Never seen this many plats and diamonds on a cruise

[Eli_6]

Not even on a European cruise.  This is the platinum/diamond waiting area at Galveston waiting to board the Vista right now at 10:53 am.  Does not include  fttf.

 

Definitely waiting to show up until later next time.   

[SailawayKC]

One of the reasons I took a later appointment for next week. Enjoy your cruise and please don't break the ship.

[havanadaydreaming]

Wife has been plat for a while i finally get there the cruise after next months 12 nt sailing. 

 

We never rush to embark but we almost always are in town day before embarkation.  I like noon or later.  

[stevethepirate]

It's just as bad trying to disembark.

[mz-s]

Lots of folks cruised a lot over the past 2 years when cruises were cheap and we had lots of vacation time and onboard credits to spend. So there's a "bumper crop" of platinum guests right now.

[princess76021]

38 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Not even on a European cruise.  This is the platinum/diamond waiting area at Galveston waiting to board the Vista right now at 10:53 am.  Does not include  fttf.

 

Definitely waiting to show up until later next time.   

Pushing the "holy crap" button!!

Hugs

[Tapi]

Seeing this makes me wonder if the loyalty program will get “revamped” to make it harder to obtain certain perks and thin out “the herd”. When too many people qualify for perks, they stop being perks.
 

Look at what Delta just did with their loyalty program, in part because their Sky Clubs are now overrun with too many people who have access. 

Edited September 23, 2023 by Tapi

[Jamman54]

Have you ever been on a Journeys cruise? Holy moly! 😁

[princess76021]

6 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Have you ever been on a Journeys cruise? Holy moly! 😁

Unfortunately we became platinum on a journeys cruise.  Didn't even realize we were!!😬😬

the next one was much better. 😊😊

Hugs from Texas (smooth sailings)

[mz-s]

55 minutes ago, Tapi said:

Seeing this makes me wonder if the loyalty program will get “revamped” to make it harder to obtain certain perks and thin out “the herd”. When too many people qualify for perks, they stop being perks.
 

Look at what Delta just did with their loyalty program, in part because their Sky Clubs are now overrun with too many people who have access. 

 

What is left for them to do, take away the free fanny pack? We've already lost cabins being ready at boarding (people on here go so far as to call us entitled when we drop off our carry-ons). I'm not sure why people stress about being in the first boarding group at this point. There's nothing to do on the ship except eat until at least 1:30, so what's the rush.

 

Carnival has nothing remotely close to the Sky Club.

Edited September 23, 2023 by mz-s

[Tapi]

6 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

What is left for them to do, take away the free fanny pack? 

Well, for example, the next step could be to take more platinum perks away, like priority embarkation, and make them exclusive to Diamond.

[VentureMan_2000]

Only looks to be a couple hundred people... not a big deal.  Will take them 10 - 15 minutes to board.

[Butterbean1000]

Some of the perks have been removed on the Freedom Atlantic crossing due to so many plats and diamonds aboard.  I do see a time that the program will be revamped.

[stobe1]

2 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Have you ever been on a Journeys cruise? Holy moly! 😁

Haha. Yep no kidding. They tend to be flooded with the likes of us. There are so many of us on Journeys cruises that we don't get some perks like priority boarding, tendering,etc. because, well...there are just too many of us.

 

In fact, we rarely use our priority embark/debark anymore. We just select an arrival time around 1 pm and almost always stroll right thru security and check in and are curb to ship in 5 to 10 minutes with no crowds at all. Then we usually always book mid afternoon flights back home and just wait until last call to debark and again, stroll right off the ship, thru customs and grab our bags and in an Uber/Lyft or taxi to the airport in no time at all, again missing the mad rush of the crowds and we aren't rushed for time trying to catch our flights. We can go and have a few preflight cocktails in the airport.

 

I do expect to see some sort of VIFP revamp in the future to cull the herd a bit.

Edited September 23, 2023 by stobe1

[mz-s]

2 hours ago, Tapi said:

Well, for example, the next step could be to take more platinum perks away, like priority embarkation, and make them exclusive to Diamond.

 

If early embarkation cost them anything it would have already gone away. Since Carnival doesn't employ the crew at the pier it costs them nothing to provide that perk. The portion of the perk that did cost Carnival something - rooms being ready early - is gone.

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, Tapi said:

Seeing this makes me wonder if the loyalty program will get “revamped” to make it harder to obtain certain perks and thin out “the herd”. When too many people qualify for perks, they stop being perks.
 

Look at what Delta just did with their loyalty program, in part because their Sky Clubs are now overrun with too many people who have access. 

I am a BIG Delta fan.  Do not travel like I used to when working, but have been Gold or Platinum for the last 10 years.  The new plan is to do exactly what you describe, in spades.  The best I will make is MAYBE Silver.  I currently have a Delta Reserve Amex, hefty annual fee, but in my view worth it for the perks.  That is history.  Flying Delta, was a priority, now (after 2024) they will be another airline to consider.  There are way to many options out there.  

 

We did a 14 day Journey on the Breeze in 2019, and there were almost 2,600 Diamonds and Plats.  I called it the entitlement cruise. 

