Questioning Elite Benefits

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, dandonna said:

So we are finally elite on our next cruise what exactly is the free laundry?

Do they wash and iron or fold your clothes?
Do you get it back within 24 hours?

Can I get a suit dry cleaned or my wife’s dress cleaned and pressed?
Do we just  fill a laundry bag and hand it to our cabin steward or do we fill out a form?

Thanks and best wishes to everyone in 2023

If there are a lot of Elite on board such as a transatlantic itcan take 3 to 4 days to get your laundry back.

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, dandonna said:

So we are finally elite on our next cruise what exactly is the free laundry?

Do they wash and iron or fold your clothes?
Do you get it back within 24 hours?

Can I get a suit dry cleaned or my wife’s dress cleaned and pressed?
Do we just  fill a laundry bag and hand it to our cabin steward or do we fill out a form?

Thanks and best wishes to everyone in 2023

They wash, dry, iron and return on hangars to your cabin.  It depends how many Suites/Elites are OB as far as return time.  It has been taking about 2 days for return on most of our cruises in the last year. 

 

Yes, your steward will give you a bag and a form.  Just leave it on your bed or give it to him/her.

 

We’ve never had lost or damaged clothes, but some posters have.

 

Congrats!  🎉 

[memoak]

3 hours ago, Grego said:

A lot of what you stated is true and it does make a point.  You did forget to add "free laundry" to the list of Elite and Suite passengers, although Suite passengers get it returned the same day which is not always the case for Elite when there are so many on board.

It is evident that the new Princess management is focusing on the first-time younger crowd and not on the loyal base.  Having sailed with Princess for 30 years and 54 voyages and over 520 days at sea we see a need to do an overhaul to the loyalty program by expanding the levels and the perks that they need to add.  Give us a reason to stay and not a reason to start looking elsewhere.

We are elite and sail in full suites. Laundry does not always come back in 24 hours. It is fast but I would not count on 24

[caribill]

1 hour ago, ldtr said:

Your 33 day 2 segment would have been 500 minutes each, not 1000. 

 

I said "we have gone from a total of 1000 free minutes", not each.

[Guest ldtr]

2 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

I said "we have gone from a total of 1000 free minutes", not each.

Could have been a total of the two segments per person.

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by ldtr

[caribill]

4 hours ago, Grego said:

 

It is evident that the new Princess management is focusing on the first-time younger crowd and not on the loyal base.

 

Not by the advertising on TV in the Houston area.

 

RCI and Carnival ads show families having fun and children playing in pools and on water slides.

 

Princess advertising shows adults enjoying dining and consuming cocktails and visiting exotic locations.

 

Not at all focusing on the younger family crowd.

[caribill]

2 hours ago, ldtr said:

Bottom line is the benefits are still there. One can choose not to use them or not but they are still there.

 

Or choose to pay for the benefits even if you use them because if you purchase the Plus or Premier package, you are paying for Internet with no discount and, except for the cans of soda, you are essentially getting in the beverage part of the package what is available in the Elite cabin setup.

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Or choose to pay for the benefits even if you use them because if you purchase the Plus or Premier package, you are paying for Internet with no discount and, except for the cans of soda, you are essentially getting in the beverage part of the package what is available in the Elite cabin setup.

The mini bar would not last 2 days if I didn’t have the Plus package 

[cr8tiv1]

57 minutes ago, memoak said:

The mini bar would not last 2 days if I didn’t have the Plus package 

 

I end up taking some of mini-bar items home.  If only I could trade out the little bottles for bar service items....I would be a happy camper.

 

I read somewhere that the mini-bar was "equal to" $75.  Just give me the credit on my bar bill.  I'd be happy to trade it in.  Not worth an even exchange for 2 coffee cards nor 1 bottle of "their" wine.

 

Disclaimer:  I will sheepishly admit that I using have 2 mini-bars (elite/suite).  

[memoak]

3 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I end up taking some of mini-bar items home.  If only I could trade out the little bottles for bar service items....I would be a happy camper.

 

I read somewhere that the mini-bar was "equal to" $75.  Just give me the credit on my bar bill.  I'd be happy to trade it in.  Not worth an even exchange for 2 coffee cards nor 1 bottle of "their" wine.

 

Disclaimer:  I will sheepishly admit that I using have 2 mini-bars (elite/suite).  

My 2nd mini bar also only would last d as bout a day 

[Guest ldtr]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Or choose to pay for the benefits even if you use them because if you purchase the Plus or Premier package, you are paying for Internet with no discount and, except for the cans of soda, you are essentially getting in the beverage part of the package what is available in the Elite cabin setup.

Again that is their choice.  We choose to use  the benefits and Princess OBC policy we usually take ship excursions, try the specialty restaurants at least once a cruise, my wife usually uses enclave, have gratuity covered with our ending   on board spend pretty close to zero each cruise.

 

Perfectly happy for others to buy the packages and help keep fares low. Their choice.  The benefits are still there if someone wants to make use of them.

 

On a 14 day cruise mini bay $72, free laundry maybe another $100 (if in conjunction with a land trip), Internet prior to increase $140, after increase $210,

Excursion credit $50-70.  Even without the OBC that give Princess a $442 dollar advantage vs booking with other lines  add in another $600 for OBC benefits not related to Elite means that for us Princess is starting with a $1000+ advantage compared to other lines.  In most cases other lines charge more for  Internet  more than on Princess.

