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

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

I took a 7-night cruise and a 10-night cruise, therefore I should now have 17 points. It says right on their page:

 

Earn one Cruise Point for every cruise night you sail with us

 

Yet, they say "As of January 21, 2011, your 2 Cruise Credits have been converted to 15 Cruise Points."

WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THAT? :mad:

[The Grumpus]

Fred, JS do qualify for double points.

 

14 One Cruise Point for each completed night of sailing and an extra Cruise Point per night when you purchase and sail in suite accommodations (categories RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, A1, A2, A3, CL, OS, FS, GS, JS). Cruisetours are included as an additional night per each day on the cruise tour. Points will be awarded by rate paid not rate berthed, for example, in the instance of an upgrade from an outside to a suite category

Thanks... I forgot to read the fine print.;)

[mjldvlks]

. . . One point I haven't heard anyone else make: What does this new system do to the popularity of the 3-4 night cruises which ships such as Majesty and Monarch sail? Many people cruised on those ships specifically with the intent of quickly increasing their loyalty level. Not anymore.

 

I suspect you will see one of two things -- either the short cruises will disappear [aren't Monarch and Majesty scheduled to leave the fleet anyway?], or you will see "special promotions" similar to the extra credit thing under the old system last December -- book certain short cruises and you will get extra credits.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

Is this a typo? Did you perhaps mean Dec 2010? I ask not to point out an error (if it is one), but to see if I should be getting credits for cruises I have planned but not yet taken.

 

In all honesty I can't figure it out.

Here is my cruise history all in inside or o/v cabins...

3 day on Sovereign 1999

5 day on Enchantment 2008

11 days on Jewel 2009

7 days on Oasis in 2010

4 days on Grandeur in 2010

7 days on Liberty in 2010

3 days on Majesty in 2010

 

Based on my calculation that is 40 nights. However my C&A cruise credit total is reflecting 52...

 

Allure is scheduled for Dec 2011. The numbers are still off, but I had assumed the Allure was added in to that 52 number. Maybe it wasn't and I just scored a major bonus!!

[Mr. Luckytoo]

Much ado about nothing...

[Lynnees]

Curious here - I havent seen anything mentioned (but then I haven't had time to read the whole thread) now that C&A has been converted to days is this going to stop everyone in the household from piggybacking on levels they didn't earn?

[rascalious]

Many have mentioned that they have more points than they should. My 24 cruise credits convert to 181. My history shows only 157 days (points). To keep me at my current D+ status (ie. grandfathering) it seemed necessary for RCI to alot a number above the required 175 points. Using the conversion tool, 24 credits now equate to 181 points - not sure why - but it guarantees that one does not qualify for a lesser level than what they had already achieved.

[Tagsalong]

I just made D+ (haven't been able to use it yet) and all of the changes seem very positive. Only thing I saw ... are they getting rid of the "Diamond Breakfast" for just regular breakfast but you get free coffee if you have Diamond or higher on your card?

 

Exactly the same as before: Under Benefits for D, D+ & P

 

Daily breakfast with specialty coffee7

 

7 Available only when there is breakfast in the dining room. Complimentary specialty coffees are not available in the dining room when the ship has a Diamond Lounge

So, special breakfast area and special coffees on ships that do not have Diamond Lounge.

[ehfl]

We got bumped up a level with the new system, so I'm not upset. The reality is that we cruise for pleasure, not as a contest to race ahead of someone else with points.

[silentbob007]

As per Kewlguy's question ... whenever I've been on Monarch and Majesty out of Florida, it seems to be mostly new or newer cruisers with a peppering of veterans (except during special events, such as Diamonds in December). I'm not thinking it will affect bookings much on those ships as a) newer cruisers may not know/care about C&A points and b) others who like those ships may not care as much.

 

As for those of you wondering about the math ... there is a seperate thread that seems to offer a good explanation of how they the points to days conversion went ... seemed like it was (number of cruises for next level) - (number of cruises short from next level x 7).

[raidz]

It seems a fairer system. I received one cruise credit for a nine day cruise on the Explorer, while others received one for a three day cruise on the Monarch. We have a suite on the Radiance next month. That would have given us two credits under the old system and move us to platinum or ten credits under the new also moving us up to platinum with thirty credits. Seems it will take the about the same to get to emerald.

[kalajori]

We are very pleased with the new C&A changes and feel that RCL was extremely fair to everyone. We also think the new way of counting days at sea is much better than the old cruise credit system. We were D+ before the changes and are still D+. Thanks RCL.

[CruisinDawn]

I noticed it says "suites", and not "Junior Suites and above". Since they don't classify JS's as suites when it comes to CL access, I wonder if they are still classifying JS's for double points?

Fine print says yes Junior Suites count as double points.

One Cruise Point for each completed night of sailing and an extra Cruise Point per night when you purchase and sail in suite accommodations (categories RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, A1, A2, A3, CL, OS, FS, GS, JS).

BonVoyage

Dawna

[ScottNkimmy]

Overall I'm cool with the new program my only real issue is why can RC tie in the other brands they own (Celebrity and Azmara) and just make them all part of the same plan???

[Attapooch]

I'm happy with the changes, but I will admit that I'm getting some amount of perverse pleasure watching folks freak out.

[Cruise Cat]

I like that they have the new Emerald level as we will reach that after our Back to Back later this year!

[CruisinDawn]

As long as Royal Caribbean continues to have double point value for the suites we normally sail in, I am satisfied. The price is typically double the price of an interior cabin so I look forward to receiving 2 for 1 points for the sailing. I hope this change will not make it harder to reserve suites in the future.

