Crown & Anchor Program Revisions - join the merged discussions here

[sealord]

They were placed here by Carnival. ;) Placed here to whine. They are doing are a good job. I bet that they have a free cruise waiting for them for all of this hard work. ;) It's not hard to figure them out. ;)

 

Good grief, Charley Brown! It is the conspiracy theory. (We) whiners were placed here by Carnival. Oh, dear! No, we whiners got here via the very effective RCCL dogma that made fools of all of us. When many of us joined this 'club' there was no Diamond Plus ... just (Silver), Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. When the "Silver" went away we should have gotten suspicious. When Diamond Plus arrived, we should have gotten more suspicious. The highest level of the 'loyalty' program, "Diamond" was about to get trashed. "Fool me once, shame on you ... fool me twice, shame on me!"

[seaprince]

Well folks I just did it. I cancelled my July Liberty of the Seas Eastern Caribbean D1 category cruise. I'm tired of RCCL's 10 year plus policy of take, take, take, take, take, take.

 

GF and I are going to Paris for the same exact week we were going to be on our cruise. I reached Cubic Zirconia (diamond) status to only have the goal post move further away. RCCL and cruising with them is NO LONGER A PRIORITY or our first choice. And GF and I have already decided that next cruise will be on another cruise line - we're looking for a new flavor. By my accounts that is around $7,000 that I will NOT be spending with RCCL as a Cubic Zirconia member of the Crap and Anchor society.

 

 

Too bad - you could have enjoyed the Diamond Lounge on your Liberty cruise. You won't have that benefit on another cruise line if you book the same balcony cabin. Your decision to cancel Liberty is fine with me as it will start to debottleneck the Diamond Lounge. If other Diamonds start defecting from RCCL, as you are, then the Lounge will gain some semblance of exclusivity . Good luck !

 

The Sea Prince

 

# of RCCL cruises = 190

[Bobblsc]

From the e-mail we received:

 

"With 20 ships currently in service around the globe and two magnificent ships under construction, Royal Caribbean International® has always regarded the optimum enjoyment of all our guests worldwide as a top priority. We consistently review valuable guest feedback to ensure that we are able to continuously improve our services while keeping the base price of a Royal Caribbean International cruise essentially the same for nearly a decade. In that process, we constantly measure and evaluate the satisfaction of our guests. ...

 

Starting July 1st there will be some changes to our Crown & Anchor® Society benefits based on member feedback and ....

 

 

 

Keeping your feedback and cruise experience in mind, some of the changes that will occur include:

• A new Ultimate Value Booklet with coupons for various onboard amenities.
  
• An upgraded wine tasting event at a special price.
  
• A new special event, hosted by our ship officers, for Diamond and above members to meet and mingle with other fellow members, and featuring complimentary wine, champagne and hors d'oeuvres.
  

Due to limited capacity, the Concierge Lounge has not been able to accommodate our growing membership, challenging our ability to provide the optimum experience for our guests. Therefore the Concierge Lounge will now be accessible to our suite and Diamond Plus guests only. ..."

 

It is clear that Royal Caribbean was overwhelmed with feedback asking that the Concierge Lounge be closed to Diamond Members. :D

Who are those people who provided all this feedback? :rolleyes:

 

We obtained our Diamond status by cruising first with Celebrity, but we have so far cruised only in Grand Suites on RC ships. Hey, we gave no feedback. It must have been others who are Diamond Plus or Suite people. :D

 

On a more serious note, some here maintain that the change is due to overcrowding, while others write only about costs. Perhaps it was both which contributed to Royal Caribbean's decision. But RC only refers to a crowding issue. If cost was involved, several on the thread have indicated that had Royal Caribbean been "up front" about that, they would have been respected, not necessarily agreed with, but respected.

 

As things now appear, many will be changing their loyalty away from RC. This cannot help RCL profits.

 

There have been alternatives, mine and others, on this thread which would almost certainly provide better solutions to both crowding and cost difficulties than RC's actions.

 

Oh well, who cares?

 

Bob :cool:

[aqhacruiser]

Just got back from a short trip to West Palm and Boca for spring break and had a very interesting experience at our hotel........

