A VIP perk Carnival doesn't have that would be nice

[CruiserChloe]

CCL is a decent product, but so are all the other cruise lines. When two cruise lines are as similar as CCL and RCI, why would I choose the line that gives me nothing over the line that gives me all the stuff I mentioned and more? Seems like a no brainer to me.

 

Bingo! Excellent point.

[luvmysox1]

You are reading out of context. The subject of this thread is loyalty perks and CCL's lack thereof. Other cruise lines under Carnival Corp have very good loyalty programs.

 

I guess I can't comment on that. I don't know anything about them. I'm not even platium yet! But can't wait to get there. After 10, I would think that would come up with something better for people to keep them happy.

 

Do you like your NCL cruise's? Don't they give more after the first cruise?

[Cruzaholic41]

Do you like your NCL cruise's? Don't they give more after the first cruise?

 

NCL's Latitudes program is nothing to write home about either. Honestly, I am not a big fan of NCL. My cruises with them have been itinerary driven.

 

I knew there was a reason you were on my ignore list. Actually a couple - insults and misinformation.

 

Not misinformation - just information you can't accept for some reason. Bye.

[Sargent_Schultz]

On one note, per Maritime Administration Stats for cruise lines for North America, of course Carnival Corp by far leads. Carnival Cruise Line is also, of course, the leader with Royal in 2nd place.

 

The stats also show that in fact, Royal's numbers on passenger cruise nights has been declining and Carnival's increasing.

[CruiserChloe]

On one note, per Maritime Administration Stats for cruise lines for North America, of course Carnival Corp by far leads. Carnival Cruise Line is also, of course, the leader with Royal in 2nd place.

 

The stats also show that in fact, Royal's numbers on passenger cruise nights has been declining and Carnival's increasing.

 

North American numbers have probably decreased because RCI put 12 ships in Europe this year, so I don't think those numbers are reliable at all. I have yet to sail on a ship not sold out, and that includes Oasis.

 

But otherwise, what's your point? Your posts seem to insinuate people shouldn't like any other line than Carnival. If that's how you feel, well, your loss.

[DGP1111]

Walmart, McDonald's, Health care, ....

 

As for cruising, when you are the leader, why would you want to imitate number 2?

 

Bill:

I think/hope you know I'm a big fan of you, your posts, your excellence in providing us with superb pictorial travel blogs, so I hope you'll accept that I found some ironic (albeit damning) humor in that sentence.

I'll only speak for myself here (and perhaps I'm the only one on the planet who thinks so) but . . . . remembering back to those early days in school when we'd have to raise either one or two fingers to give some information to the teacher . . .

For a few of my cruises over recent years, Carnival has done a pretty good job of imitating "Number 2"

.

Therefore I'm taking a planned future 'break'. It may be permanent; It may not. Time will tell.

.

.

p.s. Will really look forward to your pictorial review of Carnival Magic, even though it's a ship I won't be sailing myself.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Carnival is not the only cruise line I sail on and I do not discourage anyone from trying different lines. Don't expect other lines to be duplicates of Carnival and certainly don't expect Carnival to change their business model.

 

My point is that perks are not required, but there seems to be an increaing number of people with a gimme, gimme, gimme attitude. They all want entitlements, and more of them, as long as entitlements aren't given to all, it seems.

 

They certainly don't expect to pay for them. They seem to think entitlements are free, which they are not. They are paid for by higher fares, at least for some, or by reductions in service, or by other means. The more visible entitlements very much create the illusion of a class system and lead to tension, at a minimum, between the haves and have nots.

 

North America is by far the largest cruising market and the Carnival line is strongly identified with being a North American brand. Carnival Corp already has a strong presence in Europe with some of the other Carnival brands. It really doesn't make business sense for Carnival Corp to try to cannibalize too much from themselves.

 

Before Carnival Magic, we have Carnival Triumph coming up. Stay tuned. :)

[FreezingInMichigan]

Carnival is my favorite cruise line and I would imagine will remain that way but... why does Carnival call it Concierge Club at the Guest Services desk and the totes they used to give out... when there is no Concierge person? I don't hold much for NCL but for sure their VIP perks are better and they do have a Concierge person. I think it would be nice to actually have a concierge for the concierge club lol

 

I'm not platinum yet but I'm getting there as quick as my vacation time allows. :D

 

So many good ideas. I'd like to throw in the equivalent of a VIP "coat check" to drop my carry-on while I'm waiting for my room to be ready. Wouldn't cost Carnival anything other than a staff person to man the room. If they were willing to deliver it to my room in the event I indulged in too many DODs and forgot to pick it up... even better.

[luvmysox1]

I'm not platinum yet but I'm getting there as quick as my vacation time allows. :D

 

So many good ideas. I'd like to throw in the equivalent of a VIP "coat check" to drop my carry-on while I'm waiting for my room to be ready. Wouldn't cost Carnival anything other than a staff person to man the room. If they were willing to deliver it to my room in the event I indulged in too many DODs and forgot to pick it up... even better.

I love this idea. NCL held our for us while our cabin was being prepared. It maybe the only thing I liked about them other than the ship was beautiful. Service not so good throughout the cruise.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I'm not platinum yet but I'm getting there as quick as my vacation time allows. :D

 

So many good ideas. I'd like to throw in the equivalent of a VIP "coat check" to drop my carry-on while I'm waiting for my room to be ready. Wouldn't cost Carnival anything other than a staff person to man the room. If they were willing to deliver it to my room in the event I indulged in too many DODs and forgot to pick it up... even better.

