Cruise Critic Members Up in Arms Over Leaked Carnival Loyalty Program Changes

[Frank12]

Agree 100%...word of mouth is any company`s best advertising

I agree. I certainly don't try to sell CCL to others like I used to.

[wadethegringo]

Does the cruise you are sailing on count towered the 25 day for the past guest party?

 

I think I have 25, But GF wont have unless they count the cruise we are on.

 

18 days and we need all the free drinks we can get lol

[waiting4acruise]

Yes, some damage is done no matter what is released on the 11th because some people are turned off. Fortunatley for CCL, not many of their passengers are CC members.

I assure you the leaked loyalty program has been posted in other places besides CC.

[golfadj]

Does the cruise you are sailing on count towered the 25 day for the past guest party?

 

I think I have 25, But GF wont have unless they count the cruise we are on.

 

18 days and we need all the free drinks we can get lol

 

I wouldnt think so but we shall see.

[Dave994]

Good news! JH just said he went to bat for us with the beards over the loyalty program. Hmmm. I guess that is kind of a different story than "your going to love it" and "it's brilliant"

 

He sure will be a hero to the masses when they change what they were probably going to change anyway after this leak.

[lady_cruiser]

......understand is if you compare RCCL's program, for about the same perks with their platinum compared to CCL's , they only require 30 sail days for plat as opposed to 75 for CCL. ....

Yes but on RCCL once you get to the Diamond Level (we are finally there) it is a very long way to the next level; Diamond Plus. I should live long enough to see that happen.

[yogimax]

 

Good news! JH just said he went to bat for us with the beards over the loyalty program.

 

Seems to me that John should have gone to bat for us BEFORE the program was leaked!

[waiting4acruise]

Seems to me that John should have gone to bat for us BEFORE the program was leaked!

John did, but he struck out.:rolleyes:

[danny91180]

Personally, I guess I am lucky with 8 sailed and 3 booked putting me in the hopefully emerging grace period...What I do not understand is if you compare RCCL's program, for about the same perks with their platinum compared to CCL's , they only require 30 sail days for plat as opposed to 75 for CCL. This is too far apart..If Royal had more offerings from Galveston, I would drop Carnival.. As far as J.H.'s comments, I met him on the Magic , and as I have posted before , he told me we would have some 10 day offerings from Galveston starting July 2013 on the Magic...That , my friend:eek:s, was a bunch of horse doey too..

So there's a grace period? Can you tell me the details about it. I'm also at 8 cruises and have one booked for Aug and planning to more this year.

[danny91180]

You are so right. The only way they can save some face is by giving everyone a minimum of 7 days per cruise. After all, they changed the rules along the way.

 

We once had Carnival call US to take a two-day last-minute add-on after the Destiny came out of drydock. I commented that four hours is a bit of a drive for only a two-day cruise. She said, "But it gets you one more cruise closer to platinum status." I know it was our final decision, but that was the rules of the game. To change the rules midway, when we did our part, and not give credit is just wrong.

Reading your comment reminded me of a time I sat in a Future Cruise seminar on the ship. Part of the presentation was about their VIP program and she even emphasized that you could even take the short Cruse To Nowhere cruise to get to VIP status. I forgot exactly how it was said but the point was to push people to take more cruises, any cruise even the short ones, get to VIP status. It’s sad how they pushed even the short cruises to get to VIP now they pull a bait and switch.

[GRAMMYTAN]

Reading your comment reminded me of a time I sat in a Future Cruise seminar on the ship. Part of the presentation was about their VIP program and she even emphasized that you could even take the short Cruse To Nowhere cruise to get to VIP status. I forgot exactly how it was said but the point was to push people to take more cruises, any cruise even the short ones, get to VIP status. It’s sad how they pushed even the short cruises to get to VIP now they pull a bait and switch.

 

 

I heard that same statement in a FCC seminar in April - just weeks before the new program was leaked.

