Changes to Carnival Loyalty Program

[ninjacat123]

1 minute ago, MtnSeaGirl said:

Yes, 8 days away.  Our next cruise is Mar 2025. We have our bucket list Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Glacier National Park this Sept.  We are not retired yet. DH does not get as much vaca as I do, and we wanted to do the bucket list trip while we can still hike a little.  Choices made is often like throwing dice.  I tend to second guess decisions, but we make the best one we can at the time.  

I hear you!  Our Europe cruise/land trip was a lot stamina-wise and functionality-wise.  Gotta get it in before you can't!  Your National Park trip sounds awesome!!

[audcc77]

13 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

Gotta get it in before you can't! 

True that, sista. 😁

[JimmyTheSaint]

On 3/26/2024 at 5:36 PM, mz-s said:

I could see the credit card tying in to VIFP somehow. A lot of travel brands do that. But the program would have to be significantly overhauled and expanded to make it worth paying any amount of money for.

Not all Carnival customers are eligible for the credit card, you have to live in the USA to get the Carnival Mastercard. I'm Platinum, live in the UK, I'm a Carnival shareholder and I'm a Mastercard customer but I can't get the credit card. I have tried.

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, MtnSeaGirl said:

Yes, 8 days away.  Our next cruise is Mar 2025. We have our bucket list Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Glacier National Park this Sept.  We are not retired yet. DH does not get as much vaca as I do, and we wanted to do the bucket list trip while we can still hike a little.  Choices made is often like throwing dice.  I tend to second guess decisions, but we make the best one we can at the time.  

nice bucket list trip, one of my fav areas, and I travel a pretty good amount.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, JimmyTheSaint said:

Not all Carnival customers are eligible for the credit card, you have to live in the USA to get the Carnival Mastercard. I'm Platinum, live in the UK, I'm a Carnival shareholder and I'm a Mastercard customer but I can't get the credit card. I have tried.

I would be surprised at the CC having a play, but that is just me.  Way to many options without adding another.

[mz-s]

2 hours ago, JimmyTheSaint said:

Not all Carnival customers are eligible for the credit card, you have to live in the USA to get the Carnival Mastercard. I'm Platinum, live in the UK, I'm a Carnival shareholder and I'm a Mastercard customer but I can't get the credit card. I have tried.

 

None of us have any insider info we are just spitballing. You make a good point that Carnival is a global company, or at least they operate in countries other than where their credit card is offered.

Their credit card is nothing special anyway. You are not missing much.

[MtnSeaGirl]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

nice bucket list trip, one of my fav areas, and I travel a pretty good amount.

Thanks. We fell in love with the canyons in Utah and Arizona the year before the pandemic hit.  We went back again as it was just mind boggling the first time we saw all the beauty.  So different than what we see here in VA.  Although our eyes are hungry for the Blue Ridge Mtns when we get back. Now, we set our sights on Montana and Western Colorado.  I would like to see Grand Prismatic Spring with my own eyes.  I want to see Hidden Lake ( Glacier Going to The Sun Road ).  And I want to take my own iconic picture of Mormon's Row.  We always feel torn between the beach and the mountains.  We love them both.  Our land trips are very intense trying to pour as much into each day as we can while we are there.  Our cruises are much more laid back and restful.  

[tidecat]

4 hours ago, JimmyTheSaint said:

Not all Carnival customers are eligible for the credit card, you have to live in the USA to get the Carnival Mastercard. I'm Platinum, live in the UK, I'm a Carnival shareholder and I'm a Mastercard customer but I can't get the credit card. I have tried.

The credit card is also run by a third party. Trying to tie it into the VIFP program would likely be a prohibitive level of complexity.

 

I can get at least 2% back on all my purchases, not just ones with Carnival, with other cards anyway. Then of course buying discounted gift cards at 10% below face value (and getting 2% cash back on that) winds up being the better deal for me personally.

