Heard changes to Loyalty Program to be announced @ 2018 prez cuise - rumours???

[island lady]

Life is a trade off of choices

 

I live near Pt Canaveral

 

I've also flown all over the world this year to catch several cruises

 

Just got my Delta Silver status back after a several year hiatus.

 

When I lost status, I didn't quit flying Delta

 

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Bucky just got his Million Mile recognition. ;)

[island lady]

The only possible changes I can see happening are no longer allowing Diamond in the lounge and just giving the 3 drinks on the card, and giving D+ with 340 or 525 points a tier name.

 

+1 ^....was thinking "Sapphire" (Royal Caribbean Blue) at the "unnamed tier" at 350 AKA "HWTP"...(half way to Pineapple ;)).

 

 

Oh this is so much fun! :D

[Domino D]

Bucky just got his Million Mile recognition. ;)

I didn't know they still did that. I thought they gutted that program. Maybe they just cut back the perks. Congrats to Bucky!

 

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[Domino D]

Very interesting points! It does underscore the "math problem" though... No matter what they do, the number of higher tier individuals will only continue to go up. So perks involving actual space (lounges, etc...) will forever be a problem as more and more top tier travelers come to be.

Agreed, that is going to be the big issue for them.

 

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[John&LaLa]

You really think this could possibly happen with the IT department that Royal has. They can't even figure out how to get the website to work or to figure out my 150% solo rate.

150% works fine once Pinnacle

 

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[travelgoddess1]

Most of the pinnacles I have met live near a departure point. They can cruise with no airfare to deal with. Hence, they can take 5 or 6 “cheap” cabins where I have to fly to most departure points.

 

 

There may be a lot of Pinnacles close to RCI ports, but there are also a lot of Pinnacles, particularly those on the West Coast, who must fly to an RCI home port. FWIW, I do not book cheap cabins and I do not fly steerage. Life is short.:)

[Don Pedro]

The only possible changes I can see happening are no longer allowing Diamond in the lounge and just giving the 3 drinks on the card, and giving D+ with 340 or 525 points a tier name.

 

Sounds reasonable except I don't see them adding another level. In fact, if I were in charge, I'd get rid of a couple levels. A Concierges recently told us that in the near future the Concierge Clubs fleet wide would become Suite Lounges. If that happens then it is easy to see you premise occurring. But I am not betting on that as I've heard tons of rumors from various Concierges that still have not borne fruit.

[John&LaLa]

Here's what I would like- points for using their flying program. So that those of us who have to fly to cruises can gain some of the benefits of those of you who have a few block drive to the ship. It's a lot tougher for us to take a last min cruise vs. people next to ports, so it would be nice to have some way to level it.

Wont level anything, plenty of us fly as well.

We also often cruise JS and higher. [emoji6]

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

Here's what I would like- points for using their flying program. So that those of us who have to fly to cruises can gain some of the benefits of those of you who have a few block drive to the ship. It's a lot tougher for us to take a last min cruise vs. people next to ports, so it would be nice to have some way to level it.

 

 

 

You can always move closer to a port?

 

 

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[gaylemh]

Sounds reasonable except I don't see them adding another level. In fact, if I were in charge, I'd get rid of a couple levels. A Concierges recently told us that in the near future the Concierge Clubs fleet wide would become Suite Lounges. If that happens then it is easy to see you premise occurring. But I am not betting on that as I've heard tons of rumors from various Concierges that still have not borne fruit.

 

The levels are already there with extra perks - 150% solo rate, meal with an officer, and additional gift at 340 and 525. It just doesn't have a name.

[Bloodgem]

Well, then come up with a idea that works for you. I'm just trying to come up with an idea that levels the playing field for those of us who have to fly vs. those who have a short drive the the port.

 

If I couldn't fly for medical reasons, I would not be able to cruise at all- the shortest drive is well over 12 hours, which isn't worth it.

I meant no offence when I posted

Interesting point but what about people who can not fly for medical reasons? We have to drive 5 hours to board the ship due to no flying.

to your comment.

 

I do think you raised an interesting point, when you wrote "It's a lot tougher for us to take a last min cruise vs. people next to ports", one which I had not considered until you raised it. Like you probably did not take in to account that some people can not fly for medical reasons when you posted your comment " Here's what I would like- points for using their flying program. So that those of us who have to fly to cruises can gain some of the benefits of those of you who have a few block drive to the ship. It's a lot tougher for us to take a last min cruise vs. people next to ports, so it would be nice to have some way to level it".

[Ourusualbeach]

I’m not quite sure why so many people feel that Royal thinks the D lounge and excluding the D’s is even an issue. It’s only on very few occasions that they open an overflow lounge. I honestly don’t think that Royal cares one way or another that good old Mr. X with 500 points lost his prescious seat to some lowly diamond with 80 points.

 

They are offering a great perk that no one else in the industry is, getting people to remain loyal chasing those perks.

 

Royal has already solved the issue by giving everyone 3 drinks. If they want more drinks than that or a prescious seat then let them fight it out for a space in the lounge.

 

The only people that feel that this is an issue are the D+ members, certainly not Royal.

[Milwaukee Eight]

I’m not quite sure why so many people feel that Royal thinks the D lounge and excluding the D’s is even an issue. It’s only on very few occasions that they open an overflow lounge. I honestly don’t think that Royal cares one way or another that good old Mr. X with 500 points lost his prescious seat to some lowly diamond with 80 points.

