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Elite Level Changing

1MKS1128

By 1MKS1128,
in Princess Cruises

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GUT2407

GUT2407

Posted
Posted
On a different note and different cruise line a change like this affected us.

 

We sail RCI (just saying for completeness) to my point and in no way a comparison to this cruise line.

 

We were kinda new to the cruising scene when they changed loyalty earned from counting cruises sailed to nights at sea.

 

We were converted by multiplying our cruises by some unknown formula (:eek:) I really never actually looked had the way they did it ---alls I know is one day I had 4 C & A loyalty points and the next day I had 37, after a cruise and given a free day.

 

Thanks for letting me share.

 

Safe travels.

 

Princess do it both ways, you get to Elite with 15 cruises or 150 nights (I think they are the right numbers, but anyway you get he gist).

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cruzsnooze

cruzsnooze

Posted
Posted (edited)
Makes me wonder if you have 25 cruises. :rolleyes:

 

Tom

I have 33 cruises and find the elite tier too crowded. The line on one evenings elite appetizer was out the door down the corridor in skywalkers. There were enough bar tenders. When you see so many members at a level you have to wonder why they want it to be so crowded. RCL made two higher tiers after their diamond level because of the over crowding.

When you have 20% of the passengers in the preferred check in line or the priority tender line or in the disembarkation line at the end of the cruise you realize the tier is too top heavy.

Edited by cruzsnooze
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srpilo

srpilo

Posted
Posted
I have 33 cruises and find the elite tier too crowded. The line on one evenings elite appetizer was out the door down the corridor in skywalkers. There were enough bar tenders. When you see so many members at a level you have to wonder why they want it to be so crowded. RCL made two higher tiers after their diamond level because of the over crowding.

When you have 20% of the passengers in the preferred check in line or the priority tender line or in the disembarkation line at the end of the cruise you realize the tier is too top heavy.

 

Isn't this a really bad example of Elite over crowding, when the onboard evening Elite appetizers are actually open to both Platinum and Elite's ? ..Also the 20% preferred check-in you refer to is also not Elite exclusive, but also Platinum and Elites.. ??

 

The Elite Lounge at check-in and Priority tendering are the only true perk, and maybe the turn around time on laundry where as a Elite you would actually encounter any over abundance of other Elites, and with maybe the exceptions of transatlantic's ,or the ocassional one of a kind type cruises, I've never felt being Elite onboard as you stated "Top Heavy"

 

Just saying...

Srpilo

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wblynch

wblynch

Posted
Posted

It's funny. All this talk about Elite and Diamond status yet the only time I got invited to meet and hang out with the captain was my one lonely cruise on Holland America.

 

We had no status at all.

 

I'll never know how I made that list but it turned out to be a great time and throughout the rest of the cruise we kept seeing the captain and he would come over and joke around with us.

 

People kept looking at us funny. (Maybe some jealous Elites? ) 😀

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floridalover5623

floridalover5623

Posted
Posted
Why would you be cutting in line? Every Princess ship we've been on has a specific, well marked Elite and Suites line.

I realize it's not cutting in but when it get crowded & 15 or 20 people see you on a short line they all give you the eye. They really have no way of knowing if your Elite/Suite or not. T that point a Princess necklace can come in handy although I wouldn't be caught wearing one. It's just not my style.

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love2relax

love2relax

Posted
Posted
I realize it's not cutting in but when it get crowded & 15 or 20 people see you on a short line they all give you the eye. They really have no way of knowing if your Elite/Suite or not. T that point a Princess necklace can come in handy although I wouldn't be caught wearing one. It's just not my style.

I often have found when there are 15 or 20 people in the regular line, that if I get in the Elite line they ignore me. So I just get in the regular line along with everyone else.

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Woobstr112G "Live from...." Rare

Woobstr112G

Posted
Posted (edited)
I often have found when there are 15 or 20 people in the regular line, that if I get in the Elite line they ignore me. So I just get in the regular line along with everyone else.

 

Same here. I sometime wonder why I use the Elite line at all.

 

I've never encountered being ignored when using the suite/elite line. I personally don't have any problems going into the suite/elite line (when the regular line is crowded) since it was a perk that I paid top $$$ for when I book a full suite. There have been a few times when I've gotten the "Eye" and one time I was yelled at. JMHT's.....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited by Woobstr112G
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capriccio

capriccio

Posted
Posted
I realize it's not cutting in but when it get crowded & 15 or 20 people see you on a short line they all give you the eye. They really have no way of knowing if your Elite/Suite or not. T that point a Princess necklace can come in handy although I wouldn't be caught wearing one. It's just not my style.

 

Now I understand. If I see that many people around the passenger services desk I don't even stop. Better to come back later! When I do get to the counter I always discretely show my sea pass to the staff to let them know I was entitled to be in the line.

 

Years ago when we were gold or platinum and before Princess started embossing the word 'suite' on the sea pass, I was confronted in the line by an 'elite' because I didn't have my card out (I was just minding my own business but I guess I didn't look 'elite' :eek:). I quietly responded that "I'm in suite" which I didn't like publicizing and didn't want it seen as boasting. If "suite" had been noted on the sea pass it would have been the one time I would have waved my card in someone's face in response.

