American Express Membership Rewards - Princess cruise privileges gone?

A perusal of the AMEX Platinum benefits page indicates that Princess Cruises has been dropped for 2006 from the Cruise Privileges program. Is this true?
Frankly, I found the cuise benefits to be like much of AMEX Paltinum: plenty of hype that's not backed up with as much substance.

I saw this and panicked, so I called Amex. Princess is still part of the program.

I've always liked the $100 travel benefit as well as the free meal at the specialty restaurant and two category upgrade. Probably nothing I couldn't get from another travel agent, but it's a nice touch.

Mike

My own experience with the Cruise Privileges program was always good (twice with RSSC & 1 time Cunard)... champagne, wine, 300$ on-board credit and cocktail party.

I did notice not all the Carnvial cruiseline (Holland, Windstar and Cunard) one is list on the site yet. (except Seabourn), maybe AE is still trying to iron things out.

So senatorgirth, can you please tell us what is plenty of hype and not much substance was to you??

My last experience with Cruise Priveleges on Princess was cr@p. Apparently they were offering such discounted rates (~$1400 pp for a minisuite on a 7 night E. Carribbean in July) that Princess wouldn't honor cruise priveleges. Big nail in the coffin, as soon as my last CO flight next week, I'll have little use for the club access (I joined AA's club) and with this cruise shennaningans and the higher spending threshold for the $100 travel benefit, I don't think I can justify the fee.

I know for the mass market line (Princess & HAL), you will have trouble getting the cruise privileges, because parts of the benefit are pay by the cruiseline itself. So if the cruise price is already "deeply" discounted, the cruiseline will not provide them because their cost margin are very low, they don't want to loss money on you.

This summer, I went on Radisson with another couple and we all got the cruise privileges no question asked ($300 per room credit, bottle of bubblely and cocktail party).

As for this year, my AE has earn its pay. :D

On the mass market cruise lines, unless you get an upper-end suite, the benefits are not all that great. Bottle of wine, dinner at a premium restaurant, two-category upgrade. Princess/Carnival/HAL, etc. cannot tell you that they will not honor the benefits if they are part of your booking.

Mike

Big nail in the coffin, as soon as my last CO flight next week, I'll have little use for the club access (I joined AA's club) and with this cruise shennaningans and the higher spending threshold for the $100 travel benefit, I don't think I can justify the fee.

I'm right there with you on this one. They have been eliminating Platinum benefits one by one. Has anyone noticed, by the way, that the total number of Fine Hotels and Resorts has actually declined this year?

Mike