If Captain's Club changes come to Crown & Anchor . . .

[molly361]

21 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

We have met a lot of good friends in the DL....so we would miss it 

You can meet them in another bar

[island lady]

42 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Good stuff. On Serenade, someone in the CL pitched a fit that others ate his stinky cheese. 😂 

 

OMG!!  Too funny!  🤣

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

OMG!!  Too funny!  🤣

It’s true. He was pretty vocal about it too. 

[George C]

7 hours ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

That’s right although we prefer the RCG diamond lounge especially for the longer hours as we tend to go in late we’ve always enjoyed the ambiance of the lounges of Celebrity.

Definitely prefer rccl perks to Celebrity, unless you are in a suite , suite lounge and restaurant are way better on Celebrity 

[danv3]

The cruise lines are struggling to stay afloat (pun intended).  X's changes to the Captain's Club are just one sign of what's to come.  We all have higher prices and diminished offerings to look forward to. 

[twangster]

3 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Good stuff. On Serenade, someone in the CL pitched a fit that others ate his stinky cheese. 😂 

 

Sorry, that was probably my fault.  I had to scoop up the little bit they put out before he did the same to me.  

[yogimax]

11 hours ago, little britain said:

On Celebrity the hours are 5-7p only ( and not held in first night or Gala night either).

And the hors d'oeuvres are distributed by servers.

[yogimax]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Yes..yes!!  Bucky loves the "stinky cheese".  😄 

Here's a little trick..

 

They will often have the blue cheese at lunch.  Bucky can take a soup bowl, fill it up and have as much as he wants.

[Seville2Cabo]

1 minute ago, yogimax said:

Here's a little trick..

 

They will often have the blue cheese at lunch.  Bucky can take a soup bowl, fill it up and have as much as he wants.

Next thread.  How to stop blue cheese hogs

[Ashland]

5 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Cocunut shrimp with sweet chili sauce

Yes...I left out the most important word "coconut" 

[mugtech]

A 14 day cruise we were looking at in Asia in 2022 increased by $1,000 for an inside for two.  We don't drink alcohol, priced us out of that cruise, probably will never sail X if that is the result for other cruises.

[twangster]

6 minutes ago, mugtech said:

A 14 day cruise we were looking at in Asia in 2022 increased by $1,000 for an inside for two.  We don't drink alcohol, priced us out of that cruise, probably will never sail X if that is the result for other cruises.

 

That's what I'm seeing too.  

 

I never buy drink packages on long cruises, the free loyalty drinks for being elite worked for me.    Now I'm forced into a drink package.

 

I Imagine for the folks that like to disconnect on a cruise they'll feel the same way being forced to pay for wifi they won't use.

[Milwaukee Eight]

2 hours ago, yogimax said:

And the hors d'oeuvres are distributed by servers.

Probably new norm across all cruise lines. 

[ILCTCRUISER]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

That's what I'm seeing too.  

 

I never buy drink packages on long cruises, the free loyalty drinks for being elite worked for me.    Now I'm forced into a drink package.

 

I Imagine for the folks that like to disconnect on a cruise they'll feel the same way being forced to pay for wifi they won't use.

When it comes right down to it, and I’m adding this in support of what @twangsterhad just said and has said in the past (assuming I understand everything he’s said), it all comes down to marginal utility:  How do we choose to spend our next dollar?  The “buying” proposal tends to change over time, whether it’s a product or service.  It’s our decision, as buyers, to decide if that proposal makes sense for us, is worth our hard earned dollars.  Consider the airlines:  it wasn’t all that terribly long ago when you paid a fare and the fare INCLUDED your luggage.  Luggage fees.  They were added to the mix and each and every person who looked at fares on carriers that charged a checked-bag fee had the option to accept the fee or fly another carrier or drive?  And now we have had changes with cruises...but haven’t we had changes in the past?  X:  the all-inclusive proposal.  You review it.  If it makes sense to you, you buy.  If it doesn’t you buy elsewhere.

 

We currently have 3 RCL cruises booked and one Oceania.  The Oceania is July so our hope is that it will go.  The RCLs?  Coin toss.  Paying a lot more on the Oceania than I’d pay on RCL or X.  It made sense so we booked.  And we’ll continue to do the same for RCL.  We’ve enjoyed RCL over the years and our D+ perks.  But and I dread using this phrase, It is what it is!  If X has decided to make those changes, it is, after all, their bat and ball.  If RCL decides to make similar changes, then we will consider whether or not that’s how and where we want to spend our next dollar.

[Ocean Boy]

5 hours ago, danv3 said:

The cruise lines are struggling to stay afloat (pun intended).  X's changes to the Captain's Club are just one sign of what's to come.  We all have higher prices and diminished offerings to look forward to. 