 

 

Edited February 13, 2023 by ldtr

[Nebr.cruiser]

21 hours ago, arizonaperson said:

If you purchase specialty coffees each time you desire one( pay as you drink- not coffee package)

i think the price is reasonable  ,definitely cheaper than the big name shops on land. So you can have your Elite set up of pop/ soda and water ( gratis) and specialty coffees for a good price.

Well, I'm cheap so I almost never buy coffee from shops, except sometimes when out with granddaughters, who are addicted to Starbucks, etc.  So I'll probably never buy a specialty coffee.  It's really not a big deal to me.  I mean, I get along fine with instant!  Or the ships regular coffee.

 

We'll enjoy our pop and water!

[arizonaperson]

3 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

Well, I'm cheap so I almost never buy coffee from shops, except sometimes when out with granddaughters, who are addicted to Starbucks, etc.  So I'll probably never buy a specialty coffee.  It's really not a big deal to me.  I mean, I get along fine with instant!  Or the ships regular coffee.

 

We'll enjoy our pop and water!

Okay, I was just pointing out that specialty coffee is not expensive on Princess, in my opinion. I was just looking out for you, didn’t want you to have to survive on regular coffee. You deserve  at least 1 specialty coffee  on your cruise.

Enjoy your cruise 

Edited February 13, 2023 by arizonaperson

[Bill B]

On 2/8/2023 at 10:52 AM, CRLess said:

My wife and I were discussing how we would each fill out our surveys, and we both came to the same conclusion....if you purchase the Princess Plus, what benefit do you receive by being a loyal customer that achieved Elite status?  With Princess Plus, internet is included, drinks are included, so the mini bar set up is meaningless. Did I miss anything?

 

Yes! Besides the free laundry (which has been covered) the mini bar set-up is not meaningless - nothing says you have to use the Elite, complimentary mini bar set-up items on the ship. Throw them in your luggage (or take them ashore to stay 'tipsy' on an excursion 🥳) and take them home to enjoy your Elite perks when you can't use your 'Plus' or 'Premier' package. 😎

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, Bill B said:

 

Yes! Besides the free laundry (which has been covered) the mini bar set-up is not meaningless - nothing says you have to use the Elite, complimentary mini bar set-up items on the ship. Throw them in your luggage (or take them ashore to stay 'tipsy' on an excursion 🥳) and take them home to enjoy your Elite perks when you can't use your 'Plus' or 'Premier' package. 😎

or show how elite you are…spread the wealth (mini-bar) amongst the not so fortunate (crew), other new passengers, security, etc.  Lots of others to share with.  

[Bill B]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

or show how elite you are…spread the wealth (mini-bar) amongst the not so fortunate (crew), other new passengers, security, etc.  Lots of others to share with.  

 

That's an option as well.

[Ombud]

On 2/8/2023 at 1:45 AM, Over from NZ said:

Yep, you're right. The benefits are pretty meaningless. They should just get rid of the tiers altogether. 

Respectfully disagree as I make us of priority tender / laundry / minibar trade (yep ... Plus is unnecessary for me as 1 glass wine a day is more than enough)

[pompeii]

On 2/11/2023 at 9:49 AM, Nebr.cruiser said:

 

I'm a big water drinker and my husband doesn't drink coffee, although he will drink pop.  And do we just ask the steward to change it out on the first day?
 

Anyone who is a big water drinker should take a look at the bottled water package you can purchase before your cruise.  At $7.08 for 12 bottles delivered right to your stateroom, it's a great deal.  

[memoak]

10 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

or show how elite you are…spread the wealth (mini-bar) amongst the not so fortunate (crew), other new passengers, security, etc.  Lots of others to share with.  

Crew bar has always been really inexpensive through all the years we have cruised. 

[Nebr.cruiser]

13 hours ago, arizonaperson said:

Okay, I was just pointing out that specialty coffee is not expensive on Princess, in my opinion. I was just looking out for you, didn’t want you to have to survive on regular coffee. You deserve  at least 1 specialty coffee  on your cruise.

Enjoy your cruise 

Thanks, I appreciate the thought!  I was being facetious when I used the word Survive!  I'm not even that fond of the sweet coffee concoctions, so I won't feel deprived at all.  Of course I will buy one if I feel like it though.

[TracieABD]

@CRLess What would be really nice is if Elite were given a break on the Princess Plus package- to offset the benefits they will not need or use (e.g. wifi, minibar, etc...). I would propose a 20% to 25% discount. It would possibly get non-drinking Elite members to consider the package as well- because by the time you factor the wifi, auto-grats, bevvies like waters/ coffees/ mocktails into the mix- it might actually be worth it to have the package.

 

P.S. Hi Cuz Chris! Great thread.

Edited February 13, 2023 by TracieABD

[cdrmer]

Purchased a shore excursion for an upcoming cruise and was charged the full amount. Thought elite passengers received a 10% discount. Any changes recently eliminating the discount?

[MissP22]

29 minutes ago, TracieABD said:

What would be really nice is if Elite were given a break on the Princess Plus package

It sure would. Maybe someday if their package doesn't sell as well as they think it's going to. I know we're not evening going to consider it any more.

[t&atravel]

6 minutes ago, cdrmer said:

Purchased a shore excursion for an upcoming cruise and was charged the full amount. Thought elite passengers received a 10% discount. Any changes recently eliminating the discount?

The discount will be on your folio when you board as a refundable credit

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, cdrmer said:

Purchased a shore excursion for an upcoming cruise and was charged the full amount. Thought elite passengers received a 10% discount. Any changes recently eliminating the discount?

You’ll see it on your account when you get OB, as a refundable OBC.