Will RCI follow Azamaras lead and reduce benefits

[LMaxwell]

Interesting, never thought of it that way.:)

I believe Coca Cola's official reply was "We are not that smart. And we're not that stupid." Very interesting story

[LMaxwell]

I expect some freebies yo go away. They can get rid of the welcome gift in my opinion. I expect some new discounts on up charge items. Less spend and more potential revenue. I don't cruise for perks per se, but I do enjoy them and they can make a difference between a similarly priced competitor on a similar itinerary to swaying me to choose RCI. Like most things I will adopt a wait and see attitude as to what the future holds.

[karmacats]

I believe Coca Cola's official reply was "We are not that smart. And we're not that stupid." Very interesting story

 

Here's the coke story I got (if I told you who I got it from, I'd have to kill you :D ):

 

original coke was made with sugar. then came new coke. new coke was designed to fail, so that consumers would not notice the slight difference in taste between original coke, which was made with sugar, and the "coke classic" that was released after new coke, which was made with corn syrup (and therefore a lot cheaper). after new coke was so bad, consumers were very happy when coke classic came "back", and most did not notice the switch from sugar to corn syrup.

 

this is second-hand, so take it for what it's worth, but the individual who told me this should know.

 

as for the azamara benefits, one thing that struck me is their statement that they're taking away some incidentals, but we'll give you reduced fares. that sounds suspiciously similar to royal taking away our savings certificates (which i used a lot) and replacing them with special c&a fares (which none of my cruises are ever eligible for).

 

i'd like to think i don't jump through hoops just to up my loyalty level, but then again, i'm considering upgrading to a suite on my upcoming liberty cruise b/c the double points would get me to diamond by my next cruise after that. so i can definitely see where people would be mad if they pushed for a higher level and then got perks taken away.

[M. St. Louis]

So, I got curious and decided to find out how much a D+ with 360 points would actually "lose" with the newly changed Azamara loyalty program.

 

It came to between $60 and $67 dollars for a 7 night cruise: paying for a bag of laundry and loss of free internet.

 

I am stunned that people make such a big deal over this when they are getting tips, all drinks 24/7, port shuttles, and upgraded food included in their cruise fare.

 

Hey, can you send me $60? Since it means nothing to you after all. :cool:

 

$60 is a lot of money for many folks.

 

Reductions in service are never good, I don't begrudge anyone complaining about it no matter how tiny the dollar amount was.

[pcur]

Hey, can you send me $60? Since it means nothing to you after all. :cool:

 

$60 is a lot of money for many folks.

 

Reductions in service are never good, I don't begrudge anyone complaining about it no matter how tiny the dollar amount was.

 

$60 is not a lot of money for people who are booking Azamara cruises, who are obviously who I'm referring to.

 

When I'm trading giving up $60 and getting $168 in tips, it seems like a no-brainer that I'm really getting more than I'm giving up.

 

I disagree: I find it a bit petty of people to complain about something that is FREE that they are no longer getting. It's at the discretion of the giver to decide who gets the FREE stuff, not the receiver. I'm just happy to get whatever RCCL, Celebrity, and Azamara have to offer.

[Lobbylin]

$60 is not a lot of money for people who are booking Azamara cruises, who are obviously who I'm referring to.

 

When I'm trading giving up $60 and getting $168 in tips, it seems like a no-brainer that I'm really getting more than I'm giving up.

 

I disagree: I find it a bit petty of people to complain about something that is FREE that they are no longer getting. It's at the discretion of the giver to decide who gets the FREE stuff, not the receiver. I'm just happy to get whatever RCCL, Celebrity, and Azamara have to offer.

 

I am one of those Azamara cruisers who has just cancelled a 3 leg back to back cruise with Azamara.

 

That B2B cruise was for 34 nights in total, and our perks as a couple would have totalled 6 bags of laundry and 23.5hours of internet, all of which was free covering the 3 cruises, and all of which we loved and needed and, all of which enticed us into booking the cruises.

 

But let's be honest, nothing in this world is free. When you get things like free air, free parking, free drinks packages and so forth, the reality is that the price is already built in. So over the years you come to see this as a "total package of benefits" that you buy into for the price you pay, and let's be honest Azamara are not cheap.

