Big Changes Coming to RCCL's Loyalty Program

[Host Kewlguy]

My understanding is that, if they are living with you, they are Platinum whether you cruise with them or not. I'm not sure what happens once you kick them out of the nest, though. I believe that they keep their status, which is what people are talking about not being "right".

 

I think 25 cruise credits to Diamond is nuts. If they're worried about having too many Diamonds (and the attendant costs of providing the perks, which are pretty nice IMHO) and they had asked my opinion, I would have eliminated double credits for short sailings and also for the JS category, even though that's how I got to DP so quickly (although I'm DP in my own right now with 25 or so actual cruises).

 

The JS really isn't a suite for any other purpose, except priority embarkation (and not even in every port) and a huge price difference between that class of cabin and a D-1. So make the price of a JS only slightly higher than that of a D-1 instead of up to $2000pp more on some of the longer sailings. I think people who pay the really big bucks on a cruise for the GS, OS and RS should get the double credits (regardless of the length of the cruise) and those who sail 10+ nights (instead of the current 12) should, too.

 

No automatically getting your parents/spouse's level, either. Maybe make it so that, when you sail together (as in the same cabin), you get the perks, but if you sail separately you don't.

 

Or do like Princess, give only one cruise credit regardless of the length of sailing or accomodations, but count the lesser of number of cruises or days required (5/50 for Platinum, 15/150 for Elite) to determine status.

 

From the beginning we always felt the credits should be based on the amount of days that you're cruising. But they don't listen to us. ;)

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

In 2003 RCI attempted to make benefits more fair by awarding extra points for suites. It has quickly been abused.

 

Interesting points, but I'm very curious as to what you mean by this. You say that booking a quick cruise is not an abuse . . . then how, exactly, is booking a suite considered "abuse?" :confused:

[marle7]

What loyalty? Just look at this thread and you see quotes like "if they change I leave", "I only cruise this many times this year to reach diamond, if they change, I leave", "if they change, I cruise somewhere else, others have better prices and itineraries anyways" etc (all paraphrased)

 

This is not cruisers loyalty. That is hogging benefits, like coupon clippers.

 

If I am a company owner I can pee on those. I think people forgot what actually loyalty is these days.

 

Loyalty is a two way street. In 2003 RCI attempted to make benefits more fair by awarding extra points for suites. It has quickly been abused. And RCI makes changes. In the C&A program it clearly says:

 

 

....

 

 

I think there are probably some (as pointed out in this thread), that do only cruise to get to the next level. But not all of us.

 

I have taken all of my cruises with RC. If all other things remained equal, service, food etc, then this, if it happened, would be an irritant, but probably not enough to get me to change to another line. However, since, in my opinion, cost cutting, service decline and food decline has been evident on my last 3 RC cruises, this would probably be enough to put me over the edge. The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. We have been loyal to Royal, and lately we've just been feeling that Royal doesn't particularly care.

 

I have only a few more credits to go to get to D+, but I'm not rushing out there to get those credits.:)

[szdiver]

I wish they would give out levels according to number of days on cruises - not just the cruise itself. JMHO

[denhur]

"thinking of benefits as entitlements"

 

I don't feel this is the case here......

 

The loyalty benefits obviously play a role in the choice of cruiseline by consumers, RC counts on it, hence the use as a marketing tool (in the RC magazine, on the site etc.). Loyalty benefits have as such become part of the product they are selling. These are no 'random' rewards (like upgrades) but a clear structure of requirements and corresponding benefits. So yes, the benefits have become entitlements and as such a different saying applies here:

 

"changing the rules while playing the game"

 

The idea that the people who might leave RC are not worthy of the title 'loyal' is interesting. Since when is loyalty a one-way street? Can I not expect RC to be loyal to their commitment? Must I relinquish my consumer rights and just accept whatever RC decides? In that case a new suggestion: sailing on a non-RC cruise means an automatic deduction of 3 RC cruise points (now that's loyalty!!!) :p

[Host Kewlguy]

I wish they would give out levels according to number of days on cruises - not just the cruise itself. JMHO

 

Hmmm, I just said that. :D

[amybear912]

Thanks for posting this kewlguy... We heard rumblings of these changes as far back as last February... but didn't think much of it at the time... figured it was just speculation...

 

However, even the rumblings caused us to reconsider brand loyalty... especially after the changes to the RC credit card perks... we decided that it really wasn't worth the effort to be loyal to only one cruiseline and determined that we wouldn't let a loyalty program dictate our cruising plans... What we found were itineraries that RC didn't offer, ships with amenities that appeal to us, and pricing that is pretty much in line with what we spend on RC...

 

What we also learned is that it IS about the cruise experience, for us at least... Perks are nice but as someone already pointed out, it does seem to create a sense of entitlement... How many times do I see someone preface a complaint with "We are Diamond/Diamond + and..." As if your status entitles you to a perfect cruise or something... In an ideal world, a first-time RC cruiser should receive the same experience as one who has sailed numerous times... that's the sign of a well-run, consistent product...

