Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Heard changes to Loyalty Program to be announced @ 2018 prez cuise - rumours???

Sirlancelot

By Sirlancelot,
in Royal Caribbean International

 Share

Recommended Posts

karena1

karena1

Posted
Posted
I was told but my room steward on the EN last weekend that they were going to lower the number of points needed to reach Pinnacle since the gap between D+ and Pinnacle is so big:halo:

 

That would be nice but I will believe that when I see it!:D:D:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
leisuretraveler223

leisuretraveler223

Posted
Posted

So, here's something I find interesting about cruise loyalty programs that stand in stark contrast to airlines, hotels, or just about anything else: Your status can never go down. I have been top tier with different airlines and hotels at different times based on my travel habits. But then things change, and I don't utilize them as much and I drop back down.

 

But with cruises, once you're there, you're there! We will always have more and more people at the tiers, because literally the only way to have someone drop off is when they die! So I could go five years without going on a Royal cruise and I'd still be the same tier- be it Diamond, Diamond plus or whatever.

 

I am trying to think through the difference between and airline, hotel and cruise line that makes this distinction exist. Any thoughts?

 

And just to be clear, I'm NOT advocating for this to change!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
All this talk about Loyalty Program changes is making me nervous; if all goes as planned... I’m scheduled to hit 700+ points in February 2018......please no Pinnacle level changes[emoji33]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

2019 maybe?

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rt1092

rt1092

Posted
Posted
I was told but my room steward on the EN last weekend that they were going to lower the number of points needed to reach Pinnacle since the gap between D+ and Pinnacle is so big:halo:

I don't know if that will be the case. There is already a lot of complaints from Star and Sky class cruisers about Pinnacles.

Plus if they do that the Diamonds will get something taken away

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
I don't know if that will be the case. There is already a lot of complaints from Star and Sky class cruisers about Pinnacles.

Plus if they do that the Diamonds will get something taken away

Beware the halo [emoji6]

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rt1092

rt1092

Posted
Posted

I have been noticing an increase in the number of people making Pinnacle. It's now usually 1 or 2 every cruise. So at 700 points the Pinnacle numbers are getting large.

A lot of cruisers are in the same spot we were a couple of years ago. Somewhere between 450 and 600 points. You realize it is possible, so you up your cruise points to make it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Don Pedro

Don Pedro

Posted
Posted
They get frustrated because the Pinnacles no all the "ins and outs" They don't need "genies to get them through a cruise.

 

They get frustrated because a few pinnacles book the ship's cheapest cabin and then act like they own the ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rt1092

rt1092

Posted
Posted
Pretty sure points in C&A system will go forward using $ spent with Royal instead of cruise nights.

 

Current P’s now will be grandfathered in for 3 years then pts will revert back to previous $ spent on new current system.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I'd bet that's wrong

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

Posted
Posted
So, here's something I find interesting about cruise loyalty programs that stand in stark contrast to airlines, hotels, or just about anything else: Your status can never go down. I have been top tier with different airlines and hotels at different times based on my travel habits. But then things change, and I don't utilize them as much and I drop back down.

 

 

 

But with cruises, once you're there, you're there! We will always have more and more people at the tiers, because literally the only way to have someone drop off is when they die! So I could go five years without going on a Royal cruise and I'd still be the same tier- be it Diamond, Diamond plus or whatever.

 

 

 

I am trying to think through the difference between and airline, hotel and cruise line that makes this distinction exist. Any thoughts?

 

 

 

And just to be clear, I'm NOT advocating for this to change!

 

 

 

I agree. You should have a certain about of points per year(S) to maintain status. Maybe $ per year spent with Royal.

 

That’s the way most other loyalty programs work.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
maryann2

maryann2

Posted
Posted
So, here's something I find interesting about cruise loyalty programs that stand in stark contrast to airlines, hotels, or just about anything else: Your status can never go down. I have been top tier with different airlines and hotels at different times based on my travel habits. But then things change, and I don't utilize them as much and I drop back down.

 

But with cruises, once you're there, you're there! We will always have more and more people at the tiers, because literally the only way to have someone drop off is when they die! So I could go five years without going on a Royal cruise and I'd still be the same tier- be it Diamond, Diamond plus or whatever.

 

I am trying to think through the difference between and airline, hotel and cruise line that makes this distinction exist. Any thoughts?

 

And just to be clear, I'm NOT advocating for this to change!

Costa and MSC already do this. They also grant points with on board spending.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Don Pedro

Don Pedro

Posted
Posted
I agree. You should have a certain about of points per year(S) to maintain status. Maybe $ per year spent with Royal.

 

That’s the way most other loyalty programs work.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I was not able to cruise for several years because my wife had Alzheimer disease. RCCL had been our cruise line of choice. After she passed away I began cruising again with RCCL. Had my C & A status been taken away I probably would not be cruising with them now. Partially because I appreciate the perks but mainly cause I feel penalizing a valued customer because of a serious illness is a crappy thing to do.

 

The intent of the C & A program is to encourage the participants spend their dollars with RCCL ~ Why would they want to do otherwise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Don'tNeedAName

Don'tNeedAName

Posted
Posted
I agree. You should have a certain about of points per year(S) to maintain status. Maybe $ per year spent with Royal.

 

That’s the way most other loyalty programs work.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

My uneducated guess: I think the difference is the target market. This is all anecdotal, so maybe I'm way off base, but airline and hotel status is about creating incentive for their bread and butter: business travelers. Road warriors want to be upgraded to first/business class, have faster check-in, etc., and based on my experience with a lot of travel-heavy employees are much more likely to be loyal to a particular brand (of course it helps that they can then benefit when they travel for their own purposes). Others I know that don't travel a ton for work really don't seem to care about loyalty status anymore (although most of them still at least seem to sign up to accrue points to the extent possible--it's just the status that doesn't seem to matter).

 

Even ignoring business travelers, I suspect the number of people who fly or stay in a hotel multiple times per year is significantly higher than the number of people who cruise multiple times per year (especially because I would bet those people going on multiple cruises per year generally also fall into the population of people flying and staying in hotels multiple times per year as well). Thus, it creates incentive to have lower annual thresholds to meet some loyalty level that even people traveling once every couple of months could hit.

 

By allowing status to remain constant, the cruise lines can at least create some sort of connection with a past cruiser that might sway them to come back for their once-a-year cruise--or once-a-decade cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

Posted
Posted
I was not able to cruise for several years because my wife had Alzheimer disease. RCCL had been our cruise line of choice. After she passed away I began cruising again with RCCL. Had my C & A status been taken away I probably would not be cruising with them now. Partially because I appreciate the perks but mainly cause I feel penalizing a valued customer because of a serious illness is a crappy thing to do.

 

 

 

The intent of the C & A program is to encourage the participants spend their dollars with RCCL ~ Why would they want to do otherwise.

 

 

 

Sorry about your loss.

 

They should make it so you may earn your status back and not start over. Grandfather in for a period of time (TBD).

 

I think most all loyalty programs are changing or have changed. It would be to Royals benefit to reward based on $ spent.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Don Pedro

Don Pedro

Posted
Posted (edited)
Sorry about your loss.

 

They should make it so you may earn your status back and not start over. Grandfather in for a period of time (TBD).

 

I think most all loyalty programs are changing or have changed. It would be to Royals benefit to reward based on $ spent.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That is non-sensical. RCCL has the program so that I'll do all or most of my cruise business with them.. Crown & Anchor is not a society - it is a marketing scheme. Just speaking for myself - if they told me I needed to do XY & Z to get my status back I would tell them to take their cruise line and shove it up their butt. There are plenty of other lines willing to take my money.

 

As far as changing to a dollar based program I really don't care either way. Celebrity bases their program on the type of cabins booked. Not completely dollar based but leaning that way. Since Michael B instituted that policy when he headed up Celebrity it might happen at RCCL.

Edited by Don Pedro
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...