Carnival Redesigning the VIFP program?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

4 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

Oh, Flush it Tom. You sit on the toilet like everyone else. 😉🤣

 

But, do I ? ?    😉

 

Tom

[ShakyBeef]

39 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

With as little as Carnival does for suites, it would truly be a shame if they started trimming around the edges!

 

(Carnival - pretty much the only major line which does not offer coffee makers in suites, let alone most cabins)

 

Tom

 

I always said that Carnival should include the FTTF benefits in Suite perks and just raise the price of Suites by the price of FTTF.  And decrease the number of FTTF sold on each sailing by the number of Suites.  Same amount of money in Carnival's coffers, same number of "priority" passengers on each sailing.  Happier Suite guests.  More passengers willing to pay for Suites since there would be perceivable perks to add to the value of the cabin choice.  Everybody wins!😁  It seems that they have possibly done this now (Suites get priority check-in, embarkation & debarkation, Suites ready upon embarkation, priority dinner reservations & main dining room time assignment, priority tender). 

 

But do Suite guests get to use the priority Guest Services line onboard?  I thought I had recently seen a picture somewhere (possibly in someone's review) of the sign posted at the VIP GS line designating it for Diamonds, Platinums, and Suites (no FTTF currently).  This is a Platinum perk I would definitely miss if it were taken away and not included in Suite perks.

 

ETA:  Before turning Platinum, I bought FTTF and thought of it as DIY Suite perks.  But didn't like the doubt of being able to get it and the stress of having to watch out for it and "fight" for it.

Edited September 1, 2022 by ShakyBeef

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I’ve been surprised by how often the pilots are late or even noshowed.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 minute ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I’ve been surprised by how often the pilots are late or even noshowed.

 

Perhaps I've been in the dark (and that could explain some late departures), but I've never heard of that. Given what they typically make - you'd think they'd be Johnny-on-the-spot !

 

Tom

[MagnoliaBlossom]

11 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Perhaps I've been in the dark (and that could explain some late departures), but I've never heard of that. Given what they typically make - you'd think they'd be Johnny-on-the-spot !

 

Tom

There are several episodes where the pilot is almost an hour late and one where he never showed at all and the captain who was familiar with the,port docked it himself.   Most of the delays were with arrivals, I only remember one related to a departure.  It’s a very interesting show.  Last night we watched the Sky Princess.   We tape them so we always have a few in the bin.   The Viking River Cruise one was quite interesting.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 minute ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

There are several episodes where the pilot is almost an hour late and one where he never showed at all and the captain who was familiar with the,port docked it himself.   Most of the delays were with arrivals, I only remember one related to a departure.  It’s a very interesting show.  Last night we watched the Sky Princess.   We tape them so we always have a few in the bin.   The Viking River Cruise one was quite interesting.

 

Gotcha - you were referring to something you've seen on shows.

 

Tom

[MagnoliaBlossom]

1 minute ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Gotcha - you were referring to something you've seen on shows.

 

Tom

Yes, we were discussing the show on Smithsonian channel, Mighty Cruise Ships”, but it looks as throw the quote I was responding to didn’t get linked somehow, so that’s confusing.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

1 minute ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Yes, we were discussing the show on Smithsonian channel, Mighty Cruise Ships”, but it looks as throw the quote I was responding to didn’t get linked somehow, so that’s confusing.

Tom, it referred back to post 69

[ProgRockCruiser]

21 hours ago, Top_of_the_Cube said:

He reiterated that Carnival's marketing is geared towards first-time cruisers who live within driving distance of one of their embarkation ports.  They have such a high number of repeat cruisers that they don't necessarily put much emphasis on "rewarding" them, but instead try to maintain a consistent experience that attracted them in the first place.

That is really why we continue to sail with Carnival - we are looking for that "consistent experience", we drive to the port, and none of the other lines offer anything "special enough" to make us want to try them out.  But we're not super experienced cruisers, just Gold, and gladly associate with a younger crowd.

 

Maybe in 10 years, when we're looking to retire and have grown tired of the Carnival Plat/Diamond experience we'll switch over to another line.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

22 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

...

 

Maybe in 10 years, when we're looking to retire and have grown tired of the Carnival Plat/Diamond experience we'll switch over to another line.

 

You might want to try getting a couple notches on the bedposts of a couple other lines in the meantime - then you can hit the ground running later.  🙂

 

Tom

[topaz123]

So why should Carnival offer more perks?  There are already so many Plat/Diamond on the ship that the priority tender is a joke.  So is boarding.

