NOW I have a problem with the new Suite policies

[sixpackeddie]

5 hours ago, bnurick said:

No breakfast door hangers anymore?

Yes, correct also door tags that can be filled out for breakfast the next morning. 

[jcpc]

20 minutes ago, MizDemeanor said:

I just booked an MSC today, our 1st... FWIW. 

I also have booked my first MSC Yacht Club.  Sailing on Meraviglia in 3 weeks.  Looking forward to it!

[MamaFej]

4 hours ago, Mark_K said:

If their goal is to stabilize the finances, and reduce debt in a relatively short time span, dealing with new cruisers vis-a-vis loyalty programs is probably an issue to deal with “later”.

Fair observation.

 

Duly noted.

 

Time will tell if the "Cut off your nose to spite your face" philosophy pays offl. 

[Sigyn]

On 8/16/2023 at 12:21 PM, zitsky said:

I know that my butler still loves me and would do anything for me!!!!   😭😭😭

It's not me, it's you, my darling. 

[zitsky]

27 minutes ago, Sigyn said:

It's not me, it's you, my darling. 

Story of my….. Hey wait a minute!

[sanger727]

On 8/19/2023 at 6:01 PM, MamaFej said:

All this talk of loyalty has me thinking:

 

Many folks here seem to think X really wants to push aside the cruisers at higher levels of the Captain's Club in favor of younger ones. Those younger cruisers grew up with abundant "Loyalty" programs. Many  have oodles of apps on their phones and are completely used to getting something after each 4th or 9th purchase, earning status levels, etc.

 

Getting these folks onboard, so to speak, and reducing the benefits of the loyatly program won't go over with them any better than it is going with the current crop of cruisers. A higher percentage of them are tech-savvy and fluent in the various social media platforms than the 60+ crowd. 

 

As a member of the younger generation, I whole heartedly disagree w this. Millennials and younger don’t want to put the time in with a company to early loyalty. They want it now and to buy in by spending more on a room. Real loyalty to a company is a thing of the past.

[MamaFej]

48 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

As a member of the younger generation, I whole heartedly disagree w this. Millennials and younger don’t want to put the time in with a company to early loyalty. They want it now and to buy in by spending more on a room. Real loyalty to a company is a thing of the past.

Interesting. That's not what I see among my Millennial and Gen-Z kids and their friends. Maybe that's partly because most of them can't yet afford to buy into the good stuff. Of course, not everyone is alike, regardless of what groups they are parts of. 

 

My kids aren't interested in being loyal to one company (neither am I) but they are happy to take advantage of various rewards programs. Thanks for chiming in. It's good to hear different perspectives. 

[sanger727]

7 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

Interesting. That's not what I see among my Millennial and Gen-Z kids and their friends. Maybe that's partly because most of them can't yet afford to buy into the good stuff. Of course, not everyone is alike, regardless of what groups they are parts of. 

 

My kids aren't interested in being loyal to one company (neither am I) but they are happy to take advantage of various rewards programs. Thanks for chiming in. It's good to hear different perspectives. 

I guess I look at ‘loyalty’ and ‘rewards’ a bit differently. Rewards is buying 10 sandwiches and getting 1 free. Loyalty is being a dedicated customer for one brand for several years to get high enough in loyalty levels to get benefits. I don’t think millennials/gen Z have the loyalty or patience for the latter.

 

also, millennials are in our 30s and make pretty good money.

Edited August 22, 2023 by sanger727

[MamaFej]

30 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

I guess I look at ‘loyalty’ and ‘rewards’ a bit differently. Rewards is buying 10 sandwiches and getting 1 free. Loyalty is being a dedicated customer for one brand for several years to get high enough in loyalty levels to get benefits. I don’t think millennials/gen Z have the loyalty or patience for the latter.

 

also, millennials are in our 30s and make pretty good money.

I hear you. My Millennial son is 28 and a teacher in Montana. He makes lousy money, but he's happy. One of my Gen-Z kids is a teacher in California, and makes decent-ish money, but is too busy working on her Masters after work to spend much. My other Gen-Z kid is still in college, and working part time at a movie theater. They are all a fair bit away from being able to do much with any sort of Loyalty, but they do enjoy their occassional Rewards. 

 

I've got two Millennial cousins in their 30s with vastly different financial situations. 

 

Again, there's no sense is trying to throw everyone into the same basket, but it's a good idea to try to understand trends.

Edited August 22, 2023 by MamaFej

[mahdnc]

Our 28 yr old son devoutly chases United's Premier 1K loyalty level and hopes to hit (by invitation only) Global Services one day. 

[MamaFej]

Just now, mahdnc said:

Our 28 yr old son devoutly chases United's Premier 1K loyalty level and hopes to hit (by invitation only) Global Services one day. 

Cool! I'm guessing he's not doing that on a Montana teacher's salary. 😉

[mahdnc]

Just now, MamaFej said:

Cool! I'm guessing he's not doing that on a Montana teacher's salary. 😉

 

Your powers of deduction are excellent. 

[MamaFej]

3 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

Your powers of deduction are excellent. 

