Vote: Your choice of Platinum "gift"

[Sargent_Schultz]

On our last two cruises we were in the same boat:D-----we had late flights and were given early departure tags. Both times we went to the (platinum) service desk. On the first, they simply gave us the tags for the latest departure---on the second they told us we could keep the original tags on and depart as late as we wanted, the great part of that was that ours were the only bags left in the section--no need to crawl through the rows trying to find them!!!

 

Nobody makes you get off the ship first. We take our time. Most of the Platinum luggage is gone, but there are still a few bags besides ours, so we aren't the only ones.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

People used to be grateful, even for cheap crap, but now they want more and more. ...

 

.. and kids used to love what was at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box, but times have changed. Having said that: Change is not always good, but it's inevitable.

 

Tom

[Sargent_Schultz]

.. and kids used to love what was at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box, but times have changed. Having said that: Change is not always good, but it's inevitable.

 

Tom

 

Yes, that box of cracker jack now costs significantly more, has fewer peanuts, and the "prize" is significantly cheaper.

 

Luckily cruising has not kept pace with cracker jack. :)

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Yes, that box of cracker jack now costs significantly more, has fewer peanuts, and the "prize" is significantly cheaper.

 

Luckily cruising has not kept pace with cracker jack. :)

 

I am not so sure about that... did you ever sail on the Regal Empress (under Imperial Majesty cruise lines)? :eek: I am happy to report that the ship in question was sold for scrap. I just wish they had done that before I wasted two days onboard eating Vienna Sausage and boxed cookies! :rolleyes:

 

Yes - the major lines all offer a relatively good value for your dollar -even factoring in time!!

 

Tom

[dac61]

I figure if they give OBC the price of the cruise for all wil go up slightly. I could be wrong but most things in life are not free.

[waiting4acruise]

Carnival should give the Platinum cruiser free fruit punch.

[manmtnmike]

Tom,

 

I think CCl will opt to maintain such items/services that have a much more favorable cost/value ratio for them.

 

Let's say a picture frame is $20 in ship store, but it actually costs CCl $6-8.

That's the perceived value to us, the customer....

otherwise known as... PGU'S, (Profit Generating Units):p

 

Just give me the free laundry and $20 BJ tourney credit and I'll be a happy boy.:D

 

Mike

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Tom,

 

I think CCl will opt to maintain such items/services that have a much more favorable cost/value ratio for them.

...

 

In the end, I have no doubt that it will always be the determining factor - after all, there are A LOT of Platinum cruisers out there.

 

Perhaps they will look at their Milestone guests through somewhat different glasses.

 

Tom

[Bo Didly]

In the end, I have no doubt that it will always be the determining factor - after all, there are A LOT of Platinum cruisers out there.

 

Perhaps they will look at their Milestone guests through somewhat different glasses.

 

Tom

 

You and me both . I voted when you first posted this poll.

Seems that most are agreeing with me ;)

 

 

I am fairly sure Carnival will see this poll .

[crusinpsychRN]

But the thing that really burns me is not being treated properly during debarkation. Too many times they have forgotten to come get the VIP self assists (which should be the very 1st people off the ship), they should only be giving luggage tag number 1 to VIP and they should allow sufficient time for those 1st 2 groups to debark before calling for regular self assist which is the 3rd group called.

 

This has happened to me too many times. You go to the assigned place and the entire ship is there so you have to get in the back of a very, very long line. What's up with that?

[CWcruisers]

Perhaps they will look at their Milestone guests through somewhat different glasses.

 

Tom

 

They really need to IMHO. There were only 3 of us on my Spirit Thanksgiving cruise, myself, DH and a friend. How hard would it have been to give us just a little something extra, like free internet? That isn't costing CCL anything.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

They really need to IMHO. There were only 3 of us on my Spirit Thanksgiving cruise, myself, DH and a friend. How hard would it have been to give us just a little something extra, like free internet? That isn't costing CCL anything.

