Carnival Redesigning the VIFP program?

[Colorado Cruzer]

The "perks" are pretty much garbage....lol.  We always buy the beverage package so the free drink isn't used and I lave the pin in the cabin.  We're gold and I think the only thing we use is the free water.

I would love to see something like discounts on specialty dining or in the fun shops, on board credit or something that actually makes tracking down your cruise days worth it.  I think I have 2 cruises that aren't in the number but it just doesn't matter until you get priority boarding at platinum.

[Lee Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, Colorado Cruzer said:

I think I have 2 cruises that aren't in the number but it just doesn't matter until you get priority boarding at platinum.

That's the thing, priority boarding isn't the same as it was before covid when your room was ready when you boarded.  That was the thing we looked most forward to before turning platinum.  But I'm guessing that's probably not coming back, at least in the same way for all platinum and diamonds.  Like you, most of the other things don't really mean that much to us.

[Lee Cruiser]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Carnival's program move into more of a "what have you done for me lately" type of program, like many others. Meaning your level of recognition is based upon your spend in the past short amount of time - a year or two for example.

They are already offering priority to suite guests and those are the only ones right now that are guaranteed to have rooms available upon boarding.  I wonder if they will place more priority benefits on what type of rooms you are booking, or what you are spending.

[mz-s]

Just now, Lee Cruiser said:

They are already offering priority to suite guests and those are the only ones right now that are guaranteed to have rooms available upon boarding.  I wonder if they will place more priority benefits on what type of rooms you are booking, or what you are spending.

 

I think if you look at the programs that a lot of airlines, hotels, and even cruise lines like MSC have right now. Their levels of rewards are based upon spend over time, not necessary lifetime loyalty. So to parlay that to Carnival, if you go on three 7 night cruises on a newer ship and stay in a balcony or better over two years, you may be Platinum for the next year or so even if those were your first cruises ever with Carnival. But if you haven't cruised in 4 years you might be Red or Gold, even if you have 80 nights history with them.

[Top_of_the_Cube]

Back in 2019 I read an interview with Carnival's Marketing VP in a trade magazine.  Don't know when the interview was actually done.

 

He reiterated that Carnival's marketing is geared towards first-time cruisers who live within driving distance of one of their embarkation ports.  They have such a high number of repeat cruisers that they don't necessarily put much emphasis on "rewarding" them, but instead try to maintain a consistent experience that attracted them in the first place.  I might be taking some liberties in interpreting what he said in my last sentence, it's been over two years since I read the article.

 

Point is, he then mentioned that Carnival has decided to shift towards better recognizing loyal customers.  Maybe that is borne out by the Job Posting that the OP graciously brought to our attention.  I would guess that any change was put on hold by the pandemic.  Or, maybe the article and the job posting are not related at all. 

 

I do hope that they strengthen the loyalty program.  But, not including the perks that don't actually cost Carnival anything,  I could reward myself with a super-extravagant loyalty gift, bottled water, bar drink, laundry service, etc., out of my own pocket with the money I saved cruising with Carnival (I still comparison shop).  Gifts are nice and do lure me in, but my wonderful cruise vacation at a competitive price is a gift unto itself.

[Lane Hog]

Almost all of the airline programs have shifted to a spend based program and it seems the hotels are following suit.  There's a lot of crossover in the marketing groups between the three, so it won't surprise me to see CCL or RCL falling into the same model.

When I did most of my paid business travel, I was usually buying full international business class tickets, so it's only fair that four trips at $10K+ apiece should garner more than 15 trips at $200 apiece...  

I can't say we spend a lot onboard in terms of upsell restaurants or excursions, but we do pay up to get a balcony, and that should be recognized differently than someone paying half the rate for an interior.

Status should give things that really don't cost the cruise line anything, e.g. free basic wifi and priority boarding.  Hotels used to charge for wifi, and then they didn't.  I'm holding out hope for cruise lines especially as technologies like Starlink are being rolled out.

Edited August 31, 2022 by Lane Hog

[DrSea]

13 minutes ago, Lane Hog said:

Almost all of the airline programs have shifted to a spend based program and it seems the hotels are following suit.  There's a lot of crossover in the marketing groups between the three, so it won't surprise me to see CCL or RCL falling into the same model.

When I did most of my paid business travel, I was usually buying full international business class tickets, so it's only fair that four trips at $10K+ apiece should garner more than 15 trips at $200 apiece...  

I can't say we spend a lot onboard in terms of upsell restaurants or excursions, but we do pay up to get a balcony, and that should be recognized differently than someone paying half the rate for an interior.

Status should give things that really don't cost the cruise line anything, e.g. free basic wifi and priority boarding.  Hotels used to charge for wifi, and then they didn't.  I'm holding out hope for cruise lines especially as technologies like Starlink are being rolled out.

imo it should be suites that should get 2x the points, not balconies. 

 

But honestly, with all those benefits being junk, it's like whose line is it anyways. It's a game where the points don't matter. 

[Lane Hog]

Don't disagree that suites deserve more than balconies. Nice thing about multipliers is that they don't have to be whole numbers.

Before spend came into play, airlines were awarding miles at 1.5x for business or first class, 1.25x for premium economy, 1x for economy and 0.5x for deep discounted economy. 

[thunderingherd11]

On 8/30/2022 at 7:53 PM, DrSea said:

Seriously, they really need to revamp the program. Gold status honestly is trash (hate me all you want, but you know it's true). A pin (that I get charged a penny for) and sometimes a free drink (that sometimes is very hard to redeem due to system issues and it not showing up)...Terrible...just terrible...

 

Thankfully I don't cruise for these fringe benefits. But I have no delusions about how terrible they are when you are not Pl or Diamond. 

Yeah. Don’t care.  I’m gold now. I get a few things that I really don’t deserve.  Free drink is worth it to me.  

[Lee Cruiser]

2 hours ago, DrSea said:

imo it should be suites that should get 2x the points, not balconies. 

 

But honestly, with all those benefits being junk, it's like whose line is it anyways. It's a game where the points don't matter. 

If you are going by levels of cost, then suites should be the most, but balconies should be more than inside cabins since they cost twice as much.

[tidecat]

1 hour ago, Lee Cruiser said:

If you are going by levels of cost, then suites should be the most, but balconies should be more than inside cabins since they cost twice as much.

The easiest thing to do might be to base it on the fare paid, i.e., X points to the dollar. An inside cabin on an Alaska sailing the week of July 4 might be the same price as a balcony the first week of November on a Caribbean sailing.

[Wennfred]

I agree with most, the Perks, other than the free wash so I don't have to pack as much, and the 25.00 Free Play isn't worth the Level compared to other brands like Royal.

 

You get free drinks at the Platinum/Diamond party, I don't Drink so that's a wash, I have so many pins, I will probably sell them on eBay, the old school pins with ships funnel to me were way better than this white circle pin. The gift you get is a joke, I don't call for the chocolate dipped strawberries anymore, I don't eat them and now they mix in some other crap, macaroons or something with less Strawberries.

 

I got Magic in November, then B2B on Mardi Gras Nov 2023 and that's it for Carnival, I will be Diamond by then. I have a 16 day on Princess that will take me to Ruby or Emerald status in January and then the rest will be on Royal, Celebrity and or NCL.

 

As far as the Topic, they are looking to hire someone to revamp this Loyalty program, nothing has been said about what's to come.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2022 by Wennfred

[Wennfred]

11 hours ago, Colorado Cruzer said:

The "perks" are pretty much garbage....lol.  We always buy the beverage package so the free drink isn't used and I lave the pin in the cabin.  We're gold and I think the only thing we use is the free water.

I would love to see something like discounts on specialty dining or in the fun shops, on board credit or something that actually makes tracking down your cruise days worth it.  I think I have 2 cruises that aren't in the number but it just doesn't matter until you get priority boarding at platinum.

 

Priority boarding don't mean squat when you get bumped by a Suite.

