We love cruising but going forward...

[oldracer]

We love cruising and have used Princess for our last 10 cruises. With the recent changes, I'm not sure if loyalty (ours to Princess) means anything anymore as the benefits of loyalty are being removed. United Airlines did the same thing a few years ago and I have not flown them since. Is recognition of your loyalty important to you?

[Sea Hag]

Recognition of loyalty isn't all that important to me. I'll admit that I got cranky when they took away my free internet minutes and gave me some useless (to me) discounts. I'm over that now, but those missing minutes will no longer be a factor when I'm comparing cost/benefit on similar or identical cruises with Princess or another cruise line.

[t&atravel]

I don’t cruise Princess because of the loyalty benefits. They’re nice but hey, things change.  So you have context, I have 23 cruises with Princess so I was receiving the first tier of loyalty OBC as well as all other Elite benefits.

[Thrak]

We plan to continue cruising with Princess unless the "new cruising" turns out to be so different that we no longer cruise at all. Only time will tell. The change in benefits won't keep us from sailing with Princess.

[jwattle]

I cruise for the pleasure of cruising; the way the staff treats us; the itineraries; the ship amenities.

The loyalty programs? No.

[FredZiffle]

The loyalty benefits on Princess were weak before the changes.  NCL has much better benefits for mid tier levels like Platinum, but then, we enjoy cruising with Princess more than with NCL even with poorer loyalty benefits.

[1965]

We like Princess for price, itineraries, ezair prices, the ships, the ability to get price drops after booking, my excellent pvp. I was bummed about losing the free internet minutes. But like sea hag said, I'm over that. 😊

[Blondilu]

I like Princess and will still sail with them regardless of loyalty perks. We always go over the free internet minutes anyway and end buying more.  This was sometimes due to overuse but mostly forgetting to log out.  Ultimately I think the new internet program will cost us less.

 

Besides my favorite perk, which is priorty boarding, still exists.

 

 

[Iamcruzin]

Loyalty means nothing to me since these programs were always bound to change from day one.  Itinerary and price are always my first choice. When I say price I base it on the total daily price with all of the extras that they are offering.  Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Princess are more alike than different. Food is better on Princess, the rooms and balconies are better on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and Royal Caribbean has the best entertainment out of the 3.  It's a trade of but it all works for me.

 

 

 

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

5 minutes ago, Blondilu said:

I like Princess and will still sail with them regardless of loyalty perks. We always go over the free internet minutes anyway and end buying more.  This was sometimes due to overuse but mostly forgetting to log out.  Ultimately I think the new internet program will cost us less.

 

Besides my favorite perk, which is priorty boarding, still exists.

 

 

 

You might want to check the most recent changes.  Priority boarding does not exist.  It is first come first served on the useless/broken Medallion App.  Good Luck.

[Blondilu]

44 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

You might want to check the most recent changes.  Priority boarding does not exist.  It is first come first served on the useless/broken Medallion App.  Good Luck.

Well, I took that info directly from the website, see attached PDF.  Am I reading it wrong?captains-circle-loyalty-benefits.pdf

Edited July 15, 2021 by Blondilu

[Ombud]

Here's my take: I cruise for onboard music, activities, & itinerary. As to benefits:

> priority boarding became irrelevant on previous medallion cruises, why would I need it now if I have a green lane?

> I was going to pay $54 for 1 week cruise in 2020, now its $35

> plus fare a better deal than loyalty $$ 

Ok. I complained LOUDLY when I lost those 2 benefits. I'm over it now

 

My 2 favorite benefits now:

> tender, but journey now minimizes waiting time .... so yeah, not so important 

> minibar, which will become irrelevant with Princess Pluels

[franktown]

I have seen so many loyalty programs change over the years and in almost every case not for the better for the consumer.   I still stay in their hotels fly their airlines and will continue to cruise on Princess because I like the product better than other cruise lines.

[nocl]

While we are Elite and are impacted by the change in Internet. and the lose of Loyalty OBC, it really does not matter much.  The most valuable benefits Princess provides are available to all cruisers, not by tier (shareholder OBC, veterans OBC, FCD OBC). Though we certainly will not decline any discounts, in room bar setup (traded for coffee cards), and laundry. We pick cruises based upon itinerary and cost/value.  We sail multiple cruise lines so there will not really be any impact in how we pick cruises.

