You guys are angry about the wrong VIFP perk!

[CeleBrat]

Sure, the Past Guest Party has caused a lot of debate on this board over the past week. But can we discuss what seems to be the most unfairly applied VIFP perk of all?

 

The free cruise!

 

And before you say "But it's not a perk!", I would remind you that in order to get the free cruise, you have to have sailed at least one cruise AND you are encouraged (via the Carnival website) to "Log into your VIFP account to check for special offers."

 

Here's why I would say it's the most unfair perk of all: we don't all get it. No one can seem to figure out exactly what it is tied to: gambling, type of cabin you book, # of cruises, etc. It's all very arbitrary. Some VIFP members have gotten/used more than one offer, whereas some of us have never gotten the offer at all.

 

It's a random rewarding of a certain group of VIFP members. And that's why it's unfair.

 

DISCUSS

[RubyGold]

What would you suggest to make it fair?

The fact that it is random (excluding the casino offers which typically are based on money being spent in the casino, either offered at the end of the cruise or by postal notification. Only discrepancy there under discussion is how much spent in casino to qualify)

Ahem..... The fact it is random, seemingly people's names picked out of a hat is what, to me, makes this the only 'fair' 'perk' it's like a lottery.

 

Feel free to disagree, but as I started with, what would you suggest to make this practice fair in your eyes?

[Rudyard]

Random

 

adjective

 

proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern:

 

 

Personally, I like it being like this. If I ever get a free cruise, great. If I don't, I won't miss something I never had in the first place. Some of the best entertainment on these boards is to wait for a wave of free cruises to be given out and then watch the entitlement crowd screech like a bunch of pterodactyls when they don't get one. Times like that are what popcorn was made for.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Rudyard

[winddawn]

Sure, the Past Guest Party has caused a lot of debate on this board over the past week. But can we discuss what seems to be the most unfairly applied VIFP perk of all?

 

The free cruise!

 

And before you say "But it's not a perk!", I would remind you that in order to get the free cruise, you have to have sailed at least one cruise AND you are encouraged (via the Carnival website) to "Log into your VIFP account to check for special offers."

 

Here's why I would say it's the most unfair perk of all: we don't all get it. No one can seem to figure out exactly what it is tied to: gambling, type of cabin you book, # of cruises, etc. It's all very arbitrary. Some VIFP members have gotten/used more than one offer, whereas some of us have never gotten the offer at all.

 

It's a random rewarding of a certain group of VIFP members. And that's why it's unfair.

 

DISCUSS

None of the free cruises I have received were a VIFP related benefit. I think this article in the Wall Street Journal explains a lot. Carnival is using data analytics to fill cabins with what it determines will be the most profitable passengers. It is not new--its been done in other industries for many years. I think it is fairly new to cruising though.

 

http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2015/04/30/carnival-strategy-chief-bets-that-big-data-will-optimize-prices/?mod=yahoo_hs

Edited May 10, 2015 by winddawn

[ccdaniel2707]

I don't know what the free cruises are based on either BUT I do enjoy them :D My husband always gets these offers however, I do not. We both play the slots when we cruise;)

[eponym]

http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2015/04/30/carnival-strategy-chief-bets-that-big-data-will-optimize-prices/?mod=yahoo_hs

 

Good article. Thanks for posting.

[mighty13]

None of the free cruises I have received were a VIFP related benefit. I think this article in the Wall Street Journal explains a lot. Carnival is using data analytics to fill cabins with what it determines will be the most profitable passengers. It is not new--its been done in other industries for many years. I think it is fairly new to cruising though.

 

http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2015/04/30/carnival-strategy-chief-bets-that-big-data-will-optimize-prices/?mod=yahoo_hs

 

If true, that Carnival is offering free cruises to those statistically more inclined to spend, then this is good business sense. A good business plan is both beneficial to the business as well as the consumer. If Carnival's already low rates are coupled with increase in revenue, those rates will trend lower.

 

This is not to be confused with supply and demand. If more cabins are booked prices will trend up because the demand is high and the supply will be on the low end.

 

So, continue to give free cruises to those high spenders and I will continue to book relatively conveniently priced vacations. If I get a free one in the process, GREAT! If not, no big deal.

[eponym]

...

 

So, continue to give free cruises to those high spenders...

 

Keyword. Spenders. As a stockholder, I insist that they bring them aboard first. The Wall Street Journal article says they are just beginning to leverage big data. Hold onto your wallets!

