Finally Made It To "Elite"...Have A Few Questions

[Georgia_Peaches]

DH and I finally made it to Elite status after our last cruise.  Have booked our first cruise since earning the new loyalty level and have decided to make this short cruise (5 nights) more wallet friendly by taking advantage of some of the loyalty perks.  I have a few questions...

1.  We have 90 minutes of free internet.  Since DH and I are both Elite, is this per person or per cabin?  And is it automatically attached to our sea pass card or do we need to go to guest relations?

2.  Are the Captain's Club cocktail events still a thing since so many passengers these days have a drinks package?

3.  What is the process for priority embarkation/debarkation for Elite and up?

4.  What is the Elegant Tea? and is this event on a 5 nighter?

5.  We plan to take advantage of the 1-day complementary pass to the thermal suite.  Is it just a matter of going to the desk on the port day of our choice?

 

We have already taken advantage of the 1 category free upgrade and it was exceptionally easy.  If everything associated with the loyalty perks turns out to be that easy, then woohoo, I'm excited!

 

Thank you in advance! 

[cruisestitch]

Internet is per person

 

instructions for cocktail hour will be in your stateroom 

 

priority embarkation will simply be a dedicated check in line.  Lots of people have priority embarkation....Suites, Zeniths, Concierge, Aqua, Elite.   

 

Read your in-stateroom letter to see if they will have an Elegant Tea

[chemmo]

I can’t answer all your questions but I will answer those I can...

 

Firstly many guests still attend the evening cocktail events, even if they have a drinks package. Like us they enjoy the company and ambience...It is also a great place to meet the Captains Club Host if you have any questions or any possible requests (like an invite to a helipad sail away). 

 

We have never been on a five night cruise but there has been an Elegant  tea event on each cruise we have taken. After a couple of nice ones we did go to one which was far too busy and understaffed. Worth trying to see if it is ‘your cup of tea’! 

 

Perks are per Elite guest so both of you will get laundry and WiFi.

 

The thermal suite perk is not on Edge class, the M class one isn’t particularly nice in our opinion but the S class Persian Gardens is worth a visit. It does have to be a port day and whilst the ship is still in port...Simply show your pass and you will be admitted. 

 

Key thing to remember is is that you need to keep the letter which will be in your stateroom on boarding listing events to hand. You don’t always get reminders and if you miss a behind the scenes tour or a helipad sail away it is annoying if it was something you wanted to try. These extra events do vary (backstage theatre, galley...) and I would think there would be less on a shorter cruise. 

 

Hope you enjoy your perks, have a great cruise!

 

 

[Silkroad]

34 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

DH and I finally made it to Elite status after our last cruise.  Have booked our first cruise since earning the new loyalty level and have decided to make this short cruise (5 nights) more wallet friendly by taking advantage of some of the loyalty perks.  I have a few questions...

1.  We have 90 minutes of free internet.  Since DH and I are both Elite, is this per person or per cabin?  And is it automatically attached to our sea pass card or do we need to go to guest relations?

2.  Are the Captain's Club cocktail events still a thing since so many passengers these days have a drinks package?

3.  What is the process for priority embarkation/debarkation for Elite and up?

4.  What is the Elegant Tea? and is this event on a 5 nighter?

5.  We plan to take advantage of the 1-day complementary pass to the thermal suite.  Is it just a matter of going to the desk on the port day of our choice?

 

We have already taken advantage of the 1 category free upgrade and it was exceptionally easy.  If everything associated with the loyalty perks turns out to be that easy, then woohoo, I'm excited!

 

Thank you in advance! 

Congratulations! BTW the laundry benefit is also per person. There are still Captain’s Club events, including the cocktails, but they vary by ship and sailing. You should find a list of Elite benefits and events in your cabin upon boarding. If you don’t see this list, ask your attendant or the Captain’s Club host for one. Be forewarned that the complimentary pass to to the spa is typically for port days only, and this benefit is not available on Edge. I hope you have a wonderful cruise😊

Edited January 12, 2020 by Silkroad

[4774Papa]

We have been Elite for six cruises and love the happy hour.  We never buy or take the beverage package or promos, instead go for lowest price.  Why pay $1000 for beverage package when we are moderate drinkers and never spend more than $300 on alcohol for a 14 day cruise.   The happy hour is a great place to meet new or old cruise friends.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Thank you everyone for the great information!  As always, so very helpful from CC folks I follow and trust the most!

[hrhdhd]

The Captain's Club host will leave numerous voice mails for you to remind you of events. That will be in addition to the letter you'll get on the first day.

[upwarduk]

No one has mentioned the Elite coffee break.

We usually go on a Sea day, Speciality coffees, mimosas and plated continental breakfast is served. The attached photo shows the Ultimate platter, which I had shared with my husband, he had also had the cheese, as I am Dairy Intolerant. You can also choose a fruit platter.

It is held in the Tuscan grill.

Edited January 12, 2020 by upwarduk

[mahdnc]

Here is the Elite benefits sheet that was given to us during our 12 night Solstice cruise last month. 

 

On most evenings, a special area is set aside in the Sky Lounge for the Elite Cocktail Hour.  Canapes are served there and, as mentioned earlier, it is a great place to meet other frequent cruisers. The Captain's Club Host is always there to greet you and on occasion, there are other officers there as well. 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by mahdnc

[ECCruise]

Be aware that things might be a bit different on a 5 night cruise.