 

And it's true... those perks are not because you are loved or special or even unique in the eyes of the company... It is nothing more than a sales driving tactic to get you onboard so that you will spend money with them...

 

I can totally understand the disappointment that some of you feel... You have been loyal and this is like a smack in the face...

 

Perhaps this is part of a scheme to drive some of you to other lines, a thinning of the herd, so to speak...;)

[AMR40509]

Well in the spirit of looking out for #1, I hope that they give some time to make it to 10 cruises. I have been on 9 now since 2000, each 7 days or longer, so I've been getting my C&A status the old fashioned way. I will hit 10 in 77 days with another 7 day cruise. I hope I get diamond, so that I can join my parents (who have a different address and didn't add to my status even though I was only 21 when they hit diamond) in the lounge on future cruises.

Otherwise I guess I could always change my address back to theirs for C&A reasons I guess, but that would just be cheating.

[emilygrace]

Wow, I kept trying to get to the end of this thread so I could post, but every time I got to the bottom of the page there was ANOTHER page added in the meantime!!!

 

I am 2 credits away from Diamond status and have a 14 day cruise booked for May, so I hope we can be "semi-grandfathered" into the D level, since our qualifying cruise is already booked.

 

Hey, I want SOME compensation for that fuel surcharge that was put on my deposited booking without a heads up and an opportunity to pay off the balance and avoid the charge!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I doubt that we would ever make it to 50 cruises in order to reach Diamond Plus or, if we did, we would be pretty old by then. We are Diamond now, but since we probably can never make it any higher, we might as well sail on other lines if the intinerary is attractive.

 

Of course, it is said we "may" be grandfathered in, so the Diamond benefits are still nice enough, but there simply is little incentive to try to reach Diamond Plus. Such C&A members would be truly among the elite who cruise very often or in the highest price suites.

 

As RCI sees fit to court only those passengers with extra benefits, they don't really seek the "loyalty" of passengers who can't cruise four or five times a year or sail in suites. So, as they no longer wish to court less wealthy passengers, we are free to choose other cruise lines when an attractive itinerary presents itself, because we can't possibly go any higher with RCI's C&A program.

[shipknotshore]

Why are folks so desperate to make Diamond? It's a nice level, but the bennies aren't all that. I think the best one is the balcony discount. I'm just curious...

 

At the end of the day, I know I cruise for the experience. The benefits play a minor role. But that's me and I respect the fact that other people feel differently.

 

Agree...the balcony discount is the best benefit. The c. lounge is a nice touch but not a deal breaker when it comes to deciding which cruise line to book. If we never make D+ it's okay...we'll continue to cruise on RCI just because we like the product.

 

I hope that they give plenty of advance notice of the change so those folks that are soooo close to reaching diamond can get in a couple of short cruises to reach it.

[GMoney]

Agree...the balcony discount is the best benefit. The c. lounge is a nice touch but not a deal breaker when it comes to deciding which cruise line to book. If we never make D+ it's okay...we'll continue to cruise on RCI just because we like the product.

 

I hope that they give plenty of advance notice of the change so those folks that are soooo close to reaching diamond can get in a couple of short cruises to reach it.

 

Gotcha - good to know - thanks...

[patrioticgirl]

I hope that they give plenty of advance notice of the change so those folks that are soooo close to reaching diamond can get in a couple of short cruises to reach it.

 

I am left wondering if it the change might be handled in a similar fashion to the the fuel surcharge. ... perhaps those who are close to making the next Crown and Anchor level under the current guidelines will be grandfathered if they have paid in full bookings??????:confused: :eek:

Hopefully, those members who are close will have a certain time frame to complete voyages to put them at the next level.

[Blue Waters]

What loyalty? Just look at this thread and you see quotes like "if they change I leave", "I only cruise this many times this year to reach diamond, if they change, I leave", "if they change, I cruise somewhere else, others have better prices and itineraries anyways" etc (all paraphrased)

 

This is not cruisers loyalty. That is hogging benefits, like coupon clippers.

 

 

Having only cruised RCL, how could this not be "cruisers loyalty"? We have chosen to only cruise this line for many reasons, one of which being their loyalty program and being diamond status one day. We have only done 7-8 day cruises, always booked 2 rooms for the 4 of us. We have never booked a suite but have paid the same price by putting the kids in a cabin of their own for our privacy. We would consider other cruise lines if their benefits were to change as the OP has suggested.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

Maybe Cubic zirconia?:D

 

Souuds like my kind of lounge:D

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

What are the RCI suits thinking? Just when they are about to add two new Genesis Class ships in the next couple of years plus they will soon have three Freedon Class ships and all their others, they are going to cut benefits that keep loyal cruisers loyal?

 

Who do they think is going to sail in all those cabins on those humongous ships? It surely must be more costly to court brand new cruisers than to keep lower rung Crown and Anchor members coming back. But if new rules make reaching higher rungs nearly unattainable or so long to attain that reaching Diamond Plus will hardly be worth it, RCI will undoubtedly be losing C&A members to other cruiselines for some or most of their cruises.

