Disloyalty Scheme

[Blackrat]

Hi,

Is it just me or does anyone else feel aggrieved about the swap from the Portunus scheme to the Peninsular Club?

 

I have 140 points and so I am on the Ruby tier with 5% discount on board and a magazine, not much to get excited about but I am told this is a reward for my loyalty to the brand.

 

Next April those benefits will be taken from me and I will get nothing!

 

I have a cruise booked for next June and so will join the lowest level of the Peninsular Club, so what is all the fuss about? Loyalty.

 

If P&O had given me nothing I would have no reason to complain. What has made me cross is that they have taken something away from me through no fault of mine. You would be right if you thought this was a matter of principal rather than worrying about the 5% or the magazine.

 

I wrote to P&O and they told me that the reward was for loyalty and as I hadn't done many cruises there was a question over whether I would be a loyal customer or not for the future :eek:

 

So recently, having booked another two week cruise, I again wrote to them and asked them to reconsider. It was after all only the difference of one night we were talking about, surely this was enough to prove my loyalty? But no, rules is rules and it would be unfair to everyone else.

 

Will it stop me cruising with P&O? No, I like the ships and the staff and the places they go to and that makes it more frustrating, there is nothing I can do about it.

 

They tell me I am not the only one in this position and that they have had a lot of "feedback" well I'm not surprised.

 

I appreciate that this is not about loyalty at all and is only a cynical way of cutting costs in these tough times but I would suggest there are better ways.

 

Do you agree with me? Or am I wrong? I am paying for a cruise, why should I expect anything for free? If they do give me something should I gratefully receive it and keep quiet? What do you think?

 

Rant over

 

Blackrat

[capasamari]

The loyalty factor is irrelevant as far as I am concerned. We go where and when the itineraries and dates suit us. If this should qualify us for some benefit, all well and good, but it wouldn't inspire me to book with P&O over another cruise line, especially now they have devalued their own scheme.

 

The whole reward thing is a sham anyway: my parents attended the Portunus party on Adonia in June where my mum was the lucky winner in a draw of a crystal decanter. She duly had this presented by the Commodore and they later had to pay for the photograph.

 

The decanter was then taken off my mum by the staff who said they would post it to her as that would be easier. They were sailing from and returning to Southampton where they had left their car so carrying it home would not have been a problem, but the staff were adamant.

 

Needless to say they have still not received the decanter and numerous phone calls and e-mails have not elicited any response or explanation from P&O. No doubt the other passengers who attended the party are under the impression that my mum received her decanter in due course, and no-one is any the wiser.

 

My mum feels very aggrieved!

 

Carol x

[davecttr]

I was under the impression that any points you have in the portunas club will be transferred to the peninsular club next april. At least that is what it says in the glossy circular I got from P&O last week.

 

I have 120 points and next march will add 70 more so thats 190. On my next P&O cruise at the end of april I will get the Pacific level benefits of 5% discount etc.

 

ah!, I should read the post, you won't have the 150 points required by the start of your second cruise so you wont get any benefit until your 3rd cruise?

 

I would not be happy either.

[texaridian]

Your post has given me food for thought. It is disturbing to be given something, only to have it taken away again, so I can understand your frustration. It definitely does nothing to encourage loyalty.

 

I can understand a need for a business to tighten its belt in these tough times, but it seems that their choice of how to do it isn't very wise.

 

The cruise lines that I'm familiar with have "past cruiser" rewards. They may not be much, but it's nice to be treated as if you matter to them. From what you say, P&O's approach is very different. (I wrote to P&O and they told me that the reward was for loyalty and as I hadn't done many cruises there was a question over whether I would be a loyal customer or not for the future :eek:) It seems like they expect you to earn THEIR respect and appreciation, instead of the other way around. If you don't meet their standards, they punish you by taking away something. However, YOU are the passenger, the consumer, and they should be trying to woo YOU.

 

Personally, I prefer to give my business to those who appreciate me. That is what customer service is about, IMHO.

 

You did go on to say that you like the ships and staff and will still cruise with them anyway, but give some other lines a chance, if you haven't already.

 

I think I'm rambling a little, please excuse if you find it so.

 

Finally, in the grand scheme of things it is a little thing, so enjoy your next cruise, but keep your eye open for other options for a future cruise.

 

Carol

[Essexlass2]

We will be cruising with P&O for the first time in December and already I have the impression from many different aspects that they do not really care much about their customers. With regard to the OP's comments, my view is that surely it is only common courtesy for a company to honour offers made .......... unless they really do not want or need any more custom! :eek:

[southwinds]

When we first cruised there was no Loyalty scheme.. there was a club called Posh Club which you paid to belong to... you got 5% discount on board.. special cruises, quarterly magazine ... a cocktail party.. a gift... a calendar... and christmas card and even a christmas lunch in a London Hotel..

 

Now we have the loyalty scheme it causes more complaints ...

You say they dont listen to customers.. let me tell you the changes have come about because of FEEDBACK.. we are in Gold and every Gold lunch there are passangers moaning endlessly that there are TOO many people in Gold. For me I really not ' bovered' if the whole ship was Gold... and the rewards are nice but not my reason I cruise or repeat book...

 

Rewards.. are just something nice to have ... as I said a few years ago there was nothing... so this new scheme is better than that.

