Will Club Class be a bust?

[Bill B]

Specialty restaurants are only one small part of the total increase in on board revenue venues and services.

 

I think many people who prefer the buffet to the MDR have Anytime Dining (what a misnomer) and get POed having to wait. I also thought the food quality in the buffet was on par with the MDR.

[RocketMan275]

And also, people on Cruise Critic in favour of specialty restaurants, posting they would have no effect on the service or quality of food in the MDR... remember?

 

No. When the lines increased the supply of rooms, they had to keep fares low to fill them. With low fares, they had to increase on board revenue. One way to do that is to have people pay 'twice' for a meal i.e. specialty restaurants. However, people won't pay for a specialty restaurant unless there's a significant difference between it and the MDR. The way they created the difference was to institute a series of small (almost imperceptible) changes - declines in service, and selection & quality of food - over time that 'added up' to the MDR situation today.

 

You seem to have reversed your arguments.

In the first post, you say that specialty restaurants had the effect of reducing the quality of food/service in the MDR.

In the second post, you say that service/quality was reduced to give people an incentive to go to the specialty restaurants.

 

BTW, if you prefer to pay higher fares for improved service and quality, what is your preferred cruise line? Seven Seas, Azamara, Crystal, etc.,?

[floridalover5623]

There never is any extra cost for food charges in the MDR. They're not setup to handle it. You just have to find out who to ask, and then ask for it. You may not always get it, but if they are geared up for making it, they'll do it.

 

A fellow at the next table had a bucket of mussels served to him every night of the cruise, regardless of what else he ordered. I need to underline this isn't a CC thing nor even a Princess thing. Within reason you can do it anywhere, and a little palm-greasing of the head waiter makes it happen easily.

My post was really directed at Water Log.

We absolutely loved club class on the Regal in January.One night at dinner my Dh did not fancy anything on the menu and asked for a steak, He was brought an enormous strip steak from the Crown Grill! No charge. Now that is service!

 

It seems to be that people sailing Club Class can ask for anything in the DR from even the Specialty restaurants at no extra charge.

[GRAYTech]

...It does seem the price differences varies significantly. Perhaps $25 per person per day would be more reasonable.

 

Just for the heck of it I priced a 7 day on the Regal January 7th, 2018 Caribbean (a typical cruise for us) and the price difference between a mid ship mini and mid ship CC was $231/each or $33/pp/day.

 

In CC can you order room service from the MDR menu and do you get the Sabatinis (or whatever it's called now) breakfast or are those full suites only?

[Nashna]

No, you get to eat. Real fast in the CC area. Service is amazing because all the suite people are in Sabatini's. Crepes are made to order...by the chef.

 

 

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[Nashna]

Sorry...didn't get to finish the above remarks. I believe Room service is the regular offerings. We never used it.

 

 

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[Paulmj]

Sorry...didn't get to finish the above remarks. I believe Room service is the regular offerings. We never used it.

 

 

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You can't order off the MDR menu in a CC mini-suite. However, in any mini-suite (even those not in Cat. M1), you can markup the continental breakfast door card to anything you want including hot egg dishes, bagels and lox, etc. We did that every day and didn't vacate the cabin until around 11 AM.

[rbt001]

Hmmm.... so what are you calling people who do not pay extra...to be "Special"?

 

Not sure what you are implying here. As others have stated, some travelers VALUE premium service and are willing to pay for it. Not everyone cares to pay a premium. Thankfully we are given choices, from Full Suites loaded with amenities to cut rate interior rooms. Each room category attracts enough travelers, otherwise they would eliminate them. Club Class is just another distinction and product enhancement that seems to be working.

 

No "name calling."

[JimmyVWine]

Will it fail? No. Why? Because Princess (and all travel providers really) uses sophisticated pricing and yield management programs to raise and lower prices. On this thread alone we are seeing price differentials between regular Mini-Suites and CC Mini-Suites as being $2000 per couple to $200 per couple. At $2000 (not sure how many days that is), it is a tough thing to market. As noted, one could dine at a Specialty restaurant every night, order canapes from room service every day, and drink like a fish and not use up that difference. But at $200? Yes. I would pay that. Now of course, these are only my thresholds, but the point is, everyone has their breaking point and that is where yield management programs come in. They will marry price differences with pain points to the degree necessary to get this to work.

 

Do I want it to fail? Certainly not on the newer ships where the CC cabins are spread around the ship and it is still possible to book a regular Mini-Suite in the mid-ship location. In the older ships I am a bit less enthusiastic. I don't really appreciate that my favorite Mini-Suite location has been removed from my grasp unless I want to upgrade. I would like to see them perhaps make two out of every three mid-ship cabins CC, and the remaining one out of every three a regular MS. The odds of booking one would be steep, but at least people would have that option. The "You can only book a mid-ship MS if you go CC" attitude is a bit off-putting. Still, that is not enough of a reason to root for the whole idea to crater.

