Is Fred cutting back on Gold perks ?

Boudica 28 night cruise from Liverpool - October/November 20014.

No priority registration or boarding, no complimentary shuttle bus passes. These are advertised as benefits of Oceans Gold membership.

Are they being quietly phased out ?

We have had a mailing recently and it included a leaflet with Oceans T&C's from Sept 2014. I cannot see any mention of priority embarkation or free shuttle bus tickets, but it does say gold members can have one complimentary drink each in the terminal if embarking at Southampton or Dover. So looks like there could have been changes.

I could be wrong as I have only skimmed through the leaflet.

Perhaps there are now too many gold members and they should introduce a platinum member level at 200 points to reinstate the benefits?

We have had a mailing recently and it included a leaflet with Oceans T&C's from Sept 2014. I cannot see any mention of priority embarkation or free shuttle bus tickets, but it does say gold members can have one complimentary drink each in the terminal if embarking at Southampton or Dover. So looks like there could have been changes.

 

I could be wrong as I have only skimmed through the leaflet.

Hmm.. both the priority embarkation and the shuttle tickets are still listed online at the moment so someone expecting those benefits would have some justification in complaining if they were not provided.

Perhaps there are now too many gold members and they should introduce a platinum member level at 200 points to reinstate the benefits?

Good point. Well said.

wft

I think increasing the qualification for "Gold" may well come. When you attend the cocktail partes most of the passengers seem to attend. I know there are always "gatecrashers" but the number of real members seems to be growing very rapidly.

The Gold benefits are still there if you book on a Freedom Fare.

There is no longer a Gold check in desk but once you check in, if you are Gold and on a Freedom Fare, you should be given a Gold Priority embarkation card, if on Anchor Fare you wait your turn along with everyone else.

All passengers on Freedom Fare get free shuttle tickets, even first timers, again if Gold but on Anchor you have to pay.

I am Gold and do a mixture of Freedom and Anchor fares, when on an Anchor Fare, I accept that I have paid much less than others on a Freedom Fare and fully understand that I have to pay for some extras, its still a much cheaper deal.

The Gold benefits are still there if you book on a Freedom Fare.

 

There is no longer a Gold check in desk but once you check in, if you are Gold and on a Freedom Fare, you should be given a Gold Priority embarkation card, if on Anchor Fare you wait your turn along with everyone else.

 

All passengers on Freedom Fare get free shuttle tickets, even first timers, again if Gold but on Anchor you have to pay.

 

I am Gold and do a mixture of Freedom and Anchor fares, when on an Anchor Fare, I accept that I have paid much less than others on a Freedom Fare and fully understand that I have to pay for some extras, its still a much cheaper deal.

That seems a reasonable and fair explanation. I had not appreciated the differences applied re the fares as this was the first time I have booked an "anchor fare". (a fairly late decision to book another cruise this year). Strangely though this does not appear to apply to the welcome gift as this still appeared in our cabin on the second day. Quite appreciated - but I do wish they wouldn't include such peculiar flavour of crisps :)

- but I do wish they wouldn't include such peculiar flavour of crisps :)

Surely you are not expecting them to give away something they could otherwise have sold ... :)