Difference between Elite, Ultra and Premier cruises

[RambleRocket]

Hello All!

 

I currently received offers for a Premier Cruise, an Ultra Cruise, and an Elite Cruise.  The Premier and Ultra offers came with the same amount in FunPlay.  The Elite offer comes with less FunPlay.

 

I'm having difficulty understanding the difference between the three.  I've been on a Premier and Ultra cruise before, but not an Elite.

 

Need some guidance here!  Any info is most welcome!

[lazydayz]

Elite is awesome.  Free parking or transportation to the ship from hotel or airport.  Cheers for two.  Free shore excursion.  Two free bottles of alcohol for your cabin.  Early online checkin and priority luggage handling.  Basically get the VIP treatment.  

[K_e_short]

The bottom of this website page gives a description of the different levels of offers for Casino offers.

 

https://www.cclpromos.com/carnivalplayersclub/

 

There are other offers (Plan Now. Play Later, Hot Streak Bonus, Jackpot Bonus) that aren't listed on the website as well.

[sgttami]

Elite also gives free drinks anywhere on the ship, not just in the casino.

The prize drawings are more money than Premier and Ultra.

More comps to Steakhouse and alternative restaurants and overall, more perks.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I had one Elite booked - and had to cancel. Have not seen another offer like that come my way in the last couple of years. Should have tried harder to make that sailing!!

 

We're booked under an Ultra promo for the MG next month. It would have been REALLY nice to have the CHEERS package (of an Elite promo) as opposed to the "free drinks in the casino while you're playing" Ultra gig...

 

Tom

[64funwhisper]

hey Tom have you been on a Elite ? I have one booked Oct 2nd how soon do they notify you on parking and liquor for your room - was it fun ?  thanks

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

13 minutes ago, 64funwhisper said:

hey Tom have you been on a Elite ? I have one booked Oct 2nd how soon do they notify you on parking and liquor for your room - was it fun ?  thanks

 

Unfortunately not - I just had that one booked, which we had to cancel.  😞

 

Tom

[def0715]

How does one qualify for Elite? Doing my first Ultra in November after having one canceled, and I did a Premier in Australia.

[lazydayz]

4 minutes ago, def0715 said:

How does one qualify for Elite? Doing my first Ultra in November after having one canceled, and I did a Premier in Australia.

Not sure but if you gamble on your Ultra, you will likely get an Elite invite.  I think that is how I got mine.  

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

5 minutes ago, def0715 said:

How does one qualify for Elite? Doing my first Ultra in November after having one canceled, and I did a Premier in Australia.

 

I'm pretty sure that there's not a public formula. I don't know of any particular criteria which would earn you those offers. Probably a few factors involved.

 

Tom

[gopackgo21]

I've heard you have to get over 20,000 points on an Ultra. However, that isn't entirely true. My MIL went on her first cruise with us and all I can say is "Like Mother, Like Son". She received an Elite after her first cruise. My husband didn't get his first offer until after we went on an Ultra. I normally end around 10,000 casino points and I've only received Ultra and Premier.

[def0715]

Thanks. Casino offers/promos seem to be a bit of a mystery. 🙂

[K_e_short]

12 minutes ago, def0715 said:

Thanks. Casino offers/promos seem to be a bit of a mystery. 🙂

 

I gambled $1000 USD on one cruise in March of 2018.

 

I currently have ultra, premier, getaway, along with plan now. pay later deal. I had a jackpot deal (free drinks everywhere) but booked two cruises so it no longer shows up.

 

Just trying to say I am not a big gambler and am getting pretty good deals.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Just now, K_e_short said:

 

I gambled $1000 USD on one cruise in March of 2018.

 

I currently have ultra, premier, getaway, along with plan now. pay later deal. I had a jackpot deal (free drinks everywhere) but booked two cruises so it no longer shows up.

 

Just trying to say I am not a big gambler and am getting pretty good deals.

 

You're being groomed 😁

[K_e_short]

1 minute ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

You're being groomed 😁

 

Yeah well.. on our December cruise I am sitting at the pool all day because I live in Ottawa and will be happy to not have cold snowy weather.

For our summer 2022 cruise we will be doing excursions almost every day (Iceland/Scotland/Ireland).

 

I don't think Carnival is going to get a good deal out of me. 🙂

[RambleRocket]

Thanks all!  I’m still trying to decide, but this really helps!

[EngIceDave]

Wait a minute, I am a (very good) casino offer, is there a label for that on the online reservation?

 

I thought it said that, then can't find on reservation.

[Happicruzrr]

I have tried all but the elite (never earned an invite) and have decided never to do another.  When they first started them the gifts and contests were awesome and the amount if invitees was small. The last ultra I went on was terrible. Hundreds at the parties and jam packed casino, prize was a bottle opener and $300 in fun play, and thr contests were few and small prizes. You had to be a major player to get the hosts attention or a good cruise offer. Now we avoid them. If we see one is happening on a cruise we are considering,  we try to book a different one. 

