Lanyards - no joke

[Lottacruises]

Maybe since carnival advertises a free gift on each sailing as a perk people expect more than a 10 cent lanyard. Did it ruin my cruise? Yeah, ok.

[Organized Chaos]

2 hours ago, RoperDK said:

 I've been Platinum for a long time.  I've never complained about the gift. Of course, I've been able to use some more than others. If I can't use the gift it is either given to someone or returned to guest services with a thank you very much, but I already have several of these items so please pass this along for the next cruise. I may be in the minority, but the other Platinum benefits are far more important to me (priority embarkation, debarkation, laundry, and GS line).  I cruise different lines. I cruise for the ship, itinerary, and product satisfaction. The loyalty level is secondary for me.  If the product quality falters then I will move on. It is true that we all benefit from an improved product. I think it would a mistake to abandon repeat cruisers. Hotels, airlines, and cruise lines need repeat customers along with the occasional newcomer. Just my opinion. 

 

I agree with everything you said, but you kind of lost me (just a little bit) there at the end. I don't think they'd ever dream of abandoning repeat cruisers. But you have to admit, when many of them act ungrateful for what they are given for their loyalty and go around spreading bad PR, that would cause just about any company to think twice about the definition of brand loyalty. And something else I slightly disagree with...I think Carnival (and other companies) need more than just the "occasional" newcomer. You have to keep drawing new customers in because the "old" ones aren't an infinite resource.

 

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

Even hotels, airlines, and restaurants will give you something for free that's actually worth something if you frequent them enough. Could be a flight, meal, or a free room. Priority anything isn't worth one cent ........ and you have to spend thousands to get that nothingness. This isn't just the case on Carnival but most of the other lines as well as their loyalty benefits are a joke too. 

 

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

Loyalty programs are nice for repeat customers, and they should not be cheapened with trinkets like a lanyard.  Hotels give loyal customers free nights or upgraded rooms, and and one can fly free with an airlines' freq. flyer program.  A lanyard? Gimmee a break.

 

You can't compare a discounted or free night at a hotel, or a free meal at a restaurant, to a cruise. A cruise is basically a (floating) all-inclusive resort. That's a huge difference. Besides, many of you are only comparing the free gift to other loyalty programs. You're leaving out all the other perks that are given to P/D's for their loyalty.

[Lee Cruiser]

7 hours ago, CruiseRonJulie said:

I am only Gold and really appreciate a free drink. Not sure I could ask for more other than the best cruise Carnival can provide.

I actually liked the free drink coupon at gold level better than the one at platinum.  With the gold one you could at least use it at different places besides just at brunch in the dining room.  We don't drink alcohol, but we could use the gold one to get a milkshake at Java Blue.  We didn't even use the platinum ones on our last cruise.

[jmcathome]

8 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

How about more on board credit, how about a free shore excursion,  free gratuities,  more drinks, more specialty dining credits, casino play,  specialty coffees,  anything of real dollar value. Not a 99 cent lanyard, and priority for this or that which has no dollar value. 

How about an ink pen for my room

[Markmom18]

2 hours ago, crzndeb said:

But I do enjoy those 3 1/2 hours of drinks and the Cappuccino in the morning on Royal. 😉 

 

 

 

As a person who no longer drinks alcohol, it really stands out how many perks are related to free drinks. So, 3 hours of free sparkling water is nothing that great, IMO. 😁  

 

I have a 1 more cruise to book till I make the next tier.

 

I always pay for  FTTF. So, I'm excited about getting this Perk. 🤗

 

🌻🌻

Bobbi 

 

P.S

  We been cruising, these past couple of decades on Carnival or Royal. IDK why but booking Suites on RCCL we got to Diamond pretty quickly. We've sailed more times on Carnival, but it's taken a bit of time to make it up the Gold Ladder. 

Edited June 25, 2019 by Markmom18

[BlerkOne]

My doctor doesn't give me anything except a bill, no matter how much money I spend. And airlines sell priority right and left, and unlike Carnival, charge an annual fee for their credit cards. Airline miles can expire and once you use them they are gone. The price of free airline seats keep going up and availability decreasing.

