Elite Benefit Erosion

[antsp]

Surely you jest! The abuse of the internet has led to no more unlimited minutes and I'm sure the laundry will get there too! (Please Elites..................don't abuse your privilege!)

 

Wifi stopped unlimited internet not abuse. Stop and think about it for one moment, if unlimited still excisted almost every platinum and elite member would connect there device and leave it on, i know i would, the system would not be able to cope. Saying it was stopped due to abuse is laughable.

[antsp]

Why woukd you log out if its unlimited. I don't understand. Do you log out of you home wifi

[antsp]

How much tv do you watch on a ship, that's unlimited. If I watch it all day am I being greedy. I have unlimited minutes on my home phone, if I use that am I greedy. What you makes no sense, when internet was unlimied how could you be greedy by using it. Wifi stopped it nothing else.

 

Internet was not unlimited when I became platinum so you can't blame me, it must be other idiots. As you call them who sail Princess.

Edited March 25, 2014 by antsp

[24639]

Reading this thread really makes me shake my head , chuckle and wonder about the iq of most responders. You seriously are upset over the right to send your stained underwear out to some stranger to wash(or not)?

ICK! SUPER ICK! It takes a couple of purell sheets and an hour of time while I am having coffee and reading a magazine to wash my jeans, jammies and unmentionables. I pack super light and would be SOL if something go misplaced. I never use the free laundry. Not even for the clothes that I plan to dump in the trash at the end of the cruise.

 

I do love the guacamole a the Platinum/Elite lounge and that is a perk I would whine about if it went the way of the stuff in the Horizon court.

[antsp]

Yes I know its not unlimited, but if it was and I used it in such a way I would be selfish. Is that what your trying to say.

[likeadisguise]

Do you leave the water running in your sink in your cabin all the time just because it's free, too?

 

If you know you're sharing a limited resource, it's nice to do so responsibly.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[Ethel5]

Reading this thread really makes me shake my head , chuckle and wonder about the iq of most responders. You seriously are upset over the right to send your stained underwear out to some stranger to wash(or not)?

ICK! SUPER ICK! It takes a couple of purell sheets and an hour of time while I am having coffee and reading a magazine to wash my jeans, jammies and unmentionables. I pack super light and would be SOL if something go misplaced. I never use the free laundry. Not even for the clothes that I plan to dump in the trash at the end of the cruise.

 

I do love the guacamole a the Platinum/Elite lounge and that is a perk I would whine about if it went the way of the stuff in the Horizon court.

 

Perhaps you don't mind wasting time doing laundry, but many of us do. It's a perk we have earned and we don't want to lose it because of some inconsiderate people abusing the system.

[AE_Collector]

Wifi didn't "kill" unlimited free Internet on Princess nor did abuse of free Internet.

 

Abuse potentially added to the problem and the proliferation of wifi devices are just an indication of the explosive growth of Internet use by everyone. That is what killed unlimited Internet on Princess.

 

The entire logging in/out argument is pointless because leaving your device(s) logged in all day and night on a Princess ship would only do one thing...generate you a big bill. It uses NO bandwidth to leave anything logged in. Going to web pages (surfing the net) uses bandwidth. That is why no one logs out of wifi at home.

 

Princess (and the other cruise line I have been on) chooses to use minutes to calculate use but bandwidth would be a much more accurate way to calculate and charge for use and would be forgiving of anyone who forgets to log out!

 

Terry

Edited March 25, 2014 by AE_Collector

[antsp]

That's what I was trying to say, technology and the use of it killed it off, it was impossible to retain

n it.

Edited March 25, 2014 by antsp

[Loonbeam]

Disney has moved to bandwith and I see most of the lines going to that within 3-5 years (mainly due to the cost and time to upgrade equipment)

 

Wifi didn't "kill" unlimited free Internet on Princess nor did abuse of free Internet.

 

Abuse potentially added to the problem and the proliferation of wifi devices are just an indication of the explosive growth of Internet use by everyone. That is what killed unlimited Internet on Princess.