[momin05]

My dad gets these offers. We have one booked for August. The rate code is O3M. It is a free balcony room, $500 in fun play and free drinks anywhere on the ship. It doesn’t call it specifically a premier, etc cruise. Does anyone know any more specifics about this rate code?  Does it come with any other perks? And one specific question, is the drink offer really Cheers, and if so, does my mother get it too?  The email offer doesn’t say anything about “and travel companion”. But if it is really Cheers, should it include both?  

[mondello]

3 hours ago, momin05 said:

My dad gets these offers. We have one booked for August. The rate code is O3M. It is a free balcony room, $500 in fun play and free drinks anywhere on the ship. It doesn’t call it specifically a premier, etc cruise. Does anyone know any more specifics about this rate code?  Does it come with any other perks? And one specific question, is the drink offer really Cheers, and if so, does my mother get it too?  The email offer doesn’t say anything about “and travel companion”. But if it is really Cheers, should it include both?  

Offer is only good for specified person(s), if good for both it will say, " and for companion, too."

Also, some offers are "drinks everywhere on the ship." Some only good for, "drinks while playing in the casino."

Edited July 8, 2021 by mondello
Addition

[K_e_short]

3 hours ago, momin05 said:

My dad gets these offers. We have one booked for August. The rate code is O3M. It is a free balcony room, $500 in fun play and free drinks anywhere on the ship. It doesn’t call it specifically a premier, etc cruise. Does anyone know any more specifics about this rate code?  Does it come with any other perks? And one specific question, is the drink offer really Cheers, and if so, does my mother get it too?  The email offer doesn’t say anything about “and travel companion”. But if it is really Cheers, should it include both?  

 Click on the Terms and Conditions for each rate code. They get so confusing so I read the description a few times to make sure that I am getting what I want.

I also email the casino to confirm the offer (just me, travel companion, drinks at casino versus everywhere, etc)

[EZ1]

On 7/4/2021 at 10:00 PM, lazydayz said:

Elite is awesome.  Free parking or transportation to the ship from hotel or airport.  Cheers for two.  Free shore excursion.  Two free bottles of alcohol for your cabin.  Early online checkin and priority luggage handling.  Basically get the VIP treatment.  

Just did the Horizon elite July 4'21! Had a great time, good to be back on a ship. You have a choice of the free excursion for 2, or $300 spa money for 1 or 2. Also got nice elite heavy keychain in cabin, soda, &  food treats, as well as an elite duffle bag. Also nitely elite only happenings in the casino, like Hot Seat, Matilda, etc.

[OnceBitten]

On 7/8/2021 at 2:42 PM, momin05 said:

My dad gets these offers. We have one booked for August. The rate code is O3M. It is a free balcony room, $500 in fun play and free drinks anywhere on the ship. It doesn’t call it specifically a premier, etc cruise. Does anyone know any more specifics about this rate code?  Does it come with any other perks? And one specific question, is the drink offer really Cheers, and if so, does my mother get it too?  The email offer doesn’t say anything about “and travel companion”. But if it is really Cheers, should it include both?  

Not sure if you ever got an answer to this qustion...but the "free drinks anywhere on the ship" package is now called "OnUs Everywhere" I think, and it's comparable to Cheers.  Accepted everywhere onboard, 15 drinks a day 6am-6pm, $20 max per drink (to exclude ultra premium spirits, which are generally priced $21 a pour and up), etc.  You also get free sodas, premium beverages like coffees, milkshakes, etc.  The only *real* difference is that you don't get the 25% discount on non-comp purchases like you do with Cheers.  Hope this helps!

[cruisinqt]

On 7/5/2021 at 10:31 AM, 64funwhisper said:

hey Tom have you been on a Elite ? I have one booked Oct 2nd how soon do they notify you on parking and liquor for your room - was it fun ?  thanks

I’ve been on several Elite cruises and I really like them. They will send you an email about 3 weeks before your cruise. There’s a link so you can arrange for free parking or car service to and from the cruise. It’s in a nice luxury sedan or SUV. It can be from anywhere not just the airport so we usually book ours from the hotel to the port pre cruise then from the port to the airport post cruise. You also select your choice of alcohol and mixers to be in your cabin. You can choose a free excursion from the list or use the $300 elsewhere like the spa. They have several cash giveaways at the Elite party and everyone gets an Elite lanyard. In the casino they have lots of cash giveaways for Elite cruisers too. You’ll get a big fruit basket with cheese and crackers it’s the $50 one in the fun shops. They give you several gifts and more bottles of wine mid week. The free room service is really good you can order anything steaks, bottles of wine, dessert etc. We usually order a couple 12 packs of soda to keep in our fridge. The free drinks anywhere is really nice on the ships with the Shake Spot. Their spiked milkshakes are amazing, especially the white chocolate truffle. If we see an Elite cruise we usually try to book it because we love being pampered. 

[samiam0403]

Just to clarify a few comments made here, you definitely do not need to sail on an Ultra or earn a set number of points on an Ultra before you get an Elite offer. My first Elite cruise was in summer of 2019, and I didn't sail on an Ultra until March of 2020. (And thanks to COVID, we missed pretty much every port and returned to the world being shut down.) I won't do another Ultra (waaaaaay too crowded), but have 2 more Elites booked for this summer in Europe. The Elites are capacity controlled - I was told by the casino folks that they will only book 50 cabins max per cruise.