 

It looks like I have 3 extra points for some reason, but I'm not complaining. We are still Platinum and it looks like we will be on track to be Diamond at the same time before the C&A change. I wish there was more explination about the new Emerald level. What choices do we have for the welcome aboard amenity? What is the balcony discount? I know it is $100 for platinum and I believe $225 for diamond, but I can't seem to find the Emerald discount on the website anymore.

Look on your profile, you get to choose from a selection of juice & soda.

 

Here is Royal's fine print on the subject.

Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members will receive a pre-selected welcome gift basket on day one of their sailing. The pre-selected gift basket will consist of one sweet, one salty and one fruit snack which will be placed in the guest's stateroom. The guest will also be able to go online to www.RoyalCaribbean.com/UpgradePreferences or call one of our Loyalty Representatives (www.RoyalCaribbean.com/ContactLoyalty) in their local offices to pre-select from a list of beverages to be included with their Welcome Basket. One beverage can be selected per guest 18 years of age or older. Preferences must be entered or updated for your upcoming cruise vacation up to 5 days before a US based sailing and 7 days for an internationally based sailing. The beverage selection list for Emerald and Diamond members will include water, juice and soda items. In addition to the previous list Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members will be able to select certain beers, a house red wine, house white wine or house sparkling wine. If a guest has not selected an item then bottled water will be sent to the stateroom. House alcoholic brands may be substituted or changed upon available inventory.

 

Got myself a Corona!!!

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[Tagsalong]

Curious here - I havent seen anything mentioned (but then I haven't had time to read the whole thread) now that C&A has been converted to days is this going to stop everyone in the household from piggybacking on levels they didn't earn?

 

I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but I definately saw and read this morning (RCCL's Benefits Pages) that children in the same household will get the same status as the parent, so no change here.

[Clarea]

I noticed it says "suites", and not "Junior Suites and above". Since they don't classify JS's as suites when it comes to CL access, I wonder if they are still classifying JS's for double points?

If you look at the small print, they list these categories as eligible for double points: RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, A1, A2, A3, CL, OS, FS, GS, JS.

[iantowns]

I'm happy with the changes, but I will admit that I'm getting some amount of perverse pleasure watching folks freak out.

 

Me too.

 

I think it's very odd that RCI can be acused of 'fraud' by some.

 

Are the perks worth that much anyway?

 

How much is a robe actually worth? We always take our own which are much nicer.

 

Or 25% off a beer in happy hour? That's about $1.50.

 

Most of the gifts are lame in the extreme and deeply uncool. :cool:

 

So why get all hot and bothered over what is pretty worthless anyway.

 

Just enjoy your cruise....

[cruiseguy1016]

Curious here - I havent seen anything mentioned (but then I haven't had time to read the whole thread) now that C&A has been converted to days is this going to stop everyone in the household from piggybacking on levels they didn't earn?

 

DW and I have "earned" Platinum by sailing 5 times. Our two kids have sailed only twice but have "attained" Platinum through our cruises. I just checked our status and here's what I found. First, although DW and I had spent only 29 nights on board during our 5 cruises, we now have 38 cruise points. Big bonus for us IMHO. Second, I checked the kids' accounts and they also have 38 points.

 

So, as of today, the kids status is piggybacked to the parents. I don't what will happen in the future but I will be able to find out in two months. DD is going with us in 7 weeks on our next cruise. DS is staying home. I will check to see if they both get the credit for our next cruise.

[Addict]

Hi All

 

Well it seems like we are in the minority here - we seem to have lost something in the conversion (not able to vote in the poll as there was no option for this).

 

We have only two cruise with RCI so far - but we are Diamond already due to our Elite status with Celebrity.

 

We have a 13 night cruise in a suite (GS) and a 14 night cruise in a suite (GS) - the second one was part of the Diamonds in December promotion so we should have extra for that.

 

They have put us on 52 points. Seems we should have more than that - plus more for the Diamonds in December? Can't get onto Royal's website at the moment - probably too much traffic - so I can't read exactly what the details are. Can anyone help with what we think we should have?

 

Thank you

 

Sue

[Benita]

Overall I'm cool with the new program my only real issue is why can RC tie in the other brands they own (Celebrity and Azmara) and just make them all part of the same plan???

 

Then, there will be more people in the Diamond Lounges than there are people not allowed in. You will get equivalent membership levels in all the plans, but the goal is to slow down the advancement into the higher catagories, not speed it up, which is what combining the numbers will do. It is very difficult to take away perks (remember the explosion of anger when Diamonds were kicked out of the concierge lounge), so it is better to give people a goal to strive for without propelling them too far.

[marci22]

I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but I definately saw and read this morning (RCCL's Benefits Pages) that children in the same household will get the same status as the parent, so no change here.

 

It's under Youth Program Benefits...

 

"Same member status as the parent after your child's first completed cruise." That's great for 2 of my kids, who will be D+ after our next cruise. It really makes up for the crap junior coupon books.

[marci22]

Hi All

 

Well it seems like we are in the minority here - we seem to have lost something in the conversion (not able to vote in the poll as there was no option for this).

 

We have only two cruise with RCI so far - but we are Diamond already due to our Elite status with Celebrity.

 

We have a 13 night cruise in a suite (GS) and a 14 night cruise in a suite (GS) - the second one was part of the Diamonds in December promotion so we should have extra for that.

 

They have put us on 52 points. Seems we should have more than that - plus more for the Diamonds in December? Can't get onto Royal's website at the moment - probably too much traffic - so I can't read exactly what the details are. Can anyone help with what we think we should have?

 

Thank you

 

Sue

 

The Diamonds in December seemed to be something to boost you to the next level. If your level didn't change, I don't think the extra credit does you any good. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

See Evaluator's thread about how the points were calculated.