 

 

True....last cruise we were waiting to board ( Diamond) then began boarding............., 30 seconds later they called Platinum.

[KyloRen]

On 8/30/2022 at 4:53 PM, DrSea said:

Seriously, they really need to revamp the program. Gold status honestly is trash (hate me all you want, but you know it's true). A pin (that I get charged a penny for) and sometimes a free drink (that sometimes is very hard to redeem due to system issues and it not showing up)...Terrible...just terrible...

 

Thankfully I don't cruise for these fringe benefits. But I have no delusions about how terrible they are when you are not Pl or Diamond. 

I feel like Gold status is WAY too easy to get into and takes WAY too long to get out of. I’m literally just leaving it and I’ve been on a dozen + damn cruises since getting in

[KyloRen]

On 8/31/2022 at 7:20 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

They need a level above Diamond - perhaps where real/tangible perks might be found (free or discounted CHEERS and/or WiFi). The "once in your lifetime" steakhouse perk for attaining Diamond is pathetic.

 

They need to offer additional points beyond 1 point per day. Such as extra points for booking certain promos, cabin levels, onboard spend, etc. This will incentivize people to spend more (good for the corporation) - especially if the carrot at the end of the stick has real appeal.

 

Carnival needs to step up to the plate...

Tom

Here’s your 30

 dollar steak! Thanks for spending 100,000$!

[ledges1]

56 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

That is really why we continue to sail with Carnival - we are looking for that "consistent experience", we drive to the port, and none of the other lines offer anything "special enough" to make us want to try them out.  But we're not super experienced cruisers, just Gold, and gladly associate with a younger crowd.

 

Maybe in 10 years, when we're looking to retire and have grown tired of the Carnival Plat/Diamond experience we'll switch over to another line.

I have 26 cruises and retired. I have reached what you are talking about. I am seriously thinking about uping my game to something more than Carnival. I try to cruise during times that avoids the summer party. I live within driving distance of several ports and the clientele during summer season can be rough on 4 and 5 day cruises. My next 2 cruises are 8 days in late October and January in the southern Caribbean. RCL has 9 day that goes to Antiqua and Barbados. Carnival has stopped going to either port since they dropped San Juan as a port of debarkation. 

[KyloRen]

4 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

But, for those Diamonds who are IN a suite - do they get to step onto the ship FIRST? lol

 

Tom

I mean.. it’s funny but i freaking legit think YES they should!

 

i never have a suite (I’m a balcony buyer) but DAMN you spend that much money and time on their boats!? Yes! 😛

[DrSea]

On 8/31/2022 at 6:10 PM, Lee Cruiser said:

If you are going by levels of cost, then suites should be the most, but balconies should be more than inside cabins since they cost twice as much.

Then wouldn't that mean that the inside was the better deal then to begin with?

 

Haha I kid. It's all just monopoly points. Until the VIFP has some true perks unlocked behind it, then I won't sweat it. 

 

On 8/31/2022 at 5:53 PM, thunderingherd11 said:

Yeah. Don’t care.  I’m gold now. I get a few things that I really don’t deserve.  Free drink is worth it to me.  

It would be nice to get some free laundry. I got my eye on that for when I turn pl in 10 years. But the perks are so small that it plays 0 role in how I book my cruises. 

 

23 hours ago, tidecat said:

The easiest thing to do might be to base it on the fare paid, i.e., X points to the dollar. An inside cabin on an Alaska sailing the week of July 4 might be the same price as a balcony the first week of November on a Caribbean sailing.

Yea, but I don't see them moving toward that kind of a system. CCL is known for being a beginner/value cruise line. To shift where money would be involved in factoring loyalty would just be antithetical to their business model. But what do I know? I don't work in marketing or customer retention or w/e the dept is called. 

[momof3cruisers]

I’m sorry everyone. If Plat perks are reduced, it is my fault. My first cruise upon turning gold,I was ready to do the cocktail party. Literally the month before, they uninvited golds to the parties. I am turning Plat on a cruise in late November. I apologize for any changes I will cause. 🥺

[keywest1]

5 hours ago, momof3cruisers said:

I’m sorry everyone. If Plat perks are reduced, it is my fault. My first cruise upon turning gold,I was ready to do the cocktail party. Literally the month before, they uninvited golds to the parties. I am turning Plat on a cruise in late November. I apologize for any changes I will cause. 🥺

Please reschedule your cruise for March 2023.  I turn Platinum in February.  