[jimbo5544]

15 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

If early embarkation cost them anything it would have already gone away. Since Carnival doesn't employ the crew at the pier it costs them nothing to provide that perk. The portion of the perk that did cost Carnival something - rooms being ready early - is gone.

I have said it many times here, whoever thought of FTTF and what they charge for something that costs them nothing, should have def been promoted.

[BlerkOne]

Carnival has no need to make changes to the marketing program. Those who like the brand, and there are millions, will continue to cruise on Carnival. Other cruise lines are happy to bribe customers 

 

Delta is too expensive for either cash or award tickets these days. I see future bailouts for airlines given their new contracts.

[mz-s]

34 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

I have said it many times here, whoever thought of FTTF and what they charge for something that costs them nothing, should have def been promoted.

 

They should have named the company after whoever came up with FTTF. It's easily the highest margin product they offer, higher margins than Cheers or the cabanas on HMC or the casino or anything else. Genius product.

[icft]

2 hours ago, stobe1 said:

Haha. Yep no kidding. They tend to be flooded with the likes of us. There are so many of us on Journeys cruises that we don't get some perks like priority boarding, tendering,etc. because, well...there are just too many of us.

 

In fact, we rarely use our priority embark/debark anymore. We just select an arrival time around 1 pm and almost always stroll right thru security and check in and are curb to ship in 5 to 10 minutes with no crowds at all. Then we usually always book mid afternoon flights back home and just wait until last call to debark and again, stroll right off the ship, thru customs and grab our bags and in an Uber/Lyft or taxi to the airport in no time at all, again missing the mad rush of the crowds and we aren't rushed for time trying to catch our flights. We can go and have a few preflight cocktails in the airport.

 

I do expect to see some sort of VIFP revamp in the future to cull the herd a bit.

We've put Carnival in our rear view mirror EXCEPT for Journeys cruises. Our reason for leaving is safety, but the passengers on our Journeys cruises have always been great; no safety concerns. They are experienced cruisers.

[icft]

3 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

What is left for them to do, take away the free fanny pack? We've already lost cabins being ready at boarding (people on here go so far as to call us entitled when we drop off our carry-ons)...

 

LOL! Yep! I never understood those who take pride in how badly they can be treated before it bothers them. I like good food, good service, convenience and safety. These days that earns me the entitled label.

[BlerkOne]

38 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

They should have named the company after whoever came up with FTTF. It's easily the highest margin product they offer, higher margins than Cheers or the cabanas on HMC or the casino or anything else. Genius product.

I'll take draft beer for the win 

[stobe1]

27 minutes ago, icft said:

We've put Carnival in our rear view mirror EXCEPT for Journeys cruises. Our reason for leaving is safety, but the passengers on our Journeys cruises have always been great; no safety concerns. They are experienced cruisers.

 

16 minutes ago, icft said:

LOL! Yep! I never understood those who take pride in how badly they can be treated before it bothers them. I like good food, good service, convenience and safety. These days that earns me the entitled label.

 

 

When you say safety, in what way do you mean that? Safety with the ships themselves, like maintenance and operationswise?? Or the clientele on Carnival as of late? 

 

If the former, I have never had any worries about the conditions of ships nor the capabilities of the officers, crew or staff.

 

If the latter, then I could see that, even though I have never personally had an issue with other people on board or witnessed anything beyond the normal frat boy overindulging on alcohol or blatant pot smoking/smoking in general on balconies.

 

Since everyone has a miniature TV studio in the palm of their hands now-a-days you will definitely see more and more of it which could lead to some confirmation bias.

[BlerkOne]

13 minutes ago, icft said:

LOL! Yep! I never understood those who take pride in how badly they can be treated before it bothers them. I like good food, good service, convenience and safety. These days that earns me the entitled label.

I will never understand why the entitled think Carnival owes them something. I like good food, good service, etc. We get that in Carnival. Carnival offers us multiple ports within an easy drive. I have been impressed with the number of visible security personnel on my current cruise. It's all good 

[icft]

2 minutes ago, stobe1 said:

 

 

 

When you say safety, in what way do you mean that? Safety with the ships themselves, like maintenance and operationswise?? Or the clientele on Carnival as of late? 

 

If the former, I have never had any worries about the conditions of ships nor the capabilities of the officers, crew or staff.

 

If the latter, then I could see that, even though I have never personally had an issue with other people on board or witnessed anything beyond the normal frat boy overindulging on alcohol or blatant pot smoking/smoking in general on balconies.

 

Since everyone has a miniature TV studio in the palm of their hands now-a-days you will definitely see more and more of it which could lead to some confirmation bias.

About the time the mask mandate ended we started feeling a bit uneasy. People were being quite rude and ignoring all the rules with no reaction from Carnival. Then we saw people yelling at others and occasionally threatening others with no reaction from Carnival and we started talking about moving on. Then my wife was assaulted on the Glory this last spring and we stopped booking Carnival, except for Journeys cruises.

 

We've never had concerns with the safety and seaworthiness of the ships.