 

 

 

They are offering a great perk that no one else in the industry is, getting people to remain loyal chasing those perks.

 

 

 

Royal has already solved the issue by giving everyone 3 drinks. If they want more drinks than that or a prescious seat then let them fight it out for a space in the lounge.

 

 

 

The only people that feel that this is an issue are the D+ members, certainly not Royal.

 

 

 

If you limit the drinks in the DL to 3 just like the vouchers, there is not likely to be a continued crowding issue.

 

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

If you limit the drinks in the DL to 3 just like the vouchers, there is not likely to be a continued crowding issue.

 

 

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Oh, you know everyone just goes there for the social aspect...nothing at all about the unlimited drinks.;)

[actuarian]

Personally, I do not think that there will be any substantive changes, just minor adjustments. However, if there are significant changes, I would look at Celebrity in order to guess what will happen. I have often suspected that Royal uses Celebrity as a kind of sounding board to test the effect of administrative changes. Celebrity bases Captain's Club points on room category and provides more perks to people in Sky Suites (its equivalent to Royal Junior Suites), at the expense of fewer perks to top tier Captain's Club members. It is also a little harder to make Zenith (the highest tier) in the Captain's Club than it is to make Pinnacle. However, I think that the biggest difference is that Zeniths are not admitted to Luminae (their equivalent to Coastal Kitchen) but people in Sky Suites are (for all meals, not just dinner and not just by reservation). This difference has a positive revenue impact since it allows Celebrity to charge more for Sky Suites (on average; you can find exceptions if you look hard enough) than Royal charges for Junior Suites. IMHO, any change that has a positive revenue impact is probably "on the table".

[Beachin2]

That's my guess too, and actually surprised it did not happen when they first came out with the drink vouchers. :confused: Maybe increase vouchers to four drinks, and add specialty coffee vouchers for Diamonds?

 

Rename the DL as "Upper Tier Lounge"..or something along that line with D+ and Pinnacles only. Full Suites only ...get the Suites Lounge.

 

Simpler than that. Just change the DL name to CL and remaining CLs to SL and you are done.

 

Ds don't have access to the CL.

[Don Pedro]

The levels are already there with extra perks - 150% solo rate, meal with an officer, and additional gift at 340 and 525. It just doesn't have a name.

 

Very true! There are already 8 named levels with only 76 points separating the first four levels, Gold to Diamond. An average of 19 points per level - two points less than a one week solo cruise in a JR. Having three levels of D+ makes a lot more sense than that.

[Don Pedro]

Simpler than that. Just change the DL name to CL and remaining CLs to SL and you are done.

 

Ds don't have access to the CL.

 

Bingo! But still expect an uproar.

[Retired LEO]

Perhaps if the concierge in some of the lounges would stop allowing friends and family in that don't belong it would alleviate some of the issues.

 

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[actuarian]

Have heard rumors a few years back that: (1) RCCL was no longer going to give double points for staying in a Junior Suite; and (2) RCCL was going to increase the points needed to make Pinnacle to 1,000 points. Nothing yet, and I doubt if either of these rumors will happen.

 

IMHO, (2) above might happen since 1000 C&A points is about equivalent to the 3000 Captain's Club points that it takes to make Zenith on Celebrity. However, they will not do (1) because it would lower the value of Junior Suites, making it harder to sell them. They would be more likely to give triple points for GS and above and leave JS at double.

[John&LaLa]

Oh, you know everyone just goes there for the social aspect...nothing at all about the unlimited drinks.;)

That's what I hear. [emoji485][emoji481][emoji483]

 

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[harz99]

Perhaps if the concierge in some of the lounges would stop allowing friends and family in that don't belong it would alleviate some of the issues.

 

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Having just been on a ship with only 31/32 seats in the DL I doubt that'd make a lot of difference.

 

Most DLs simply are not fit for purpose size wise.

 

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[John&LaLa]

Very true! There are already 8 named levels with only 76 points separating the first four levels, Gold to Diamond. An average of 19 points per level - two points less than a one week solo cruise in a JR. Having three levels of D+ makes a lot more sense than that.

Gold

Platinum

Emerald

Diamond

Diamond+

Pinnacle

 

Just curious, can you name another loyalty program with more than six levels. That was the focus of a presentation we attended by C&A back in April. To many tiers.

 

I think it makes sense to have more tiers at lower levels, gets people excited. Once you are D+ you have shown a commitment to Royal.

 

The bonus gifts at 340 and 525 are a nice reward

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

Having just been on a ship with only 31/32 seats in the DL I doubt that'd make a lot of difference.

 

Most DLs simply are not fit for purpose size wise.

 

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To hard to design for a 4 hour worst case scenario

 

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[actuarian]

The only possible changes I can see happening are no longer allowing Diamond in the lounge and just giving the 3 drinks on the card, and giving D+ with 340 or 525 points a tier name.

 

In the last few years, I have seen numerous posts speculating that Royal Caribbean will kick Diamonds out of the DL in the near future but it has not happened. IMHO, it is wishful thinking by certain D+ members who want their Concierge Clubs back and will not happen in the foreseeable future because the marketing people would veto it. Marketing is targeting young upwardly mobile cruisers who have never or rarely cruised before and who can get away from their careers for only short periods. That is why the Mariner and the Navigator are doing the 3 and 4 night cruises that were previously done by older smaller ships that did not appeal to that target market. The people in that market may see 80 points (D) in their future but 175 points (D+) seems a lifetime away to them.