There is no Elite Cocktail hour on the first night and the night of the Senior officers party (if they have one).

The laundry benefit cannot be used the last 3 nights so you would almost have to put out your laundry the first day.

Don't know about the "Elegant Tea".  5 day sailings are pretty rare.

Otherwise, Internet, priority embarkation'/disembarkation, etc. should be just like any longer sailing.

Enjoy the benefits.  We definitely have over the years!

[39august]

The CC continental breakfast is held every morning in the Tuscan Grill as noted above with mimosas and bloody marys included. The comment above about the CC host leaving messages may or may not happen. Our hostess on Silly did not leave any messages nor circulate among the guests during HH. Our host on Equinox was very personable and visited as many as possible during HH. He also left informative messages a few times on our phone. Don't forget your one free gellato!

Edited January 12, 2020 by 39august

[ORV]

1 hour ago, hrhdhd said:

The Captain's Club host will leave numerous voice mails for you to remind you of events. That will be in addition to the letter you'll get on the first day.

Never had this happen, been on multiple cruises since making Elite in 2012. 

[helen haywood]

It really does vary by host.  I’d say in our experience (Elite+) we receive telephone recordings of upcoming events about 2/3 of the time.  That’s why it’s important to keep the list.

[mahdnc]

19 minutes ago, ORV said:

Never had this happen, been on multiple cruises since making Elite in 2012. 

 

I figured it was a new thing.  On almost every day of our 12 night Solstice cruise last month, the orange light on our stateroom phone would be blinking. Most of the messages were from the Captain's Club Host making an announcement or a reminder: the RSVP deadline for Elegant Tea (or wine tasting, etc), the procedure for obtaining priority tendering, how the Sky Lounge would not be sectioned off for the cocktail hour because of a special event (eg sailing thru Milford Sound), a chance to meet the Captain at the Senior Officers event, etc, etc. 

 

It's the first time I've ever seen it done that way and we were on Solstice 2 years ago. 

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by mahdnc

[K12Guy]

1 minute ago, helen haywood said:

It really does vary by host.  I’d say in our experience (Elite+) we receive telephone recordings of upcoming events about 2/3 of the time.  That’s why it’s important to keep the list.

With the huge number of passengers who are now at least Elite level I can't imagine that the Captain's Club host/hostess has enough time in a 24 hour day to call each passenger stateroom. Not to mention they are expected to be visible 24/7 for all the very important Captain's Club passengers, right?

 

So, yes. It's very important to keep the written notification of events. Maybe highlight those of interest and hope you remember to look at the listing the night BEFORE. A friend told me.😎

[Paulras]

For the internet, you have to remember to log off or your minutes will continue to deplete even if you're not actually using them. 

[helen haywood]

6 minutes ago, K12Guy said:

With the huge number of passengers who are now at least Elite level I can't imagine that the Captain's Club host/hostess has enough time in a 24 hour day to call each passenger stateroom. Not to mention they are expected to be visible 24/7 for all the very important Captain's Club passengers, right?

 

So, yes. It's very important to keep the written notification of events. Maybe highlight those of interest and hope you remember to look at the listing the night BEFORE. A friend told me.😎

It’s a recorded message that is sent to multiple staterooms.

[Michidoeme]

6 minutes ago, K12Guy said:

With the huge number of passengers who are now at least Elite level I can't imagine that the Captain's Club host/hostess has enough time in a 24 hour day to call each passenger stateroom. Not to mention they are expected to be visible 24/7 for all the very important Captain's Club passengers, right?

 

 

This is done by automated system that broadcasts recording to x number of staterooms.

She certainly does not dial each passenger stateroom individually.

[hrhdhd]

46 minutes ago, ORV said:

Never had this happen, been on multiple cruises since making Elite in 2012. 

 

I have been on multiple as well, and have gotten messages each time. On two cruises, my DH was Select and I was Elite, and we got double the messages: the ones for Elite and the ones for Select.

[upwarduk]

 

Only time we have been left messages on our phone, is when they are trying to sell us Speciality Restaurants. Waste of their time as I am Dairy Intolerant, so object to paying extra for food I cannot eat.

We have been Elite since Sept 2012.

Edited January 12, 2020 by upwarduk

[K12Guy]

49 minutes ago, Michidoeme said:

This is done by automated system that broadcasts recording to x number of staterooms.

She certainly does not dial each passenger stateroom individually.

Understood. There must be a system in place for the 'calls' to go into the message queue for each stateroom, I would guess.

 

[K12Guy]

3 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

 

Only time we have been left messages on our phone, is when they are trying to sell us Speciality Restaurants. Waste of their time as I am Dairy Intolerant, so object to paying extra for food I cannot eat.

We have been Elite since Sept 2012.

I wonder if there is a way to get on a 'do not call' list aboard ship? Many hotels have a system that will block all calls other than from the front desk. Maybe each suite has the ability to disable call messaging? I will have to check that out on our next cruise.

 

[helen haywood]

Well, they don't actually "call."  Lots of times I've been in the cabin....the phone definitely did not ring....and I suddenly saw the message light blinking.  So you could just delete the message then.

[farawayatsea]

some of the benefits on the Captain Club scheme are a joke. Like one scoop of Gelato!!  People seem to lose their heads to get a free bag of laundry? After spending XXXXXX$ - it's an insult. 

[39august]

I don't think any of us are "losing our heads" over perks. We get them, so why not use them.