Loyalty not rewarded

[Kiwifromkiev]

 

 

 

Not complaining by the way just saying how it is

 

 

[emoji106]+1

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cruise Junky]

Sorry but your recollection is incomplete...

 

Celebrity changed from a Cruise Point based system for measuring loyalty to their current Cruise Credit based system for measuring loyalty on 23 November 2013...

• Under the former Cruise Point methodology...
  
  • One Point was awarded for each cruise of any duration...
    
  • An additional point was awarded if sailing Concierge Class, AquaClass, or in a suite...
    
  • An additional point--to a maximum of three per sailing--was awarded for cruises of twelve nights or longer...
    
    • A Captain's Club member reached Elite level after earning 10 Cruise Points...
      

Each Cruise Point earned under the former system was converted to thirty Cruise Credits under the new system for effect on 23 November 2013... At the same time, the Elite + and Zenith membership tier levels with expanded benefits were added; the benefits associated with Elite membership--as previously defined--did not change...

 

Thank you for posting that. I thought Elite Plus was created at the same time as the change in calculation. Guess that puts a crimp in his rant.

[Denny01]

So some are upset when a Line has a special sale that offers something close to what they get from a loyalty program. And another poster calls people bottom feeders because they think someone moved up the loyalty program and didn’t spend as much as they did.

 

Got it.

 

I don’t spend any time checking if someone got a better deal than I do, or get goodies that I shomewho don’t think they deserve. Trust me, there is someone on board your cruises who paid less than you did (or at least will tell you so, if you actually go around asking) and others who get goodies that you wont think they deserve.

 

We are talkng about crusing, right?? Maybe there are some people on this thread who need to go over to the booking section and go on a cruise and just relax a bit.

 

Den

[chemmo]

Our ‘loyalty’ to Celebrity is based on the product, at present, matching what we want from a cruise. Points don’t influence our choice. When paying $$$$$ for an expensive holiday why should a couple of free drinks and a few other bits influence our choice? We are looking at the total package of itinerary, ship facilities and cost.

 

We usually cruise in a RS so our E+ perks mean very little but we still enjoy an occasional Elite breakfast and a couple of visits to the cocktail hour....We have always equated the cocktail hour as an opportunity to meet other like minded frequent cruisers not about getting free drinks. We are pleased that others, like grandgeezer, can benefit from the perks. It has been our choice to choose a ‘package’ that makes the perks have ‘less value’ for us not Celebrity’s doing.

 

We are in numerous ‘points’ systems with airlines, hotel chains etc. No loyalty to any of them because of ‘free’ perks what matters each booking is the value of the product and the price. If we do occasionally get something back (cheap flight, free hotel night) it is a bonus.

 

The only way Celebrity could benefit everyone ‘fairly’ would be to scrap all the present perks and then just award a set amount of unrefundable OBC to cruisers based on their loyalty level. For example, possibly $x Select, $xx for Elite and $xxx for Elite+. Then guests could ‘spend’ it as they wanted on laundry, drinks, internet, photographs...I could guarantee if they did this everyone would then complain the ‘old’ system was better!

[Mr. Click]

I have to agree with Toronto Guy. A couple of years ago it was not a flash sale but a pre-cruise pricing for internet that magically made the internet package cost the same for pre-cruise purchase as it did for Selects...so why bother? We were Select at the time, now we are Elite and do enjoy the new benefits but those benefits are not what draw us to Celebrity. It is the itineraries and the service we get. If those slip I have no problem looking else where.

[wendychloecruiser]

What has always made me chuckle is that when and if you ever get to that elusive Zenith level and after spending likely in excess of a quarter of a million dollars, wait for it....you are now eligible for a “free” CARIBBEAN cruise in a basic balcony. Calm down everyone...I know it’s difficult to dull the excitement....:')

[Beanb41]

With so many cruise lines now charging similar prices for almost identical cruises it can often be those little extras that make a difference. A free drinks package for two compared to having to pay $US130 ( for two) over 14 days $1820 converted to $NZ2563 makes a huge impact on a cruise cost. An additional free OBC of $US400 ($NZ563) and free laundry at approx. $NZ300 one can see why and how these perks and benefits can add up. To get the equivalent of what I can get on Celebrity may cost me an extra $3500 on another cruise line. This is half the cost of a basic cruise for 2. These benefits which many consider to be immaterial I wish I had the budget to ignore thousands of dollars of holiday money. I accept that to a degree that if I want to continue to enjoy these benefits I am trapped in the vicious Celebrity circle and if I want to cruise regularly and I have to associate with bottom feeders then I am happy to do so

[villauk]

 

I don't mean to be rude, but a lot (not all) of those super elite loyalty folks are older now. They will not be around forever. And many of them have the disposable money to go up to a more luury cruise line.

