Introduce a new Loyalty Tier

[Port out]

With so many passengers occupying the top Loyalty Tier Ligurian it is about time that a new top tier be introduced for P&O's most travelled passengers who exceed 400 nights cruising within a 3 year period. So many well deserved special benefits could be introduced for this tier, not least free wifi, free room service, a free speciality dining experience, additional OBC and much more. When the current tiers were introduced we were told the names represented the size of the Seas, Ligurian being the smallest so with the introduction of the new tier, the name Marmara would be perfect as it is the smallest sea in the world.    

Any thoughts?

[zap99]

31 minutes ago, Port out said:

With so many passengers occupying the top Loyalty Tier Ligurian it is about time that a new top tier be introduced for P&O's most travelled passengers who exceed 400 nights cruising within a 3 year period. So many well deserved special benefits could be introduced for this tier, not least free wifi, free room service, a free speciality dining experience, additional OBC and much more. When the current tiers were introduced we were told the names represented the size of the Seas, Ligurian being the smallest so with the introduction of the new tier, the name Marmara would be perfect as it is the smallest sea in the world.    

Any thoughts?

That would be for spending a third of your life on a P&O ship.  They could reward you with a large mug.

[Fionboard]

Agree absolutely. Have been Ligurian for years now and get little more than Caribbean! 

[Bill Y]

2 hours ago, Port out said:

With so many passengers occupying the top Loyalty Tier Ligurian it is about time that a new top tier be introduced for P&O's most travelled passengers who exceed 400 nights cruising within a 3 year period. So many well deserved special benefits could be introduced for this tier, not least free wifi, free room service, a free speciality dining experience, additional OBC and much more. When the current tiers were introduced we were told the names represented the size of the Seas, Ligurian being the smallest so with the introduction of the new tier, the name Marmara would be perfect as it is the smallest sea in the world.    

Any thoughts?

This comes up from time to time as people wish to be regarded as super elite and then demand more benefits. IIRC last time a gentleman made the point eloquently that a company is more likely to spend resources on encouraging the booking of a third cruise than a 23rd. At the moment the emphasis appears to be to attract new customers to the floating resorts.

 

We probably have passed peak Ligurian as P&O have only done a single world cruise in recent years and with the number of ports actually visited diminishing and many repeated year on year, the serial world cruiser must be a dying breed?

[galeforce9]

Why not introduce a new tier not time based but with higher sailed days.  You are then rewarding all loyal customers over a lifetime of travel not just retired ones who can sail a high proportion of days over recent years.  

[Host Sharon]

Some lines, such as Saga and Regent, give a free cruise to their top tier passengers.

[galeforce9]

Just now, Host Sharon said:

Some lines, such as Saga and Regent, give a free cruise to their top tier passengers.

And seabourn.  Got my free week cruise still to cash in for 140 sailed nights 

Edited March 24, 2023 by galeforce9

[Britboys]

Any thoughts? Nope, as I'll never scale those giddy heights...😄

[molecrochip]

2 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Some lines, such as Saga and Regent, give a free cruise to their top tier passengers.

But that’s costed into what they charge in the first place.

 

It’s probably 4% on a two week cruise to cover costs of that extra cruise after 140 nights. That then covers the cost of the new cruise with the hope you then spend onboard to make them profit.

 

I wouldn’t expect free internet until it’s had a massive upgrade at some point in the next two years.

 

It is true that money is spent on attracting the new likely to chose a balcony cruiser, rather than the loyal cruiser on their 23rd inside cabin cruise.

 

P&O are in heavy redefinition mode, if Iona wasn’t proof then Arvia’s introduction is. Some loyal cruisers will be lost along the way…. It causes me sadness…. But someone made the decision and forward we go.

[Ranchi]

Perhaps an Aral tier would be appropriate.  

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

It is true that money is spent on attracting the new likely to chose a balcony cruiser, rather than the loyal cruiser on their 23rd inside cabin cruise.

Excellent point.

A couple or individual that have an interior cabin, don't drink, don't use the speciality restaurants,  don't go on P&O excursions etc are of no interest whatsoever to P&O, or indeed, to any cruise line.  

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by wowzz

[Ardennais]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Excellent point.

A couple or individual that have an interior cabin, don't drink, don't use the speciality restaurants,  don't go on P&O excursions etc are of no interest whatsoever to P&O, or indeed, to any cruise line.  

 

But P&O still take their money and they fill the cabins. 

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, Ardennais said:

But P&O still take their money and they fill the cabins. 

But if they could find something more profitable for the interior cabin space, then I imagine they will.

[Ardennais]

6 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But if they could find something more profitable for the interior cabin space, then I imagine they will.

And what that might be, do you think?

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

But P&O still take their money and they fill the cabins. 

