The "Street" names Celebrity as one of the worst benefits programs

[hayward]

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10788796/7/5-best-5-worst-customer-loyalty-programs.html

 

First off, as a Royal Carribbean(RCL) property, Celebrity should accept points accrued on Royal Caribbean cruises without making loyal customers take six Celebrity cruises before applying for Royal Caribbean rewards. That said, Select and Elite members just recently received Internet and laundry privileges that colleagues on cruise lines like Princess have had for a while.

While behind-the-scenes tours and increased access is nice and all, it looks flimsy when compared to the $75 to $400 credits that customers receive on competing lines like Oceania.

 

This is an article you can link above but the company was listed as one of the worst benefits in companies.

 

I still love Celebrity maybe their perks are not as good but the cruise is wonderful. My favorite and I am still a loyal customer.

[jd1966]

Benefit programs are not in my list of top five reasons to select a specific cruise line. Did the street do any comparison of prices between the various cruise lines? Probably not, because the street's best product is their outrageous stock market headlines that tell you nothing. Celebrity rules!!

[hayward]

Benefit programs are not in my list of top five reasons to select a specific cruise line. Did the street do any comparison of prices between the various cruise lines? Probably not, because the street's best product is their outrageous stock market headlines that tell you nothing. Celebrity rules!!

 

But, as I said i still love Celebrity, but Celebrity does monitor the boards and maybe they will observe what others are saying.

 

I still love Celebrity in fact I have 4 14 day cruises before March of next year. So I must love the line.

[Denny01]

Interesting subject, but I think thiis article missed the entire point. I haven't surveyed all the benefits programs on various Cruise Lines so I can't really say which is 'best' or 'worse', and I'm not sure that comparing dining, hotel, cruise line, etc benefit programs has any real 'benefit'. Hilton Honors adds points from any of the Hilton Family hotels while RCL does not and this article hits Celebrity for not doing this, but neither does Carnival or any other multi-cruise line business. Celebrity is competing with Hilton.

 

As to a business adding benefits another business already provides: Princess already had the laundry services Celebrity added...So What. Princess has laundryrooms so its not really a straightforward comparison.

 

And no mention of the major Celebrity benefit program - the breakfast and evening lounge benefits..weird.

 

I'm a Celebrity Cruiser and enjoy the benefits. I'm a member of a number of programs: airline, hotel, cruise line, car rentals...car washes!! And don't really see this article as any real use. And by the way, with all due regard for the quality of Celebrity, saying Celebrity and Oceania are direct competitors is a bit of a stretch. Anyone compare the pricing lately?? Very different cruise experiences, and my personal view is very different clientele, and very differnt cruise experience.

 

Bottom Line...silly article.

 

Denny

[Denny01]

Interesting subject, but I think thiis article missed the entire point. I haven't surveyed all the benefits programs on various Cruise Lines so I can't really say which is 'best' or 'worse', and I'm not sure that comparing dining, hotel, cruise line, etc benefit programs has any real 'benefit'. Hilton Honors adds points from any of the Hilton Family hotels while RCL does not and this article hits Celebrity for not doing this, but neither does Carnival or any other multi-cruise line business. Celebrity is competing with Hilton.

 

As to a business adding benefits another business already provides: Princess already had the laundry services Celebrity added...So What. Princess has laundryrooms so its not really a straightforward comparison.

 

And no mention of the major Celebrity benefit program - the breakfast and evening lounge benefits..weird.

 

I'm a Celebrity Cruiser and enjoy the benefits. I'm a member of a number of programs: airline, hotel, cruise line, car rentals...car washes!! And don't really see this article as any real use. And by the way, with all due regard for the quality of Celebrity, saying Celebrity and Oceania are direct competitors is a bit of a stretch. Anyone compare the pricing lately?? Very different cruise experiences, and my personal view is very different clientele, and very differnt cruise experience.

 

Bottom Line...silly article.

 

Denny

I meant, Celebrity isn't competing with Hilton....funny how you don't see such glaring errors of your own work. That's why editors edit writer's articles. Ha!

 

Denny

[hayward]

I meant, Celebrity isn't competing with Hilton....funny how you don't see such glaring errors of your own work. That's why editors edit writer's articles. Ha!