 

You are generalising. My two teens, one now over 18, are both Elite in their own right (2nd one will be when he reaches the minimum CC age) and do not fit into your observation. There are also many other regular cruisers on this board that are Elite or Elite+, myself included, that are not even 50!

 

But agree with Chemmo, we decide which cruise to take based on many factors. We are sailing on Princess this summer and will have no loyalty recognition like we do on X. This was based on a choice after a less than stellar experience on Reflection last summer. I still have 2 placeholders with X to use, but will not book just for the sake of the loyalty perks - my hard-earned cash means more to me than a bag of laundry and a few internet minutes ;).

[villauk]

With so many cruise lines now charging similar prices for almost identical cruises it can often be those little extras that make a difference. A free drinks package for two compared to having to pay $US130 ( for two) over 14 days $1820 converted to $NZ2563 makes a huge impact on a cruise cost. An additional free OBC of $US400 ($NZ563) and free laundry at approx. $NZ300 one can see why and how these perks and benefits can add up. To get the equivalent of what I can get on Celebrity may cost me an extra $3500 on another cruise line. This is half the cost of a basic cruise for 2. These benefits which many consider to be immaterial I wish I had the budget to ignore thousands of dollars of holiday money. I accept that to a degree that if I want to continue to enjoy these benefits I am trapped in the vicious Celebrity circle and if I want to cruise regularly and I have to associate with bottom feeders then I am happy to do so

 

Many of the other lines have the ‘free’ drink package included in their price now, so you need to check each cruise on it’s own merit. Some lines are also matching loyalty status, so again your observations towards costs could potentially be a mute point. They are all after your business - you’ll be surprised what’s on offer if you look. Oceania was coming in less than X for the Med next summer on an itinerary I was considering - who’d have thought that :confused:!

[yorky]

I’m always pretty surprised people even care that much about these loyalty perks. You are paying $5/10,000 for a single cruise and they offer perks worth a couple of hundred maximum.

[Kiwifromkiev]

I’m always pretty surprised people even care that much about these loyalty perks. You are paying $5/10,000 for a single cruise and they offer perks worth a couple of hundred maximum.

 

 

 

Not drink packages- these are quite pricey

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[villauk]

Not drink packages- these are quite pricey

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

And many lines now include them, but you are still paying for them in the cost of the fare, whether you realise it or not. It’s irrelevant anyway as unless you are Zenith, a full beverage package is not one of the CC loyalty perks.

[jkgourmet]

What an absolutely arrogant comment. "Bottom feeders" - Who do you think you are criticising those who choose to stay in a particular cabin on a cruise ship. It is sanctimonious people like you who create class distinction where there is none. I have never chosen to use an AQ cabin for a number of reasons principally because I dint believe it offers value for money. Does that mean that I am a bottom feeder. If you are so conscious of living and eating near the top of the waves why aren't you cruising in a Penthouse suite. Time you crawled back into whatever hole you crawled out of.

 

Not complaining by the way just saying how it is

 

Thank you beanb41. You said it better than I would have (and more tactfully).

 

I rarely take offense to comments made on cruise critic forums, but being called "a bottom feeder" is flat out insulting. We ARE those passengers - the proper term for us would be thrifty, frugal, financially prudent, financially conservative. We are that way with all our purchases, not just vacations. We wear those banners proudly.

 

Signed,

"Bottom feeders" who retired at 52 and 62.5 years old and still travel extensively every year.

[jkgourmet]

I suppose that if the only reason you sail on Celebrity is for the Elite perks, and you no longer find any value in those perks, then you should definitely move on to another cruise line with a better loyalty program.

 

Or no loyalty program at all. No need to offer perks or loyalty benefits because everything is already included. Try Viking Ocean, Crystal, Seabourne, Silversea, etc.

 

Oh wait - one perk especially for the obnoxious OP: You won't have to share the ship with us "bottom feeders".

[The_Big_M]

Wow. Pull your fangs in. Its not getting sucked in by the big better best promo - it’s what is offered when we book. Usually at the same price as it would be without taking them in our situation. Back to the original point - it is not a 30 percent discount for loyalty if everybody gets 20 percent discount regardless of loyalty on your cruise. It is a 10 percent discount if youre elite and no discount if you are Select. It is silly. There is also no need to be nasty. Bad day?

 

Everybody doesn't get 20%.

 

It's a flash sale. Valid for what, a day or so. I have no idea since the real "stupidest thing ever" was that not everybody got the email.

 

Whereas your loyalty is available permanently. So if you booked the cruise tomorrow, after the flash sale was over you would still get the discount. And in every case your discount is greater.

 

 

Sanctimonious much?