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, MtnSeaGirl said:

Thanks. We fell in love with the canyons in Utah and Arizona the year before the pandemic hit.  We went back again as it was just mind boggling the first time we saw all the beauty.  So different than what we see here in VA.  Although our eyes are hungry for the Blue Ridge Mtns when we get back. Now, we set our sights on Montana and Western Colorado.  I would like to see Grand Prismatic Spring with my own eyes.  I want to see Hidden Lake ( Glacier Going to The Sun Road ).  And I want to take my own iconic picture of Mormon's Row.  We always feel torn between the beach and the mountains.  We love them both.  Our land trips are very intense trying to pour as much into each day as we can while we are there.  Our cruises are much more laid back and restful.  

In this case, variety is the spice of life....go for it.

[maryann2]

6 hours ago, JimmyTheSaint said:

Not all Carnival customers are eligible for the credit card, you have to live in the USA to get the Carnival Mastercard. I'm Platinum, live in the UK, I'm a Carnival shareholder and I'm a Mastercard customer but I can't get the credit card. I have tried.

Cannot get it in Canada either.

Also cannot get AARP gift cards.

[rrraydon]

I receive 5 "loyalty" drinks per day on my RC sailings. A 7 day cruise is roughly $500 in free alcoholic beverages. Not including the food treats left in my cabin, free bottle of wine, free photo, laundry etc...

 

 

My platinum status on Carnival gets me next to nothing in comparison. My loyalty perks from Carnival come from the casino.  I have to laugh when I hear Carnival is going to revamp their loyalty program....yes, please do!!

[jimbo5544]

6 hours ago, rrraydon said:

I receive 5 "loyalty" drinks per day on my RC sailings. A 7 day cruise is roughly $500 in free alcoholic beverages. Not including the food treats left in my cabin, free bottle of wine, free photo, laundry etc...

 

 

My platinum status on Carnival gets me next to nothing in comparison. My loyalty perks from Carnival come from the casino.  I have to laugh when I hear Carnival is going to revamp their loyalty program....yes, please do!!

Guess if you sail for those perks, your decision is made.  To think that any program revamp will get you 500 of free booze is just silly.  Guess it is how you look at….

[rrraydon]

6 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Guess if you sail for those perks, your decision is made.  To think that any program revamp will get you 500 of free booze is just silly.  Guess it is how you look at….

Yes, amongst a few other factors, the perks I may or may not receive does weigh in.

[jimbo5544]

5 minutes ago, rrraydon said:

Yes, amongst a few other factors, the perks I may or may not receive does weigh in.

They need something to pay for those monstrosities…..other than the absolutely ridiculous rates they charge for Icon.  But when you are doing 1+ ships a year at 2 bill per ship.throwing some free booze at their loyal customers must work….  All that said, if it works for you, it work.  Thanks for the reply.

[mz-s]

5 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

They need something to pay for those monstrosities…..other than the absolutely ridiculous rates they charge for Icon.  But when you are doing 1+ ships a year at 2 bill per ship.throwing some free booze at their loyal customers must work….  All that said, if it works for you, it work.  Thanks for the reply.

 

If Carnival's product was on the level of RCCL, they'd charge the same rates as Icon. But they can't and you can get on Carnival's flagship for the price of a used iPhone.

[Illbcruzn4life]

6 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

They need something to pay for those monstrosities…..other than the absolutely ridiculous rates they charge for Icon.  But when you are doing 1+ ships a year at 2 bill per ship.throwing some free booze at their loyal customers must work….  All that said, if it works for you, it work.  Thanks for the reply.

They’re monstrosities until Carnival builds one. Then they’re the best things since sliced bread.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

They’re monstrosities until Carnival builds one. Then they’re the best things since sliced bread.