[Cindy]

....yes but 30 cruise days on RCCL cost more like 75 on Carnival. (ok maybe not that many on Carnival, but they are cheaper to sail with for the most part.)

 

 

I am another person who has recently (since Magic arrived) found RCCL pricing out of Galveston to be a much better deal than CCL pricing. In March, for Spring Break week, we cruised in an Owner's Suite on the Mariner for quite a bit less than an Ocean Suite (Cat. 11) on the Magic. Not only was the cabin less, but suites on Royal Caribbean have quite a few perks tied to them, which are things we really enjoy. I found similar pricing differences for next April, so we're sticking with RCCL for now.

 

 

I'm curious about the points system. I know it says days equals points, and I get that. But is it possible to gain points other ways? Like booking a suite or buying their insurance or purchasing a year out? I dunno, I'm just thinking out loud, so to speak. If it was ONLY going to be one point for one day, then why even call it points? Why not just call it days?

 

 

Other cruise lines do award extra points for spending. On both HAL and RCCL, cruising in a suite earns double points.

On HAL, you also earn an extra point for every $100 of on-board spending up to a limit of the number of days of your cruise. For example, our November cruise is 11 nights, and we're in a suite, which gives us 22 points. Anything we purchase pre-cruise (including excursions, spa, etc.) counts towards points, so we could potentially earn 33 points from one cruise. Our first cruise with HAL could potentially vault us to their second tier, and the benefits are worthwhile. Another thing they do is automatically enter you into the program and award you past passenger status if you've sailed with any CCL brand. Even though we've never sailed with HAL, because of that policy, we'll receive benefits on board, such as a welcome back luncheon (in the MDR) and a champagne brunch!:D

Something RCCL does that I'm looking forward to is that whatever your status is, you receive those benefits on Celebrity, and vice-versa. Since I'll be Diamond on Royal Caribbean after my April cruise, that means I'll get Elite benefits on my first Celebrity cruise. Those are pretty significant when you're talking about dedicated lounges, nightly cocktail parties, etc.

I've always thought cruise-tour days should count towards the total. Cruise tours can be significantly more than the cruise, yet you don't get any credit for taking them.:(

 

I personally think its fine to go forward counting days, but if there is no plan in place to give full credit for cruises IN THE PAST, then I will not be happy.

 

Of course, it wouldnt change my cruising .. just one more thing against how fair Carnival isnt. You cant go back and change how you value cruises TAKEN IN THE PAST WHEN A CRUISE WAS A CRUISE, NO MATTER HOW LONG.

 

 

I agree...nobody should move to a lower tier because they revamped the program. Counting days moving forward is fine, and in my opinion much more fair, but they shouldn't be taking away credit that has already been awarded. Hopefully on Monday we'll find out that they're not!

[firefly333]

I agree...nobody should move to a lower tier because they revamped the program. Counting days moving forward is fine, and in my opinion much more fair, but they shouldn't be taking away credit that has already been awarded. Hopefully on Monday we'll find out that they're not!

 

I dont move to a lower tier, Im just losing the casino free slot entry I loved. It shows I have 18 cruises on Carnival with 102 days, no conversion like RCL did.

 

Im already diamond on RCL and love the free wine nightly. I like white wine, so Im not jealous that diamond plus gets free mixed drinks .. Ill be diamond plus on RCL when I am.

 

John lied to me personally about a bad cruise I took he said he would have someone call me and the cheerleaders on here booed me when I said a lie is still a lie, he said someone would discuss it with me. I was accused of wanting money and worse.. I just wanted someone at Carnival to show they cared about my lousy experience.

 

I have leaned toward RCL ever since John lied to me .. its what it is. I also have had other issues with Carnival, like I booked a OV knowing it was being converted to a balcony on Ecstasy and then $240 more $$ was demanded. I think if Carnival agrees to a price for a particular cabin they should not be allowed to come back later and demand a higher price, or move me where they want .. things like that show me Carnival does not operate at the same level of integrity as RCL.

