No More $25 Casino Credit

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

The $25 credit was a CASINO offer, not a Carnival Cruise Line offer. Put the blame where it belongs - on the CASINO.

Now you are letting facts get in the way of the always unhappy posters (the ones who do not even sail Carnival any more….😎

[illinoisfive]

14 hours ago, starstruck05 said:

I won't jump to conclusions. I'll wait it out until the Fall; wait and see what the New Loyalty program will offer. For me, none of this makes or breaks my cruise. I will say John said on FB that it was 100% a Casino only decision to remove the $25 and it wasn't widely communicated within the company. Some people are saying the Brunch drink has always been on the last seaday but I'm pretty sure I've gotten it before at earlier brunch but also no biggie for me. Truthfully I think the only thing I care about is Priority Embark/Debark and shuttles. Maybe the separate line for Guest Services as a close second. 

Did I miss an announcement that the Loyalty Program will have changes and they are going to list the changes this fall?

[jsglow]

7 minutes ago, illinoisfive said:

Did I miss an announcement that the Loyalty Program will have changes and they are going to list the changes this fall?

Seems so. Carnival (via John Heald) has pointed to this for months. They have mentioned 'by the end of 2024' for at least 6 months now.

[starstruck05]

11 minutes ago, illinoisfive said:

Did I miss an announcement that the Loyalty Program will have changes and they are going to list the changes this fall?

No big announcement yet. John Heald has said the new changes are coming around Fall time since maybe the beginning of the year? 

Edited June 7 by starstruck05

[n6uqqq]

It is Carnival's prerogative to do what they want but taking money away from the kids of St Jude's with the one time donation at entrance to diamond level is a bit much. So I guess the cut made by the "casino" just happened at the same time as the platinum drink dilution and the St Jude's cut by mere coincidence.

[jimbo5544]

7 minutes ago, n6uqqq said:

It is Carnival's prerogative to do what they want but taking money away from the kids of St Jude's with the one time donation at entrance to diamond level is a bit much. So I guess the cut made by the "casino" just happened at the same time as the platinum drink dilution and the St Jude's cut by mere coincidence.

Reference on the St Jude item?

Edited June 7 by jimbo5544

[n6uqqq]

Just now, jimbo5544 said:

Reference on the St Jude item?

It is no longer listed on the benefits page of the VIFP club so it is safe to say it may be gone? Or was that line deleted by accident? 

[jimbo5544]

Just now, n6uqqq said:

It is no longer listed on the benefits page of the VIFP club so it is safe to say it may be gone? Or was that line deleted by accident? 

I have never seen anything about a one time donation to a Diamond event for St Jude.  The only thing I have ever seen done is the walk for St Jude, offered to all.  Here is a link to the partnership between Carnival and St Jude.  I have never seen anything close across the industry compared to what they do,

 

https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/other-ways/partner-with-st-jude/corporate-partners/carnival-cruise-lines.html

[n6uqqq]

1 minute ago, jimbo5544 said:

I have never seen anything about a one time donation to a Diamond event for St Jude.  The only thing I have ever seen done is the walk for St Jude, offered to all.  Here is a link to the partnership between Carnival and St Jude.  I have never seen anything close across the industry compared to what they do,

 

https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/other-ways/partner-with-st-jude/corporate-partners/carnival-cruise-lines.html

It was previously listed on the VIFP benefits chart. Maybe someone around here has a copy of the benefits from prior to recent changes. 

[jimbo5544]

Just now, n6uqqq said:

It was previously listed on the VIFP benefits chart. Maybe someone around here has a copy of the benefits from prior to recent changes. 

Here is another link on their dedication to St Jude.  50 mill sure does not sound cheap to me.

 

https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/other-ways/partner-with-st-jude/corporate-partners/carnival-cruise-lines.html

[jimbo5544]

1 minute ago, n6uqqq said:

It was previously listed on the VIFP benefits chart. Maybe someone around here has a copy of the benefits from prior to recent changes. 

How is offering a donation to an event a benefit?

[n6uqqq]

I found this in a quick search.

[n6uqqq]

Just now, jimbo5544 said:

How is offering a donation to an event a benefit?

It was listed as one.