[DrSea]

On 9/1/2022 at 9:38 AM, ProgRockCruiser said:

That is really why we continue to sail with Carnival - we are looking for that "consistent experience", we drive to the port, and none of the other lines offer anything "special enough" to make us want to try them out.  But we're not super experienced cruisers, just Gold, and gladly associate with a younger crowd.

 

Maybe in 10 years, when we're looking to retire and have grown tired of the Carnival Plat/Diamond experience we'll switch over to another line.

Are you saying that you have only sailed with CCL?

[kicia]

On 8/30/2022 at 9:27 PM, TomCruise48 said:

Look at to the second to last bullet point about "opportunity to work across brands."  Reciprocity among Carnival Corporation brand loyalty programs is something many of us have wanted for a long time.  Hope this is more than just lip service.

Be careful what you wish for.  Holland and Princess have more passengers with a lot more days than Carnival.  I think even as Diamond we would fall farther down the line. 

[bassmk]

On 8/31/2022 at 6:14 AM, wemjam said:

The problem is I am VERY willing to bet that if they revamp the program, you are going to see more things be taken or reduced or made harder to get - versus getting more (especially at lower levels like blue, red, gold).  I could see them making it take longer to get to Platinum or Diamond, etc.  So wouldn't hold my breath about getting more at Gold.

 

Most of the perks any of us get regardless of level (I am Diamond now) really are not that big of a deal.  The only thing I was every happy to have Platinum or Diamond status for was the priority boarding/debarking and special line at guest services - and the main thing - being able to get on and go drop my luggage in my room.  Now with the way they do the arrival appointments (which does directly translate to which zone you board in), status  doesn't really  matter, and I would not be surprised if they continue that moving forward.  We have a family trip coming up and I went in to select our boarding time 16 days out thinking I could do it for all 3 rooms because someone on the board said you could (we are Diamond and other two family rooms are Gold and Frist Timers)  - and it didn't work! (whoever posted on the boards you could was wrong, you can do all 3 rooms at the same time, but have to be within the 14 days not 16 days).   So I went back at 14 days out and selected their rooms.  We were zone A01 they were A04, so probably all of 5-10 minutes apart in boarding times (we will just board with them which we planned all along).   So no real advantage there between us Diamond and the rest of the family, two of whom are first time cruisers.

 

The free drink, bottle of water, small gift, etc.  NOT that big of deal all around.

 

And laundry service is nice, but we stopped using it years ago when clothing items came back faded, discolored, stained, etc.  I either pack enough myself to start with (which is usually the case) or just go wash a couple things if I need to.

Agreed...I'd be happier with fewer perks if they were more substantial gifts. Even more than that, I fully agree with the comment upthread about better reciprocity across CCL brands. I was able to have returning passenger status (Carnival equivalent of starting as a red card instead of blue) on my first Holland America cruise because I called and asked specifically if any of my Carnival cruises would count for anything, but I'd like a little more than that. (I probably could have done that on Princess, too, but I didn't.)

[jas1178]

Honestly this new employee would be my hero if they could broker a deal toward a unified loyalty program.  I certainly understand that my 315 days at sea shouldn't transfer 1:1 with princess, costa, etc. but how about giving me 1/4 credit or even 1/10 credit....something that encourages me to progress with the family of brands?  The costa experience by Carnival has my interest peaked for its natural cross over.

 

And while one should never look a gift horse in the mouth, I have several very cherished plat/diamond gifts from the past such as:  cross bag, cooler bag, gym bag, picture frames, white yeti cup, tervis cups, headphones, blankets, makeup/toiletries bag.  Each of those things are regularly used and cherished.  Not sure who picked out those gifts for a few years, but they did an amazing job.

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

I found and posted about this job listing several weeks ago. 

Equally interested were the trademark filings for NFT services tied to the loyalty which were filed soon after the job posting. I found the trademarks while researching a new business to start. 

[jetsfan58]

They will grandfather and grandfather those of us that they see fit. We can try and guess but I have other and much better things to do; like pack for my next Carnival cruise adventure! 

[Guest BasicSailor]

I'm thinking of a new level called the Savior. After all, if you've been donating money past Diamond you've been there and done that.😇