 

Yep - though, admittedly, if they gave me FREE internet I then would not be purchasing that $80 something plan... and, OH MY GOSH, they would probably have to cut the cruise short if they don't get those funds for my internet usage. :rolleyes: :D

 

Tom

[Sargent_Schultz]

I am not so sure about that... did you ever sail on the Regal Empress (under Imperial Majesty cruise lines)? :eek: I am happy to report that the ship in question was sold for scrap. I just wish they had done that before I wasted two days onboard eating Vienna Sausage and boxed cookies! :rolleyes:

 

Yes - the major lines all offer a relatively good value for your dollar -even factoring in time!!

 

Tom

 

In other words, the cruise ships today are better than the cruise ships of old AND a better value. Unlike cracker jack.

 

Carnival doesn't control the Internet - like many services, it is outsourced. If (When?) you have issues with it, only the Internet manager can issue credit - guest services won't touch it.

 

Even the cheap plastic ship on the stick crap costs over $2 each. There is no free lunch. Keep the price of my cruise as low as possible.

 

The wash and fold laundry service is a perk that I don't think other cruise lines have, and is the most valuable Platinum perk there is. Above and beyond that, my ego doesn't need any stroking. Carnival started as a non-elitist cruise line and it is one of the reasons it is so successful. There is no need to mess with success.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

In other words, the cruise ships today are better than the cruise ships of old AND a better value...

 

Absolutely.

 

 

... Carnival started as a non-elitist cruise line and it is one of the reasons it is so successful. There is no need to mess with success.

 

Mess with it? No - their business model is working quite well for them!! Though occasional sharpening (tweaking) IS imperative to help them keep their edge.

 

Tom

[Sargent_Schultz]

 

Mess with it? No - their business model is working quite well for them!! Though occasional sharpening (tweaking) IS imperative to help them keep their edge.

 

 

They do tweak it. Perhaps not how you would like them to, but they do tweak it. They move ships around, change itineraries, etc. They are continually tweaking.

[CWcruisers]

The wash and fold laundry service is a perk that I don't think other cruise lines have, and is the most valuable Platinum perk there is. Above and beyond that, my ego doesn't need any stroking. Carnival started as a non-elitist cruise line and it is one of the reasons it is so successful. There is no need to mess with success.

 

 

Actually, Princess offers free laundry, including pressing and free drycleaning when you hit their Elite level which is 15 or more. They also give a $100 internet credit and the mini-bar is free. Plus they give discounts on future cruises, and they are a CCL product, so why the big difference in perks? I guess by some folks theory, it would be the cruise fare and Princess if more expensive than Carnival.

 

I don't cruise them because they are not my cup of tea.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

I am fairly sure Carnival will see this poll .

 

And then position the cursor over the "X" in the corner of the screen... :eek:

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

They do tweak it. Perhaps not how you would like them to, but they do tweak it. They move ships around, change itineraries, etc. They are continually tweaking.

 

Well, in the end, it is their company. :)

 

Tom

[Sargent_Schultz]

Actually, Princess offers free laundry, including pressing and free drycleaning when you hit their Elite level which is 15 or more. They also give a $100 internet credit and the mini-bar is free. Plus they give discounts on future cruises, and they are a CCL product, so why the big difference in perks? I guess by some folks theory, it would be the cruise fare and Princess if more expensive than Carnival.

 

I don't cruise them because they are not my cup of tea.

 

Ok. Last time I was on Princess, they also charged for cappucino in the MDR, and the cruises themselves cost more than Carnival :mad: For free laundry, I could probably do a few more cruises on Princess.

 

Princess does give a discount if you book a cruise while on a cruise, BUT that then disqualifies you from some other discounts. OTOH, Carnival does offer the future cruise certificates, which I think is a better deal.

 

Why would Princess and Carnival have different perks? One reason would be to help differentiate the products - it doesn't make a whole lot of business sense to compete against yourself. ;)

[dclark]

Ok. Last time I was on Princess, they also charged for cappucino in the MDR, and the cruises themselves cost more than Carnival :mad: For free laundry, I could probably do a few more cruises on Princess.

