I am stuck in Blue Lane

[jwattle]

32 minutes ago, Thrak said:

We were originally booked for 32 days on Grand Princess and were Green Lane and our Medallions were being shipped to us. We were flying to Melbourne to start the cruises. They we decided not to fly to Australia to start the cruises but, instead, get on Grand Princess in San Francisco and sail 31 days to Australia and then do the originally booked cruises. We ended up with segments of 24 days, 2 days, 5 days, 14 days, 4 days, and 14 days for a total of 63 days on Grand Princess.

Then if I understand you correctly, you'll only receive one medallion 🙂

 

[Steelers36]

7 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Then if I understand you correctly, you'll only receive one medallion 🙂

 

Yahbut... they'll need replacements before 63 days are up.  😁

[Steelers36]

40 minutes ago, wallyj said:

I boarded Emerald at San Pedro on August 5 and it was a pretty long wait compared to when I boarded on July 22 when they had an Elite line. On August 5 at San Pedro no Elite line, just, blue, green and grey. Wait time on July 22 at San Pedro was about 5 minutes, August 5, it took me over 40 minutes to get to front of line to pick up medallion, so No, it will not be just a few minutes, that was my experience on August 5.

Unacceptable IMO - especially if sometime during those >40 minutes general boarding began.  

 

What were the agents doing who handled Green Lane guests when that line was empty? 

 

PCL is making big mistake here.  At least for the period of time from doors open to some minutes after start of general boarding (until the terminal waiting area is cleared).  I'd be Jonesing for a different lane (per Carmen Roig, VP Sales in July webinar).

 

[Coral]

This should be an Elite benefit - the mailing of the medallion.

 

 

[sultan_sfo]

On a long cruise -- sometimes even in a short one -- the medallion is not replaced. The GS just replaces the battery.

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

On a long cruise -- sometimes even in a short one -- the medallion is not replaced. The GS just replaces the battery.

Are you sure?  Those things are sealed and do not open easily at all.  Not meant to be changed.

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

We were originally booked for 32 days on Grand Princess and were Green Lane and our Medallions were being shipped to us. We were flying to Melbourne to start the cruises. They we decided not to fly to Australia to start the cruises but, instead, get on Grand Princess in San Francisco and sail 31 days to Australia and then do the originally booked cruises. We ended up with segments of 24 days, 2 days, 5 days, 14 days, 4 days, and 14 days for a total of 63 days on Grand Princess.

Can you update us is the minibar replenishment was a success on the Honolulu to Auckland segment? 

[Thrak]

5 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

On a long cruise -- sometimes even in a short one -- the medallion is not replaced. The GS just replaces the battery.

 

I would be highly surprised if that was the case. They are kind of "plastic welded" together and I don't think they can be opened without physically destroying them. They can just take it in the back and put the voyage and name info on a new Medallion that is programmed with the same ID.

[startedwithamouse]

27 minutes ago, Coral said:

This should be an Elite benefit - the mailing of the medallion.

 

 

That is just wasting money on postage.  Not to mention the envelope and presentation box. 

Edited September 5, 2023 by startedwithamouse

[Steelers36]

29 minutes ago, Coral said:

This should be an Elite benefit - the mailing of the medallion.

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

That is just wasting money on postage. 

 

Let's modify the benefit suggestion.  Elite (and Suite) may order the Medallions at no charge.  Up to guest to order for shipping or to the port as is the case now in Princess App.  

 

The other option is simply to send Elites and Suites all through the Green Lane and have that subset of Medallions at that Lane so those check-in agents do the processing and Suite and Elite get processed quickly without waiting with the mob in the Blue Lane.  That said, I have read reports where US departures have most people with Medallions and this the Blue Lane is not overly long.

[Thrak]

5 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Can you update us is the minibar replenishment was a success on the Honolulu to Auckland segment? 

 

For us the Honolulu to Auckland trip is just part of the initial 24 days from SF to Sydney so that is just one setup.

