Celebrity's New Loyalty Program Survey

[BrendaJ]

I just completed Celebrity/Azamara's Loyalty program survey. Boy, did I have a lot to say! That is my one big beef about Celebrity - their loyalty program (with their worthless coupon book) is a slap in the face.

 

This survey asked some really good questions and I can't wait to see what they come up with. Too bad they didn't actually list the loyalty rewards of their competitors - that would have certainly highlighted the deficiencies of their own current program.

 

However, kudos to them for recognizing they have some work to do to offer a loyalty program that actually makes their most loyal customers feel appreciated.

 

The one question I found most interesting asked that we pick 5 out of a list of possible rewards that we would like the most, and then we had to rate them from 1 to 5. I can't believe some of this stuff actually made the list. I guess they were hoping some of their current "rewards" are actually meaningful. :D

 

Luggage valet service (delivery of luggage directly to the airline from the ship)

Refer-a-friend bonus (you earn points when family and/or friends cruise with you)

Bonus points for booking early

Concierge lounge access

Exclusive website access

Priority luggage handling (expedited luggage delivery to the stateroom)

Priority dining reservations for specialty restaurants

Priority departure (ability to leave quickly when you want to)

Points can be redeemed for cabin upgrades when available

Priority tender tickets

Points earned from Visa Rewards Credit Card Program are available for redemption onboard

Bonus points for booking select sailings

Exclusive departure lounge

Points can be redeemed for dollars off next cruise

Behind-the-scenes tours (bridge, galley, theater, etc.)

Priority embarkation

Priority wait-list for preferred dining room seating

Points can be redeemed for onboard purchases (to spend on spa, shore excursions, bar, specialty restaurants, internet, laundry and dry cleaning, etc.)

 

Seriously, who wouldn't want points that you could use for dollars off your next cruise, or points for on-board purchases? Sign me up for that! And if they had a Concierge Lounge like RCCL, well, I'd never choose a different cruise line! :eek:

 

They also asked whether we thought cruise points should be based on number of days sailed (my preference) or number of cruises. Seeing as we generally take longer cruises, I'd get more bang for my buck with number of days, but YMMV.

 

In any case, it was fun to do the survey and I look forward to seeing a new and improved Captain's Club soon.

[usha]

Hi, Brenda! About the shortcomings of Celebrity's loyalty program, SING IT, SISTER!

I got the survey today too, and had the same "take" on it as you did. I can only hope that they'll use the data they receive to really make some meaningful improvements in the Captains Club, not just add an extra coupon for casino chips.:rolleyes:

[FinelyCruising]

Yes! And before my next cruise!!!:)

[swigso]

Hi Brenda,

Nice to see you are still championing the cause for X cruisers.

I see there was no mention of free Laundry or internet access.

Hope you are keeping well Take care

Steve & Pat.

[BrendaJ]

Steve and Pat

 

You are so right! In my comments on the survey, that's exactly what I suggested would be worthwhile perks, although, if they give us enough "points", I assume we can use them towards those things.

 

And, of course, free martini's would be nice too. :D

 

I hope you guys are enjoying some nice weather in your neck of the woods these days. Can't complain about the spring we're having here so far.

 

Brenda

[Fblack]

I just got e-mailed a Celebrity survey too but the loyalty program was not mentioned. I am an Elite cruiser too and agree the booklet is not worth much.

 

On my recent cruise we were again asked to join the Staff captain for dinner again.

[emptynest1]

I am not feeling the love here. I haven't received the survey and I always have interesting comments.:eek:

[dmk]

I received this great survey. I would love to have discounts on cruises, on board credits and whatever points they want to give me.

I also love the idea to be able to choose which rewards I'd like to choose.

Last of all, I like the idea of more levels than now. We need some thing after the Elite status.

Oh, I hope they pay attention to the responses and fix the useless program they have now!

[Longboysfan]

I am not feeling the love here. I haven't received the survey and I always have interesting comments.:eek:

 

No love here either. :(

[Andy]

Hi Everyone !

 

I didnt get the survey either, but then again... I never do :)

 

At any rate, I have been extremely vocal to Celebrity for the past few years about adding more perks for Captains Club members. I strongly feel that at least 1 additional Captain's Club level above Elite is an absolute must. I also feel that Concierge lounges for Elite Members (and above) are a must too. How Royal Caribbean has this amenity, and Celebrity does not, makes absolutely zero sense to me. The lounges on Celebrity are long overdue.

