Change in Carnival Loyalty Program

[LMaxwell]

Amazing how these things take off and then whenever it comes out he gets taken to task for misleading us.....

 

Well "he" does have a track record of announcements about announcements before the big announcement. Just gives fuel for people to think the best, think the worst, etc. It is all in their own minds. Be a lot simpler if he just came out and said "XYZ is now XY - Z" or "XYZ is now XZY + 123" or "XYZ is now changed to ABC" and spare everyone the build up.

 

I don't think he is misleading anyone. But it's like setting cats free with drugs.

[LitchfieldParkCruisers]

The platinum/diamond party is must more manageable now with fewer guests once they eliminated the gold members, but now a lot of those gold member are getting close to platinum. So I think Carnival is being proactive as to making some change now before that happens. They do need to add more levels, especially between gold and platinum. Maybe even add more days on to become platinum and not grandfather in anyone. With so many more people cruising these days, in a few years the platinum/diamond members will be out of control. Personally I'm glad Carnival is making some changes. I just hope they are the right ones.

I enjoy the perks but some I could do without. I enjoy boarding 1st, having my room ready, the platinum/diamond party, platinum gift and drink coupon. Oh and the priority line at guest services..... The rest I don't care about, especially the laundry once I tried it for the 1st time on our last cruise. Our clothes came bag damp and all wrinkled in a bag. They looked better when they left in the bag...haha

Let's just hope Carnival makes some good decisions for it's loyal cruisers. No matter what there will still be people that complain.....

[LMaxwell]

The platinum/diamond party is must more manageable now with fewer guests once they eliminated the gold members, but now a lot of those gold member are getting close to platinum. So I think Carnival is being proactive as to making some change now before that happens. They do need to add more levels, especially between gold and platinum. Maybe even add more days on to become platinum and not grandfather in anyone. With so many more people cruising these days, in a few years the platinum/diamond members will be out of control. Personally I'm glad Carnival is making some changes. I just hope they are the right ones.

I enjoy the perks but some I could do without. I enjoy boarding 1st, having my room ready, the platinum/diamond party, platinum gift and drink coupon. Oh and the priority line at guest services..... The rest I don't care about, especially the laundry once I tried it for the 1st time on our last cruise. Our clothes came bag damp and all wrinkled in a bag. They looked better when they left in the bag...haha

Let's just hope Carnival makes some good decisions for it's loyal cruisers. No matter what there will still be people that complain.....

 

I'm not so certain that continually moving the chains is such a great idea. They tell you if you reach a certain level you get certain perks, then they change it, and if you get too close they change it again. Lather, rinse, repeat. I could definitely see that being the impetus to get people to say fine, I'll try another brand, my loyalty means nothing here, so let's see what is out there.

 

Yeah, newbies are worth more margin....but a lot of newbies are one and done. Or they cruise very infrequently, maybe once every 7 or 10 years. Maybe the cruise veterans don't spend a ton onboard (I am sure many do) on excursions and bingo and restaurants, been there done that, but without them Carnival isn't filling rooms.

 

Right now a Carnival Platinum can do a status match to MSC and get more perks on their first MSC cruise then they would get on a lifetime of Carnival cruises. RCI and NCL have megaships with suite features Carnival will never have. Does Carnival really want to run these frequent cruisers into the arms of waiting competition?

[CruisinMama7]

Speculation is one thing. All I know is that I got burned on the last "restructuring" and right now I'm Gold (at 71 days), with 5 cruises booked starting in October 2016 thru October 2017. If I get burned again with only 4 days to go to make Plat...oh yeah, I'm so outa here! With the thousands and thousands of dollars that I've spent over the years, and Budget Queen I know you've spent way more than that, I'm still entitled to my opinion and where I choose to place my cruise dollars. Bottom line!

[Micahs Grandad]

Speculation is one thing. All I know is that I got burned on the last "restructuring" and right now I'm Gold (at 71 days)' date=' with 5 cruises booked starting in October 2016 thru October 2017. If I get burned again with only 4 days to go to make Plat...oh yeah, I'm so outa here! With the thousands and thousands of dollars that I've spent over the years, and Budget Queen I know you've spent way more than that, I'm still entitled to my opinion and where I choose to place my cruise dollars. Bottom line![/quote']

 

The last time they (with JH in the lead) promised us a brilliant update to loyalty program and all they did was take stuff away.

 

That makes many of us leery of new changes to it.