When we checked in, the woman behind the desk handed my husband an envelope and it was an invitation to the manager's welcome reception for that night. My husband stays in this hotel often(once a month) for business and the woman said that the reception was a new perk for Marriott Elite members. We go to the reception and the hotel manager and sales staff are there greeting everyone, there is a great spread of food and an open bar!:eek: It was a wonderful way to feel appreciated and it is nice to see that not everyone is cutting back on their perks to their loyal customers.

My husbands comment was that Royal Caribbean needs to take a lesson from this hotel!:DLol!

 

I love Marriott:) and have been a member for many many years and I really love the concierge lounge in Marriott hotels. I've suggested many times throughout this thread that RCCL go to a point system ( as they are determined to make a change anyway) similar to Marriott or Hilton using the amount of days spent at sea similar to how Marriott uses the amount of nights as I think it would be fair to everyone. If you cruise a lot ( spend a lot) with RCCL you get the perk of the CL or you could use your points to upgrade to a CL cabin like you can upgrade to a CL class room in Marriott with your points.

The only thing, it is important to remember Marriott is giving you points based on the amount you spend with them ( stay a couple nights a month you spend more then the guy staying only 5 nights a year and you get many more points to use and you are a higher level. You must maintain that level with Marrott, it's not a life long benefit and it can drop or go higher depending on what you spend in a year ) That's how you accumulate your points, how much you spend with them.

 

RCCL gave the diamond perk to everyone no matter what price cabin they chose on a ship or what they spent. If you want the CL at Marriott you either pay extra for a CL room or use the points you have from spending money at Marriott from past stays to upgrade. If you've never stayed in the CL class rooms at Marriott the CL is similar to what you described for breakfast and dinner hours minus all the sales staff and there is always an honor bar Monday thru Friday morning:) It is much nicer then the CL's on the ships.

RCCL could have went to this system easily, put a number on how many seadays you needed to cruise a year to get the CL as a perk by using a point system based on what people spent with RCCL on cruises, shops, excursions etc. You get points for every purchase you make with Marriott also such as on rooms, food, spa services, drinks, etc.

So with RCCL either you cruise (as an example) 12 days a year to get the CL or you can use the points you collected to upgrade to a suite that has the CL included so as example, if you cruised only 5 nights but spent a lot on cabin or onboard and collected a lot of points from those 5 nights you could use those points to upgrade to a suite on another cruise that includes CL. It's fair to the passenger that cruises a lot/spends money with RCCL and fair to RCCL as they are rewarding a good customer that consistently spends money with them. It's worked very well for Marriott for many years and they track your spending and the things you like so you never have to tell them you want something in your room like feather pillows, or type of room location you like, they know what you like already so no need to tell them unless you want to change or add something. Tracking your info makes for great customer service and they are excellent at that.

Of course this would have still left some people out if they only cruised a few nights a year or every couple of years with RCCL but it's at a point where they can't please everyone but I think this system would have been a much better way to change the C & A program then to just take a perk completely away from diamonds. I also believe it may have solved the space issue at it would really be rewarding those that cruised/spent the most consistently each year.

Forget about how much someone spent to be diamond as people can fight about cheap short cruises vs. pricey long ones all day, you are there now so level playing field now and diamond with a new C & A program.

Now if someone spends say 3000.00 with RCCL cruising 5 nights and spends little onboard once every 2 years and someone else spends 12,000 and cruises 15 nights every year who really deserves that CL perk more? Like Marriott, it wouldn't be so much about loyalty as it would be about money spent. That what a GS and up is all about and has always been about, spend more and get more perks, it's all based on money spent. I did write to RCCL and suggest this as I do understand they have to make a change and this makes more sense to me then just banning all diamonds from the perk. jmo

[hellosailer]

Hmmm...... well, after 164 pages, it does seem to me that I am the only person on here who has actually had experience of a ship where Diamonds were not admitted to the CL!!!

 

It was interesting - yes, some people were irritated and couldn't quite understand what was going on. However, except for one couple, no-one was actually enraged like the few on here. They all still enjoyed the cruise. I didn't hear anyone say that they would cancel their other cruises or never cruise RCCL again.