 

The entire logging in/out argument is pointless because leaving your device(s) logged in all day and night on a Princess ship would only do one thing...generate you a big bill. It uses NO bandwidth to leave anything logged in. Going to web pages (surfing the net) uses bandwidth. That is why no one logs out of wifi at home.

 

Princess (and the other cruise line I have been on) chooses to use minutes to calculate use but bandwidth would be a much more accurate way to calculate and charge for use and would be forgiving of anyone who forgets to log out!

 

Terry

[shastatroy]

We recently were on the Emerald. Our steward told us that they have been instructed since the Costa disaster that "belts" were to be tightened and they were not supposed to give anything extra unless the passenger asked for it. He brought us all of the usual Elite amenities but told us he had to get some of them when no one was looking. :rolleyes:

 

 

I have reread this several times and really can't understand how one correlates to the other. It's like saying since TWA fight 800 crashed no passengers will get peanuts. :rolleyes:

[AE_Collector]

That's what I was trying to say, technology and the use of it killed it off, it was impossible to retain

n it.

 

Absolutely. Until satellite communications can catch up with the bandwidth needed, unlimited use on ships had to go.

 

Disney has moved to bandwith and I see most of the lines going to that within 3-5 years (mainly due to the cost and time to upgrade equipment)

 

I have noticed a section for bandwidth use on the page that shows your use but it hasn't been put into use yet. I am not certain if that was on Princess or Celebrity though. I too would think that is the way it is going eventually.

 

Terry

Edited March 25, 2014 by AE_Collector

[hillslife]

We love the free laundry perk and would be very disappointed to see it gone. We often do precruise travel and have a week or 10 days worth of laundry when we board...so nice to be able to send it out on day one and have clean laundry to start the cruise.

 

Plus, with airline luggage limits now..helps with the weight limit to pack less. We have never had an issue with clothes being ruined or lost, but I know some have. We don't send formal or good clothes..just the everyday stuff.

 

Also a great perk to have Internet and the mini bar..and we make good use of both every time....and plan accordingly.

[Roses2]

Some how folks continue to confuse opinion with fact.

 

WiFi was available on all Princess ships in 2009. It was three years before Princess changed the amount of time provided to Suite/Elite passengers.

 

WiFi certainly contributed to the change since it provided the opportunity to give a password to allow others to sign on to an unlimited access account.

 

Since I do not have the facts, it is my opinion that it was because of blatant and growing misuse of the perk during the 3 years after WiFi became available.

[AE_Collector]

I have reread this several times and really can't understand how one correlates to the other. It's like saying since TWA fight 800 crashed no passengers will get peanuts. :rolleyes:

 

My guess would be that obviously the Costa disaster was going to badly hurt share value which can cause shareholders to go elsewhere further driving share price down. The obvious first reaction by CCL is to cut expenses quickly (even if it did cause repercussions down the road) in order to help keep the share price up as much as possible.

 

Why is the share price such a big deal in the big scheme of things? It likely represents a very high percentage CCL executives pay (like most other companies) amount other things.

 

Terry

Edited March 25, 2014 by AE_Collector

[AE_Collector]

Since I do not have the facts, it is my opinion that it was because of blatant and growing misuse of the perk during the 3 years after WiFi became available.

 

Three years ago We didn't bring web enabled phones with us but now we have two. Two years ago we didn't have a tablet but now we bring two iPads with us. And I bring a small laptop as well.

 

Bringing more devices doesn't necessarily mean more Internet use but I wouldn't bring them if I wasn't going to use them so on average, we are all using more and more Internet bandwidth. And couple that with people sharing it a bit and there is even more bandwidth used.

 

Six months ago my 83 year old mom didn't have a computer, tablet or an email address. Now she has an iPad and email. She is platinum on Princess and will be checking her messages the next time she cruises.

