CAS Changes

[seasearider]

I'm surprised some people honestly think that Royal Caribbean doesn't have the number of days per cruise each of us have taken. Perhaps it's not readily available to the Crown and Anchor desk employees, but it's on a data base somewhere. This isn't a mom and pop organization doing all it's accounting in the back room(or a least I hope it's not;)).

[island lady]

Our favorite employee is on the Monarch. Sheldon Rodrigues, the Matre'D, say hi to him for us if you get the chance. Tell him, Zandra hasn't mailed the hat yet, but she will.

 

Okey-Dokey!! :)

I will try to look him up.

 

We also love Danny, the LA. He is soooo cool. Was on vacation during my 12/10 cruise.

Hope to see him again. :)

[CruiseLover15]

Why multiply by 7? If the information has been entered into their computers each time, shouldn't they be able to compute the exact number of days (barring that 1970 cruise) that everyone has accumulated?

 

Well this calculation would allow folks to get something for the extra credit they were given for the diamonds in December promotion. Seems people are concerned that these credits could end up being useless. JMO.

[koterry]

We have gone to the WJ and brought things to the DL, or pizza from the promanade. The trail mix su**s. They provide almost all food on board, so how much would it cost them to provide hors d'oeuvres in the diamond lounge? I know those who sail the larger ships are asking themselves what I'm talking about. Oh wait, I'm D+ now so I should not have to worry about that any more. Unless the rumors are correct.:o

Am a D+ cruiser with RCCL and have never NOT had hors d' oeuvres in the diamond lounge or the CL...

[Daghis]

Yup...also my point.

Hotel bonus points? $$$ spent at the hotel.

Frequent Flyer points? Total miles flown.

While these are generally true, they aren't necessarily the case across the board in their respective industries.

 

Southwest (maybe Jetblue also) gives credits in terms of one-way trips. I can book a trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and get 1 credit on Southwest. On the other hand, I can book from Pittsburgh to the Los Angeles area, take three different flights to get there, pay three times as much, and still get just 1 credit if it were booked as a single trip.

 

Some hotels base their status on either the number of nights or the number of stays you've had at the hotel. Some do both, and you can achieve higher status through either of the two numbers.

[koterry]

I never understood why people who have absolutely have no desire to cruise a certain line,feel the need to post elsewhere,just to bash,,:confused:

 

Other lines may not be my first choice,but I wouldn't go over there just to be so ugly..

Well said, was wondering exactly the same thing!...K.O.

[brfan]

I'm surprised some people honestly think that Royal Caribbean doesn't have the number of days per cruise each of us have taken. Perhaps it's not readily available to the Crown and Anchor desk employees, but it's on a data base somewhere. This isn't a mom and pop organization doing all it's accounting in the back room(or a least I hope it's not;)).

 

That will work if you reached your level solely on Royal Caribbean cruises, however, how will it be calculated if you level was reached due to what level you are on Celebrity? How will days be calculated then?

 

In my case I have two 7 day cruises with Royal Caribbean and 7 cruise credits (totalling 47 days) with Celebrity, which gives me Select on Celebrity and therefore Platinum on Royal Caribbean.

[PH8]

Am a D+ cruiser with RCCL and have never NOT had hors d' oeuvres in the diamond lounge or the CL...

Im thinking maybe the poster was referring to the Diamond Event......not a DL.....:confused:

 

Well said, was wondering exactly the same thing!...K.O.

Thanks.......

[PeterPan]

That will work if you reached your level solely on Royal Caribbean cruises, however, how will it be calculated if you level was reached due to what level you are on Celebrity? How will days be calculated then?

 

In my case I have two 7 day cruises with Royal Caribbean and 7 cruise credits (totalling 47 days) with Celebrity, which gives me Select on Celebrity and therefore Platinum on Royal Caribbean.

 

 

Easy! Your level on Royal Caribbean will be 14 days. Your level on Celebrity will be Select. I am assuming that they will also let us know how the agreement on Celebrity levels will be done, IF they continue to accept them.

 

That is the missing piece in all of this discussion - How will Celebrity levels be matched up with Royal Caribbean levels? I guess we shall wait and see!

[koterry]

yeah, jk. The hilarity factor was high yesterday.

 

Honestly though, if I had Pinnacle as my personal goal, I'd give myself until at least 94 yo to make it.

 

If people are making it in their 40s, props to them. It takes a lot of free time and discretionary income to be able to do it at any age.

Thats the reality of it and so true Marci....By the way I think I could do it by 84!!!...

[island lady]

While these are generally true, they aren't necessarily the case across the board in their respective industries.

 

Southwest (maybe Jetblue also) gives credits in terms of one-way trips. I can book a trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and get 1 credit on Southwest. On the other hand, I can book from Pittsburgh to the Los Angeles area, take three different flights to get there, pay three times as much, and still get just 1 credit if it were booked as a single trip.

 

Some hotels base their status on either the number of nights or the number of stays you've had at the hotel. Some do both, and you can achieve higher status through either of the two numbers.

 

Mmm....

Hilton, Holiday Inn, Marriot: Rewards based on dollars spent.

