20th Cruise with Princess - Upgrade?

[Coral]

I'm impressed.

 

You really should try walking the corridors to see the number of repeat cruisers and comparing reality with your reports.

 

Mike:p

 

My last several sailings had a high percentage of elites. We had 5 Captain Circle parties on my last cruise (over 3 nights) and there was a huge amount of Elites. Granted, it varies on the ship and location. On the opposite end, Alaska sailings have very few Elites.....

[Cruisin' Grandma]

Actually, if I am not mistaken, the perk she was referring to was the $25 onboard credit supplied by the Captain's Circle, but (someone correct me if I am wrong here) I think that begins with the 21st sailing, not the 20th.

 

As for an upgrade, I wouldn't count on that either, it can happen, but it usually has nothing to do at all with the number of cruises you have sailed on, just the luck of the computer draw. Good luck though!

 

Yes, we just completed our 21st sailing with Princess and received the $25 shipboard credit when we boarded.

 

Lola in Hamilton

[BoPippy]

Since I manage cruise ships for a living, I don't have to walk down the corridors and count the cards. I just look at the reports delivered to my desk at the beginning of every cruise.

 

DUh!!! bragger!:rolleyes:

[CALMOM]

Bucky,

 

That's exactly the way the Cruise Line Presidents look at it.

 

They know that a certain small percentage will keep returning no matter what they get - or not get.

 

They also know that a much larger percentage shops for three things: Price, Price, and Price. These people will only come back if it's cheap. No other reason.

 

Finally, they know that all their cruises will be sold out without giving any further rewards. Why throw money at people who are standing in line to buy your product already?

 

It's always about the money.

 

I don't agree, I think the service is just as important, otherwise, everyone would sail on Carnival or NCL. I am willing to pay a couple extra bucks and have a nice ship, good food, friendly crew and excellent ports.

[Buddy604]

I know my elite benefits on Princess factor HEAVILY in my first choice of lines for my travel. I try to travel light and subsequently send out laundry every couple of days. Although I just treat the minibar as my take home duty free (I have way too much untouched liquor at home), I do appreciate the pop, water and perrier. Priority tender embarkation is great, and I love the internet discount available to platinum and above.

 

I have to factor the loss of those benefits when I cruise on another line, so Princess remains my default line. I still hit other ones from time to time but the CC program is working by giving folks a reason to build loyalty. Just my perspective.

[wdrl]

Thanks to those of you who answered my original post. I know on our last cruise on the Star Princess which ending May 22, there were 300 Elite passengers on the TA portion and 208 on the Baltic portion. These figures are well under 1/3 of the 2600 passengers aboard the Star Princess. The same couple were the most traveled passengers for both segments, they had over 1000 days at sea after the Baltic cruise. I never expect that we will ever be a most traveled passenger, sigh, as we are not that fortunate to cruise multiple times a year or for months at a time.

 

The Circle Hostess implied that with our 20th cruise something special happens, but I it doesn't appear to be the case. We'll just continue to enjoy our Elite perks when we cruise next.

[Pam in CA]

Finally, they know that all their cruises will be sold out without giving any further rewards. Why throw money at people who are standing in line to buy your product already?

 

It's always about the money.

So true. As the truism says, "There's no such thing as a 'free' lunch."

[TracieABD]

As a researcher, I just love a good debate that uses quanifiable data to drive a point home... even if it is, statistically speaking, just measures of central tendancy...:rolleyes:

[centurycruiser]

In the 21st century, cruisers who have been on 20 trips with a certain cruise line are not really considered that special.

 

You should ask the Captain's Circle Hostess on your next cruise how many passengers onboard have been on 20 trips or more. If she is able to answer you, the number will be somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 - depending on the season and the itinerary. That's one-third to one-half of the ship.

 

On a Holland America ship, nearly all the passengers have 20 or more cruises.

 

When you hit 200 cruises, come back and talk again. You won't be nearly at the top, but will then have some bragging rights.

 

What an imagination you have!

 

I cruise all the contemporary lines and Princess and Royal Caribbean seem to have the most frequent cruisers. Both also have the best loyalty programs.

 

I've never paid alot of attention to the elites on board Princess other than observing the card colors as I walk the hallways. On RCI I've asked the concierges from time to time about the number of D and D+ (over 12 and over 24) on certain cruises. Generally, there will be somewhere around 160 people who sailed more than 12 times with about 60 who have sailed more than 24 times. Sometimes there may be as many as 300 who have sailed more than 12 times. But, NEVER 1/3 to 1/2 of the ship. More likely 5-10% of the ship are D (more than 12 cruises).

 

I've sailed HAL a bit (11 times) and while they do have a lot of repeats, NO WHERE NEAR what you suppose. If you sailed previously, you get an invite to the past cruisers party. It is generally in the theater and typically just the first level and not even full at that, so it would not even be half the ship as repeaters let alone 20X.

 

But, you do have a vivid imagination.