Better deals for those with Red cards than Platinum with CCL

[txsquare]

SOOOO frustrated with Carnival right now. I am ready to book a cruise. Credit card in hand. I have been platinum for several years. Surprisingly, I get very few email offers for deals, but a friend of mine, who cruised with me a few years back and had my email address on her booking, is getting them DAILY! Reduced prices, reduced deposits, upgrades, but NOTHING for my platinum status. I've watched CCL go cheap on a lot of things over the years, but you would think that they would want to keep their customers who have been loyal to them coming back. I even called to see if they had anything they can offer; I just got an apology...but no deals. Guess I will be booking an all-inclusive at a resort, instead of taking a cruise. :mad::mad:Anyone else encounter this issue?

[psujmatt]

I’m not in a position to experience this, but it sounds just like the internet and cable companies. Best deals are to lure in new customers. Loyal customers foot the bill.

 

 

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[BananaAnna]

It MAY be that you have access to the exact same prices but just aren't receiving emails. Try doing a mock booking online to compare what pricing you get vs. what they get.

[txsquare]

I’m not in a position to experience this, but it sounds just like the internet and cable companies. Best deals are to lure in new customers. Loyal customers foot the bill.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

I would agree, but the emails are coming directly to my inbox with her past passenger info from Carnival. And they come often. I get very few of them and none with any good deals.

[kona_wahine]

I get Casino Rate, and I don’t gamble very much. The rate isn’t really a deal from what I’ve seen.

[pspercy]

I’m not in a position to experience this, but it sounds just like the internet and cable companies. Best deals are to lure in new customers. Loyal customers foot the bill.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Yes, I recently switched cable company, new one is $100/mo cheaper, that's for phone, 'net, cable.

Old one said if I came back as a new customer my rate would be the same as the new one !!

[Woodfaerie]

I totally understand. My cabin mate for my next cruise is a 2nd timer on CCL. She has had multiple upgrade offers for our next sailing - me not a one. They know I am going to return because I have 16 times so far! Still, where are the loyalty offers you would hope for....... ( took one of her upgrades, deck 2 inside to deck 9, inside for $8 more pp.)

[CdrescherRBL152]

I would agree, but the emails are coming directly to my inbox with her past passenger info from Carnival. And they come often. I get very few of them and none with any good deals.

Okay now lets see if I got this correct. You are getting the emails. But they have her info. Sounds to me more of a computer clitch then anything. Most likely what happened was some how when you cruise together her name was listed first on the booking. We get the same thing I gent emails almost daily from carnival with my wife's info. She gets almost none. Our cruise history is the same.

[sail2sea]

It MAY be that you have access to the exact same prices but just aren't receiving emails. Try doing a mock booking online to compare what pricing you get vs. what they get.

 

That's what I am thinking. Those big flashy ads rarely accompany a true good deal.

[RWolver672]

Okay now lets see if I got this correct. You are getting the emails. But they have her info. Sounds to me more of a computer clitch then anything. Most likely what happened was some how when you cruise together her name was listed first on the booking. We get the same thing I gent emails almost daily from carnival with my wife's info. She gets almost none. Our cruise history is the same.

In our case, my wife's info has her e-mail address and mine has mine. I get identical offers for both of us in my e-mail. Her's will say something like Here's your offer Linda and mine will say Here's your offer Richard and the offers are both the same.

 

The funny thing is that if we don't have a cruise booked, we seldom get offers. Once we book a cruise, we get offers a couple times a month and they never can be used on a cruise already booked.

[Tre_220]

You are not alone. The exact same thing happened to us for a cruise that we will be on next month. We are platinum and the couple we are traveling with are on their 3rd Carnival cruise. They received emails with a VIFP special rate that we never received. By using the special rate their cruise is $80 cheaper than ours. Keep in mind our cabins are right next door to each other so it's not like they have a different cabin type.

