carnival loyalty program vs. others?

[golfadj]

I stayed with Carnival because I enjoyed their cruises and I wanted to make platinum. I like the perks.

 

I plan to sail, but the added benefits of now being platinum will help keep me coming back to carnival.

 

I have a saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I enjoy carnival. For now, I have no desire to try other lines.

 

I like having free laundry, priority boarding, disembarking and tendering. I may not always use it, but it's nice to know it's there if I choose to.

 

I would say becoming Platinum kept me motivated to cruise with carnival. I had considered trying other lines. As others have stated, start trying other lines now while it's early on in your "cruise life". I was halfway to platinum when the rules changed. So I took 5 cruises to be grandfathered in last year. That kept me from trying other lines. I've had fun and always enjoy my cruises on Carnival. The perks did motivate me to stay loyal.

 

the problem is as they have worsened the loyalty program, entertainment has gone downhill to where some of it is an embarassment.

 

They talk about improving entertainment as playlist productions comes to more and more ships. How sad.

[DGP1111]

The loyalty program of this cruise line does, however, work both ways.

 

Some may say that Carnival has somewhat dramatically 'watered down' its loyalty program to the current/former long-term passengers.

 

Others may say that some of those long-term passengers have 'watered down' their loyalty program to Carnival.

 

.

 

Huh? You lost me!

 

.

 

Sorry, not intended to be overly cryptic.

 

Translation:

Carnival Cruise Line and its repeat passenger base can both be perceived as 'kicking each other to the curb' at times.

 

.

[Hendricks Clan]

Personally, I wouldn't choose my cruises based on the loyalty programs. Loyalty programs tend to correlate to prices. If value is most important to you, then Carnival will likely give you the best value. If you prefer to pay more for extras, then look elsewhere. On both Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, you will have more extra fees for food. If you are a gambler, Carnival is probably not your best bet for casino perks. If you are smoker, Carnival is probably your best choice because their smoking policy is more liberal. Each line caters to a different clientele and you need to experience them or do research to figure out which one is the best fit for you.

 

Carnival's loyalty program has been watered down the last few years, but prices have been pretty cheap too. However Carnival's prices do seem to be increasing overall this year.

 

Its your choice thats what NCL's "Freestyle Cruising," is all about. You have the same free options (if not more) as CCL, but if you want to try something else for a small fee you have that option to. You make it sound as your paying extra for food on NCL and RCI. You can pay for food on CCL too, so there no different than the other lines, CCL just has less options.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Hendricks Clan

[tgmtgm]

Same here. Plus, as we cruise with our best friends, Carnival is the only line we have found that will open the balcony dividers unlike other lines.

 

 

Princess as well as Celebrity are more than happy to open adjoining balcony dividers. Have done cruises with friends on both lines and all it took was to ask the room steward.

 

Tony

[Jana60]

Its your choice thats what NCL's "Freestyle Cruising," is all about. You have the same free options (if not more) as CCL, but if you want to try something else for a small fee you have that option to. You make it sound as your paying extra for food on NCL and RCI. You can pay for food on CCL too, so there no different than the other lines, CCL just has less options.

 

To control costs the cruise lines all have added extra pay options which used to be items covered automatically within the cruise. I understand and have no objection to this practice if it controls costs without changing the quality of my cruise. The problem that arises is that there is limited space on a cruise ship. So if you add seven restaurants that charge entry fee, you by definition: had to get rid of that amount of space that used to contain free items for the customer. When you add to that, that there really isn't any significant decrease in the price for all of these paid options it makes it less desirable. But I'm glad that the option of choosing the Norwegian cruise line exists for you since obviously you enjoyed your Norwegian cruises. I've cruised five times with Norwegian, and the staff were so rude and the cruises over all less than optimal, for the last several of those, so I chose not to cruise with them further. Isn't diversity wonderful! Indeed isn't having a choice of different cruise lines the true meaning of Freestyle Cruising?

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

Edited April 11, 2014 by Jana60

[Hendricks Clan]

To control costs the cruise lines all have added extra pay options which used to be items covered automatically within the cruise. I understand and have no objection to this practice if it controls costs without changing the quality of my cruise. The problem that arises is that there is limited space on a cruise ship. So if you add seven restaurants that charge entry fee, you by definition: had to get rid of that amount of space that used to contain free items for the customer. When you add to that, that there really isn't any significant decrease in the price for all of these paid options it makes it less desirable. But I'm glad that the option of choosing the Norwegian cruise line exists for you since obviously you enjoyed your Norwegian cruises. I've cruised five times with Norwegian, and the staff were so rude and the cruises over all less than optimal, for the last several of those, so I chose not to cruise with them further. Isn't diversity wonderful! Indeed isn't having a choice of different cruise lines the true meaning of Freestyle Cruising?

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

 

Yes diversity is great. Your experience on NCL sound like my last few CCL cruises, just shows that options are great to have.

[Warm Breezes]

To control costs the cruise lines all have added extra pay options which used to be items covered automatically within the cruise. I understand and have no objection to this practice if it controls costs without changing the quality of my cruise. The problem that arises is that there is limited space on a cruise ship. So if you add seven restaurants that charge entry fee, you by definition: had to get rid of that amount of space that used to contain free items for the customer. When you add to that, that there really isn't any significant decrease in the price for all of these paid options it makes it less desirable. But I'm glad that the option of choosing the Norwegian cruise line exists for you since obviously you enjoyed your Norwegian cruises. I've cruised five times with Norwegian, and the staff were so rude and the cruises over all less than optimal, for the last several of those, so I chose not to cruise with them further. Isn't diversity wonderful! Indeed isn't having a choice of different cruise lines the true meaning of Freestyle Cruising?

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

 

Yes diversity is great. Your experience on NCL sound like my last few CCL cruises, just shows that options are great to have.

 

I had to laugh because when I was reading Jana60's post I was thinking her NCL experience sounded like my last cruise on Princess. I've never experienced rude staff on CCL and NCL but I did a couple weeks ago on Ruby Princess.

[Cruising Rules]

.

 

Sorry, not intended to be overly cryptic.

 

Translation:

Carnival Cruise Line and its repeat passenger base can both be perceived as 'kicking each other to the curb' at times.

 

.

 

Gotcha now! ..... Thanks.

[med9114u]

Then you haven't really been checking prices of the other lines. I keep hearing people say, "We cruise CCL because of price," yet most don't even bother to check the rates of other lines...they just assume CCL is the cheapest and book. Our cruise Sunday on Epic was $200 cheaper for a balcony than on any 7-Day CCL Western Caribbean itinerary and that's even factoring in the interline employee discount CCL offers to airline employees. Picking between Epic or the Glory, Legend, or Conquest...I'm choosing Epic every single time, but for it to be $200'pp cheaper is the icing on the cake.

 

To the OP, yes the CCL loyalty program isn't what it used to be. If loyalty is important to you look at NCL or RCI. Both offer decent benefits and ways to earn double and triple points. Also NCL offers discounts on pictures and on board purchases...the discount depends on your level.

 

Actually, yes i do check other lines...quite frequently!! We have a 4 year old daughter that cruises with us, for her as a 3rd person on Carnival is $219 for our upcoming 8 day on the Sunshine. For a 7 day on RCCL the 3rd person rate is usually around $600-700!!! And yes, I even check NCL when they have their "kids sale free" program and Carnival is still the cheapest over 90% of the time.