The Death of the Coupon Books (Ultimate Value Booklets)?

[knittinggirl]

My wife dragged me to Kohls a few weeks back and a grumpy grandma behind me chided that using a coupon from the screen of my phone shouldn't be allowed because I didn't take the time to cut it out and hand it to the cashier. Her coupon was more valid because it was paper in her hands. CHANGE IS BAD!

 

However, your point is valid today because FOR NOW there is a boatload (HA!) of cash in those hands.

 

I've been refused at the grocery store for handing them a coupon printed at home.

 

I guess I'll have to drag my husband with me when I use the computer instead of having guest relations put all our internet minutes on my account.

 

I won a free Princess Coffee Card in a twitter contest, but by the time I got on the ship, they stopped honoring the unlimited coffee, tea and cocoa (unless you purchased it on the ship). They did honor the punches though.

 

I wonder if the discounts will vary depending on what they need to sell. I also wonder if the discounts will vary across the fleet.

[knittinggirl]

One more thing on this. On our December cruise, I used my BOGO drink coupons and charged it to my sea pass. Since the OBC was listed on DH's card, they at first charged and then credited my account, and put it on his sea pass account. Both accounts under one credit card #, BTW. This, I think, will not end well with their accounting department.

 

I've had a lot of charges backed out of the secondary seapass account, then added to the primary.

[cruise wizard]

I can see why RCL came up with this idea. Imagine how much money they can save by not printing all those partially used or never used coupon books, left in the cabins, only to be thrown away by the cabin attendants.

 

And think of all the trees that will be saved. I know that there will be lots of birds and squirrles happy that their homes won't be destroyed just so someone can get a coupon book that they probably never planned on using. :p

 

But think of all of the jobs that will be lost - the tree farmer, logger, hauler, paper mill workers, truckers, printers, packaging workers, recyclers, delivery people, salesmen, customer service, suppliers of ink, printing plates, payroll taxes, sales tax income to the government to run social services, keep social security afloat.........and the list goes on and on. The deletion of the printed books could start the next recession.

[Moon Beam]

I love the idea of just loading the perks on the card. As noted, it saves trees and speaking for myself I like the idea of not dealing with the paper version.

[Trekker954]

While I understand the "paperless environment" they are heading towards and why, it's kind of a shame, actually in our case.

 

We often use the coupons we aren't going to use to "pay it forward" in a sense...if there's a coupon in there that we know we're not going to use, we have often given them to people in the venue that the coupons apply to. For example, on one of our last cruises, we had one for the photos taken on board, and didn't like ANY of our photos. There was a couple that had a handful of their pictures waiting to check out, so we handed them our coupon, and stuck around to be sure there wouldn't be an issue (there wasn't). :)

 

Nothing to do with whether they "earned" it or similar for us...we HAD "earned" it and felt it was ours to do with as we saw fit. I'd rather see it used than not. :rolleyes:

 

JMHO/YMMV:D

 

Very nice. I was in a store I don't frequent waiting in line, when someone walked up and asks do you have a coupon and I say no and they hand me one saying they weren't going to use it and walk out the store. I felt like I hit the jackpot with my 25% off coupon in hand. And thought "how very nice of them"!

[knittinggirl]

I was reading the latest "Why Not?" blog entry by Adam Goldstein and he threw out this little nugget --

 

"And soon the Ultimate Value Booklet of onboard savings will evolve to a paperless format where the offers will be loaded right on to our loyal guests’ Seapass cards for automatic application."

 

If I'm interpreting this correctly (and it seems pretty straight forward) there will come a time (soon) when we will no longer have the coupon booklets in our cabins. I'm not exactly sure how the onboard savings would work in a paperless format... the free match play in the casino for instance. Or the free slot pulls.

 

 

I can see some benefits for them in this. Reduced printing costs, reduced costs everytime the coupons are updated, plus it would kill the ebay resell market on coupon books.

