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A la Carte Perks?

shark with a laser

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shark with a laser

shark with a laser

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http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4936

 

This article has the Carnival board all up in arms. I'd gladly pay $50 a cabin for some of these perks. I've been lucky with NCL, I've sailed them 3 times so far with another cruise coming up, and all but last January on Epic have been suites. I love some of the suite perks to the point that I don't even look at cabins below suite level anymore, and I might be able to get my partner to agree to cruise more often if we could get some of the perks at an a la carte price without having to book a suite, which can be twice as much or more than a balcony.

 

While getting loyalty perks can be nice, it would also be nice to try out the completely different experiences with different cruise lines, so I don't know that I'd particularly feel "thrown under the bus" the way some loyal CCL cruisers seem to feel on this and on another thread over there.

 

Anyone else have any thoughts on this topic?

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Journey11

Journey11

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http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4936

 

This article has the Carnival board all up in arms. I'd gladly pay $50 a cabin for some of these perks. I've been lucky with NCL, I've sailed them 3 times so far with another cruise coming up, and all but last January on Epic have been suites. I love some of the suite perks to the point that I don't even look at cabins below suite level anymore, and I might be able to get my partner to agree to cruise more often if we could get some of the perks at an a la carte price without having to book a suite, which can be twice as much or more than a balcony.

 

While getting loyalty perks can be nice, it would also be nice to try out the completely different experiences with different cruise lines, so I don't know that I'd particularly feel "thrown under the bus" the way some loyal CCL cruisers seem to feel on this and on another thread over there.

 

Anyone else have any thoughts on this topic?

 

Very interesting. I would pay that amount for the extra perks. But I am glad Carniavl is attempting to be sensitive to their "elite" passengers who have "earned" the perks. You do not want to turn them off or interfere with their enjoyment of the perks.

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halos

halos

Posted
Posted
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4936

 

This article has the Carnival board all up in arms. I'd gladly pay $50 a cabin for some of these perks. I've been lucky with NCL, I've sailed them 3 times so far with another cruise coming up, and all but last January on Epic have been suites. I love some of the suite perks to the point that I don't even look at cabins below suite level anymore, and I might be able to get my partner to agree to cruise more often if we could get some of the perks at an a la carte price without having to book a suite, which can be twice as much or more than a balcony.

 

While getting loyalty perks can be nice, it would also be nice to try out the completely different experiences with different cruise lines, so I don't know that I'd particularly feel "thrown under the bus" the way some loyal CCL cruisers seem to feel on this and on another thread over there.

 

Anyone else have any thoughts on this topic?

 

That $50 on CCL would in NO way, shape or form give you the experience you get with an NCL suite.

Apples/oranges.

 

As for how I feel about it...I have no personal stake in it to be honest. I decided I was done with CCL prior to this latest little change. The new management is making the line somethign that no longer appeals to me.

 

My last CCL cruise was a 15 day to Hawaii. I had a very nice cruise (I have never had a bad one). It was very relaxing. However, there was no comparison to any of my NCL cruises in terms of service and entertainment/things to do. When you sail a longer NCL cruise, there is something going on every minute. There is always some live music. There is always an atmosphere of fun. Carnival used to be fun...now, not so much. Much of the entertainment on CCL has become passenger generated...Karaoke, The Legends show...they use passengers for free etertainment. Of course the folks that love to sing and enjoy Karaoke think this is great and they enjoy it. For me personally, I really don't want to sit and listen to passengers performing.

 

When an NCL ship is in port docked next to a CCL ship and you are returning to the ship after a day in port, you can hear the difference...The NCL ship will be hoppin' with music...the CCL ships...dead silence.

 

 

CCL did NOT used to be like this years ago. The new CEO was once the CFO....so, he is a bean counter/numbers guy and is about profit. To make his profit, he cut the heart out of the line and ruined it, imo.

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garycarla

garycarla

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Based on what they are "selling", I would not bother. Offer a package to eat breakfast and lunch in Cagneys, and they have my attention. In fact, since we have done the suite program in the past, we have held off on future cruises as we can not afford the suite. But, we can not imagine sailing without that meal perk.

 

"The program, which costs $49.95 per cabin, gives passengers a series of benefits usually available only to elite members of the line's loyalty program, plus a few extras. For instance, those opting in will have access to fast-track embarkation, priority dinner seating, express guest services access and priority tendering "

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halos

halos

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Please, let's not give NCL any ideas!

 

Let Carnival do what they want and lose their loyalty passengers.

 

I would not pay any more money for anything on NCL, and hope they don't even think about this bad idea.

 

I can't imagine with all the great things Kevin Sheehan has done for NCL since he took over, that he would even contemplate anythign CCL is doing. In fact, I would wager that every time CCL makes one of their 'brilliant' new changes, NCL corporate thows a party :D

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cocheese

cocheese

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I can't imagine with all the great things Kevin Sheehan has done for NCL since he took over, that he would even contemplate anythign CCL is doing. In fact, I would wager that every time CCL makes one of their 'brilliant' new changes, NCL corporate thows a party :D

 

I think you are 100% correct.

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osterbound

osterbound

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I have been a million mile plus flyer on United for a bunch of years. The perks for the Million mile program made flying United a bonus. last year they created a program that gave those perks to anyone with a decent credit score and a United credit card. The program now has very little value to me. If you can buy it it's not a loyalty program. I would love to cruise all the time but I don't do it enough to hit the perks level. I don't have a problem with special perks for those who do. They earned them. I am sailing in Oct in a DOS which has a lot of perks which I pay for but I think that is a different story.:)

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