POLL: Which loyalty program would YOU prefer from Carnival??

[jimbo5544]

the per diem rates of some shorter cruises are so out of whack with 7 day cruises.

 

and some repositioning cruuise rates are insane. i think I just saw a price of $599 for a 16 day ta cruise.

 

regardless, until the actual perks change, the point is moot for me. quote]Can't beleive I am saying this but I actually agree with you on these points :eek: Days works as good as number of cruises (there are pluses and minuses to each side). Really depends on on what they change with the levels and how long to attain.

[PA Dutchman]

I want to know what the perks are going to be, the rest may not matter. Tier 4 perks better be something worth while, half the world will get to tier 3, Time will tell

[jakesnana]

While I voted for the proposed system, I think 225 days to get to Milestone is a LONG stretch from the 75 days needed for Platinum. DH and I are both already Platinum, with 19 cruises taken. We figured we would probably make Milestone in the next 4-5 years, usually taking 1-2 7 nt cruises per year. With the new system, it is likely to be 10+ years till we reach Milestone (225 days - 75 days divided by 7 nights = 20+ cruises instead of the now needed 15 additional cruises).

 

While choosing Carnival is not just about the perks, DH and I do like priority boarding, guaranteed dining times and the laundry benefit. If this new tier program takes effect, I see many ships FULL of Platinum, with very few Milestone cruisers.

 

I will hold my final opinion, until I see how this shakes out.

[micro yaya]

days,days,days

[Chef P]

Neither.........I perfer total dollars spent......

 

great idea...

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

great idea...

 

With total dollars spent, that would become a difficult calculation based on who paid for the cabin along with 2nd, 3rd, 4th guests etc --- and their individual onboard spending. Would each person in the cabin get full benefit of the total expenditures?

 

I fully understand that the bottom line IS the bottom line ($'s spent), but it would be difficult to implement. With the exception of possibly seeing additional credits/points being earned for higher balconies or suites - I can't see them being able to track (and apply credit for) dollars spent during the cruise.

 

Tom

[sonicbuffalo]

With total dollars spent, that would become a difficult calculation based on who paid for the cabin along with 2nd, 3rd, 4th guests etc --- and their individual onboard spending. Would each person in the cabin get full benefit of the total expenditures?

 

I fully understand that the bottom line IS the bottom line ($'s spent), but it would be difficult to implement. With the exception of possibly seeing additional credits/points being earned for higher balconies or suites - I can't see them being able to track (and apply credit for) dollars spent during the cruise.

 

Tom

 

I like your idea of $$$ spent....that would be the fairest way....we've done our three cruises (counting this years ahead of time) in balcony aft cabins, and 7 and 8 day cruises.

[framerman]

With total dollars spent, that would become a difficult calculation based on who paid for the cabin along with 2nd, 3rd, 4th guests etc --- and their individual onboard spending. Would each person in the cabin get full benefit of the total expenditures?

 

I fully understand that the bottom line IS the bottom line ($'s spent), but it would be difficult to implement. With the exception of possibly seeing additional credits/points being earned for higher balconies or suites - I can't see them being able to track (and apply credit for) dollars spent during the cruise.

 

Tom

I agree............All of my wife's spending is on my credit card, her fare and S&S card...............So she would get 0$'s and I would get it all? Under the current system we are both Plat.

[near the beach]

If it is based on dollars spent. I would like to see a break down on how the cost gets distributed. Four passengers in one cabin. Two at $600 and two at $400. When on deck my wife and I just use one sail & sign card for everything. I guess each of us could use our own sail and sign card and buy drinks one at a time instead of putting two on one card. That way I would want to put any extra gratuities for our cabin steward and main dining room staff on our sail & sign accounts instead of giving them cash.

 

I wonder how Carnival would make the change if they changed their present cruises program to a days program. Present platinum cruisers would probably not be affected. Milestone cruisers may have a problem making 175 days at sea. Would the new program start for all new blue sail & sign card holders. Or will they tell all cruisers that are close to ten cruises that they will need to take more cruises.

[rellersi]

Eight of our cruises have been 7 days or more with us staying in balconies, and two cruises were 3-4 days with us staying in Oceanview cabins.

 

That being said, I'd like to see a loyalty program based on days sailed.

 

I do have a question - when a PP said that the loyalty program should be based on dollars spent, did they mean dollars spent on the cabin, or on their cabin AND S&S card???

 

Just curious...

