ILCruzr

Brave??:confused: it is not that hard of a drive. pretty much a straight shot down I65 to Nashville then I24 to Chattanooga onward on I75 (taking the loop around the west side of Atlanta of course) to Wildwood Fl and the turnpike to Miami. It is about 1400 miles each way, so figure two days each way driving.

Yes brave to drive to Florida during the hurricane season..and dealing with the bad route through Atlanta. That's why I fly! :)

Sailed the glory twice last year. On the second cruise I cut my big toe in their theater..so, I would pick the conquest :)

brave person driving from Chicago to Miami..remember you have to drive back too :)

maybe the flying bus aka spirit airlines has some cheap tix to FLL from ORD :)

Stay away from Spirit if you can!! They should be put out of business, too many extras to pay for. ( Didn't know this before purchasing tickets) Soon they will charge for using the lavatory! I'd rather take a bus and that's really bad since I hate buses also.

 

Sorry for not answering your question, but seeing "Spirit Airlines" hit a nerve!!!

I think Spirit is the flying greyhound. It such a gross, cheap airline. I WOULD NEVER EVER fly them. I flew the once to Florida (not for a cruise) and the window was so dirty and greasy. I complained, got a voucher and never used it cuz that airline is hideous! I would rather take Amtrak!

I usually do like 1 or 2 pm flights. Last year we had an 1130 am flight from Boston after the Glory, that almost was cutting it close, but I wouldn't book anything before 11!

southern! Altho I am doing my first eastern in Jan, so well see after Jan which I like better :)

We have sailed NCL, DCL, RCCL and in 15 days we will be sailing CCL for the first time. We have not decided to be loyal to one line or another yet and may never. We really like Disney but they are priced so high that we can't do a Disney cruise too often. After this Carnival cruise we have several Royal Cruises planned with family and friends that prefer Royal so we are going with it and looking forward to exploring the shops and enjoying the different itineraries! Cruise on

 

 

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I am in the trying the different lines mode too. I really want to try celebrity, so that might be next cruise after Royal. I really want to go to the more exotic locations CCL doesn't offer on a constant basis.

BTW very jealous of all your cruises planned! I wish I can cruise that much :)

To be clear, your original point isn't that difficult to understand. You don't feel appreciated by Carnival cause they don't give you enough. You pay for cruises and you think they should appreciate you by offering better

Perks. Doesn't take a genius to figure out what you are saying.

 

Understand though you are getting what you pay for-a cruise. Any of these lines can restructure their loyalty programs, heck they can get rid of them all together. So if you expect cool perks eventually you will be disappointed in any line as it would be silly to assume these programs will never change.

 

I do agree that Carnival could do more to encourage customer loyalty, BUT I get what I want when I book with them-a fun cruise.

 

I get your point, I think we all do, what I don't think you are seeing is all of those perks-none are guaranteed. And any perk you get on any line ultimately you should be concerned with what you pay for-the cruise, not the drjnk coupons and little pins. Being hurt because you don't get something that a line doesn't have to provide in the first place is sorta silly.

 

So to reiterate-I get what you want..I just don't agree with your reasoning

 

 

 

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Good to know you get it!

Don't get the smoothies. They aren't good. I prefer a virgin something lol

I thought you said you weren't?

 

If you pay for a cruise to get the little perks they offer...

 

Well we do things very differently. I don't need to spend a couple if thousand to get a coupon for a free drink, or to get 25 % off a bag of laundry. I cruise because I enjoy it. iF you cruise for perks, I think you are going to be disappointed at some point with

Every line

 

 

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Yes, I am paying essentially. But I want to pay for something that I would get something out of. I still don't think you understand my original point.

IF you don't take a cruise, ie: pay for one...you can't utilize those perks, can you?

 

If you are platinum they don't just send you the cup, or whatever the gift is now, you have to pay for and take a cruise to get it.

 

IF you don't pay to reach the level that those perks pertain you, you can not utilize them.

 

They don't just give them out for the most part, you need to pay for and take cruises to access them. There might be some hidden ones I don't know about....

 

You can see them one way, and that's cool. But I don't think you earn platinum status, you buy your way to it. I don't think you earn these perks, you buy your way to them. Either way, I'm not impressed with CCL's so far, so I'll see what RCL has to offer

Yep I'm paying to get perks. It's the point

ILCruzr-I wasn't specifically addressing you, I was referring to another poster's remarks.

 

I know what perks are, and in fact I agree with your stance, so not sure why you are pointing out my post.

Just because you kinda contradicted yourself a bit then. If you get it, then you know you really aren't paying for perks right? you are earning them thru a service, which in this case is cruising.