[flviking]

The only company in travel (cruise, air, hotel) I found to reward loyalty is Marriott. The remainder are totally what have you done for me lately. So we choose the airline that is convenient, pay for the seat we want to sit in rather than expect an upgrade. We take the cruise we want to on the line that offers the itinerary we want, then we pay for the cabin and perks we value. If we get a freebie or a discount all the better. If you want to know what loyalty means to Celebrity be booked on a cruise that they end up chartering. $100 to $200 OBC and book on a limited number of, IMHO, inferior, itineraries. We booked Valentines day two years ago and all the offered was mid January. It's just not the same. We have found being a free agent is more pleasant as we expect little. Using that process we are Princess Platinum, Royal Diamond and Celebrity Elite.

[jkgourmet]

Perhaps Celebrity has a business plan to replace frequent cruisers with new cruisers who don't get any of the perks. New cruisers cost less to keep satisfied and don't know how much better the former experience was. As long as the ships are filled while the economy is booming, there is no need to enhance benefits to retain the ageing long time cruiser.

 

Yep:

 

 

CEO Lutoff-Perlo: "We try to position ourselves against other vacation options even more than we position ourselves against cruising" (She noted that about 30% of Celebrity guests are repeat customers, and another 25% are people who have cruised on another line but are new to Celebrity. The rest are first-timers, a sweet spot for Celebrity.)

Source: http://fortune.com/2015/04/09/celebrity-cruises-growth-plan/

[Kiwifromkiev]

Yep:

 

 

 

 

 

CEO Lutoff-Perlo: "We try to position ourselves against other vacation options even more than we position ourselves against cruising" (She noted that about 30% of Celebrity guests are repeat customers, and another 25% are people who have cruised on another line but are new to Celebrity. The rest are first-timers, a sweet spot for Celebrity.)

 

Source: http://fortune.com/2015/04/09/celebrity-cruises-growth-plan/

 

 

 

Very interesting article although it is three years old. However I do not believe it talks about making X less appealing to its loyal customers but rather of changing with time

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Mr&MrsBee]

LLP is also looking to the LGBT community.

[Pavovsky]

Very interesting article although it is three years old. However I do not believe it talks about making X less appealing to its loyal customers but rather of changing with time

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

 

There are only so many first timers out there.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kiwifromkiev]

There are only so many first timers out there.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Firstly, don’t fool yourself- it is a huge and constantly growing market. Secondly, new cruisers does not mean a low quality service will do, for people still compare - with on land restaurants, high end bus tours, luxury hotels etc etc etc. I agree that X must keep its reputation as a high end mass market cruise line with emphasis on its food - otherwise we they will loose their distincton

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Silkroad]

I don’t spend any time checking if someone got a better deal than I do, or get goodies that I shomewho don’t think they deserve. Trust me, there is someone on board your cruises who paid less than you did (or at least will tell you so, if you actually go around asking) and others who get goodies that you wont think they deserve.

 

We are talkng about crusing, right?? Maybe there are some people on this thread who need to go over to the booking section and go on a cruise and just relax a bit.

 

Den

Denny, I agree with you 100%. I don’t waste energy being upset about what everyone else gets. I care about booking a cruise that is desirable to me, at a price that seems reasonable. DH and I are now relaxing with cocktails on our screened porch, counting the weeks to our next Celebrity cruise. Cheers, Michelle

Our ‘loyalty’ to Celebrity is based on the product, at present, matching what we want from a cruise. Points don’t influence our choice. When paying $$$$$ for an expensive holiday why should a couple of free drinks and a few other bits influence our choice? We are looking at the total package of itinerary, ship facilities and cost.

Well said, Chemmo! We feel the same. Our first cruise was with Celebrity, and though we’ve considered other lines, we’ve always ended up booking with Celebrity. We appreciate the Captain’s Club benefits, but they wouldn’t keep us from going elsewhere if we became unhappy with our Celebrity experience. DH and I are only minnows (Select) amongst all of the larger fish (Elite & Elite+) on this thread, but I certainly appreciated my 25% Select discount on an Internet package. We’ll reach Elite level with the next cruise, and we shall certainly appreciate our Elite laundry and internet benefit benefits on our 15-night TA next April. Regarding the flash sale, I’ve definitely appreciated the discounts on the beverage packages for our two TAs. In short, my glass is more than half full:) Regards, Michelle

[jkgourmet]

There are only so many first timers out there.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

In the USA, at least 40% of the population has never been on a cruise.

 

 

But let's look at the future: China. That's the next market for finding passengers. And less than 1% of them have cruised before. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-14/cruise-ships-navigate-hostile-sea-beauty-pageants-to-lure-china (and many more articles)

[jkgourmet]

There are only so many first timers out there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In the USA, at least 40% of the population has never been on a cruise. But let's look at the future: China. That's the next market for finding passengers. And less than 1% of them have cruised before. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-14/cruise-ships-navigate-hostile-sea-beauty-pageants-to-lure-china (and many more articles)

 

LLP is also looking to the LGBT community.

 

is that a problem?

[Kiwifromkiev]

 

is that a problem?

 

It should not be but it might be for some people :(