Does Loyalty really mean anything?

[kooljamming]

Been reading a few items on the board. I was just thinking that if I only cruised with RCCL and never tried other lines, would I be cheating myself?

 

Yes, without a doubt. First, I truly believe loyalty belongs to God, Country and family/friends. I would be absolutely embrass to declare my loyalty to anything else. Before deciding on a vacation I figure out what kind of experience I am looking for. Because as a person I keep changing, so is the kind of vacation I book, or the line I choose. Maybe when I become set in my ways I can decide what kind of vacation or line suits me trip after trip. For now I am happy to declare loyalty only to God, family and country. I do have a preference of RCCL, only if the fare is the same or just slightly hihger than others. It hasn't been for a long time but I jumped on it the moment I saw one.

 

The past 5 years: 1x RCCL but 5 previous and I currently booked, 2x Carnival, 2x Princess, 5 A/I resorts in Jamaica, 2 A/I in Mexico, trip to Niagra Fall, countless camping. All special but in different ways.

[spongerob]

I should have been more clearer on who paid for my flying. I worked for a private company that had contracts with US government. They bid the contract and if they won it, one of the requirements was that their employees used US based airline to travel domestically and international whenever possible. Once the contract was accepted by the Dept of Defense because of the best bid, why should they care how the company decided to pay for our travel. I did not work for the government.

Your comparison still isn't a good analogy for cruise lines. When you traveled, you were on an expense account so it really didn't matter to you if you were spending more to stay on a preferred airline. It is an entirely different story when you are picking up the tab.

 

Most loyalty programs are geared towards business people who travel. No tourist is going to be able to benefit much from such programs because the tiers are too high to be attainable for those who travel just a couple of times per year.

[dfishner]

For the past few years we have given up loyalty to one cruise line in favor of picking our destination and price goals and making our choice.

 

The frequent cruiser programs are much less valuable than they used to be. Just like airline miles, they are worth less.

 

Also as we have gotten older, we are interested in less formal situations and the needed/required clothing. Airline baggage charges have influenced this decision as well.

 

You nailed it for us as well we feel the same way our last two cruises have been on different cruise lines we still cruise RCL but where it use to be are only choice that is no longer the case. We found that it has opened up many new options for us.

[geoherb]

One of my credit cards gives me American Airline miles. I have ended up trading them in for Amazon credits because the flights I want are either not available at all or only available at the highest trade-in level. I've gradually cut out using that credit card and started using another one that gives me cash back once a year.

 

For cruise lines, we are most loyal to Princess. And now we're platinum level, the free Internet access is a great perk--especially on our last cruise during Thanksgiving week when my DH had to do some work. He was teaching an online class and used all of his 150 minutes plus some of mine. I figured it would have cost us a couple of hundred dollars in Internet time on another cruise line.

 

Priority embarkation was another perk we enjoyed, as well as the platinum lounge to wait in for disembarkation. But if a great deal comes along on Celebrity, HAL, or RCI, we'll jump ships and go with it. We have taken three cruises on RCI, three on Celebrity, and two on HAL.

 

I've always say there is something about each cruise line I miss when I'm sailing another one--but I'll be enjoying the one I'm on as much as possible.

[iluvcruzin]

I'll continue to go for the 'Best Deal', 'Best Itinery', and 'Best Ship' available, regardless of which Cruise Line is involved.

 

I'm with you. There really isn't any good loyalty program out there anymore so I go with the best deal. If comparing apples to apples as far as itenerary, I go with the best price. For over 20 years cruising on most major lines, there isn't much of an incentive to stick with one line.

[katiel53]

I am diamond on RC, and cruised Carnival and Princess but have no status with them. Based on my own experience with Royal, and what I've heard and read of other lines, Royal still has one of the best loyalty programs around. Sure, they have made cuts recently, but what do those cuts really amount to? A few less coupons in the coupon book? Ok, so maybe $15 or $20 there in the loss of b1g1 drink coupons and JR cover charge. No more free tote bag or hat? Again, maybe $15 there. And no more entry into the concierge lounge, but the new diamond event on ships without a diamond lounge sort of cancels that out. So the cuts really only add up to $20 or $30 worth of freebies. I still get priority boarding, I still get a balcony discount, and I still get a free drink or two each night in either the diamond event or diamond lounge. Frankly, I feel those are nice enough perks. But while they are a nice "thank you," they aren't the reason I choose RCI. I choose RCI because on my 7 RCI cruises I have had overall better, more consistent service, than on the 3 non-RCI cruises.

 

Obviously you and I disagree on what constitutes benefits, but to me to not be able to use the discount coupons that Royal Caribbean sends me, giving me $100 off a cruise or more in certain cases and stockholder benefits makes a difference to me. You talk about getting a balcony discount, which I do get, but getting that negates all the other discounts, credits etc. that we were able to get in the recent past.

 

So, adding up the little cuts you mentioned, and these discounts, it comes to more than just a couple of bucks. We all look at things differently and, to me, these changes makes a big difference in my loyalty. To you, they don't seem to matter.

 

I'm sure we will each enjoy our cruises and in the end that's all that matters.

[Debde]

Loyalty is a great thing. It is very one sided. It works very well for the cruise line.

