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A Complete Overhaul Of the VIFP Loyalty Program - A Huge Idea


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I totally agree. I know people who are Platinum and I guarantee you I have spent more on my eight cruises than they have spent to reach Platinum.

 

They always book inside cabins, don't drink and don't gamble and very rarely book excursions. When they do book excursions they book third party.

 

 

Not all Platinum are that way. I did get there via 10 cruises but I have booked suites and balconies for most of them. Only been on the Riviera deck once and that was enough. Then there is the bar bill.

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I didn't even take the time necessary to read your entire post, but here is my observation.... You have way too much time on your hands and think about the loyalty program waaaaaayyyyy too much, just my 2 cents worth. Whatever the program is, I am cool with it, they didn't have to do anything to get me to come back. We cruise for fun, not points or gag gifts....that being said, I am glad you provided some reading materials for the very important fun people to read! :D:D

 

This. way too much thought and planning when into that.

 

I'm happy with my card changing color. :)

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I'm neither here nor there on most of this. My input is since I can not book no more than 12 weeks out from a cruise I always pay top dollar for a cruise. Not only should sea day be counted, but a few extra points added for the dollar amount spent for the cruise. I end up spending $4,000 or so for a 7 cruise.

 

Umm...you might be booking wrong. We typically book last minute, within 12 weeks. We currently have a hold for 3, on a 7 day suite 3k in aug. Which is ONLY about $100 more than our orignal cruise booked in November.

 

We normaly see great last minute deals, but husband needs to request vacation a year in advance (uh, sorry, we can't plan life a year in advance, we can't even plan 11 months in advance it seems, thus trying to change to Aug.)

 

If you don't have a set time you need/want to cruise, you may look for better deals. Of course, that 4k may be more people, in an higher cat, as well.

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I can't believe that the OP wasted so many brain cells and time typing up this ridiculous post ! Someone needs a hobby !

 

Agree. One day sailed = 1 point. Simple enough.

 

The perks are so small on Carnival it makes little difference what level you are.

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I too got to platinum by booking week, 10 day and 12 day cruises most all in balconies. I would hate to see someone get higher because they drank more than me. On the other hand maybe they just need to do away with all of it and let everyone cruise just to cruise.

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Shifting the loyalty program to one based exclusively on dollars spent opens the door to changes to the program that y'all may not be real happy with.

 

Cruise fares will see a pretty good increase because of the changes needed to make the switch. There will need to be significant infra-structure changes to track and record all of the various assemblage and expenditures of the points awarded. There will need to be a new organization put together and trained to make sure that the records of point accumulation and usage are accurate because outstanding point totals will have to be booked as company liabilities at every single point in time.

 

This approach will completely eliminate all of the status that the current VIFP program has given to past customers. You will not be able to assign any kind of over time status to anyone because that status can change in a moments notice by the further acquisition or expenditure of points. The number of points you have accumulated cannot be used to give you any kind of status or any on board recognition since you could use them all up tomorrow and go back to zero. No more free anything on board. You will have to use points for anything you get. Want your laundry done, "gimme your points". You want a "free" meal in the steakhouse, "gimme your points". You want a shore excursion, "gimme your points". And as you spend all of your points, what kind of status do you really have?

 

AND, like the airlines, once they saw the vast amount of "miles" that they were responsible for, this program would have to install rules that limit the amount of time you have to be "active" again before you lose the points you have accumulated. Also similar to what happened to the concept of stock options years ago.

 

Let me tell you, every Carnival customer who has reached a higher level status is going to be in for a real surprise if they think that this is the way to go. If you want a cruise line that rewards you with points based on what you spend, then be prepared to lose what you have now, and come into a world where you will have to pay something (your earned points) for everything you get on a ship. And there is nothing you have that you can hang any kind of status on.

 

I have a techi friend who could write this program in a few hours. Assign all passengers a number similar to a credit card number which shows up on their sign and sail card as well as being used for any other bookings. Have these available online just like we do to look at our banking etc.

 

Heck, Casinos have absolutely perfected this since the whole thing is a no-brainer.

 

And who cares about status...I'd rather earn reward points and be able to use them when I want. If someone cruises once every blue moon why not take advantage of points to pay for some of the extras on your next cruise. And if you cruise often...save the points and book one free down the line.

 

As far as current "loyalty" programs....Let the passenger choose whether they want some points based on their current status added to their account. Otherwise just appease them with a party, a free drink, and some laundry or allowing them to priority board for awhile. Of course the grandfathering of points won't always be fair because people spend different amounts but it won't take long for the system to adjust.

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I too got to platinum by booking week, 10 day and 12 day cruises most all in balconies. I would hate to see someone get higher because they drank more than me. On the other hand maybe they just need to do away with all of it and let everyone cruise just to cruise.

 

Now there's a suggestion I can support!

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I too got to platinum by booking week, 10 day and 12 day cruises most all in balconies. I would hate to see someone get higher because they drank more than me. On the other hand maybe they just need to do away with all of it and let everyone cruise just to cruise.