 

Terry

Edited March 25, 2014 by AE_Collector

[Roses2]

There is an excellent updated discussion of Carnival stock that includes comments about the Costa and Carnival incidents posted today at: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2014648

[PescadoAmarillo]

I simply don't understand the attraction of the free laundry service. Since we are almost at the end of our cruising season, and I am getting a bit weary of sitting in the passenger Laundromat, I have been more lenient about sending out items. In addition to two T-shirts previously ruined and three shorts buttons broken, I just yesterday three away two pair of underwear with holes after one washing. I don't understand why others haven't had these issues, but have heard from crew that the Emerald washers and/or dryer drums have burrs which snag everything (tablecloths and napkins included).

 

We have done at least 15 loads of laundry on our own this winter to avoid such issues. We would never dream of asking PSD for free tokens because we are "entitled" to free laundry. To me, it's the passenger Laundromats that are the real perk, not the free laundry benefit.

[Roses2]

Admittedly we only cruise 2-4 times a year, and generally cruise lengths are about 2 weeks. During all of our cruises. we have only had one Princess laundry issue in all of our cruises -- one broken zipper. Princess made immediate restitution.

 

To us the Princess free laundry for Elite/Suite passengers is the top benefit. It enables to have a bit more flexibility in our packing choices. We would hope that misuse by some would not jeopardize any of the Elite benefits.

[Pam in CA]

Some how folks continue to confuse opinion with fact.

 

WiFi was available on all Princess ships in 2009. It was three years before Princess changed the amount of time provided to Suite/Elite passengers.

 

WiFi certainly contributed to the change since it provided the opportunity to give a password to allow others to sign on to an unlimited access account.

 

Since I do not have the facts, it is my opinion that it was because of blatant and growing misuse of the perk during the 3 years after WiFi became available.

I think it was a combination of issues. One of the primary reasons is that Princess completely changed the system when WiFi became shipwide and in cabins. Before then, it was available via laptop in the Atrium but you could only access it via ship laptops that you rented and had a card scanner. All of the ship computers in the Internet Cafe had card readers. Someone could swipe their card and never sign out so that anyone using the computer afterwards didn't have to pay. It wasn't unusual to see one person leave and a friend sit in the chair after them, or gangs of kids huddled around a computer playing games. There was often over an hour's wait to use a computer, sometimes two hours or more.

 

When WiFi became available in cabins, the system changed to an onscreen log-in. At time that the Platinum/Elite benefit changed from unlimited to a package, depending on the length of your cruise. I remember reading a report back then that Princess had done an analysis of usage before the change and that over 90% of passengers used the Internet 20 minutes or less a day and that the remaining 9% used the Internet for several hours a day, a disproportionate amount.

 

I don't know the reason for the change in full suite benefits but it's possible that suites were using a disproportionate amount of Internet minutes in relation to the number of booked suite passengers.

 

As always, follow the money. :)

[pablo222]

Some how folks continue to confuse opinion with fact.

 

The unlimited free internet for elite guests ended when

princess contracted with MTN to provide the entire service.

 

My opinion is that princess negotiated away the unlimited

to get some other benefit from mtn.

 

...like free use for shipboard needs in exchange for a portion of

the passenger revenue stream.

 

Everyone posting 'facts' here has confused them with opinion;

or has failed to identify themselves as the actual decision maker

at princess at the time of the change.

[shredie]

By the time we make it to Elite status the "perks" will probably have been whittled down to a free "one-size-fits-nobody" robe. :rolleyes:

 

I have to laugh at some of the comments in this thread. "Erosion" of benefits is a funny way to put it. Figuring with my little pencil here, I estimate we will be Elite in the summer of 2015 (or maybe sooner since we have discovered how fun it is to "cheat" with those Coastals. ;)) At my current lowly status of Platinum, I like the perks (Internet, shrimp fountain in the P/E lounge, disembarkation coffee and pastries, etc.) but one perk I have little interest in is the free laundry. For me, the idea of sending my clothes to be washed in a big machine with other people's dirty stuff is kind of "ew." I have become a master of sink washing. :)

 

Of course, I understand that free laundry is important to some people, and I'm glad they have the option. I can see how they might worry that the perk will disappear for whatever reason, but to see it as "Elite Erosion" seems a tad snooty, IMO. (Okay, maybe I'll change my tune after we finish a few more Coastals.) :D

[Lynda90]

Reading this thread really makes me shake my head , chuckle and wonder about the iq of most responders. You seriously are upset over the right to send your stained underwear out to some stranger to wash(or not)?