Only way we find that out is if it happens.  Just take a gander at Icon and tell me what you see.  Butt ugly….wait look tomorrow.  Then I could have said Aprils fools.  Five years ago, everyone would have laughed….. Are some paying those out of this world prices…?  Yup.  Even RCCL execs are laughing.  Monstrosity… But I must be wrong because I sail Carnival…..  Your views may differ, but I will not question them…

[jimbo5544]

Even RCCL cruisers agree with me

Edited March 31 by jimbo5544

[Illbcruzn4life]

8 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Even RCCL cruisers agree with me

who is a Royal cruiser? I can only imagine you are referencing me since I am the only one who liked your post. I'm an equal opportunity cruiser. Even if the ship is butt ugly it is putting butts in the seats and at a very high price. How long that will last is anyones guess. Prices have always been higher for new builds when they start cruising but this is another stratosphere. I for one won't be on her anytime soon. I'll be on the Mardi Gras after my MSC cruise. 🙂

[jimbo5544]

7 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

who is a Royal cruiser? I can only imagine you are referencing me since I am the only one who liked your post. I'm an equal opportunity cruiser. Even if the ship is butt ugly it is putting butts in the seats and at a very high price. How long that will last is anyones guess. Prices have always been higher for new builds when they start cruising but this is another stratosphere. I for one won't be on her anytime soon. I'll be on the Mardi Gras after my MSC cruise. 🙂

It was a general statement on cruisers who cruise RCCL and thoughts on icon.  You can google it.  I never said it was not popular.  They are demanding huge prices to sail on it, and people are paying.  WAY more than I have ever seen before, but at 2 BILLION it takes a bunch to pay that bill.  

 

I cruise other lines, and RCCL is on that list.  As I said, I think it is NOT attractive at all, WAY to many people and looks like a joke that one might see a manufactured picture on her today (April 1).  I may be wrong, will not be the first time.  Enjoy your cruises.  

[Eric from San Diego]

On 3/23/2024 at 9:48 AM, MaryZ said:

All casino charges, cash advances, Future Cruise deposits, and associated fees are excluded.
Direct from HAL's site
I'm a member of HAL also. 

If I buy a 7 day cruise, the drinks package and 1 or 2 excursions, I am usually credited with 14 days at HAL.   

[angelsfort]

I laugh because I just made Gold status again on my last cruise...   and the last time they revamped the loyalty program I had just made Gold then too, but then lost it with the revamp.  (even have my Gold S&S card to prove it!)

So I'm certain that they'll be changing it again and I'll once again be back to Red...  

 

LOL good thing I don't really care about my status or this'd really bug me!  (as you can imagine,  I can't afford to cruise often, so I don't get to raise my status very quickly.)

[staceyglow]

2 hours ago, angelsfort said:

I laugh because I just made Gold status again on my last cruise...   and the last time they revamped the loyalty program I had just made Gold then too, but then lost it with the revamp.  (even have my Gold S&S card to prove it!)

So I'm certain that they'll be changing it again and I'll once again be back to Red...  

 

LOL good thing I don't really care about my status or this'd really bug me!  (as you can imagine,  I can't afford to cruise often, so I don't get to raise my status very quickly.)

If you just made Gold since the last revamp, you don't cruise on Carnival very often.  It's called a "loyalty program" for a reason. 

[angelsfort]

14 hours ago, staceyglow said:

If you just made Gold since the last revamp, you don't cruise on Carnival very often.  It's called a "loyalty program" for a reason. 

 

well...  as I said in my post, that you quoted.. 

 

 (as you can imagine,  I can't afford to cruise often, so I don't get to raise my status very quickly.)

 

and I don't know if you're aware but I can still be "Loyal" to Carnival even if I don't sail often...  there's no reason to be a turd about it.

[skywalkr2]

17 minutes ago, angelsfort said:

 

well...  as I said in my post, that you quoted.. 

 

 (as you can imagine,  I can't afford to cruise often, so I don't get to raise my status very quickly.)

 

and I don't know if you're aware but I can still be "Loyal" to Carnival even if I don't sail often...  there's no reason to be a turd about it.

 

If I was lucky enough to live in florida, I think I would probably do about 10 3 day cruises a year.  They typically are cheaper than a nice night out.