Thanks -

 

Unfortunately after this possible NCL cruise we are going to have a minimum of 8 straight years of paying college tuition (at times 2 in college). That will all but eliminate cruising for some time :(

Oh priorities lol but just think how much cruising you will get to do when you are doing paying college. Much to make up :)

To be fair, you are purchasing these perks. You are buying cruises and doing so, gives you the ability to utilize these 'benefits.' This isn't a promotion that you receive for working hard, or an Olympic medal you get for being the best. You are buying cruises and as such spending your money gives you the 'right' to these benefits.

 

I don't cruise for a free Tervis cup-I can buy one for $25. I don't cruise for a pin. We've always had a great time on Carnival. Never gotten bad service or felt unappreciated, but at the same time these perks aren't all that, and as such they don't factor in to our decision to cruise. That's awesome, I get a free drink for being red-ok...I had to spend a couple thousand just to get on the ship. I can only use it in the MDR for a specific meal, etc...how is that such a great 'perk?'

 

Because we see no reason to stay loyal to Carnival, though to be clear, we enjoy our cruises with them immensely, we looked elsewhere and got a RIDICULOUS deal on a Family Suite on RCCL. Who knows maybe we will like them better, and perhaps their Crown and Anchor will be something to write home about.

 

But the bottom line is, there are so many little things that Carnival could do to retain customers, but instead they want to promote their VIFP as is, and frankly it's kind of a joke.

But that is the point? We as consumers spend money and want to get more bang for our buck. That is why they are called Perks. Of course I know I am paying for the perks, but on RCL you get good ones. Not on Carnival, which you quoted as a joke. So we agree on that one!

Yes they will go out of biz if they don't treat their customers loyally. Look at this thread, there's lots who jump ship or thinking about it. But bottom line, I'd rather spend my hard earned money where I'm valued.

I am platinum with carnival, I haven't received a free cruise offer, but that isn't going to stop me from cruising with them. I tried royal a few times, and bottom line....not my taste and not for me. I was disappointed. i never received any past guest perks or discounted rates/resident rates like i do on carnival.

You must not be checking in the right places for past discount rates. My parents have sailed on RCL and they got a past discount rate of 25% on the RCL ship they just booked. You might want to call RCL if you don't see that.

I find that perk very appealing since I just starting to cruise more and the more money I save on one cruise, it carry over to another one ;)

That's why I cant wait to go on IOS, for the WOW factor

Lucky you! I wish I went on the breeze. I sailed the Glory twice last year and on the second time I sailed her I cut my big toe really bad in the theater. It was awful. I wont be sailing on the glory anytime soon again lol

I really liked the Miracle. It was very purple and the theater and comedy club are so awesomely decorated. I also like the rotunda on the Glory. It was very cool to seeing the colors on the ceiling and floors.

I am very excited to go on the Valor because I hears its got great décor.

If I am not looking to book a cruise right now, but I want to be assigned a PVP; so I can get offers, what is the best way to go about getting a PVP?

Sadly PVP's cant give you offers that are not advertised. You basically can book a cruise for the same rate a PVP can. They can't do anything different money wise. THey are just there for questions, mainly for first time cruisers.

I enjoyed that cruise a lot. One of these days I'll make it on the Sunshine to see all of the changes.

 

 

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Yah that was a fun cruise. It was my first cruise after my disasterous Victory cruise. I wanted to give Carnival another chance and I was pleased by this cruise. But wish Carnival would appreciate my business more.

Speaking of the sunshine, I almost was going to book that ship instead of the RCL one but I really want to try RCL. The Sunshine is going to Bonaire in Jan 2016 and that was such a selling point, but I didn't want to go out of Port Canaveral.

Labade is an excellent port. Great beach area, zip line over the beach and roller coaster. I personally prefer royal over carnival because Royal has more activities and larger boats. Not to mention I can reserve a dinner table for two via email and carnival you cannot. However, carnival is often a lot cheaper which is why I'm sailing with them in august.

 

 

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hey we were on the same destiny sailing! Good times :)

If you sail in a balcony, the prices for RCCL can be a lot lower than CCL, the higher up you go in loyalty

 

At Diamond level (CCL Platinum) we get $225 discount off our cruise besides, 3 hrs of free cocktails every night.

 

Our last cruise on RCCL was $840 total, including taxes and fees for 2 in a center hump balcony for 7 days

 

My calculations say our bill is a lot cheaper on RCCL than CCL

 

OP enjoy your cruise

and that is precisely why I am switching lines! RCL appreciates their customers because without us, they would have no jobs. Carnival needs to learn that!

I am a diamond member on carnival with over 40 cruises (300 plus days) and have never received a free cruise or discount. Only for my 25th I got 25 percent off as on board credit. I sail 6-7 times per year. My last carnival cruise was in March and I am jumping ship. I guess you get to a point where you don't feel as though you are appreciated. And then when you read all of the free cruise offers, it kinda sucks. So I think it's time to explore other options.

atleast I am not the only one who feels this way. It's a complete dis regard to a loyal customer.

Oh I can't wait to step aboard the valor!