What perks have disappeared?

[shredie]

I'm really curious about this. Several threads lately have dealt with Elite perks and the possibility of abuse. Then every time, someone talks about the perks that have disappeared. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the unlimited Internet and Internet free for suites. We still have free laundry, priority boarding, nightly lounge, 10% discounts in the shops, priority tenders. What am I missing? Is the situation really dire?

[Sea Day Cruiser]

I don't think the situation is dire, but there have been changes. The chocolate covered strawberries have disappeared as a choice for formal night. Bathroom amenities used to include slippers and moisturizer of a better quality. You still get lotion but it's not the same quality. You mentioned Internet and that's a big one. Drinks in the elite lounge used to be $3 and now are $5.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Sea Day Cruiser

[GUT2407]

I'm not elite, probably never will be so it doesn't bother me much.

 

However I suspect that if any perks have disappeared it is because of abuse by some, I have heard stories of selling tender tickets and laundry and sharing Internet.

 

I suspect that when Princess hear that a benefit is being abused they look at getting rid of it, after all they are always trying to increase profit.

[shredie]

I don't think the situation is dire, but there have been changes. The chocolate covered strawberries have disappeared as a choice for formal night. Bathroom amenities used to include slippers and moisturizer of a better quality. You still get lotion but it's not the same quality. You mentioned Internet and that's a big one. Drinks in the elite lounge used to be $3 and now are $5.

 

Princess is cutting costs, yes, but I don't think most of these things are a result of Elites abusing their privileges. I don't think they stopped the strawberries because too many Elites were feeding them to Platinums. ;) I'm asking about perks that were eliminated because Elites abused the system, something that seems to be accepted wisdom around here.

[Sea Day Cruiser]

Sorry, I didn't realize that you only wanted perks that disappeared because of abuse. I simply read it as any perk that was available once but gone now.

[shredie]

Sorry, I didn't realize that you only wanted perks that disappeared because of abuse. I simply read it as any perk that was available once but gone now.

 

Well, that's not quite it, but I do appreciate your comments. I guess I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this conventional wisdom that abuse is making perks disappear. People who say that don't ever seem to give examples of these disappearing perks. If they happened, I just want to know about it.

[Pam in CA]

I've seen serious abuse, particularly with the laundry perk to the point where the laundry room was overwhelmed. I wouldn't be surprised if it was limited as a result. Which is a shame.

[Steelers36]

I've seen serious abuse, particularly with the laundry perk to the point where the laundry room was overwhelmed. I wouldn't be surprised if it was limited as a result. Which is a shame.

 

Don't mean to question your sound wisdom on Princess matters, but I have read many posts where there are voyages with huge numbers of Elites. And probably a large number get enough dirty clothes about the same time. Wouldn't that overload the laundry service?

[Belle]

Elite Perk ..

Choc. Strawberries still on menu in July

on the Golden. I ordered and ate.

Still enjoying the perks that we have. Why

they keep some perks and get rid of others....

Who Knows?

[kruisey]

Don't mean to question your sound wisdom on Princess matters, but I have read many posts where there are voyages with huge numbers of Elites. And probably a large number get enough dirty clothes about the same time. Wouldn't that overload the laundry service?

That some Elites have been filling their laundry bags with their Non Elite friends dirty laundry on board.If we loose that laundry privilege .............:mad:

[Steelers36]

That some Elites have been filling their laundry bags with their Non Elite friends dirty laundry on board.If we loose that laundry privilege .............:mad:

 

Yeah, that's tacky. I mean if from other cabins. I'm imagining this huge laundry bag that barely fits down the narrow passageway and Stewart staggering under the weight of it all. :eek:

[Steelers36]

That some Elites have been filling their laundry bags with their Non Elite friends dirty laundry on board.If we loose that laundry privilege .............:mad:

 

Maybe they will put a cap on it to save costs???

 

Or better, charge the abusers and put stop to it. If 5% Elites abuse and are stopped, the other 95% will cheer, right?

Edited August 12, 2015 by steelers36

[shredie]

That some Elites have been filling their laundry bags with their Non Elite friends dirty laundry on board.If we loose that laundry privilege .............:mad:

 

That's true, but we haven't lost the privilege yet.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

...I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this conventional wisdom that abuse is making perks disappear. People who say that don't ever seem to give examples of these disappearing perks. If they happened, I just want to know about it.