Edited May 10, 2015 by eponym

[MrMileStoner]

Keyword. Spenders. As a stockholder, I insist that they bring them aboard first. The Wall Street Journal article says they are just beginning to leverage big data. Hold onto your wallets!

 

 

 

Voted down. If you read the article, you see Carnival Corp is late to the game. Airlines, hotels, and more have been doing this for a while.

 

However, anyone who wants a free cruise can have one. Just sail 100 times on Carnival (and people have) and you get a free cruise. Doesn't matter if you are a big spender or not. Cheapest inside cabin or not. Come one, come all.

[eponym]

Voted down. If you read the article, you see Carnival Corp is late to the game. Airlines, hotels, and more have been doing this for a while.

 

However, anyone who wants a free cruise can have one. Just sail 100 times on Carnival (and people have) and you get a free cruise. Doesn't matter if you are a big spender or not. Cheapest inside cabin or not. Come one, come all.

 

What? I have a hard time following your posts, which seem to have a hard time following complete threads.

 

I referenced the article, the entire article.

 

"Just sail a 100 times" translates to SPEND.

 

I refuse to go on the Mr. Milestone Merry go round.

[Wilgr]

My last 15 cruises have been "free", A "free" cruise usually costs me between 4k and 12K. (all on board spending)

 

That is about the same amount I spent on the first 5 cruises that were not "free", after the first couple years Carnival started filling my mailbox with offers.

 

Is it good business for Carnival to continue to offer me "free" cruises as they get all of my cruise dollars because none of the other lines offer me "free" cruises?

Edited May 10, 2015 by Wilgr
Edited for clarity.

[ready2cruzagain]

OP, what about the offers for some cruisers that received ridiculously low prices for the journeys cruises. I am jealous that I have paid full price for both of mine and hate seeing someone say that Carnival sent them an offer for the same cruise dirt cheap. I can see what you mean.

 

By the way, dh did receive a free VIFP cruise once but the travel expenses for the restricted ports and dates made it more expensive that what we would normally pay.

 

I book all of the cruises and I have never received anything.

[MrMileStoner]

All of my GF's cruises have been free. :p

[MrMileStoner]

What? I have a hard time following your posts, which seem to have a hard time following complete threads.

 

I referenced the article, the entire article.

 

"Just sail a 100 times" translates to SPEND.

 

I refuse to go on the Mr. Milestone Merry go round.

 

I, and many others, can explain it to you all day long but can't understand it for you. ;)

[sunsetsand]

I don't understand the method of their madness.

Carnival created a monster when they allowed guests to achieve Platinum by making their 10th cruise by the end of 2013. Now, the Diamond level is growing because all of the those that have cruised for free....and some have cruised an entire year on "FREE" cruises.

There is not much difference in the perks for Diamond and Platinum. Even though I am Diamond (I achieved the level with 34 paid cruises) it does not encourage me to be loyal to them. I sail with them because of the fun that I have on their ships.

[ready2cruzagain]

I don't understand the method of their madness.

Carnival created a monster when they allowed guests to achieve Platinum by making their 10th cruise by the end of 2013. Now, the Diamond level is growing because all of the those that have cruised for free....and some have cruised an entire year on "FREE" cruises.

There is not much difference in the perks for Diamond and Platinum. Even though I am Diamond (I achieved the level with 34 paid cruises) it does not encourage me to be loyal to them. I sail with them because of the fun that I have on their ships.

 

Someone will correct me if I am wrong but from what I understand "free" cruises do not count towards you loyalty days sailed.

[CeleBrat]

While some have pointed out the word "random" in my post, I would maintain that it is randomly exclusionary. Many guests have been offered and taken advantage of this offer (sometimes multiple times), which is a result of having sailed before (aka, past cruiser), whereas as others have waited patiently and checked their accounts for the past 2 years that this program has been running.

 

Not sure how some get sent this more than once, and others not-at-all. You'd think that Carnival would keep some sort of tracking system to ensure that at some point, everyone AT LEAST receives it once.

 

For the record, there are no discounts (other than 1-category upgrade) that get sent my way. No Carnival Journeys, no free cruise, nothing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 10, 2015 by CeleBrat

[sunsetsand]

Someone will correct me if I am wrong but from what I understand "free" cruises do not count towards you loyalty days sailed.

 

Yes they do..I have friends that have made Diamond in one year on free cruises. I have a family member that is a casino player that sails on free cruises and is also achieving Diamond on free cruises.

 

Perhaps it is a flaw in the system. The booking initially shows the rate of the cruise, then it is adjusted when the code is entered.

The loyalty points are accumulating whether intentional or not.

