Free Internet eliminated from all suites

[cellyml12]

 

Some of you are getting by cheaper than the last few weddings we have gone to. We usually have to shell out around $179 a night.

 

Half of one fare is a lot more then $179.00 a night when we booked the top category mini. That was my point though. We get a lot more for our money on a cruise. I also noticed one of the lasts posts talks about how people don't care that some people are losing out on something they thought was included when they booked/paid for their suite. I don't think that's true. I think pretty much everyone feels that's unfair. Some of us might not feel bad for people that book a suite next year, but that doesn't mean we don't think it's unfair for people who already paid.

[Iamcruzin]

Some of you are getting by cheaper than the last few weddings we have gone to. We usually have to shell out around $179 a night.

 

Just think of what you can get on a cruise for $179 a day. That's the point I was trying to make. My hotel accommodations weren't really much better than an ocean view on a cruise. I had a larger bathroom that's about it and ok there was free wifi. I find it hard to believe that a land vacation would be as good of a value.

[Pam in CA]

One thing I find interesting is that the vast majority of passengers never read the Passage Contract or explore the FAQs pages on the Princess website. If they did, most of the questions posted on CC wouldn't be here. :) Since most never read the Contract, the FAQs or other sources online, I have to infer that most aren't aware of what perks they get or don't get, and wouldn't know if something had been added or removed. Just a very general observation. :)

[wineforhealth]

Pam your observation is right on target. With all the great people here taking time answering some of the same questions over and over makes CC a good source for easy information.

Keep up the good work along with many others.

[ONT-CA]

I would say that yes, it matters.

 

Princess is in business to make money, not to appease all internet whiners.

 

All someone needs to post this this thread is a web browser and an internet connection. The only people princess needs to worry about are people

who might purchase a suite.

 

It really doesn't matter what all the other voices think. If they were

not going to purchase a suite with or without internet, they're not

important to the bottom line.

 

And, princess hardly needs this forum to see gauge the reaction to

the change. All they have to do is look at suite sales.

 

This image that Princess portrays is directly related to "making money". Whether or not a customer is directly involved in the sale that is deemed unfair, that customer will make future choices with that unfairness in mind.

[Cliftoncruz]

Just FYI, Princess just removed from the web site FAQ, the complimentary internet as suite amenity.

 

I do read the contract, and FAQ. It is amazing though how a different customer service reps can interrupt company postings differently.

[JimmyVWine]

One thing I find interesting is that the vast majority of passengers never read the Passage Contract or explore the FAQs pages on the Princess website. If they did, most of the questions posted on CC wouldn't be here. :) Since most never read the Contract, the FAQs or other sources online, I have to infer that most aren't aware of what perks they get or don't get, and wouldn't know if something had been added or removed. Just a very general observation. :)

 

And an astute one at that. The use of travel agents has been much debated here, and this isn't the place to re-hash the pros and cons. But I suspect that many, many people who book through TAs entrust almost the entire process to them, and never spend as much time perusing the Princess website and the accompanying documents and notices as they ought to.

[billco]

Just FYI, Princess just removed from the web site FAQ, the complimentary internet as suite amenity.

 

I do read the contract, and FAQ. It is amazing though how a different customer service reps can interrupt company postings differently.

Looks like they still have some work to do to bring everything up to date, unless web access in the Internet Cafe will be offered on the new Royal for suite passengers:

 

Royal Princess:

A spacious suite with balcony includes all the amenities of a mini-suite, plus incredible premiums including: two 42" flat screen televisions, separate bathtub and shower, marble floors and countertops, access to the dedicated Concierge Lounge, a choice of three comfortable mattress options, a soundstation dock for your iPod, complimentary laundry and professional cleaning services, and web access in the Internet Café.

 

Of course if one clicks on the "View even more amenities exclusively for our Suite passengers" they will be taken to the new pdf.

[ssbeagle]

I sent Princess a note about the change asking if it was true. I also told them I thought it was a valuable amenity that differentiated their product from other cruise lines. Here is the response I received.

 

"We apologize for any disappointment. We do periodically review our programs and determined that the benefit was not sustainable given the limited bandwidth available on the ship. Over the past few years we have increased suite benefits to offer new and innovative favorites such as the Sabatini's Suite Breakfast and dedicated line at the Passenger Services Desk. While we never want to remove benefits, we did recognize that the internet benefit could not continue and made this change at the end of June 2012. We have recently introduced new benefits, such as complimentary cover charges for a Speciality Dining Restaurant on embarkation day. We hope these suite benefits are enjoyed by our passengers booking the top accommodations.

