Anyone with "ins" at Carnival know anything about this?

[MamaParrotHead]

In John's (Heald's) most recent blog entry, he mentions something about the Platinum program possibly being reworked (in response to someone suggesting they institute the "points" system that has been discussed here).

 

Anyone know anything about it (in an officially "unofficial" manner from someone inside Carnival)?

[CruzVinnieCruz]

In John's (Heald's) most recent blog entry, he mentions something about the Platinum program possibly being reworked (in response to someone suggesting they institute the "points" system that has been discussed here).

 

Anyone know anything about it (in an officially "unofficial" manner from someone inside Carnival)?

 

No ins with Carnival but we heard the same thing directly from John Heald last March. If they are reworking the program it may get done about the same time the Valors engine problem is fixed.

[David-n-Rita]

In John's (Heald's) most recent blog entry, he mentions something about the Platinum program possibly being reworked (in response to someone suggesting they institute the "points" system that has been discussed here).

 

This has been in the works for awhile....revamping the loyalty problem which has had some problems. Before cruising became so popular, being a "past guest" was a big deal. Now there are often 1000+ past guests on a cruise. We went to our first past cruise party in 2006 and it was held in a lounge. It has since been held in the theater when sometimes there is not enough seats for everyone. I think you will see a graduated "past guest" as people taking their 2nd cruise get all the benefits of people taking their 8th cruise. It is a long time to Platinum without additional benefits and unless you know you can get to 10, there is no benefit to stay with Carnival.

Another unfair Platinum requirement has always been all cruises are equal from the person who takes 10 (3 day cruises = 30 sea days) to the person who takes who only 10 (8 day cruises = 80 sea days). This rule was easy to exploit by taking back to back cruises (that is what we did once we had 6 past cruises and booked 4 and 5 day cruises back to back to get faster to 10.) We did have alot of 7 day cruises but when 4 (2 day cruises to nowhere) give you the same benefit at 4 (8 day cruises) - do the math there is a lot less money involve to get to Platinum.

I do think Carnival would be alot smarter to count "sea days" rather than "cruises" to to get to Platinum. You could still do back to back cruises to get your required sea days (handy for people not living by a port-pay airfare only once) but you would have a fairer way to equalize the Platinum requirements.

 

These are just our opinions and speculations, not anything based in fact, or any "officical word from anyone at Carnival". It is rooted in good business sense and basic math.

[golfadj]

They have been talking and talking about this for a long long time.

 

I would hope a special lunch or breakfast with the senior crew.

 

We do like the bennies though. Wish they would find something other than picture frames to give away.

[Nunu]

Rumor has it they've assigned it to their web dept.:eek:

[DGP1111]

Google Jim Berra (formerly with Starwood) and Rob Borden to see a bit about the folks "at the helm" of possible future modifications to the CCL Loyalty programs.

[nobody000]

In John's (Heald's) most recent blog entry, he mentions something about the Platinum program possibly being reworked (in response to someone suggesting they institute the "points" system that has been discussed here).

 

This has been in the works for awhile....revamping the loyalty problem which has had some problems. Before cruising became so popular, being a "past guest" was a big deal. Now there are often 1000+ past guests on a cruise. We went to our first past cruise party in 2006 and it was held in a lounge. It has since been held in the theater when sometimes there is not enough seats for everyone. I think you will see a graduated "past guest" as people taking their 2nd cruise get all the benefits of people taking their 8th cruise. It is a long time to Platinum without additional benefits and unless you know you can get to 10, there is no benefit to stay with Carnival.

Another unfair Platinum requirement has always been all cruises are equal from the person who takes 10 (3 day cruises = 30 sea days) to the person who takes who only 10 (8 day cruises = 80 sea days). This rule was easy to exploit by taking back to back cruises (that is what we did once we had 6 past cruises and booked 4 and 5 day cruises back to back to get faster to 10.) We did have alot of 7 day cruises but when 4 (2 day cruises to nowhere) give you the same benefit at 4 (8 day cruises) - do the math there is a lot less money involve to get to Platinum.

I do think Carnival would be alot smarter to count "sea days" rather than "cruises" to to get to Platinum. You could still do back to back cruises to get your required sea days (handy for people not living by a port-pay airfare only once) but you would have a fairer way to equalize the Platinum requirements.

 

These are just our opinions and speculations, not anything based in fact, or any "officical word from anyone at Carnival". It is rooted in good business sense and basic math.

 

 

 

Well said...I agree 100%...

[nobody000]

Rumor has it they've assigned it to their web dept.:eek:

 

 

Thats just plain scary..only thing worse would be to have the shore excursion desk join in. ;):D:rolleyes::eek:

[MamaParrotHead]

Rumor has it they've assigned it to their web dept.:eek:

 

Oh great. I can't wait to see what Beavis and Butthead come up with.:rolleyes:

[Nunu]

Oh great. I can't wait to see what Beavis and Butthead come up with.:rolleyes:

 

Thankfully it's just a rumor. :p

[cbressler76]

No ins with Carnival but we heard the same thing directly from John Heald last March. If they are reworking the program it may get done about the same time the Valors engine problem is fixed.

 

:eek: What's wrong with the Valor? I will be on him (I think of the ship as a he) soon!! Please, tell me it's not too serious!!

[jsteinberg]

I think they mean Destiny, not Valor

[Traveler353]

:eek: What's wrong with the Valor? I will be on him (I think of the ship as a he) soon!! Please, tell me it's not too serious!!