 

Denny

 

I sailed with you on the Solstice last November as a b2b. I see you are doing the wine cruise in the fall, I cannot wait to hear, as I am doing this same cruise the following year. We enjoyed the Solstice so much that we are doing a b2b again in September.

 

But I digress, the benefits are just a little perk, the real reason I sail Celebrity is the line itself. We have never been dissatisfied with service or venue.

[jagoffee]

Before the Captain Club recent changes this might have been true. (although it was not a major problem for most Celebrity cruisers). I think that this reporter neglected to do their homework. Do any of the cruise companies that own various brands allow cruisers to combine across companies? Carnival, Princess, HAL? Oceania/Regent? I don't think so. I can't really say how the Captain Club compares to other programs, but I would think that it was a least competitive. Perhaps the discount given to the most traveled is a key criteria for this report and Celebrity does not really do much in this area.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Before the Captain Club recent changes this might have been true. (although it was not a major problem for most Celebrity cruisers). I think that this reporter neglected to do their homework. Do any of the cruise companies that own various brands allow cruisers to combine across companies? Carnival, Princess, HAL? Oceania/Regent? I don't think so. I can't really say how the Captain Club compares to other programs, but I would think that it was a least competitive. Perhaps the discount given to the most traveled is a key criteria for this report and Celebrity does not really do much in this area.

 

Yes, P & O Australia and P & O UK are credited to Princess Cruises. It is not reciprocal however, because P & O don't have any loyalty programmes.

[Lyn Mc]

P&O have the Protunas Club - benefits are listed below. There was a time when you lost all benefits if you didn't sail with P&O again within 3 years of the previous cruise but that has gone now and points earned remain for the duration.

 

Summary of benefits

Ruby Tier (0-500 points)

Benefits include:

5% on board discount (terms apply)

Dedicated Loyalty Manager

Membership Card

No Membership Fee

The Portunus Club Magazine

Exclusive discount on a selection of Portunus Club cruises

 

Sapphire Tier (501-1500 points)

Benefits include:

7.5% on board discount (terms apply)

Dedicated Loyalty Manager

The Portunus Club Party (terms apply)

Membership Card

No Membership Fee

Exclusive discount on a selection of Portunus Club cruises

The Portunus Club Magazine

 

Gold Tier (1501+ points)

Benefits include:

10% on board discount (terms apply)

Dedicated Loyalty Manager

The Portunus Club Party (terms apply)

Exclusive special event during your cruise (terms apply)

Dedicated check-in in Southampton†

Priority embarkation in Southampton†

Exclusive embarkation lounge on board†

Welcome gift

Membership Card

No Membership Fee

Exclusive discount on a selection of Portunus Club cruises

The Portunus Club Magazine

 

 

Lyn

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

P&O have the Protunas Club - benefits are listed below. There was a time when you lost all benefits if you didn't sail with P&O again within 3 years of the previous cruise but that has gone now and points earned remain for the duration.

 

Summary of benefits

Ruby Tier (0-500 points)

Benefits include:

5% on board discount (terms apply)

Dedicated Loyalty Manager

Membership Card

No Membership Fee

The Portunus Club Magazine

Exclusive discount on a selection of Portunus Club cruises

 

Sapphire Tier (501-1500 points)

Benefits include:

7.5% on board discount (terms apply)

Dedicated Loyalty Manager

The Portunus Club Party (terms apply)

Membership Card

No Membership Fee

Exclusive discount on a selection of Portunus Club cruises

The Portunus Club Magazine

 

Gold Tier (1501+ points)

Benefits include:

10% on board discount (terms apply)

Dedicated Loyalty Manager

The Portunus Club Party (terms apply)

Exclusive special event during your cruise (terms apply)

Dedicated check-in in Southampton†

Priority embarkation in Southampton†

Exclusive embarkation lounge on board†

Welcome gift

Membership Card

No Membership Fee

Exclusive discount on a selection of Portunus Club cruises

The Portunus Club Magazine

 

 

Lyn

 

Sorry, I wasn't aware P & O UK had a loyalty programme, P & O Australia doesn't have one at all.

 

P.S. Doesn't seem to offer much really, except the discount.

[Lois R]

Hi, wasn't there another thread about this same article very recently?

 

I agree, the new Elite Perks are quite nice:) but I sail Celebrity for the

product they provide me.

 

Seems that article is a bit funky:rolleyes: