C&A program outdated?

[actuarian]

The Pinnacle badge is the most expensive piece of jewelry. I'll ever own. But you really don't do anything to earn it, other than spend money.I figure it cost us $250,000 or so. And we have enjoyed almost every minute it took to earn the level.

 

Your cost of $250K (per couple I assume) is probably typical but I would note that you can attain Pinnacle for about half of that if attaining Pinnacle is the primary reason you select a particular cruise. The key is to always cruise in Junior Suites so you get 2 points per night and to stick to older ships (Voyager, Radiance, Freedom and Vision classes). At 2 points per night, it takes 350 nights to make Pinnacle. Junior Suites in those older ships are often available for around $350/night/couple (tax included) so the total cost for a couple to reach Pinnacle that way would be $350 x 350 or $122,500.

[Iamcruzin]

Or, the other reality is that most lines, including RCI are starting to put out a more premium offering on board. Suites with additional services, private lounge, specialty dining included. I am willing to pay for a premium product. I don't necessarily want to spend all my time cruising the same line over and over and over again. So I would rather pay for the premium product than continue to chase some silly status and thereby limit my vacation options.

 

Couldn't agree more

[Milwaukee Eight]

Yes I could get extra points that way because we do spend money on board.

Why not,

1 point inside cabin.

2 points outside cabin.

3 points balcony cabin.

4 points JS.

5 points Sky Suite.

6 points Star Suite.

Double points for single occupancy.

 

 

 

Good start. Encourages some thought. I still think there needs to be allowance for $ spent outside of cabin. All good revenue to Royal.

 

 

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[Don Pedro]

Your cost of $250K (per couple I assume) is probably typical but I would note that you can attain Pinnacle for about half of that if attaining Pinnacle is the primary reason you select a particular cruise. The key is to always cruise in Junior Suites so you get 2 points per night and to stick to older ships (Voyager, Radiance, Freedom and Vision classes). At 2 points per night, it takes 350 nights to make Pinnacle. Junior Suites in those older ships are often available for around $350/night/couple (tax included) so the total cost for a couple to reach Pinnacle that way would be $350 x 350 or $122,500.

 

WOW! That is really a bargain.

[Don Pedro]

It seems you must not have been on the same ships as me. For the most part Suite guests are fine but a lot of times they have obnoxious children.

Case in point. We were in the elevator a suite guest and his child (5 or 6 years old) get in. The child proceeds to hit every button in the elevator. My wife tells him nicely "honey you shouldn't do that" . The father then tell my wife "my child can do whatever he wants".

Some Pinnacles are stuck up and don't associate with others below them. But they are a small minority.

As far as "Super Mario" goes you can't find a more friendly and hospitable person anywhere.

If they get to the lounge before you. You need to get there earlier. Don't blame them.

If they eat dinner in the windjammer it's by choice. The MDR and Coastal Kitchens are open after the lounge closes.

As far as talking a lot goes. Whom would you want an opinion from? Someone who has experience or someone that has none?

The things "you" dislike about the conversations are precisely. What a lot of experienced cruisers talk about. And I hope they will never stop.

 

Yes, and when you wear the pinnacle pin you put a target on your back as some folks tend to judge the pinnacles more harshly than other passenger. Although a few act poorly most are extremely nice accommodating people.

[actuarian]

Yes I could get extra points that way because we do spend money on board.

Why not,

1 point inside cabin.

2 points outside cabin.

3 points balcony cabin.

4 points JS.

5 points Sky Suite.

6 points Star Suite.

Double points for single occupancy.

 

If you like the Captains Club, you can always cruise on Celebrity; it is part of the same company.

 

2 points inside cabin.

2 points outside cabin.

3 points balcony cabin.

5 points concierge/aqua class

8 points Sky Suite.

12 points Celebrity/Signature/Royal/Villa Suite.

18 points Reflection/Penthouse/Iconic Suite

[Milwaukee Eight]

Your cost of $250K (per couple I assume) is probably typical but I would note that you can attain Pinnacle for about half of that if attaining Pinnacle is the primary reason you select a particular cruise. The key is to always cruise in Junior Suites so you get 2 points per night and to stick to older ships (Voyager, Radiance, Freedom and Vision classes). At 2 points per night, it takes 350 nights to make Pinnacle. Junior Suites in those older ships are often available for around $350/night/couple (tax included) so the total cost for a couple to reach Pinnacle that way would be $350 x 350 or $122,500.

 

 

 

See, all the more reason to award status based on $.

 

 

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[Tatka]

If you think about it for a minute the person that spends exorbitant money on a single cruise usually only cruises once a year or less. And the amount of people willing to spend that much is limited. The person perhaps retired, living in Florida. Can and do fill the ships. If you put it on a dollar spent basis for loyalty points. The ships would be sailing with empty cabins (which they are not).

Royal has an awful lot of cabins to fill. So they have to cater to a wide swath of customers.

Exactly. We have 4 cruises with Royal this year, 2 during each of previous several. This quantity will only increase with us reaching D.

We don't cruise in suites, but do spend good amount of money. Money not spent on expensive accommodations allow us spent more on other things.

[Ocean Boy]

Hypothetically.... let’s just say a inside on a 7 day is $1000. 9 cruises later, they are Diamond. That’s $9,000 to Royal

 

A Star Class Cruiser , spend $15-25,000 on one 7 night cruise.

 

Whose deserves loyalty perks more? Four Star Class cruises and its tipping towards a $100k.

 

Royal should switch to a revenue based system.

 

 

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I have spent far more with RCI than a, possibly one time, star class cruiser.

 

As for "Royal should switch to a revenue based system", where have I read that idea before?

[John&LaLa]

Hypothetically.... let’s just say a inside on a 7 day is $1000. 9 cruises later, they are Diamond. That’s $9,000 to Royal

 

A Star Class Cruiser , spend $15-25,000 on one 7 night cruise.

 

Whose deserves loyalty perks more? Four Star Class cruises and its tipping towards a $100k.

 

Royal should switch to a revenue based system.

 

 

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Ok, but what does that have to do with suite passengers crashing the DL?

 

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[Iamcruzin]

Well after reading some of the comments pertaining to Diamond and Pinnacle guests I have no desire to be part of either club. I guess I will be perfectly happy slumming it with the other 90% of the passengers enjoying the entire ship. Enjoy your private lounges.

[asctony]

Well after reading some of the comments pertaining to Diamond and Pinnacle guests I have no desire to be part of either club. I guess I will be perfectly happy slumming it with the other 90% of the passengers enjoying the entire ship. Enjoy your private lounges.

Good! More room for those who appreciate the perks. Happy Slumming.

[Ocean Boy]

I believe most Suite Guests shared the opinion with Royal that they would like an area AWAY from some members of high level status ( D+ P wannabe). 90% of D+ are probably great and wonderful people but we have found a few that frequent the CL can be quite obnoxious. Yes, I’m sure Suite Guests do the same thing. Just haven’t seen it. The people I’m talking about speak over others and insist that everyone knows their point level, how many cruises they have, how many times they meet Super Mario, how many times they had dinner with the Captain and so on. They are the first in the lounge. They eat dinner in the WJ after the lounge quits serving drinks. I’ve even overheard some indicating that the CL was their lounge?? Have you meet many like this. Give them unlimited drinksCatch my drift....

 

Not to mention the crowds in the CL.

 

 

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Wow. I have really been missing out on a lot. All I want to do is spend a week with my family without my pager going off and having to leave in the middle of dinner to go to the hospital.

[Milwaukee Eight]

It seems you must not have been on the same ships as me. For the most part Suite guests are fine but a lot of times they have obnoxious children.

 

Case in point. We were in the elevator a suite guest and his child (5 or 6 years old) get in. The child proceeds to hit every button in the elevator. My wife tells him nicely "honey you shouldn't do that" . The father then tell my wife "my child can do whatever he wants".

 

Some Pinnacles are stuck up and don't associate with others below them. But they are a small minority.

 

As far as "Super Mario" goes you can't find a more friendly and hospitable person anywhere.

 

If they get to the lounge before you. You need to get there earlier. Don't blame them.

 

If they eat dinner in the windjammer it's by choice. The MDR and Coastal Kitchens are open after the lounge closes.

 

As far as talking a lot goes. Whom would you want an opinion from? Someone who has experience or someone that has none?

 

The things "you" dislike about the conversations are precisely. What a lot of experienced cruisers talk about. And I hope they will never stop.

 

 

 

I didn’t say anything bad about Super Mario, not my words. We’ve meet him in the lounge several times and it’s always been pleasant. Reread my post please.

 

Royal has made and is making Suite Lounges. They are working out fine for us. I haven’t seen, the many Pinnacles we have meet, feel they have the need to share their cruise history and experiences with EVERYONE in the Lounge. If we wanted to experience this, we would go to the Diamond Lounge.

 

My point about being in the lounge before it opens and until it closes has to do with drinking an unlimited amount of free alcohol. Everyone has a limit. Some know their limit and others don’t.

 

Suite Lounges have cleaned this up for the most part. Some ships are likely to keep the CL. I can’t recall a Suite Guest who was in the CL when cocktail hours opened and stayed until it closed. Not saying it doesn’t happen. Just haven’t seen it. Easy to tell who is the D+ in the CL. Suites and P’s have the Gold Card.

 

Do you still get the discussions you want and are accustomed too in the Suite Lounge??

 

Lots of cruisers sail with kids. Not just Suites.

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

This week on Oasis

 

Diamonds 300

D+ 90

P 15

 

Ship holds 6000+ based on double occupancy. 400 Diamond and above are certainly not filling this cruise.

 

Pinnacles earned everything they get and deserve it. I don’t recall a single cruise we have been on where the Diamonds and above totaled more than 600. Even last years Presidents Cruise was around 500 total. I hear this years the P’s alone might be 400. Lol

 

We know lots of friends that sail Star Class multiple times a year. I have family that are P and they sail a ton and often in SC.

 

What about those that normally book a balcony? Their cabins generally cost more than insides on deck 2/3. Maybe they might want to be recognized for this???

 

 

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With balcony discount you can find balconies for similar price to an inside a lot of the time. It might be a neighborhood, but still a good deal.

 

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[Domino D]

Wow. I have really been missing out on a lot. All I want to do is spend a week with my family without my pager going off and having to leave in the middle of dinner to go to the hospital.

 

Do you still have a pager, because of HIPPA and data storage concerns?

 

Sorry for the sidetrack.

[John&LaLa]

Your cost of $250K (per couple I assume) is probably typical but I would note that you can attain Pinnacle for about half of that if attaining Pinnacle is the primary reason you select a particular cruise. The key is to always cruise in Junior Suites so you get 2 points per night and to stick to older ships (Voyager, Radiance, Freedom and Vision classes). At 2 points per night, it takes 350 nights to make Pinnacle. Junior Suites in those older ships are often available for around $350/night/couple (tax included) so the total cost for a couple to reach Pinnacle that way would be $350 x 350 or $122,500.

 

Laura, and by default me, got the PC pin on the low end. But not really by design. Just the way it happened. Like rt1092 we accelerated in last 18 months, but that coincided with living in Cocoa Beach and being retired.

 

I kind of think that 250k number may include a lot of airfare and hotels.

 

BTW, since attacking the pin we have almost cruised enough to be D+ all over again. Will definitely be at that level before year ends. I will admit burnout is approaching, may be less quantity and more quality the next few years.

 

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[Domino D]

You do realize Royal does not want to give you more perks, or help you get to perks sooner.

 

If the program changes, it will be to make it harder to move up, and limit perks.

 

The debate over the $ versus Nights is only relevant in terms of tightening up the program. The ROI has nothing to do with how the income is accumulated. Once someone spends $100,000 they can have $8.00 of benefit a night after that. 10,000 people will qualify. They will spend 1,000 average to cruise 7 days and get $56 worth of perks. Of the 10,000 60% won't use all the benefits reducing cost to $50.00 per passenger per week. So long as the cost stays below .5% of the revenue from participants. everything is good.

 

Star Class cruisers are probably the least interested in perks, and least likely to be loyal because of them.

[Ocean Boy]

Do you still have a pager, because of HIPPA and data storage concerns?

 

Sorry for the sidetrack.

My pager goes off with a message to call the answering service and if it is urgent nothing more. I prefer that to getting the call on my cell phone as it gives me a little more control over the interruptions of my life. And depending on where I am it gives me a chance to move to a quit and more private place before calling.

[Domino D]

My pager goes off with a message to call the answering service and if it is urgent nothing more. I prefer that to getting the call on my cell phone as it gives me a little more control over the interruptions of my life. And depending on where I am it gives me a chance to move to a quit and more private place before calling.