[sc4125]

Same here - my cousin & niece who have cruised with us on two different occasions several years ago get offers mailed to my address as I was the one who booked the cruises - I never receive those offers even though I too am Platinum. Thankfully I get casino deals and they do not, even though they spent quite a bit of time in the casino on those cruises.

 

I bet you if I went a year or two without cruising, I too would get the deals my family members are getting. Since I cruise CCL at least once a year - for the last 3 years or so I've cruised at least 2 times each year - they don't have to entice me. I will say that it is definitely the casino offers that keep me coming back at this stage of the game.

 

 

I actually want to try other lines, but can't make myself pay full price to cruise with any of them. Even though I've cruised over 20 times with CCL and never had a bad cruise, if I had to pay full price, I would for sure try other lines.

 

For the OP - stay away for a couple of years & you will no doubt start receiving offers to get you back.

[Micahs Grandad]

Same here - my cousin & niece who have cruised with us on two different occasions several years ago get offers mailed to my address as I was the one who booked the cruises - I never receive those offers even though I too am Platinum. Thankfully I get casino deals and they do not, even though they spent quite a bit of time in the casino on those cruises.

 

I bet you if I went a year or two without cruising, I too would get the deals my family members are getting. Since I cruise CCL at least once a year - for the last 3 years or so I've cruised at least 2 times each year - they don't have to entice me. I will say that it is definitely the casino offers that keep me coming back at this stage of the game.

 

 

I actually want to try other lines, but can't make myself pay full price to cruise with any of them. Even though I've cruised over 20 times with CCL and never had a bad cruise, if I had to pay full price, I would for sure try other lines.

 

For the OP - stay away for a couple of years & you will no doubt start receiving offers to get you back.

 

Usually we find Princess and other lines rather similar in price to Carnival for Caribbean. Worth checking other cruise lines out.

[evandbob]

I get better offers in my VIFP folder than I do through Carnival's emails.

 

The emails I do get explain how to use my cruise manager and how to book excursions. I'm Diamond, so what's up with that??????

[meatloafsfan]

Took my brother and his family on a cruise a couple of years ago - signed him up with my email address (since I was paying, wanted to make sure that everything came to me to resolve any issues).

 

Anyways, he gets emails (to my email address) at least twice a week.

All I get from Carnival is emails for "Your cruise requires attention - pay up!"

[Joebucks]

The job of marketing is to attract customers. Platinum customers are going to come regardless. Even though we feel entitled to discounts, we aren't.

[christyran1228]

On our coming up cruise my nephew, who has never cruised before, got a good upgrade offer. He is rooming with my son but I got the email because I set it up that way when I booked them, and took the upgrade for them.

 

My brother, same thing. They have never cruised before and got an offer, too .... but that one was terrible so we passed.

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

It sounds like the "grass is always greener on the other side" observations.

 

For a long time I have felt that all the promotions from all the cruise lines are smoke and mirrors. I am sure that every once in a while there are promotions that are offered at a time when they seem really special for some travelers, but in general there is not much there that is special. For many they are happy just with reduced deposits, not that it changes what you have to pay, but because they have little at risk if they choose to cancel.

 

I regularly get a casino promotion, but because I am not a big gambler the discount over other rates is not significant. I think just sticking with a rate that will allow for price drops (and checking regularly) is always your best bet.

 

Everybody should make the effort to check the prices of other cruise lines. During the course of a year there are many "promotions" offered by other cruise lines. If you fall into the category where you could get some of the "freebies" offered, then what first appeared as a higher price could very well save a lot of money for a family. If you typically choose a balcony, or travel with four in a cabin, or enjoy a alcohol package, or internet packages...etc...take the time to work out what the total cost is when promotions are offered by other companies. Of course, promotions aren't necessarily going to be offered when you want to sail, but is worth the effort to check.

 

hope this helps

[HawkIVette]

You are not alone. The exact same thing happened to us for a cruise that we will be on next month. We are platinum and the couple we are traveling with are on their 3rd Carnival cruise. They received emails with a VIFP special rate that we never received. By using the special rate their cruise is $80 cheaper than ours. Keep in mind our cabins are right next door to each other so it's not like they have a different cabin type.

