Loss of some Elite perks

[USN59-79]

I am not sure I completely understand the problem here. Is the OP saying that if you are Elite and send out your laundry that it will take at least 3 days? Or is that it that the laundry is backed up and everyone who sends out laundry, paid for or not will have to wait 3 days? If the first, then it is worth discussing if elites are being discriminated against. But if the second, then that is a common occurrence that usually takes care of itself in a few days.

[west coast cruiser]

This has been the case on all of my cruises for the last 2-3 years. On longer cruises, the delay has been as much as 7-8 days to get laundry back. Part is due to the number of Elite onboard, part due to more and more Elite abusing the system. On several cruises, some Elite were sending out 5-7 bags a day in a variety of sizes, from children's to extra large. Princess is not paying attention or monitoring this so we all lose. :(

I agree. I think the laundry perk is abused often. I have been on a 28 day and a 32 day cruise and there is always a wait for laundry. I think some people like to send laundry out everyday. I have heard of some passengers boarding with clothes that need to be laundered.

 

Princess could do a much better job of managing the laundry from Elite. IMHO, on cruises with a lot of Elite, they could limit the number of bags per cabin to perhaps one per day. I know that the vast majority of Elite wouldn't have a problem with this.

I agree, the Elite laundry perk is abused often.

[caribill]

Correct.

 

 

On longer cruises we send out a few items, but on other lines they have a $20 all you can stuff into a bag special, and we take advantage of that. On Celebrity

It is my understanding they're now gouging $50 per bag, per some live thread I've been following. 🤣 used to be $20 a bag.

 

 

The $50 Celebrity bag is only wash and fold, not good for shirts you want returned on hangers and not for the items you want the equivalent of "dry cleaning".

 

Carnival's bag (not sure of the price) is also wash and fold only, but at least most Carnival ships have a room where you can iron your clothes. Celebrity does not have such a room.

[caribill]

I am not sure I completely understand the problem here. Is the OP saying that if you are Elite and send out your laundry that it will take at least 3 days? Or is that it that the laundry is backed up and everyone who sends out laundry, paid for or not will have to wait 3 days? If the first, then it is worth discussing if elites are being discriminated against. But if the second, then that is a common occurrence that usually takes care of itself in a few days.

 

Those in full suites also get free laundry and report it comes back in one day even when elites not in a full suite have to wait several days.

[Womble99]

Those in full suites also get free laundry and report it comes back in one day even when elites not in a full suite have to wait several days.

 

That is because they are entitled to same day service when in a suite where as Elite is only entitled to next day laundry. If you are elite not in a suite and want same day guaranteed then you have to pay for it.

 

I guess if you are going to sail a route you know will have a lot of elites and laundry is an issue to you book a suite, or sail where the number of elites are lower. The last 14 day cruise we did over Easter on Emerald had just over 100 elites on board no issues with laundry turn around ;)

[AliceS]

Another higher level is needed. Elite is too easy to achieve with number of cruises being a criteria.

[mrs and mrs]

Can there possibly be a higher level.:eek:

 

Chuck in $100 worth of perks,

Charge $1000 extra.

Call it E.E (Elite--Elites)

They will lap it up, lol.

[floridalover5623]

Another higher level is needed. Elite is too easy to achieve with number of cruises being a criteria.

I totally agree but doubt if it will even happen. Not that the benefits aren't decent, but something needs to be done about the ever expanding Elite crowd to preserve what we have today.

[skynight]

Laundry

We have been on many longer cruises. Longer cruises attract seasoned cruisers, thus a larger percentage of Elites. We have been notified of the 3 day turn around, and in a few situations it did take that long, but most times the turn around is shorter than the 3 days. Have never experienced longer. One way to monitor your laundry is to watch your on board account. When laundry is completed a charge is posted to your account. At that time the laundry is ready for pick up by the cabin steward. We found that sometimes delays are caused by the cabin steward not looking for your laundry until 3 days pass. We remind them that laundry is ready. Of course the charge is later reversed.

Elite Plus and short cruises

The purpose of any loyalty system is to encourage customers to return to your brand. If Princess feels an additional loyalty level will do this then that is what will happen. Short cruises attract new customers. It's probably smart marketing to have new customers progress up the loyalty ladder fairly quickly.

