Does loyalty matter?

[ReneeFLL]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I do always have to wonder about folks when their very first post to CC is negative. Is it for real or troll?

 

I don't think they are a troll. They joined October 2013.

[chemmo]

What actually is loyalty? Do people just year on year book the same cruise line 'because they always have and always will?'

 

Or is it more that people find a brand that suits them and unless the nature of the product changes they will remain with something they know suits them?

 

We are 'loyal' to Celebrity at present because we haven't seen another cruise line at the price, product level we know we will get with X. We love reading comments on here and elsewhere about Princess or HAL and I am sure one day we will try...

 

Brand loyalty is not emotional from them to us or us to them...it is a mutually agreed purchase, with terms and conditions. Perks can entice. Many UK citizens do comment about the different conditions here to over the pond, we may not like them but we accept them for what they are, conditions of a purchase....

 

We have, on occasions over the years needed to make changes to our bookings. We have asked politely, knowing we have no entitlement other than pleading Elite (now Elite Plus), and they have generally tried to accommodate us. Would I ask for a price drop after final payment? No, but if I did notice a higher category room available I would make a phone call with an 'I have nothing to loose' attitude....If they couldn't accommodate me, no worries, I was perfectly happy with the room I booked at the time....

 

I do understand the constant push to up their market and entice new cruisers in, often through last minute offers...We do price watch, but when we book a cruise it has to be clearly under the understanding that we are happy with the price we paid and there will be no moaning and groaning if others are lucky enough to get last minute offers. If we feel that initial price is too much then quite simple we will wait or look at something else.

Edited October 18, 2016 by chemmo

[excitedofharpenden]

Welcome to the world! Deals, special offers, time limited offers with conditions attached is the way of it now. I'd also suggest that there are 1000s and 1000s of Elite Captain's Club members now. You can be Elite in very few cruises. It means nothing except the perks you get on the ship.

[jagoffee]

I tried upgrading a bunch of bookings yesterday and the Celebrity agent couldn't make it happen. We had promotional pricing and she said the system wouldn't allow the upgrade because you can't change promos after final payment. If there is a Standard price drop that we like on an upgrade she said to call back to request it. Standard prices do drop but mostly in the lower categories it seems. Too bad, because there are really good deals right now, and an inexpensive upgrade would have been nice. In the past the only last minute deals I saw on my cruises were senior, resident, and exciting deals and they weren't combinable. Next time I might wait to book.

 

Is this related to the perks that you would have to give up if the new prices do not include the same perks? Otherwise I am not sure I understand what you mean by promotional prices.

Thanks

[varoo]

What actually is loyalty? Do people just year on year book the same cruise line 'because they always have and always will?'

 

Or is it more that people find a brand that suits them and unless the nature of the product changes they will remain with something they know suits them?

 

We feel loyalty to family and friends and country, not to a large commercial business that sells us a product or service.

 

Cruise lines, like hotels and stores and airlines and other businesses, just use the term "loyalty program" as a marketing gimmick, to keep customers coming back.

 

 

While it is true that most of us do keep returning to familiar companies that we like, we do it for our own convenience and self-interest, not out of any feelings of "loyalty" to them.

 

When we cruise with HAL, we do not feel that we are being disloyal to Celebrity, just as we feel no disloyalty to Walgreens when we go to CVS, or to Macy's when we shop at Saks.

 

 

The way that some carry on about "loyalty" to a cruise line, one would think that booking a different cruise line was equivalent to cheating on your spouse or abandoning your children. ;)

 

As much as we like Celebrity, we don't recall ever taking a vow of exclusivity to Celebrity, forsaking all others. :D

 

Just recalling that old saying about variety being the spice of life.

 

 

Edited October 18, 2016 by varoo

[villauk]

We feel loyalty to family and friends and country, not to a large commercial business that sells us a product or service.

 

Cruise lines, like hotels and stores and airlines and other businesses, just use the term "loyalty program" as a marketing gimmick, to keep customers coming back.

 

 

While it is true that most of us do keep returning to familiar companies that we like, we do it for our own convenience and self-interest, not out of any feelings of "loyalty" to them.

 

When we cruise with HAL, we do not feel that we are being disloyal to Celebrity, just as we feel no disloyalty to Walgreens when we go to CVS, or to Macy's when we shop at Saks.

