Crown&Anchor Revamp

[Paulette3028]

Yes you would be correct. That's exactly how it is. Glad I could clarify

 

Now that I have this.....with so many young children cruisers....I could imagine that this be one of the things that changes in the future.

 

I don't agree with HappyCampers3 suggestion a few posts earlier. But I do believe that there would be a few less D and D+ if the children had to be 'reclassifed' once they were 18 years old.

[Ourusualbeach]

I personally don't see the kids who have inherited their parents status as being that big of a deal.

 

There is no way of knowing the actual numbers but I would suspect that a large majority of those kids who are D and D+ are D and D+ in their own right having sailed with their parents for years. As Spurschick stated earlier it doesn't take that many cruises if they start at an early age to reach D or D+.

 

For those that have only sailed a couple of times yet inherited their parents status I doubt that once they turn 18/21 they suddenly start cruising many weeks of the year and filling up the lounges. I would suspect that many of them only take a cruise or 2 until they hit 30.

 

For those younger cruisers with status, whether earned or inherited, does anyone really see them as the reason the DL is crowded. Those are the cruisers that love the 3 drinks loaded onto their seapass cards so that they can have a drink where they want to instead of in a lounge filled with people the age of their parents or grandparents.

[airbusdrvr]

We were on Vision in December and meet a nice lady in the DL that is Pinnacle . She is a retired school teacher from New England and moved to Florida when she retired. She said she usually cruises at least once a month sometimes more and tries to get a rate of $60 a day or less which usually means an interior cabin . From a revenue standpoint only this lady is basically a non-rev guest, I'm sure there are many more like her . I would think when the next C&A revision happens corporate would like to have as few of these type as possible, remember RCCL is a business and the bottom line is all that truly matters .

 

When the change does come and it will , I'm pretty sure revenue will be the driving force behind the changes. Diamond and above will be most affected in my humble opinion .

[A&L_Ont]

Now that I have this.....with so many young children cruisers....I could imagine that this be one of the things that changes in the future.

 

I don't agree with HappyCampers3 suggestion a few posts earlier. But I do believe that there would be a few less D and D+ if the children had to be 'reclassifed' once they were 18 years old.

 

I personally don't see the kids who have inherited their parents status as being that big of a deal.

 

There is no way of knowing the actual numbers but I would suspect that a large majority of those kids who are D and D+ are D and D+ in their own right having sailed with their parents for years. As Spurschick stated earlier it doesn't take that many cruises if they start at an early age to reach D or D+.

 

For those that have only sailed a couple of times yet inherited their parents status I doubt that once they turn 18/21 they suddenly start cruising many weeks of the year and filling up the lounges. I would suspect that many of them only take a cruise or 2 until they hit 30.

 

For those younger cruisers with status, whether earned or inherited, does anyone really see them as the reason the DL is crowded. Those are the cruisers that love the 3 drinks loaded onto their seapass cards so that they can have a drink where they want to instead of in a lounge filled with people the age of their parents or grandparents.

 

I don't think it will make a difference if the kids retain the status of their parents and keep their actual points. Then they earn the rest of their points on the way to their "grandfathered" status, as the system is currently today. If a family crusies often the kids will be cruisers forever. If they don't sail often with their parents they just might not have the same passion as their folks. They have to be on the ship to step foot in a lounge. So, if they aren't on the ship they won't be using their perks.

 

Sadly, the big changes to the numbers will occur when the "older" members of the Diamond to Pinnacle staus can no longer sail due to poor health, personal economics or regretfully death. It can happen to younger ones as well, but demographically the boomers will come to an end. Thirty years from now those D+ members that are 10 years old will be 40, and the future of the cruise line industry. Any reward program that exsists today will look a lot different by that time, if not sooner. For example, our DS in 7.5 and just became D+ last week. He has 98 actual points which would make him a D. If he sails one cruise (1 week) for the next 10 years he will have 238 points and be well into the D+ status on actual sailings. Sailing in a suite does help to add them up. However, as another CCer stated it can be done with sailing in just a regular cabin if you sail regularly. When our son is 18 I will be 53, and hopefully just past half way to Pinnacle, if it still exsists.:)

 

All I really know is, no matter the points collected, every sailing we have been on is reward enough with the memories we made. Memories that will last a lifetime.:)

Edited March 30, 2015 by A&L_Ont

[Paulette3028]

I don't think it will make a difference if the kids retain the status of their parents and keep their actual points. Then they earn the rest of their points on the way to their "grandfathered" status, as the system is currently today. If a family crusies often the kids will be cruisers forever. If they don't sail often with their parents they just might not have the same passion as their folks. They have to be on the ship to step foot in a lounge. So, if they aren't on the ship they won't be using their perks.