 

However, when, after 4 days, Diamonds were admitted - it was a zoo!! The difference was astounding!! Now what would have been interesting - and we will never know - is to have found out the difference in the revenue from the bars - if there was one!!! And I suspect there was!! Could this have been a factor?

 

Perhaps the Brilliance, was, as someone suggested, being used as a test case. Well, in my eyes it did prove that Diamonds are overwhelming the CL. The Plussers were a very small minority - how long this will continue though, is anyone's guess, as some will be cruising the insides on the shorty cruises just to reach the Plus level.

 

I do think that RCCL should jump in now and change the criteria for the levels - just grandfather in everyone at their present level and be done with it!! They should have just done it all at once - now there will be a further controversy!!

[aqhacruiser]

IOS member

 

 

 

 

"Suzanne

Royal Champion Member Selected in Sept. 2008, I've never received any incentives from RCCL and I was D plus prior to 2008 proving I enjoy cruising RCCL without any incentive to do so.

 

Excuse me while I remain confused.

 

How does that prove anything of the kind? To the best of my knowledge you have enjoyed the CL and other "Diamond" benefits ever since you got there ... perhaps back to 2002 or before. You've never received incentives? Were you riding in one of the lifeboats? No coupons? No Concierge Lounge? No preferential boarding? No departure lounge? No gifts? No chocolate covered strawberries? No "special" events ... brunches, lunches, cocktail parties? No wonder you became a "Royal Champion" ... you must have been riding in the "golf simulator" for the entire trip.

 

Or, perhaps I just don't understand your posting?

 

Oh you ARE obviously confused:) You can't "enjoy" the CL on RCCL unless you are a diamond or a suite guest of course. You can't get Diamond Plus without first being diamond so I earned my 10 credits to get to diamond and then I continued to sail RCCL to get a total of 24 credits to get Diamond plus level so you see it's impossible to be diamond plus which I am without cruising RCCL many times. I obviously LIKE RCCL or I would not have kept sailing with them. I was D plus before being selected as an RC. Understand? I'll explain more

 

The reference BTW you quote is to being a RC and no I have NOT received any incentives and my cruisefares that I PAID actually did include a ride on the SHIP many times:D I hate chocolate covered strawberries and they are everywhere for anyone on the ship, I skip the welcome back parties, nope no cocktail parties on the Ex. unless in a suite and you pay for those and the CL in that price, "Brunch" is in WJ included in fare, lifeboats are included too BTW:D, and the CL was a perk of being Diamond and remains a perk as D plus, not an incentive to me as I can get my own tea from room service, I buy a coke card, and not into drinking, Have you seen the departure lounge in Bayonne? Obviously not or you wouldn't have mentioned it! We arrive late to avoid it! lol, so none of those things are an "incentive" given to me but the CL is a perk which does not keep me personally cruising with RCCL as I liked the ship before the CL and would like it if it wasn't there. Not that it matters but I sail in a JS and an OS and with the OS perks are included whether I am D plus or not and yes, I pay more for the suite and yes it includes many perks. But I like the space and I pay for it! lol

I have never been to the golf simulator but I do like to play the mini golf:D I have received no incentives from RCCL as a RC as I was already D plus when they invited me PROVING I just liked sailing RCCL and I didn't have to be bought or paid or given gifts, or anything else some people have accused RC's of to sail RCCL or to tell people I enjoyed sailing RCCL. I was already doing those things long before I was selected as a RC. Sorry to disappoint you about your assumptions toward me:)

[DavidM64Cruiser]

This is a dumb move for RCI. At a time they should be retaining their most loyal customers, which is evidenced by the crowded lounges, they are pushing them to other cruise lines. Me included. I've wanted to try Holland, but stayed with RCI due to the perks and the lounge.

 

Now I'm free to branch out to other ships and I will. Holland will replace 2 of my 3 upcoming cruises. They appear to have nicer ships and better food.

 

I was just on the Serenade in January. Due to the amount of Diamonds and Suite members they moved the concierge lounge to the un-used Hollywood/Odyssey lounge. It was perfect! Plenty of room for everyone. What a fun time to meet and mingle with fellow experienced cruisers.