United Visa: Points for each dollar spent transferred to equal miles on flight credit.

Delta and United: Miles flown.

 

BTW: Two round trip tickets to Hawaii from Orlando this coming June in first class seats.

Cost: 10 bucks a piece.

They like me!! :D

[koterry]

Would anyone actual cancel their cruise due to changes in C&A? That boggles my mind!

 

As pointed out previously - This is a program conducted by RCI. It is clearly stated on the form you filled out to join, the website you used to join, the website you use to check your benefits, and probably a number of other places that the program can be changed, or even cancelled by RCI at any time without any required notice prior to the changes.

 

You paid NOTHING to become a member of this group. You are owed NOTHING for being a member of the group.

 

Yes, I am a member, currently just a couple of credits short of Diamond. We will achieve Diamond in April, assuming no changes.

PP God you are wonderful, my sentiments exactly! If I could I'd give you a big bear hug!...

[CptSticky]

Why multiply by 7? If the information has been entered into their computers each time, shouldn't they be able to compute the exact number of days (barring that 1970 cruise) that everyone has accumulated?

You want this from the programers who can't handle a phone number that is not intered in the exact format that they expect. When I took my first programming class, they taught us how to program for several expected intries. Sorry, for the rant, but this is a pet pieve of mine;)

[SherriZ366]

Thanks...that was kind of my point!! :)

 

I am not fond of the bashing some give those of us that may like to cruise from a local port on a favorite ship that just happens to offer those short 3/4 cruises. I am cruising for fun, and since I am spoiled with balconies, I have to cruise in a suite on the Monarch.

So my "cheap" cruises are not so cheap.

 

I feel I earned my 9 points and should earn that last Diamond making point I would have made on the Jewel on 1/14 for my 10 night cruise.

I am, however according to popular rumour, will not recieve that status now as it is 2 days after the new "supposed rules effective date", and in fact will miss even making Emerald by one point.

 

I will still have a great time and looking forward to the cruise....but so much for new anticipated Diamond status when I complete that cruise...... :(

Pat -- did you get an extra cruise credit for your last Monarch cruise Diamonds in December? If you were in a JS or higher, you would have gotten 3 points.

[Debde]

You paid NOTHING to become a member of this group. You are owed NOTHING for being a member of the group.

 

oooooooooo dems fightin' words round these parts!!:p

but

Spot on!!!!

[beachbuddy]

If I were RCCL, I'd just multiply everyone's current number of cruise credits by 7 and have that be their number of days to start with in the new system, but in no case does anyone lose a level they've already earned. That way someone who's close to a next level under the old system will still be about the same closeness to that level under the new. If someone can provide documentation that they actually have more days than that method would give, then update the entry in the system to that proven number. That way there's no need for RCCL to go back and figure out everyone's days, and extra credits for suites or December events don't require any special handling. They're instantly worth 7 days each.

 

Well, I disagree with that as we only took three 7 night cruises and the rest were all longer cruises so that would give us less nights than we really have and put us further from D+ wheras those that took short 3 or 4 night cruises make out with that deal and get more nights than they should.

[beachbuddy]

Good point and I agree.

How about points given for total purchase, much like most other reward systems?

 

Easily tracked with fare paid and sea pass account.

 

I don't think that's a good idea either or else you'll have people taking out a few thousand or more in the casino just to up their purchases..........they won't spend it but they'll take it out and then pay off their charge when they get home. There's all kind of loopholes with spending on board.

[brmoqueen]

I don't think that's a good idea either or else you'll have people taking out a few thousand or more in the casino just to up their purchases..........they won't spend it but they'll take it out and then pay off their charge when they get home. There's all kind of loopholes with spending on board.

 

There's loopholes in just about any system. Someone always figures out a way to cheat..

 

Guess that's why businesses have to keep changing things.

[Bruin Steve]

ALL systems for determining status are ARBITRARY....

Doesn't matter if it's "Cruises" or "nights"...Doesn't matter if it's one for one or "double" for a suite...

 

Think about it?

 

Are ALL Suites equal?

Are all non-suite cabins equal?

Of course not...

All cruises aren't even equal...

 

I have paid more for an Ocean View cabin on a New Years cruise than I paid for a Suite on a January cruise...Why should THAT January cruise be worth twice the points...or the number of nights as that New Year's cruise?

 

Why does the guy who goes on 75 days worth of inside cabins purchased on last minute bargain sale prices on low season cruises on older hard-to-sell ships and never buys shore excursions from RCI or gambles in the casino or runs a bar tab deserve to be "Diamond" while the guy who's booked 10 7-night cruises in balcony cabins during holiday weeks and summer "high" seasons and books his air, pre-cruise hotels, shore excursions all through RCI and runs a bar tab, eats in specialty restaurants, etc. is still five nights short of Diamond???

 

"Cruiser A" has spent $15,000 with RCI over his lifetime..."Cruiser B" has dropped around five times that with the cruise line...Who SHOULD get better perks and preferential treatment?

 

There is no perfectly fair way to handle "credits" for Crown & Anchor unless you account for every penny...and nobody's going to do that...