I'm the daughter of a retired homicide detective and the spouse of a retired arson investigator. Maybe something rubbed off? 

[TeeRick]

Hotel and airline loyalty programs give you worthwhile benefits for frequent use like free flights, free nights, and upgrades to each.  Cruise loyalty programs give you next to nothing like this.  A free bag of laundry?

[terrydtx]

37 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Hotel and airline loyalty programs give you worthwhile benefits for frequent use like free flights, free nights, and upgrades to each.  Cruise loyalty programs give you next to nothing like this.  A free bag of laundry?

Don't forget the free scoop of Gelato?😂

[CalTexCruiser]

In fairness, cruise line loyalty programs are different from hotel/airline loyalty programs that require customers to re-qualify annually.

 

I've qualified for elite with Celebrity, and will remain elite regardless of how much I sail with them per year.

 

The cruise lines should consider scrapping their current loyalty programs and switch to a program that requires re-qualification every year...then they can start offering meaningful benefits for those in high tiers, such as free upgrades, free sailings using points, etc.

 

[Lena11033]

MSC loyalty you need to qualify every 3 years (at least when I signed up that was the case). Otherwise you're bumped down and have to start all over.

[chemmo]

32 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

In fairness, cruise line loyalty programs are different from hotel/airline loyalty programs that require customers to re-qualify annually.

 

I've qualified for elite with Celebrity, and will remain elite regardless of how much I sail with them per year.

 

The cruise lines should consider scrapping their current loyalty programs and switch to a program that requires re-qualification every year...then they can start offering meaningful benefits for those in high tiers, such as free upgrades, free sailings using points, etc.

 

Oh….don’t give Celebrity ideas…My E+ may not be worth much but I wouldn’t want to see it go!

 

[luckyinpa]

15 hours ago, MamaFej said:

Interesting. That's not what I see among my Millennial and Gen-Z kids and their friends. Maybe that's partly because most of them can't yet afford to buy into the good stuff. Of course, not everyone is alike, regardless of what groups they are parts of. 

 

My kids aren't interested in being loyal to one company (neither am I) but they are happy to take advantage of various rewards programs. Thanks for chiming in. It's good to hear different perspectives. 

 

 

i always wonder, and im too lazy to do it myself, how much all the loyalty perks would cost if there was no loyalty system. i dont own the business but my guess is the profit they make pays for the perks people get

 

if thats true, that means everyones fare is over priced to pay for perks. kinda like your free turkey at the supermarket every november. even when you are super duper status and get  a 'free cruise' do you ever wonder what your cruises would cost if you hadnt paid for that free cruise over X days of cruising. because you definitely did. 

[luckyinpa]

35 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

In fairness, cruise line loyalty programs are different from hotel/airline loyalty programs that require customers to re-qualify annually.

 

I've qualified for elite with Celebrity, and will remain elite regardless of how much I sail with them per year.

 

The cruise lines should consider scrapping their current loyalty programs and switch to a program that requires re-qualification every year...then they can start offering meaningful benefits for those in high tiers, such as free upgrades, free sailings using points, etc.

 

 

or just scrap them. even on other forums besides this one, it's constantly mentioned in the intro of so many posts and i think it's very tacky. and in the end you see 'those people' arent really treated any better and have the same problems with flights, etc. so the loyalty really doesnt even pay!

[kirtihk]

16 hours ago, sanger727 said:

As a member of the younger generation, I whole heartedly disagree w this. Millennials and younger don’t want to put the time in with a company to early loyalty. They want it now and to buy in by spending more on a room. Real loyalty to a company is a thing of the past.

Each of us on this planet is "a member of the younger generation" at some point, and the same is true to become "a member of the older generation".

 

Real loyalty is a virtue; "screw you" mentality, from the other hand, is a weakness.

 

Voyage, Voyage!

Edited August 22, 2023 by kirtihk

[sixpackeddie]

It’s no longer about loyalty. It’s about the bottom line. Since bookings are sold out especially suites now it’s time to cut to maximize profits. Typical business model.

[hcat]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

Oh….don’t give Celebrity ideas…My E+ may not be worth much but I wouldn’t want to see it go!

 

we like the gelato, laundry perk( x2), internet and other small extras like the  rose in cabin, get togethers, sail aways

 

sad to have lost priority boarding and disembark..which goes to suite guests..

[hcat]

57 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

Each of us on this planet is "a member of the younger generation" at some point, and the same is true to become "a member of the older generation".

 

Real loyalty is a virtue; "screw you" mentality, from the other hand, is a weakness.

 

Voyage, Voyage!

i really like this point of view!!

[Shellyd22]

On 8/18/2023 at 6:47 PM, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

This was the only reason I thought I would enjoy a butler. Well that, and stocking us up with water. Looks like we probably won’t have either. I wish we would have just booked a veranda for half the price. 

Same here I was looking forward to having specialty coffee delivered daily to be enjoyed on the balcony. Of course I can walk down and get my own but still kinda disappointed. Plus I had to “convince” my hubby to get a suite and that was one of the perks he thought was nice 😆