 

As we don't board until September 26 I won't know how mini bar replenishment works for a while. In theory, we "should" get a new setup for each segment no matter how short. One can only hope that will actually be how it works.

[sultan_sfo]

20 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Are you sure?  ...

 

16 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

I would be highly surprised if that was the case.

 

I do NOT care whether either of the 2 EXPERT posters believe me or NOT!

GS has done it MANY times for us. Even our Room Steward tells us the battery needs to be replaced.

Edited September 5, 2023 by sultan_sfo

[Caligirl33]

3 hours ago, Coral said:

I booked a last minute cruise. I am stuck in Blue Lane. I think the problem is with the medallion order. I selected a generic medallion and generic lanyard and said that I would pick it up at the pier (no charge). I don't have Plus on this trip (not yet, still undecided but if I get it, it will be on the ship). I will be doing a land trip for a week before the cruise so I don't want it shipped to my house.

 

I can't get out of Blue Lane. Any tips?

Honestly I don’t see what the problem is. Blue or green, who cares. As long as you are to the port on time you will get on the ship and should have a great vacation 

[Steelers36]

16 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

 

 

I do NOT care whether either of the 2 EXPERT posters believe me or NOT!

GS has done it MANY times for us. Even our Room Steward tells us the battery needs to be replaced.

All right.  Have it your way.  So, the GS crew member at the desk has literally informed you they changed the battery and are giving you back the same Medallion?  Also, stating the battery needs replacing can just be another way of saying the Medallion needs replacing.  This is new info, by the way.

[Ombud]

Delete ... found answer

Edited September 5, 2023 by Ombud

[wallyj]

3 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

For us the Honolulu to Auckland trip is just part of the initial 24 days from SF to Sydney so that is just one setup.

 

As we don't board until September 26 I won't know how mini bar replenishment works for a while. In theory, we "should" get a new setup for each segment no matter how short. One can only hope that will actually be how it works.

I think you can get a good ideal of how many ‘elite’ mini bar setups you will receive by reviewing the number of ‘cruise credits’ you will receive, taking into account for suite and solo occupancy.

 

My friends a few years ago booked Sydney to LA on the Golden, with a stop in Auckland, and it was considered 1 segment/1 cruise credit, even though Princess also sold a short 4 or 5 day cruise Sydney to Auckland , that I am not sure was offered to Australia market only or everybody.

 

My friends only got 1 minibar setup. Interesting was they did do a grapevine wine tasting on the short segment, but only for those on the short segment. If you were booked for the ‘full’ sailing, the circle host informed you there was going to be a separate event later in the sailing. Same for Captain circle party.

[sunviking90]

8 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Did you recently leave from San Pedro?  After Aug 2nd?

Wonder how the lines were now there’s only Green, blue and gray?  
 

Did they direct you

to an Elite checkin lane, once inside?  Or, after checkin did you have an Elite/Platinum area for boarding?

TIA

We left San Pedro Aug 21. We arrived around 10:30 am and were on the ship by 11:30. About a 5 min line to get our medallions (blue lane), then to the wait area. We were directed to the Plat area but it was full, so we sat elsewhere. Elite area had some space. Boarding was the most crowded I’ve seen here and we’ve done about 5 cruises from here in the last 2 years, but this was not due to green/ blue lanes or medallion pu. Everyone had arranged to arrive earlier to to weather, and princess had sent an email the day before to allow for flooding (Hilary) in travel time. Roads were fine for most, by then.

[MissP22]

7 hours ago, wallyj said:

I boarded Emerald at San Pedro on August 5 and it was a pretty long wait compared to when I boarded on July 22 when they had an Elite line. On August 5 at San Pedro no Elite line, just, blue, green and grey. Wait time on July 22 at San Pedro was about 5 minutes, August 5, it took me over 40 minutes to get to front of line to pick up medallion, so No, it will not be just a few minutes, that was my experience on August 5.