 

While I am a lowly Platinum :), the only real perk erosion I have heard of from Elites I know is a substantial slowdown in the turnaround time for laundry service on some cruises. I imagine this is a combo of an increase in the # of Elites, as well as abuses (such as Elites throwing the laundry of non-Elites in their group in with theirs).

 

I can see Princess limiting free Elite laundry at some point, either by weight or (more likely) volume.

[skynight]

However I suspect that if any perks have disappeared it is because of abuse by some, I have heard stories of selling tender tickets...

 

You can not "sell" tender tickets because Elite passengers do not require a tender ticket. We just go to the tender pontoon, show our cruise card and get on the end of the line. We have never had an issue.

[Grego]

Don't mean to question your sound wisdom on Princess matters, but I have read many posts where there are voyages with huge numbers of Elites. And probably a large number get enough dirty clothes about the same time. Wouldn't that overload the laundry service?

 

Certainly long voyages with many Elites would possibly overwhelm the laundry room, but we have seen an instance verified by the Hotel Manager that one cabin turned in 30 bags of laundry in one day. I don't know about you, but I don't bring 30 bags of clothes on any voyage which leads me to believe they had some non-Elite friends. This is what ruins the perks.

 

By contrast, on the same voyage there was one cabin that turned in one pair of socks as their only laundry perk! Go figure.

[billco]

Not an elite perk, but the coffee card was changed due to abuse. One used to be able to leave one hole unpunched and get brewed coffee on subsequent cruises.

 

I think this would be a good thread for someone from Princess to monitor. They can see what perks people think are abused and then eliminate them.

[DougH]

Certainly long voyages with many Elites would possibly overwhelm the laundry room, but we have seen an instance verified by the Hotel Manager that one cabin turned in 30 bags of laundry in one day. I don't know about you, but I don't bring 30 bags of clothes on any voyage which leads me to believe they had some non-Elite friends. This is what ruins the perks.

 

By contrast, on the same voyage there was one cabin that turned in one pair of socks as their only laundry perk! Go figure.

 

If I was the Hotel Manager I would have had a private talk with whoever was in that cabin. That is a very serious abuse of the system and should not be allowed to be repeated. One bag per person per cabin per day should be the limit.

Edited August 12, 2015 by DougH

[CruisenOne]

Certainly long voyages with many Elites would possibly overwhelm the laundry room, but we have seen an instance verified by the Hotel Manager that one cabin turned in 30 bags of laundry in one day. I don't know about you, but I don't bring 30 bags of clothes on any voyage which leads me to believe they had some non-Elite friends. This is what ruins the perks.

 

By contrast, on the same voyage there was one cabin that turned in one pair of socks as their only laundry perk! Go figure.

 

If I was the Hotel Manager I would have had a private talk with whoever was in that cabin. That is a very serious abuse of the system and should not be allowed to be repeated. One bag per person per cabin per day should be the limit.

 

That is the problem, in my opinion, what is wrong with Princess.

 

"We do not want to upset any one"

[S&M in Pgh]

A usable balcony? On the new ships anyway.

[shredie]

Not an elite perk, but the coffee card was changed due to abuse. One used to be able to leave one hole unpunched and get brewed coffee on subsequent cruises.

 

I think this would be a good thread for someone from Princess to monitor. They can see what perks people think are abused and then eliminate them.

 

The coffee card is a good example. It's a perk that went away because of abuse. Thanks.

 

I don't think Princess needs to read CC in order to figure out that abuse happens. :)

 

While laundry is a potential problem, it still remains as a perk. My list of "perks that went away because of abuse" now stands at two: internet and coffee card use.

[tootsiescurly]

Yeah, that's tacky. I mean if from other cabins. I'm imagining this huge laundry bag that barely fits down the narrow passageway and Stewart staggering under the weight of it all. :eek:

 

Did you ever consider it may be their kids or relatives clothes they are including? Not saying it is right but I could see where they might include kids close if they are not elite.

[tetleytea]

Including their immediate relatives' clothes I would almost consider to be expected.

[DougH]

Including their immediate relatives' clothes I would almost consider to be expected.

 

and in my opinion is still abuse of the system. Only the Elite cardholder is entitled to the privilege. That's why the system gets overwhelmed. everybody thinks "gee Its only a couple of relatives/friends additional laundry" and soon its no longer something earned.

 

I think Princess needs to put a limit on Laundry just like with the Internet. If its a 7 day cruise you get 7 bags of laundry, in a 15 day you get 15 bags.

[Colo Cruiser]

A usable balcony? On the new ships anyway.

 

 

 

Not a perk. That should be a standard. :rolleyes: