Do you like the new changes to the C&A Points System?

[1st mate]

My theroy is; The LA would have had more information than I did. And RCCL would have probably had these plans on the table for quite a while.

 

I doubt, these changes were developed over a 4 to 5 month period and then implemented in such a short time frame as this. There was probably some time for planning and discussion.

[Merion_Mom]

My theroy is; The LA would have had more information than I did. And RCCL would have probably had these plans on the table for quite a while.

 

I doubt, these changes were developed over a 4 to 5 month period and then implemented in such a short time frame as this. There was probably some time for planning and discussion.

 

Shipboard personnel are often the last to know ANYTHING.

[UltramarineAV]

The way I understand it is all our previous cruises will end up being worth 7 points, plus they add bonus points depending on the level we achieved.

 

Punch in random credit totals into the cruise point conversion calculator RCI has on the C&A page and you'll see as you increase the number of old credits, the bonus points increase over the 7 point per cruise credit calculation.

 

For example:

If you had only one credit it will translate into 8 credits. (7 + 1 Bonus)

If you had 2 credits it's 15 (14 +1)

When you get to 5 credits, they give you three bonus points bringing your total to 38 (35 + 3)

 

As the old credits go up, the bonus points go up, but each cruise is worth 7 points.

 

While looking backwards, it probably feels like it shafts folks who mostly sailed 9 day or longer crusies in the past, it isn't any worse than if they had just kept the old system. At least now it will be much more fair for everyone going forward, and folks taking long cruises will be rewarded for their nights.

[UltramarineAV]

My theroy is; The LA would have had more information than I did. And RCCL would have probably had these plans on the table for quite a while.

 

I doubt, these changes were developed over a 4 to 5 month period and then implemented in such a short time frame as this. There was probably some time for planning and discussion.

 

Even IF the LA had known about the change (unlikely), you can't really blame them for not letting you know, as ALL companies do not allow their employees to leak possible future changes until the change becomes both: 1) Final and 2) Public.

Otherwise, we'd all be running around using our little bits and pieces of "insider" tips, some would help us, but then some would be inaccurate, and we'd be ticked off that their tip proved false... at our detriment.

 

Really, the only thing they can do is say nothing to anyone, until it is announced to everyone.

[temple1]

I'm okay with the change. I was Diamond before and I'm Diamond now. I'm a little disappointed for my sister. She was 2 points short of Diamond. She was hoping to be Diamond by the time we take a Panama Canal Cruise in a couple of years.

 

My thoughts on any so called Loyalty program - I participate in a program that is owned and controlled by the Corporation. It is up to the company to determine how they want to structure the program. I really do not understand people who are jealous of the way some participants received their points. It is not something that required me to make a purchase or spend money to receive - the company chose to make the program availabvle for me to participate in at no charge to me so more fool me to take exception to how they choose to run their program.

 

Some of the arguments on here have boardered on the ridiculous. Maybe I should get extra points because one of my cruises was during Spring Break and we had to deal with all those kids, or we always purchase the drink package - shouldn't I get a reward for that? Oh, I know - I have taken several cruise line sponsored excursions - that should be worth something. While we're at it - I really think those of us who prepay gratuities should get at least a few extra points. :D

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Sorry if this question has already been answered, but I can't seem to see that it has. For those cruises that were embarked prior to the new system, but not yet credited to the respective C&A accounts. Will they be added as cruise credits (old system) or cruise points (new system)? Will they add the latest cruise as an additional cruise credit or 2 if in a suite or will it just be added to the converted amount as days?

 

Did I make sense? Lol.

 

We cruised on the Mariner starting January 9, returning January 16. When our cruise points were posted on Friday, Jan 21, they did not reflect the 7 night Mariner cruise. Yesterday 7 points were added to our total and our cruise history showed the Mariner cruise. We were in a balcony cabin, not a suite. Looks like C&A are treating the completed cruises just before the announcement as being scheduled under the "new" policy.

[temple1]

I'm okay with the change. I was Diamond before and I'm Diamond now. I'm a little disappointed for my sister. She was 2 points short of Diamond. She was hoping to be Diamond by the time we take a Panama Canal Cruise in a couple of years.

 

My thoughts on any so called Loyalty program - I participate in a program that is owned and controlled by the Corporation. It is up to the company to determine how they want to structure the program. I really do not understand people who are jealous of the way some participants received their points. It is not something that required me to make a purchase or spend money to receive - the company chose to make the program availabvle for me to participate in at no charge to me so more fool me to take exception to how they choose to run their program.

 

Some of the arguments on here have boardered on the ridiculous. Maybe I should get extra points because one of my cruises was during Spring Break and we had to deal with all those kids, or we always purchase the drink package - shouldn't I get a reward for that? Oh, I know - I have taken several cruise line sponsored excursions - that should be worth something. While we're at it - I really think those of us who prepay gratuities should get at least a few extra points. :D

 

 

Some folks on here have waaayyy too much time and I am sure someone will come back and parse my statement in a way that I did not intend.