 

If they are going to be based upon dollars spent, that should also include the cost of getting to the port. It costs me much more to get to Tampa, then someone who lives in Orlando. They could probably take 2 seven day cruises to my one on the travel cost alone. And for someone living in The upper mid west, it is even worse

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

I wonder how Carnival would make the change if they changed their present cruises program to a days program. Present platinum cruisers would probably not be affected. Milestone cruisers may have a problem making 175 days at sea. Would the new program start for all new blue sail & sign card holders. Or will they tell all cruisers that are close to ten cruises that they will need to take more cruises.

 

My guess is that Carnival will be fairly liberal with the conversion... with all Gold, Platinum, and Milestone cruisers making the jump to those levels in the new program. If your transition to the new program though leaves you (day wise) shy of the requirements, they'll probably start you off at the lowest point level of that tier. If you are somewhere between current levels, your points/credits would probably be proportional to the next highest level. If you were 75% of the way to Platinum, you would probably find yourself somewhere along that same line in the new program.

 

Again, this is all conjecture - they may even throw in a bit more credits for everyone to attempt to soothe the savage beast! In the end, I think most will be pleased - though it will probably be tougher for people to reach Platinum or the top tier with the new program unless they are very close to it to begin with. Carnival realizes how many frequent cruisers they have, and are trying to reset the bar as a balance between reward are reality.

 

Tom

[GlendaleCruiser]

I'm okay with the current system but I am not quite to Platinum and might if they go to "days cruised". I've only taken one 4 day cruise and 2 twelve days. Rest were seven.

 

56 days total. Not sure where they would draw the line. I am only at 7 cruises with CCL.

[H82seaUgo]

Can't beleive I am saying this but I actually agree with you on these points :eek: Days works as good as number of cruises (there are pluses and minuses to each side). Really depends on on what they change with the levels and how long to attain.

 

see? it really isn't that painful. i get them one by one. :D

[H82seaUgo]

I'm okay with the current system but I am not quite to Platinum and might if they go to "days cruised". I've only taken one 4 day cruise and 2 twelve days. Rest were seven.

 

56 days total. Not sure where they would draw the line. I am only at 7 cruises with CCL.

 

you know how hard it was to get carnival to acknowledge cruises prior to 1990? to get days credited for that timeframe will be a bear! :eek:

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I'm okay with the current system but I am not quite to Platinum and might if they go to "days cruised". I've only taken one 4 day cruise and 2 twelve days. Rest were seven.

 

56 days total. Not sure where they would draw the line. I am only at 7 cruises with CCL.

 

Well - you'll either have 56 credits towards the necessary 75 for Platinum OR you are 70% of the way to Platinum now so they may instead give you 52.5 points (0.70X75). Since your actual days work better, they likely give you the 56 credits, leaving you with 19 to make Platinum (~ 3 seven day sailings).

 

OR - since it is ON your 10th sailing that people now receive the Platinum perks, perhaps they will consider you as 7/9 of the way to that instead of 7/10 - which you put you close to 78% of the way to Platinum - thus your new credits might be 0.78X75= 58.5! STILL.. it's all conjecture at this point - but perhaps they are "listening"!!!

 

I am hoping that they give everyone a one-time "conversion bonus" of some type!! :D

 

There is NO TELLING though!!

 

Tom

[okgirl]

I didn't vote because while I prefer the proposed system I don't think they have the tiers at the correct value.

 

I've cruised mostly 7 day itineraries and if I apply that to the suggested points then a person would have to cruise 3.4 times to make it out of tier 1 then another 7 times to make it to tier 3 (platinum) but the real injustice is that it would take another 21.5 cruises to make milestone and that is just not right. Almost 32 cruises to make milestone.

 

I think a better point system would be:

 

tier 1 (blue card) 7 days

tier 2 (gold card) 8 to 63 days

tier 3 (platinum) 64 to 174 days

tier 4 (milestone) 175+

 

With milestone discounts at 25% for 175 days, 50% at 350 days, 75% at 525 days and 100% at 700 days.

 

Plus some way to earn extra points, longer cruises, more expensive cabins etc...

[RRLLAL]

Well - you'll either have 56 credits towards the necessary 75 for Platinum OR you are 70% of the way to Platinum now so they may instead give you 52.5 points (0.70X75). Since your actual days work better, they likely give you the 56 credits, leaving you with 19 to make Platinum (~ 3 seven day sailings).

 

OR - since it is ON your 10th sailing that people now receive the Platinum perks, perhaps they will consider you as 7/9 of the way to that instead of 7/10 - which you put you close to 78% of the way to Platinum - thus your new credits might be 0.78X75= 58.5! STILL.. it's all conjecture at this point - but perhaps they are "listening"!!!

 

I am hoping that they give everyone a one-time "conversion bonus" of some type!! :D

 

There is NO TELLING though!!