 

If we stopped using any airline/cruise line/hotel that devalued their loyalty programs we would have to stay home because all  have done it at one time or another.

 

I wish Pan Am was still flying their sea plane clipper service, but no luck.

Edited July 15, 2021 by nocl

[Coveguy4]

The pluses of staying with Princess far outweigh the negatives of losing a few perks.  Service, pricing,stacking credits for OBC far outweigh the loyalty credit I am giving up and 5.00 a day for unlimited wi fi is actually better than the old system.  Plus when you book with Princess Plus its a moot point.  I currently have 5 cruises on the books with Princess and 1 with NCL.  BTW, when you are finalizing an inclusive booking with NCL, you get charged the taxes on the "included" drink pkg,wi-fi,and specialty dining amounting to hundreds of dollars. With Princess you don't!

 

[getting older slowly]

So I cruise with Princess because I like Product and Vibe on the ships

and I feel I get value for my money.....

 

Looking forward, if other things change... like big increase in fare....removal of suite perks..

then one will rethink.... maybe  stop cruising....

 

Only time will tell..... but for us it will be over a years wait  to see...

( have a cruise booked Nov 2022.. we will see )

 

Don

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, Blondilu said:

Well, I took that info directly from the website, see attached PDF.  Am I reading it wrong?captains-circle-loyalty-benefits.pdf

 

I hope I am incorrect about the no priority boarding. 

 

As far as I have seen/read, the Medallion Class App (or by phone) are the only ways you can reserve an arrival time.  There has been no mention of allowing Platinum, Elite, or Suite (PES) passengers the courtesy of choosing their time before the general public.  I've sent a request to Princess to send an email out to PES passengers to let them know when the window opens or at the least, allow PES passengers to choose their times earlier than the general public.  I have yet to hear back from Princess.

 

As of today, I am checking morning, evening, and in between to see if the window is open.  That is overkill and unnecessary, in my opinion.  A key stroke should be easy to send an email out to give us a heads up.  

[Tapi]

4 hours ago, oldracer said:

Is recognition of your loyalty important to you?

No. 
 

After being loyal to one cruise line, and attaining their second highest tier, I realized that I was severely limiting myself. 
 

Ever since I had that epiphany, I’ve made it a goal to cruise on as many cruise lines as possible and to never repeat the same cruise line twice.
 

It’s been like taking a bite off the forbidden fruit! I love stepping aboard a ship I’ve never been on before, sailing on a cruise line I’ve never sailed on before, and visiting places that I’ve never visited before. 
 

Loyalty perks aren’t enough for me to give up my current approach to cruising. It’s been truly wonderful. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Tapi

[EDDY0827]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

> priority boarding became irrelevant on previous medallion cruises, why would I need it now if I have a green lane?

You note that you have a "green lane". I have an 11:30 - 11:45 boarding time for the "blue lane".

I am Ruby level, no priority, yet. I'm guessing that the "green lane" is the priority lane?

[Ombud]

13 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

You note that you have a "green lane". I have an 11:30 - 11:45 boarding time for the "blue lane".

I am Ruby level, no priority, yet. I'm guessing that the "green lane" is the priority lane?

Yes

[nocl]

27 minutes ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

 

Well, very few people qualify for the veterans OBC but the others are certainly very valuable and available to all.  BTW, is it veterans or military, the latter being more prevalent but still a small minority of the population.

The point is that it is independent of the number of times someone has cruised.  If one is eligible they can claim it for their first cruise as easily as their 40th.

[cr8tiv1]

24 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

You note that you have a "green lane". I have an 11:30 - 11:45 boarding time for the "blue lane".

I am Ruby level, no priority, yet. I'm guessing that the "green lane" is the priority lane?

 

I have a green lane but unable to reserve an arrival (boarding) time with less than 100 days out.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, Blondilu said:

Well, I took that info directly from the website, see attached PDF.  Am I reading it wrong?captains-circle-loyalty-benefits.pdf

 

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I hope I am incorrect about the no priority boarding. 