 

By saying I was not required to make a purchase - I mean I did not need to extra to receive points in the program.

[bob278]

We cruised on the Mariner starting January 9, returning January 16. When our cruise points were posted on Friday, Jan 21, they did not reflect the 7 night Mariner cruise. Yesterday 7 points were added to our total and our cruise history showed the Mariner cruise. We were in a balcony cabin, not a suite. Looks like C&A are treating the completed cruises just before the announcement as being scheduled under the "new" policy.

I think in your case, it would be almost impossible to tell how your cruise was counted. Once your old total was above 8 credits, pretty much all credits were worth 7 points. So your 7 points could be the result of converting one more credit or adding 7 days to the converted total.

 

I can't say exactly where I saw it, but I am pretty sure I saw that cruises that sailed before Jan 21st would be counted under the old method. There was a schedule posted (again I don't remember where) of the sail dates for each ship that would be counted using the new method added to converted totals.

[Merion_Mom]

I think in your case, it would be almost impossible to tell how your cruise was counted. Once your old total was above 8 credits, pretty much all credits were worth 7 points. So your 7 points could be the result of converting one more credit or adding 7 days to the converted total.

 

I can't say exactly where I saw it, but I am pretty sure I saw that cruises that sailed before Jan 21st would be counted under the old method. There was a schedule posted (again I don't remember where) of the sail dates for each ship that would be counted using the new method added to converted totals.

 

Here it is. I am sorry that the chart formatting could not be copied.

 

 

Q: When is the Crown & Anchor Society program changing?

A: The program changes will be announced beginning January 21, 2010 and will take full affect onboard our 21 ships soon afterward. The schedule to rollout the new Crown & Anchor Society enhancements is as follows:

 

SHIP 1st SAIL DATE PORT

Monarch January 24 Port Canaveral

Majesty January 24 Miami

Legend January 24 Singapore

Splendour January 23 Sao Paulo (Santos)

Grandeur January 23 Colon, Panama

Rhapsody January 22 Sydney, Australia

Enchantment January 29 Baltimore

Vision January 22 Sao Paulo (Santos)

Voyager January 23 Galveston

Explorer January 28 Bayonne

Adventure January 23 San Juan

Navigator January 24 Fort Lauderdale

Mariner February 1 Valparaiso, Chile

Radiance January 22 Tampa

Brilliance January 24 Dubai

Serenade January 22 San Juan

Jewel January 24 Fort Lauderdale

Freedom January 23 Port Canaveral

Liberty January 30 Miami

Independence January 26 Southampton, UK

Oasis January 22 Fort Lauderdale

Allure January 23 Fort Lauderdale

 

In other words, no mid-cruise changes.

 

Each ship will be in compliance with the new rules on its first cruise after today, January 21. ;)

[bob278]

You covered me again. Thank you.

[Tagsalong]

I think in your case, it would be almost impossible to tell how your cruise was counted. Once your old total was above 8 credits, pretty much all credits were worth 7 points. So your 7 points could be the result of converting one more credit or adding 7 days to the converted total.

 

I can't say exactly where I saw it, but I am pretty sure I saw that cruises that sailed before Jan 21st would be counted under the old method. There was a schedule posted (again I don't remember where) of the sail dates for each ship that would be counted using the new method added to converted totals.

 

Not so for the cruise points; it's only the on-board enhancements that fall under the scheduling format posted by Merion-Mom. Others have confirmed, as suzyluvs2cruise just stated with her Mariner cruise, that any cruise taken before Jan 21, but not yet accounted for in "my cruises", because of the 14 day delay, will be credited as the number of nights sans any bonus points. In other words, you will get the current program add-on, not a cruise credit which is then converted by some formula into a new higher (than the actual nights) number . Make sense?

 

Others have called C&A complaining they were somehow screwed/cheated out of points since the cruise was pre-Jan 21, but to no avail. This is just the way they have decided to handle these situations.

[Merion_Mom]

Not so for the cruise points; it's only the enhansements that fall under the scheduling format posted by Merion-Mom. Others have confirmed, as suzyluvs2cruise just stated with her Mariner cruise, that any cruise taken before Jan 21, but not yet accounted for in "my cruises", because of the 14 day delay, will be credited as the number of nights sans any bonus points. In other words, you will get the current program add-on, not a cruise credit which is then converted by some formula into a new higher (than the actual nights) number . Make sense?

 

Others have called C&A complaining they were somehow screwed/cheated out of points since the cruise was pre-Jan 21, but to no avail. This is just the way they have decided to handle these situations.

 

Actually, Cody reported that he had his credited according to the pre-Jan 21 accounting.