[rbt001]

So let me understand this. If you're sailing Club Class & you prefer something else besides what on the menu, even though it's being served elsewhere at extra cost, they'll bring it to you at no charge?

Correct.

 

Good that you phrased it as a question, because NO: it is NOT a stated benefit of Club Class the way you questioned. Benefits of Club Class are clearly printed in Princess Promotional material and I can ASSURE YOU that

 

you will NEVER EVER READ:

 

As a Club Class passenger, if you prefer something else besides what [is] on the menu, even though it's being served elsewhere at extra cost, your service staff will bring it to you at no charge.

 

That is NOT what the poster meant and it is unfathomable by me reading the posters words to conclude such.

 

Now, to paint a clear picture, is it possible that a passenger seated in the MDR is served a CG steak without charge? ABSOLUTELY.

 

Is that common practice? NO

 

Can anyone ask for it? YES

 

Will they get it always? PROBABLY NOT.

 

Princess staff CAN be VERY accommodating, going out of their way. I know from personal experience.

[Reader0108598]

Not sure what you are implying here. As others have stated, some travelers VALUE premium service and are willing to pay for it. Not everyone cares to pay a premium. Thankfully we are given choices, from Full Suites loaded with amenities to cut rate interior rooms. Each room category attracts enough travelers, otherwise they would eliminate them. Club Class is just another distinction and product enhancement that seems to be working.

 

No "name calling."

 

this thread now has me scared of my future flights in the premium cabin on airplanes. After reading postings referring to how "stupid" people who pay for CC are, I know I'm going to be sitting in my seat one day as they get on the plane and starting yelling at us up front, on the way to their seat in the back: "You people are stupid! What fools to pay that extra money for these seats! See, I got my own sammich and this here jug a Kool Aid I mixed at the water fountain. Y'all 'er wasting your money!"

 

 

 

Not implying anything...What were you implying by this statement you posted?

 

Sammich...really!! Jug of kool aid?

 

Because I do not pay extra for a seat?

 

No "name calling"

 

.....Okay! We will just do it in the round about way so others will not catch on :)

Edited April 20, 2017 by Reader0108598

[Bill B]

Let's look at the Club Cass benefits and what it costs Princess to provide them:

 

PREMIUM LOCATION MINI-SUITES

$0 (passengers were already paying for premium location)

 

EXCLUSIVE CLUB CLASS DINING

$0 (Princess doesn't pay your wait staff, we all do... with tips)

 

PRIORITY EMBARK & DEBARK

$0

 

THE ULTIMATE SLEEP AT SEA

$0 (they are putting the mattresses in all staterooms anyway)

 

COMPLIMENTARY WINE

$2 divided by the number of days of cruise duration

 

PRIORITY SPECIALTY DINING RESERVATIONS

$0 (this is especially brilliant - charge passengers to make it easier for them to spend more money)

 

EVENING CANAPES

12 cents? (if you order them)

 

UPGRADED BATHROBES

$0 (they had the bathrobes already)

 

Essentially it costs Princess almost nothing to provide Club Class. Any extra fare paid by the passengers for it is almost all pure profit.

 

Oh yeah... 'Club Class' is definitely here to stay!

[Woobstr112G]

If I want to pay more to enjoy something, so be it......:):):)

Bob

[Reader0108598]

If I want to pay more to enjoy something, so be it......:):):)

Bob

 

You are correct sir!!

Edited April 20, 2017 by Reader0108598

[rbt001]

this thread now has me scared of my future flights in the premium cabin on airplanes. After reading postings referring to how "stupid" people who pay for CC are, I know I'm going to be sitting in my seat one day as they get on the plane and starting yelling at us up front, on the way to their seat in the back: "You people are stupid! What fools to pay that extra money for these seats! See, I got my own sammich and this here jug a Kool Aid I mixed at the water fountain. Y'all 'er wasting your money!"

 

 

 

Not implying anything...What were you implying by this statement you posted?

 

Sammich...really!! Jug of kool aid?

 

Because I do not pay extra for a seat?

 

No "name calling"

 

.....Okay! We will just do it in the round about way so others will not catch on :)

 

NOPE: You're wrong.

 

I don't think very highly of comments here where others had said it's "stupid" for people to waste money on Club Class. If some don't find value, then they can just pass on it and allow others who do to buy. Rather than calling names back, I choose to share the image that comes to my head when I read those comments as the image relates to the thread. Usually it's hyperbole. And usually, when others read this, they laugh at it's silliness. It could be that read it and perhaps flush with embarrassment as they reflect on what they had originally written.

 

So, no name calling or finger pointing by me. I just present an image to have people "think twice" about their posts and reflect accordingly... all the while staying on topic: club class is here to stay.