ICK! SUPER ICK! It takes a couple of purell sheets and an hour of time while I am having coffee and reading a magazine to wash my jeans, jammies and unmentionables. I pack super light and would be SOL if something go misplaced. I never use the free laundry. Not even for the clothes that I plan to dump in the trash at the end of the cruise.

 

I do love the guacamole a the Platinum/Elite lounge and that is a perk I would whine about if it went the way of the stuff in the Horizon court.

Shake your head and chuckle all you want. Most of us do enjoy the free laundry; especially on those longer, warmer weather cruises. I can honestly say, I have never received a ruined item back. Maybe I'm just lucky. The laundry fiasco was certainly a memorable event on the Royal, Oct. TA but, hopefully that was an isolated incident. It wouldn't bother me at all if Princess put a limit on amount of laundry to be sent out. I'm sure it's coming!

Edited March 25, 2014 by Lynda90

[Cruisin' Chick]

Sending out laundry for others is like the Seinfeld episode where Courtney Cox played Jerry's girlfriend but pretended to be his wife. We just made Elite. I'd hate to see an erosion of the benefit now that we've earned it. Perhaps Princess just needs to police the laundry situation better.

 

If you remember it hasn't been that long ago that suite passengers lost their free internet so don't get complacent and think that it can't happen.

 

 

Mike:)

 

I did see that Seinfeld episode again just a few weeks ago in syndication, and it reminded me of how people do take advantage. I can hear Kramer's voice in my head when people talk about sharing a soda card on this forum as many people feel it's all right and don't think in terms of how it could affect the program in the future (who knows, maybe instead of an unlimited sticker, you'll have to use the mug -- even though I imagine that would be abused too by pouring a drink into a glass for somebody, and then go to another bar for another soda...or even a punch card like with the coffee program).

 

And whether or not Princess had proof that passengers were abusing the unlimited Internet, whether or not that was costing Princess in bandwidth, etc., the line did change that perk. And undoubtedly elite passengers were allowing their blue or gold friends on board to use some of their unlimited Internet.

 

And with the laundry benefit, Princess can just as easily claim they need to limit the Elite perk.

 

If we ever get to Elite (we will finally be Platinum on our next cruise), it'll be hubby who would use the free laundry if it still is a perk. I'm the type who, at home, will stop the dryer before my clothes are all dried and hang up everything to air-dry them the rest of the way. I don't think I would trust the ship's laundry with much of my clothes. Plus I like using the allergen-free detergent (we had to switch because of one family member's allergies) which isn't an option on board unless one does their own laundry.

 

But I hope the Internet credit doesn't go away. We did buy a package deal (and not the cheapest one) for our last cruise and our girl and I did share that.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I simply don't understand the attraction of the free laundry service. Since we are almost at the end of our cruising season, and I am getting a bit weary of sitting in the passenger Laundromat, I have been more lenient about sending out items. In addition to two T-shirts previously ruined and three shorts buttons broken, I just yesterday three away two pair of underwear with holes after one washing. I don't understand why others haven't had these issues, but have heard from crew that the Emerald washers and/or dryer drums have burrs which snag everything (tablecloths and napkins included).

 

We have done at least 15 loads of laundry on our own this winter to avoid such issues. We would never dream of asking PSD for free tokens because we are "entitled" to free laundry. To me, it's the passenger Laundromats that are the real perk, not the free laundry benefit.

 

For us, having the self service laundry makes Princess a good line for us over ones like RC, Celebrity, NCL (well, even if they had kept their laundry rooms, I don't see us trying NCL). Seven day cruises seem to short to us now, so it's nice being able to take less clothes but still be able to run a couple of loads during our trip. Having to do some loads back home isn't a big problem for us either. But for those who want this perk (having the unlimited laundry by the ship's service), it'll be nice if current passengers don't ruin it for future ones.