I wonder if this wait at the pier will be common in the future?

[1965]

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

We were originally booked for 32 days on Grand Princess and were Green Lane and our Medallions were being shipped to us. We were flying to Melbourne to start the cruises. They we decided not to fly to Australia to start the cruises but, instead, get on Grand Princess in San Francisco and sail 31 days to Australia and then do the originally booked cruises. We ended up with segments of 24 days, 2 days, 5 days, 14 days, 4 days, and 14 days for a total of 63 days on Grand Princess.

Oh my goodness. I am so jealous. ♡

[Coral]

7 hours ago, Caligirl33 said:

Honestly I don’t see what the problem is. Blue or green, who cares. As long as you are to the port on time you will get on the ship and should have a great vacation 

The problem is that I had done everything I had done previously and was in Blue Lane as opposed to Green Lane. The app is so poorly done - I kept getting a "!" mark indicating Blue Lane but there was no indication what I had done or not done to get in Green Lane. If there was an explanation - that is one thing. I had previously cruised a few months ago and had no problems getting in Green Lane.

 

If there was an explanation on why I was in Blue Lane - that is one thing. There wasn't.

 

I honestly was not looking for a cruise vacation. I planned a land vacation. It wasn't until I was trying to figure out why hotels were so expensive the night before I was going to fly out that I realized there was a ship in port that is doing a repo. I watched the price go down approx $500 the past 2 weeks before I decided to go on it. I think Princess is irritating so many of their current cruisers, next time, if I see a ship, I may just skip it. I prefer longer vacations and don't like to fly for just a week, thus - I decided this weekend to add the cruise.

 

I have no problems picking up the medallion at the pier. If I had it shipped, it would probably not make it to my house as I am doing a land trip before.

 

I am really looking forward to my trip, the land trip. We will see how the cruise goes. Not setting any expectations on that. I do like the ship and the ports I am very familiar with and it will be good to go back to some of them but this is a trip I have done multiple times so I could take it or leave it.

 

I just wish Princess's app was better and provided better feedback when something doesn't work. I struggled entering my flight info and couldn't figure out why either. Though this is another issue.

[PacnGoNow]

8 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Yahbut... they'll need replacements before 63 days are up.  😁

They last about 30 days and they’ll just put new batteries in them.  Every 30 days, they’ll also watch the muster again.  
 

[PacnGoNow]

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

I would be highly surprised if that was the case. They are kind of "plastic welded" together and I don't think they can be opened without physically destroying them. They can just take it in the back and put the voyage and name info on a new Medallion that is programmed with the same ID.

They told us they replace batteries on ours.  So now, we will have to ask again.  We’ve done many long cruises.  When you get them back, they have the original sail date, not the current date. 

Ask them for us, when you get your replacements.  TIA

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

I wonder if this wait at the pier will be common in the future?

Evidently, since they have removed the Elite/priority checkin line.  I think that is definitely a benefit loss for Elite’s.  It was so nice to be recognized on arrival and sent to an Elite or priority lane for checkin.  Too bad.

[PacnGoNow]

7 hours ago, Caligirl33 said:

Honestly I don’t see what the problem is. Blue or green, who cares. As long as you are to the port on time you will get on the ship and should have a great vacation 

Depends on the port and the wait time in the line to get into the terminal.  An Elite line to check in was a perk, IMO.  
 

Now that there are no arrival group times assigned, many more may go early, thus causing longer check in lines.  

 

[pompeii]

What is the cut off for changing your medallion order to shipping instead of port pick up?  AFAIK you have to cancel the existing order and place a new one.  Is it 2 weeks prior to sailing?  We sail on the 23rd from Seattle and I'm debating if I just want to pay the darn $10.

 

But then again I'm half afraid to change to change anything this close to sailing, with all the medallion bugs...

Edited September 5, 2023 by pompeii