[Tagsalong]

Actually, Cody reported that he had his credited according to the pre-Jan 21 accounting.

 

Who is Cody?

[Merion_Mom]

Who is Cody?

::::

I took a 5 night on the NOS last week, I had 7 credits before that cruise and 8 after. The cruise hasn't shown up on MyCruises account yet, but I assumed that since I took the cruise BEFORE the system was in place, that it would be factored in with my other previous cruises. I called C&A with a different question and while I had the agent on the line asked about this. She spoke to her supervisor and said even though I took the cruise before the change was made, since their system has a delay I would only be given 5 points as opposed to the 17 their calculator would have given me. Someone tell me if I'm being unreasonable. I just don't feel that I should be shorted 12 credits because their system has a delay. I took the cruise before the change, with no information about the change, it should be treated in the same way as my other old cruises. If it helps I'm fairly new to cruising and 6 out of those 8 cruises have been taken within the past year and a half. I was hoping to work my way up the scale pretty fast, but if they're going to short me 12 points just because of a delay in their system, I might just try out another line. Thanks for listening to the rant. :rolleyes:

 

So, Samantha from C&A just called. Possibly the rudest person I've ever encountered with RCL. She told me that I was wrong and their calculator does not show 69 credits even though many of you have confirmed that it does. Instead, she told me that under the new system I have more credits than I would have and I should just be happy. I insisted that the online calculator showed this, and she just said that every cruise taken prior was multiplied by 7 and that's how they got their points. I'm angrier now than I was before. If they had said that they would use the new system because that's when the points came in, I would be upset but eventually calmed down. She basically called me a liar and told me I was lucky for what I had.

 

Okay, Samantha called back, a bit nicer this time, I'll assume she had a rough day and I was the one thing keeping her from going home ;) Anyway, I firmly believe that RCL reads this board because shortly after writing that I get the return call. She gave me my 69 points and asked if I had any family who's points need to be adjusted aswell. I'm very glad she was able to help me, I was trying to find a spring break cruise, there was a 5 night on the Radiance for $650 and a 7 night on HAL for $450. I was 2 seconds away from going with HAL but I'll stick with the Radiance. I'm glad RCL came to reason on this issue.

[beachbuddy]

We cruised on the Mariner starting January 9, returning January 16. When our cruise points were posted on Friday, Jan 21, they did not reflect the 7 night Mariner cruise. Yesterday 7 points were added to our total and our cruise history showed the Mariner cruise. We were in a balcony cabin, not a suite. Looks like C&A are treating the completed cruises just before the announcement as being scheduled under the "new" policy.

 

If you originally had 6 or less credits and they already converted your credits to points, then adding 7 would be the same as if they gave you a credit to put you at 7 credits and then converted you. If you originally had 8 or more, adding 7 would be the same thing because they would have already given you the extra points.

 

However if you originally had 7 credits this cruise would have given you 8 and that was the magic number where you would have gotten 13 points added on to the total. So if that's the case, I'd sure call RCCL and tell them to re-calculate your credits. Not sure which category you fall into.

[curley23]

Some folks on here have waaayyy too much time and I am sure someone will come back and parse my statement in a way that I did not intend.

 

By saying I was not required to make a purchase - I mean I did not need to extra to receive points in the program.

 

You are certainly correct on that. After reading most of this jibberish the past several weeks it has been quite comical, and quite sad. Some people just have no life, and make it this. They seem to know every post on every thread and everything about everything else.

All the hoopla, speculation , whining , crying, going on and on about big bad RC and how they will make all these big changes and screw everyone.

I can see the RC execs laughing now after watching the fiasco here unfold, only to really come back with pretty much the same thing they always had.

PT Barnum was correct.

[Loves_Dogs]

curley23 -

OMG.....LOL...you are so funny and so correct. A few here are self appointed experts, thread police.... They are sometimes helpful, often rude and are all over nearly every thread. Thanks for the chuckle.

[Tagsalong]

Merion_Mom

 

So I was correct. However, Cody was a squeeky wheel and got a fix, or exception to the rule. I applaud him/her for this as it is what I would have done if in a similar situation.

 

Now that they have set a precedent, Suzyluvs2cruise, and others, should call and state their case, using Cody's story to strengthen their position, IMHO. Maybe they will just change their policy re. these pre-Jan.21 cruises, but I doubt it. I'll bet only those who call will get the extra points they deserve.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Not so for the cruise points; it's only the on-board enhancements that fall under the scheduling format posted by Merion-Mom. Others have confirmed, as suzyluvs2cruise just stated with her Mariner cruise, that any cruise taken before Jan 21, but not yet accounted for in "my cruises", because of the 14 day delay, will be credited as the number of nights sans any bonus points. In other words, you will get the current program add-on, not a cruise credit which is then converted by some formula into a new higher (than the actual nights) number . Make sense?