[jimbo5544]

6 minutes ago, n6uqqq said:

I found this in a quick search.

I have been Diamond for a long time.  If they made that one time offer to St Jude for someone attaining Diamond, that is great.  If they changed it, so be it.  Them committing 50 million to the organization (in whatever way they want, including asking their clients for donations) is simply outstanding, and as I sad before, unparalleled in the industry.  But you are correct, it is up to them how they get money to honor the 50 million.  My take is it sets them apart in a big way (positive).  But that is just me.

Edited June 7 by jimbo5544

[n6uqqq]

1 minute ago, jimbo5544 said:

I have been Diamond for a long time.  If they made that one time offer to St Jude for someone attaining Diamond, that is great.  If they changed it, so be it.  Them committing 50 million to the organization (in whatever way they want, including asking their clients for donations) is simply outstanding, and as I sad before, unparalleled in the industry.  But you are correct, it is up to them how they get money to honor the 50 million.  My take is it sets them apart in a big way (positive).  But that is just me.

I agree Carnival is great with St Jude's. But this was more than just a loss of the 25 dollar casino credit. This was a coordinated move to dilute the VIFP benefits which is their perogative like I said. The donation at entrance to diamond disappeared at the same time so it is what it is. 

[jimbo5544]

The revamp of the Loyalty program is way overdo.  I applaud them for doing it.  I am sure there are things that are tied to it that do not line up for whatever reason.  Casino stuff, while a perk, I believe is managed separately.  It is what it is.  My view may be different than yours on whether it is a concerted effort to “dillute” the program, but all that is fine.  I would embrace making it more selective, and keeping it rich, instead of event s where a third or more of the ship is plat or diamond.  Again, just my HO

[jimbo5544]

6 hours ago, pe4all said:

Even the separate line at Guest Services has almost become a farce.  On my last few cruises the line was quite long, due to Faster to the Fun and Suite people on it.  In fact, the "regular" line often moved faster as there were more available stations to help them, while the separate line had one person.

All the more fodder for making it what it was.

[Moparfiend]

If I was being silly, and they asked me as a shareholder with 1 share of stock... I'd give them this made up fake list of randomness

All levels reset on date of implementation (or randomly, to keep things fresh, with no notice of change)
 

Rewards that cost money, removed
Free items now 15% off your purchase, first day only, limit timeframe to 15 minutes on day 1 to ensure they are rarely used
Free cruises no longer count towards days
Free cruise offer for Diamond is now 5% off with a $299 service fee (adjusted to ensure amount off is actually no more then $5)

Discounted Cruises no longer count towards days
Only the person that pays for the booking gets the days added, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th person do not

New Levels, save money on card's by reusing as many as possible 
Blue - 21days 
Red - 22 to 74 days
Gold - 75 - 199 days
Platinum - 200 - 499 days
Diamond - 500 days - 799 days
Diamond Plus - 800 days - 999 days (same card, blue sharpie stripe)
Sapphire - 1000 - 1499 days (white card, blue sharpie stripe)
Quartz - 1500+ days (white card, double blue sharpie stripe)

Option to purchase Quartz Plus for a one time fee of $299 per person, good for one cruise, (white card, double blue sharpie stripe and hand drawn smiley face)

Rewards reset after 3 years of inactivity, in any case where tips where removed from a cruise, or any negative posts on cruise critic 🙂 
 

[jimbo5544]

3 minutes ago, Moparfiend said:

If I was being silly, and they asked me as a shareholder with 1 share of stock... I'd give them this made up fake list of randomness

All levels reset on date of implementation (or randomly, to keep things fresh, with no notice of change)
 

Rewards that cost money, removed
Free items now 15% off your purchase, first day only, limit timeframe to 15 minutes on day 1 to ensure they are rarely used
Free cruises no longer count towards days
Free cruise offer for Diamond is now 5% off with a $299 service fee (adjusted to ensure amount off is actually no more then $5)

Discounted Cruises no longer count towards days
Only the person that pays for the booking gets the days added, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th person do not

New Levels, save money on card's by reusing as many as possible 
Blue - 21days 
Red - 22 to 74 days
Gold - 75 - 199 days
Platinum - 200 - 499 days
Diamond - 500 days - 799 days
Diamond Plus - 800 days - 999 days (same card, blue sharpie stripe)
Sapphire - 1000 - 1499 days (white card, blue sharpie stripe)
Quartz - 1500+ days (white card, double blue sharpie stripe)

Option to purchase Quartz Plus for a one time fee of $299 per person, good for one cruise, (white card, double blue sharpie stripe and hand drawn smiley face)

Rewards reset after 3 years of inactivity, in any case where tips where removed from a cruise, or any negative posts on cruise critic 🙂 
 

LOL, that would stir the pot.