 

I did not know that pagers were even still around, but that makes perfect sense. Thanks.

[Milwaukee Eight]

My pager goes off with a message to call the answering service and if it is urgent nothing more. I prefer that to getting the call on my cell phone as it gives me a little more control over the interruptions of my life. And depending on where I am it gives me a chance to move to a quit and more private place before calling.

 

 

 

Here, they use a text messaging program to either cell phone or if one prefers, a pager. Same benefits you mention. Stroke alerts are a bummer.

 

The program used is HIPPA compliant.

 

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[grapau27]

I didn’t say anything bad about Super Mario, not my words. We’ve meet him in the lounge several times and it’s always been pleasant. Reread my post please.

 

Royal has made and is making Suite Lounges. They are working out fine for us. I haven’t seen, the many Pinnacles we have meet, feel they have the need to share their cruise history and experiences with EVERYONE in the Lounge. If we wanted to experience this, we would go to the Diamond Lounge.

 

My point about being in the lounge before it opens and until it closes has to do with drinking an unlimited amount of free alcohol. Everyone has a limit. Some know their limit and others don’t.

 

Suite Lounges have cleaned this up for the most part. Some ships are likely to keep the CL. I can’t recall a Suite Guest who was in the CL when cocktail hours opened and stayed until it closed. Not saying it doesn’t happen. Just haven’t seen it. Easy to tell who is the D+ in the CL. Suites and P’s have the Gold Card.

 

Do you still get the discussions you want and are accustomed too in the Suite Lounge??

 

Lots of cruisers sail with kids. Not just Suites.

 

 

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The only thing I take out of my pocket in DL/CL is dollar bills for tips.

There is no need to flash your card around.

[grapau27]

It is an interesting subculture here.

 

I did not belittle you or any specific person. I don't know any of you. I spoke of MYSELF. I have no desire to focus my vacation plans on obtaining what is to ME, a silly status. That's about ME, not you or anyone else.

 

I would never begrudge someone making choices that work for them. But I often read people here who are singularly focused on obtaining a status, and I don't get that. I guess if it works for them, so be it. But I am still allowed to think what I want of it.

 

People react like I'm some how insulting their children. It's not worth the emotion and vitriol you all produce in return.

That's life.

People want a better job,

Better house,.

More money.

More holidays.

Sailing in a Suite.

And C&A status.

It motivates people to strive for something more and to better yourself.

The only thing not worth doing is insulting people.

[rt1092]

Laura, and by default me, got the PC pin on the low end. But not really by design. Just the way it happened. Like rt1092 we accelerated in last 18 months, but that coincided with living in Cocoa Beach and being retired.

 

I kind of think that 250k number may include a lot of airfare and hotels.

 

BTW, since attacking the pin we have almost cruised enough to be D+ all over again. Will definitely be at that level before year ends. I will admit burnout is approaching, may be less quantity and more quality the next few years.

 

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I agree with you on the burnout. We have a $300 off certificate that we have to book by Aug 21 (cruise within one year) And we might just pass on it. Too many booked already. We book by price. Don't care (much) about the ports. And they have had some fantastic prices for the big ships. I try not to visit the Royal website as often.

We didn't use much airfare costs. But we have a dog (we had 2). And boarding them costs quite a bit for a reliable place. Where they are happy and looked after properly. And we like to visit the casino.(not high rollers max spending out at about $800 a cruise for 2 of us). Sometimes we walk away winners.

Happy to be able to spend what we do on cruises.

 

As to the other persons comment about the lounge vs. unlimited drinks. My wife only has at most 2 or 3 glasses of wine in a night. And I vary from a few cocktails to drinking only soda. Plus we get free drinks in the casino any time they are open. So sucking down free drinks in the lounge does not come into play. As I doubt it is with others. If they can afford to cruise often. I'm sure they can afford the drink package. It seems to me that those that just made diamond tend to drink more. First time drinks are free etc.

[Milwaukee Eight]

The only thing I take out of my pocket in DL/CL is dollar bills for tips.

There is no need to flash your card around.

 

 

 

It’s really not all that difficult to determine who is a P, D+, and Suite Guest in the CL. Especially when almost everyone can hear them discussing their cruise history.

 

Most P’s wear there name tag (I didn’t say all). Some D+ like to wear their pins. P’s no longer wear their pins (for the most part).

 

 

 

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