Or would you prefer a club that you joined ?

[MattyBarlow]

Well with the withdrawal of Indy back to the Caribbean next winter they don't have to worry about the competition as much.

[LibraLass41]

I'm in mid -high end of Sapphire tier, done 12 assorted cruises in 5 years, and I loose a portunus party pre-dinner event, how nice to be treated this way after spending way over £10-15k with P&O.... I had a party invite and now its ripped up....

[Denarius]

Sounds like P&O have well and truly shot themselves in the foot with this one. Anxious to pacify a vocal minority of long standing customers who no longer felt sufficiently special but who were unlikely to take their business elsewhere - to where they would not feel special at all - they have succeeded in upsetting a lot of newer customers who may very well do so. They would have been much better served by removing the tiers altogether and just giving all past customers a credit of x% of the cost of their last cruise, to be set against the cost of any new cruise booked within the next year or 2 years. That would encourage loyalty.

[lancashire_cruisers]

We don't cruise for the loyalty scheme, it's a nice to have but doesn't play a part in deciding who, where or when we cruise. I can understand you being a bit brassed off if you were a Ruby member and won't qualify for the Peninsular Club though.

 

Debbie:)

[Brayman]

I always thought it a bit strange that you qualified for Portunus after just one cruise of even 2 nights.

 

It's a nice to have but not anything to get upset about really.

[Host Sharon]

It was my understanding that no-one was supposed to lose out though. I am at the low end of the Gold tier and would, on my points total, be demoted to Mediterranean, but was told I would automaticcally be put into the Caribbean Tier so I would not lose the embarkation lounge, gold lunch etc. Are they not doing that to the other tiers?

[KenAndJulie]

Blackrat, blame the goldies they were complaining that they were not made to feel special enough ;)

 

As sapphire my situation doesn't change in any consequential way except that it will take me longer to reach whatever the next tier may be in the new scheme. Big deal, I can probably negotiate more discount of the cost price than the difference in portunus discount is worth (which probably only works out a few quid which is pretty inconsequential in the cost of a cruise).

 

If anybody feels aggrieved then just take the difference out of the amount you normally tip :)

[Essexlass2]

"If anybody feels aggrieved then just take the difference out of the amount you normally tip"

 

Surely that's not fair on P&O's hardworking crews though! Its P&O, the company, who need to be hit in their pocket and we all know they won't really care one way or another.

[KenAndJulie]

You have a point EL ... maybe one should pilfer a few towels, bit of bed linen and some cutlery instead :)

[Blackrat]

Its funny that you don't get more points for a posh (no pun intended) cabin over the cheapest inside. I wonder what the difference in cost to the customer would be to take those two different routes to the top Portunus tier?

 

 

 

Blackrat

 

I am really sorry Blackrat but I accidentially hit edit rather than quote and now I have deleted half your post. My sincere apologies.

 

 

You are always going to upset someone though. Doing it that way would penalise those of us who travel alone and pay a fortune in single supplements to get the cheapest inside cabin, because most of the time we are paying for one non-existent passenger - that's my moan off my chest !!

[C at Sea]

I suppose there has to be a cut off point somewhere - but it does seem unfair to penalise cruisers who've already reached a level.

Its a bit like when the current scheme started. We had done a number of cruises with P&O before the date it was calculated from, hence we are only just coming up to Gold now, even though we've actually done enough to qualify.

At least they are honouring the Gold and putting us up to the tier automatically as we will be Gold before the scheme changes. But then its a shame for those who are almost Gold as they will have longer to get up to a comparable level.

Its complicated to think about! Must be a nightmare to organise!

[blitznbobs]

It has set up a new onboard game tho....

 

ie

 

Spot how many people who are tragic enough to wear their new 'pin'

 

:0)

 

BnBx

[daiB]

It has set up a new onboard game tho....

 

ie

 

Spot how many people who are tragic enough to wear their new 'pin'

 

:0)

 

BnBx

 

 

I hope the pin is nice and big so people can actually see it:mad: No point in getting into the stratosphere and no one noticing.

 

We also need a large badge for those in a suite to say "I am in a Suite"

 

And a bigger one which says "I am Baltic and I am in a Suite"

 

 

Then we will get the recognition due.

 

 

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

 

Happy Cruising

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[KenAndJulie]

... and a pin saying 'I am Dai' :)

[jeanlyon]

I can't believe somebody would actually wear a pin showing their status as Gold? That is really sad!

[daiB]

... and a pin saying 'I am Dai' :)

 

I have lots of them.:rolleyes::):cool:

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

[MattyBarlow]

Perhaps their zimmers and scooters should be plated gold ;-)

[daiB]

Perhaps their zimmers and scooters should be plated gold ;-)

 

Very good, now you are being sensible. I will go out tomorrow for a pot.

 

Well done Matty

 

My DW has just seen this and wants a badge saying " I am with the guy in the gold scooter, that makes me Gold as well."

 

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

[Noblemount]

I really do sympathise with you Blackrat.But even under the old Portunus Club rules you will lose your status if you do not Cruise regulary with P&O.I may be wrong about the exact details so forgive me but if I remember correctly if you have not cruised within 2 years your points total is reduced by 50% status even under the Portunus Club rules.:confused: