Revamped Tier Levels Coming Soon

[GUT2407]

What amazes me is the number of people saying it will give them reason to sail with another line. I can’t imagine any perk that wold stop me sailing with anyone that suited me. 

[phabric]

They also jacked up the cruise fare’s price from one year to the next more than normal.

Edited July 2, 2021 by phabric

[RRFan]

18 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Logically, it should be refundable OBC since booking on board gets you a cash discount.  I also presume booking a ship tour pre-cruise and using OBC on file would also mean only charging 90% of cost to OBC - equivalent to a cash discount. 

 

Same thing is happening if pre-order Internet.  We used to get nothing back, but now will get the 50% discount as OBC.  Has to be refundable.  Only makes sense.  My bet is on refundable as booking on board gets you the discount.  Have to be treating people the same.

 

16 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Cabin TV?

Yes cabin TV and they have 2 huge digital billboards at every elevator landing where all announcements (and schedule of activities) can be found. 

[By The Bay]

22 minutes ago, phabric said:

They also jacked up the cruise fare’s price from one year to the next more than normal.

They are a company, like many others, trying to make a profit after 18 months of no income.🤔 Would you rather they go out of business?

[4cats4me]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

What's next to go???? 🤬

 

Perhaps the cruise line itself if they pause cruising for much longer?

 

Carnival has lost several billion, so I’m sure we can expect more disappointing news like increases for drinks, specialty restaurants, cruise fares, et cet. 

[neverbeenhere]

Jacked fares? Anyone can choose not to cruise on the supply of cruises.  Enough decide not to cruise, magically “unjacked”. 

[capriccio]

6 hours ago, dreams_of_travel said:

Mine doesn't show that part you've posted in red.  Is that b/c I haven't gotten to the level where they gave OBC?  🤷‍♀️

We are at the lowest level where we received the OBC (27 Princess cruises so $25) and that sentence wasn't on our emails.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, cruisintoddler said:

 

Cruises are priced such that cabin price only is below break even for the cruise line. 

 

 

And yet the cabin price has greatly increased for most voyages compared to pre-pandemic pricing.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, skynight said:

Received this e-mail also. Comments

The 10% shore excursion discount has fine print.

"Excursions booked pre-cruise will be discounted on board and the guest will receive a refund credit to their folio…. Discount is not transferable an has no cash value."

Will this mean that you receive non-refundable OBC, use it or lose it?

 

 

Correct. On another thread a poster had talked with Princess and was informed that the discount will be non-refundable OBC as it is a loyalty benefit, not a refund of what you paid cash for.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, skynight said:

Did you also notice this?

"You'll notice a lot less paper. We're moving to electronic invites and announcements as part of our health protocols and commitment to protecting the environment."

Princess Patter gone??

Does this mean you will have to keep checking your phone for invites, examples most travelled, free specialty dining, gift wine?

Will your phone now be loaded with advertisements?

What about passengers without phones?

 

Hopefully it means no paper ads for the spa, art auctions, etc.

 

But as one without a smart phone I also wonder how I would get these electronic notices. Maybe I would have to pay for Internet just to get these notices via E-mail.

[caribill]

7 hours ago, jgd3rdbcfd said:

I just rec'd the referenced email with reduced benefits.  What I believe to be interesting is anyone who has a reservation made before this announcement should be entitled to 'old' benefits.  A contract is a contract!  I think it would make for a class action law suit against PCL.  Wish I were an attorney or knew more about my thought.

 

I am not an attorney, but I can tell when a contract like Princess uses says that they can change anything at anytime and by your agreeing to the contract, you will automatically agree to all those unknown future changes.

[caribill]

7 hours ago, Ombud said:

Yes, MR my PVP just confirmed that I've lost internet minutes + loyalty OBC in the last few days. What's next to go???? 🤬

 

Customers, to other cruise lines.

