Did they really create Crown & Anchor Society 25 years ago?

[screenname2004]

Got an email saying this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Crown & Anchor Society. Somehow, I thought C&A society is a lot older than 25 yrs. Did they have another name for their loyalty program then?

 

[Spurschick]

You really expect me to remember 25 years ago?

 

I know I first sailed on a cruise 30 years ago but it wasn’t with Royal. Which exact year I first sailed with Royal I can’t remember but I do remember that they changed the program at some point and points were recalculated.

Edited February 1, 2023 by Spurschick

[Ashland]

Yes...C&A program is 25 years old. Started cruising about 4 years before that with RCI and all our cruise nights were grandfathered in.

[pcur]

Yes, it is! 

 

We reached Diamond with our two sons very shortly after it started.  I remember very well the argument I had over the phone a short time after that where they tried to reduce my sons to Gold.  I said I would be happy to send them a copy of the letter with RCCL's letterhead, AND all four of our C&A numbers, AND all four of our names, welcoming us as Diamond.

Edited February 1, 2023 by pcur

[nelblu]

We started ailing with Royal in 1998 and had a C&A #.  The points conversion to night occurred much later.

[DallasGuy75219]

6 hours ago, Spurschick said:

but I do remember that they changed the program at some point and points were recalculated.

 

1 hour ago, nelblu said:

The points conversion to night occurred much later.

My cruise history shows I got credited for number of cruises for Monarch in 2007 and Navigator in 2008, then for number of nights on Rhapsody in 2014. 

 

When you do the math to get to my current total loyalty points though, those Monarch and Navigator cruises were credited as 7 days each under the current program even though they were shorter cruises.

[RobInMN]

32 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

 

My cruise history shows I got credited for number of cruises for Monarch in 2007 and Navigator in 2008, then for number of nights on Rhapsody in 2014. 

 

When you do the math to get to my current total loyalty points though, those Monarch and Navigator cruises were credited as 7 days each under the current program even though they were shorter cruises.

Points were converted in 2012 per the formula documented here:

 

 

[barbeyg]

6 hours ago, Ashland said:

Yes...C&A program is 25 years old. Started cruising about 4 years before that with RCI and all our cruise nights were grandfathered in.

This, but 8 years before, grandfathered in.

[shipgeeks]

We first sailed on Celebrity in 1997, and liked it so much we paid $35 to join the loyalty program (no free option). Our membership was extended to RC, at our request, when we sailed in 2006. At some point our $35 was refunded, when joining became free.

[neverbeenhere]

For the early folks, were you called "Founders" as we were on Celebrity?  Later they eliminated the Founders designation.

[jsf]

We started cruising in 1991 With Nordic Empress and after about ten years they modified the C&A, was changed to nights sailed instead of cruises taken.

[jcc1025]

Our first cruise was with Nordic Price in 1998, we signed up for C&R on Radiance in Alaska in 2001. By then we had sailed three times prior. They provided credit for the sailings. We always sailed 7 day cruises mostly out of Ft. Lauderdale. Remeber about 2005 on a short Mexico cruise out of LA hearing all these people talking about their high status on C&R. They were doing 3 days out of LA and C&R used the sailing as a measure. So a 7 day and a 3 day counted the same for status. We didn't think that was right and thats about they time they went to night credits. Have always enjoyed the program and the benifits. 

[rncruiser]

I started cruising with RCCL in the early 1980’s. There was a different name for the loyalty program back then. I do not recall what they called it. When the Crown and Anchor Program started they managed to lose track of my previous cruises and I had to submit documentation proving I had taken them. 
luckily they accepted everything I submitted. 

[Charles4515]

On 2/1/2023 at 10:03 AM, neverbeenhere said:

For the early folks, were you called "Founders" as we were on Celebrity?  Later they eliminated the Founders designation.

Founders on Celebrity was because we paid $35 to join Captain's Club then they made it free. So to distinguish the old paid members from the new members they designated us as founders. At some point they gave us a credit for $35. Royal had their own program which was free. I don't recall the name. I cruised on both cruise lines before RCC aquirerd Celebrity. We were all against Royal taking over X . We thought they would ruin Celebrity. They did ruin Celebrity but it was a slow ruin.  We got used to it. In hindsight though if Royal had not aquirred Celebrity it would have been swallowed up by Carnivore. Look at what Carnivore did to Princess. Princess used to be on par with Celebrity. Carnivore really downgraded Princess.I loved Princess before they became part of Carnival. Now meh.