They need to be careful as to how high those prices go, and how deminished the offerings are, if they want to continue to have access to my credit card.

[John&LaLa]

10 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

The perks today are worth little to nothing, except for maybe the free cruises. The perks are just designed to make you feel special, nothing much to lose.

 

Totally disagree if you are referring to the existing perks.  At least for those who are Pinnacle.  Loyalty definitely has its perks

[Ocean Boy]

25 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

The perks today are worth little to nothing, except for maybe the free cruises. The perks are just designed to make you feel special, nothing much to lose.

The balcony discount is worth exactly the amount that it reduces my cruise fare by.

[twangster]

The value of loyalty perks are in the eye of the beholder.  For some they work better than for others. 

 

As a wine drinker the higher I climbed above ~350 the better the perks got.  I stopped bringing any wine on board because I was given bottle after bottle and they became more drinkable as I climbed. 

 

Definitely didn't need the drink package, just bought a few drinks such as a beer or frozen something by the pool during the day when I was so inclined.  Between CAS wine, happy hour and buying a few drinks I'm way ahead.  I call it my hybrid drink plan.  

 

The balcony discount also gets better as you climb.  I often see balcony rates at or below OV rates now.   I definitely book more balconies now.  

 

The biggest problem I have is with the solo discount that always makes RCI cheapest.  That makes it darn hard to justify trying another cruise line when solo.  

 

Up to this point I've spent nearly $4k on Voom plans over the years.  Pinnacles get that free.  For someone who needs to be connected for work, have elderly parents or just desire to be connected that's a huge perk.

 

[xpcdoojk]

So, since we got lifted and shifted to a TA in fall 2021... I checked out doing an Avalon river cruise.  We booked one in 2014 on the Eastern Danube it was about $800 a day per couple.  It was a great trip, we did more on land pre and post at much cheaper per day prices in Hungary and Romania, and had points for Vienna so while the cruise was expensive the trip was pretty reasonable.  So, 2015 rolls around and I get a deal for a wine cruise on Avalon on the Rhine, and because it was end of season it was only about $600 per night.  Afterwards we drove around France for a few nights and had a lovely time before we went to Versailles the day of the Paris attack... so we stayed at the Hilton property (not hilton brand right next to Versailles on points) lovely hotel, but no visiting the palace.  Next day we took the train into Paris and stayed at the Marriott on the Champs...  using points and it was like boarding a plane everytime we went in or out.  Everything. But restaurants and grocery shops were closed until the last night we were there.  Again, a reasonable vacation.

 

So, I was shocked in this age of no travel booking a river cruise was about $1100 a night...  That is insane and according to the TA that is the way it is.  

 

So, X, RCI heck Silverseas is looking more reasonable all of the time.

 

jc

[compman9]

6 hours ago, Heymarco said:

The perks today are worth little to nothing, except for maybe the free cruises. The perks are just designed to make you feel special, nothing much to lose.

 

Each alcoholic drink costs around ten bucks. 

 

DW and I might have four (she might have six, but don't tell her I told you) per night = $80

 

If you think $1120 saving over a two week cruise is little too nothing, would you like to adopt us? 🤣

[Norwich Cruiser]

6 hours ago, Heymarco said:

The perks today are worth little to nothing, except for maybe the free cruises. The perks are just designed to make you feel special, nothing much to lose.

They make us feel a little special and we certainly enjoy many of the free perks.

 

We normally take advantage of

 

The balcony discount 

 

Priority check in

 

Diamond Club

 

Behind the scenes tours

 

Internet

 

Wash and fold

 

Robes

 

Priority seating at various shows 

 

So yes to us it’s an excellent perk and hopefully it’ll stay in some sort of way.

 

 

[island lady]

17 hours ago, yogimax said:

Here's a little trick..

 

They will often have the blue cheese at lunch.  Bucky can take a soup bowl, fill it up and have as much as he wants.

 

We used to get it on the "cheese plate" appetizer you could have delivered to your cabin.  On one ship, the dining room staff knew he loved it and would have a plate of it at our table on arrival.  😉 

[island lady]

12 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Totally disagree if you are referring to the existing perks.  At least for those who are Pinnacle.  Loyalty definitely has its perks

 

Exactly...It was a huge difference for me when we turned D+ way back when as well.  Lots of money saving perks...that is what it is all about.  Not to mention the balcony discount as well.  😉 

[molly361]

I can't tell you how me we have saved in alcohol purchases  HIC!!🍹🍻

[ipeeinthepool]

On 11/19/2020 at 9:20 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

Cocunut shrimp with sweet chili sauce

 

I like the little hot dogs