 

I would also love to see some free internet minutes, and any sort of point system that can lead to free upgrades or onboard credits. I am also in favor of anything that makes the embarcation and disembarkation process easier, as that is always a huge pain in the you know where.

 

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to see Celebrity have the future Cruise credits reinstated to the old plan, where the onboard credit was higher, and based on the number of nights of the Cruise. I feel that they should have both the old and current systems. The current system allows you to make an open booking with a smaller deposit and less of an onboard credit. The old system was a firm booking with a specific date, a higher deposit, and larger onboard credit. This would give everyone what they want, and in the long run would be very beneficial to both passengers and Celebrity. If Celebrity does not wish to offer the old system across the board, why not make it a perk for Elite and above members ? It would make for an outstanding perk, and a great way to reward their best customers.

 

Let's hope that Celebrity will makes the changes and upgrades that we are all begging for.

[barbarah33]

No love here either!! :mad:

 

I guess they don't want my opinion. Maybe they're mad at me because although my last cruise was on Celebrity my next is on RCCL.

[RCCLCARIB]

Here is what I would like to see:

Classic Level Benefits*

One-Category Upgrade

Complimentary Custom Air Request

Presailing Specialty Restaurant Reservations

Priority Embarkation (where available) - Founder Classic Members Only

Enrollment in =X= new guest referral (sp?) program

Exclusive Captain's Club Party

Captain's Club Premium Booklet filled with valuable onboard offers

Preferential Debarkation (where available) - Founder Classic Members Only

Reunion Cruises

30 complimentary internet minutes

Online Newsletter

Additional sailing credit on itineraries of 12 nights or more (maximum of three sailing credits per sailing)

Additional sailing credit for booking a Concierge Class stateroom or Suite (maximum of three sailing credits per sailing)

 

 

**After earning 5 cruise credits

Select Member Benefits

Includes all benefits of Classic membership, plus:

Behind-the-Scenes Tours

Chardonnay Blending Seminar

Priority Status for Shore Excursion Waitlist

Senior Officer's Cocktail party

$100-$200 off Balcony Stateroom

Enhanced Elemis Bathroom Amenities

Additional 30 complimentary internet minutes

Opportunity to enroll in Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society program at the Platinum Level

Plus all Classic Member Benefits

Elite Member Benefits

Includes all benefits of Classic & Select membership, plus:

Private Shipboard Departure Lounge with Continental Breakfast

2-week Upgrade List: interior to oceanview, oceanview to veranda, veranda to concierge, concierge to suite.

Seperate Elite Captain's Club Phone Number

Additional 30 complimentary internet minutes

Priority Tender Service

Concierge Lounge with Concierge Attendant

Priority Waitlist for Dining Room Seating

Opportunity to enroll in Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society program at the Diamond Level

Plus all Select and Classic Member Benefits

Elite Plus **After 24 completed cruise credits

Complementary Bottle of Wine/Champagne Delivered to stateroom

Special onboard activities

Onboard Ambassador

1 complementary laundry for 2-5 nights, 2 complementary laundry for 6-8 nights, and 3 complementary laundry for 8+ nights.

Complimentary internet during voyage

1 complimentary 10 minute Ship to Shore phone call

Enhanced upgrade options

Pillow Menu and flowers for non-concierge class/suite staterooms

Dinner with an officer based on Availability

Complimentary passes to Aqua Spa Persian Guardens/charge spaces fleet wide.

 

[shipknotshore]

We would love it if they had the Concierge lounge and gave $$ discounts on balcony & above staterooms. A coupon book with coupons that folks would actually find useful would be nice too.

[wolfganghowell]

Bummer, I didn't get the survey, I would have loved to give them my 2 cents. :(

[BettyNL]

No survey for this ELITE cruiser either....:(

 

However, that may have something to do with the fact that on our last X cruise, together with the 'onboard' survey, I returned the Coupon Book, with a note stating that if that is all they could offer their best customers, they obviously needed it more than me !! ;)

[j!m]

we didnt receive the survey either and are certainly frequent sailors with x. i agree there needs be a level above elite and status ought to be based on number of nights not cruises. ten 3 night cruises cost about as much or less as 2 of our 14 night b2b's. the only benefits we presently see which are worthwhile are the laundry deals (we get the cloth bags and stuff em) and the priority tender tix. not much for so called preferential customers! rarely attend CC parties they are a cattle call (whole ship is there) and we can afford our own drinks.

