Difficulty Staying Loyal to Royal

[tserface]

I suspect the loyalty program keeps some, at least, considering RCI first in their cruise decisions. There's been lots of talk about people switching or other cruise lines having better deals, but the perks of RCI's loyalty program after you reach a certain level are pretty nice and difficult to let go of even if it is somewhat emotional.

 

I suspect if the prices keep rising and other things keep happening more people will start to think the 3 drinks a night and a few internet minutes will mean less. This is especially true if other lines (like NCL right now I think) give free beverage packages that help ease the sting and better prices.

 

We also always look at RCI first, but it's getting more difficult not to consider other options. It just makes good sense.

 

Tom

 

"Loyalty"? We are Diamond Plus, have a number of cruises booked on RC - but also have a cruise booked on Holland now. If you get value and enjoyment from gaining points and perks in the C&A levels as you cruise that is a plus and should not be ignored, but it is not so much a reflection of your "loyalty" as a reflection of just how brilliant the RC marketing people have been with creating feelings of loyalty to a huge billion dollar company. I am "loyal" to RC in the sense that I often look first at RC because we know the product, know people on the ships, love our perks, and are very comfortable with the product - but my "loyalty" is only as good as what is available for what I want for each cruise.

[flapbreaker]

They are indeed offering the UBP for inside cabins if your sailing in 2015. I just checked night on the getaway and there was the code for UBP when selecting the inside cabin.

 

 

 

Not a rumor, but the free UBP is not available for insides, just OVs and higher. However, for 3 people, NCL is much less than RCI (any category) because their promotion is allowing the 3rd & 4th guest for free - just pay the port fees and taxes.

 

I have been comparing the Getaway price for 3 pax versus Oasis in Sept and the price difference is substantial, even though the Oasis is reasonably priced on a pp basis with 2 pax in the cabin. The price pp sky rockets when looking for a cabin that will accommodate 3, not so on the Getaway.

 

The NCL promo does offer free soda package or free internet minutes or OBC (for specialty dining/excursions) for inside rooms.

 

We have been on the Getaway earlier this year and it was a great cruising experience.

[yolanda1]

I really have enjoyed Royal and love cruising. Our 4th Royal cruise is this month, and I have another tentatively booked for 2017. This upcoming cruise was booked with KSF, which made it very affordable for 4 people.

 

I don't feel like dealing with Thanksgiving this year and would love to cruise that week. I look at Royal and either a) I've done the ship and/or ports already and want something different or 2) It's too expensive. I look at Carnival and Norwegian for comparable dates, and the prices are much more reasonable for 3 people. Yes, you could say that Royal is a better brand, but then I look at Celebrity and those cruises are even more reasonable!

 

I really love Royal and would love to at least reach platinum before jumping ship, but am finding it difficult to find anything lately that is reasonably priced. Any thoughts or insights? To you more experienced cruisers: is it worth it?

 

 

Try another line. There are several excellent ones who offer better value. Shop around and compare. You probably won't be disappointed.

[kristinp36]

We are not loyal to any one line.....we have sailed RC, Carnival, Holland and Celebrity. We are Platinum on Carnival and Emerald on RC. They ALL have their pluses and minuses. They are more similar then different. I think it depends on what is important to you....the ship amenities, food, ports, price, etc. For us those items change from time to time. We are getting tired of St Thomas and St Martin even though we love both places. For our next cruise we are focusing on the ports not the line or the ship. We always have value on our mind as well. Not seeing much "value" on RC lately unless you book 1.5 years out which is NOT an option for us.

 

We have had amazing times on all the cruise lines. Out worst customer experience EVER was on RC but we will try them again with the hopes that it was a fluke.

[jticarruthers]

We were fairly loyal to royal over the last few years (only 1 Disney interruption) but with price increases and service decreases we are going to try NCL for the first time and Carnival (newer/bigger ship) on our next couple and see what we think. Price is better, will see how the product compares.

[critterchick]

We find that the other large lines are fine, but we prefer RCI enough to pay a a bit of a premium. We still sail frequently on Princess (they have ships sailing from our home port of LA) and have given Carnival and HAL a try - the latter two aren't for us, for varying reasons that aren't relevant here.

 

I've seen several posts over the past few years where somebody says, "once I make xxx level, I'm leaving." Why spend money to attain a level from which you won't benefit? If I were you, OP, I'd sail on a ship/line that's more reasonably priced, then compare the experience to what you've had on RCI. Then you can decide if that experience combined with the extra perks of Platinum are worth the extra cost of the cruise.

[Paulette3028]

We hit platinum last year, and continue to book with RCI.

