Faster to the Fun program announced today

[jonbgd]

the "best perk" is relative to the individual........I really enjoyed #1 debarkation with out lines......

Barb

Sarge doesnt care he sells his #1 debarkation to the highest bidder on Ebay

[Chris1455]

One of the reasons we're trying it, too. I don't see this as any different than being giving the option of upgrading for a better seat on a flight or a better room at a hotel.

 

I can understand the other views, though. However, I didn't know that people cruised just to gain diamond and platinum status! I thought people cruised so they would have a great vacation? ;)

 

 

I don't cruise for the perks I do cruise for the vacation but that being said, I have purposely stayed away from other lines because I was getting closer to Platinum. Carnival said you get X, Y, and Z if you cruise so many times with us. Well, why go try another line when I am so close to getting X, Y, and Z that Carnival promised for me staying loyal. Now anyone can buy the for $50 a cabin? Not cool. I could have tried RCCL or Celebrity or any other lines and when I came back to Carnival just pay $50 bucks.

 

Also, people are saying "Platinum still gets the perks and didn't lose anything". That is not true. We lost the benefit of smaller lines and less people. If everyone is VIP; is it really that special?

[kwagmyre]

no need for technicality. a text message would suffice. or a tweet.

 

Oh, ok, so something like "@coastguardcruiseshipdoorinspector, looks like the fire doors are locked while the steward is cleaning the cabins, #imsuretheywillgetrightonthis, #ineedtogetalife" :D

[H82seaUgo]

Oh, ok, so something like "@coastguardcruiseshipdoorinspector, looks like the fire doors are locked while the steward is cleaning the cabins, #imsuretheywillgetrightonthis, #ineedtogetalife" :D

 

see? easy peasy.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Fire doors don't have locks.

[mikel24m]

hell, for $50, i could send my own cleaning lady on board to clean my room. and carry my bags!

 

I was just talking about bags with my wife.I would pay to open my front door hand our luggage to our taxi driver and never see them again until they are in our cabin.Then when our cruise is over pack and never see them again until we got home ( I know they have luggage express but not our airport) how great would that be

[Ksea1961]

I don't cruise for the perks I do cruise for the vacation but that being said, I have purposely stayed away from other lines because I was getting closer to Platinum. Carnival said you get X, Y, and Z if you cruise so many times with us. Well, why go try another line when I am so close to getting X, Y, and Z that Carnival promised for me staying loyal. Now anyone can buy the for $50 a cabin? Not cool. I could have tried RCCL or Celebrity or any other lines and when I came back to Carnival just pay $50 bucks.

 

Also, people are saying "Platinum still gets the perks and didn't lose anything". That is not true. We lost the benefit of smaller lines and less people. If everyone is VIP; is it really that special?

 

Don't worry! They are going to limit the amount of losers who are allowed to wait in line with the you and they (we) will not be allowed in your lounges.

[tiggerman101]

Interesting that my next two cruises are on Imagination and Liberty. I have never been a fan of just one line and choose to sail them all. I have just been on so many CCL cruises because my partner likes them so much. Now he is starting to see the light on other lines as well. We have six cruises booked and three are Carnival. I really don't see them being dominate for us anymore. Really, it is the big picture these days, not just one thing. This does not help my sliding opinion of them.

[Chris1455]

Don't worry! They are going to limit the amount of losers who are allowed to wait in line with the you and they (we) will not be allowed in your lounges.

 

 

It has nothing to do with losers or people beneth me. I am not priveledged by any means. I am in the Air Force; make very little and spent many nights in a tent far far away from my family so don't make it out to be that I feel I am better than you or anyone else. What this comes down to is promises by a company that keeps you with that company. But now I find out I could have done other vacations and just paid $50 extra for the perks.

 

Who doesn't like shorter lines? Who doesn't like a discount on your cable bill because you have been with them for 10 years? This is what it is about.

[Redsfan]

I can see 100% why those at higher levels are pissed...that being said it might be something we do for our upcoming Breeze cruise. It is already an option to buy into...with little ones it is nice getting bags to our cabin early...2 questions:

 

-late debark-dont' we have an option to do this anyhow? Are we forced off as it is?

-early embark-looks like it says you get priority embark if you arrive after general boarding...so if you arrive 11am that is not general boarding so what is the benefit?