 

Fred

[pe4all]

5 hours ago, Wennfred said:

 

Priority boarding don't mean squat when you get bumped by a Suite.

 

Fred

Very true.  Someone on their first CCL cruise in a suite over a Diamond?  Makes little sense to me.  Bump the suites down a notch or two.  

[asalligo]

They really need more steps in the program and consider boarding by all groups like Royal does. 

[mz-s]

37 minutes ago, pe4all said:

Very true.  Someone on their first CCL cruise in a suite over a Diamond?  Makes little sense to me.  Bump the suites down a notch or two.  

 

"What have you done for me lately"

[ShakyBeef]

35 minutes ago, pe4all said:

Very true.  Someone on their first CCL cruise in a suite over a Diamond?  Makes little sense to me.  Bump the suites down a notch or two.  

 

And I feel the opposite, as a Platinum, I don't care so much if they take away perks that are just gifts from Carnival to me.  But as a Suite guest, I would be upset if they took away perks that I paid for and expect as part of the package I bought when I booked that cruise.  I appreciate that Carnival is finally showing a little appreciation to Suite passengers.

[pe4all]

13 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

And I feel the opposite, as a Platinum, I don't care so much if they take away perks that are just gifts from Carnival to me.  But as a Suite guest, I would be upset if they took away perks that I paid for and expect as part of the package I bought when I booked that cruise.  I appreciate that Carnival is finally showing a little appreciation to Suite passengers.

Tell you what - board Suites and Diamonds at same time.  Best of both worlds!

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On 8/30/2022 at 9:15 PM, ninjacat123 said:

Wow, I didn't see any of these shows.  I watch Travel, HGTV, and anything else that has a travel reference in it.  I wonder how they could make it more marketable.  Like on Apple TV?  I love Ted Lasso and I pay $5 a month to see it.  If there was a Carnival show you bet I'd be watching it.

If you have Smithsonian channel there is a great show “Mighty Cruise Ships”, which highlights behind the scenes challenges on various ships.  We love it!

[ShakyBeef]

6 minutes ago, pe4all said:

Tell you what - board Suites and Diamonds at same time.  Best of both worlds!

That would be fine with me, until the day there are so many Diamonds it becomes a giant, chaotic bum-rush.  When too many people have priority, the value of that "priority" is significantly  diluted.  There aren't that many Suites on any one ship.  And it is a knowable, static number.  But the number of Diamonds is growing each day.  Weddings first, then Suites, then Diamond & Platinums makes sense to me.

[ledges1]

Carnival appears, as some mention, to be trying to appeal to new clients. With cut backs, it is becoming more of a "no frills" cruise experience. Based on most cruisers country of origin, I think a new perk should be a "get out of jail free card".

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

2 hours ago, pe4all said:

Very true.  Someone on their first CCL cruise in a suite over a Diamond?  Makes little sense to me.  Bump the suites down a notch or two.  

 

But, for those Diamonds who are IN a suite - do they get to step onto the ship FIRST? lol

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 hour ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

And I feel the opposite, as a Platinum, I don't care so much if they take away perks that are just gifts from Carnival to me.  But as a Suite guest, I would be upset if they took away perks that I paid for and expect as part of the package I bought when I booked that cruise.  I appreciate that Carnival is finally showing a little appreciation to Suite passengers.

 

With as little as Carnival does for suites, it would truly be a shame if they started trimming around the edges!

 

(Carnival - pretty much the only major line which does not offer coffee makers in suites, let alone most cabins)

 

Tom

[Guest BasicSailor]

28 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

But, for those Diamonds who are IN a suite - do they get to step onto the ship FIRST? lol

 

Tom

Oh, Flush it Tom. You sit on the toilet like everyone else. 😉🤣

[DanvilleCruiser]

1 hour ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

If you have Smithsonian channel there is a great show “Mighty Cruise Ships”, which highlights behind the scenes challenges on various ships.  We love it!

I’ve just discovered this show and have been binge watching it.  I like that it shows cruise lines that I will never be able to afford as well as cruise lines that I can afford.  I love the behind the scenes information as well.