loyalty

[frank808]

Yes, doing an MSC October 2019. As D+, we will be their highest tier, Black. Only doing it for the itinerary. Price is right too and down payment was only $98. Otherwise, it’s Royal all the way, with several Celebrity thrown in.

 

Gwen [emoji3]

You might get hooked on msc. Currently on the seaside in the yacht club which is like a full suite on royal. The top sail lounge and restaurant beats coastal kitchen and suite lounge on oasis class ships hands down. Service and included drinks are so much better than what we would get in suite lounge. Also private pool deck with pool, two hot tubs (actually warm tubs), full bar and kitchen.

 

Also the d+ match to black status is nice. With black, you get free dinner at specialty restaurant from a price fix menu, bottle of prosecco and chocolate ship. There are a few more perks but those are the ones that stand out in my mind.

 

We miss cruising on grandeur this past February. I take it you were on her this past February?

 

Enjoy your cruise on MSC. Is it on the seaside? I enjoyed MSC so much that I have booked 6 cruises for 2019 and 2020. Will still cruise royal but will now be split with MSC.

 

 

 

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[frank808]

We just became diamond plus and have been cruising rccl once or twice a year for last 5 years all in suites. But excited to try MSC yacht in November 2019 , also have a couple of celebrity cruises for 2019. So no rccl for us in 2019. Really loved suite perks on celebrity and looking forward to all the perks on msc.

Your cruising history is similar to ours and royal. We started cruising a little less than 4 years ago. Have been loyal to royal until about 2 weeks ago.

 

As you know we are on seaside in yc and have to admit it is great. With MSC will not sail any other way but yc. Love the ability to come back to a nice uncrowded venue when the rest of the ship is a madhouse.

 

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[CruisingNole]

I bailed on RCL Visa 2 years ago. No do a cash back MC. Earn between $1,500 and $2,000 each year.

 

I still have 280,000 Visa points though.

 

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Which card do you and what is the cash back percentage?

 

I use the Sam's Club MC for travel, dining out and gas. 3% cash back on travel and restaurants and 5% on gas. Between that and my Citi Double cash (2% back on every purchase), and Amazon Chase (5% back on Amazon purchases) credit cards can be quite profitable. By the end of the year I can usually rack up enough cash for a free cruise.

 

Not sure why anyone would waste time with a RCL Visa.

[John&LaLa]

Which card do you and what is the cash back percentage?

 

I use the Sam's Club MC for travel, dining out and gas. 3% cash back on travel and restaurants and 5% on gas. Between that and my Citi Double cash (2% back on every purchase), and Amazon Chase (5% back on Amazon purchases) credit cards can be quite profitable. By the end of the year I can usually rack up enough cash for a free cruise.

 

Not sure why anyone would waste time with a RCL Visa.

Sam's

 

Beginning to hate Synchrony though.

 

Our card gets blocked for fraud twice a month. Always BS. They even block Royal sometimes. Their fraud team is way overly aggressive. Never had that issue with BOA.

 

 

 

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[belmontcrew]

I don’t understand if you don’t Enjoy Cruising why come on here and tell us you don’t

 

Just for the record I enjoy cruises. A plane is a means of getting somewhere. A hotel a bed away from home. What you like is boring to me.

 

Where did I say that I don’t enjoy cruising?

[GUT2407]

This could be posted on the board of any brand....I see that many only sail one cruise line, in this case RCI...do you ever feel that you'd like to try another line but do not due to loyalty points, or fear of another line not being as good, or whatever? I personally like to try different ships, different lines...but that is simply a choice, and I have enjoyed every single cruise. Just wondering.

We mainly cruise with one line. Mainly because they tend to have itineraries that suit us. But ship around a bit.

 

Been on 9 lines so far.

[snaefell]

We only do the odd cruise,can't really say we find them great value for money,even if you get a great price on the cruise itself there are still a million ways to part you from your money on board!