 

I don't do lanyards either -- I had to wear an ID card for work and as soon as I retired, so did the lanyards. :D

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MrMan

MrMan

Posted
Posted
I find the whole subject a bit of much ado about nothing...

Rewards programs are at the whim of the cruise line anyway...They can change the program at any time--not only the point levels but also as to what the perks may be...

And, you have to realize that most perks are "purchasable" anyway...Free laundry? Free internet? They are not giving it away, they just blend the expense into the balance sheet--those that don't use it or don't get it subsidize the ones that do...But, if they did away with the perk--which they could do at any time, you could easily replace it yourself merely by paying for it...

And I never understood why anyone cares much about the cocktail hour thing...On Princess, you're still paying for the drink. Okay, you get a slight discount, but, really, big deal!

At least on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, they actually give you FREE drinks...

 

But, okay, assuming the levels are actually worth anything...

I am Platinum on Princess...and I really couldn't care less about reaching Elite...I'm not going to book more or longer cruises just to chase the points. The cruise I take, I book simply because it's a cruise that I want to go on...

 

Funny thing is that it was already much harder to get to Elite on Princess--15 cruises--than on other lines!

On RCCL, Diamond (roughly the equivalent) used to take only 10 cruises...

On Celebrity, Elite was reached by 10 cruises...

 

But, on those lines, you didn't even need that, because, for the past ten years or so, up until they changed the system a couple of years back, you could get double points or even triple points depending on how long the cruise was or what category you were in. I actually got to Elite on Celebrity in a record (and impossible) 3 cruises--thanks to an accounting error (not that I would have been there in four anyway--due to suites and long cruises).

 

But, a couple of years back, both RCCL and Celebrity made it a little bit harder to get there--basing the systems on category and number of days--which is exactly what was brought up here...Shouldn't a 14 night cruise bring you more status than a 3 nighter?

 

OTOH, our upcoming Star Princess 5-nighter is now selling starting at $899 for an inside and $1149 for a balcony. Why should that be worth less than one of those off-season hard-to-fill 7-nighters that regularly go for "starting at $549"?

 

Truth is that ANY point system loyalty program will be arbitrary in some way or another. Same people on the same cruise don't drop the same amounts into the cruise line coffers. One passenger books on a last minute fire sale, doesn't drink or gamble or buy shore excursions or patronize the gift shop...Guy in the cabin next door buys at the top of the market and never renegotiates, buys a shorex in every port, gambles at the casino, buys in the onboard shops and runs up a BIG bar tab...For the Captain's Circle, they get the exact same credit...

 

It will never be fair...no matter what system they use...

So, why worry about it...Just cruise purely for the enjoyment of cruising...whatever perks there are will take care of themselves...

 

My thoughts exactly, one getting their dander up over warmed over horderves and a cheap pin. It's marketing not self worth. The only thing funnier than the key lanyard around the neck is the über seven thousand diamond pin with white gold status. It puts the Mary Kay ladies to shame.

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MrMan

MrMan

Posted
Posted (edited)
Why would you be cutting in line? Every Princess ship we've been on has a specific, well marked Elite and Suites line.

 

That is always a mystery to me. Why the long lines? What are people doing at the PSD. In all my cruises I don't think I stopped once. What am I missing?

Edited by MrMan
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TracieABD "Live from...." Rare

TracieABD

Posted
Posted
That is always a mystery to me. Why the long lines? What are people doing at the PSD. In all my cruises I don't think I stopped once. What am I missing?

 

-checking their folio

- exchanging money

-paying in cash

-changing their credit card

-dropping off letters for the ship's officers

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mmckm

mmckm

Posted
Posted

I was in the elite suite line next to be served when a lady came behind me and noticed my card was not elite. when my turn came she walked in front of me and said your in the wrong line I'm elite. I stepped up to the desk beside her and said this lady cut in front of me. as I handed the girl behind the desk my room card which was for a suite. She told the lady to get back in line who proceeded to get loud and say i'm elite he is not. She looked at her and said this man is in a suite. She was speech less and walked away without seeing the customer service rep. CSR apologized and said that lady is a constant complainer and always saying i'm elite very loud when at the desk.

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floridalover5623

floridalover5623

Posted
Posted
-checking their folio

- exchanging money

-paying in cash

-changing their credit card

-dropping off letters for the ship's officers

 

It not always a complaint. Don't forget:

Getting your cruise card reprogrammed.

Letting them know of problems with your cabin. (much faster than letting the room steward know).

Disputes with charges on your account.

Dropping off disembarking information.

Sometime asking for another Patter if they aren't available on the counter.

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Happy2cruise

Happy2cruise

Posted
Posted
Isn't this a really bad example of Elite over crowding, when the onboard evening Elite appetizers are actually open to both Platinum and Elite's ? ..Also the 20% preferred check-in you refer to is also not Elite exclusive, but also Platinum and Elites.. ??

 

The Elite Lounge at check-in and Priority tendering are the only true perk, and maybe the turn around time on laundry where as a Elite you would actually encounter any over abundance of other Elites, and with maybe the exceptions of transatlantic's ,or the ocassional one of a kind type cruises, I've never felt being Elite onboard as you stated "Top Heavy"

 

Just saying...

Srpilo

 

Aren't the Suite passengers also included with Platinum and Elites:confused:

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