 

Sadly, the big changes to the numbers will occur when the "older" members of the Diamond to Pinnacle staus can no longer sail due to poor health, personal economics or regretfully death. It can happen to younger ones as well, but demographically the boomers will come to an end. Thirty years from now those D+ members that are 10 years old will be 40, and the future of the cruise line industry. Any reward program that exsists today will look a lot different by that time, if not sooner. For example, our DS in 7.5 and just became D+ last week. He has 98 actual points which would make him a D. If he sails one cruise (1 week) for the next 10 years he will have 238 points and be well into the D+ status on actual sailings. Sailing in a suite does help to add them up. However, as another CCer stated it can be done with sailing in just a regular cabin if you sail regularly. When our son is 18 I will be 53, and hopefully just past half way to Pinnacle, if it still exsists.:)

 

All I really know is, no matter the points collected, every sailing we have been on is reward enough with the memories we made. Memories that will last a lifetime.:)

 

The way some people worry about something like whatever changes Royal will make, to them, if the 'reclassification' affects 10 cruisers on their cruise and it keeps 10 people from being in the DL, they would be happy.

 

To me, I share your sentiment about each cruise is a great reward on its own. Others will disagree, because using the word 'reward' for something you have paid for, isn't a reward (to them). I enjoy cruising Royal, have enjoyed the perks they have given and what the program will look like in the future....will be what it will be....but for now, nothing is different, than on my last cruise -- a little over a month ago.

 

I plan to enjoy the DL on my upcoming Navigator cruise. I don't worry over something I have no input into.

 

This is just a discussion among cruisers.

[A&L_Ont]

 

To me, I share your sentiment about each cruise is a great reward on its own. .

 

I plan to enjoy the DL on my upcoming Navigator cruise. I don't worry over something I have no input into.

 

This is just a discussion among cruisers.

 

I agree 100% with you. Talking about this program and possible changes is like talking about how to improve your local professional sports team. A lot can be discussed, little can be done, and we are all experts on the topic. :D:cool:;)

 

So long as we are having fun all is great! That is the true reward.

[Paulette3028]

I agree 100% with you. Talking about this program and possible changes is like talking about how to improve your local professional sports team. A lot can be discussed, little can be done, and we are all experts on the topic. :D:cool:;)

 

So long as we are having fun all is great! That is the true reward.

 

I don't know about you and conversations that have been had in your house....but several times DH and I have discussed our favorite team and viola those things that we discussed actually happened....I figured our family room was bugged and they liked what they heard and listened....at least I like to feel that way....(LOL).

 

And ALL is in FUN!

[steveru621]

I agree 100% with you. Talking about this program and possible changes is like talking about how to improve your local professional sports team. A lot can be discussed, little can be done, and we are all experts on the topic. :D:cool:;)

 

So long as we are having fun all is great! That is the true reward.

 

CC is about spirited debates and having some fun.

 

AFAIK the policy changed "After January 21, 2011 all cruises receive one cruise point for every night you sail. (from the website)" Seems to be too soon to change, but I would say 2016, 5 years, is a nice round number. Which is pretty much what the OP heard?

 

I'm in the camp of the revenue model, but I do not believe anyone's current C&A status would change. It's probably about rewarding loyal customers in the DL. Reward the big spenders in the CL; Suite guests, Pinnacles, and they will add JS's to level the numbers. RCI has spent a lot of money building and staffing DLs. I can't believe they would kick the Diamond's out of their namesake lounge, but D+ from CL is 50-50.

 

There is another thread that says RCI will no longer offer steep discounts just to fill cabins. Whether they stick to this is certainly subject to debate, but it will decrease the number of nights booked and make for less future Diamonds.

