Response from Princess to email re changes

[Hobbes67]

No Elite has not lost these benefits, you are missing what I was trying to say.  Or, I wasn't clear.  To charge someone $5 to call room service for a benefit that you are given in a suite seems pretty cheap.  Yes, we can afford $5, but that is not the point.  You cannot get the suite room service benefit on the app, only through the phone.  Why not just eliminate one more benefit since it appears the goal is to cut back on room service.

 

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Hobbes67 said:

No Elite has not lost these benefits, you are missing what I was trying to say.  Or, I wasn't clear.  To charge someone $5 to call room service for a benefit that you are given in a suite seems pretty cheap.  Yes, we can afford $5, but that is not the point.  You cannot get the suite room service benefit on the app, only through the phone.  Why not just eliminate one more benefit since it appears the goal is to cut back on room service.

 

If you are talking about trading items out of the minibar that is part of the suite benefits, that, same as Elite is not considered to be a room service call/delivery according to responses from Princess that others have posted.

[ceilidh1]

1 hour ago, Hobbes67 said:

No Elite has not lost these benefits, you are missing what I was trying to say.  Or, I wasn't clear.  To charge someone $5 to call room service for a benefit that you are given in a suite seems pretty cheap.  Yes, we can afford $5, but that is not the point.  You cannot get the suite room service benefit on the app, only through the phone.  Why not just eliminate one more benefit since it appears the goal is to cut back on room service.

 

 

29 minutes ago, ldtr said:

If you are talking about trading items out of the minibar that is part of the suite benefits, that, same as Elite is not considered to be a room service call/delivery according to responses from Princess that others have posted.

Curious if there will be a charge for elite/suite to order afternoon tea in the stateroom - that was a benefit that never incurred a charge...

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

If I had booked a suite I'd be pretty miffed to now incur a room service charge. Suites are significantly more expensive than even a mini-suite and I have no beef with that providing you get the suite cruising experience and one of those benefits for me is the extra service included with a suite... it isn't just about cabin size!

I have read the blurb but I am still unclear if room service is included free with suites?

 

In a way it is kinda irrelevant because most people that book a suite I would imagine also book a package which includes room service anyway.

[Hobbes67]

What I was referring to was the benefit that allowed suite guests to order room service using the menu from the dining room, which provides additional choices.  You would then need to incur the $5 charge.  I assume you would also for the afternoon tea as both would take a call to room service.

 

For us, it doesn't make sense to pay for the package as we get 2 drink set ups in the room, and we have the concierge lounge in the evening for drinks.  Since I don't drink it really is a waste of money. 

[Guest ldtr]

53 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

 

Curious if there will be a charge for elite/suite to order afternoon tea in the stateroom - that was a benefit that never incurred a charge...

Someone had asked about that and was told that the Elite benefits such as the Tea would still be no charge.  I recall reading their post but do not remember who posted it.

[Guest ldtr]

25 minutes ago, Hobbes67 said:

What I was referring to was the benefit that allowed suite guests to order room service using the menu from the dining room, which provides additional choices.  You would then need to incur the $5 charge.  I assume you would also for the afternoon tea as both would take a call to room service.

 

For us, it doesn't make sense to pay for the package as we get 2 drink set ups in the room, and we have the concierge lounge in the evening for drinks.  Since I don't drink it really is a waste of money. 

No one has posted anything yet about the benefit of ordering from the mdr menu.  That will be an interesting one.

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, Hobbes67 said:

No Elite has not lost these benefits, you are missing what I was trying to say.  Or, I wasn't clear.  To charge someone $5 to call room service for a benefit that you are given in a suite seems pretty cheap.  Yes, we can afford $5, but that is not the point.  You cannot get the suite room service benefit on the app, only through the phone.  Why not just eliminate one more benefit since it appears the goal is to cut back on room service.

Princess could add $5xavg room services to cruise fares, but I think a point is also to reduce costs and demand on overworked staff. I know I a missing why a slight inconvenience is such a big deal?

 

If the issue is the app is deficient, it seems to me most cruise lines IT departments are nothing to brag about. The Princess app is better than some.

[SCX22]

17 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Princess could add $5xavg room services to cruise fares, but I think a point is also to reduce costs and demand on overworked staff. I know I a missing why a slight inconvenience is such a big deal?

 

That's the beauty of what Princess has done...It's becomes pay as you go for standard fare folks; if you don't use it, you don't pay for it.

 

I know of plenty of people, myself included, that don't use room service or OceanNow.  Never have and never will on any cruise line.  (Knock on wood I ever get quarantined.)  I don't want to cover other people's room service delivery tabs.

 

That's what bugs me about Viking/Oceania/all-inclusive cruise fares.  It's like you're obligated to use the all the amenities because you paid for them, even though you don't want to.  On Viking Ocean, the vast majority go on the mediocre shore excursions because they paid for them in the fare and feel like they have to use them.  If you don't, you don't get a prorated amount credited back.