Given the choice Loyalty schemes wouldn't persuade me but less chances of being fleeced on board would,not paying silly prices to buy drinks(the price can be bad enough but don't forget the 18% on top) or dine in a,supposedly,better restaurant,things which are often not that easy to find details of on the cruise lines website.

Then there is the auto tipping/service charge,amazing the difference in attitude to this on different cruise lines forums,on Royal people seem to think you are a meanie or cheapskate if you mention reducing or withdrawing this,whereas on P&O's forums after this charge went from £5 to £7pppn in 2 years people are furious & withdrawing it in their droves!

Before somebody asks why am I on here,well I wanted to see feedback from cruisers to see how they enjoyed their cruise experiences,& maybe ask a question or two as we have just found a cruise which appeals to us & as a result have just booked our first cruise with Royal Carribean for 2019,it goes to places we really want to go,the price was right,looks like prices on board are a lot higher than we would like but what the heck we have got a long time to save for it!

[Panda3]

This could be posted on the board of any brand....I see that many only sail one cruise line, in this case RCI...do you ever feel that you'd like to try another line but do not due to loyalty points, or fear of another line not being as good, or whatever? I personally like to try different ships, different lines...but that is simply a choice, and I have enjoyed every single cruise. Just wondering.

 

Good question and something I've thought of before. Yes, I feel due to the casino loyalty program and the fact that inside or outside cabins are basically free as long as I keep up my "casino" points, it keeps me coming back to RCI. I don't feel the perks of the C&A are all that but the casino, lol. That being said I would like to try another ship for a new experience. But, I strangely like the comfort of knowing the ins and outs out the RCI experience. I also find myself only sailing out of Florida and I'm getting bored of the Caribbean. First world problems, lol.

[sparks1093]

Where did I say that I don’t enjoy cruising?

 

I was thinking the same thing, because nothing in your post suggested that at all.

[Biker19]

We only do the odd cruise,can't really say we find them great value for money,even if you get a great price on the cruise itself there are still a million ways to part you from your money on board!

There's a very simple solution to that - simply say no to all the optional things.

[John&LaLa]

There's a very simple solution to that - simply say no to all the optional things.

Where's the fun in that. [emoji848]

 

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[orville99]

Where's the fun in that. [emoji848]

 

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True. It's more fun to say no to all those things, not tell anybody that's what you always do, and then come on CC and b$%^h about how cruise lines nickel and dime you to death. :)

[island lady]

We're doing a B2B cruise on the Freedom, 3 March and 10 March 2019.:wine-glass::wine-glass:

 

Wish I could join you! We really miss the Freedom here in PC. :(

 

We are cruising in the "land yacht" in the Florida Panhandle during that time. Love the beaches there, and great kayaking. :cool:

[island lady]

Living in Florida - and half an hour from a port - is "cheating". :D :D :D

 

 

Yup...call me cheater! ;)

 

Hey...we just spent a week at Promised Land state park in PA cruising in the Land Yacht on the way up here to Maine for the summer. :cool:

 

I don't cheat all the time. :D

[island lady]

to me, something is a scam if you lose money on it due to dishonesty. The loyalty programs are free.. No fee to sign up or maintain membership, nothing payable for services rendered, etc. I have never considered the loyalty programs a scam and i don't quite understand why you say that. Seriously inquiring...

 

+1 ^

[Merion_Mom]

Yup...call me cheater! ;)

 

Hey...we just spent a week at Promised Land state park in PA cruising in the Land Yacht on the way up here to Maine for the summer. :cool:

 

I don't cheat all the time. :D

That's a long haul in an RV! :eek:

[island lady]

Loyalty... nah, not for me. I will sail with with anyone I guess. I find that RCI & CCL are similar, and I like them both. However, unlike others here, I have found better service on my CCL cruises than on my RCI cruises.