 

 

The way that some carry on about "loyalty" to a cruise line, one would think that booking a different cruise line was equivalent to cheating on your spouse or abandoning your children. ;)

 

As much as we like Celebrity, we don't recall ever taking a vow of exclusivity to Celebrity, forsaking all others. :D

 

Just recalling that old saying about variety being the spice of life.

 

 

 

Interesting thoughts. I wonder how many would continue booking with X if they didn't get any loyalty perks - if the booking was placed purely on itinerary and price? Be interesting to complete a poll, asking if the CC ceased tomorrow (so no perks whatever your current level and no more chasing points), would one be more inclined to look elsewhere i.e. if their current CC status wasn't in the mix.

[The_Big_M]

Generous has little to do with it! Just good business. We once had a long cruise (about 4 weeks) under booking and noticed a large price drop/promotion a few weeks before final payment. When we asked about repricing our booking we were told it was for "new bookings only." I said fine...and canceled the cruise (it was more then a $20,000 booking). The following day our cruise agent called and said that the particular cruise line (not Celebrity) had called her and was now willing to give us the better price and promotion. We said, "No thank you" and a few days later booked a longer cruise with a different line. Vote with your money...folks.

 

 

OTOH, many would have corresponding flights booked in, tours booked for specific locations and dates and be looking forward to the booking made, and not want the hassle of messing all that up - plus extra cost. So for most, I'd say they wouldn't want to throw the effort and plans and potential costs just because the price has gone down.

[wallie5446]

Interesting thoughts. I wonder how many would continue booking with X if they didn't get any loyalty perks - if the booking was placed purely on itinerary and price? Be interesting to complete a poll, asking if the CC ceased tomorrow (so no perks whatever your current level and no more chasing points), would one be more inclined to look elsewhere i.e. if their current CC status wasn't in the mix.

 

The poll was done back in May of 2013, over 85% said yes, they would continue booking with Celebrity.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1845752

Edited October 18, 2016 by wallie5446

[Iamcruzin]

We are 'loyal' to Celebrity at present because we haven't seen another cruise line at the price, product level we know we will get with X. We love reading comments on here and elsewhere about Princess or HAL and I am sure one day we will try...

 

Brand loyalty is not emotional from them to us or us to them...it is a mutually agreed purchase, with terms and conditions. Perks can entice. Many UK citizens do comment about the different conditions here to over the pond, we may not like them but we accept them for what they are, conditions of a purchase.

 

This is the point that I was trying to make in my post. Honestly, how many passengers would have reached elite or elite plus if they didn't enjoy their experience? People were only loyal because the product worked for them. It would be a sad state of affairs if passengers would sacrifice the pleasure and experience just to gain a free load of laundry or to be pushed to the front of a tender line.

[chemmo]

Interesting thoughts. I wonder how many would continue booking with X if they didn't get any loyalty perks - if the booking was placed purely on itinerary and price? Be interesting to complete a poll, asking if the CC ceased tomorrow (so no perks whatever your current level and no more chasing points), would one be more inclined to look elsewhere i.e. if their current CC status wasn't in the mix.

 

As we tend to book suites with dining, drinks, laundry included our Elite Plus status doesn't offer much (not complaining just a fact of life...). We do look at other lines out of curiosity, especially when fellow Cruise Critic posters make positive comments, but then we usually book Celebrity because it suits us well in terms of cost and product....

 

The perk we still enjoy is the Elite cocktail hour which we go to once or twice a cruise....

 

If we lived next to a cruise port, were not bothered about the room we cruised in and preferred to cruise frequently to picking specific itineraries then I think those points would mean more....They would mean you could cruise, enjoy your pre dinner drink, do a little laundry, get a discount on a speciality meal and do it all on a tight budget. Good luck to all of those who manage this.....

[villauk]

The poll was done back in May of 2013, over 85% said yes, they would continue booking with Celebrity.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1845752

 

Slightly different question, Wallie, as you stated on that thread,

 

I asked the question, and it has nothing to do with loyalty perks, so how did you discover something 'I' did not ask? My question has nothing to do with the itinerary, the time of year, the number of sea days or port's visited. Is, or is not, the product worth giving them your hard earned dollar? We are not 'Elite' either.