 

[caribill]

26 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

hat's what bugs me about Viking/Oceania/all-inclusive cruise fares.  It's like you're obligated to use the all the amenities because you paid for them, even though you don't want to. 

 

That's the beauty of getting the Premier package.

 

You can spend all day eating the special desserts since they are unlimited with that package. For variety, you can go to Alfredo's over and over again.

[caribill]

Another thought.

 

A number of posts on this thread have said that Princess has instituted the activate the delivery charge and the room service charge to help make up for all the money lost during the pandemic shutdown.

 

I do not think that is the reason because there is not that much money to be made with these charges.

 

o Princess expects that 75% of passengers will have either Plus or Premier plans where these fees will not apply, so there is no additional revenue possible for these fees from 75% of passengers.

 

o So only about 25% of passengers would have these charges, but only if they use room service (many do not) or use the app for food/beverage delivery (many do not).

 

o And with a small percentage of passengers possibly deciding not to use room service or order food/beverage via the app due to these new fees, demand for room service will not be affected that much.

 

Would some additional income come in. Sure, but not a significant amount.

 

So, if there is not significant new income and not a big drop in room service work, what is the real object?

 

o Is it to drive more people to buying Plus/Premier by pretending the packages have significantly more value? If so, the new package income would greatly exceed additional income from the passengers who otherwise would not have bought the package?

 

o Is it to justify an increase in the near future to package prices? After all, an additional $5/day/person for 75% of passengers would greatly increase revenue over what standard fare passengers might pay in extra fees.

 

o Or is it something else?

 

 

 

[Ombud]

11 hours ago, oskidunker said:

15 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

What would surprise me is getting a casino offer from Viking. 🙂

 

Yes

Especially since Viking Cruise ships don't have casinos 😉

[SargassoPirate]

"Come Feel The Love"

[JimmyVWine]

12 hours ago, suzyed said:

Obviously doesn't affect you.

That's sort of the point.  Not only does it not affect me, it doesn't affect many people at all.  Princess is simply not going to move mountains over a change that affects so few people, and over which an even smaller number find unacceptable.  And those it does affect have an easy fix--move into a Package and get everything included.  This is the goal and it is going to work.  No doubt Princess is going to up its Package numbers.  It's not complicated.  And if you are one of the few who will say: "I don't want a Package", then Princess is willing to have you move along, or pay by the feature.  We have now seen what the future of cruising is going to look like.  Embrace it or reject it.  Your choice.  But Princess is not going to disrupt its larger objective because 30 people complained to them.  Look. If I were king for a day, I would do it differently.  I would require EVERY guest to have a Package.  Instead of "Standard", "Plus" and "Premier", it would be "Relax", "Plus" and "Premier" with "Relax" being the entry level that includes gratuities, wifi, coffee, soft drinks, room service, Casual Dining and Ocean Now delivery.  Would this mean that people would pay extra for things that they used to get for free?  Sure.  But airlines got away with it years ago.  We are all old enough to remember the days when checking bags and selecting seats was free.  Then came the change, followed by copious complaining, and here we are, still paying for checked bags and seats.  Remember when hotels let guests use the pool, hot tub and gym for free?  Now we pay $40 per day for "Resort Fees" whether we use those features or not.  Did people complain? Sure. Did that change anything? No.    

5 hours ago, caribill said:

So, if there is not significant new income and not a big drop in room service work, what is the real object?

 

o Is it to drive more people to buying Plus/Premier by pretending the packages have significantly more value? If so, the new package income would greatly exceed additional income from the passengers who otherwise would not have bought the package?

 

This is it, plain and simple.  No need to overthink this. Raise revenue and smooth out the bookkeeping.  Much easier to have each guest walk off the ship with a one line invoice than to keep track of and charge for every drink, pizza and cup of coffee.  

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

Another thought.

 

A number of posts on this thread have said that Princess has instituted the activate the delivery charge and the room service charge to help make up for all the money lost during the pandemic shutdown.

Okay, but I think more posts perhaps have suggested they need to reduce the demands from ON orders and RS orders.  RS was expanded during pandemic sailing and I can see them looking to cut it back.  Already, guests are reporting reduced menu choices.

 

I am not so sure the demand on these services is going to go down that much.  It could even increase as folks try to get their money worth out of an included item or one paid for.  

[JimmyVWine]

20 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Okay, but I think more posts perhaps have suggested they need to reduce the demands from ON orders and RS orders.  RS was expanded during pandemic sailing and I can see them looking to cut it back. 

100%.  Seemed like a good idea during social distancing.  Keep people seated where they are and bring the food to them rather than have hordes of people gather shoulder to shoulder in a dining venue.  And with ships sailing at half capacity, it probably worked.  But with full ships of 4,000 people, the system is collapsing on itself, killed by its own popularity.  Frankly, Princess should probably bite the bullet, announce that ON delivery was a pandemic strategy that served its purpose, but now that ships are full again, it is unsustainable and sunset the program.  It generates no income for them and produces nothing but headaches.  They are clearly trying to push people off of the program by charging the one-time charge, but only for the 25% of people who don't have a Package leaving the other 75% thinking that this is still a viable feature for them, and those people will be sorely disappointed.  There are two ways to reduce demand--one is to charge a fee and the other is to make the system so frustrating that people give up and stop using the feature.  Princess is doing both. 