Quote from Thrak

"Actually I have read many long time cruisers who say it was originally only by number of cruises but was changed to allow number of cruise days in order to make it more "fair" for those who take long cruises. I believe you have it backward."

Thrak is correct. Originally loyalty levels were based on cruises only. At that time Princess used a different loyalty program with very few benefits. Around 2000 or 2001 the system was changed to the current model, but was still based only on cruises. Sometime later, maybe around 2007/8, days were added so you could reach levels with days or cruises. More recently cruises were changed to cruise credits.

[jcw0313]

Not sure if on all ships, but on a recent ships tour we took, the Elite laundry was separated from the "paying" laundry in the laundry room. The payers received a quicker service.

 

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[floridalover5623]

Not sure if on all ships, but on a recent ships tour we took, the Elite laundry was separated from the "paying" laundry in the laundry room. The payers received a quicker service.

 

Sent from my SM-J320P using Forums mobile app

Are you sure it wasn't the other way around? Maybe the Elites got faster service. :cool:

[JimmyVWine]

Part is due to the number of Elite onboard, part due to more and more Elite abusing the system. On several cruises, some Elite were sending out 5-7 bags a day in a variety of sizes, from children's to extra large. Princess is not paying attention or monitoring this so we all lose. :(

 

I don't understand what age or size has to do with this. I understand the sentiment of:

"On several cruises, some Elite were sending out 5-7 bags a day. Princess is not paying attention or monitoring this so we all lose. :("

 

But I don't understand what:

"in a variety of sizes, from children's to extra large"

has to do with anything. If an Elite passenger is large and has children, are they supposed to be monitored more closely? And if so, for what? Are large parents not supposed to get the same benefit as every other Elite?

[jcw0313]

No, we are elite and our service was slower by a day than the non elites on that cruise. Can't speak to the suites crew as the only separation of laundry we saw was the "Elite" sign. We really do not use the laundry perk that much and the one additional day was not an issue for us.

 

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[beckntom]

I don't understand what age or size has to do with this. I understand the sentiment of:

"On several cruises, some Elite were sending out 5-7 bags a day. Princess is not paying attention or monitoring this so we all lose. :("

 

But I don't understand what:

"in a variety of sizes, from children's to extra large"

has to do with anything. If an Elite passenger is large and has children, are they supposed to be monitored more closely? And if so, for what? Are large parents not supposed to get the same benefit as every other Elite?

 

 

I'm not Pam, but I'm pretty sure the last statement was implying that certain Elite passengers send out laundry for everyone in their group (not even in their cabin). Thus, the children/grandchildren/friends at lower loyalty statuses are reaping the benefit of free Elite laundry, thereby clogging up the "free to Elite" system.

[Crown Cruiser]

I've asked on every survey I've completed for Princess if they could credit back the cost of doing your own laundry for elites. Considering that we have to scan our cards to get tokens, they know who is using the system and could credit us back on our statement just like they do for internet service.

 

This would possibly ease the amount of laundry being sent out.

 

Makes sense to me.

[JimmyVWine]

I'm not Pam, but I'm pretty sure the last statement was implying that certain Elite passengers send out laundry for everyone in their group (not even in their cabin). Thus, the children/grandchildren/friends at lower loyalty statuses are reaping the benefit of free Elite laundry, thereby clogging up the "free to Elite" system.

 

But what does this have to do with extra large clothing sizes? Is there a certain body type of people who are Elites such that the inclusion of extra large clothing is a marker for cheating? And are there no Elites who travel with their children or grandchildren? I just think that this runs perilously close to the issue of the "hidden disability". Just as one should not be thinking: "That person doesn't really need a wheelchair", one should not be thinking: "Those clothes are extra large so they don't belong to an Elite", or "Those are children's clothes, so they can't be Elite." Besides, who looks in other people's laundry bags to see what size the clothes are? How in the world could anyone tell what is inside them? The bags are opaque.

[JimmyVWine]

I've asked on every survey I've completed for Princess if they could credit back the cost of doing your own laundry for elites. Considering that we have to scan our cards to get tokens, they know who is using the system and could credit us back on our statement just like they do for internet service.

 

This would possibly ease the amount of laundry being sent out.

 

Makes sense to me.

 

Could very well be a new feature added with the Medallion system. The RFID reader at the washing machine could detect that the user is Elite and not run through a charge. Could easily be done if they choose to do so.