 

I don't understand why RCI is stripping their loyal Diamond guests of their benefits instead of celebrating their success in retaining so many customers, which is evident in the overcrowded lounges.

 

They should simply find larger lounges on the ships to accomodate their loyal guest and/or at least grand-father the current Diamond guests who have already been accustomed to the extra perks.

 

Lastly, the lounges would probably be less crowded if the concierge better monitored who they let in. I know for a fact that many guests in the clubs, were not diamond members or suite guests, rather friends of them. I brought in several relatives with me, who shouldn't have been there and the concierge never said a word. I would have understood if they were asked not to come back.

 

I'm awaiting my email response from RCI. However, I'm certain it will be the same canned email everyone else is getting saying too bad and suffer.

 

I really don't think this is all about overcrowding. Like I said before, they moved the lounge upstairs on my last cruise. There was plenty of room. So, the crowds are not an excuse.

[Ladylouwho]

This is a dumb move for RCI. At a time they should be retaining their most loyal customers, which is evidenced by the crowded lounges, they are pushing them to other cruise lines. Me included. I've wanted to try Holland, but stayed with RCI due to the perks and the lounge.

 

Now I'm free to branch out to other ships and I will. Holland will replace 2 of my 3 upcoming cruises. They appear to have nicer ships and better food.

 

I was just on the Serenade in January. Due to the amount of Diamonds and Suite members they moved the concierge lounge to the un-used Hollywood/Odyssey lounge. It was perfect! Plenty of room for everyone. What a fun time to meet and mingle with fellow experienced cruisers.

 

I don't understand why RCI is stripping their loyal Diamond guests of their benefits instead of celebrating their success in retaining so many customers, which is evident in the overcrowded lounges.

 

They should simply find larger lounges on the ships to accomodate their loyal guest and/or at least grand-father the current Diamond guests who have already been accustomed to the extra perks.

 

Lastly, the lounges would probably be less crowded if the concierge better monitored who they let in. I know for a fact that many guests in the clubs, were not diamond members or suite guests, rather friends of them. I brought in several relatives with me, who shouldn't have been there and the concierge never said a word. I would have understood if they were asked not to come back.

 

I'm awaiting my email response from RCI. However, I'm certain it will be the same canned email everyone else is getting saying too bad and suffer.

 

I really don't think this is all about overcrowding. Like I said before, they moved the lounge upstairs on my last cruise. There was plenty of room. So, the crowds are not an excuse.

 

Absolutely right David. We have experienced the same. They move the evening cocktails to a larger lounge. No problem. So the lack of space argument does not hold water (pun intended), lol! And the cost? That is the biggest joke there is. They are going to lose tens of thousands in bookings weekly for some cheap liquor savings? C'mon!

 

Colleen

[kauppias]

This is a dumb move for RCI. At a time

 

 

 

...Lastly, the lounges would probably be less crowded if the concierge better monitored who they let in. I know for a fact that many guests in the clubs, were not diamond members or suite guests, rather friends of them. I brought in several relatives with me, who shouldn't have been there and the concierge never said a word. I would have understood if they were asked not to come back.

 

...moved the lounge upstairs on my last cruise. There was plenty of room. So, the crowds are not an excuse.

 

 

This is not only poor monitoring of the lounge use by concierges BUT ALSO a sad misuse of benefits by diamonds, and Im sure its not isolated to just one or two diamonds nor propably used by suite guests who bring family in to the lounge who are staying in balconies or the likes....

 

I go to the lounge only with family members who are diamond as we rarely stay in suites anymore... but I would feel guilty if I started to piggyback people into the lounge for the free drinks as they were not intended for them only diamond and above and suite guests...

[CruiseKeeper]

But I am with you in that it is a loss!! When I thought I was losing it I wasn't pleased!!

 

I have said time and time again - I sympathise with you. Before all this came out, I 'knew' it has happening soon (telepathy!) and I wrote to a high-up contact, that we would probably go HAL if we couldn't use the Lounge, as we are 'older' and need to get away from the fun during the day and late evening. We were then Diamond from our Celebrity elite status and had had to start again to gain D+. I honestly didn't know until a few weeks ago, that we had just made D+ on our last cruise!!!! No idea how many we had to go. I was surprised - we have just had 24, so this will be our first as Plussers!! Obviously cruising too much!!:eek: But we are among those referred to as 'natural wastage' so have to get in what we can!!

