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

[storm1of4]

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.

 

 

I agree with you.....

I was D+ before the changes and I am still D+ now. So I can sit and watch the bee's swarm around...so to speak lol Getting to Pen seems so far away.... not even possible.

Seems people were always saying how easy it was to become D and D+ now it has gotten just a little bit harder and ppl are freakin!!!!!

I really think RCi should have made it even harder to get to D. Like say 200 points...after all, they added emerald!!!

The Diamond and D+ benefits are fantastic....It should be a real goal to get to... Seems 175 points is still too easy. RCI may have dropped the ball again in this area... we'll see. :)

[mjldvlks]

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.

As a dedicated price snob, the first thing I always look at when considering a cruise is dollars per day at sea. [At least the first thing after considering whether I have the least interest in going anywhere the ship plans on stopping]. The new changes underscore that approach. With that in mind, the 3/4 day cruises are still worth considering because they are the frequently the best bang for you buck as far as dollars per day. If you are indeed cruising only for C&A status [no comment], the 3/4 day cruises are still attractive because they are a cheap way to get days. And you can take a 3/4/3 day b2b2b beginning one weekend and including the next weekend, get 10 cheap days at sea and basically spend only a week away from work. Of course this is out of the question for me because I am not particularly interested in stopping repeatedly [or ever] at Nassau and Coco Cay.

 

Of course once "they" figure out the Floridians still have an advantage, "they" [feel free to define "they" for yourself] will be after us price snobs and lobbying RCI to base C&A status on what the cruise cost with extra credit for having to fly to the port. Hey wait a minute -- as a Kansan, maybe that's not such a bad idea!!!!

[CruiseOrLoseMe]

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.

 

Here's my analysis, Using RCI conversion calculator

 

For those with 1 to 4 old cruise credits its:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 1 bonus

 

For those with 5 to 7 old cruise credits its:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 3 bonus

 

So for all those who have 8 or more old cruise credits, your formula is:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 13 bonus

 

So bottom line....your actual cruise number of days history is irrelevant from a conversion perspective. All that matters is you old cruise credits.

 

Why these bonus conversion credits at 1, 5, and 8 old cruise credits? I think they did this to allow folks that were close to getting to the next level a better chance of getting there with existing cruises they might have booked.

 

We are a great example...we just got off the Serenade OTS on Saturday. So they changed to the new system during our cruise. We had 8 cruise credits and booked/berthed into a suite in no small part so that we would become Diamond after this cruise. Had they only done a straight 7 for 1 conversion we would have converted our previous 8 to 56 new credits and been 24 away from Diamond which is 2 or 4 cruises (not 1 or 2). I would have blown a gasket. However, with this bonus system our conversion of the 8 is now 69 and hence only 11 away from Diamond (80). Our Suite for 7 days will give us 14 so we will have 83 after this cruise posts and voila...we're diamond as expected...not disgruntled...everyone's happy.

 

With this bonus system, RCI was able to move the thresholds a little further out (e.g. not 70 but 80 for diamond) for future cruisers.

 

So for those with 8 or more cruise credits, we got the biggest bonus...count yourselves lucky. I think those who got hurt the worst are those with 7. They were only 3 cruise credits away from Diamond. Now they are 28 cruise days away from Diamond...the bar moved further away for them.

 

I don't think this system will solve the core problem in the long run though. They're just "kicking the can down the road" with this solution. The ranks of each level will continue to "swell" as more time/cruisers go by. They will eventually have to add the notion of "expiration periods" if they want to manage the number of people in "loyalty" each level. Just like the airlines do.

 

A customer who has 100 cruise credits in the last 7 years is much more valuable/loyal to RCI than a customer who has 100 cruise credits in the last 30 years and hasn't cruised with RCI in the last 20...don't you think? In the current system, they are treated equally. What if they said something like, credits only last 10 years then they expire. Now you have a system that adds and deletes people from the levels. Until they can "delete" they have an issue. The risk we (as customers) run is that another solution is to to continuously "dilute the benefits" like they did for diamonds not being allowed in to CL anymore...we don't want that do we?

 

Anyway, I thought you might be interested. Can you tell I'm an engineer?