 

Are there benefits for us? Or is this going to complicate things for the passengers?

 

 

Thoughts?

 

http://www.answeritroyally.com/blog/?p=5264

 

We have something called ''evalues'' at Sam's Club, that are supposed to deduct automatically at the check register. But I can't tell you how many times, they haven't. Sometimes, they go ahead and add them manually, and some times they tell you it's already been used, when it hadn't.

 

Still, I like not needing to click coupons. When it works right, it's wonderful!

 

Think of all the paper they throw away each cruise! By the end of a 7-day cruise, we have a stack of paper about 3-inches high. Mostly, spa specials, on board specials, etc. Skip the ads, and just give us the compass. Those coupon books don't take up much space on our pile, it's all those 8 x 11" flyers.

[critterchick]

We've been known to carry over unused coupons from one cruise to the next. Nobody's perfect. I don't have a problem with coding the Seapasses if they can actually get it right. Given how long it took to get Pinnacle Club members' Seapasses programmed to open the CL and DL doors, I have my doubts.

 

And I also would hate to see the paper Compasses go the way of the dinosaur. I often toss it in my backpack wen going ashore because it contains the port agent's contact information, and I don't usually take the time to put it n my phone before we go. And sometimes it's just faster to flip through the pages than to navigate on a tablet.

[Brendaflamingo]

I think not only will we save on paper but we will spend more because we won't remember what coupons we on it and it will be easier for them to change the coupons offers. Have you noticed they have cut back on the coupon offers as time goes on. This is all just another cut back, which is fine. Most of the coupons don't mean much to me. Just don't be fooled to think this is only a conservation step.

 

Brenda;)

[ehfl]

It's amazing that they have gone this long with expensive paper solutions. There are so many ways they could improve the bottom line. At least this is one way that's a win-win for everyone.

[ryansmom]

Hopefully once March rolls around and this takes effect, more people will report back how it's working.

 

Especially for the kids cards!

 

 

But if they aren't printing the coupons, how will you know what the coupons are?

 

I could see a sheet in your cabin listing all the coupons for your level

 

^ this is what they plan to do according to what Joan at C&A told me on the phone yesterday (I had to call regarding something else). She volunteered the info stating in March all coupons would be linked to seapass cards. I think they are still getting the kinks out of it?

 

I hope those first few cruisers come back to report.

[Cshgrand]

There is also the issue of the kid's coupons. Will those be loaded onto the parents Seapass or will I need to give my 4 year old charging privileges?

 

Is there a way not to???? I just figured one sea pass was the same as another. Had not considered this.

 

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[sj25]

This is an interesting (but not surprising) development. Sort of like RCI sending cruise documents and luggage tags electronically rather than incur printing and postage costs.

 

Did Adam Goldstein give any indication as to when the new coupon program would be applied?

 

It is March, I just got new Diamond member news letter and it said it would be march that it take effect.

I can see why they are doing it...but I was one that liked to take some of my coupons not used to my next one. I felt when you cruise more then once a year was nice to use them on a later one and had been never an issue. I have used many of my coupons...so sure hope it don't become an issue when they do put them on our card.

 

My compass electronic ...I don't like that ideal...I am one also early morning out on the deck like looking at it and around the pool. I just see more issues of electronic equipment working right or getting blamed for damage.

[critterchick]

I think not only will we save on paper but we will spend more because we won't remember what coupons we on it and it will be easier for them to change the coupons offers. Have you noticed they have cut back on the coupon offers as time goes on. This is all just another cut back, which is fine. Most of the coupons don't mean much to me. Just don't be fooled to think this is only a conservation step.

 

Brenda;)

 

Actually, there are more coupons in the books than there were when we first started getting them. But there aren't more things that we personally use. I still wonder how many D+/PC use the temporary tattoo coupon?

 

I just hope they have the system running smoothly by May when we sail on Rhapsody. I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of glitches when they roll it out.

