maxsales

Well, no, you progress faster (or at least the same) in a concierge class or above.

 

As said before, you'll be laughing if you only travel in Royal suites or similar!

 

But also as said yesterday for most passengers, it will be slower progress in the new program.

Humbly disagree under the old system a seven night in concierge and above earned two points equivalent to sixty new points. Now a seven night in cc or aqua earns thirty five point. So in those categories you are earning about half as much.

Doing the math a fourteen nightie earns closer to to old method ninety points old seventy points new.

The only categories that will have the same or better earn rates under the new system will be suite guests

Even with their increased earning rate it would take the top suite guest, starting from scratch, one hundred and sixty six sailing days to reach Zenith assuming they keep Zenith at three thousand points. At nearly one thousand per day in the top suites that is one big bill.

When Celebrity started you got one credit for each cruise you took. We have been members since our cruise on the Meridian. It was a 14 days cruise and we got 1 credit. We take longer cruises and usually cc cabins.this year we took a BtB 11 days in Australia and 18 days transpacific both in a CC cabin. We got 2 credits for the first leg and 3 for the second. We could gripe that they should have changed it to days cruised.

**** happens and there is nothing you can do about it.

If the program stayed the way it was and your friends became Elite they could have been sharing the Sky lounge with 2000 people on the transatlantic cruise. I can tell you from experience it is not worth the bother.

It says we are now Elite plus and not a hope in hell getting to the next level in this lifetime so we will take what is on offer and be happy after all it is supposed to be about the experience.

On other lines like Princess we had to have 15 cruises before we became Elite.:confused::confused::confused:

Don't know why you say S*** happens about the accrual of points from your two cruises. Under the new system you would have received 55 points for the first cruise and 90 points for the second. You received 2 credits for cruise one now worth 60 points and three credits for cruise two now worth 90 points. So you actually made five additional points under the old system.

I will still take cruises and not worry about the level or spend extra to chase after it. If I cruise enough I will be "rewarded". To spend excessive money to get a few free drinks and etc doesn't make any sense. Get a drink pack and drink when and what you want and not be limited to a few drinks, in designated bars and hours.

 

Plus by the time I ever reach elite plus or above I will probably be very old and can't drink because of all the meds that I will be taking. I think that is the plan, give them free drinks because they wouldn't be able to drink. Perks aren't really perks if you can't use them.

 

 

🎄🎅

I guess you have never been to an elite cocktail hour. Us oldies can drink, LOL.

Well, yes, they did follow Royal's lead in developing new tiers. Unfortunately they didn't follow Royal's lead in giving bonus points to everyone. That would pretty much have taken care of most of the problems. No need "to make anyone who has ever seen a ship a Zenith". :D

 

As far as my friends are concerned, they were booking the cruise anyway, but yes, they went up to Aquaclass to get the extra point so that they could be Elite for their transatlantic, as they no longer can access the free beverage package for transatlantics and their Open Passage OBC dropped from $300 to $50. Since the cost of their transatlantic this year is 2.5 times the cost of virtually the same cruise last year, they are trying to save money where possible. As far as booking an upper category for the extra point, I think people do that all the time: from the evidence on these boards, I would think that is the Number One reason that anyone books Concierge Class. It was just the way you used "working the system" and "cheap points" that made it sound as if my friends were doing something unsavory.

 

And I have no problem with Celebrity reducing the speed at which clients can advance through the loyalty tiers, As you say, it had to happen. I just think you have to keep fairness as your measuring stick at all times.

There is nothing wrong with cheap points. I have some myself, two night cruise on the century for a point was one. It was wise to use the system to your advantage when you could.

However when the system changes you deal with it. One way your friends could conceivable deal with it would be to bounce their short cruise from AQ to S1. I didn't check prices but I don't think it would be prohibitive. That may give them enough points to move into elite for their TA.

Just a note but I checked my Xpress pass for an upcoming Equinox cruise and it says Elite plus. So it appears that the IT Dept has done something worthwhile today.

Anyone who has a cruise in the oven with online check in done check to see what your status is.

Working the system? Those were the bona fide terms that Celebrity offered. And my friends accepted, and paid in full.

 

Everyone is giving Celebrity credit for making the people whole, who are not yet Elite, by giving them bonus points so that they are the same distance away from Elite as they were before the conversion.

 

I'm just saying that this is one instance where the cruisers involved are actually losing ground in the conversion.