 

Whatever system they use, some people are going to be ahead of the curve, others behind...

 

Life isn't fair...

 

Does it really matter?

 

No free drinks for you? Pay for the drinks...

[island lady]

Pat -- did you get an extra cruise credit for your last Monarch cruise Diamonds in December? If you were in a JS or higher, you would have gotten 3 points.

 

Alas, yes Sherri as I was indeed in a JS. (Love my balcony :D ), but I was at that time, and am still, Platinum. The 10 night Jewel on 1/14 was to make me Diamond upon completion. My bad timing...2 days after supposed "new rules". :rolleyes:....sheez...

 

Have been out of the cruising vacations for the last couple of years as we were "land yacht cruising" in the new motorhome upon my retirement. Until that 16 year old on the interstate in Michigan thought he should smash it up for us, ....I am back to cruising. Welcome aboard to Me!! :D :D

[brfan]

Easy! Your level on Royal Caribbean will be 14 days. Your level on Celebrity will be Select. I am assuming that they will also let us know how the agreement on Celebrity levels will be done, IF they continue to accept them.

 

That is the missing piece in all of this discussion - How will Celebrity levels be matched up with Royal Caribbean levels? I guess we shall wait and see!

 

How is that easy? I am Platinum on Royal Caribbean to make me at equal level as Celebrity. So if what has been said that I will be grandfathered then I will remain Platinum with the change. I'm going to guess that they'll just say I have 30 days and work from there?

[island lady]

I don't think that's a good idea either or else you'll have people taking out a few thousand or more in the casino just to up their purchases..........they won't spend it but they'll take it out and then pay off their charge when they get home. There's all kind of loopholes with spending on board.

 

Yikes...they can do that in the casino???

Sheeez...I am glad I stay away from that place!! :eek:

[beachbuddy]

ALL systems for determining status are ARBITRARY....

Doesn't matter if it's "Cruises" or "nights"...Doesn't matter if it's one for one or "double" for a suite...

 

Think about it?

 

Are ALL Suites equal?

Are all non-suite cabins equal?

Of course not...

All cruises aren't even equal...

 

I have paid more for an Ocean View cabin on a New Years cruise than I paid for a Suite on a January cruise...Why should THAT January cruise be worth twice the points...or the number of nights as that New Year's cruise?

 

Why does the guy who goes on 75 days worth of inside cabins purchased on last minute bargain sale prices on low season cruises on older hard-to-sell ships and never buys shore excursions from RCI or gambles in the casino or runs a bar tab deserve to be "Diamond" while the guy who's booked 10 7-night cruises in balcony cabins during holiday weeks and summer "high" seasons and books his air, pre-cruise hotels, shore excursions all through RCI and runs a bar tab, eats in specialty restaurants, etc. is still five nights short of Diamond???

 

"Cruiser A" has spent $15,000 with RCI over his lifetime..."Cruiser B" has dropped around five times that with the cruise line...Who SHOULD get better perks and preferential treatment?

 

There is no perfectly fair way to handle "credits" for Crown & Anchor unless you account for every penny...and nobody's going to do that...

 

Whatever system they use, some people are going to be ahead of the curve, others behind...

 

Life isn't fair...

 

Does it really matter?

 

No free drinks for you? Pay for the drinks...

 

Your so right that no matter what they do some people will be happy and some will not be happy. I do think that the nights at sea are the most fair way to do it. I have an aunt that would never book a balcony, not because of the price but because she's afraid to sit on one.......LOL She chooses an outside cabin with just the window because she's more comfortable in that cabin. Me and DH are balcony snobs so we book balconys. People that want more space splurge and get suites. We're not in our cabin much except to sleep and shower so balcony cabins are just fine for us and I can't justify the extra costs for suites. It's all about choice. I would never book a suite just to move up the ranks of C&A. We have booked Junior Suites in the past but that was before RCCL was giving the extra credit for booking one so we didn't get extra credits for those.

 

For us, it's not even about the free drinks because neither of us drink much anyway. When your on BP meds you really can't drink much so 1 or 2 drinks a day is our limit. What we miss more than anything is being able to hang out with all our D+ friends that we cruise with. I felt like an outcast on our last cruise because we couldn't hang out with our friends before dinner. That's what RCCL did when they booted Diamonds out of the CL and/or overflow lounges. I wasn't happy when that happened but there's nothing I can do about it. DH missed the snacks more than the drinks..........LOL

 

This year (2011) all our friends are sailing on Celebrity where we are all considered Elite and will be able to hang out together.

[DarthGrady]

On the new system:

 

Cruiser "A" is on a 10 night cruise in an inside cabin. Fare paid: 495.00 10 points.

 

Cruiser "B" in on a 3 night cruise in a suite cabin. Fare paid: 1020.00 6 points.

 

Who really "earned" their points????????????????

Which one does RCI make more money on????????????????

 

FTW! Great point.

[CptSticky]

Oh, It finally came to me which cruiser RCI makes the most money on. The 6 months old in a suite. Why, because they don't have to feed him or her:D