 

So back to my original question? What are the RCI suits thinking? And, oh, by the way, all the other cruise lines are building bigger ships too. I imagine the executives of RCI had better give this latest bamboozlement an rest.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Yes, I forgot to mention that part. Your current Loyalty status will be "grandfathered." Royal would cause a major revolt if they tried to take away people's current status. :)

 

Thanks for the updates Tony!

 

I read all the rumors last November and that is one of the reasons why we decided to book our December cruise :)

 

###

[ladylawyer]

I would like to add children having to attain Diamond status on their own rather than achieving it on the parents coattails. I've heard of situations of adult children being Diamond/+ status after only one cruise because the parents are Diamond or Diamond Plus. That's just plain wrong.

 

I have to agree with you there, Tony. My step-daughter, who was between permanent addresses and used ours for her first (and only) cruise - a 3-nighter in an F1 cabin - magically became a Diamond member when she registered for C&A. It's not fair, when I had to slave over all those hard cruises to reach that level! :mad: ;) I suppose she'll be Diamond-Plus next month, when (if) we finish our climb to the top. :rolleyes:

[cruisePRN]

you can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time :D

 

I think RCL is over run with D and D+ and needed to do something.

[negc]

What are the RCI suits thinking? Just when they are about to add two new Genesis Class ships in the next couple of years plus they will soon have three Freedon Class ships and all their others, they are going to cut benefits that keep loyal cruisers loyal?

 

Who do they think is going to sail in all those cabins on those humongous ships? It surely must be more costly to court brand new cruisers than to keep lower rung Crown and Anchor members coming back. But if new rules make reaching higher rungs nearly unattainable or so long to attain that reaching Diamond Plus will hardly be worth it, RCI will undoubtedly be losing C&A members to other cruiselines for some or most of their cruises.

 

So back to my original question? What are the RCI suits thinking? And, oh, by the way, all the other cruise lines are building bigger ships too. I imagine the executives of RCI had better give this latest bamboozlement an rest.

 

I don't think that RCI suits are looking to eliminate benefits for their loyal customers. I do think, however, they are trying to cope with the ever increasing numbers of guests who qualify for those benefits which sometimes, as in the case of concierge lounge access, make it difficult to fulfill their promises. As far as the new ships that they are building, initially they expect to fill them with all of the many cruisers who anxiously await news of the new and innovative features that they are expected to offer, and those who always want to sail on the newest and largest ships out there. Loyalty has nothing to do with it. They probably also feel that most of their most loyal guests sail with them because of the product they offer, not some relatively minor perquisites. If they rely too much on their loyalty program in order to fill their ships, they run the risk that the competition will simply develop a better benefit package and lure those guests to that line.

If you really would switch to another line that offered you a better benefit package, regardless of the quality of the cruise experience it offered, perhaps you aren't quite the "loyal" passenger that you hold yourself out to be.:rolleyes:

[powelweb]

I haven't had a chance to read through all these posts yet (obviously a very hot topic), but I did want to throw my 2 cents in....

 

Personally, I don't drink,so the CL doesn't hold a lot of appeal for me. DH would go have a drink or 2 before dinner a couple of nights on a 7 night cruise if it were an option.

 

Like some previous posters, I'd rather see some other perks offered- such as higher discounts or different coupons, like maybe a "bring a 3rd guest in your cabin on a 7 night sailing for $99" or something like that.

[Debde]

Like this or not, here goes:

 

Any loyalty type program set up by any company is a 'gimick'. If you took the time to disect it, investiagte other companies, you might see that any loyalty program is not the be all and end all. Any company uses this gimick in the hopes you don't look elsewhere. Plain and simple. Beaches, Breezes and Sandals all have this same type 'returning guest' benefits

Now to specify the RCCL company:

Anyone who would only sail RC for a D or D+ status I would think would be a mistake. Sail because you like the itinerary, sail because the price is right, sail because you like the line but always investigate elsewhere to see where you hard earned money should go. Even if you are D or D+ you may be surprised what another line could give you for your money minus the loyalty program.

At this time, RC has had the right itinerary with the right price and ship for me to keep returning to them as my cruise vacation. No matter what status I am or will be that will not make up my mind for my once a year vacation. A balcony discount, priority boarding and the use of a CL that seems to be overcrowded majority of the time is not my idea of what keeps getting me to come back to RC! No matter how they change this loyalty program, does not matter to me. I will still choose my vacation, minus loyalty perks. With the amount it costs to go away-the Vacation and overall service is the bottom line and the true test of a good vacation-don't ya think??:confused:

[FloGaleRNTX]

Does a Med. cruise count for 2 credits? Seems like it should, since it costs so much to get over the pond......

 

Barb

[negc]

Does a Med. cruise count for 2 credits? Seems like it should, since it costs so much to get over the pond......

 

Barb

Only if you are in a suite or on a cruise of 12 nights or more. :)

[gotmilk]

I also heard that they may give the cruise credits based on how much you pay for your cabin. Such as half credit for the cheaper cabins and more credits for the more expensive cabins. So for those jumping on the 3 -4 day cruises will not zoom up the status ladder as fast.