[Bill B]

Let's put it this way -

 

The value of Club Class to a passenger is subjective. Different people will place different values on Club Class benefits.

 

When placing a value on Club Class, those who are considering it may also want to consider: the cost of a bottle of wine and dining in a specialty restaurant every night. If the cost of those are less than they will be paying for Club Class, they may decide Club Class is not 'worth it'... or not. :cool:

 

Club Class is here to stay because no matter what people decide, Princess will fill the rooms by adjusting the (increased) fare to a point where people will book... and almost all the difference in fare between a regular Mini-Suite and Club Class is pure profit. They can't lose.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Bill B

[diane.in.ny]

I sailed on the Grand in March in the MDR and had wonderful attentive staff. I couldn't imagine them being any better. My husband has some physical issues and the staff couldn't do enough for him. They were nicely tipped at the end.

 

Still, I would consider Club Class if I felt the price made sense. Right now I'm looking at a 28-day cruise. Cost to be in CC is an extra $90 pp/day!! That is exorbitant IMO. For that price, we can eat every day (if we wanted) in a specialty restaurant with a bottle of wine and it would cost us half that.

[critterchick]

I would never ever pay extra for early boarding or a quicker seat in the dining room. You still get on the ship, everyone leaves at the same time. You still get to eat in the dining room. The club class special food appears to be just pasta, as far as I can tell. So for me it is not worth it. But that's just me.

 

On Ruby, we had steak Diane, a special shrimp dish, tableside Caesar salad along with pasta, all of which were superb. There were several other dishes that I can't recall. And the menu items that were identical to the regular dining rooms came out as ordered, not in a stack of 10 dishes that sat there cooling as the waiters sorted out who got what. If we can't book a full suite, we would give the CC mini a go for some premium, just not sure what my pain point is.

 

We are Elite and have only ever done anytime dining, on our current sailing we opted for traditional dining, walk straight in, lovely personal service. Can't believe never done it before, so why do I need club class.

 

Because traditional dining often (usually in my experience) sells out quickly and you're forced back to ATD.

[Bill B]

Because traditional dining often (usually in my experience) sells out quickly and you're forced back to ATD.

 

... books out quickly...

Please don't give them any ideas! :eek: (yn)

[floridalover5623]

I sailed on the Grand in March in the MDR and had wonderful attentive staff. I couldn't imagine them being any better. My husband has some physical issues and the staff couldn't do enough for him. They were nicely tipped at the end.

 

Still, I would consider Club Class if I felt the price made sense. Right now I'm looking at a 28-day cruise. Cost to be in CC is an extra $90 pp/day!! That is exorbitant IMO. For that price, we can eat every day (if we wanted) in a specialty restaurant with a bottle of wine and it would cost us half that.

You've got that right. :eek:

For that amount of money they'll have to figure out a way to throw in some more incentives.

[Bill B]

Let's have some fun with figures -

 

Right now I'm looking at a 28-day cruise. Cost to be in CC is an extra $90 pp/day!!

 

So, Princess wants to charge you $5040.00 for $2.00 worth of wine, and $3.36 worth of canapes. Even if you paid $30 for the wine in the restaurant and ordered 15 canapes from Room Service for $10 every day of the cruise, it comes to a total of $30 + $280 = $310.

 

That works out a fraction more than 66.6 cents per canape from Room Service, and a fraction under $12.00 per canape :eek: if you book Club Class.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Let's have some fun with figures -

 

So, Princess wants to charge you $5040.00 for $2.00 worth of wine, and $3.36 worth of canapes. Even if you paid $30 for the wine in the restaurant and ordered 15 canapes from Room Service for $10 every day of the cruise, it comes to a total of $30 + $280 = $310.

 

That works out a fraction more than 66.6 cents per canape from Room Service, and a fraction under $12.00 per canape :eek: if you book Club Class.

 

The cost to Princess has nothing to do with the value to me. After all the threads about how messed up Anytime Dining is, I would be afraid to sail on Princess without Club Class. So the only relevant question to me is whether the total cost of the cruise, considering all that I would get in Club Class, is worthwhile TO ME.

[Bill B]

I would be afraid to sail on Princess without Club Class. So the only relevant question to me is whether the total cost of the cruise, considering all that I would get in Club Class, is worthwhile TO ME.

 

Fair enough. :D Now, all you have to do is ask yourself -

Is being able to get into the MDR when I want is worth approximately $90 per person per day? :confused:

[easyboy]

Fair enough. :D Now, all you have to do is ask yourself -

Is being able to get into the MDR when I want is worth approximately $90 per person per day? :confused:

Not for me.

 

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[Opua Kiwi]

13 Day Aust / NZ cruise later this year.

CC is an extra $10 pp / per day.

That is probably not dissimilar to the old "prime mid ship position" price differential.