 

We will shortly be in touch with passengers who booked a suite prior to the change and plan to use the internet onboard.

 

Regards,

 

Princess Cruises

Customer Relations Specialist"

 

I would rather have the specialty dining cover charge than unlimited internet. Who want to spend the cruise on the internet anyway? Once you get platinum and receive free internet minutes it's usually more than enough to last the cruise. We had minutes left over after our 31-day cruise last year. Too much going on to waste it at the internet. You are supposed to be on vacation and not at work............:rolleyes:

[caribill]

An alternative argument is that if I have paid for the Internet access (which I did for business purposes), I should be able to expect that a wide portion of the bandwidth is not being consumed by non-payers.

 

On a ship with about 3100 passengers who are potential Internet users and a crew of over 1000 who are potential Internet users, the 52 potential users who are suite passengers will not be consuming a wide portion of the bandwidth.

[caribill]

On our last Christmas cruise, we were cut off of the internet at 10 pm the last evening and could not purchase any minutes. No explanation from customer service and the Internet cafe manager left at 9:55. There were several people waiting to talk to him but he just got up and left for the evening. Customer service would not even call him to ask why we were cut off.

 

This has been brought up on other threads.

 

If you have not purchased an Internet packages, usage is cut off because the accounting for the final onboard accounts must be processed.

 

Somehow in the scheme of things the software did not realize that suite passengers were entitled to zero cost minutes and should not have been cut off.

 

If you had been able to purchase a "free" package before the 10 PM cutoff, you could have utilized those minutes right up until the time you disembarked.

[Sunviking]

Once again I have to say that I'm kind of amazed how many people know what everyone else's motivation for taking a cruise and interests while on one should be. I only know what my DH and I enjoy and why we cruise. We don't go to shows nor the casino. I guess you could call us really boring people. We do book because of itinerary and included in that is plenty of days at sea when we can just chill out in our cabin and on our balcony. My husband stays in touch with his office because unless he did so he wouldn't cruise. I like to do a blog for our friends and family. We have never abused any of the perks we have received as a result of the number of cruises we have taken or the kind of cabin we book. I do expect to get what I was told I would get at the time I paid for something. If I haven't paid for a product yet and the terms change that's a different story. I then have the opportunity to decide if I want that product under the new conditions. I'm only guessing here, but I imagine if some of the people who have hundreds of days were told that they would no longer get complimentary laundry or a minibar setup, they would be hooting and hollering if they had paid for their cruise and expected those things.

 

As for not booking a Princess cruise if the internet benefit is taken away, we will look more seriously at other cruise lines' products. For the price we pay for a suite plus air plus tours (whether private or not) plus beverages of all kinds plus internet, the price of a Regent cruise becomes close in price. On Regent when you have sailed 21 days and beginning from the first day of the cruise you reach 21 days you get free unlimited internet for the entire cruise plus one free hour of phone service plus no specialty dining fees plus free beverages of all kinds both in your cabin and anywhere on the ship plus free air and free upgrade to business class for some categories and cruises plus free shore excursions plus free pre or post cruise hotel package. When you add up the value of those things, a luxury line looks more in line with what a suite passenger may have to pay on Princess or other similar lines. I would also have to take into account the way in which the change was handled. I board the Crown Princess tomorrow and have not heard one word from Princess despite the fact I have called, faxed and e-mailed them before I left home last Saturday. That's pretty poor on their part IMHO.

 

You may not all agree with what I've said, but just as you are entitled to your opinions I believe that I am entitled as well. I honored my part of the contract I made with Princess and I think it's reasonable to expect them to do likewise.

[GrandCanyon2005]

WOW ... this combined with bad balcony furniture is bending my choice to Norwegian ... I'm glad I have a deposit down for duplicate reservations.

[compozer]

Just got a call back from Princess. She said it is not in writing yet but they have decided to grandfather us in. She said if we get a bill, just go to the Pursers desk and they will remove it. We'll see what happens when we try to sign in. She also said there is NO talk about giving suite people any minutes. I told her I really did not think it was fair when I was payiing $4000 per person for a suite on the Royal for 7 days not to give us any minutes but she did not have an answer other than I'm sorry.