 

So you say theirs is $80 cheaper for the same exact thing.

 

Well, isn't the Platinum benefits worth at least that?

Getting on the ship faster.

Getting to your room quicker.

Laundry service.

Private party with free drinks and hors d'oeuvre.

Plus, don't forget, your free drink card.

 

I am platinum and would sure hate to go back to start again on another cruise line, even if it were $80 cheaper per cruise.

[tallnthensome]

The job of marketing is to attract customers. Platinum customers are going to come regardless. Even though we feel entitled to discounts, we aren't.

This is exactly correct. I've been saying it lately on here to not put so much importance in striving to reach platinum or Diamond because it doesn't really matter, it doesn't to us at least. I've sailed a few times on 6 different lines. I'm of no high status on any of them yet get offers daily it seems. Carnival knows if you are Diamond or Platinum, they've already got you so ....... You probably aren't as important to them as a new cruiser sadly enough. I've been saying it over and over .... show loyalty to none and they will seek you out. If you are loyal to the bone, they have no

Need to offer you anything besides some weak perks after spending thousands of dollars.

[HawkIVette]

 

Need to offer you anything besides some weak perks after spending thousands of dollars.

 

Remenber, being platinum gets you on the ship faster and it to your cabin right away, basically FTTF. You call it weak perks, but people are paying $60 per cabin, and now upwords to $90 a cabin. Add in some other weak perks, like laundry. I used to have to pay for laundry ($15/ bag) or pack more clothes on my 7 day and longer cruises. Now, I get it for free, saving around $30-50 per cruise.

 

All the weak perks add up to around $100 per cruise or more. I like Platinum weak perks.

 

Oh and BTW, I still get offers for reduced cruises in "My Offers", not by email. I think people are looking in the wrong place. The emails are just to get your attention. The website VIFP page is where it's at.

[teague38]

SOOOO frustrated with Carnival right now. I am ready to book a cruise. Credit card in hand. I have been platinum for several years. Surprisingly, I get very few email offers for deals, but a friend of mine, who cruised with me a few years back and had my email address on her booking, is getting them DAILY! Reduced prices, reduced deposits, upgrades, but NOTHING for my platinum status. I've watched CCL go cheap on a lot of things over the years, but you would think that they would want to keep their customers who have been loyal to them coming back. I even called to see if they had anything they can offer; I just got an apology...but no deals. Guess I will be booking an all-inclusive at a resort, instead of taking a cruise. :mad::mad:Anyone else encounter this issue?

 

 

I have only been on 2 cruises so I am only a red card but I have #3 and #4 booked. My first cruise we took one of my daughters friends with us and I used my email for her and like you I very rarely get emails and she gets one almost every other day with deals.

[xDisconnections]

You are not alone. The exact same thing happened to us for a cruise that we will be on next month. We are platinum and the couple we are traveling with are on their 3rd Carnival cruise. They received emails with a VIFP special rate that we never received. By using the special rate their cruise is $80 cheaper than ours. Keep in mind our cabins are right next door to each other so it's not like they have a different cabin type.

 

Next time, perhaps you could swap who is rooming with who if it makes the room eligible for special targeted offers. You can get extra keys or change passenger names in the room at Guest Services and stay at the same rate you booked.

[BNBR]

From a marketing perspective, it would make sense for Platinum to get plenty of offers as well. The acquisition cost on a loyal cruiser is much cheaper and would be almost certainly easier to ping them regularly to get them to book with a higher likelihood of success.

 

I have a feeling it's just unintended. Marketing and email lists, etc. And you are looking far too much in to it.

[xDisconnections]

I have only been on 2 cruises so I am only a red card but I have #3 and #4 booked. My first cruise we took one of my daughters friends with us and I used my email for her and like you I very rarely get emails and she gets one almost every other day with deals.

 

You also get more offers when you don’t have anything booked.