 

Myself, I searched and searched over the past year to get the best deals on our 3 legs, and indeed only 3 days before the change in perks announcement was made, I converted one of the 3 bookings into another Azamara deal to get the best bang from my buck.

 

I am discoverer plus level, and most of those points towards that status were earned with Celebrity, so to benefit from the new Azamara 'free nights' benefits will take me many cruises to reap that reward. And this is the case with many of the Discoverer Plus people. Some might even comment that in view of that, we are not really loyal to Azamara. But what we were, was a guaranteed future revenue stream for Azamara, dipping into The Azamara experience every 2nd,3rd or 4th cruise, because we were incentivised by the perks we were used to getting and loved.

 

The poll on the CC Azamara thread says it all. Over 200 cruisers dislike the new perks, not one has said yes we like the new policy.

 

Above all, I will admit that I absolutely loved the 2 Azamara cruises that I have been on, and I would even go so far as to say that Azamara were and are my second favourite cruise line. But again, I will use the analogy of going to a favourite restaurant and then one day being served a bad meal or being rushed or being given a crap table. It leaves a sour note, and it takes a long time for you to go back...

 

I have now replaced my 34 night Singapore to Sydney cruise with an 18night cruise on the Legend of the Seas from Hong Kong to Brisbane. Ok, I won't get free internet or free laundry, but at least I know from the outset, this is what I am getting for the price I have paid.

 

That 3 leg Azamara cruise would have been the most expensive trip I have taken to date. It was a treat, and who knows, maybe we would have been enticed into saving and splurging again to repeat that experience going forward, had we loved it. Up until last week, we had not even considered cancelling, so the income to Azamara was guaranteed, now look where they are a week later...

 

However, not everything in life is about money, money allows you certain things, but above all no-one likes being taken for a fool. Goodbye Azamara....

[rafinmd]

My bottom line is that perks may be nice the loyalty benefit that really counts is a string of great experiences.

 

Roy

[emeraldcity]

I haven't been a diamond RCI cruiser very long, but I have jumped at the opportunity to upgrade to a JS or better in order to go for double cruise points to fuel the chance of moving to D+. Furthermore, I have eyed other cruiselines, but it just seems silly to forgo my perks just to try out something else, when I could be edging closer to D+ status by booking RCI instead of Princess or NCL. Furthermore, I have talked up RCI loyalty program to new cruisers I've met who are on their first RCI cruise. I hate it when I recommend something and then the rules change and I've steered someone in the wrong direction.

 

Yes, I understand it's all about the bottom line, but those of us who stay with RCI instead of trying a different cruisline should be a big piece of the bottom line. Who knows? If I try something else, I may like it more ...

[denamo]

Friends know we enjoy cruising, and are often asked which cruise line we choose. Have heard if people are happy with a product they will tell 3 people, but if unhappy, 10 will hear about the experience. Wondering if that would hold true if Royal does reduce complimentary offerings to C&A members, and how much impact would result with future cruisers choosing Royal?

 

Seems like Lobbylin, previous poster who had cruised on Azamara, spoke loudly and clearly with the pocketbook. Good for them!

 

Ultimately, it is all about "follow the money". Can pretty much bet Royal and all its subsidiaries will do so. ;)

[pcur]

I am one of those Azamara cruisers who has just cancelled a 3 leg back to back cruise with Azamara.

 

That B2B cruise was for 34 nights in total, and our perks as a couple would have totalled 6 bags of laundry and 23.5hours of internet, all of which was free covering the 3 cruises, and all of which we loved and needed and, all of which enticed us into booking the cruises.

 

But let's be honest, nothing in this world is free. When you get things like free air, free parking, free drinks packages and so forth, the reality is that the price is already built in. So over the years you come to see this as a "total package of benefits" that you buy into for the price you pay, and let's be honest Azamara are not cheap.

 

Myself, I searched and searched over the past year to get the best deals on our 3 legs, and indeed only 3 days before the change in perks announcement was made, I converted one of the 3 bookings into another Azamara deal to get the best bang from my buck.