 

Tom

 

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. We just made Platinum our last cruise but adding up our 10 cruises, we are at 60 "points" (Two 3 days, one 5 and seven 7's). Hope we don't go backwards and at least get what we would get in the original plan.

[Sparky2]

We have five-seven day cruises under our belts. We are half way to Platinum. If they change it to days cruised, we have 35. Again, that puts us half way from what I've read.

 

If they do make changes, I hope they make the perks worth while.

 

I don't think you'd be half way to Platinum if the Platinum level starts at 75 - not 70.

 

According to the days sailed, we'll only have 72 or 73 days on our 10th cruise which means we'd be short 2 or 3 days unless they give some additional points for those already cruised - ie. multiply # of days by 1.05 or something.

 

I'll be really annoyed if I have to wait till my 11th cruise to reach Platinum.

 

We've taken 7 Carnival cruises so far with #8 next January. We've done 1-6day, 3-7day, 3-8day, and our next one will be another 7 day. The one I'm planning for 2013 (our 9th) will be an 8 day which will bring us to 66 days at sea. We'd have to do a 9 day in 2014 to reach 75 days.

[carsastic]

If they are going to be based upon dollars spent, that should also include the cost of getting to the port. It costs me much more to get to Tampa, then someone who lives in Orlando. They could probably take 2 seven day cruises to my one on the travel cost alone. And for someone living in The upper mid west, it is even worse

i cant see that happening , perhaps if one booked thru CCL and even that way they probaly dont make much money on it...

[okgirl]

I don't think you'd be half way to Platinum if the Platinum level starts at 75 - not 70.

 

According to the days sailed, we'll only have 72 or 73 days on our 10th cruise which means we'd be short 2 or 3 days unless they give some additional points for those already cruised - ie. multiply # of days by 1.05 or something.

 

I'll be really annoyed if I have to wait till my 11th cruise to reach Platinum.

 

We've taken 7 Carnival cruises so far with #8 next January. We've done 1-6day, 3-7day, 3-8day, and our next one will be another 7 day. The one I'm planning for 2013 (our 9th) will be an 8 day which will bring us to 66 days at sea. We'd have to do a 9 day in 2014 to reach 75 days.

 

I feel your pain. I've got 23 and 24 booked in 7 weeks and MILESTONE booked in March. I would hate to have come this close only to have to take 6 more cruises to get to tier 4.

 

And the real pain is that I'm actually 1 cruise short in my history because I can't find any pictures or anything from my 2nd cruise in 1984. So I would be milestone this year before the plan changes if I had that cruise count. :(

[BlueJacketsFan1]

Personally my wife and I would be doing better doing it by days sailed. That way we would have 30 days in and 7 more in October. They could do both and say this number of cruises or this number of days. That way it works for everyone.

[rellersi]

i cant see that happening , perhaps if one booked thru CCL and even that way they probaly dont make much money on it...

 

I know it would not happen. It would be impossible to figure out. But if they had to go on dollars spent it would be the fairest. Personally, I am ok with either days or cruises. But as a bunch of other people on this thread have stated, the only thing that really matters is the perks at each level. The only things that make me happy now are the early embarkation and debarkation

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Perhaps they will allow the top tier people to stay on the ship debarkation morning (in their cabin until 11:30), and enjoy lunch at the buffet/grill that day.... ah, not having to wake up EARLY on that last day would be bliss! :D

 

They could even send someone to go start up our vehicle (load our suitcases which were left in our cabin on the last night) and have it cooled down for us!

 

OK - back to reality... :(

 

;)

 

Tom

[BaseballMomof4]

I am all about it becoming days cruised. While I live in Florida, that does not mean I can afford to just hop on a ship twice or three times a year. Thus far, we have only been able to cruise once every other year. At that rate, I wouldn't be able to achieve platinum for 12 more years! :p On the flip side, at 75 days that means I would need to cruise almost eleven 7 days cruises to get to that many days, so it would actually make getting to platinum that much harder! :eek: While the priority embarkation and the laundry service would be lovely, I am just going to enjoy cruising when I can and leave it at that.

[Kudos2Fly]

I was for number of cruises, but I guess days are fine also. My husband and I do 3-5 days more then 7 days. We work for our selves, so getting off work is easy, plus we live in Florida. Frankly the shorter cruises work better us right now. We do our 7 day cruises for BIGGER trips.

 

We will be Platinum on this next cruise, well hubby will be. As for weather or not to included what is spent ON the cruise, that could be added in also for points. We are not big spenders in the Casino or Spa. But do spend in others area like on excursions.

 

Of course I wouldn't stop cruise Carnival either way.