[Paulette3028]

 

There is another thread that says RCI will no longer offer steep discounts just to fill cabins. Whether they stick to this is certainly subject to debate, but it will decrease the number of nights booked and make for less future Diamonds.

 

Lots of people read more into Fain's words in an interview that he gave back in the Fall of 2014, I believe it was. I seem to remember his words were more like 'cruisers should not be expecting the line to offer deep discounts close to the sail date' - it did not say, they would not do it, every again.

 

Cruisers who wait for discounts at the last minute, often find the poorest selection of cabins remain, and that is what you would expect at the last minute.

 

But I for one, never read his words to mean 'they would not offer discounts at the last minute' -- just that cruisers, shouldn't be expecting it to happen.

[nbsjcruiser]

On our last cruise I was telling a Pinnacle member we were almost Diamond plus. He advised we should make D+ this year because RCCL was probably going to "revise" the point system on C&A sometime next year. According to him they are going to "raise the bar a little for Diamond and Diamond plus because they are beginning to have too many of them ".

 

When I contacted C&A they said they knew nothing about any revision to the point system. I would think RCCL would give at least a 18-24 month heads up before implementing any change to the status levels . Has anyone else heard of a point change coming next year ?

 

and in other news, big foot has been spotted. While I have no doubt that RCI will try and dumb down and cheapen their "loyalty" program (lots of stuff has gone that way), I can't imagine just because someone is a Pinnacle member that they'd be privy to this.

[nbsjcruiser]

CC is about spirited debates and having some fun.

 

AFAIK the policy changed "After January 21, 2011 all cruises receive one cruise point for every night you sail. (from the website)" Seems to be too soon to change, but I would say 2016, 5 years, is a nice round number. Which is pretty much what the OP heard?

 

I'm in the camp of the revenue model, but I do not believe anyone's current C&A status would change. It's probably about rewarding loyal customers in the DL. Reward the big spenders in the CL; Suite guests, Pinnacles, and they will add JS's to level the numbers. RCI has spent a lot of money building and staffing DLs. I can't believe they would kick the Diamond's out of their namesake lounge, but D+ from CL is 50-50.

 

They wont kick people out if it happens, just make it harder for people to get to the next level.

 

I'm not a fan of rewarding suite guests more. Yes they pay more but RCI is not a luxury line like, say, Cunard and to me pretending that they are is a bit pretentious on their part I think. I've been cruising RCI for almost 15 years and when I look back 15 years I see that food and service back then was top notch, more in line with what they want to pretend they are today. Its especially noticeable over the last 2-4 years IMO. Food is definitely nowhere near what it was and the waiters in the MDR are so damn busy (especially in My Time) that they haven't got time to properly do their jobs. And while its not their fault, RCI wants to pretend they are offering 5 star service by getting those poor guys to beg you for the top rating otherwise its their fault. RCI will probably always be one of my go-to's when it comes to cruising but more and more they force me to draw other lines into the equation.

[grandgeezer]

and in other news, big foot has been spotted. While I have no doubt that RCI will try and dumb down and cheapen their "loyalty" program (lots of stuff has gone that way), I can't imagine just because someone is a Pinnacle member that they'd be privy to this.

 

When Celebrity did their rollout a couple of years ago, there was no real warning. I think it was only a week or two. Your cruise had to be completed before that day to count under the old way of calculation. They took the points you had accumulated and multiplied it by 30. That gave us 750, the exact number to get to Elite Plus, one of the new levels. I don't know what the number was for Elite, but we were told that if you were Elite before the changeover, you were still Elite afterwards. None of the perks were changed, just two new levels added with additional perks. They also made it a lot harder to achieve the levels.

[SeaPeaInn]

RCCL has recently said that they will announce "enhancments to the suite experience" this spring.

 

As one who always books suites I am looking forward to this. I know that the price will increase to reflect the changes. If someone is not using suites why would they care that suites are being upgraded?

[Paul65]

I don't know about you and conversations that have been had in your house....but several times DH and I have discussed our favorite team and viola....

 

Yamaha makes a nice viola.

[nelblu]

They wont kick people out if it happens, just make it harder for people to get to the next level.