[SexyK]

I like the one about driving the ship for 15 min. I may be interested in that perk. The rest is just part of my vacation.

[girlsjustwannacruise]

Its a way to make money. period. I guess for some guests it may be well worth it. I could see that if i were elderly i might want to do that. But in all reality, I dont spend much time in my cabin, can live without my luggage for a while and dont care much to wait in lines. I hope it works well for the ones who really want it, and hope it dont jack things up for the plat. guests who worked so hard for those perks- and deserve it! Might just back up the lines for us regulars trying to board as well.... or will it make it easier? i dont know.

[Luv2SeaU]

I think it is an absolutely brilliant way for Carnival to generate additionally needed revenue without taking anything from us platinum guests. If this keeps the cost of cruising down while maximizing all of the amenities we love, then I say "full speed ahead"!!!

[jaddld]

One of the reasons we're trying it, too. I don't see this as any different than being giving the option of upgrading for a better seat on a flight or a better room at a hotel.

 

I can understand the other views, though. However, I didn't know that people cruised just to gain diamond and platinum status! I thought people cruised so they would have a great vacation? ;)

 

I think we are going to be using it too. I was sent the survey a while ago asking my opinion about paying for certain perks. It sounded good then and it still does.

 

I don't cruise every year for loyalty programs. I cruise for the enjoyment, relaxation, seeing new places and/or just to plain and simply get away.

 

The extra $50 bucks for DH and I to get a few perks to make our time away & onboard just a little less stressful is a huge plus IMHO.:)

[barbatkins]

Sarge doesnt care he sells his #1 debarkation to the highest bidder on Ebay

 

I hope that is a joke

[pe4all]

Well, I really wasn't that upset with the new VIFP program but now I am upset. How is it "capacity controlled"? JH said it will be based on how many Platinum/Diamond people are booked and then they will decide how many Faster to the Fun spots to open. Well, If it is available for purchase now how do they know how many Platinum/Diamond guests they have? So, Platinum and Diamond guest don't book last minute? This seems like a poorly thought out plan.

Yes, this!!

And does he explain how that's gonna happen? Will the CSR's be provided with Magic 8 balls that will allow them to know in advance how many Platinum and Diamond VIFP's plan to book a particular sailing?

And again.

I was just talking about bags with my wife.I would pay to open my front door hand our luggage to our taxi driver and never see them again until they are in our cabin.Then when our cruise is over pack and never see them again until we got home ( I know they have luggage express but not our airport) how great would that be

Unfortunately, it isn't that kind of luggage express. Though, American Airlines just announced (saw it on NBC news) that they are putting in a program where, once you put your luggage on the plane, for a price of $30 they will deliver it to your house or hotel - if it is within 40 miles of the airport!

From their webiste : "Focus on more important things by having up to 10 bags delivered for you. Deliveries may be made to destinations up to 100 miles from the airport. If your destination exceeds 40 miles, you will incur an additional $1 per-mile charge. If you're traveling with more than 10 bags, you may place multiple orders.

 

Number of Bags Delivery Charge

1 bag $29.95

2 bags $39.95

3-10 bags $49.95

This third party charge is in addition to our applicable checked luggage charges."

[NavarreCruiser]

I consider myself fairly cheap, but the perks offered here are absolutely worth it to my family. And this is coming from someone who will never spend more money than I have to on an airplane, in a hotel, etc. As such, my wife and I took advantage of the new offering for our sailing.

 

I view this as similar to what airlines are doing today. The airlines removed some standard benefits and sell them for an extra fee now and also offer some new benefits for a price, as well. This would normally get consumers angry, but Carnival didn't remove anything from anyone. They are offering something new and making additional money as a result. And I completely disagree with those who had these benefits already and maintain said benefits are now less meaningful to them because they lack the exclusivity they had before. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and mine is if I was in that position, I couldn’t care less as long as I still had the same benefits I had prior.

 

It's a business, folks. And this is benefiting Carnival and its passengers in the long run.

 

Yes they did, they removed quaranteed times for Platinum guests so now even Platinum pax have to pay to be certain they receive the time they want.

[laumicmah]

I like this new program...we love to get on the ship early and would REALLY love priority tendering. With just 24 days of cruising CCL, I am a long way off from Platinum so I am willing to pay for some perks. I think the price is good too. We will definitely get it. And I am REALLY loving that my DH is excited about this and looking at cruises again. He hasn't been too interested in cruising since we did 2 in 2010 and 2 in 2011 (I had to take my mom this year and am ready to book again). Liberty happened to be one I was looking at, so yay!

