Captains Club / Crown & Anchor

[airlinerob]

I'd like to know if anyone else thinks that RCCL / Celebrity should combine their frequent cruiser programs into one program?

 

I think it would make things easier.... I have traveled several times on each line, and I think that since they are both the same company, the programs should be combined as well!

 

Have a great day!

Robert

 

Carnival Fantasy - 01/96

RCL Sovereign of the Seas - 10/00

Celebrity Mercury - 06/01

RCL Sovereign of the Seas - 06/11/04

RCL Mariner of the Sears - 09/12/04

 

[RickT]

I agree but I'm not sure you're going to see it happen. If I added up all the cruises I took on both lines and put them together I'd qualify for better status than I do today. Oh well. guess I just have to cruise more and earn my upgraded status on both lines.

[sweet sheep]

I think they should become one also. After all both lines are owned by R C and its a little silly to have two different clubs.

[MARKSHOCK]

The rumor I heard from the future cruise consultant on the Summit last month was that they were not going to combine the sailings but if you were say Diamond or Platinum on RCCL the same status would be given to you on Celebrity and vice versa. Watch to see if that becomes a reality

 

till we sail away

[mad4cruising]

Markshock, that sounds great! I hope it happens soon. I just became Platinum on RCL and will be sailing with Celebrity this September. Thanks for the heads up!

[excitedofharpenden]

I have to say that I cannot get excited about the benefits of Celebrity's Captains Club at all. Combining the benefits of the Crown and Anchor programme would make diddly squit difference in my opinion. It seems to me that many people can take advantage of these benefits, especially as it is now free to join. The easier it is for people to join, the more there are on a cruise that benefit. The end result? You are all the same anyway.

 

As an aside, I have e-mailed the Captains Club twice with questions. I had to chase them after a week on both occasions for an answer. Not even an acknowledgement. Now that does not make me feel like a loyal customer.

 

Phil

 

Mercury Western Caribbean November 2002

Galaxy Eastern Caribbean November 2003

 

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Until Galaxy Panama Canal Out Of Galveston

13th November 2004

 

 

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[bob278]

As one who would bump up to the top category in both (I have 8 with RCL and 5 with Celeb) you'd think I would be all for it. I'm not, because I think it would make the better perks worth a lot less. As it is, with the bonuses for longer cruises and suites, the higher levels are going to become more crowded. I'm wondering if there will be new levels defined and the perks re-aligned. Imagine the complaints over that!

 

I know some of the perks have nothing to do with how many people are on board that would get them (discount on balcony/suite for C&A or 1-category upgrade for CC), but think about priority embarkation/debarkation. Right now, that helps a lot because under half of the passengers get that. Once it reaches 50/50, there's no benefit and I could see it getting to the point where more than half of the passengers are either premier level or suites and then you might be better off getting in the standard line, but it would be a crapshoot.

 

Same thing goes for the parties. I see a lot of people complaining that the parties seem like cattle calls now. That would also be true for the "upper-level" parties as well if more than half the members qualified.

 

As long as the parent company is trying to maintain two identities, I think two loyalty clubs is appropriate. Now if they decide to become "Royal Celebrity Cruise lines" then all bets are off.

 

I'll still spend my cruise dollars on RCL and Celebrity, but the loyalty clubs are not really the deciding factor. I just like the cruise experience they both provide.

 

Bob

[jezzdogg]

Jack Williams who was on the Mariner this winter on a C&A cruise, was asked this question. He said: sometime in the future we will see the C&A combined with CC. I for one am all for it, as long as they combine the perks, which are really better on C&A(please do not flame me). On C&A depending on whether you are Plat or Diamondm you get dollars off on a boking of balcony or better-cc give you a one class upgrade, but it stops before the balcony levels begin. Also I really like the Conceige's club on RCCL, it is like a private cocktail party each night. So in the long run it would benefit all of us, if they combined ther 2 clubs. Just a liitle bit of info Princess is annouce a new level for cruisers with 15(?) cruises or morem when we wre on that linein April.

Century

Soveign of the Seas

Mercury

Galaxy

Grand Princess (Europe)

Voyager

Millennium

Sea Princess

Adventure

Summit(Alaska)

Empress

Mariner

Island Princess(Panama Canal)

Millennium Med Aug 04

Navigator Feb 05

Connie Baltics July 05

[theawesome1]

With Princess, 15+ sails gets you a FREE mini bar. With a suite on Princess, from first sail on, no butler but FREE mini bar.

 

I noticed on RCCL & Celebrity suites have butlers but no FREE mini bar.

 

My logo: When we disembark, I just have to book another!

[jezzdogg]

on RCCL the Concierge Lounge,( for cruisers with Suites or Diamond(10 cruises) has free ( both soda, beer, and the like-drinks and sandwiches and the like,

 

norm

[RM]

Love the Concierge but be aware that RCI has some new levels in the works as so many of us are Diamond. I'd love if they combined the 2 but I don't think that will happen. RCI has always wanted them to be separate products.

 

Up next Mariner of the Seas

Then Jewel of the Seas

[pcur]

I mistakenly took my first cruise on Celebrity several years ago, because I was told (after my TA called and confirmed) the two programs were being combined. It would have made my Diamond level cruise with C&A. Instead it was just my entry into the CC program. Oh, well, we just had to take another cruise to get that Diamond membership.... :D

[Lady Jane]

When we first joined the Captain's Club, we said we wanted our first two Royal Caribbean cruises to count, since they own Celebrity, and they added them in! Just a fluke? Lucky for us, I guess!