[caribill]

6 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

As a shareholder, I didn't like losing my quarterly dividends, but I can understand why CCL suspended them.  I can understand why Princess looked for other savings and hope long-time customers will ride it out, just as they hope investors won't dump the stock over loss of dividend.  (Yes, stock went way down, and that hurt, but has been recovering).

 

Obviously companies usually only pay dividends from earnings, so many companies suspend or reduce dividends when profits dive oir losses occur.

 

But the loyalty benefits are aimed at building customer loyalty to the brand and supposedly bring back more passengers than the barnd would without those loyalty incentives.

 

As Princess moves more and more to being like the competition (bigger and bigger ships going to the same overcrowded ports in Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe), the loyalty benefits (or lack of them) can make a difference on which cruise line to pick for that fantistic itinerary of Florida to St. Thomas to St. Maarten to a private island to Flroida.

[dog]

6 hours ago, phabric said:

They also jacked up the cruise fare’s price from one year to the next more than normal.

so true. My current cruise has increased more then $3000/cabin since I booked it last year. 

Edited July 2, 2021 by dog

[2 cruises a year]

48 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

And yet the cabin price has greatly increased for most voyages compared to pre-pandemic pricing.

First off, right now there is a lot of pent up demand to cruise. Next, there are a lot of Goodwill Future Cruise Credits out there. It is a seller's market. All of the Cruise Lines are deep in debt. Of course they are going to take advantage of the present circumstances.  Remember, we also need them to survive.

There will come a time when the Cruise Lines have to become competitive again. We can only hope that it comes sooner than later.  For their sake as well as ours.

[Musky Ike]

3 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Customers, to other cruise lines.

Not sure the grass would be greener but worth some research.

[MissP22]

11 hours ago, Ombud said:

Yes, MR my PVP just confirmed that I've lost internet minutes + loyalty OBC in the last few days. What's next to go???? 🤬

It'd become the perfect opportunity to return to RCCI for a while since it's been years since we've sailed with them. (or even HAL which we've never done)

There's not much to lose lately. 

[skynight]

11 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Logically, it should be refundable OBC since booking on board gets you a cash discount.  I also presume booking a ship tour pre-cruise and using OBC on file would also mean only charging 90% of cost to OBC - equivalent to a cash discount. 

 

Same thing is happening if pre-order Internet.  We used to get nothing back, but now will get the 50% discount as OBC.  Has to be refundable.  Only makes sense.  My bet is on refundable as booking on board gets you the discount.  Have to be treating people the same.

What does the no cash value statement mean? If refundable isn't that cash value?

[Steelers36]

14 minutes ago, skynight said:

What does the no cash value statement mean? If refundable isn't that cash value?

Probably means the benefit has no value if you don't order the internet.  IOW, no one could go and claim a credit due them for the benefit unless purchasing.  A non-ref OBC is also cash.  It just means if you don't spend it, they won't give it back to you after cruise is over.

[cruzsnooze]

9 hours ago, capriccio said:

We are at the lowest level where we received the OBC (27 Princess cruises so $25) and that sentence wasn't on our emails.

Your loyalty means the world to us. To show our thanks we've made sure your Elite member benefits reflect our latest offerings, including Dine My WaySM reservations and MedallionNet® Wi-Fi. We hope you enjoy these updates to your perks — because you deserve it. What's new? exclusive, early access to Dine My Way reservations (ability to make them before final payment!) 10% off shore excursions 10% off Lotus Spa® treatments 10% off Photo Gallery offerings Discounts will be applied on board. What's changing? You’ll get a 50% discount on unlimited, premium Wi-Fi with MedallionNet. Enjoy the best Wi-Fi at sea (also included with PrincessPlus) instead of limited, free internet minutes. (No need to worry about logging on or off anymore!) You'll notice a lot less paper. We're moving to electronic invites and announcements as part of our health protocols and commitment to protecting the environment. We'll no longer offer onboard credit based on the number of cruises taken. What hasn't changed is our commitment to earning your loyalty. Our return to service As part of our commitment to safe sailing, some loyalty events and offerings may be updated. We appreciate all the cruises you’ve taken with us over the years and look forward to sailing with you on another adventure soon!