Edited February 3, 2023 by Charles4515

[maggie416]

Our first cruise was on The Sovereign  the seas in the 80’s. At that time they didn’t keep records. A few years ago I had to send them a picture of my husband and I with the ship’s name in the picture and the date and length of the cruise. After they received it, they added the nights and we went to the next level! I was surprised.

Marg

[lovesthebeach2]

13 hours ago, maggie416 said:

Our first cruise was on The Sovereign  the seas in the 80’s. At that time they didn’t keep records. A few years ago I had to send them a picture of my husband and I with the ship’s name in the picture and the date and length of the cruise. After they received it, they added the nights and we went to the next level! I was surprised.

Marg

That was our first cruise too. 

[Homosassa]

On 2/1/2023 at 10:45 AM, shipgeeks said:

We first sailed on Celebrity in 1997, and liked it so much we paid $35 to join the loyalty program (no free option). Our membership was extended to RC, at our request, when we sailed in 2006. At some point our $35 was refunded, when joining became free.

We never paid for the Celebrity loyalty program.

 

It was free for those of us that had joined under Chandris/Celebrity and we were carried over into the Royal Caribbean buy out transition.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

We never paid for the Celebrity loyalty program.

 

It was free for those of us that had joined under Chandris/Celebrity and we were carried over into the Royal Caribbean buy out transition.

Our first Celebrity cruise was in 1994 on the Zenith. We paid to join the founders club when we completed that cruise. $35.00 per person. Chandris Celebrity launch which was 1988 or 1989. We receive 4 leather luggage tag ID holders, 8 personalized luggage tags and 2 founders pins along with a welcome letter. We still use the leather luggage tag ID holders. 

[Charles4515]

33 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Our first Celebrity cruise was in 1994 on the Zenith. We paid to join the founders club when we completed that cruise. $35.00 per person. Chandris Celebrity launch which was 1988 or 1989. We receive 4 leather luggage tag ID holders, 8 personalized luggage tags and 2 founders pins along with a welcome letter. We still use the leather luggage tag ID holders. 

I don't recall it ever being free like the other the  poster says under Chandris and I joined under Chandris  but recall fades with time. I do recall paying the the $35 after my first cruise on Celberity which was under Chandris.  I recall geting a credit for $35 sometime after they made it free. I have the leather luggage tags but I don't use them anymore because they are too nice to use the way luggage is handled. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Charles4515

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

I don't recall it ever being free like the other the  poster says under Chandris and I joined under Chandris  but recall fades with time. I do recall paying the the $35 after my first cruise on Celberity which was under Chandris.  I recall geting a credit for $35 sometime after they made it free. I have the leather luggage tags but I don't use them anymore because they are too nice to use the way luggage is handled. 

Agree. Can't remember when the rebranding took place. We got the same credit each when we were grandfathered in. Not even sure what year that was. I'm shocked that our leather tag ID holders and the straps have held up so well considering the luggage handlers. Both airline and cruise line. 

[nimbex1970]

Thanks, now I KNOW I am old...

[broadwaybaby123]

Yes l, same with Captain's Club (Celebrity). My family was among the first to join. Each cruise was worth 1pt. The kids weren't well documented then for the program, so even though my parents enrolled me and my sister, when I got my own account, the cruises didn't show for those early years and I had to submit proof that I was on them to get credit. That's why my point values are different than my folks, despite being on every single cruise with them.

 

Now the kids are well-documented, so if my niece continues to cruise with me until she's 18, Royal will have proof that she was on those cruises. Her name now appears on the reservation (unlike when I started), just like mine does as does my parents.

 

As of now, we're ALMOST Diamond: my parents are due to become Diamond either this cruise or the next, and I'm due the cruise after.

[cruisinghawg]

We started in 1990 on SOS, then Song of Norway followed by Nordic Empress and finished with MOS. In the interim we  sailed on Celebrity twice and got credit for those for an extra 14 points. When they first started the program you got a pin (which they encouraged you to wear) and a card (like a seapass or credit card). The very next cruise we took on RCCL there was a long line to get on board as the gate was not open yet. As we were checking in DW held the card up when she presented her passport. The agent called the supervisor over looked at our card and the proceeded to escort us to the front of the line where we were let on. We lots of interesting stares. So RC has always taken care of its repeat passengers.

[Sacruiser62]

My parents started in the 80's and dad died on a ship in 2008.  They loved cruising.   They stopped at diamond plus!  My first royal cruise was with them In 2005.  I had a celebrity before that. After new system I got 8 points for a 5 night in room with nephew and on serenade in 2011 as a solo traveler I only got 7.  Doesn't make sense, but since then it is almost right for each cruise!

[George C]

Rccl knows about all 20 of our cruises starting in late 80’s . Really nice perks.