[spyro1952]

Just got a call back from Princess. She said it is not in writing yet but they have decided to grandfather us in. She said if we get a bill, just go to the Pursers desk and they will remove it. We'll see what happens when we try to sign in. She also said there is NO talk about giving suite people any minutes. I told her I really did not think it was fair when I was payiing $4000 per person for a suite on the Royal for 7 days not to give us any minutes but she did not have an answer other than I'm sorry.

 

 

I'm wonder what pax will be grandfathered in. I have a suite booked for April '13 and I booked it because both of us will be using the internet and I thought it would be cheaper than buying more minutes on top of my Elite minutes or running over without knowing it. My roommate is not Platinum or Elite. I am paying for the entire cruise for both of us.

I'm also wondering what happened to people who boarded suites immediately after the 27th and didn't know that the free internet was discontinued???

[caribill]

I'm also wondering what happened to people who boarded suites immediately after the 27th and didn't know that the free internet was discontinued???

 

Not every suite passenger posts on Cruise critic, but so far there have been no posts about the lack of free internet for cruise passengers on an actual cruise.

 

There have been several posts saying they still had the free internet.

[compozer]

I'm wonder what pax will be grandfathered in. I have a suite booked for April '13

 

I have five cruises booked. She looked all of them up and we have a Christmas 2013 booked and she said we would get free internet on it. She also said they would be contacting my TA. You are safe.

[compozer]

Not every suite passenger posts on Cruise critic, but so far there have been no posts about the lack of free internet for cruise passengers on an actual cruise.

 

There have been several posts saying they still had the free internet.

 

 

Sounds like they ARE honoring or grandfathering them in.

[bdjam]

This is my complaint as well. Princess should not eliminate this perk for people who have already booked a suite. Dinner on embarkation night in a specialty restaurant - NO.

So by the same token, you shouldn't get any additional perks that were not offered when you booked - right?

[capriccio]

WOW ... this combined with bad balcony furniture is bending my choice to Norwegian ... I'm glad I have a deposit down for duplicate reservations.

 

I haven't seen anything about potential changes to the suite balcony furniture (have seen plenty about balcony cabin and mini-suite cabin balcony furniture changes). Did I miss something? The full suites we've been in on the Emerald and Sapphire have teak balcony furniture - 2 padded chaise lounges with an end table plus a dinner table and 4 chairs.

[bhopal21]

For the price we pay for a suite plus air plus tours (whether private or not) plus beverages of all kinds plus internet, the price of a Regent cruise becomes close in price. On Regent when you have sailed 21 days and beginning from the first day of the cruise you reach 21 days you get free unlimited internet for the entire cruise plus one free hour of phone service plus no specialty dining fees plus free beverages of all kinds both in your cabin and anywhere on the ship plus free air and free upgrade to business class for some categories and cruises plus free shore excursions plus free pre or post cruise hotel package. When you add up the value of those things, a luxury line looks more in line with what a suite passenger may have to pay on Princess or other similar lines. I would also have to take into account the way in which the change was handled. I board the Crown Princess tomorrow and have not heard one word from Princess despite the fact I have called, faxed and e-mailed them before I left home last Saturday. That's pretty poor on their part IMHO.

 

You may not all agree with what I've said, but just as you are entitled to your opinions I believe that I am entitled as well. I honored my part of the contract I made with Princess and I think it's reasonable to expect them to do likewise.

 

I agree with you Ann and we also looked at Regent yesterday as well.

 

Have a great vacation!

 

Mike:)

[azbirdmom]

Once again I have to say that I'm kind of amazed how many people know what everyone else's motivation for taking a cruise and interests while on one should be. I only know what my DH and I enjoy and why we cruise. We don't go to shows nor the casino. I guess you could call us really boring people. We do book because of itinerary and included in that is plenty of days at sea when we can just chill out in our cabin and on our balcony. My husband stays in touch with his office because unless he did so he wouldn't cruise. I like to do a blog for our friends and family. We have never abused any of the perks we have received as a result of the number of cruises we have taken or the kind of cabin we book. I do expect to get what I was told I would get at the time I paid for something. If I haven't paid for a product yet and the terms change that's a different story. I then have the opportunity to decide if I want that product under the new conditions. I'm only guessing here, but I imagine if some of the people who have hundreds of days were told that they would no longer get complimentary laundry or a minibar setup, they would be hooting and hollering if they had paid for their cruise and expected those things.