 

I'm not a fan of rewarding suite guests more. Yes they pay more but RCI is not a luxury line like, say, Cunard and to me pretending that they are is a bit pretentious on their part I think. I've been cruising RCI for almost 15 years and when I look back 15 years I see that food and service back then was top notch, more in line with what they want to pretend they are today. Its especially noticeable over the last 2-4 years IMO. Food is definitely nowhere near what it was and the waiters in the MDR are so damn busy (especially in My Time) that they haven't got time to properly do their jobs. And while its not their fault, RCI wants to pretend they are offering 5 star service by getting those poor guys to beg you for the top rating otherwise its their fault. RCI will probably always be one of my go-to's when it comes to cruising but more and more they force me to draw other lines into the equation.

 

The begging by the waiters has been going on for the last 20 years. It' not new. Some folks have been complaining about the reduction of staff, I'd like to know if anyone has a stat that compares # of staff to # of passengers. I haven't noticed any difference in service with the traditional dining, however, I've not experienced MTD.

[yj_eugene]

If someone is not using suites why would they care that suites are being upgraded?

 

Because it's sometimes at the expense of those not in suites. For example, the elimination of the Viking Crown lounge on the Oasis that was available to everyone so as to put a suite-only lounge and restaurant in its place.

[SeaPeaInn]

Paul65 -

 

I bet you can tell me why my house has a dining room but ships have a dinning room.

[Paul65]

The begging by the waiters has been going on for the last 20 years. It' not new. Some folks have been complaining about the reduction of staff, I'd like to know if anyone has a stat that compares # of staff to # of passengers. I haven't noticed any difference in service with the traditional dining, however, I've not experienced MTD.

 

People have also been saying that things have really gone downhill in the last few years since the beginning of my time with cruising (some 20+ years ago). If it had really always gone "way downhill" every couple years, as people seem to claim, we'd all be standing in line to microwave the frozen entree of the day by now.

 

That said, there certainly have been changes. First RC cruise I went on seemed to have more staff in the dining room, including a sommelier for each dining section. Portion were bigger (but I actually prefer smaller portions, especially since you can always order more, if you want). But I never thought the food was out-of-this-world gourmet 20 years ago, and it's not a whole lot different now. I found it good to excellent then, and I usually feel about the same now. Or, at least, I thought it was about the same last time I cruise 2 years ago. If I have a terrible experience on my upcoming cruise, maybe I'll start agreeing with the doom and gloomers.

[nbsjcruiser]

The begging by the waiters has been going on for the last 20 years. It' not new. Some folks have been complaining about the reduction of staff, I'd like to know if anyone has a stat that compares # of staff to # of passengers. I haven't noticed any difference in service with the traditional dining, however, I've not experienced MTD.

 

I'm actually beginning to wonder if my last few cruises with RCI have been a little off because of MTD. On NCL freestyle is pretty much locked in - they have it down to a science but even on some nights it can get kinda hectic. I think RCI needs to stop with the combo MTD/Traditional. Either you're pregnant or you're not stop trying to be half pregnant.

[Biker19]

I think RCI needs to stop with the combo MTD/Traditional. Either you're pregnant or you're not stop trying to be half pregnant.

Let's not even start with discussions about dynamic dining.

 

I think the new CEO has been in place long enough that some shake up is bound to come out soon. Some of it may not be so obvious (reintroduction of DD on Oasis class ships will likely not be shouted from the roof tops) but others like a change in the C&A program will be.:cool:

Edited March 31, 2015 by Biker19

[roquejo]

Yes...that would be great! In HAL's case, since the spending is based on your final folio bill, even the daily service charge (tip) would count in achieving their $300 on board spending to earn an extra 'cruise day credit'...note though, that is the maximum extra you can earn per cruise, regardless of how much more you might spend...

 

Well, it would be nice also if they give C&A points for shore excursion bookings, whether booked online or onboard...majority of their revenues came from this.

[ChipLondon]

Trust me being a Pinnacle member does NOT enable us to get any info on major subjects that has not been announced to the public.

Sure some of us have been around long enough to get the skill that makes us think we can read between the lines, but in truth we do not know more than others.

Over the years I have on occassions "heard stuff" that comes true, but I would never repeat gossip because I know how that can be received and repeated on these pages :eek:

 

................... I can't imagine just because someone is a Pinnacle member that they'd be privy to this.