Really think about it. Take all the perks you get for being loyal-starting from gold all the way up to D+. If you choose to only look at one line-look what you may have been missing.:( Even D+ perks could not make me spend all my hard earned money in one place. It's just not worth it to me. Variety is the spice of life!;)

 

I prefer to go different places, different ships and different resorts to be able to see all I can in one lifetime. I don't want as some say-'to feel like home'. Heck-I want to be as far away from home and anything remotely close to it or how it feels while on vacation!!:D

[Papa T]

While I cruise other lines particularly for interesting itineraries - I must admit . . . perhaps by force of habit, I always check RCI/Celebrity first, and . . . usually at the end of the process I find myself on one of their ships, although I do look elsewhere - at least at a couple of other lines. I must admit there are some lines I will not sail again - price or no price.

[kooljamming]

Loyalty is a great thing. It is very one sided. It works very well for the cruise line.

Really think about it. Take all the perks you get for being loyal-starting from gold all the way up to D+. If you choose to only look at one line-look what you may have been missing.:( Even D+ perks could not make me spend all my hard earned money in one place. It's just not worth it to me. Variety is the spice of life!;)

 

I prefer to go different places, different ships and different resorts to be able to see all I can in one lifetime. I don't want as some say-'to feel like home'. Heck-I want to be as far away from home and anything remotely close to it or how it feels while on vacation!!:D

 

Please join us at our upcoming luncheon in Beaumont, California. I just don't get how some people want to do the same old thing over and over. For me the true adventure is about discovering what's new and different.

 

What I hate about the whole loyalty thing is that it creates a true sense of entitlement to the perks which are really GIFTS. They were not bought but given and therefore can be adjusted or taken away. I flew Air Jamaica for 30 years and all I got was Welcome Aboard. They sold to Delta so won't even be getting that or a direct flight out of LAX. I can be perefectly happy with getting what I pay for. Like Mother Nature, if they take away something I truly enjoyed having, I will cherish the memory. I used to be able to go all the way down to the ground, now I can only bend the knees.

[kkorman]

I am diamond on RC, and cruised Carnival and Princess but have no status with them. Based on my own experience with Royal, and what I've heard and read of other lines, Royal still has one of the best loyalty programs around. Sure, they have made cuts recently, but what do those cuts really amount to? A few less coupons in the coupon book? Ok, so maybe $15 or $20 there in the loss of b1g1 drink coupons and JR cover charge. No more free tote bag or hat? Again, maybe $15 there. And no more entry into the concierge lounge, but the new diamond event on ships without a diamond lounge sort of cancels that out. So the cuts really only add up to $20 or $30 worth of freebies. I still get priority boarding, I still get a balcony discount, and I still get a free drink or two each night in either the diamond event or diamond lounge. Frankly, I feel those are nice enough perks. But while they are a nice "thank you," they aren't the reason I choose RCI. I choose RCI because on my 7 RCI cruises I have had overall better, more consistent service, than on the 3 non-RCI cruises.

 

Royal's loyalty program is pretty weak relative to Princess. I would never make a decision based on the loyalty program, but RCIs is certainly not close to best in class.

[DeepWaterMariner]

As many have said, there are many more important factors to consider rather than the loyalty program. The loyalty program is still a consideration for us but low on the list. We look forward to our perks on Princess which is primarily due to taking longer cruises with them and we use our free laundry perk a lot. If we drank more perhaps the Diamond lounge thing would be more of a draw for us on RCI but that isn't the case.

[Debde]

Please join us at our upcoming luncheon in Beaumont, California.

 

I would love to if it was a hop skip and a jump to CA!!:D

[EJNutz]

I think it is always nice to try a different cruise line. If you don't how would you know what you are missing. I tend to shop around and look at the itineraries and the price and go with that cruise line. If I don't like them then they don't get my custom another time.

[crischickie]

I'm with you. There really isn't any good loyalty program out there anymore so I go with the best deal. If comparing apples to apples as far as itenerary, I go with the best price. For over 20 years cruising on most major lines, there isn't much of an incentive to stick with one line.

 

I don't blame you for going with the best deal, I do that myself. But, I don't believe you can say "There really isn't any good loyalty program out there anymore."

 

Depending on the cruise line, you still get free laundry, free dry cleaning, free drinks, free wine tasting, free internet, free ship tours, plus the priority boarding and disembarkation, etc. Some amenities have been cut, but there are still a lot of things offered. And, if you know what was offered as recently as 10 years ago, it is still night and day difference even with the cuts.

[Coochuck]

Loyality Programs are OK....but price, appeal, and service still seem to matter the most! Oh...and Towel Annimals help also.

[artvlay]

When we considered which cruise to take over the past 18 or so years, right at the top or close to it was the Royal Loyalty program. It was little things like priority boarding and disembarkation, the discounts on cabins, the concierge lounge, gifts in your cabins, etc.

 

After 37 cruises and over 20 with RCI, we no longer are loyal to Royal. If Princess or Cunard or Holland has an equal cruise, we might take it. Even though we are stockholders, the cuts it has made have rubbed us the wrong way.

 

Loyalty is a two way street!