[ceilidh1]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

100%.  Seemed like a good idea during social distancing.  Keep people seated where they are and bring the food to them rather than have hordes of people gather shoulder to shoulder in a dining venue.  And with ships sailing at half capacity, it probably worked.  But with full ships of 4,000 people, the system is collapsing on itself, killed by its own popularity.  Frankly, Princess should probably bite the bullet, announce that ON delivery was a pandemic strategy that served its purpose, but now that ships are full again, it is unsustainable and sunset the program.  It generates no income for them and produces nothing but headaches.  They are clearly trying to push people off of the program by charging the one-time charge, but only for the 25% of people who don't have a Package leaving the other 75% thinking that this is still a viable feature for them, and those people will be sorely disappointed.  There are two ways to reduce demand--one is to charge a fee and the other is to make the system so frustrating that people give up and stop using the feature.  Princess is doing both. 

I actually think what they are doing will increase demand - now they are pushing these services as benefits of buying the package I would imagine that many who wouldn't use it previously will now use it as its part of their perks. Additionally, those that upgrade to a package or pay for the services are going to use it more to get their moneys worth. I have a feeling this is merely a "testing of the water" to see what the market will bear in terms of possibly ditching standard and going to all inclusive/packages only, or how much they can tweak these fees before all out riots happen. I'm not happy with the fees, not because of the "nominal" amount, but the way it was handled and the fact that it's just tacky and cheap and I thought/hoped Princess was better than that. I know other lines are doing/have done this and I know Princess is within their rights to do it, but just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD do something. 

[caribill]

Currently on the Princess web site:

 

Order Food, Drinks + More On Demand

Hungry during Movies Under the Stars®? Realize you forgot sunscreen by the pool? Want to skip standing in line? Order whatever you need — burger, beer, extra towels, aloe, etc. — and we’ll deliver it to you.

Additional charge applies.

---

 

Note it says "Order whatever you need."

It does not say: "Although we have it, what you need might not be available this way."

[startedwithamouse]

12 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

 

Curious if there will be a charge for elite/suite to order afternoon tea in the stateroom - that was a benefit that never incurred a charge...

Doubt it since it's not something that can be ordered through OceanNow.

[ceilidh1]

1 minute ago, startedwithamouse said:

Doubt it since it's not something that can be ordered through OceanNow.

But it is ordered through room service phone...so $5 charge?

[startedwithamouse]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

Another thought.

 

A number of posts on this thread have said that Princess has instituted the activate the delivery charge and the room service charge to help make up for all the money lost during the pandemic shutdown.

 

I do not think that is the reason because there is not that much money to be made with these charges.

 

o Princess expects that 75% of passengers will have either Plus or Premier plans where these fees will not apply, so there is no additional revenue possible for these fees from 75% of passengers.

 

o So only about 25% of passengers would have these charges, but only if they use room service (many do not) or use the app for food/beverage delivery (many do not).

 

o And with a small percentage of passengers possibly deciding not to use room service or order food/beverage via the app due to these new fees, demand for room service will not be affected that much.

 

Would some additional income come in. Sure, but not a significant amount.

 

So, if there is not significant new income and not a big drop in room service work, what is the real object?

 

o Is it to drive more people to buying Plus/Premier by pretending the packages have significantly more value? If so, the new package income would greatly exceed additional income from the passengers who otherwise would not have bought the package?

 

o Is it to justify an increase in the near future to package prices? After all, an additional $5/day/person for 75% of passengers would greatly increase revenue over what standard fare passengers might pay in extra fees.

 

o Or is it something else?

 

 

 

Everything is a push to buy Plus or Premier. 

 

We always buy Plus with the exception of cruises 14/15 days or more. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 minute ago, ceilidh1 said:

But it is ordered through room service phone...so $5 charge?

But it's an Elite BENEFIT.  It's only available to elite guests. 

[ceilidh1]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

But it's an Elite BENEFIT.  It's only available to elite guests. 

It's available to anyone in a suite, too. I will be curious to see if the $5 fee applies to either one. The ABILITY to have afternoon tea delivered is the benefit - is the waiving of the fee to do so also a benefit? That remains to be seen...

[startedwithamouse]

2 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

It's available to anyone in a suite, too. I will be curious to see if the $5 fee applies to either one. The ABILITY to have afternoon tea delivered is the benefit - is the waiving of the fee to do so also a benefit? That remains to be seen...

Well, it doesn't say it will cost $5. Guaranteed they'll not be charging for that as it's a Captain's Circle benefit. 

Edited August 22, 2023 by startedwithamouse

[startedwithamouse]

Doubtful they're going to charge $5 for Elite afternoon tea.