 

No, what I see here, and forgive me if I am wrong, is that just a few people are really fanning the flames. I have not 'name-called' anyone - the loyalist thing was perhaps ill-considered, but just a play on words!!! None of us realise, I suppose, how sensitive they are over there!! Although in the UK most people can discuss this without getting too het up. But I think the slightest things get Coxswain het up anyway - some are more sensitive than others!!

 

I think people SHOULD write and give their opinions - but to get people really riled up, like some on here, seems pointless.

 

I was trained to see both points of view in controversies - and I see that RCCL is cutting back - just doesn't want to supply free drinks and thus lose revenue. In addition, wants to make the CL less crowded to attract return Suite Guests. Not a lot of point in supplying a supposedly up-scale amenity, which becomes crowded and unpleasant!! These high-flyers won't return - they will prefer the incredible suite amenities on NCL, Cunard etc.!!!!

 

RCCL has probably decided that they won't lose so many customers anyway, as no other line as far as I am aware, gives unlimited free drinks to guests however loyal - except in the Casino situation. And RCCL ships are great!!

 

I don't know what you want me to say - I am not sure that the Company will survive Oasis and the next mega anyway!! The Company is struggling - I support you all in writing to complain - but 164 pages!! And I believe the more you guys fan the flames, the more upset people will become. And frankly, there are two sides to every story!!

 

I am just putting the Company's view - at least I hope it is - as I am a shareholder!! (And if RCCL goes bust, I want the Brilliance!!).

 

In the scale of things, its an irritation, as I said previously sugar happens - we all have to live with things we don't like. Believe me, many people are losing worse things than a Concierge Lounge. If and when we lose the CL - we will move on. I won't even write to object - they know quite well that it isn't a popular decision, but have decided to do it.

 

But I do advise whoever does go on a cruise before July and uses the CL, not to try to cause discontent and upset amongst the Diamonds. The subject will come up - of course it will - but we will have to all be very careful!! No democracy on a ship!! Don't like you - you are off at the next port!!

 

This not a hotel - and that's another subject altogether which is starting to irritate me on cruises!! I can go to a hotel on land - I want to go on a ship and I want to know where we are going, the nautical difficulties of the transit etc. The only thing we get lately, are the shopping guides or history lecturers. I would like an officer on the first sea day, to give a short lecture on the geography of the journey we are about to undertake!! For instance, we went through the Straits of Messina. I worked out approx. when we would get there and it was spectacular. But could I find out any details? No!!!! Sorry, off topic here!! Rant over!!

 

I don't suppose this training was done by a schizophrenic, was it?

[fred and di]

I guess I was a less than clear when I said i kind of long for how RCCL used to be when we started cruising. It was not about the drinks, lounge,or discounts: but rather there was a sense of service and pride by the crew that made one feel appreciated. This was a top to bottom effort by the staff. Somehow this was replaced by perks, drinks, etc. and we have come to interpret that as being appreciated. Now, that too is going away. I hope that there is something to replace it. The key to repeat business is to let the customer know that he truely is appreciated.

[tugboat]

I would certainly hope that when someone uses one of my posts as a qoute, I will be so happy to be on an RCI cruise in the future and not have to listen to the whines of persons such as yourself during the week!!! Now lets see what your next post says! NO WAIT!!! It will just say the same thing your last 17 posts have said! Save the space please!:D

 

Will this be after you finish your cruise on the Conquest on the 17th of April:eek:

[FireIce0010]

Good grief, Charley Brown! It is the conspiracy theory. (We) whiners were placed here by Carnival. Oh, dear! No, we whiners got here via the very effective RCCL dogma that made fools of all of us. When many of us joined this 'club' there was no Diamond Plus ... just (Silver), Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. When the "Silver" went away we should have gotten suspicious. When Diamond Plus arrived, we should have gotten more suspicious. The highest level of the 'loyalty' program, "Diamond" was about to get trashed. "Fool me once, shame on you ... fool me twice, shame on me!"