[cruzincurt]

Simple solution for match play. You go to the casino cage and get your 3 promotional $5 pink chips by swiping your card. Then you play one along with your real $5 chip. If you win 1:1 you get three real $5 chips along with your original real $5 chip and they take the pink chip. If you lose they take both. Or you keep playing matchplay with the pink $5 chip until you lose it.

[cruisenfever]

Actually, there are more coupons in the books than there were when we first started getting them. But there aren't more things that we personally use. I still wonder how many D+/PC use the temporary tattoo coupon?

Some of those tattoos are sort of cute!:D

[critterchick]

Some of those tattoos are sort of cute!:D

 

So are we going to use the coupons on Rhapsody, then?:eek::D

[Clarea]

Some of those tattoos are sort of cute!:D

 

So are we going to use the coupons on Rhapsody, then?:eek::D

We will need photos, of course.;)

[shaharis1701]

Maybe a stupid question, but, my wife and me are both on our second cruise, will we both get coupons on our cards or just me as the room is in my name?

Thanks

[ctcruiser1721]

Maybe a stupid question, but, my wife and me are both on our second cruise, will we both get coupons on our cards or just me as the room is in my name?

Thanks

 

While we don't know exactly how things are set to work, traditionally, each member of the C&A Society is given his/her own coupon book. I would think they will be attacking the coupons to each member's Seapass but, to the best of my knowledge, they have not announced the details.

 

I do think the change is, overall, a good idea for many of the reasons mentioned on this thread. However, I am happy I'm not cruising in March for the first sailings of the roll-out...

 

 

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[Coralc]

Maybe a stupid question, but, my wife and me are both on our second cruise, will we both get coupons on our cards or just me as the room is in my name?

Thanks

 

If you both signed up for Crown & Anchor, you will both get coupons on your seapass card. Previously, it was 1 coupon book for each member. :D

[John&LaLa]

I agree with Patti ------ but I will come clean and state that I’ve met a few folks that really like the free spins, and I like the match plays so we would trade.

 

M

 

same here, often traded match play for bingo with table mates

[shaharis1701]

Thanks, that is what I thought but wanted to make sure. I like the sea pass thing, easier to use.

 

:D

[Ocean Boy]

If you both signed up for Crown & Anchor, you will both get coupons on your seapass card. Previously, it was 1 coupon book for each member. :D

 

This will, however, mean keeping track of which seapass various items have been used from and making sure that the other seapass is with you to use the coupons on that account. In the past I have been able to apply both internet coupons to my card and get the credits. Now the only way I can see this working is having to swipe a second card when the minutes are used up from the first. I can envision being about to run out of credit on one card and having to log off and re log on with a second card. And that means needing to have both cards with you even though your spouse may be off doing other things.

 

I guess it is a trade off of one set of inconveniences for another.

[poncho1973]

This will, however, mean keeping track of which seapass various items have been used from and making sure that the other seapass is with you to use the coupons on that account. In the past I have been able to apply both internet coupons to my card and get the credits. Now the only way I can see this working... <snip>

 

There is your problem. You have decided how this will work based on the piece I bolded.

 

How about we hold the complaining until the process is released and field-tested?

 

You might be able to link the coupons across multiple cards. You might not be able to. We don't know at this point. It might make it easier. It might make it more difficult. It might rock. It might suck. Let's wait and see.

[Trekker954]

Its amazing the rush of posted D+/pinnacle books on ebay. (one of my ebay alerts is anything Royal Caribbean) One just sold for over $16 (started at 4.99 +$4.99 shipping, but that sort of loses the value of the best coupon in the book (BOGO Specialty). that is a pricey pay out.

 

That seller has two books seperately selling. One seller is selling four used books together (coupons missing from all of the books, but looks like you'll get at least one solid book of coupons). I certainly hope the buyers know they've only got a couple of months to use these by.

 

I guess that smart sellers unloading these books which won't be accepted after March.