 

Whether they realize it or not, or like it, P/D cruisers aren't the bread and butter customers for Carnival. Many got there on free or discounted cruises as gamblers.

[blarko]

Can someone post a photo of the lanyards so us lowly gold cards can see what we’re working towards?

[2wheelin]

The lanyards are “cheap” “worth about 10 cents” “an insult” “I would never dream of using one” but lets give them to a poor “lower level” cruiser who would obviously adore them. 

[RoperDK]

16 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

I agree with everything you said, but you kind of lost me (just a little bit) there at the end. I don't think they'd ever dream of abandoning repeat cruisers. But you have to admit, when many of them act ungrateful for what they are given for their loyalty and go around spreading bad PR, that would cause just about any company to think twice about the definition of brand loyalty. And something else I slightly disagree with...I think Carnival (and other companies) need more than just the "occasional" newcomer. You have to keep drawing new customers in because the "old" ones aren't an infinite resource.

 

 

Yes, I dislike hearing people complain about the free gift.  It adds fuel to the fire for the P/D haters on that other place that we can't mention here. For me personally, I would prefer they discontinue the gift.  The gift is the only thing that I hear complaints about. I believe the other benefits are really appreciated.  I know that Carnival caters to the first time cruiser and that is great. Many family cruisers are repeat customers and do so because Carnival caters to families and does so at a good value.  The value is what I believe is Carnival's strong suit. I still cruise Carnival, but I feel the decrease in food quality and over worked crew needs to be addressed or there might be many "one and done" Carnival cruisers. There's a lot of competition out there.      

[RoperDK]

15 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

  We been cruising, these past couple of decades on Carnival or Royal. IDK why but booking Suites on RCCL we got to Diamond pretty quickly. We've sailed more times on Carnival, but it's taken a bit of time to make it up the Gold Ladder. 

 

  On RCCL you get double points for booking a suite.  You are able to make loyalty tiers with half the cruises of others booked in a balcony or below. A nice perk!

[RoperDK]

15 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Whether they realize it or not, or like it, P/D cruisers aren't the bread and butter customers for Carnival. Many got there on free or discounted cruises as gamblers.

 

I agree that P/D aren't the bread and butter customers. However, one point that doesn't seem to occur to people is that most of those P/D cruisers brought family and friends to the Carnival product along the way and now they are repeat customers. I'm sure that Carnival has that figured out. Just wanted to clear up a point....free gambler cruises do not get points. Discounted cruises do. 

[Lottacruises]

16 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

 

As a person who no longer drinks alcohol, it really stands out how many perks are related to free drinks. So, 3 hours of free sparkling water is nothing that great, IMO. 😁  

 

I have a 1 more cruise to book till I make the next tier.

 

I always pay for  FTTF. So, I'm excited about getting this Perk. 🤗

 

🌻🌻

Bobbi 

 

P.S

  We been cruising, these past couple of decades on Carnival or Royal. IDK why but booking Suites on RCCL we got to Diamond pretty quickly. We've sailed more times on Carnival, but it's taken a bit of time to make it up the Gold Ladder. 

 

I saw your son on the dream a few days ago. I didn't tell him hi from you this time. Great kid

[Lottacruises]

48 minutes ago, RoperDK said:

 

I agree that P/D aren't the bread and butter customers. However, one point that doesn't seem to occur to people is that most of those P/D cruisers brought family and friends to the Carnival product along the way and now they are repeat customers. I'm sure that Carnival has that figured out. Just wanted to clear up a point....free gambler cruises do not get points. Discounted cruises do. 

 

 

Agreed. We don't go for their raffles wait all the way through the speech, or their guess the price of the art,  or the free champagne. We do, however, introduce a lot of people to cruising. 

 

People always tell me I must get great deals since I cruise so often. Nope, I get a lanyard.

[marsh-angler]

On ‎6‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 11:57 AM, Alabaster Cruiser said:

Please don't take them to guest services or leave them on the ship.  I want them to run out of them!

The casino dealers may want a change from the Skittles! I now ask the dealers if they were the recipient of the Skittle Award. 