 

As for not booking a Princess cruise if the internet benefit is taken away, we will look more seriously at other cruise lines' products. For the price we pay for a suite plus air plus tours (whether private or not) plus beverages of all kinds plus internet, the price of a Regent cruise becomes close in price. On Regent when you have sailed 21 days and beginning from the first day of the cruise you reach 21 days you get free unlimited internet for the entire cruise plus one free hour of phone service plus no specialty dining fees plus free beverages of all kinds both in your cabin and anywhere on the ship plus free air and free upgrade to business class for some categories and cruises plus free shore excursions plus free pre or post cruise hotel package. When you add up the value of those things, a luxury line looks more in line with what a suite passenger may have to pay on Princess or other similar lines. I would also have to take into account the way in which the change was handled. I board the Crown Princess tomorrow and have not heard one word from Princess despite the fact I have called, faxed and e-mailed them before I left home last Saturday. That's pretty poor on their part IMHO.

 

You may not all agree with what I've said, but just as you are entitled to your opinions I believe that I am entitled as well. I honored my part of the contract I made with Princess and I think it's reasonable to expect them to do likewise.

 

I feel the same way you do. A friend who is boarding a cruise in Istanbul in a couple of days was talking up Regent as well. We are sticking with our one and only booked Princess suite for now but are waiting to hear about "grandfathering". I certainly hope that you get all of the benefits that you are entitled to on your cruise and that you have a wonderful time!

[Woobstr112G]

So by the same token, you shouldn't get any additional perks that were not offered when you booked - right?

 

Fine by me. Breakfast at Sabatinis and the dedicated line at passenger services are not new. The free specialty dining on embarkation day plus the goddies in the cabin I can do without.....

 

Bob

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Woobstr112G]

Once again I have to say that I'm kind of amazed how many people know what everyone else's motivation for taking a cruise and interests while on one should be. I only know what my DH and I enjoy and why we cruise. We don't go to shows nor the casino. I guess you could call us really boring people. We do book because of itinerary and included in that is plenty of days at sea when we can just chill out in our cabin and on our balcony. My husband stays in touch with his office because unless he did so he wouldn't cruise. I like to do a blog for our friends and family. We have never abused any of the perks we have received as a result of the number of cruises we have taken or the kind of cabin we book. I do expect to get what I was told I would get at the time I paid for something. If I haven't paid for a product yet and the terms change that's a different story. I then have the opportunity to decide if I want that product under the new conditions. I'm only guessing here, but I imagine if some of the people who have hundreds of days were told that they would no longer get complimentary laundry or a minibar setup, they would be hooting and hollering if they had paid for their cruise and expected those things.

 

As for not booking a Princess cruise if the internet benefit is taken away, we will look more seriously at other cruise lines' products. For the price we pay for a suite plus air plus tours (whether private or not) plus beverages of all kinds plus internet, the price of a Regent cruise becomes close in price. On Regent when you have sailed 21 days and beginning from the first day of the cruise you reach 21 days you get free unlimited internet for the entire cruise plus one free hour of phone service plus no specialty dining fees plus free beverages of all kinds both in your cabin and anywhere on the ship plus free air and free upgrade to business class for some categories and cruises plus free shore excursions plus free pre or post cruise hotel package. When you add up the value of those things, a luxury line looks more in line with what a suite passenger may have to pay on Princess or other similar lines. I would also have to take into account the way in which the change was handled. I board the Crown Princess tomorrow and have not heard one word from Princess despite the fact I have called, faxed and e-mailed them before I left home last Saturday. That's pretty poor on their part IMHO.

 

You may not all agree with what I've said, but just as you are entitled to your opinions I believe that I am entitled as well. I honored my part of the contract I made with Princess and I think it's reasonable to expect them to do likewise.

 

Ann;

 

I couldn't have said it any better.....:):):)

 

Bob

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[spyro1952]

I have five cruises booked. She looked all of them up and we have a Christmas 2013 booked and she said we would get free internet on it. She also said they would be contacting my TA. You are safe.

 

Thanks for the update. I also agree with Ann about looking into Regent but it may be just too costly for a single person.