Yes, but P&O really don't care about them. They make a small contribution to the overheads. 

A bit like an airline. If BA or VS can fill their first class and business class seats, they will make a profit, even if the rest of the aircraft is empty. 

Inside cabin passengers who spend nothing on board are inconsequential to the profitability of the cruise line.

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

And what that might be, do you think?

Well, for a start, a multi-generational games room with payg machines, bijou cinema rooms with payg sittings, craft rooms with payg sessions,  cocktail making lessons, on a payg basis. Just strip out a whole tranche of loss making inside cabins, and use the space more productively. 

In fact, anything that generates more profit than selling the space for a non-revenue generating guest.

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by wowzz

[Britboys]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

...P&O are in heavy redefinition mode, if Iona wasn’t proof then Arvia’s introduction is. Some loyal cruisers will be lost along the way…. It causes me sadness…. But someone made the decision and forward we go.

Interesting to see an 'insider' view/thoughts.

It does seem to me that P&O's 'evolution' is now much more radical than some of their stable-mates. Cunard, Princess and HAL all seem to be doing so in a more gentle way.

[Ardennais]

34 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Well, for a start, a multi-generational games room with payg machines, bijou cinema rooms with payg sittings, craft rooms with payg sessions,  cocktail making lessons, on a payg basis. Just strip out a whole tranche of loss making inside cabins, and use the space more productively. 

In fact, anything that generates more profit than selling the space for a non-revenue generating guest.

 

Radical! I think there’s a limit to the amount of money people will spend, especially if they’ve forked out for a balcony. We were very careful with onboard spend when our 3 children were teenagers. We always had a balcony and an inside opposite, but tried to limit onboard spend, apart from excursions. 

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Interesting to see an 'insider' view/thoughts.

It does seem to me that P&O's 'evolution' is now much more radical than some of their stable-mates. Cunard, Princess and HAL all seem to be doing so in a more gentle way.

The fact is that P&O is basically a 100% British cruise line.  Therefore, the target market is much smaller than their  multinational  stablemates. 

P&O has to operate within a constrained geographic market,  with relatively few ships,  if compared to,  say, Princess.

So, they (Carnival) have taken the approach of launching two new mega ships,  to attract new cruisers for the future,  and let their more elderly client base continue to enjoy the older ships. In due course,  both the older clientele and ships will disappear. 

The limited market that P&O operates within, means that they cannot take the more gentle approach to which you refer.

However, i do hope that the next ship to be commissioned by P&O will be similar to the new Sun Princess, not another Iona.

[wowzz]

19 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

Radical! I think there’s a limit to the amount of money people will spend, especially if they’ve forked out for a balcony. We were very careful with onboard spend when our 3 children were teenagers. We always had a balcony and an inside opposite, but tried to limit onboard spend, apart from excursions. 

Just random thoughts !

But, heaven forbid,  if I was an accountant,  I would be looking long and hard as to the profitability of inside cabins. If they were not occupied,  there would be no cleaning required,  less food eaten, less serving staff required, fewer chefs etc etc. 

[Fionboard]

Some people have insides because they cannot afford seaview or balcony. They deserve to cruise as much as the rest of us.

[zap99]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

Excellent point.

A couple or individual that have an interior cabin, don't drink, don't use the speciality restaurants,  don't go on P&O excursions etc are of no interest whatsoever to P&O, or indeed, to any cruise line.  

 

In NCL you get more points for ' premium ' cabins.

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Some people have insides because they cannot afford seaview or balcony. They deserve to cruise as much as the rest of us.

But only if they make a profit for the cruise line. No one " deserves ' a cruise.

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

In NCL you get more points for ' premium ' cabins.

Which seems entirely fair.

[Bill Y]

11 hours ago, wowzz said:

Excellent point.

A couple or individual that have an interior cabin, don't drink, don't use the speciality restaurants,  don't go on P&O excursions etc are of no interest whatsoever to P&O, or indeed, to any cruise line.  

 

At one time during Oriania’s heyday there were few balconies which as a result carried a hefty premium, it was often quoted as twice the cost of an inside. However with the floating blocks of flats with their preponderance of balconies there can be good bargains. These may be snapped up by the cruisers you mention who are perfectly happy with the base price cruising experience, who do not need or want to pay for speciality dinning or entertainment venues and are happy with just the occasional drink.

 

While a low headline price attracts interest how does P&O separate the wheat from the chafe regarding the spenders? The loyalty scheme may be ripe for a change, gone may be days sailed in yesteryear. In may come a scheme based on onboard spending and extras per day, thus incentivising high rollers to return sooner rather than having to wait for loyalty to build up. Just playing devil’s advocate, the message for those who wish for more recognition of loyalty may be careful of what you wish for.