 

I happen to be Diamond on RCI, and getting close to Diamond +, but it really does not benefit me much. I do not drink much, so the three a night is a waste.. if I drank them I would be passed out before dinner, and not wake until Breakfast. I do not really care for balcony cabins, so that discount really does not apply to me either. I really do not get on or off the ship any faster than I did before.... so nothing really for me.

 

That is why there are choices. ;) To each their own. :cool:

[island lady]

We've also cruised 6 lines. 20 cruises till we discovered Mariner in 2008. Only looked back once.

 

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Exactly the same with us. ;) Except we found Mariner in 2005. Strayed to HAL just once...what a disaster! :( Been happy with Royal ever since.

 

Gosh...hmmm...let me think. I have to spend a grand or more to upgrade from our usual JS to full suite for access to SL and CK that we adore...but you get free access even if you book an inside cabin.

 

Yeah...loyalty has it's rewards. :D :D

[belmontcrew]

I was thinking the same thing, because nothing in your post suggested that at all.

 

Thank you. My only point is that I get more benefits (value) from my hotel and air (and spend less to do so) than I get from Royal.

[island lady]

I find most of these to have significant value.

 

Balcony and Suite Discounts

Skip lines to embark and debark

Free internet

Free laundry bag

Free clothes pressing

Free cocktails in evening

No need for show reservations

Dedicated dining on many ships

All day wine and beer on Oasis Class

Priority seating at most shows

Elite status with Celebrity and Azamara

3 bottles of wine for cruises longer than 7 days

Sweet gold name tag [emoji6]

Specialty lunch with Captain, Hotel Director, etc...

Bathroom amenities

Quicker access to C&A call center

Nifty milestone gift every 10 cruises (70 pts)

Free cruise every 5 years or so

Access to Concierge

Barefoot Beach access on Labadee

Free luggage valet

Free photo

Several BOGO and other discounts throughout the ship.

 

Many are part of the suite benefits, without paying suite prices.

 

And yes, they can change at a moments notice. I can also get hit by a bus tomorrow.

 

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Excellent posting of our "worthless perks" John. :D :D

 

We also loved watching our former multi page sea pass bill go to zip. Perks? No $$ saved? Hah! I will take that scam any day. :DBeing "Loyal to Royal" has saved us a lot of money now, and since we really enjoy the line...what's not to love? Sure works for us.

Edited July 13, 2018 by island lady

[island lady]

That's a long haul in an RV! :eek:

 

We take 2-3 weeks to get here, and enjoy stopping to "smell the roses" on the way up. Spending the summer up here in Down East Maine. Love it here.

 

Plus we get to take Katie, our mascot (picture on my avatar) along with us, where we can't take her along in the "big ships". :cool:

[davekathy]

Wish I could join you! We really miss the Freedom here in PC. :(

 

We are cruising in the "land yacht" in the Florida Panhandle during that time. Love the beaches there, and great kayaking. :cool:

Safe travels and enjoy.

[frank808]

Thank you. My only point is that I get more benefits (value) from my hotel and air (and spend less to do so) than I get from Royal.

Big difference in that you have to requalify every year with hotel and airlines. With royal I can come back 2 years later and still get the d+ benefits.

 

Also been plat premiere with Marriott for 5 years and plat for almost a decade. I can say i have gotten more benefits from being d and d+ on royal for the past 2 years than a decade with marriott.

 

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[snaefell]

Big difference in that you have to requalify every year with hotel and airlines. With royal I can come back 2 years later and still get the d+ benefits.

 

Also been plat premiere with Marriott for 5 years and plat for almost a decade. I can say i have gotten more benefits from being d and d+ on royal for the past 2 years than a decade with marriott.

 

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Marriott don't charge you anything up to $17 a day for tips for the staff though!

[John&LaLa]

We take 2-3 weeks to get here, and enjoy stopping to "smell the roses" on the way up. Spending the summer up here in Down East Maine. Love it here.

 

Plus we get to take Katie, our mascot (picture on my avatar) along with us, where we can't take her along in the "big ships". :cool:

We'll be in Limerick next few days. West side of state.

 

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