[mstelly]

It seems that it would be a cost saving factor to the Corporation by combining the two. I for one would like to see it combined.

[cechase]

We took our first Celebrity Cruise on Mercury out of San Francisco in March of this year for an 8 day cruise. We then both joined the Captain's Club.

 

We cruised on Century in May of this year, and our only benefit was to be invited and attend the Captain's Club cocktail party. Since we booked Royal Suites on both Mercury and Century, and have booked a Royal Suite on Century for 2/19/2005 - we really do not get any benefit of upgrades or reduction in our cruise cost.

 

Has anyone received a cost reduction of a suite on a Celebrity ship, because they are a member of the Captain's Club?

[wv4891]

Charlie,

 

 

Have a look at the coupons in the latest Captain's Club magazine, Spring 2004. The coupons are good for Suites.

 

Bill

[theawesome1]

With Princess, after 10 cruises you are PLATINUM & get FREE Net access for as long as you want per visit & as many visits as you want. Captain's Cocktail Party & a Platinum Member Cocktail Party & that is it. Now after 15 Cruises you are ELITE & get FREE mini bar.

 

If Captain Club merges with RCCL Anchor Club then that will be twice the number of high numbered folks & the parties will be too crowded to enjoy, less being given away since it may be a loss factor for RCCL/Celebrity.

 

Carnival has how many cruiselines & we were Carnival members as well as Princes members & didn't get twice the benefits or since we were Platinum on Princess we didn't get the big deal perks on Carnival or HAL or even Cunard.

 

Jus because you are once company for stock sake, they are seperate on what they offer folks & it should stay that way. Rock walls on Constellation won't make it! The less kids the better to me.

[hajekfam]

On our past few cruises, priority disembarkation for those Captains Club members entitled, were broken into two groups one of which was the third group off and the the other was the fifth. When we first joined back in the early 90's (the priority disembarkation was the primary reason for joining), Captain's club members were the very first ones off the ship - even before suites.

Combine the two programs and there would be no priority disembarkation at all since nearly all would qualify (you only have to have completed 5 Celebrity cruises or be a founder member)

[CelebrityMan]

Yes, we all enjoy our perks. But I can't imagine combining frequent cruisers programs from two lines. Shouldn't sailors on separate lines be rewarded for their individual loyalty? Those who don't 'cross over' would be penalized in a combined system.

 

Think about the practicalities, which some have already mentioned. Combining the programs simply means more people to accommodate. The more people involved the less like perks the benefits will be.

 

I've read some good suggestions about augmenting the rewards for those who achieve higher status. But if you exponentially increase the numbers you have in each program, even those excellent suggested additions will seem null & void.

 

Keep the programs unique!

[Danno]

I think they should become one also. After all both lines are owned by R C and its a little silly to have two different clubs.

NO!!! These are two different cruise lines. Two different histories. If you want the CC perks on Celebrity, do as I have done....take 8 cruises on X. The less these two lines are blended the better for BOTH lines.

 

This is just another example of people wanting more for nothing...you didn't earn the status with a given line and you don't deserve it, simple. It's this whole "give us something for nothing" mentality that is driving the whole cruise industry closer to ordinary.

[StephenJohnson]

There seems to be some confusion about CC levels - Classic is 1-5 cruises, select 6-10, and elite is 11+. Full details on Celebrity's site, I won't spam them here.

[chessbriar]

If you combine the two, suddenly someone who has taken 6 - 3 day cruises get the same perks as me, 2 - 7 day, 3-10 day, 1-11day. I have stayed loyal to Celebrity and should be rewarded for it no penalized. As soon as you give benefit I have earned to someone who has not. It cheapens the experience. OOooo I spent $1800 on 6 RCL cruises, so I should get the same a Rick who has spent over $7000 on his 6 Celebrity Cruises. If you start basing it on the number of days at sea I may become a little more receptive, then you are looking at someones 18 days vs my 55 days.

 

I am a stock holder and want to see the company grow. I just hate the entitlement attitude that people seem to have.

[Danno]

So what we actually want is a loyalty program that requires NO LOYALTY...like I said, something for nothing.

[Joe1690]

I agree with those who have said that the two programs should not be combined. However, like the airlines which have their clubs for those who have either paid for membership or have reached elite status allow for these customers to access their partners clubs ie. USAirways allows it elite members use of United Clubs I think if you have say something like 20 or 30 cruises between both companies then you should be entitled to certain perks on either cruise line. Therefore, I think RCCL should create a new level which is higher then their current platinum which would allow better benefits. This would benefit RCCL (Royal Celebrity Cruises) since their most loyal guests would be more willing to try the other brand.

 

Sincerely,

 

JC

[sea-cruise]

I feel that combining the two would be a loss in the long run, in terms of, as you say, cattle calls. We have experienced many 11 to 14 day cruises with both lines. We've been from an inside cabin down in the hold, to the top catagory suites. Richard Fain (past CEO of Royal Caribbean) has treated us extremely well. We've dined with the captains of both lines a few times, and have been treated royally, even going back to the old Meridian's Hotel Manager, who was a gracious host. I don't say this to boast, only to explain why I feel as I do. I think that cruising has become so popular in the past 20 years (especially the past 10), that great numbers of perks are becoming more difficult to obtain & it would probably only add to the masses. Honestly, I wouldn't care if they did combine them, for I'm not as hooked on cruising as I use to be, I'm just adding my 2 cents' worth here.