I did not ask this question last year before we cruised on the Ruby Princess, for the 1st time in 20 years, it was not a quality cruise and we do not want to make the same mistake again this year with dollars that are very hard earned. So please do not speak for us, only yourselves.

 

 

 

What I was referring to was more about would they be more inclined to look elsewhere. Obviously it's irrelevant as CC does exist and so do other loyalty schemes on other lines. Each of us has the option to look elsewhere if we are not happy with the product. I just wondered if more pax would be inclined if that little draw of the perks wasn't around. Not saying everyone would abandon ship, just be more disposed to check other options out. Again, one would have to be truthful in their answer, which may be different if actually put in the situation - 'talks cheap' so to speak ;). If the cruise lines didn't think those small incentives or a loyalty scheme worked, then they wouldn't offer them. They are there to get into one's psyche - how many posts do you see stating they only need a couple more points to move to the next level? Or the congratulation posts for someone achieving a higher status :cool:. Does it really matter...no, but they are still posted on a weekly basis.

 

I admit that we like the X product, but counting the 'little' extras from the perks are added into the equation. We'd like to try Azamara, but at this present time in our lives, it's not the correct fit for us. Agreed, you have to be happy with the product in order to purchase it, otherwise what's the point in the first place. However, do the small extra incentives/moving up the point ladder slightly blinker you and subconsciously you believe there isn't something as good because you haven't had the inclination to look?

[AnOnymously]

Just remember that at some time, you were a first time cruiser with Celebrity and something without perks persuaded you to stay. People like us are also still buying first time without elite type perks, so some of us are willing to do so, Celebrity cannot just exist on loyalty.

 

Question for Celebrity is if first timers like the product, given the alternatives, enough to stay long enough to get elite. And therefore if elites only stay for the extra perks, is does not bode well for first timers to stay.

 

Maybe you are also asking an underlying question about the product itself?

[Bo1953]

What actually is loyalty? Do people just year on year book the same cruise line 'because they always have and always will?'

 

Or is it more that people find a brand that suits them and unless the nature of the product changes they will remain with something they know suits them?

 

We are 'loyal' to Celebrity at present because we haven't seen another cruise line at the price, product level we know we will get with X. We love reading comments on here and elsewhere about Princess or HAL and I am sure one day we will try...

 

Brand loyalty is not emotional from them to us or us to them...it is a mutually agreed purchase, with terms and conditions. Perks can entice. Many UK citizens do comment about the different conditions here to over the pond, we may not like them but we accept them for what they are, conditions of a purchase....

 

We have, on occasions over the years needed to make changes to our bookings. We have asked politely, knowing we have no entitlement other than pleading Elite (now Elite Plus), and they have generally tried to accommodate us. Would I ask for a price drop after final payment? No, but if I did notice a higher category room available I would make a phone call with an 'I have nothing to loose' attitude....If they couldn't accommodate me, no worries, I was perfectly happy with the room I booked at the time....

 

I do understand the constant push to up their market and entice new cruisers in, often through last minute offers...We do price watch, but when we book a cruise it has to be clearly under the understanding that we are happy with the price we paid and there will be no moaning and groaning if others are lucky enough to get last minute offers. If we feel that initial price is too much then quite simple we will wait or look at something else.

 

c - Thank you for such a reasoned post. Makes it worth knowing that others think as I do, to a great degree, on topics like this.

 

Not that X is perfect, alas neither are some of the passengers, yet we understand this and move forward or on if it is less than expectation or desire...

 

bon voyage

[weregoingcruising]

What actually is loyalty? Do people just year on year book the same cruise line 'because they always have and always will?'

 

Or is it more that people find a brand that suits them and unless the nature of the product changes they will remain with something they know suits them?

 

We are 'loyal' to Celebrity at present because we haven't seen another cruise line at the price, product level we know we will get with X. We love reading comments on here and elsewhere about Princess or HAL and I am sure one day we will try...

 

Brand loyalty is not emotional from them to us or us to them...it is a mutually agreed purchase, with terms and conditions. Perks can entice. Many UK citizens do comment about the different conditions here to over the pond, we may not like them but we accept them for what they are, conditions of a purchase....