[jonbgd]

I hope that is a joke

Nope just ask him he's proud of it:eek:

[2wallace]

All right everyone...I love Carnival (first to admit it, just look at my pic)! I am not yet Platinum, and with the new program, it will take longer, but I was striving for it (just have to have a goal, even in cruising).

 

I don't like the new program at all, just another way for Carnival to make money (don't necessary blame them, they are a for profit company after all)!

 

Just don't be surprised that once this goes through, charging for baggage, like the airlines, will be next!

[RWolver672]

According to the article:

 

"Faster to the Fun was developed based on extensive guest surveys which indicated a strong interest in a fee-based package providing priority access and benefits."

 

 

I'm LOLing about that! "a strong interest in a fee-based package"

 

Maggie

 

Ya, that was probably the same survey that said 90% of the cruisers are non smokers. Not to start another smoking thread either. Just saying that they keep saying "Survey" yet nobody seems to be getting them nor remember ever suggesting what they say we did.

[SarahQ]

One of the reasons we're trying it, too. I don't see this as any different than being giving the option of upgrading for a better seat on a flight or a better room at a hotel.

 

I can understand the other views, though. However, I didn't know that people cruised just to gain diamond and platinum status! I thought people cruised so they would have a great vacation? ;)

 

+1

 

I could understand the wringing on hands and gnashing of teeth if Carnival was just giving away these perks, but they aren't.

 

If you "earned" them, you're getting them at no cost - you already "paid" for them.

 

Now Carnival is allowing others to pay for them on a per cruise basis - just like airlines, hotels and many others do.

 

To be honest if the only reason you chose to cruise on Carnival was for there frankly quite terrible loyalty program (in comparison to most of the other lines), my apologies to you.

 

Once again, the "know-it-alls" are quick to jump all over this before anyone even has the opportunity to see how it works etc. What's new?

[sarahleebones]

Add this to the list of nickel-and-diming charges that OTHER cruisers pay in order to subsidize MY cheap cruise fare. Fine by me.

 

EXACTLY!!!!

 

I can't believe there are so many people that can't see this fact. Carnival is a BUSINESS. Businesses are in business to make money. It's a fact. If they need to do things like this to keep MY fare lower, then kudos to Carnival. LOOK at the big picture folks.

 

And frankly, I'm getting sick of this I deserve this and that and it's not fair.....yada yada yada. Perks are exactly that - perks. Remember it is a business and if they don't do things like this either our rates go higher or they are out of business. Also, are you all trying to tell me that you cruise Carnival for the status of being platinum/diamond???? If you do, that's just sad.

 

It's the bottom line that counts. If you could cruise ANY other cruise line for 25-50% less than Carnival would you do it? I most certainly think you would. So really, how loyal are you? It's easy to be loyal to Carnival. They consitantly offers a great product for a great price.

 

Our first cruise - an aft wrap was the same price as, if not LOWER, than a standard midship balcony cabin on RCL, NCL, Princess and HAL. My loyalty lies in my pocketbook and I'm sure it does with most of you out there too. That's why is easy to stay loyal to Carnival.

 

JMO - go ahead and flame me if you must. I just felt this needed to be said.

[barbatkins]

+1

 

I could understand the wringing on hands and gnashing of teeth if Carnival was just giving away these perks, but they aren't.

 

If you "earned" them, you're getting them at no cost - you already "paid" for them.

 

Now Carnival is allowing others to pay for them on a per cruise basis - just like airlines, hotels and many others do.

 

To be honest if the only reason you chose to cruise on Carnival was for there frankly quite terrible loyalty program (in comparison to most of the other lines), my apologies to you.

 

Once again, the "know-it-alls" are quick to jump all over this before anyone even has the opportunity to see how it works etc. What's new?

 

I for one.....resent being called a "know it all" just because I think a LOYALTY PROGRAM should actually be that....and not for sale

[ANONOMUS_1]

Not willing to pay $49.95 to go to the front of the line as if I'm at an amusement park. I don't mind waiting when I'm on vacation because I have nowhere to go fast. IMHO it's all a part of the cruising experience.