[capriccio]

Just now, cruzsnooze said:

Your loyalty means the world to us. To show our thanks we've made sure your Elite member benefits reflect our latest offerings, including Dine My WaySM reservations and MedallionNet® Wi-Fi. We hope you enjoy these updates to your perks — because you deserve it. What's new? exclusive, early access to Dine My Way reservations (ability to make them before final payment!) 10% off shore excursions 10% off Lotus Spa® treatments 10% off Photo Gallery offerings Discounts will be applied on board. What's changing? You’ll get a 50% discount on unlimited, premium Wi-Fi with MedallionNet. Enjoy the best Wi-Fi at sea (also included with PrincessPlus) instead of limited, free internet minutes. (No need to worry about logging on or off anymore!) You'll notice a lot less paper. We're moving to electronic invites and announcements as part of our health protocols and commitment to protecting the environment. We'll no longer offer onboard credit based on the number of cruises taken. What hasn't changed is our commitment to earning your loyalty. Our return to service As part of our commitment to safe sailing, some loyalty events and offerings may be updated. We appreciate all the cruises you’ve taken with us over the years and look forward to sailing with you on another adventure soon!

What hasn't changed is our commitment to earning your loyalty.

 

Not notifying at least some passengers who received the benefit in the past is certainly an odd way of "earning" our loyalty. 

[RRFan]

2 hours ago, skynight said:

What does the no cash value statement mean? If refundable isn't that cash value?

A refundable OBC can be redeemed in cash at the front desk. Non-refundable means use it onboard this cruise or lose it. At the end of the cruise, it’s just gone. All of the “benefits” are always non-refundable. 

Edited July 2, 2021 by RRFan

[JF - retired RRT]

16 hours ago, skynight said:

 

What about passengers without phones?

Just a guess...it will be on the TV (?).

[KeepCalmBearOn]

14 hours ago, phabric said:

They also jacked up the cruise fare’s price from one year to the next more than normal.

 

7 hours ago, caribill said:

And yet the cabin price has greatly increased for most voyages compared to pre-pandemic pricing.

 

Well of course they've raised prices, their costs have gone up, especially new and added costs of Covid mitigation procedures.

 

7 hours ago, caribill said:

Customers, to other cruise lines.

 

So someone who has 52+ cruises with Princess, presumably because they like Princess is going to switch to a new brand and start over building in a loyalty program because they lost some Internet minutes and $100 in credit? Were people really paying $3,500 or more to go on a Princess cruise instead of RCI or Celebrity because of a $100 difference? Did that $100 make the Princess cruise that much more attractive or affordable?

 

7 hours ago, dog said:

so true. My current cruise has increased more then $3000/cabin since I booked it last year. 

 

Curious on this one. So are you saying you booked a cruise and you paid (making up a number) $3,500 and someone trying to book that same cruise today would pay $6,500?

[dog]

Just now, scottca075 said:

 

 

Well of course they've raised prices, their costs have gone up, especially new and added costs of Covid mitigation procedures.

 

 

So someone who has 52+ cruises with Princess, presumably because they like Princess is going to switch to a new brand and start over building in a loyalty program because they lost some Internet minutes and $100 in credit? Were people really paying $3,500 or more to go on a Princess cruise instead of RCI or Celebrity because of a $100 difference? Did that $100 make the Princess cruise that much more attractive or affordable?

 

 

Curious on this one. So are you saying you booked a cruise and you paid (making up a number) $3,500 and someone trying to book that same cruise today would pay $6,500?

No

i am not saying that. 
 

For 2 adults in a cabin the total fare is $3000 more now

 

ie: $7000. Last year when we booked

 

$10k now if we want to book same