 

We all have the choice to spend or not spend money. Why should the guy who drinks and puts money in Carnival's coffer be penalized by those of us who don't drink. And it isn't about getting higher or having more status like it is now. People can "choose" what they want to spend their points on. If you don't drink then you won't be wasting your bonus points on alcohol consumption.

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We all have the choice to spend or not spend money. Why should the guy who drinks and puts money in Carnival's coffer be penalized by those of us who don't drink. And it isn't about getting higher or having more status like it is now. People can "choose" what they want to spend their points on. If you don't drink then you won't be wasting your bonus points on alcohol consumption.

 

 

They sort of already have this. You can get a Carnival Mastercard and it gives 2X points for every Carnival purchase. I looked into it but it didn't seem that good to me. For every day purchases it gives you one point for every dollar spent. It seems like it takes a lot of points to get anything. For example a $100.00 onboard credit requires 12,500 points. A $200.00 spa treatment requires 20,000 points. IOW in looks like it gives you 2% cash for Carnival purchases and 1% for everything else or there about.

 

Here is a link https://www.barclaycardus.com/apply/img/smc/CarnivalFunPointsBrochure.pdf

Edited by Tutontow
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It is an interesting idea, it would prevent seeing 10/12 year old kids walking around with platinum cards. Saw a number of those last cruise. For some reason that just doesn't seem right to me. But good for them.

 

 

Well that's another can of worms. I do believe that, once a family member becomes Platinum, immediate family members in the same household, including children, should be granted the same status. This eliminates situations where a guest is prohibited from bringing their spouse or children to a top tier event. Royal Caribbean does it this way and it works just fine without issues of overcrowding. But they also do ensure that those attending are indeed supposed to be there.

 

Another thing that I strongly believe in is reciprocal past guest status among cruise lines under the same corporation. Currently, past guest benefits are not extended to other cruise lines under Carnival Corp.

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I like the idea of adding on-board expenses to the point system, but I think your totals are pretty far off... Maybe I mis-read it, but let me take a shot at it...

 

If I take (12) 7 day cruises, that would get me 84 points for cruising. Then if I spend the absolute max on all cruises, that would get me an additional 120 points. Lets say I book 2 excursions per cruise. Thats another 12 points.

 

So I have now taken (12) 7 day cruises, spent over $1,000 per cruise while on the ship and booked excursions through Carnival, and have a grand total of 216 points. And I still don't qualify for 'platinum' level(aka priority boarding)?

 

Doesnt make sense and WAYYY more than their current system to get to platinum. If you dont spend much on board(lets say around $200 per cruise) you would have to go on over (30) 7 night cruises to be considered a 'platinum' loyal guest...

 

However, with that said, I think you have come up with some pretty interesting and very doable new perks. I really do like the idea of on-board spending count in some way.

Edited by rocketship
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I have a techi friend who could write this program in a few hours. Assign all passengers a number similar to a credit card number which shows up on their sign and sail card as well as being used for any other bookings. Have these available online just like we do to look at our banking etc.

 

Heck, Casinos have absolutely perfected this since the whole thing is a no-brainer.

 

And who cares about status...I'd rather earn reward points and be able to use them when I want. If someone cruises once every blue moon why not take advantage of points to pay for some of the extras on your next cruise. And if you cruise often...save the points and book one free down the line.

 

As far as current "loyalty" programs....Let the passenger choose whether they want some points based on their current status added to their account. Otherwise just appease them with a party, a free drink, and some laundry or allowing them to priority board for awhile. Of course the grandfathering of points won't always be fair because people spend different amounts but it won't take long for the system to adjust.

 

I have spent 35 years in the tech industry teaching and installing total business systems in some of the largest companies in the U.S, and Europe. There is nothing but a simple app that can be written in a few hours, and this is not a simple app, no matter what you think or say. Every ship has it's own business system that has to be balanced and closed at the end of each cruise and then sent to corporate to be consolidated into the corporate systems. If you think that the minute you complete a transaction on a ship that it appears and is visible in the corporate system and visible on line in your account, then you have even less of an understanding of how these things work that your previous comments indicate. But go ahead, have your techi friend write it in a few hours and lets see how bad it really is.

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I have spent 35 years in the tech industry teaching and installing total business systems in some of the largest companies in the U.S, and Europe. There is nothing but a simple app that can be written in a few hours, and this is not a simple app, no matter what you think or say. Every ship has it's own business system that has to be balanced and closed at the end of each cruise and then sent to corporate to be consolidated into the corporate systems. If you think that the minute you complete a transaction on a ship that it appears and is visible in the corporate system and visible on line in your account, then you have even less of an understanding of how these things work that your previous comments indicate. But go ahead, have your techi friend write it in a few hours and lets see how bad it really is.

 

Amen. As a 'techy' guy who has done his fair share of coding for most of his life, I can say you are absolutely right.

 

Her techy friend might be able to do this on a solo platform that will run on his/her own computer, but implementing on the many systems that Carnival uses and throughout their fleet of ships? LOL! Im imagining the nightmare already.

