Buying Diamond+ Status

[seatraveler1]

Originally Posted by The Viking

Sorry but people who have to fly in also have pets that need boarding. Very often we also need lodging the night before the cruise as well as local transportation. Do not forget that we also have eto park our car at the airport we fly out of.

I envy you people close to the ports!!

This is why I said "some people", not everyone is in the same situation. I was commenting about people that ALWAYS mention that people who live close to the port don't have airline expenses, but they decide not to include the "other" expenses that we may have. If you re-read my comment, I also said that our figure may not be as much as others that fly into the port, but our expenses are still considerable, it's not like some of us don't have any expenses. Some of the comments I have read indicate that some people think the only cost of the cruise for us is the cruise itself.

I never said people that fly in never have any other additional expense like their pet boarding etc., no need for you to be sorry. I apologize if you misread my statement meaning.

[threecats]

I couldn't care less what status anybody has, including myself. But I have often been accused of lacking "proper respect" for titles and status symbols. I cruise because I love being on a ship, not for some preferential treatment or status symbol. And I have been indulging in it as much as I can since moving to Florida and not having to pay for flights. Unfortunately, I still have to work for my living, so I can't cruise as much and long as I would like to.

But I have to admit, that the system is not fair, and it's the same on many cruise lines. After my December B2B I will be Platinum with C&A after 17 nights on board. That in itself is just ridiculous, but if a 3+4 day B2B costs half (or less!) of a 7 day cruise, I'll take the B2B, because I mostly don't really care where the ship is going anyway. I have also spent 39 nights onboard Princess ships, but am still just gold in their Captain's Circle, because it was on 3 cruises only. Princess have started a day based calculation as well, but you need 5 cruises or 50 days to reach Platinum, so they still "penalize" those, that do longer cruises.

[grod19]

I would love to see the breakdown of who is D+ members. Obviously it is easier to achieve in CA or FL but I wonder about the rest of the country. Also I wonder what RCCL is planning for the future. With kids getting cruise credits from mommy and daddy pretty soon they will have a generation of D+ members.

What benefit does a child use as a D+?? I think they should just allow D+ pricing on cabins booked for minors traveling with a D+ parent and give them a coupon book. Once they turn 18 they should now be transferred to whatever status they have earned by cruising themselves.

Personally I couldn't care either way, even when I earn D+ you will catch me at the sports bar getting my before dinner drink and not the CL.

[Happy ks]

I remember when we started cruising on RCI and they had us fill out the C & A membership form after our first cruise. Since we live in CA and Monarch was only an hour away, we did cruise 1 - 3 times per year on her for a few years and accumulated the C & A points. I hardly paid attention to them, none of it really means all that much to us with the exception of the balcony discount we enjoy now as D members.

A while back I considered a couple more RCI cruises to get additional points, we're still 8 away from D+ and will have 2 more points by next April. But, nah, not really worth it to us. We'll get there someday, we're in no rush.

We're not terribly impressed that others have more points than us. We're happy they can vacation often...good for them. But to cruise to just obtain points? I'd rather save the $$ and go on a really nice longer vacation, maybe not even a cruise!

[Laura.]

Originally Posted by grod19

What benefit does a child use as a D+?? I think they should just allow D+ pricing on cabins booked for minors traveling with a D+ parent and give them a coupon book. Once they turn 18 they should now be transferred to whatever status they have earned by cruising themselves.

I was told by the LA on my last cruise that this is the case - once you turn 18, you only get to retain the status that you deserve based on cruises that you have been on yourself (not the total of how many your parents have been on). You only get to match the status of your parents if you are still a "youth" C&A member. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[SEASONEDCRUZER]

Originally Posted by MAZANDSTEVE

Absolutely, its not likely that people are going to refuse them, good luck to those that have the opportunity to do this, yes I am jealous but not in a nasty way.perhaps envious is the word, yes.

I agree! Who cares how someone achieved the C & A status, didn't we all "buy" the level we are at? After all we "paid" for the cruise so we did in effect "buy" our C & A status

I am also waaaaaay envious of folks who live near enough to a year round port that they can board a cruise without flying! I have often "wished" I lived in LAX or MIA/FLL, but I don't, so I have to fly and can't take the long weekend type cruises I would like to, but that doesn't mean I would deny the C & A points for the folks who do!

[Tagsalong]

Originally Posted by Laura.

I was told by the LA on my last cruise that this is the case - once you turn 18, you only get to retain the status that you deserve based on cruises that you have been on yourself (not the total of how many your parents have been on). You only get to match the status of your parents if you are still a "youth" C&A member. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Bad info from the LA. Our son is Diamond at age 36 with just two cruises because he sailed with us a few years ago. Same address, same last name does it. Like it or not, it's company policy.

[PH8]

Originally Posted by Tagsalong

Bad info from the LA. Our son is Diamond at age 36 with just two cruises because he sailed with us a few years ago. Same address, same last name does it. Like it or not, it's company policy.

I think they assume by that age,most "kids" dont live at home anymore and have different addresses........

My daughter is DP if she cruises with us,but if I look at her MY CRUISES,it does say she has 10 credits and she is Diamond.........not the 56 I have...........and thats the way it should be........Love my daughter,but dont believe she should have the DP title with 10 credits.......

I think they should all earn their own.........keep the actual amount they have cruised and thats it............esp after age 18...