 

We have, on occasions over the years needed to make changes to our bookings. We have asked politely, knowing we have no entitlement other than pleading Elite (now Elite Plus), and they have generally tried to accommodate us. Would I ask for a price drop after final payment? No, but if I did notice a higher category room available I would make a phone call with an 'I have nothing to loose' attitude....If they couldn't accommodate me, no worries, I was perfectly happy with the room I booked at the time....

 

I do understand the constant push to up their market and entice new cruisers in, often through last minute offers...We do price watch, but when we book a cruise it has to be clearly under the understanding that we are happy with the price we paid and there will be no moaning and groaning if others are lucky enough to get last minute offers. If we feel that initial price is too much then quite simple we will wait or look at something else.

Well said I totaly agree.

[Rockyrolla]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful posts.i am most definitely not a "troll". I am grateful to you who did not question my status. I've been on cruise critic for a very long time and believe it or not this is my very first post. Happy sailing!

[weregoingcruising]

Every cruise I paid them for they gave me everything I paid for. They didn't owe me anything. If I ask for something else and they give it to me I consider that a goodwill. They show there apprecation for my past cruises by the small perks I receive based on my Captains Club level.

[villauk]

Just remember that at some time, you were a first time cruiser with Celebrity and something without perks persuaded you to stay. People like us are also still buying first time without elite type perks, so some of us are willing to do so, Celebrity cannot just exist on loyalty.

 

Question for Celebrity is if first timers like the product, given the alternatives, enough to stay long enough to get elite. And therefore if elites only stay for the extra perks, is does not bode well for first timers to stay.

 

Maybe you are also asking an underlying question about the product itself?

 

That wasn't the point I was making. I said that you have got to like the product otherwise you wouldn't continue buying it, however, does the loyalty scheme incline you more to be blinkered towards other lines i.e. not look at the alternative so much ;). In other words, do you see what X has to offer and not consider what other products are out there - is it your first and only 'port of call' :D?

 

We joined X at Elite level from Royal, so a totally different scenario from your own ;). But you have clearly stated on several posts that you will never book another X cruise, no matter what the product is like onboard ;). So your case is open and closed without any further input, whether good or bad ;).

[Orator]

Many posters started cruising prior to any loyalty program. More cruised with Celebrity when they charged a fee to join the new Captain's Club. The perks for joining as I remember were very small. It wasn't until Captain's Club became free and three Loyalty levels (Classic, Select and Elite) were added were perks increased. This was indeed a marketing strategy and everyone else was doing the same. Later two additional levels were added (Elite+ and Zenith) with a real increase in benefits especially for the Zenith level. I bet Celebrity has been surprised by the increasing numbers at the Zenith level. This was done at a time when there was a corporate emphasis on Loyalty as a marketing strategy. I've said before that someone closely connected to the Miami Office told me about two years ago that the strategy shifted from Loyalty to high margin passengers and we can see that in the Suite program. I agree with those who say quite correctly that we are entitled to only those benefits associated with our loyalty level, nothing more,nothing less. Dinner invitations, comp upgrades, special items sent to cabin are extras that I appreciate, but never expect. DW and I have received a number of special things like gifts from Officers and some crew, but I feel that is due to special relationships we've had that have developed over many years and not because of loyalty level. There are normally special Zenith events like a luncheon with the Senior Officers or a special gathering on the Bridge with the Captain, but not on all ships with all Captains. These things are "extras" not benefits. I've only had a free upgrade once and have never been offered a deal to pay for an upgrade. I understand that upgrades are used to lure new cruisers into the Celebrity family. Miami is rightly about business. Staff on the ships are about service and developing relationships.

[AnOnymously]

That wasn't the point I was making. I said that you have got to like the product otherwise you wouldn't continue buying it, however, does the loyalty scheme incline you more to be blinkered towards other lines i.e. not look at the alternative so much ;). In other words, do you see what X has to offer and not consider what other products are out there - is it your first and only 'port of call' :D?

 

We joined X at Elite level from Royal, so a totally different scenario from your own ;). But you have clearly stated on several posts that you will never book another X cruise, no matter what the product is like onboard ;). So your case is open and closed without any further input, whether good or bad ;).

 

And I was saying that if seasoned cruisers on Celebrity needed perks to be blinkered to other cruise lines then Celebrity would have problems keeping first time cruisers.

 

My decision not to use them again is only relevant when it illustrates that maybe some people are blinkered to other lines because of their loyalty perks and Celebrity does have a problem with those who do not get the perks and can therefore more easilly look at the competition, particularly if they have a bad experience. Many on here sort of say that Celebrity is not perfect, though which line is, but continue to book.

 

Perhaps it's better the devil people know....and the perks of loyalty make that an easier choice.

[villauk]

Perhaps it's better the devil people know....and the perks of loyalty make that an easier choice.

 

Agree, do those added perks/loyalty schemes just skew one away from venturing too far - and that would apply to any cruise line ;).

[cruzeluvr]

It's like the cable companies that offer terrific deals only to new customers but don't offer the same to decades-long customers. It's a way of drumming up new business.

 

In my experience, once you cancel with the cable company and move on to another provider, the original cable company comes running to you begging for your business, offering better deals than what you originally had. I told them that if they made that offer when I asked, I probably would not have switched. Unfortunately, it appears that most cruise lines don't work that way.

[AnOnymously]

In my experience, once you cancel with the cable company and move on to another provider, the original cable company comes running to you begging for your business, offering better deals than what you originally had. I told them that if they made that offer when I asked, I probably would not have switched. Unfortunately, it appears that most cruise lines don't work that way.

 

I have to say the cable company that I am with when my contract was up last year offered me the deal they were giving to new customers to keep me and it was a brilliant deal. Glad that you Americans have sent Black Friday over to the UK!

 

Seems poor marketing not to offer the same or better deals. With cruise lines they should offer incentives to keep customers, though have to say the wording of elite on Celebrity is too elitist for me. But I shall never know at my request they have cancelled my Captains Club membership.

[BosoxI]

Generous has little to do with it! Just good business. We once had a long cruise (about 4 weeks) under booking and noticed a large price drop/promotion a few weeks before final payment. When we asked about repricing our booking we were told it was for "new bookings only." I said fine...and canceled the cruise (it was more then a $20,000 booking). The following day our cruise agent called and said that the particular cruise line (not Celebrity) had called her and was now willing to give us the better price and promotion. We said, "No thank you" and a few days later booked a longer cruise with a different line. Vote with your money...folks.

 

Hank

 

I like that. striking a blow for the passenger. I suspect you brought that line to its knees. :) Good for you.

[grandgeezer]

In my experience, once you cancel with the cable company and move on to another provider, the original cable company comes running to you begging for your business, offering better deals than what you originally had. I told them that if they made that offer when I asked, I probably would not have switched. Unfortunately, it appears that most cruise lines don't work that way.

 

I play this game between Dish Network and Directv. I switch every two years. They switch out the hardware and I'm paying less than I did four years ago.

[Luvcrusn]

Over the years we've cruised several cruise lines mentioned here because of price, timing, itineraries, or the travel plans of friends, but for various reasons, we've always preferred our X cruises. What we've found is that those cruises that were booked through a large cruise only TA offered us more flexibility and benefits than did the cruises we booked through the line or onboard. In fact, we once booked a future cruise (to be decided later) on board with the promise of additional OBC, but every time we tried to use it, we found it was not combinable with the booking we were trying to make. The TA was able to get X to refund our future booking when X wouldn't. And it's also a function of the way you ask. Generally asking X directly, the answer is usually no, regardless of CC status. The TA has more flexibility and reason to try to please you. We have gotten our fare reduced when we saw a lower rate advertised without giving up perks, even when the offer said new bookings only (outside of final payment). Our theory is, if you don't ask, the answer is definitely no! It's also how you ask. As others have stated, we only book cruises when we like the combination of price, cabin, timing and perks. If we can do better, great, if we can't, well...we were already content. Sometimes when we see those last minute price drops and price them out we would not be getting as desirable a location or as many perks or OBC. We're just glad to be able to enjoy a lovely vacation at an acceptable price and are healthy and fortunate enough to enjoy! I prefer my cups half full and to enjoy what I have. The CC benefits are nice, but don't make or break our times onboard. :)