[skynight]

I've asked on every survey I've completed for Princess if they could credit back the cost of doing your own laundry for elites. Considering that we have to scan our cards to get tokens, they know who is using the system and could credit us back on our statement just like they do for internet service.

This would possibly ease the amount of laundry being sent out.

Makes sense to me.

Why would you want to trade a $6 wash & dry plus lots of your liesure time for a $40 to $60 load of laundry? Makes no sense to me. I wouldn't push too hard for this trade off. To us laundry is the best elite perk. It frees up lots of your time, and lightens what you have to pack, even if it does take 3 days.

[fishywood]

Could very well be a new feature added with the Medallion system. The RFID reader at the washing machine could detect that the user is Elite and not run through a charge. Could easily be done if they choose to do so.

 

I can just picture what would happen in the launderettes should this come about: Everyone who isn't Elite standing around waiting until they see someone pull out a black card to buy their tokens...

 

"I'll give you a buck for each token you get for me"

"I bid $1.25"

"$1.50 here!"

and so forth...

[floridalover5623]

Could very well be a new feature added with the Medallion system. The RFID reader at the washing machine could detect that the user is Elite and not run through a charge. Could easily be done if they choose to do so.

Only if each laundry item was tagged beforehand and that seems a little over the top. ;)

[Magellan321]

I agree, the Elite laundry perk is abused often.

 

I totally agree also! We were on the California Coastal the first week of May and the cabin next to us was having their adult children drop off clothing every morning bright and early. They were a pretty large group that we got wedged in between and sadly some of the obnoxious elites that went as far as to yelling across our balcony to remind their group to bring the laundry over for them to send out with the reminder that momma got it free . We had an AWESOME cabin steward that stopped me to say he would grab my laundry when he caught me out early running a quick load to the laundromat as i needed clothing back sooner than the 3 day turn around notice showed. Mother dearest was behind me and promptly announced ..."how sad...I don't have to do laundry...I'm Elite!". I do not leave my name tag up...I have never felt the need for neighbors to know my name nor what color card I carry....I finally couldn't take her behavior and popped my card out of my pocket to end the topic quickly.

[geoherb]

But what does this have to do with extra large clothing sizes? Is there a certain body type of people who are Elites such that the inclusion of extra large clothing is a marker for cheating? And are there no Elites who travel with their children or grandchildren? I just think that this runs perilously close to the issue of the "hidden disability". Just as one should not be thinking: "That person doesn't really need a wheelchair", one should not be thinking: "Those clothes are extra large so they don't belong to an Elite", or "Those are children's clothes, so they can't be Elite." Besides, who looks in other people's laundry bags to see what size the clothes are? How in the world could anyone tell what is inside them? The bags are opaque.

The perk is supposed to be for Elites, not everyone traveling with them in different cabins. The problem is that Elite grandparents may think it's OK to send out "just a few items" for their kids and grandkids in other cabins.

[neverbeenhere]

Yup... Next Elite Status Passengers are going to have to have a video presentation on their television to instruct them how to use the Elite Status benefits.

I was going to propose a second Muster drill where you go to the Theater to check-in and listen to the Captain and Cruise Director give instruction in American English, English, Italian, and Spanish, too bad German and French passengers. Your card would work anymore, if you didn't check-in at the theater. But that would be ridiculous.

[JimmyVWine]

The perk is supposed to be for Elites, not everyone traveling with them in different cabins.

Again, how do we make the leap that others are in different cabins? Why should we conclude that people who wear extra large clothing items do not travel with children? No one can see inside another person's laundry bag, so this entire discussion is theoretical in any event. If one wants to draw conclusions from the volume of laundry, fine. But no conclusion can be drawn from the size or style of the items in the bag.

[Av8tor]

Again, how do we make the leap that others are in different cabins? Why should we conclude that people who wear extra large clothing items do not travel with children? No one can see inside another person's laundry bag, so this entire discussion is theoretical in any event. If one wants to draw conclusions from the volume of laundry, fine. But no conclusion can be drawn from the size or style of the items in the bag.

 

...not hard to "make the leap" that kids clothes from other cabins are being added to Elite bags when you know that the cabin the elite is in only has two beds (no upper berths) or when you see the "visitors" to the elite cabin going in/out of their own cabins nearby