 

I will continue to do whatever cruise fits my schedule .. the perks dont determine what I book .. though my last cruise on Jewel was sooooo great, its going to be hard to beat.

[halos]

If CCL ever decides to make any changes again in the future...any 'Brilliant' changes ;)....at least you all know that before that change is fully implemented, you will likely have 3 whole years before they manage to disappoint or screw you.

[Cindy]

I also have had other issues with Carnival, like I booked a OV knowing it was being converted to a balcony on Ecstasy and then $240 more $$ was demanded. I think if Carnival agrees to a price for a particular cabin they should not be allowed to come back later and demand a higher price, or move me where they want .. things like that show me Carnival does not operate at the same level of integrity as RCL.

 

 

It's definitely not just Carnival...there are plenty of instances of RCCL making a mess of things recently too. The biggest was renumbering the cabins on the Rhapsody when they did the big refurb and added cabins. The people who had booked coveted corner afts way in advance found themselves moved with no recourse. Maybe it's just the nature of the business in this economy.:(

[H82seaUgo]

It's definitely not just Carnival...there are plenty of instances of RCCL making a mess of things recently too. The biggest was renumbering the cabins on the Rhapsody when they did the big refurb and added cabins. The people who had booked coveted corner afts way in advance found themselves moved with no recourse. Maybe it's just the nature of the business in this economy.:(

 

i bet carnival goes through the same nonsense when they kill the destiny and make her the sunshine.

[True Texan]

we were lied to. simple as that.

 

however, the whole program was a joke, and will be a joke, compared to the other lines.

 

but never will i sail a ship, or chose a line, just for the perks.

 

I agree, we have come to the conclusion the we too old and could never afford to get to the "highest" levels. We have been to many of the ports 2 or three times (6 CCL and 1 RCCL) and have decided to cruise for the ship and save our money by not going on so many expensive excursions. So RCCL Oasis of the Seas see you in June of 2013.

[gliner]

Eh.... I doubt I will ever reach Platinum anyway as I am getting a bit tired of cruising (gasp).

 

The "perks" are not a draw for me anyway.

 

As for JH and his building the program up to be more than it really is, well, IMHO, the "Cruise Director" is just about the most useless position on a ship.

 

Yes, I expect a flame or two over that one, but in my albeit limited cruising experience, I have never had any contact with one. Their announcements are nothing more than sales pitches and they really serve no other purpose than acting cheerleader for the inane poolside competitions.

 

So the new loyalty program is a wash for some, a loss for others, but certainly no gain for anyone except Carnival, and given the upset cruisers, that may be a bit premature.

[Sparky2]

So there's a grace period? Can you tell me the details about it. I'm also at 8 cruises and have one booked for Aug and planning to more this year.

 

This is from an interview between John Heald & Ron (a VP at Carnival) which was posted on John's blog -

 

Since news of the VIFP Club leaked out, we’ve received a lot of questions for clarification from guests with a number of different scenarios that largely fit this description:

“I have five sailings, but plan to sail five more times in the next 12-18 months, will I be grandfathered into the Platinum level of the new program, but using the old program rules?”

So we’re changing the plan based upon early guest feedback. Now, any guest that completes 10 sailings by December 31, 2013, will be allowed to earn Platinum status in the new VIFP Club under the old program rules.

One other important note, once a guest begins his/her 10th sailing, s/he will be considered Platinum in the new program on that 10th sailing.

[Kreeb]

Why folks are so angry is the promises that JH made over the course of the past few years. Now it turns out that he in fact lied to people.....not just distorted the truth or over hyped, he flat out lied. Someone called him out over it on his FB page and he refused to answer the accusation. Like a coward he slithered away and hid. His credibility as Brand Ambassador is now ZERO, and in fact he should resign that post, get off of FB and just revert to being a CD which he can do with a clear conscience.