 

Fairness in this situation (and I acknowledge it is probably a rare one) is to make the cruisers Elite, if the cruise (that would have made them Elite in the previous system) is fully paid for.

 

Usually there is an ease-in period when a change of this magnitude is made.

 

And who knows, maybe Celebrity has a contingency plan for the odd circumstance like this one. I feel that they have always tried to be as fair as possible in their dealings with people, or at least that has been my experience.

Sorry if my term was off putting. However you gave the impression that your friends booked that short cruise, not because they wanted that cruise, but rather that it would set them up as elite for their longer cruise. To me that is working the system.

Nothing against it and it really is smart use of resources on their part. However this time the system they were working was changed, as in the program rules can be changed without notice. It happens.

The only way that celebrity could have made everyone happy was to make anyone who has even seen a celebrity ship a Zenith. Since that can't happen I believe they did the best that they could.

Everyone that follows these boards new that change was coming. There was no way celebrity could support the number of elites that the old system was producing. They followed Royals lead in developing the new tiers and earning methodology and even improved it somewhat. :)

That's my interpretation. No bonus for anticipating a new level. There was no rational expectation to qualify for something that had never been defined (or even acknowledged) by Celebrity. But that didn't stop some people from making plans and feeling entitled to be made whole based only on their assumptions.

 

It does seem to me that the growth to upper levels has been slowed down while keeping all who have already qualified. Now by possibly creating three methods for distributing the most popular benefit (free drinks) into Michael's Club for Zenith and top suites, the Lounge for Elite+ and vouchers for Elite, the crowding issues may be improved. And attrition by age or displeasure causing some to change cruise lines will also have some impact.

If elites get vouchers and I just get the sky lounge I am going to petition to be bounced back to elite! :D:D

I like the voucher system much better as I can enjoy different venues around the ship. Just sorry they stop allowing vouchers at the martini bar.

Did I miss something? What is an Aqua Class suite?

New category on the reflection. Took part of the sky lounge and made aqua class suites out of it.

A tip for iPad users. If you go to the sailing history on the captains club drop down and keep your finger on the page and move it slightly the page will stay up a long as you keep moving. I just did it and was able to keep the page open long enough to read it in its entirety.

Sorry, you need to review my post, I didn't say I KNEW it would be 25 points, but that it was EXPECTED by many, looking at the RCCL model. And, in fact, that was what happened, so the expectations were proven to be correct.

 

And it is not stretching at all to expect fairness. If you are going to give bonus points to one group to achieve an end that they have a right to expect, you'd better have a darned good reason not to give them to clients who have demonstrated their loyalty for longer, and with more $$$. And in my opinion, your argument doesn't cut it. If they had handled it like RCCL, giving bonus points to everyone, they wouldn't have a problem.

 

And I don't have a horse in this race. I am well into the Elite Plus level.

It appears they were fair in assigning bonus points. I don't have this factually

But from reading every post on the two relevant threads it seems that bonus points were assigned to those members who where one cruise away under the old system in a sufficient quantity to make them one cruise away on the new system.

That seems like a very fair approach to me.

This is what I call Prejudice or another word Discrimination:D:D:D

And she has enjoyed free drinks and free laundry on many many cruise along the way.

In the case of my friends who had 8 points, and were booked on a 5 day cruise in Aquaclass in early December, they expected to be Elite by mid-December, which is why they took that cruise. Now they will not be Elite in time for their transatlantic, so they are certainly not getting what they expected, and that next cruise is fully paid for.

 

...Unless, of course, more bonus points are available than what we have heard of so far.

So basically they were working the system with that short cruise to get two cheap points and the system changed. Sorry but that happens. Celebrity could not possible make a change and make everyone happy I think they did a pretty good job with this upgrade.

I think you should.......720 points is LOYALTY!

Why?

Sorry but there is no comparison between the Oasis and any Celebrity ship. Oasis wins hands down.

You are arbitrarily incorrect my friend. It may win hands down for you but my guess is to a seasoned Celebrity cruiser it would always be second place.

The Oasis and Allure are great ships for those that like large resort hotels. They lose the cruise experience almost completely. If you don't have a sea view balcony cabin you can spend your whole week never seeing the sea!

You could receive an extra point for CC class, Aqua Class and a cruise for 10 nights or longer.

I believe the extra point was for 12 nights or longer.

