Do You See Your Loyalty Benefits Slowly Slipping Away?

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

  Balcony discount when booking 6 months out.  

? 

[Ramjet1997]

29 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

 

The benefits are not really benefits.  They have no cash value, so letting someone pay for something you get for free, is a good thing.  You still get it for free.

 

WiFi is still a benefit, unless you want to pay for the Key, which you don't, since you already have the benefits for free.

 

What I want, is the "free" items that actually cost money.  The free picture.  The free drinks.  Free wifi for 24 or 48 hours.  Balcony discount when booking 6 months out.  All those items save me money, on a 7 day cruise, about $780.00.  Jump to the front of the line, has no monetary value, therefore, I don't care.

 

You have the most reasonable comments as anyone here.......you put my concerns in perspective.......thank you....

[Iamcruzin]

This topic comes up on every cruise line board. Anyone who chooses a product because of some marketing ploy and are not completely happy with the product is selling themselves short. If you are happy with the product and it continues to meet your needs over time then that's the win. Airlines, cruise lines, department store  and banks are not obligated to provide you with anything more than the service they provide. I think if the cruise lines really wanted to drive sales they should base the loyalty programs towards on board spending alone. It seems that they can fill the ships but have to come up with creative ways for us to let go of our money while on board.  The key costs a lot for benefits that cost the cruise line  very little . Alcohol is one of the biggest profit margins. Giving away free drinks for people who cruise multiple times a year is counter productive. The fact that the loyalty program lounges are packed and people need to reserve a seat early just to get in tells me that this perk is a fail towards the cruise lines bottom line.  

[reallyitsmema]

Posts like this make me laugh.  You are complaining about people getting there an hour early to reserve seats and then post a timeline of how things go.  Seems to me, you would also have to be there, reserving a seat for the entire time if you are able to give us such a detailed report of the happenings.  Pot, meet kettle.

[Andy C]

So Ramjet from Ohio, what was the "ethnic" music?  Curious here.  

[The Fun Researcher]

If I'm not mistaken, nothing is being taken away from your C&A perks.  I do get the frustration with the D lounges if you really value them that much.

 

"The key" is for those who want to pay more to get those extra perks.  Why does that impact C&A perks?  You still have those perks.  If more and more purchase "the key" then yes, there will me more passengers with the same perks as you but time will tell if that really becomes an issue.

Dan

[davekathy]

45 minutes ago, fyree39 said:

I'll bet the ethnic music was hip hop.  "Ethnic" is such an archaic word and really doesn't have much use in today's society.

 

HAL just came up with something similar to the Key club (or whatever it's called).  I think all the lines are looking at the success of Carnival's Faster to the Fun and want some of that free money. These programs make me want to cruise the all-inclusive lines.  This means I'll cruise a lot less, but won't be shoulder-to-shoulder with people pushing to the front of lines or snapping fingers at servers (which is was I saw with tablemates on our last cruise).

Hip-hop is a music genre. Has nothing to do with being Ethnic. 

[molly361]

4 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Well, we got to this pretty quick........

 

Welcome back

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, fyree39 said:

I'll bet the ethnic music was hip hop.  "Ethnic" is such an archaic word and really doesn't have much use in today's society.

 

To many people, "Loud Obnoxious Ethnic" music = music that is not to my personal liking.

 

In my case, I guess that would be opera.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

7 hours ago, mugtech said:

not every bar has ethnic music.

I am not so sure about that!🤔

[Atlantix2000]

17 hours ago, Ramjet1997 said:

The reason I bring this up is the recent announcement concerning the "for a fee, the KEY" program.  I noticed that at least 3 of the Key benefits listed were items which had previously been included in your "Diamond Plus" benefits:

 

1.  Priority Boarding (thought we already had this)

2.  Reserved seating at shows (thought we already had this)

3.  Priority Debarkation (thought we already had this)

 

And the "complimentary internet" is NOT complimentary if you are paying $25 per person for "the Key"!!

 

Do you really think anyone who is Diamond Plus is going to purchase the Key?  It's obviously geared toward new cruisers.  They pay directly for a few perks.  You already get those perks due to your cruise history.  I don't see any conflict here!

[Sunkissed Mommy]

My experience has been "We don't do that on this ship anymore" as a response to certain C&A perks.  We just got off the Indy Monday morning.  I am Diamond and was given group 58 out of 59 for getting off the ship.  Not exactly priority debarkation.  In the past I have usually been given a single-digit group.  It wasn't a huge deal as we ended up carrying our own stuff off in order to get the kids to school on time.  But it can be annoying to see this stuff happen, I get it.

 

 

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

If I'm not mistaken, nothing is being taken away from your C&A perks.  I do get the frustration with the D lounges if you really value them that much.

 

"The key" is for those who want to pay more to get those extra perks.  Why does that impact C&A perks?  You still have those perks.  If more and more purchase "the key" then yes, there will me more passengers with the same perks as you but time will tell if that really becomes an issue.

Dan

 

I've heard they limit how many Keys are sold

[Andy C]

17 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

That's a nice perk of the SL on Oasis ships.  I can drink during that hour before cocktails. And when I'm properly pickled, roll over to CK.

 

And all without having to pay for a pesky suite because you are pinnacle!

[Andy C]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the "ethnic" music was probably hispanic in nature.  #MAGA.

[John&LaLa]

2 minutes ago, Andy C said:

 

And all without having to pay for a pesky suite because you are pinnacle!

 

Duhhh.

 

The system works when you work the system.

[molsonschooner]

1 hour ago, Sunkissed Mommy said:

My experience has been "We don't do that on this ship anymore" as a response to certain C&A perks.  We just got off the Indy Monday morning.  I am Diamond and was given group 58 out of 59 for getting off the ship.  Not exactly priority debarkation.  In the past I have usually been given a single-digit group.  It wasn't a huge deal as we ended up carrying our own stuff off in order to get the kids to school on time.  But it can be annoying to see this stuff happen, I get it.

 

 

If I want an earlier debarkation number I just ask our cabin steward or Guest services. I have never been turned down.

[John&LaLa]

12 minutes ago, Andy C said:

 

And all without having to pay for a pesky suite because you are pinnacle!

 

Serious inquiry. 

 

If I get an upsell to Sky Class, should I be allowed in the CK/SL?

 

If i get a free upgrade to a GS should i receive suite benefits?

 

Should a Sea Class guest with a legitimate reservation be moved from their window seat because a Sky Class guest requests that table?

 

Should a Sea Class guest ever be sat at a window table?

[golfpccc]

The Key Program is suppose to be capped at 90 cabins on the Liberty which is one of the test ships.  The one benefit that may affect D+ and possibly Pinnacles is the reserved seating, as an HD told me, we can’t go reserving half the theater.  This program is still being worked out and several of the perks being offered are not being utilized so changes will be made if they even continue the program.

 

Carla

[Thorben-Hendrik]

5 minutes ago, golfpccc said:

capped at 90 cabins

So that is 180 to 360 passengers!😱

Edited December 13, 2018 by Thorben-Hendrik

[Andy C]

20 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Serious inquiry. 

 

If I get an upsell to Sky Class, should I be allowed in the CK/SL?

 

If i get a free upgrade to a GS should i receive suite benefits?

 

Should a Sea Class guest with a legitimate reservation be moved from their window seat because a Sky Class guest requests that table?

 

Should a Sea Class guest ever be sat at a window table?

 

John, yes, yes, no and yes.  I don't care if you got the suite for $1 or free - if you are in a suite you are absolutely entitled to access.  

[MaritimeR&R]

49 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I've heard they limit how many Keys are sold

One would hope that this would be the case, but  RC tends to look only at the dollar. Case in point --despite knowing that selling over a certain amount of  "connections" puts an unsustainable draw on their internet system and slows the service to dial up, RC will offer 2 for 1 deals a few days before the end of a cruise. Such was the case when I was on a b3b on Adventure in Nov. .37kbps was the norm during the day, RC did the promotion anyway, the fist sailing it took almost 3 minutes to load a response from them on their facebook page, the 2nd week dial up speed and then on day 4 the system crashed-no internet for 12 hours, then day 6 they sold one hour increments. IT guy was pulling his hair out telling everyone the problem was with the satellite and the servers in Miami and Atlanta. He said the current system cant handle so many devices online in the same area at the same time. Too many ships all viing for a their slice of the signal.   

I wish i could say that i believe that they will only sell enough keys to keep it manageable, but I highly doubt it.

[cruisegirl1]

8 hours ago, runner15km said:

We Gold members are angry and upset with the D's taking up space at the pool bars with your 3 drink coupons.  LOL 

 

Only if you are there after 4:30 or 5:00, as that is when the happy hour(s)  kicks in. No free diamond drinks during the day.   Must be the drink package people taking up the space. 

 

M

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I've heard they limit how many Keys are sold

 

I heard that too. But I think we have the same source.

[vacationlover_mn]

I hope we get 3 free drinks by the time we’re diamond!  Likely 3 years from now...