 

Sounds like you need to find another cruise line. Let us know how good the others are. I am keeping a list from this thread of all the whiners that are moving on down the road. Let's see how long before they make a return to Royal Caribbean. ;) The grass ain't always greener on the other side.

 

One other thing. I think that the cruise lines are being as loyal to their customers as their customers are being loyal to them. More and more people now choose their cruise line due to price. All one has to do is read the boards here at CC. I'm not saying all but there is a large majority. So people now expect to cruise cheap and still maintain the loyalty benefits. Sounds like some were educated at Wal-Mart University. I for one am glad that Royal has decided to make the change. It will affect me if I don't cruise in a suite but who cares. It's only a few drinks.

[mojitodiva]

Sounds like you need to find another cruise line. Let us know how good the others are. I am keeping a list from this thread of all the whiners that are moving on down the road. Let's see how long before they make a return to Royal Caribbean. ;) The grass ain't always greener on the other side.

 

One other thing. I think that the cruise lines are being as loyal to their customers as their customers are being loyal to them. More and more people now choose their cruise line due to price. All one has to do is read the boards here at CC. I'm not saying all but there is a large majority. So people now expect to cruise cheap and still maintain the loyalty benefits. Sounds like some were educated at Wal-Mart University. I for one am glad that Royal has decided to make the change. It will affect me if I don't cruise in a suite but who cares. It's only a few drinks.

 

Ditto!! :D

 

Great Post!!:)

 

I hear the tuition at Wal-Mart U is very affordable! :rolleyes::cool:

 

Do I like Royal's cutbacks?? No however I understand in these difficult times that businesses have to do what they have to do.

 

:cool:

[berwyn]

Sounds like you need to find another cruise line. Let us know how good the others are. I am keeping a list from this thread of all the whiners that are moving on down the road. Let's see how long before they make a return to Royal Caribbean. ;) The grass ain't always greener on the other side.

 

One other thing. I think that the cruise lines are being as loyal to their customers as their customers are being loyal to them. More and more people now choose their cruise line due to price. All one has to do is read the boards here at CC. I'm not saying all but there is a large majority. So people now expect to cruise cheap and still maintain the loyalty benefits. Sounds like some were educated at Wal-Mart University. I for one am glad that Royal has decided to make the change. It will affect me if I don't cruise in a suite but who cares. It's only a few drinks.

You are keeping a list? Wow you have a great life.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Sounds like you need to find another cruise line. Let us know how good the others are. I am keeping a list from this thread of all the whiners that are moving on down the road. Let's see how long before they make a return to Royal Caribbean. ;) The grass ain't always greener on the other side.

 

One other thing. I think that the cruise lines are being as loyal to their customers as their customers are being loyal to them. More and more people now choose their cruise line due to price. All one has to do is read the boards here at CC. I'm not saying all but there is a large majority. So people now expect to cruise cheap and still maintain the loyalty benefits. Sounds like some were educated at Wal-Mart University. I for one am glad that Royal has decided to make the change. It will affect me if I don't cruise in a suite but who cares. It's only a few drinks.

 

 

Why do they need to find another cruise line??? I moan about my DH, doesnt mean I need to find another.:D

[FireIce0010]

You are keeping a list? Wow you have a great life.

 

It's not hard if you're organized and yes I have a wonderful life......;)

[aurelius180]

You are keeping a list? Wow you have a great life.

 

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

 

Anyone posting to a discussion board, particularly to a thread 164 pages and over 3k posts about declining free perks, shouldn't comment on how others spend their time. Myself included. ;)

[GaryfmCol]

I guess I was a less than clear when I said i kind of long for how RCCL used to be when we started cruising. It was not about the drinks, lounge,or discounts: but rather there was a sense of service and pride by the crew that made one feel appreciated. This was a top to bottom effort by the staff. Somehow this was replaced by perks, drinks, etc. and we have come to interpret that as being appreciated. Now, that too is going away. I hope that there is something to replace it. The key to repeat business is to let the customer know that he truely is appreciated.