[VentureMan_2000]

I think this is the start of the new VFIP Loyal program implementation -- phase-1 if you will - publishing the revamped perks at each level in advance of the larger change.  Perhaps there will be a phase-2 also before the larger change ?
 

I think the larger change that Carnival is considering is replacing the levels from one that is based on the number of nights sailed, with a spend-based system.

[mz-s]

What is more likely is the new VIFP program will be so useless nobody will pay attention to it anymore. Carnival has proven they don't need an appealing rewards program to fill their ships, they just have to cut prices and the quality of the product.

Edited June 7 by mz-s

[JimmyTheSaint]

It was basically a free money giveaway that was nice while it lasted. We benefitted from it and used it as free money, withdrew it from the casino and used it for specialty dining and the Fun shops. We don't gamble, no idea how it works, and only go through the casino to get to somewhere else on the ship. 

[jimbo5544]

42 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

I think this is the start of the new VFIP Loyal program implementation -- phase-1 if you will - publishing the revamped perks at each level in advance of the larger change.  Perhaps there will be a phase-2 also before the larger change ?
 

I think the larger change that Carnival is considering is replacing the levels from one that is based on the number of nights sailed, with a spend-based system.

The options and variables are large and it could be complicated in nature.  The more that one looks at all the variables, the more someone can understand why it has been looked at for so long and little has happened to date.  The easiest choice would be to keep much the same and put some timeframes around it (persistency, if you do not cruise in X amount of time, it expires) kind of of a use it or lose it.  Dollars spent is certainly a variable here that gets a lot of play.  There are tons of options: trust this.  The program is not going away despite claims to the contrary.  Bet the ranch on that. 

Edited June 7 by jimbo5544

[illinoisfive]

48 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

I think this is the start of the new VFIP Loyal program implementation -- phase-1 if you will - publishing the revamped perks at each level in advance of the larger change.  Perhaps there will be a phase-2 also before the larger change ?
 

I think the larger change that Carnival is considering is replacing the levels from one that is based on the number of nights sailed, with a spend-based system.

I have read here on the board that the Casino rewards their clients with the "free or discounted offers" as well as Carnival now rewarding cruisers with "free or discounted offers based on your previous cruise spending amount while onboard".  

Maybe this is how they are already trying to switch things up a bit to reward more of their cruise customers.  

It appears to make it a little bit more fare for those that complain that the gamblers are the only ones rewarded.

I think its great that they are trying out new ideas.

 

[wo5m]

6 hours ago, starstruck05 said:

No big announcement yet. John Heald has said the new changes are coming around Fall time since maybe the beginning of the year? 

 

While he has mentioned this several time recently. Lets not forget he reported that the VIFP revamp was going to change prior to the dark ages(during covid shutdown). Covid probably messed that up.

 

One thing is certain demand for Carnival cruises is extremely high. Much more then their sister brands, so much so that they have already brought 3 ship over from Costa and 2 more are coming from P&O Australia just to keep up with demand. 

 

Now that Royal has announced their loyalty match across it brands, I think Carnival will probably have to do the same if for no longer reason, because of the competition. It also make since. You have a lot of Diamond and Platinum guest who started out young. As they get more "seasoned", things like roller-coasters, water slides and the "fun" of the fun ship losses its appeal. By doing a loyalty match, it would allow carnival(the parent) to keep them as a paying customer, by letting try Princes, or Holland America since they already have skin in the game. Without the match there make no difference is cruising with Celebrity, Viking or Virgin as you start a 0 again either way. 

 

 

Edited June 7 by wo5m