 

Coupe of things- Princess can't make a decent cappucino to save their life, the free cap/espresso on CCL is superior.

Princess is sometimes cheaper than CCL. On both my AK cruises these past two years, CCL Spirit was much more $ than Golden Princess. I could give other examples, but you get my point.

On my '09 Princess cruise, the food was still much, much better across the board than CCL. I gave specific examples of this in my review. On my last Princess cruise last June (done a week after a CCL) the difference in quality between the two was striking, Princess in most areas inferior(boy did they slide!) If the rest of the line is following suit, I think it will be pretty hard to continue to say that Princess is the "higher end" line. I think the best reason to cruise Princess is the variety of iteneries. That's why you see people on Princess that seem like they practically live on board, easier to do on a ship that goes around the world than one that goes back and forth to Cozumel- their reward program is more for them.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Princess is sometimes cheaper than CCL. On both my AK cruises these past two years, CCL Spirit was much more $ than Golden Princess. I could give other examples, but you get my point.

 

In general, Princess is more expensive. There are always exceptions.

 

On Alaska, I guess it depends on when you booked and the sail date. Our Alaska cruise on Carnival Spirit in 2009 was one of the steals of the century. I wish I could see those prices again.

[Bo Didly]

And then position the cursor over the "X" in the corner of the screen... :eek:

 

Tom

 

 

Well i would hope that an opinion of customers would help Carnival see the light .

 

 

This coming from a guy who was promised a year ago by John H that someone would be in touch with me :rolleyes: .

 

Of course I'm no longer waiting nor expected a response from Carnival . Just thought i would give it a try ;).

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

This coming from a guy who was promised a year ago by John H that someone would be in touch with me :rolleyes: .

 

Of course I'm no longer waiting nor expected a response from Carnival . Just thought i would give it a try ;).

 

Hang in there... soon... soon... ;)

 

:D

 

This was from January 2009 (John's Blog) - Interview with Jim Berra:

 

John: 7. I know that your were responsible for the hugely successful loyalty program at Starwood hotels. Our loyalty program here at Carnival is also very important and therefore I wondered what your thoughts were about CCL’s program and what you may have planned for it’s future.

 

Jim: I have a ton of passion for this area and have seen what it can mean for both brands and members. I definitely need to start doing my homework on the current program and see what steps we can take to improve it. I have yet to see where a smart investment in how you communicate, recognize and reward your most loyal guests hasn’t paid off in terms of improving loyalty and attracting new guests through positive word of mouth. Can’t promise what this will mean just yet, but can promise that we will look very closely at it.

 

Almost two years now... and with what's been floated recently - perhaps "something wonderful is going to happen" (OK, OK -- I stole that line from 2010: The Year We Make Contact).. LOL

 

 

Tom

[golfadj]

Hang in there... soon... soon... ;)

 

:D

 

This was from January 2009 (John's Blog) - Interview with Jim Berra:

 

John: 7. I know that your were responsible for the hugely successful loyalty program at Starwood hotels. Our loyalty program here at Carnival is also very important and therefore I wondered what your thoughts were about CCL’s program and what you may have planned for it’s future.

 

Jim: I have a ton of passion for this area and have seen what it can mean for both brands and members. I definitely need to start doing my homework on the current program and see what steps we can take to improve it. I have yet to see where a smart investment in how you communicate, recognize and reward your most loyal guests hasn’t paid off in terms of improving loyalty and attracting new guests through positive word of mouth. Can’t promise what this will mean just yet, but can promise that we will look very closely at it.

 

Almost two years now... and with what's been floated recently - perhaps "something wonderful is going to happen" (OK, OK -- I stole that line from 2010: The Year We Make Contact).. LOL

 

 

Tom

 

Guess we should not hold our breath waiting on an announcement than.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Guess we should not hold our breath waiting on an announcement than.

 

I am starting to turn blue... :eek:

 

Tom