 

As for prices...we booked 2 months ago for next Spring on a Southern Caribbean cruise for $699 per person in a nice Balcony cabin on Adventure of the Seas. That's 1/2 of "regular" prices, partially from the Platinum balcony cabin discount and partially because of a sale price.

 

Deals can be found. What we have noticed is that booking well in advance seems to be one way to get a very low price. We often book about a year in advance, and get some amazing prices. On our recent Mediterranean cruise, our great hump balcony (D1) cabin was literally 1/2 the "regular" price.

 

It does seem to take a bit more work to plan and get lower prices on cruises..but they can be found.

 

As you have described good prices can be found....and if you like the experience Royal offers, then there is no reason to look elsewhere....which is how we feel.

 

Like you we seem to always find a good price for the cruise we want.

[mcatmcat]

Carnival is out of my conversations but I'm giving a try to NCL getaway for 2016 or maybe escape. I just need something new and another reason for my royal departure is that I'm a little tired of their " sale" games

[pattymo]

Haven't done much cruising last 5 years, we are emerald on RCL ....our last cruise and first in 5 years was NCl on the Jàde in the med , originally looked at the splendor( similar itinerary) but the prices were crazy and no balcony or out side cabins available 8 months out! We got a balcony on the Jàde for $100 more than a inside on the splendor. And ended up with the free Ultimate beverage package and $200 OBC plus the TA credit. It was a wonderful cruise( and I was nervous about NCL) and would cruise NCL again in a heartbeat ..the only thing we missed were the glass elevators and soaring atrium ....

[MichaelCMTX]

For us, it's part perks of loyalty, but part the perks of a suite, and also that RCL was sailing out of Galveston when Carnival was the only other choice. They certainly helped our cause offering the week before out last one to bump us from GS to OS for $150.

 

We're newly Diamond, but face facts that Pinnacle is a L--O--N--G way off when we can really only get away for one cruise a year. I think we calculated at our current rate and assuming the program remains unchanged I'll hit Pinnacle at age 89, by which time I may forget what I was working on. Am definitely watching with interest RCL's rumor mill on changing the CL to a Suite Lounge, adding a Suite restaurant, and other possible changes in the works. If we could get the time we could easily afford 3 trips annually in a balcony for what a GS costs, but that much time out of the office just won't fly if I want to keep getting paid to be there the rest of the year.

 

The one coming up on Celebrity had that irresistible Mardi Gras itinerary, add to that getting all 3 on the the 1,2,3 Go promotion booking a Sky Suite plus 2 free Specialty Dining nights along with whatever else we may get with the Captain's Club reciprocity and it could make a difference what we do next time out.

 

I'd looked at Disney with interest. DW is concerned with a Child-Infested ship but we tend to travel when school is in session, and from what I see they try to offer adults their own areas. Princess is on the list as well. I like the ~idea~ of NCL's Haven but that's just a little rich for our blood right now.

 

Have looked a little at the luxury lines because once you accept as habit the GS fare "what going on a Cruise costs you" you're already in the ballpark. But it's too hard to get away from jobs and pets for much more than a week and so many of their trips are easily over 10 days.

[Veng]

Is it worth it to stay loyal to a brand because of the perks? Hell no. Not even remotely close to being worth it if you feel the brand doesn't offer something special. I'd much rather take an extra cruise every X months than stay loyal to a brand. If you love the brand, and they perfectly (or at least more perfectly than other brands) fulfill your needs is it worth it? absolutely. You're getting exactly what you want (or as close to it as any line offers) from the line, so yes, paying a premium to travel that line is worth it. Of course the best, is if you're extremely flexible on ports, and then you can travel the line you want, at the rates you want, and simply enjoy the cruise.

 

I can tell you this, you could give me a cruise, from a line I wouldn't like (*cough* carnival *cough*) and I would rather have pair for a cruise on a line like RCL. But that's because I at most get to take a single trip a year, so I need to get the most out of it. If I was retired, I'd take as many cruises on carnival as they'd give me.

[TheTruthCanHurt]

Staying with one line just to move up the loyalty tier is the 'trap' another poster mentioned.

 

I agree that I am a point person. I do like my status.. However,

The reason I personally prefer RCCL is I like the ships with a royal promenade on them, I think they are just easier to navigate. If I was a person that did not like the bigger ships, then I feel all cruise ships are essentially created the same. And the Royal perks are simply not enough(on their own) to make me stay with Royal.

 

FYI, Rccl has always been more expensive than other cruise lines. but I always find the best deals in November and December.. (not holidays)

But as other have said.. you have to decide if it's the brand or the points that you are really preferring. Kinda the same way you normally pick the ship or the destination because sometimes it's hard to get the ship you want with the destination you prefer.

Edited July 9, 2015 by TheTruthCanHurt