 

A ship is a lady and should be treated as such. :)

[dommer573]

How many sea days do you need to become platinum. I have 53 sea days, but only 8 cruises.

[cbressler76]

I think they mean Destiny, not Valor

 

 

yeah, I realized that a few minutes later....:o

[kbalthaser66]

I don't see why it is taking so long to have carnival start using the points/sea days program. Princess cruises does it that way now and has for some time - aren't Princess and Carnival owned by the same company? I don't see why it would be so difficult to put this in place for the carnival cruises since it is already in place and works well on Princess - am I missing something?

[cbressler76]

A ship is a lady and should be treated as such. :)

 

Not my Valor!! Valor = boldness or determination in facing great danger, esp. in battle; heroic courage; bravery..... He's a brave man!! :D

[David-n-Rita]

How many sea days do you need to become platinum. I have 53 sea days, but only 8 cruises.

 

You need 10 "cruises" now, nothing has been changed yet and it might not be, as I posted it was just our opinion of the system. Each "cruise" with a different booking number regardless of sea days counts as 1 cruise now. You need 10 cruises and you will get the benefits at the beginning of your 10th cruise (really after nine completed cruises)

[CruzVinnieCruz]

I think they mean Destiny, not Valor

 

 

I did mean Destiny it was on the Valor John Heald mentioned that the platinum program was being retooled. Sorry:o

[anjoliza]

:eek: What's wrong with the Valor? I will be on him (I think of the ship as a he) soon!! Please, tell me it's not too serious!!

 

Funny, I always think of the ship as a "her" :D

[Litewait]

I think the program to attaining platinum is just fine. However, I think they need to rethink 1-9, a person on their 2nd cruise should not be awarded the same as the 9th cruise. IMO. I think the best fix at this point is doing a platinum guest party and a past guest party with those with 5 or more cruises. There are just to many past guests now, they overflow the show rooms:eek:

 

When you start doing sea nights or cost of cruise it gets really difficult and can be unfair. I am a single parent that pays for 3 to cruise. We cant afford to always do 7 day cruises nor have the best cabins. We have however reached platinum. I think it was designed to award repeat guests not how many days you have cruised.

 

That being said, if there are changes made they will be many disgruntled passengers who are "almost" there. And alot of grandfathering in of platinum guests that may not meet the new criteria.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

I think the program to attaining platinum is just fine. However, I think they need to rethink 1-9, a person on their 2nd cruise should not be awarded the same as the 9th cruise. IMO. I think the best fix at this point is doing a platinum guest party and a past guest party with those with 5 or more cruises. There are just to many past guests now, they overflow the show rooms:eek:

 

When you start doing sea nights or cost of cruise it gets really difficult and can be unfair. I am a single parent that pays for 3 to cruise. We cant afford to always do 7 day cruises nor have the best cabins. We have however reached platinum. I think it was designed to award repeat guests not how many days you have cruised.

 

That being said, if there are changes made they will be many disgruntled passengers who are "almost" there. And alot of grandfathering in of platinum guests that may not meet the new criteria.

 

Just to be the devils advocate here:

 

Because you can't always afford seven day cruises leave the program as is BUT you can afford to repeat on shorter cruises so take away perks from someone who is on their 2nd through 5th cruise. Then again it's not OK to reward someone who has sailed say 8 x 7 night cruises (56 nights) with platinum but your perfectly fine if someone gets there with 27 nights cruised.

[Litewait]

Not what I meant.. The way it is set up now is to reward "returning guests". If they change it to a different method I think they will have many that have to be grandfathered in and they will have just as many unhappy cruisers who almost made it as there are those that have cruised many days and arent at the current requirement now.

 

It's a catch 22. Either way people will be unhappy. I dont know how they go back and change it now to a completely different system, one group will be happy the others unhappy.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

Not what I meant.. The way it is set up now is to reward "returning guests". If they change it to a different method I think they will have many that have to be grandfathered in and they will have just as many unhappy cruisers who almost made it as there are those that have cruised many days and arent at the current requirement now.

 

It's a catch 22. Either way people will be unhappy. I dont know how they go back and change it now to a completely different system, one group will be happy the others unhappy.

 

I see where you are coming from but Carnival is the only cruise line that I am aware of that uses strictly the number of bookings completed to determine the loyalty perks. I think they need to tier the loyalty program but I am still in the camp that thinks they should use number of days not bookings.

 

Also I have had hotel loyalty programs change the rules on levels and it had very little impact on my bookings with them.

[Elaine515]

I agree that John has been "threatening" us for a very long time re: changes to the Platinum program but I can see where a problem would arise.. Lets just say two passengers are Platinum but passenger #1 has 10 one week cruises for a total of 70 days at sea while passenger #2 also has 10 cruises but each one 3 days thus only a total of 30 days at sea. How is Carnival going to handle those passengers that are already Platinum???? They certainly can't say "too bad, so sad"..... They would definitely need to grandfather those Platinum Members in....

 

What I can't figure out is why it is taking so long to figure out the Platinum gift program... Can't someone just come up with perhaps a 3 - 4 page "booklet" with maybe 6 different gifts to choose from. Or perhaps when a Platinum Cruiser has booked a cruise, they can either email or mail you a choice of gifts that would be delivered to your cabin during the cruise? How hard it this?