[drvmywifecrzy]

They may be looking to give transfer credits for premium members of other cruise lines to get them to return to CCL

[astropilot]

Well "he" does have a track record of announcements about announcements before the big announcement. Just gives fuel for people to think the best, think the worst, etc. It is all in their own minds. Be a lot simpler if he just came out and said "XYZ is now XY - Z" or "XYZ is now XZY + 123" or "XYZ is now changed to ABC" and spare everyone the build up.

 

I don't think he is misleading anyone. But it's like setting cats free with drugs.

 

 

Like any good "Mouthpiece" Heald is doing exactly what his masters are telling him to do.

[Cuizer2]

Would be nice if you got double points for booking a suite

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

That is what Royal Caribbean does.

[Cuizer2]

By the way I have some s&h green stamps , Remember them

 

Yes.

 

Anyone have the old A, B, C, D & E Disneyland tickets? I did until 1989 when I traded them in at Disney World. Disney stopped issuing ticket books in 1982.

[CdrescherRBL152]

I hate the way airlines are doing it now and hope the cruise lines don't follow that model. I can see giving extra points for Suites or Havana cabins kind of like Celebrity does with Concierge Class and Suites. But I hope they never go to it based on fare. How would they recalculate everyone's status? There would be a mass uprising and rightfully so.

 

It has been my experience that whenever a company changes their loyalty program, it is to benefit the company and not the consumer. While it's their company and certainly their right to do so, it's also my right to not give them my business if I feel it doesn't meet my needs and I feel unappreciated as a customer.

 

I have 71 cruise days now and am thinking about another one at some point before the end of the year which will put me at 78 if I do a 7 day. I will be mad as a hornet if they change up my status and decrease my perks.

 

We'll see if this latest maneuver is "brilliant" or just another reason in the bucket for me to switch cruise lines.

 

 

The other problem would deciding are the points based on the cost of the cabin or the amount you pay. I.E. If One couple gets a free two cat. upgarde. Due they get the same number of points as the couple next door who paid the full price.

[carsastic]

[quote name='CdrescherRBL152']The other problem would deciding are the points based on the cost of the cabin or the amount you pay. I.E. If One couple gets a free two cat. upgarde. Due they get the same number of points as the couple next door who paid the full price.[/QUOTE]

Bottom line Dollars spent would solve all

[fuddrules]

[QUOTE=Cruisin'Mama7;50352792]Speculation is one thing. All I know is that I got burned on the last "restructuring" and right now I'm Gold (at 71 days), with 5 cruises booked starting in October 2016 thru October 2017. If I get burned again with only 4 days to go to make Plat...oh yeah, I'm so outa here! With the thousands and thousands of dollars that I've spent over the years, and Budget Queen I know you've spent way more than that, I'm still entitled to my opinion and where I choose to place my cruise dollars. Bottom line![/QUOTE]

Just curious, for anyone really, what would you consider the monetary increase in value of going from Gold to Platinum? An actual dollar amount based on the current benefits.

For me, I'd say about $75-100 dollars or so per cruise. Edited June 28, 2016 by fuddrules

[Luke Dawg]

[quote name='carsastic']Bottom line Dollars spent would solve all[/QUOTE]
agreed, $1 for $1. If you buy a more expensive cabin and have a $100 S&S bill how is that different if you buy an interior and have a $600 S&S bill if at the end of the day you both paid the same amount.

[blondietink]

[quote name='carsastic']Bottom line Dollars spent would solve all[/QUOTE]

We are a family of 4 and the 3rd and 4th person rates are always reduced. So, although we spend more per cruise than the average 2 person cabin, my 3rd and 4th person would get screwed under the dollars spent scenario because we always pay less for them (even though they are adults).

[maldenmusic]

I guess I'm just one of those "way too many gold cruisers" that was complained about earlier. I'll probably be gold forever :rolleyes:

[Jayfo]

[quote name='PAPERBKWRITER']Carnival cooked their own stew when they allowed the # of cruises instead of days sailed to count towards reward levels. The fairest way IMO would be to give extra credit for more expensive cabins and the jump from platinum to diamond is ridiculous. There should be a level between 70 and 200 days. I suspect they'll go to a point system and scrap the days at sea.[/QUOTE]

Agree 100%. I like the idea of suites and solos getting double points. Pay more, get more.
Also, I'm not getting the big deal with reaching a certain "status"? :confused: I'm only a few cruises away from a different colored S & S card but that's not going to influence any vacation decisions. The monetary or any other value on the "perks" just don't seem so special to me. I guess I just don't get it. Carry on.