 

Platinum cabins already have priority to be cleaned first on turnaround days. I always head for the cabin and drop my stuff off. It has always been ready or close enough. If nothing else, I can leave my stuff in one of the closets.

[nydney1]

Allot of interesting banter here. I would like to add my two cents.

 

Past guest perks are nice but not the only reason that I decide on a cruise line.

 

After our last cruise on Carnival in May I received a survey asking my opinion on Platinum level perks. The survey mentioned that the program may change and not be based on the number of cruises but the total amount that you have spent on your cruises.

 

Has anyone else received this survey?

 

I would like to see a program that NCL offers. If you make a $100 deposit on another cruise while on board for a cruise withing the next 5 years you receive a $100 on board credit on this cruise. The deposit is non refundable but is transferrable.

 

While this looks foolish, this is really a good decision for the cruise line. The $100 covers the expense of the onboard credit, and the $100 off the price of another cruise guarantees repeat business.

 

Just my two cents.

[Sargent_Schultz]

 

I would like to see a program that NCL offers. If you make a $100 deposit on another cruise while on board for a cruise withing the next 5 years you receive a $100 on board credit on this cruise. The deposit is non refundable but is transferrable.

 

 

I think I like Carnival's FCC program better. Give them $100 now and get that $100 back + an OBC of up to $250 on a future cruise within the next 5 years.

 

If you book a cruise at the same time, there are additional benefits.

[craftykitty]

I would like to see a program that NCL offers. If you make a $100 deposit on another cruise while on board for a cruise withing the next 5 years you receive a $100 on board credit on this cruise. The deposit is non refundable but is transferrable.

 

Actually Carnival does do this. We are just off the Glory in June and while on board we booked another cruise for next year. We paid a deposit on the Early Saver plan for our choice and we were given an OBC for both our cabin and the cabin of relatives that we also booked and paid a deposit who never cruised previously.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Bill:

I think/hope you know I'm a big fan of you, your posts, your excellence in providing us with superb pictorial travel blogs, so I hope you'll accept that I found some ironic (albeit damning) humor in that sentence.

 

I'll only speak for myself here (and perhaps I'm the only one on the planet who thinks so) but . . . . remembering back to those early days in school when we'd have to raise either one or two fingers to give some information to the teacher . . .

 

For a few of my cruises over recent years, Carnival has done a pretty good job of imitating "Number 2"

 

.

Therefore I'm taking a planned future 'break'. It may be permanent; It may not. Time will tell.

.

.

 

p.s. Will really look forward to your pictorial review of Carnival Magic, even though it's a ship I won't be sailing myself.

 

Hi Don,

 

I do know, and still appreciate.

 

Just to make things crystal - No problem, no offense taken, never even considered. No cruise line is all things to all people all the time. Even me.

 

Change happens - sometimes it is temporary, sometimes permanent, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. Change is the only constant for many things.

 

I think you will be back, but if not, I wish you well, my friend.

 

If you do discover Shangri-La (not referring to the social club in New Orleans, or any bars anywhere), I think you have an email address for me?

[near the beach]

In my only dealing with Royal Caribbean they were much more expensive than Carnival. The regular fare was more and the third and fourth passenger per cabin had to pay the full fare. :confused: I did read that Royal Caribbean gives priority boarding after five cruises. I have done that once on Carnival because we booked a suite. It was nice not to have to wait in line. What would be the point of giving everyone express boarding. You would end up with the same long line with a different name. ;) I don’t cruise for perks I cruise because I like to. :D

[Cruzaholic41]

I would like to see a program that NCL offers. If you make a $100 deposit on another cruise while on board for a cruise withing the next 5 years you receive a $100 on board credit on this cruise. The deposit is non refundable but is transferrable.

 

This is a good program. They give you a booking number that can be applied to any future booking. RCI also does this, but theirs has no expiration date.

[ManyMore]

I am well over platinum status... I am a stock holder and I have cruised other lines... do I cruise Carnival more because I am platinum? yes. Have I as a platinum member gotten newbies to cruise with Carnival? yes I have... do I have some cruising in the future? yes I do.

 

Do I think or would I think that if Carnival dropped (or didn't have) a platinum state loyalty program that it would lower my cruise price or give me more in the way of my stock.... certainly NOT and if you really think it would...

[jimbo5544]

Platinum cabins already have priority to be cleaned first on turnaround days. I always head for the cabin and drop my stuff off. It has always been ready or close enough. If nothing else, I can leave my stuff in one of the closets.

Never knew that, makes sense as they would probably be the first on the ship. How do you get through the closed doors?

[golfadj]

I think I like Carnival's FCC program better. Give them $100 now and get that $100 back + an OBC of up to $250 on a future cruise within the next 5 years.

 

If you book a cruise at the same time, there are additional benefits.

 

I also like the FCC program but there are no benefits to booking at same time you are purchasing FCC.

[jimbo5544]

I also like the FCC program but there are no benefits to booking at same time you are purchasing FCC.

I agree and I doubt they will change that anytime soon.

[Dolphins]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']NCL doesn't have anything approaching complimentary wash and fold service.[/QUOTE]

NCL Platinum Members get free laundry, complimentary dinner for two at Lebistro specialty restaurant with a bottle of wine. You also get concierge service, priority boarding, debarkation and tender service. Can't beat NCL perks.