 

I am discoverer plus level, and most of those points towards that status were earned with Celebrity, so to benefit from the new Azamara 'free nights' benefits will take me many cruises to reap that reward. And this is the case with many of the Discoverer Plus people. Some might even comment that in view of that, we are not really loyal to Azamara. But what we were, was a guaranteed future revenue stream for Azamara, dipping into The Azamara experience every 2nd,3rd or 4th cruise, because we were incentivised by the perks we were used to getting and loved.

 

The poll on the CC Azamara thread says it all. Over 200 cruisers dislike the new perks, not one has said yes we like the new policy.

 

Above all, I will admit that I absolutely loved the 2 Azamara cruises that I have been on, and I would even go so far as to say that Azamara were and are my second favourite cruise line. But again, I will use the analogy of going to a favourite restaurant and then one day being served a bad meal or being rushed or being given a crap table. It leaves a sour note, and it takes a long time for you to go back...

 

I have now replaced my 34 night Singapore to Sydney cruise with an 18night cruise on the Legend of the Seas from Hong Kong to Brisbane. Ok, I won't get free internet or free laundry, but at least I know from the outset, this is what I am getting for the price I have paid.

 

That 3 leg Azamara cruise would have been the most expensive trip I have taken to date. It was a treat, and who knows, maybe we would have been enticed into saving and splurging again to repeat that experience going forward, had we loved it. Up until last week, we had not even considered cancelling, so the income to Azamara was guaranteed, now look where they are a week later...

 

However, not everything in life is about money, money allows you certain things, but above all no-one likes being taken for a fool. Goodbye Azamara....

 

Very well said. I was referrring to a typical 7 day cruise in my example, by the way.

 

I can surely understand how upset you and other Azamara cruisers must be to lose benefits that you have had, but I don't think Azamara is trying to treat anyone like a fool. I think they just decided their bottom line (and it does seem that it's probably all about the money for them) was most likely the reason for the changes.

 

But, I reiterate that I believe what is gratis is gratis, and I have no say in what someone else is going to give me for free. Like you say, we all have the right to not buy the product, though.

 

Actually, you WILL get some free laundry and internet on RCCL: you will be Diamond Plus. Enjoy the Legend!!

Edited September 6, 2014 by pcur

[pcur]

Friends know we enjoy cruising, and are often asked which cruise line we choose. Have heard if people are happy with a product they will tell 3 people, but if unhappy, 10 will hear about the experience. Wondering if that would hold true if Royal does reduce complimentary offerings to C&A members, and how much impact would result with future cruisers choosing Royal?

 

Seems like Lobbylin, previous poster who had cruised on Azamara, spoke loudly and clearly with the pocketbook. Good for them!

 

Ultimately, it is all about "follow the money". Can pretty much bet Royal and all its subsidiaries will do so. ;)

 

We have cruised for 35 nights total with Princess and 28 with HAL. Great cruises, but I did miss the perks. If RCCL took away my free laundry and internet, I would still be cruising with them. Their are plenty of other perks involved, so I'll still be a happy cruiser. If they CANCELLED the whole program, then I'd look around because the incentives to stay with RCCL would be gone.

[TEXASMUNK]

If there were NO LOYALTY programs on any cruise line:

 

1. Would you never cruise again?

 

2. Would you continue to cruise?

 

3. Would you choice of cruiseline change?

 

If the can of coke left in your cabin because you are D+ were to go away, is that the deal breaker and would you then start vacationing at the KOA Campground?

Edited September 6, 2014 by TEXASMUNK

[pcur]

If there were NO LOYALTY programs on any cruise line:

 

1. Would you never cruise again?

 

2. Would you continue to cruise?

 

3. Would you choice of cruiseline change?

 

If the can of coke left in your cabin because you are D+ were to go away, is that the deal breaker and would you then start vacationing at the KOA Campground?

 

I would continue to cruise, and cruise where I got the best itinerary and price. However, RCCL usually does that, anyway. The Princess and HAL cruises we took were based on itinerary.

[setsail]

In order for this to be a problem you would have to be cruising for status, points, levels, freebies, etc., which on CC there is no shortage of people doing this

 

 

On the ships, most are cruising because they love cruising and would continue to do so

Edited September 6, 2014 by setsail