 

As far as I have seen/read, the Medallion Class App (or by phone) are the only ways you can reserve an arrival time.  There has been no mention of allowing Platinum, Elite, or Suite (PES) passengers the courtesy of choosing their time before the general public.  I've sent a request to Princess to send an email out to PES passengers to let them know when the window opens or at the least, allow PES passengers to choose their times earlier than the general public.  I have yet to hear back from Princess.

 

As of today, I am checking morning, evening, and in between to see if the window is open.  That is overkill and unnecessary, in my opinion.  A key stroke should be easy to send an email out to give us a heads up.  

I think the MC App (OCEAN) team thinks there is still priority boarding.  They will claim there is priority boarding within each Arrival Group.  But, once passengers are processed through check-in, they are going to be proceeding right on board (check-ins begin only at 11:30am - at least for 2021).  With no holding of early-arriving passengers, the Suites & Elites, followed by Platinum, and then the regulars is not going to happen.  Other than perhaps for the first few folks in the terminal.  Perhaps they will assemble three lines outside and let them in in order (but previously, the priority line outdoors I have seen was just one combined group).  Clearly anyone who is Elite but is BLUE Lane ready status is going to take longer to process at check-in and will be boarding the ship after others who are GREEN Lane ready.  

As long as Princess is going to keep with the Arrival Groups, the only way to really get priority boarding is to get into Group A and they need to open that up in advance for Suites & Elites, followed by Platinum.  

I have discussed this situation with OCEAN reps on the phone and this has not occurred to them.  The ones I spoke to don't picture the situation.  I have also written to Princess mgmt about this. 

One thing they must do is announce the policy on when Arrival Groups is open.  To have to be checking all the time is nuts.

 

39 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

You note that you have a "green lane". I have an 11:30 - 11:45 boarding time for the "blue lane".

I am Ruby level, no priority, yet. I'm guessing that the "green lane" is the priority lane?

 

26 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Yes

Sorry - disagree.  The GREEN Lane means you can have expedited check-in process because you have entered info and answered questions and done all those Personal Info and Checklist items successfully.  In my mind, it is like having Medallion in hand rather than needing to pick it up.  GREEN isn't for Suites/Elites/Platinums.  A Suite guest could be in BLUE Lane for not having completed required info.

 

IMO, they need priority processing within the general GREEN and BLUE Lanes.  So you process the Suites/Elites/Platinums first within each.  But, you can also be GREEN and have a Medallion in hand or have to pick it up.  That is another sub-division of GREEN.  Hard to say how Princess is going to re-organize the Terminal check-in flow.  We'll have to wait and see.  And it could change by sometime in 2022 as Covid protocols relax and go away.

 

My prediction?  They will have different lines outside the Terminal and let the priority folks in first (IMO, Suites & Elites should have preference over Platinum to mimic the old boarding process).  Once through Security check/scan, and separate in to GREEN/BLUE, probably a bit of a free-for-all.  

 

On a Caribbean voyage out of FLL, it may be GREEN's with Medallions in Group A that get the Sanctuary bookings and the rest are SOL.

Edited July 16, 2021 by Steelers36

[Ombud]

@Steelers36exactly. Green lane is expedited. If I inferred that it had to do with Captains Circle status than that was an error on my part. It has to do with whether all the boxes are checked off and if anything still needs to be reviewed (other than maybe passport & vax card). 

 

On my last medallion cruise being elite did not get me priority boarding. Having my medallion did 

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Ombud

[Steelers36]

11 minutes ago, Ombud said:

@Steelers36exactly. Green lane is expedited. If I inferred that it had to do with Captains Circle status than that was an error on my part. It has to do with whether all the boxes are checked off and if anything still needs to be reviewed (other than maybe passport & vax card). 

 

On my last medallion cruise being elite did not get me priority boarding. Having my medallion did 

 

You would/should have benefited from priority boarding had you arrived and were checked in before general boarding began.  You would be waiting in a room with other priority guests and when general boarding started, you would be called by a group letter code.  (After that, it is how close to the door you were for that group).  Last voyage we did, we were among first in the terminal and had group "A" card.  They called group "A" first from Elite/Suite "lounge".

After general boarding is done, everyone coming after just heads onto the ship after check-in processing.  This is why the new Arrival Groups means less for priority outside of 11:30am group since general boarding time is normally by then or sooner.