[wannagonow123]

On Holland America, except for suites, you get one cruise point for every day you cruise. No matter the price you pay for a room. This includes the RARE complimentary cruises. Suites get 2 per day. You also get extra days for incremental spending on board. I think it is one day for every $300 you spend. This includes excursions, coffee shop, gift shop, wine packages (not individual bottles) and specialty restaurants. Does not include alcohol at bars & lounges, bingo, casino. I don't know about the spa, but I know there is no way I have cruised enough to be a 3 star Mariner with them, but we purchase everything on the ship, not pre-purchased.

[Cr2zCr8zy]

[quote name='sjcruiser']We're Gold (53 days), with cruises booked between next weekend, Christmas, and a few shorter ones between then and August 2017 to get to Platinum before our annual family cruise. A tier between Gold and Platinum, or one such as Platinum Plus, after Platinum would be great, but I just hope they don't change the days accumulated requirement for getting to Platinum.[/QUOTE]

I am with you SJ, currently gold with 57 days. With 16 days to platinum, I have a 7 day booked for Sept & a 3 day booked for Feb. I absolutely don't want to see anything else removed from the loyalty program for golds. We've endured being kicked out of the loyalty parties. Then to add insult to injury, we no longer get the free drink coupon, that could be redeemed at my choosing (Ususally breakfast in the MDR). What did they replace it with?....(drumroll.) A BOTTLE OF WATER.

Please John, the golds have suffered enough!!

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='Cr2zCr8zy']I am with you SJ, currently gold with 57 days. With 16 days to platinum, I have a 7 day booked for Sept & a 3 day booked for Feb. I absolutely don't want to see anything else removed from the loyalty program for golds. We've endured being kicked out of the loyalty parties. Then to add insult to injury, we no longer get the free drink coupon, that could be redeemed at my choosing (Ususally breakfast in the MDR). What did they replace it with?....(drumroll.) A BOTTLE OF WATER.

Please John, the golds have suffered enough!![/QUOTE]

Time to change the batteries in your calculator. 57 + 16 = 73

[Cuizer2]

Maybe Carnival should do with the airlines do and just let everyone buy their points. Maybe give a discount to suite passengers.

[tropicaledrink]

For once, I will be happy if this process is somewhat dragged out. I am a current Gold with 60 days - with a 7 day booked for December and an 8 day booked for May.

I suspected this was coming after JH mentioned that there were over 100,000 platinum members.

Wonder if they will add "ruby" or "sapphire" levels?

[topspin1267]

[quote name='tropicaledrink']For once, I will be happy if this process is somewhat dragged out. I am a current Gold with 60 days - with a 7 day booked for December and an 8 day booked for May.

I suspected this was coming after JH mentioned that there were over 100,000 platinum members.

Wonder if they will add "ruby" or "sapphire" levels?[/QUOTE]

I think a 125 day level with some of the Diamond benefits would be a great idea.

[Lady_831]

[quote name='Jayfo']Agree 100%. I like the idea of suites and solos getting double points. Pay more, get more.
Also, I'm not getting the big deal with reaching a certain "status"? :confused: I'm only a few cruises away from a different colored S & S card but that's not going to influence any vacation decisions. The monetary or any other value on the "perks" just don't seem so special to me. I guess I just don't get it. Carry on.[/QUOTE]

Double points are one of the reasons (along with suite perks) that we decided to take a look at Royal Caribbean. We tend to book suites on Carnival and saw that RCL gives double points, plus substantial perks compared to what we get on Carnival.

[dna529]

I am about three cruises away from Platinum. It seems like having over 100k platinum members would not actually be costing Carnival much in the grand scheme. Some of the benefits are free for them to provide and out if all the people who are cruising in the world that doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

[Sparky2]

[quote name='volmoma']Just heard the announcement on live FB from John. Said the beards are working on changing the program somewhat. We're either going to happy (doubtful) or we'll all need to bend over and grab our ankles. I've only cruised Carnival, 25 in all. I did cruise on the Regal Princess in December of last year. (Carnival owned) I have 2 cruises booked and only 10 sea days from Diamond, truly hoping a level between platinum and diamond isn't on the table for discussion. Just my thoughts.[/QUOTE]

Since you are so close to Diamond, I understand why you hope they don't add a level between Platinum & Diamond. However, I'd love it if they did. We have 114 days + 14 more with next January's B2B. I'd love a level part way in between 76 days & 200 days.