the Princess Captain’s Circle is adding even more benefits for Platinum and Elite members. Frequent cruisers can now use their free Internet packages to access the ships’ wireless Internet networks, they’ll receive a complimentary upgrade to Platinum-level coverage when purchasing the new Princess Vacation Protection plan, and they have an exclusive new phone number to reach the “Circle Desk.”
The new Platinum- and Elite-level benefits, for passengers having taken at least six and 16 cruises, respectively, include:
Wireless Internet Access – Members can now choose to use their free Internet package minutes on their personal laptops in wireless hot spots, or in the Internet Cafes. This generous benefit rewards guests with a credit of $75 to $400 per person towards Internet use, depending on cruise length. Wireless connections are currently available on all ships in various locations, and this new member benefit will be available fleetwide by winter 2008.
Exclusive Phone Number – Members will have their calls directly routed to the Circle Desk through an exclusive phone number expressly for the line’s most loyal cruisers. Calls to the new number will be quickly referred to a membership representative so passengers can easily check on their cruise history, member status and benefits.
Princess Vacation Protection Upgrade – Beginning with summer 2009 voyages, the line is introducing a new Princess Vacation Protection program that replaces Princess Travel Care and features additional benefits. For North American Platinum and Elite Circle members, Princess will provide a complimentary upgrade to the higher level Princess Platinum Vacation Protection, offering members more coverage than ever before including a 100 percent “cancel for any reason” benefit.
The Princess Captain’s Circle offers an extensive array of loyalty benefits. Among the many other perks available to repeat cruisers are exclusive Launch Savings discounts for early booking, a free mini-bar set up, free laundry services, priority tender embarkation, complimentary wine tasting, a boutiques discount, preferred embarkation and disembarkation, a Referral Rewards program and last-minute sailing opportunities.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Princess Cruises Posted by Michael on 08/27/08
Staying fit on a cruise has never been easier or more fun, as Princess Cruises introduces new ways for passengers to stay active on their vacation — including the industry’s first in-room fitness program, fun yoga classes for kids and teens, and a new array of Lotus Spa classes featuring the three vital components of balanced health.
Designed for cruisers of all ages and activity levels, these innovative fitness choices will help passengers get moving in the privacy of their own staterooms with Fitness@Sea hosted by celebrity trainer Gillian Clark; strike a pose in an interactive yoga class for junior cruisers; or test their mettle with a “Tour de France” spin class as part of the line’s new Core.Balance.Strength. program.
Click on “more” below for additional details about the new programs.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Princess Cruises Posted by Michael on 08/22/08
According to Seatrade Insider (registration required) Disney Cruise Line is among six operators submitting proposals for 10-year Glacier Bay contracts. The contract terms are from 2010 through 2019.
Disney joined Compagnie des Iles du Ponant, Cruise West, Holland America Line, NCL Corp. and Princess Cruises in submitting proposals to the National Park Service.
The contracts will include the initial allocation of a limited number of vessel use days in the peak Glacier Bay season, June through August, of each year of the contract term.
Princess and Holland America legally qualify as ‘historical operators’ in Glacier Bay, giving them the ability to lock up their existing historical permits, which number 71 of the total 153 available permits annually for the next 10-year contract period. Additionally, Princess holds 13 ‘preferential’ entry permits.
HAL and Princess have the potential to maintain 84 of the peak season entries of the total of 153 available.
Dave Nemeth, chief of concessions management for Glacier Bay National Park, said the National Park Service hopes to allocate the permits by year’s end.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Cruise West, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises Posted by Michael on 08/18/08
We may have missed a week, but we’re back now. Taking the week off allowed us to collect a whole show’s worth of cruise line news too.
Carnival Sensation will be getting her Evolutions of Fun upgrades in January, while Carnival Fantasy will be staying in Mobile until she heads to the shipyards for her own Evolutions of Fun upgrades.
MSC will be sending their two newest ships to the Caribbean for the 2009/10 season and orders two new Musica class ships from Aker Yards.
Carnival will be recategorizing their staterooms and we get some insight into how Joe Farcus designs ships for Carnival and Costa.
Cabo San Lucas is getting some infrastructure updates and is considering an actual cruise ship pier.
Princess has selected the Godparents for Ruby Princess and we get a look at some of what’s planned for Seabourn Odyssey.
Be sure to check in next week when I’ll be talking about a different sort of cruise that I’m taking this week.
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Filed under: Carnival Cruise Lines, MSC Cruises, Podcast, Princess Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn Posted by Michael on 08/14/08
In celebration of National Romance Week,* Princess Cruises announced that celebrity couple Trista and Ryan Sutter will christen the newest cruise ship in the Princess fleet, Ruby Princess, on November 6 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The Sutters, who met on ABC’s hit reality series, The Bachelorette, the most romantic franchise on TV since the Love Boat, will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary this fall, and will mark this milestone event during the Ruby Princess inaugural, which will be themed around “romantic moments and milestones.”
Trista and Ryan are one of the best-known romantic duos in recent broadcast history, as they are the first and only couple from the The Bachelor and Bachelorette franchises who have actually gotten married. The Sutters also recently celebrated the first birthday of their son, Max.
Trista and Ryan Sutter met in 2002, when she was America’s first Bachelorette. The Bachelor and The Bachelorette on ABC-TV were the first and are still the most popular reality dating shows in which one man or woman searches for their soul mate out of 25 potential suitors. Over the course of the show, the bachelorette bestows roses on those bachelors she wishes to continue dating. Trista presented Ryan with her final rose and he then proposed on the show’s finale in November 2002. The couple wed on December 6, 2003 in an elaborate television ceremony watched by 26 million viewers, making it one of the most widely viewed episodes in the history of reality TV and one of ABC’s top rated shows of the year. After their highly visible courtship, Trista and Ryan moved to Vail, CO, where they currently reside with their son, Max. In addition to frequent TV interviews and promotional appearances, he is a firefighter and she is a stay-at-home mom and designer for her new diaper bag line, Trista Baby.
The 3,070-passenger Ruby Princess includes a dramatic piazza-style atrium featuring small-bite eateries and an ever-changing array of performing street entertainers. Passengers will also enjoy Princess’ other array of dining venues including the signature Sabatini’s Italian trattoria and the Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, plus a relaxing oasis just for adults called The Sanctuary.
The new cruise ship will also offer the many other innovations that define the Princess experience, including the popular Movies Under the Stars poolside movie screen, Personal Choice Dining featuring traditional or Anytime seating, multiple entertainment venues, a relaxing Asian-style Lotus Spa with fitness center, an extensive children and teen’s center, a wedding chapel and nearly 900 staterooms with private balconies – perfect for enjoying a scenic Caribbean islands cruise.
During Ruby Princess’ inaugural season she will make seven-day weekly sailings from Fort Lauderdale, FL to the Western Caribbean. Calls include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico and Princess Cays in the Bahamas. Next spring the ship will move to Europe for 12-day sailings in the Mediterranean and Greek Islands.
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