 

we dont continue to sail with x for the "perks" offered.

[dmk]

Don't feel badly if you didn't receive the survey. This is the first survey I have received form X and I, too, am an Elite member.

[goouchjac]

I just completed Celebrity/Azamara's Loyalty program survey. Boy, did I have a lot to say! That is my one big beef about Celebrity - their loyalty program (with their worthless coupon book) is a slap in the face.

 

This survey asked some really good questions and I can't wait to see what they come up with. Too bad they didn't actually list the loyalty rewards of their competitors - that would have certainly highlighted the deficiencies of their own current program.

 

However, kudos to them for recognizing they have some work to do to offer a loyalty program that actually makes their most loyal customers feel appreciated.

 

The one question I found most interesting asked that we pick 5 out of a list of possible rewards that we would like the most, and then we had to rate them from 1 to 5. I can't believe some of this stuff actually made the list. I guess they were hoping some of their current "rewards" are actually meaningful. :D

 

Luggage valet service (delivery of luggage directly to the airline from the ship)

Refer-a-friend bonus (you earn points when family and/or friends cruise with you)

Bonus points for booking early

Concierge lounge access

Exclusive website access

Priority luggage handling (expedited luggage delivery to the stateroom)

Priority dining reservations for specialty restaurants

Priority departure (ability to leave quickly when you want to)

Points can be redeemed for cabin upgrades when available

Priority tender tickets

Points earned from Visa Rewards Credit Card Program are available for redemption onboard

Bonus points for booking select sailings

Exclusive departure lounge

Points can be redeemed for dollars off next cruise

Behind-the-scenes tours (bridge, galley, theater, etc.)

Priority embarkation

Priority wait-list for preferred dining room seating

Points can be redeemed for onboard purchases (to spend on spa, shore excursions, bar, specialty restaurants, internet, laundry and dry cleaning, etc.)

 

Seriously, who wouldn't want points that you could use for dollars off your next cruise, or points for on-board purchases? Sign me up for that! And if they had a Concierge Lounge like RCCL, well, I'd never choose a different cruise line! :eek:

 

They also asked whether we thought cruise points should be based on number of days sailed (my preference) or number of cruises. Seeing as we generally take longer cruises, I'd get more bang for my buck with number of days, but YMMV.

 

In any case, it was fun to do the survey and I look forward to seeing a new and improved Captain's Club soon.

Never got the survey,,,probably that's because the last three cruises we have jumped ship and gone with RCC,,,much better perks with them,,,we are Elite on X which makes us Diamond with RCC...Think they appreciate their loyal cruiser better,,also the prices on X are getting ridiculous,,we get $off our rooms with RCC and that is a big help.:)

[ghstudio]

The good news is that maybe C understands that's it's program is pretty weak......

 

Some poor new hire probably has the job of improving the program with no budget....and that's likely the bad news.

 

One thing that's truly absurd is that you can't combine the cruise "points" earned with RCCL with those of celebrity....they should have one program.

[emptynest1]

The loyalty program does need some help. I noticed recently that some cruise credits were not listed. I called and spoke to some YOUNG rep that informed me that because my galaxy cruise was before 2004 I don't get credit for the suite. Now we always book suites and almost always cruise for 10 or more days. Couldn't they include that one credit to make this loyal customer happy????

No is the answer, but once again I am sure the sweet Young girl was just following her orders. I was also missing credit for a suite on another cruise that was in 2004.

 

Doesn't make much difference what credits I have since it doesn't count for much anyway.

[Private Island]

I read your cruise review on the Constellation and was really interested in the paragraph you wrote on the Royal Caribbean Stocks. I would be interested in purchasing 100 stocks in order to receive the cruise credits. Can you give me any more info on this? How recently have you received the credit and was that mailed to you after you booked a cruise? How did you find out about this perk? Thanks for your great review!