(about double) but the drinks are included which saves a lot on Celebrity. (We would never book Celebrity without the drinks package included as drinks are v. expensive). This promotion seems to be available on most European cruises next year.

If I wanted this destination and was comparing these 2 it would be a no brainer for us.