[danny91180]

Check out the latest Carnival Cruise Line news from Cruise Critic:

 

Cruise Critic Members Up in Arms Over Leaked Carnival Loyalty Program Changes

 

This is from an interview between John Heald & Ron (a VP at Carnival) which was posted on John's blog -

 

Since news of the VIFP Club leaked out, we’ve received a lot of questions for clarification from guests with a number of different scenarios that largely fit this description:

“I have five sailings, but plan to sail five more times in the next 12-18 months, will I be grandfathered into the Platinum level of the new program, but using the old program rules?”

So we’re changing the plan based upon early guest feedback. Now, any guest that completes 10 sailings by December 31, 2013, will be allowed to earn Platinum status in the new VIFP Club under the old program rules.

One other important note, once a guest begins his/her 10th sailing, s/he will be considered Platinum in the new program on that 10th sailing.

 

Can you tell provide the link to this blog? I hope what your saying is true.

[golfadj]

If CCL ever decides to make any changes again in the future...any 'Brilliant' changes ;)....at least you all know that before that change is fully implemented, you will likely have 3 whole years before they manage to disappoint or screw you.

 

Wow something new to look forward to.

 

Next time will be disappointed before they make the changes so as to avoid the rush.

[golfadj]

Why folks are so angry is the promises that JH made over the course of the past few years. Now it turns out that he in fact lied to people.....not just distorted the truth or over hyped, he flat out lied. Someone called him out over it on his FB page and he refused to answer the accusation. Like a coward he slithered away and hid. His credibility as Brand Ambassador is now ZERO, and in fact he should resign that post, get off of FB and just revert to being a CD which he can do with a clear conscience.

 

I will tend to believe him when he announces the change but on something that is pending will believe it when I see it.

[iluvdoxies]

I dont move to a lower tier, Im just losing the casino free slot entry I loved. It shows I have 18 cruises on Carnival with 102 days, no conversion like RCL did.

 

Im already diamond on RCL and love the free wine nightly. I like white wine, so Im not jealous that diamond plus gets free mixed drinks .. Ill be diamond plus on RCL when I am.

 

John lied to me personally about a bad cruise I took he said he would have someone call me and the cheerleaders on here booed me when I said a lie is still a lie, he said someone would discuss it with me. I was accused of wanting money and worse.. I just wanted someone at Carnival to show they cared about my lousy experience.

 

I have leaned toward RCL ever since John lied to me .. its what it is. I also have had other issues with Carnival, like I booked a OV knowing it was being converted to a balcony on Ecstasy and then $240 more $$ was demanded. I think if Carnival agrees to a price for a particular cabin they should not be allowed to come back later and demand a higher price, or move me where they want .. things like that show me Carnival does not operate at the same level of integrity as RCL.

 

I will continue to do whatever cruise fits my schedule .. the perks dont determine what I book .. though my last cruise on Jewel was sooooo great, its going to be hard to beat.

 

NCL is hard to beat --esp in a suite !

 

On our next cruise on the Dawn, as one of the perks (and there are many), free dinner at the steakhouse- Cagney;s and also the Italian rest !

[5PUPS]

This is from an interview between John Heald & Ron (a VP at Carnival) which was posted on John's blog -

 

Since news of the VIFP Club leaked out, we’ve received a lot of questions for clarification from guests with a number of different scenarios that largely fit this description:

“I have five sailings, but plan to sail five more times in the next 12-18 months, will I be grandfathered into the Platinum level of the new program, but using the old program rules?”

So we’re changing the plan based upon early guest feedback. Now, any guest that completes 10 sailings by December 31, 2013, will be allowed to earn Platinum status in the new VIFP Club under the old program rules.

One other important note, once a guest begins his/her 10th sailing, s/he will be considered Platinum in the new program on that 10th sailing.

 

I have completed 7 cruises as of today. If I complete 3 more before 12/1/13, will I be Platinum on that 3rd cruise? On another thread, I read that you needed to have completed 8 cruises by 6/11/12 and complete 2 more by 12/31/13?

Which one is correct? Thanks.