[vicky3vicky]

There is a fairly lengthy list of small perks, gestures of appreciation, once a person hits the Platinum level. One of them is the gift. What is so nice about the gift, is, that if you do not read Cruise Critic, it will be a surprise. How nice, all those nice gestures, and one token gift that is a surprise. I will be a tiny bit dissapointed if the token gift is a lanyard, only because it won't be a surprise, but I will still appreciate it.

[AmazedByCruising]

1 minute ago, vicky3vicky said:

I will be a tiny bit dissapointed if the token gift is a lanyard, only because it won't be a surprise, but I will still appreciate it.

 

I can think of cheap gifts that are not a lanyard but a nice surprise to get. Actual navigational charts, DVDs simply showing just the webcam from the bridge for the whole cruise, the recipees for all meals served. For very high levels, not too many per ship, a signed picture of the Captain and you while he acts as if he's the waiter. 

[Organized Chaos]

2 hours ago, RoperDK said:

I still cruise Carnival, but I feel the decrease in food quality and over worked crew needs to be addressed or there might be many "one and done" Carnival cruisers. There's a lot of competition out there.      

 

We really like the food, but the move to decrease the number of service staff (like stewards & MDR staff) was a big mistake. For what, to save a buck? If quality of service goes down and it angers customers, it ain't worth the money saved. I remember reading comments from someone who was on the Horizon a couple months ago. He went into the sports bar and there were a bunch of people in there watching a golf game on TV, but there wasn't a bartender. People had to go get their drinks from the nearest bar and bring them back. Seriously? It's their sports bar, there's a sporting event on TV, and they wouldn't even post a bartender. Surely they could've spare one bartender to post up in there.

 

Their customers, especially on this forum, have been very vocal about how they feel about service crew that a spread thin, along with overworked stewards (w/ their teams) and MDR staff. Sometimes it seems like Carnival just doesn't listen. Or maybe they're listening and just don't care. We've already seen them repeatedly thumb their nose at maritime environmental laws, but that's another topic.

[Alabaster Cruiser]

1 hour ago, marsh-angler said:

The casino dealers may want a change from the Skittles! I now ask the dealers if they were the recipient of the Skittle Award. 

And I bet a lot of them have!😃

[BlerkOne]

3 hours ago, RoperDK said:

 

I agree that P/D aren't the bread and butter customers. However, one point that doesn't seem to occur to people is that most of those P/D cruisers brought family and friends to the Carnival product along the way and now they are repeat customers. I'm sure that Carnival has that figured out. Just wanted to clear up a point....free gambler cruises do not get points. Discounted cruises do. 

 

P/D may bring friends and family, as may cruisers at lower levels. That's a one shot deal. It is up to Carnival to get them back for a second cruise. Carnival knows. I imagine Carnival has the mix of customers they desire.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

 

Their customers, especially on this forum, have been very vocal about how they feel about service crew that a spread thin, along with overworked stewards (w/ their teams) and MDR staff. Sometimes it seems like Carnival just doesn't listen. Or maybe they're listening and just don't care. We've already seen them repeatedly thumb their nose at maritime environmental laws, but that's another topic.

What cruise line hasn't done all of the above?

[GUT2407]

Maybe $1 OBC. Wow a free gift, but people still complain.

[Organized Chaos]

33 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

What cruise line hasn't done all of the above?

 

The fact that other lines do it doesn't make it right.

[BlerkOne]

10 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

The fact that other lines do it doesn't make it right.

 

What about the fact that you confused Princess and Carnival re: environmental laws?

[Organized Chaos]

12 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

 

What about the fact that you confused Princess and Carnival re: environmental laws?

 

No confusion at all. Carnival ships were among the ones caught violating those laws while on probation. Not to mention they're all under the umbrella of Carnival Corp., who is ultimately responsible.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Organized Chaos

[hotsauce126]

On 6/24/2019 at 1:29 PM, Garth2 said:

 

Carnival just announced that it will now charge $1 to punch a hole in a Sail & Sign card, but platinum and diamond guests will receive a $.50 discount.

 

Platinum and diamond people would pay a premium for it because the reason half of them like the lanyards is so they can show off their loyalty program status