Edited May 10, 2015 by sunsetsand

[elliair]

Sure, the Past Guest Party has caused a lot of debate on this board over the past week. But can we discuss what seems to be the most unfairly applied VIFP perk of all?

 

The free cruise!

 

And before you say "But it's not a perk!", I would remind you that in order to get the free cruise, you have to have sailed at least one cruise AND you are encouraged (via the Carnival website) to "Log into your VIFP account to check for special offers."

 

Here's why I would say it's the most unfair perk of all: we don't all get it. No one can seem to figure out exactly what it is tied to: gambling, type of cabin you book, # of cruises, etc. It's all very arbitrary. Some VIFP members have gotten/used more than one offer, whereas some of us have never gotten the offer at all.

 

It's a random rewarding of a certain group of VIFP members. And that's why it's unfair.

 

DISCUSS

 

It's only unfair to you because you did not get a "free" cruise offer. This isn't about fairness, it's about a company wanting to give a free cruise to anyone they choose. I got 2 such offers and didn't care about them because THEY WEREN'T FREE! An inside cabin at the bottom of the ship, in a port 4,000 miles from my house, air, hotel, food, taxi, for a 4 day cruise? Anyone who jumped on this with my scenario would have to be nuts. It wasn't a reward my friend, it was actually an insult.

[falkcor]

Someone will correct me if I am wrong but from what I understand "free" cruises do not count towards you loyalty days sailed.

 

that's the way it's been in the past, when for instance you won a cruise as a prize in bingo, the 'drawing' of past guest invites, or other promotional type 'free cruises'...

 

those that have received the 'free cruises' more recently though, for the most part have reported they do in fact receive the vifp credit for the sailings... perhaps it's because in some cases they charge 50pp then give 50obc (which effectively makes it free), or because they are responsible for paying the port fees / taxes etc. i'm not sure, but i do recall this point having come up and many that received the free cruise offer(s) reporting they did in fact receive credit for it through these offers.

[eponym]

My last 15 cruises have been "free", A "free" cruise usually costs me between 4k and 12K. (all on board spending)

 

That is about the same amount I spent on the first 5 cruises that were not "free", after the first couple years Carnival started filling my mailbox with offers.

 

Is it good business for Carnival to continue to offer me "free" cruises as they get all of my cruise dollars because none of the other lines offer me "free" cruises?

 

and they track it and know it. Good for you and Carnival!

[eponym]

It's only unfair to you because you did not get a "free" cruise offer. This isn't about fairness, it's about a company wanting to give a free cruise to anyone they choose. I got 2 such offers and didn't care about them because THEY WEREN'T FREE! An inside cabin at the bottom of the ship, in a port 4,000 miles from my house, air, hotel, food, taxi, for a 4 day cruise? Anyone who jumped on this with my scenario would have to be nuts. It wasn't a reward my friend, it was actually an insult.

 

We have often got the free, but highly disjointed offer from Carnival. If we spent $3,000 traveling to and from (which they don't benefit from) on the most inopportune and specific dates for us as working adults, we would get a free inside cabin.

 

So what!

[doneinne]

I ended up picking a 7 day Alaskan cruise for my free offer. I'm also on deck 7. Yes I have to fly to Seattle, but the free cabin saved me $1300. That helps a lot! I don't know if it's a computer glitch or not, but the free cabin rates still show on the carnival web site. I did another mock booking and it appeared it would have let me book another free cabin. Luckily I can't afford another one this soon. Plus they would probably tell me it's a glitch and make me pay in full.

Edited May 10, 2015 by doneinne

[eponym]

I ended up picking a 7 day Alaskan cruise for my free offer. I'm also on deck 7. Yes I have to fly to Seattle, but the free cabin saved me $1300. That helps a lot! I don't know if it's a computer glitch or not, but the free cabin rates still show on the carnival web site. I did another mock booking and it appeared it would have let me book another free cabin. Luckily I can't afford another one this soon. Plus they would probably tell me it's a glitch and make me pay in full.

 

Book em, without further delay. Sort it out later.

[MrMileStoner]

I ended up picking a 7 day Alaskan cruise for my free offer. I'm also on deck 7. Yes I have to fly to Seattle, but the free cabin saved me $1300. That helps a lot! I don't know if it's a computer glitch or not, but the free cabin rates still show on the carnival web site. I did another mock booking and it appeared it would have let me book another free cabin. Luckily I can't afford another one this soon. Plus they would probably tell me it's a glitch and make me pay in full.

 

Good for you. Envy suits some people.