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It is an interesting idea, it would prevent seeing 10/12 year old kids walking around with platinum cards. Saw a number of those last cruise. For some reason that just doesn't seem right to me. But good for them.

 

My guess is that those 10/12 year old kids have sailed with their parents in order to reach the Platinum level. That means someone has paid for their cruises. They didn't sail for free.

 

The choice of how much you spend on a cruise is your choice, and yours alone. You wanted to spend more money and now you want points for it. Real simple. Get a Carnival Cruise Line MasterCard. Put all you Cruise expenses and the airline costs on that Card. Then you get both your days for cruising and 1 point for every $ you spend with Carnival. You can have your cake and eat it too. You get the status perks and you get money points you can use to book another cruise. But now we will have to face the discussion about why you should get more points for using your earned points to book a cruise.

 

I do that with my AAdvantage MasterCard. I book all my American flights on that card for which they give me 1 mile per dollar spent. The I collect 1 mile for every mile I fly on the ticket that I already got miles for the cost of the ticket. Then I put all my Carnival expenses on that card and get 1 American mile for every dollar I spend on that card.

 

AND, neither of those things will cause the cost of cruises to go up to support a whole new set of Carnival business processes and people to manage the "new" loyalty program.

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Well that's another can of worms. I do believe that, once a family member becomes Platinum, immediate family members in the same household, including children, should be granted the same status. This eliminates situations where a guest is prohibited from bringing their spouse or children to a top tier event. Royal Caribbean does it this way and it works just fine without issues of overcrowding. But they also do ensure that those attending are indeed supposed to be there.

 

Another thing that I strongly believe in is reciprocal past guest status among cruise lines under the same corporation. Currently, past guest benefits are not extended to other cruise lines under Carnival Corp.

 

So everyone in the household, even though they have never cruised, should now be Platinum on Carnival? Or do they become Platinum the first time they cruise?

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Way too complicated IMHO. I think they should award extra points for suites like Celebrity, and double points for solos paying for two people. That's about it.

 

 

Agreed. It was a fun read, and OP gave it a lot of thought. But I like the simplicity of the current system.

 

Also, 5% off a cruise (at level 3?) is peanuts. If I book a cruise that's $700, that's only worth $35.

 

In general, beyond the complexity, I think the benefits aren't good enough. I'm currently Gold, which offers minimal perks. But I'm OK with that. I look forward to someday reaching Platinum, and find many of those perks hugely appealing.

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Umm...you might be booking wrong. We typically book last minute, within 12 weeks. We currently have a hold for 3, on a 7 day suite 3k in aug. Which is ONLY about $100 more than our orignal cruise booked in November.

 

We normaly see great last minute deals, but husband needs to request vacation a year in advance (uh, sorry, we can't plan life a year in advance, we can't even plan 11 months in advance it seems, thus trying to change to Aug.)

 

If you don't have a set time you need/want to cruise, you may look for better deals. Of course, that 4k may be more people, in an higher cat, as well.

 

That's 3 people and in a balcony room, plus the bar bill, tips and such.

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So everyone in the household, even though they have never cruised, should now be Platinum on Carnival? Or do they become Platinum the first time they cruise?

 

 

They aren't Platinum on the first cruise since they don't have a past guest number yet, but they are automatically Platinum (or whatever status the top family member has) on all subsequent cruises.

 

Not only that, but I also get equivalent status on sister cruise lines. For example, I'm classified as Select on Celebrity even though I've never set foot on one of their ships!

 

Now, THAT truly makes me feel appreciated, not a bottle of water.

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Way too complicated.

 

On the money spent issue

 

1. How would kids points be awarded since they do not spend money. You would end up with a family with various levels of status. Dad, who pays the bill, would be level 7, and the kids at level 1 So Dad gets to eat with the Capt., can he take the kids? Big mess.

 

2. Wife gets basic points so Dad gets special meal in MDR and Mom gets the chicken special. She's gonna be real happy!

 

3. Why the 10 point max for spending? You are punishing the biggest spenders.

 

4. I book a cruise and get $300 OBC. So I lose 3 points according to your system. If you say no, the $300 OBC I spend gets me the 3 points, then I get the extra points without giving Carnival any extra money. Not gonna fly.

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Wow

All loyalty programs are designed to do one thing reward customers who continue to spend

Some programs are old fashioned some are more progressive and advanced

Cruise ships programs are well behind the times , but within the industry there are some better than others

The old way of thinking of every customer is important has givin way to attracting. Customers who spend money on products and services that drive profit.

Most loyalty programs are inching to it and we will see that in the cruise ship industry soon enough

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1 day sail, 1 point. Really, it doesn't matter where on the ship or how much who is paying.

 

1 day, 1 point. gesh, what is this such a big deal? If I get a bottle of water or a drink ticket, cool, if not, nbd.

 

Disney gives past guest nice gifts, starting on second cruise, a nice bag, snacks, keychain. Cool. But not the reason I booked a second cruise.

 

Forcus on the quality of the cruise, don't worry about all VIFP.

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