 

 

In the "NATION of WHY NOT?" this does NOT apply. :rolleyes:

 

I do not think the customer now is any consideration to

Royal Caribbean. It is hard for me to understand that.

 

I would think loyal customers would be EVERYTHING to a business.

[xpcdoojk]

Post #3157

 

You can come on CC and post as a guest, not a registered user?

 

This is the first time I've seen this.

 

Paul, that might be what happens when TOS is violated and your status changes after you post. Just guessing.

 

jc

[txbear]

I guess I was a less than clear when I said i kind of long for how RCCL used to be when we started cruising. It was not about the drinks, lounge,or discounts: but rather there was a sense of service and pride by the crew that made one feel appreciated. This was a top to bottom effort by the staff. Somehow this was replaced by perks, drinks, etc. and we have come to interpret that as being appreciated. Now, that too is going away. I hope that there is something to replace it. The key to repeat business is to let the customer know that he truely is appreciated.

 

Ditto

[berwyn]

In the "NATION of WHY NOT?" this does NOT apply. :rolleyes:

 

I do not think the customer now is any consideration to

Royal Caribbean. It is hard for me to understand that.

 

I would think loyal customers would be EVERYTHING to a business.

They don't care about repeat customers.They feel a family will bring their kids to an RCI"park"once and not return.Then a new family will come and so on and so on.....

[AnotherCruisingKid]

I love Marriott:)...

Suzanne.

Let me respond to this in a "other side of the argument" instead of a "i completely disagree with you" way.

 

I do not love Marriott's program. They miss out on what I consider some of the basic needs of the company. Most of their lounges are open only Monday to Friday. They only recognize nights stayed. And their levels are among the hardest to get in the hotel business.

 

Now this translates to your post about how to fix RCCL.

 

I agree completely RCCL has to fix it. I do not like the way they did it, but agree with them they had to do something. They were broken from the start with it being lifetime. The numbers will only go up up up and something like this whole situation will happen.

 

As I've stated before, my biggest issue is everyone crying its all about nights at sea. This is NOT a fair measure of value to the company. Those people who spend more are more valuable. So there has to be a mechanism to consider spending. Similar to Hilton although they're another who used "feedback" to ruin their program. But you can make grade in 3 ways. Stays(cruises), Nights(same), or Basepoints(spending/cabin choice). And these are not something you can combine. They track all 3, but its not like this many nights can be combined with a long nights and some high spending to make it. You must make the threshhold in one of the categories all year.

 

And this brings me to point 2. There MUST be a requal system. If they do not have a way to remove status, this will as people predict eventually effect the D+ in the same way. Of course the current D+ may be on to a new level, but the idea is the same. If the numbers can only go up, the system is broken.

 

I feel the suggestion above allows everyone to go about it in their chosen way. Those that want to cruise many nights in any cabin can. Those that want to be recognized for sailing suites will be. Those that take the short ones, will be. The trick is to figure out the level in each category but in my looking at other lines I think Princess with their 1 cruise or 10 nights is on the right track.

 

And if you're to make it a yearly requal, I think there should be a "sail this many to maintain per year" as a kicker on the life time numbers. But this gets too gray for me to figure out for the company for free.

[trafficlaw]

Oh and just for full disclosure..I am Platinum on RCI without ever setting foot on one of its ships! LMAO!!!! And when I am chilling in the CL on Mariner after strolling down there from my suite I will enjoy walking right up to the bar and getting my free cocktail without waiting in a long line full of Diamonds, not to mention having lots of nice places to sit down and relax to chat with my fellow suite cruisers and Diamond Plussers!!! ! hahahahaha......I love this thread!!!

 

I guess your parents are taking you on another cruise??? Congrats!!! Be sure to enjoy your new C&A perk: the Crayola AdventureArt Coloring Books in the Adventure Ocean Youth Program. But get to the CL early for your soft-drinks because I don't think they allow children under 18 in the CL after 8:00PM, even if your parents paid for a Suite. :D

[texlatin1]

Will this be after you finish your cruise on the Conquest on the 17th of April:eek:

 

No, it will be after my wonderful Conquest cruise on the 19th!:cool: