CAS Changes

[brmoqueen]

Basically - the extra cruise credit that was given to most of us was worthless - with that huge span between D+ and "pinnacle. Anyone with 25 cruise credits gained nothing from the December "gift" as far as we can tell at this point.

 

I don't miss the chocolate either but it was a nice little touch. We brought them home to give our daughter.

 

Gina

 

It was worthless for anyone that wasn't at a point where it moved them to another category....it moved me to 23 sooo now it's WORTHLESS.......

 

Seems to me that the point for Dec and the point for over 12 days should be added somehow.....I could only hope!

[island lady]

If your source would like any input, I have just one thing that might ease a few with the proposed changes.

 

Said changes are to take effect 1/12/11. For anyone that has cruises booked now and doesn't sail till after proposed change. Count the booked cruises under old program if it were to advance then to the next level quicker. Yes, you would have to complete any booked cruises to count. I have 18 cc I would be at 19 once new program takes effect so 5 shy of next stat level. I actually with current bookings would still be short 1 cc once sailed. The hope was that RCL would offer the D event for Dec of 2011 and with my current bookings I would have obtained

D+ status in Dec 2011. Now with new proposed program I would be 5 cruises short. It's a win/win for RCL if they honor old program for current bookings. Doesn't leave that bad taste in my mouth like it did in 2009 when they changed. JMO

 

You think that is bad?

 

Me:

Current 9 credits.

Prepaid cruise 1/14 would bring me to 10 credits (Diamond on completion)

 

Change effective 1/12:

Completion of 1/14 cruise will put me at 54 points.

Not only back to Platinum...but one point shy of even making Emerald.

 

Amazing what 2 days will do to you.... :( :rolleyes:

[mommabean]

It was worthless for anyone that wasn't at a point where it moved them to another category....it moved me to 23 sooo now it's WORTHLESS.......

 

Seems to me that the point for Dec and the point for over 12 days should be added somehow.....I could only hope!

 

It's people like you who I feel bad for - you and those just a point or two away from a new level. Some of us know you don't cruise just for a level - but knowing how close that extra point in December got you, and for the point to be worth nothing if changes happen as predicted...tsk tsk....:(

 

For me the change will change nothing really. My cruise credits are in the 50s with or without the extra cruise credit. But it would have been nice for it to mean something and to be added into the probable upcoming daily count.

 

Maybe they will surprise us all and add in ALL the credits we have earned according to past standards and then start counting the new way from that point on.

 

Gina

[SpekiTrout]

After reading the 2009 changes and thread after thread and already starting here-I sure have learned many people cruise for perks. Not my thing but to each his own.

I for one hope that whatever they do to the loyalty program and personally I could care less if they scrap the whole darn thing, but, keep the product good and worth returning as if no loyalty program exsisited please!! My first cruise made me want to do it again and I still like cruising and expect nothing in return but a good vacation. I'd much rather this company spend time on making folks enjoy cruising and the base product and not have to worry so much about a returning guest program.

 

None want to admit it but it's all about the lounges and free drinks. Not one person has asked about balcony discounts, not one person has asked if the D breakfast is still going to be around, not one person has asked are the coupon books possibly changing. [at least I think-waaaaay to many pages] I'm curious what an Emerald book may look like or even if they will still have them.

 

I think lots of folks swore off Royal after the last lounge boot-already some are swearing the same thing now but the company survived the last time and will proably again if there is another boot. I'm thinking no-but what do I know.:o

 

Hey Royal-if you need more room in the lounge for the loyalty program- give the suite guests a bar set up and kick our sorry a#$% out!!!:D:p

Seriously-I wonder if it is the crowding or expense in the lounges?

Who really knows? Not us-that's for sure-we can harldy agree on anything!!!:D

 

Thank YOU... thank you!!! That pretty much sums up the way we feel also . Trust me .. the whining and crying has just begun .. as it did in 09. (and there is NOTHING official yet either) Actually to tell you the truth ... I didn't realize that it was of such importance to reach ANY of these levels in life ... I must have missed that one .... guess my mind is somewhere else ... like whats REALLY important . Loved one's, family and health top my list! Not "what level" I am with RCI !

[Trekker954]

I thought I read somewhere that if these new rules do come into play that they will give it an implementation date say a few months out; that allows those that are really close to get their status. I don't know that for a fact, I just recall reading it or hearing it. Makes sense and would be nice for those that make it.

[island lady]

After reading the 2009 changes and thread after thread and already starting here-I sure have learned many people cruise for perks. Not my thing but to each his own.

I for one hope that whatever they do to the loyalty program and personally I could care less if they scrap the whole darn thing, but, keep the product good and worth returning as if no loyalty program exsisited please!! My first cruise made me want to do it again and I still like cruising and expect nothing in return but a good vacation. I'd much rather this company spend time on making folks enjoy cruising and the base product and not have to worry so much about a returning guest program.

 

None want to admit it but it's all about the lounges and free drinks. Not one person has asked about balcony discounts, not one person has asked if the D breakfast is still going to be around, not one person has asked are the coupon books possibly changing. [at least I think-waaaaay to many pages] I'm curious what an Emerald book may look like or even if they will still have them.

 

I think lots of folks swore off Royal after the last lounge boot-already some are swearing the same thing now but the company survived the last time and will proably again if there is another boot. I'm thinking no-but what do I know.:o

 

Hey Royal-if you need more room in the lounge for the loyalty program- give the suite guests a bar set up and kick our sorry a#$% out!!!:D:p

Seriously-I wonder if it is the crowding or expense in the lounges?

Who really knows? Not us-that's for sure-we can harldy agree on anything!!!:D

 

Guess you never read several of my posts. I stated many times that it is not the pins/blocks/free drinks/lounges...etc...etc.

I wanted to make Diamond to obtain the vast difference it would make on the balcony discount offered for my next cruises (Platinum versus Diamond).

Where it counts ...is in my wallet. Kind of like Frequent flyer discounts on the airlines.

That is what makes me loyal to one cruise line or one airline.

Now that "karat" is simply a "carrot".

[Debde]

Guess you never read several of my posts.

 

that's why I added-'at least I think'. ;) gotta try and cover the bases!!!:D

[jmraggs]

Maybe they will surprise us all and add in ALL the credits we have earned according to past standards and then start counting the new way from that point on.

 

Gina

 

This is what I think as well, it would be interesting if they didn't give you credit under the old rules of cruising when the people accrued them under those past conditions. Just like pension plans, when some companies that I know decided to just go to a 401K instead of a pension plan, the pension plan was frozen at that point in time and then the new system takes place from that point on, of course I think maybe the PBGC makes them do that. But what do I know....

[Rako20]

Anyone having trouble getting on the RCCL web site,when I try it says it"s unavailable???

[marci22]

Anyone having trouble getting on the RCCL web site,when I try it says it"s unavailable???

 

I just got on, but it was super slow.

[PH8]

Until this all comes out in black and white,we can all speculate what ifs........

all I know,if its true,I will be DP in any case........HOWEVER, under the old system,I had "goals" to aim for.............next up would had been 75(for an extra amenity),then 100 for the free cruise(even though,that would probably take a few years)...........

But to reach Pinnacle would take a lifetime:eek:........so really have no realistic goals to aim for......

It might be easier for me now to try other lines with itineraries,that I have had my eye on,but didn't want to lose getting more credits with RCCL.........

[marci22]

But to reach Pinnacle would take a lifetime:eek:........so really have no realistic goals to aim for......

 

I can't imagine they would ever take away all interim incentives. Probably just rework it.

 

As far as Pinnacle goes: they had to create a box to put those cruisers in. They are far ahead of where most people will ever be. There aren't a lot of them and there probably never will be. The newest members will undoubtedly be offset by the er..loss...of the older ones, thus maintaining Pinnacle equilibrium. Just like I'm not worried about never being Angelina Jolie or Albert Einstein, I'm not worried about not making it to Pinnacle. Good for those who do.

[PH8]

I can't imagine they would ever take away all interim incentives. Probably just rework it.

 

As far as Pinnacle goes: they had to create a box to put those cruisers in. They are far ahead of where most people will ever be. There aren't a lot of them and there probably never will be. The newest members will undoubtedly be offset by the er..loss...of the older ones, thus maintaining Pinnacle equilibrium. Just like I'm not worried about never being Angelina Jolie or Albert Einstein, I'm not worried about not making it to Pinnacle. Good for those who do.

There are over 100 cruisers with over 100 credits.......

 

I wonder how they will figure out the perks......:confused::confused: Like I said,until its in black and white,guess we wont know for sure...

 

as far as being Angelina,I wouldnt mind.........;);)

[ClipperMiami]

I've been following this discussion since it started and its very interesting listening the the speculation, and especially how people interpret the impact on their particular situation.

 

We've seen the evidence for the new breakdown in program levels and I think the majority of people would agree that, regardless of the individual impact, in the long run overall it makes more sense for RCI to end up on a cruise-days basis rather than the current credits base.

 

But all the speculation really make no difference until we see the "other" side of the equation, i.e. the benefits available at each level. So I'll go back to sleep until January and see if I'm better off, worse off or unchanged. Regardless I still have 6 RCI cruises booked for 2011/2012 and unless RCI cancels them or I get hit by a beer truck I'll be on each of them them.

 

But regardless, from my standpoint I think there are several "truths:" The RCI loyalty program is at least as good as, and generally better than, most cruise lines; the product they deliver, the cruise itself, while perhaps not up to 10 years ago or something, I think is generally very good and satisfies what most people go cruising to achieve; the RCI product is as good as any other company in the market segment they target.

 

January will be here soon enough and when we have the facts we can all assess the individual improvement or damage at that point. Until then, anyone who's cruising the the next few weeks, enjoy.

[marci22]

There are over 100 cruisers with over 100 credits.......

 

 

Seriously though, how many of them are under 70yo. Someone do a poll. Probably have one long bar on it.

[lordtimothy]

I can't imagine they would ever take away all interim incentives. Probably just rework it.

 

As far as Pinnacle goes: they had to create a box to put those cruisers in. They are far ahead of where most people will ever be. There aren't a lot of them and there probably never will be. The newest members will undoubtedly be offset by the er..loss...of the older ones, thus maintaining Pinnacle equilibrium. Just like I'm not worried about never being Angelina Jolie or Albert Einstein, I'm not worried about not making it to Pinnacle. Good for those who do.

 

Meet Angelina JOLIE; YES; but isn't Albert EINSTEIN Dead?

Don't want to meet him any time soon.

[marci22]

Meet Angelina JOLIE; YES; but isn't Albert EINSTEIN Dead?

Don't want to meet him any time soon.

 

c'mon LT you know what I mean.

[ClipperMiami]

I can't imagine they would ever take away all interim incentives. Probably just rework it.

 

As far as Pinnacle goes: they had to create a box to put those cruisers in. They are far ahead of where most people will ever be. There aren't a lot of them and there probably never will be. The newest members will undoubtedly be offset by the er..loss...of the older ones, thus maintaining Pinnacle equilibrium. Just like I'm not worried about never being Angelina Jolie or Albert Einstein, I'm not worried about not making it to Pinnacle. Good for those who do.

 

If I were designing Pinnacle Club it would be more than a simple "over 750 nights" program. I'd also have the option for the company to reach down into the frequent passenger base and invite specific individuals in as a reward for some special situations, e.g. say someone who books more than 50 cruise-days a year for two years regardless of the actual number of nights. Some other loyalty programs, credit card programs, etc., are set up this way.

 

Then too, it depends on what the perks are for the Pinnacle Club, another unknown. If they are sort of a Diamond Plus Plus then it probably won't make much difference. At the end of the day it all depends on the rewards side of the equation, doesn't it.

[PH8]

Seriously though, how many of them are under 70yo. Someone do a poll. Probably have one long bar on it.

ask LT.he's one of "THEM"!!:eek::eek::eek:

[lordtimothy]

c'mon LT you know what I mean.

 

 

Yes; of course I do. But I did get a chuckle out of it.

We should have a laugh everyday.

Thank you for today.

[marci22]

ask LT.he's one of "THEM"!!:eek::eek::eek:

 

That made me bust out laughing.

 

Anyway LT posts in a much younger style so I didn't realize ;)

[PH8]

all this laughter is a good thing...........better than being grumpy about all this mess.

[lordtimothy]

That made me bust out laughing.

 

Anyway LT posts in a much younger style so I didn't realize ;)

 

marci22

 

PH8 did not mean that I am one of the over 70 year olds; (not that there is anything wrong with that)

I am much much younger than that; but that I am one of the over 100 Cruises Cruisers. :D

[PH8]

marci22

 

ph8 did not mean that i am one of the over 70 year olds; (not that there is anything wrong with that)

i am much much younger than that; but that i am one of the over 100 cruises cruisers. :d

much???;););)

[Cliftoncruz]

I have only used the Royal Caribbean product. The amenities, credits and discounts were at times the deciding factor to go with Royal. I was so committed to Royal back in 2007 we purchased 3 future cruise credits, to be used for long and special cruises. Only used 1 so far. The next may be Alaska 2012 #15, and then the Panama Canal. We have been lucky enough to be able cruise in a suite-before the Suite Enhancement Program, that is when level amenities were important.

Yes, I feel like a CHUMP for being sucked into the abyss of the C & A Level (Diamond)!!!!! Just disappointed and venting my frustration!