 

Take care...

[mascnasamen]

I am so dissapointed with the RCCL Crown and Anchor point change. We booked a back to back in a Junior Suite based on the old point system. We are now going to loose something like half of the credit we would have been given. This is because it was a 3 day and 4 day. This was the first time we had ever done it and we did it because the loyalty ambassador on our last cruise told us we could really get to our Diamond Plus rapidly by doing it. We have 18 credits and this would have put us at 22 on our quest for 24. I can't believe they are changing the system again. They changed it a year ago and made everyone mad and now they're doing it again. Anything to save a penny. If hey had grandfathered any cruises which were already booked and paid for, I would be content with the new changes. Since the cruise bookings were made based on the old system they should be grandfathered in. It's just unfair.

[TheTruthCanHurt]

I usually take a few 4 or five night cruises in a balcony room (by myself even though I usually pay double) I only needed 3 more cruises to become platinum. But now. Under the new rule I would need 7 cruises. According to the press release it says

"It’s important to understand that all our existing Crown & Anchor Society members will continue to enjoy all of their current program benefits and status, plus have the opportunity now to advance to the next tier even faster than before.It’s important to understand that all our existing Crown & Anchor Society members will continue to enjoy all of their current program benefits and status, plus have the opportunity now to advance to the next tier even faster than before."

 

but that simply isnt true. it's actually 3 times longer than before. So once again, along with a terrible new website, they have ruined the customer loyalty program. All of you that are jumping up and down saying "yay" I strongly suggest you actually go and read it. It simply sucks.

[Merion_Mom]

I usually take a few 4 or five night cruises in a balcony room (by myself even though I usually pay double) I only needed 3 more cruises to become platinum. But now. Under the new rule I would need 7 cruises. According to the press release it says

"It’s important to understand that all our existing Crown & Anchor Society members will continue to enjoy all of their current program benefits and status, plus have the opportunity now to advance to the next tier even faster than before.It’s important to understand that all our existing Crown & Anchor Society members will continue to enjoy all of their current program benefits and status, plus have the opportunity now to advance to the next tier even faster than before."

 

but that simply isnt true. it's actually 3 times longer than before. So once again, along with a terrible new website, they have ruined the customer loyalty program. All of you that are jumping up and down saying "yay" I strongly suggest you actually go and read it. It simply sucks.

According to your signature, you have taken five cruises on Royal Caribbean, therefore you are already Platinum.

 

I am confused.

[FLSteve11]

Here's my analysis, Using RCI conversion calculator

 

For those with 1 to 4 old cruise credits its:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 1 bonus

 

For those with 5 to 7 old cruise credits its:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 3 bonus

 

So for all those who have 8 or more old cruise credits, your formula is:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 13 bonus

 

So bottom line....your actual cruise number of days history is irrelevant from a conversion perspective. All that matters is you old cruise credits.

 

Why these bonus conversion credits at 1, 5, and 8 old cruise credits? I think they did this to allow folks that were close to getting to the next level a better chance of getting there with existing cruises they might have booked.

 

We are a great example...we just got off the Serenade OTS on Saturday. So they changed to the new system during our cruise. We had 8 cruise credits and booked/berthed into a suite in no small part so that we would become Diamond after this cruise. Had they only done a straight 7 for 1 conversion we would have converted our previous 8 to 56 new credits and been 24 away from Diamond which is 2 or 4 cruises (not 1 or 2). I would have blown a gasket. However, with this bonus system our conversion of the 8 is now 69 and hence only 11 away from Diamond (80). Our Suite for 7 days will give us 14 so we will have 83 after this cruise posts and voila...we're diamond as expected...not disgruntled...everyone's happy.

 

With this bonus system, RCI was able to move the thresholds a little further out (e.g. not 70 but 80 for diamond) for future cruisers.

 

So for those with 8 or more cruise credits, we got the biggest bonus...count yourselves lucky. I think those who got hurt the worst are those with 7. They were only 3 cruise credits away from Diamond. Now they are 28 cruise days away from Diamond...the bar moved further away for them.

 

I don't think this system will solve the core problem in the long run though. They're just "kicking the can down the road" with this solution. The ranks of each level will continue to "swell" as more time/cruisers go by. They will eventually have to add the notion of "expiration periods" if they want to manage the number of people in "loyalty" each level. Just like the airlines do.

 

A customer who has 100 cruise credits in the last 7 years is much more valuable/loyal to RCI than a customer who has 100 cruise credits in the last 30 years and hasn't cruised with RCI in the last 20...don't you think? In the current system, they are treated equally. What if they said something like, credits only last 10 years then they expire. Now you have a system that adds and deletes people from the levels. Until they can "delete" they have an issue. The risk we (as customers) run is that another solution is to to continuously "dilute the benefits" like they did for diamonds not being allowed in to CL anymore...we don't want that do we?

 

Anyway, I thought you might be interested. Can you tell I'm an engineer?

 

Take care...

 

Sadly, I think life will "delete" many of the higher credit count people over time, as they tend to be older (in order to have that much time to do so many cruises)

 

The new problem now with runaway counts is going to be the suites. Being able to double your days on cheaper longer cruises (transatlantic/repositioning) is going to allow a new group of people to run into the upper levels, just not as easily as before.

[grand isle joe]

Sadly, I think life will "delete" many of the higher credit count people over time, as they tend to be older (in order to have that much time to do so many cruises)

 

 

......do you mean going to the great suite in the sky?......or in some of the C.C.'s members the steerage down below...;):D:D

[taxatty]

If you are indeed cruising only for C&A status [no comment], the 3/4 day cruises are still attractive because they are a cheap way to get days. And you can take a 3/4/3 day b2b2b beginning one weekend and including the next weekend, get 10 cheap days at sea and basically spend only a week away from work. Of course this is out of the question for me because I am not particularly interested in stopping repeatedly [or ever] at Nassau and Coco Cay.

 

Of course once "they" figure out the Floridians still have an advantage, "they" [feel free to define "they" for yourself] will be after us price snobs and lobbying RCI to base C&A status on what the cruise cost with extra credit for having to fly to the port.

You answered your own question. I obviously love the Majesty, having been on it 8 times--but never b2b or b2b2b. I can't imagine doing it b2b2b for 10 days "just for the cruise points" with the same itinerary, meal and activities schedule (except one day at Key West) three times in a row on a ship where there is simply not that much to do relative to the larger, more modern ships with longer itineraries, unless you REALLY like Coco Cay or bring lots of books to read or work to do on the ship--but I've certainly run into quite a few pax over the years who were doing just that.

Les

[whalingcity]

You answered your own question. I obviously love the Majesty, having been on it 8 times--but never b2b or b2b2b. I can't imagine doing it b2b2b for 10 days "just for the cruise points" with the same itinerary, meal and activities schedule (except one day at Key West) three times in a row on a ship where there is simply not that much to do relative to the larger, more modern ships with longer itineraries, unless you REALLY like Coco Cay or bring lots of books to read or work to do on the ship--but I've certainly run into quite a few pax over the years who were doing just that.

 

Les

 

Les, I did a BTB in December with a few girlfriends and trust me we made our own good time and found enough to do along with relaxing by the pool. I ended up not getting off the ship in some ports since I had already visited them on the 1st half of the BTB. The pool area was not crowded so it worked for me and I was happy reading a book ordering a drink and veggy until some of my friends came back onboard.

I don't think it would be as much fun if it were just DH and me for this type of BTB but it was fun and looking forward to doing it next December.

[mjldvlks]

You answered your own question. . .

What question was that?

[taxatty]

What question was that?

Maybe I read too much into your comment, but...

 

"You can take a 3/4/3 day b2b2b beginning one weekend and including the next weekend, get 10 cheap days at sea and basically spend only a week away from work."

 

Your question, in essence...Would I ever do this?

 

"....I am not particularly interested in stopping repeatedly [or ever] at Nassau and Coco Cay."

 

My point was that I agreed with you, but no big deal.

[sjcruiser]

I'm please with the new levels, and have more points than I though I would. Two cruises down with Royal, and half way to platinum. I'm already planning a cruise for the summer, so that will get me closer.

[Cancunense]

I have two transatlantics booked with friends we always meet in the concierge lounge.

It would change my trip substancially to be locked out of the lounge.

The calculator on the rccl.com site is not accurate of the days I actually cruised (154)

I have 27 cruise credits IF December on the Oasis counted as "2" as was mentioned.

Is the calculator accurate ?

Thank you in advance...gettings from Cancun

[snoozycruisee]

A new C & A member will get one point for every night sailed. So if a New C & A Member sails (3) 11 night cruises, they will accrue 33 Points. On the contrary, a current C & A Member who had sailed (3) 11 night cruises for a total of 33 nights would have received only 22 Points at Conversion. In this case, I would love to hear that my theory is incorrect :rolleyes:

[Merion_Mom]

A new C & A member will get one point for every night sailed. So if a New C & A Member sails (3) 11 night cruises, they will accrue 33 Points. On the contrary, a current C & A Member who had sailed (3) 11 night cruises for a total of 33 nights would have received only 22 Points at Conversion. In this case, I would love to hear that my theory is incorrect :rolleyes:

 

Royal Caribbean changed the system.

 

Things after January 21 are not the same as things before January 21. It's that simple.

[Loucat]

As a dedicated price snob, the first thing I always look at when considering a cruise is dollars per day at sea. [At least the first thing after considering whether I have the least interest in going anywhere the ship plans on stopping]. The new changes underscore that approach. With that in mind, the 3/4 day cruises are still worth considering because they are the frequently the best bang for you buck as far as dollars per day. If you are indeed cruising only for C&A status [no comment], the 3/4 day cruises are still attractive because they are a cheap way to get days. And you can take a 3/4/3 day b2b2b beginning one weekend and including the next weekend, get 10 cheap days at sea and basically spend only a week away from work. Of course this is out of the question for me because I am not particularly interested in stopping repeatedly [or ever] at Nassau and Coco Cay.

 

Of course once "they" figure out the Floridians still have an advantage, "they" [feel free to define "they" for yourself] will be after us price snobs and lobbying RCI to base C&A status on what the cruise cost with extra credit for having to fly to the port. Hey wait a minute -- as a Kansan, maybe that's not such a bad idea!!!!

 

Anyone wanting to move to Florida to take advantage of nearby ports, we have plenty of real estate for sale so come on down! It was 70+ degrees today!

[Cancunense]

"Actually, no. The way the system worked is you had 4 cruise credits. That's it. Didn't matter if you got there through suites, 3-night, 11-night 50-night, etc. They were not taking cruise points (notice they don't call them days at sea, but points) into account at all. This is how you earned it under the previous system.

 

The new system is converting those credits into points, in the manner they have decided to do it. From then on, it will now be cruise days being used as the primary method for obtaining new points. Your previous cruise days were not looked at by RCCL (outside of giving an extra credit for the 12+ night cruises), either in the previous system or the conversion, it is only now that they are taking them into account. So whatever number of days you sailed before this, just does not matter in their calculations.

 

I didnt understand the calculator...because I know I have cruised 144 days and it showed over 200...THANK YOU . I am not going to cancel my next two cruises booked :) THANK YOU

[beachbuddy]

Here's my analysis, Using RCI conversion calculator

 

For those with 1 to 4 old cruise credits its:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 1 bonus

 

For those with 5 to 7 old cruise credits its:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 3 bonus

 

So for all those who have 8 or more old cruise credits, your formula is:

 

(Number of old cruise credits) x 7 + 13 bonus

 

So bottom line....your actual cruise number of days history is irrelevant from a conversion perspective. All that matters is you old cruise credits.

 

Why these bonus conversion credits at 1, 5, and 8 old cruise credits? I think they did this to allow folks that were close to getting to the next level a better chance of getting there with existing cruises they might have booked.

 

We are a great example...we just got off the Serenade OTS on Saturday. So they changed to the new system during our cruise. We had 8 cruise credits and booked/berthed into a suite in no small part so that we would become Diamond after this cruise. Had they only done a straight 7 for 1 conversion we would have converted our previous 8 to 56 new credits and been 24 away from Diamond which is 2 or 4 cruises (not 1 or 2). I would have blown a gasket. However, with this bonus system our conversion of the 8 is now 69 and hence only 11 away from Diamond (80). Our Suite for 7 days will give us 14 so we will have 83 after this cruise posts and voila...we're diamond as expected...not disgruntled...everyone's happy.

 

With this bonus system, RCI was able to move the thresholds a little further out (e.g. not 70 but 80 for diamond) for future cruisers.

 

So for those with 8 or more cruise credits, we got the biggest bonus...count yourselves lucky. I think those who got hurt the worst are those with 7. They were only 3 cruise credits away from Diamond. Now they are 28 cruise days away from Diamond...the bar moved further away for them.

 

I don't think this system will solve the core problem in the long run though. They're just "kicking the can down the road" with this solution. The ranks of each level will continue to "swell" as more time/cruisers go by. They will eventually have to add the notion of "expiration periods" if they want to manage the number of people in "loyalty" each level. Just like the airlines do.

 

A customer who has 100 cruise credits in the last 7 years is much more valuable/loyal to RCI than a customer who has 100 cruise credits in the last 30 years and hasn't cruised with RCI in the last 20...don't you think? In the current system, they are treated equally. What if they said something like, credits only last 10 years then they expire. Now you have a system that adds and deletes people from the levels. Until they can "delete" they have an issue. The risk we (as customers) run is that another solution is to to continuously "dilute the benefits" like they did for diamonds not being allowed in to CL anymore...we don't want that do we?

 

Anyway, I thought you might be interested. Can you tell I'm an engineer?

 

Take care...

 

I think you just said exactly what I said in my above post about how the points work...........LOL

[snoozycruisee]

Royal Caribbean changed the system.

 

Things after January 21 are not the same as things before January 21. It's that simple.

 

Thanks - Goodness... I sure do understand why some folks are none too happy. After the same 3 Cruises, It will bounce the new Member right past the current Member by 11 Days. Ouch.

[Coralc]

I have two transatlantics booked with friends we always meet in the concierge lounge.

It would change my trip substancially to be locked out of the lounge.

The calculator on the rccl.com site is not accurate of the days I actually cruised (154)

I have 27 cruise credits IF December on the Oasis counted as "2" as was mentioned.

Is the calculator accurate ?

Thank you in advance...gettings from Cancun

 

I already tangled with you about your "cruise history", especially that Navigator TA in October, on which I was a passenger.

 

There was a conversion of cruise credits to cruise points. Since you're in Mexico, you may not be able to see your past cruises. But you need to take it up with Crown & Anchor, if you beleive you have not been properly credited with past cruises. 27 or even 25 credits should have kept you at the D+ level.

[tomwins]

Well, I'm not happy at all since they miscalculated my points. If each night is worth a point, I should have 30 points and Platinum status. But they are showing I only have 29 points and Gold status. I'm getting ready for two cruises this year that will bring me another 26 points and move me to Emerald, but not if they don't calculate it correctly.

[Cancunense]

I appreciate it...

I had not looked at cruise critic until tonite...I simply added my past cruise days and thought I was far away from Diamond plus...which I was recently rewarded, for the 2ND time, if you know what I mean. The concierge lounge was yanked from us already once in the past...all my friends are waiting there for me.THEY have become the reason we cruise...and I would be heartbroken to not have the big party room anymore

THANK YOU...cruise critic people...for being the 1st, the ones to make sense of it...I thought the calculator was WRONG

[wrp96]

Well, I'm not happy at all since they miscalculated my points. If each night is worth a point, I should have 30 points and Platinum status. But they are showing I only have 29 points and Gold status. I'm getting ready for two cruises this year that will bring me another 26 points and move me to Emerald, but not if they don't calculate it correctly.

 

 

Were you Gold before the conversion? If so, then you should be Gold after the conversion. The conversion wasn't based on number of nights. It was solely based on cruise credits times the multiplier plus a bonus.

[Mrsg324]

This is my RC cruise history & I have 38 points. I had 5, so I have no clue how they figured it. One was a balcony but none were jr. suites or suites.

 

7 night

4 night

7 night

7 night

4 night