 

Others have called C&A complaining they were somehow screwed/cheated out of points since the cruise was pre-Jan 21, but to no avail. This is just the way they have decided to handle these situations.

 

Merion_Mom

 

So I was correct. However, Cody was a squeeky wheel and got a fix, or exception to the rule. I applaud him/her for this as it is what I would have done if in a similar situation.

 

Now that they have set a precedent, Suzyluvs2cruise, and others, should call and state their case, using Cody's story to strengthen their position, IMHO. Maybe they will just change their policy re. these pre-Jan.21 cruises, but I doubt it. I'll bet only those who call will get the extra points they deserve.

 

I think in your case, it would be almost impossible to tell how your cruise was counted. Once your old total was above 8 credits, pretty much all credits were worth 7 points. So your 7 points could be the result of converting one more credit or adding 7 days to the converted total.

 

I can't say exactly where I saw it, but I am pretty sure I saw that cruises that sailed before Jan 21st would be counted under the old method. There was a schedule posted (again I don't remember where) of the sail dates for each ship that would be counted using the new method added to converted totals.

 

 

 

 

Fortunately my cruise points are correct. I was posting my experience as to how points were added for our recent Mariner cruise. Bob's right.....a 7 night cruise, for us, would have come out the same either way.

 

For others, like Cody, the formula didn't work. I hope all who are in a similar situation to Cody's are given the cruise points they've earned.

[CarpeCerevisi]

As I was a D+ prior to the changes they have little effect on me. Since it's unlikely I'll get to Pinnacle in any foreseeable time the only thing I have to shoot for is the discount on the single supplement at 350 points. Since I always travel solo and never in July or August, having the single supplement reduced to 150% is very meaningful to me. Under the old system I had 36 credits and needed 13 more to get the reduction, now I have 265 points and need 85 more, if I were taking only seven day cruises that would come to 12 cruises plus one day. The difference for me, then, is I'll need to take more longer cruises and less shorter ones, which is what anyone else wanting to get to the next C&A level will need to do.

[yj2cute]

As I was a D+ prior to the changes they have little effect on me. Since it's unlikely I'll get to Pinnacle in any foreseeable time the only thing I have to shoot for is the discount on the single supplement at 350 points. Since I always travel solo and never in July or August, having the single supplement reduced to 150% is very meaningful to me. Under the old system I had 36 credits and needed 13 more to get the reduction, now I have 265 points and need 85 more, if I were taking only seven day cruises that would come to 12 cruises plus one day. The difference for me, then, is I'll need to take more longer cruises and less shorter ones, which is what anyone else wanting to get to the next C&A level will need to do.

 

Which was exactly the point of all of this. RCCL, mission accomplished.

[crntrx250r]

Does this mean if some one goes form Elite on Caption club to Royal Caribean Crown and Anchor they will have Benefit as of Emerald member Not as of Diamond Member. If some one have over 30 Cruise On Celebrity Cruise would they only have Benefit the as of Emerald Member not Diamond Plus?

[celle]

Does this mean if some one goes form Elite on Caption club to Royal Caribean Crown and Anchor they will have Benefit as of Emerald member Not as of Diamond Member. If some one have over 30 Cruise On Celebrity Cruise would they only have Benefit the as of Emerald Member not Diamond Plus?

 

Elite on Celebrity = Diamond privileges on RCI.

 

I think I've seen you ask this question on 2 other threads and you have received the same answer on both of them. Are you now sure where you stand?

[Familygoboston]

Clearly this is designed to benefit those with lots of time to cruise;), as the new system reward based on # of nights rather than each cruise. That said, I found that they were generous about "crediting" our shorter cruises in the past, so that we didn't "lose" any benefits under the new scheme. But clearly going forward, it will take longer to move levels if you are taking shorter cruises. Of course that is somewhat fair, based on the fact that longer cruises are usually cost more moolah!

I'm wondering if they will still have reciprocal benefits with Celebrity and Azamara? We are considering one of those in 2012 and were hoping to be recognized at the same level. (hey, I like my robe!)

Like most things that change, Im sure there will be people all lathered up...therefore I love your option on the poll for self selecting as a complainer. LOL!

[mainelycarib]

I have been loyally working my way to my 10th RCCL cruise so I could get Diamond. With 7 cruises under my belt, I had three 7-day cruises to go!!! Now, I will have to take 5 more cruises to get to Diamond.

 

Another way to look at this. Under the old system, TEN 7-day cruises got you to Diamond. Now, you need TWELVE 7-day cruises to get past the 80 point mark for Diamond membership. I'm kinda bummed about this as I was anticipating reaching Diamond status next year.

 

Selfishly, I feel Diamond status should remain at 70 points, which is 10 7-day cruises.