If those are points per day a Reflection or penthouse Suite will get you 252 points on a 14 day cruise. The same cruise in a Veranda would generate just 42 points. Zenith level, even at 3,000 points, is easily obtainable for passengers who consistently book the five highest cabin categories.

 

Looks like Celebrity has been very generous converting existing points 30X.

Looks as though X is lining this up on a dollar spent basis. They did this to a slight degree before with an extra credit for concierge and above, now they have taken it to a new level.

I am sure many will complain that suite guest get all the perks, but let's admit it , they pay for them.

I would also speculate that there will be additional points to be earned based on on board spending, similar to HAL. On our April cruise we had dinner one night with the shore excursions manager and it was hinted that using Celebrity excursions would have a positive effect on Captains club.

Captain's club points are given by passenger, not by cabin or fare price. You get the points that you deserve and your (non existent) cabin mate also gets their points.

Not for long is my guess. New system will provide points on $$$ spent is where I think this is going.

Spend more and earn more points.

Just for all at CC -

With 27 Credits (392 days) one is safe from a potential cull?

Then possibly below 392 days one is at risk of an Elite cull.;)

392 days sailing Celebrity should be way more the 27 captains club points. even sailing 11 night cruise using an inside cabin 392 days would be 35 CC points. And you would be hard pressed to find that many 11 night cruises

I would think it reasonable for anyone sailing 392 nights on celebrity to have 75 points as a minimum, and probably closer to 100 or more. :)

:D

Because the vouchers are for Elite members.....

Yes and I as an Elite member am glad to recieve one and gift it to a friend!:D

I am so sorry to learn of your problems but some one screwed up badly when they did not tell you that things have changed since 9//11//01 and that you must have a valid passport to travel.

Not true. You can broad a closed loop cruise with an original birth certificate and state issued photo ID. However a passport is certainly recommended.

Just check our cruise line website under documentation and you will find this to be the case. :)

To the original person posting. You open up your comments and state:

 

"However, there are lots of changes from the other Solstice class ships and some of them are not for the better. Before I talk about the negative aspects…"

 

"Some changes are not for the better" according to who? You??

 

"Before I talk about the negative aspects"... Again, according to who? You???

 

I am not here to get into a debate with your post, however, you should know, as many other people know that everyone has a different opinion of everything. I think your opening lines sound like you are speaking for everyone, and, that everyone will have, or should have the same opinion as you have.

 

What you like, dislike, or, feel is different or unacceptable, in many cases will the total opposite with many other people.

Wow that's pretty harsh! Everyone is entitled to their opnion, and should not be bashed for expressing it. Negative to the OP was negative and expressed as such. :)

Just to chime in here, we prefer RC over Celebrity.

 

Kelliepoodle summed it up well, as many others have. I would characterize X as both sedate and stuffy. We sailed the Constellation 41 consectutive days and can speak to the underlying theme of X "thinks" they are better than RC, and , they are not, they are just different. RC, we have never encountered the reverse attitude of RC thinking they are better than X. In fact, Loyalty Ambassadors encourage you to try the sister line. X does not, in fact you will be lucky to find a RC brochere. We boarded with high expectations and were sadly disappointed. We will always choose RC over X , the ships are more fun, friendly, and staff in comparison are far more helpful and happy than on X.

 

 

A couple of things not mentioned so far, are the bedding and the cabin layouts are better on RC. The conceirge class cabin is not worth the extra dollars on X. Also, on X we were shocked to see our cabin being prepared for the next day guests. New robes were placed in the closet, our bathroom ammenities gathered up together and new ones placed out for the next guest, our fruit and flowers were taken out of the room, and we were basically made to feel - get out. Time is up!! We had not even packed yet.

 

We were so sorry that our expectations were so high and felt let down. We had heard so many great things about Celebrity.Oh, and the dress code is not enforced on the X ships like many have stated.

Wow Larry and Liz sorry to read this. I really thought you guys had a good time on the origianal EME cruise.

:):)

Does anyone know for certain who is the current hotel director on the Connie? Some say Andrew Harris others say no.

We are sailing thevTA on Connie Saturday and would love to have Andrew Harris aboard. Sailed with him twice on the Millenium, he does a very nice job!

We have 9158 on Connie and we are very pleased to have it. The extra space will be fantastic. :)

Roy I am bummed! You didn't mention what great neighbors you have

:-(