Would Changes in the Captain Club Affect Your Cruising.

[Citizenship]

I've no wish to upset anyone for the loyalty of their chosen brand, but much of what I've read has echoes of much that I also read when P&O also mooted changes to their Portunnus loyalty scheme a few years ago, when similarly many people came out and spoke about the good old days with the smaller ships, what their expectation were then, how they were met, and how it was all so different and not so good as it once was.

Some Gold members even said there were too many Gold members nowadays, and thus the axe fell!

To many peoples shock, horror and dismay, they no longer found themselves in the equivalent of that elite upper band any longer, and some actually had earlier privileges reduced or withdrawn.

 

So all I would say is be a little careful of what some are perhaps wishing for or commending for the future, as remembering what the old days were like, doesnt actually guarantee a free pass into the upper echelons of any upgraded 2013/2014 loyalty scheme.

With some people taking 3, 4 or 5 cruises a year now, long term annual loyalty can be quickly and easily usurped, disolved or eroded by those folks taking more cruises in the much shorter term.

At or around the turn of the Millenium, cruise ships carrying 1,800 passengers or more seemed realtively rare, now we have cruise ships built and in progress capable of carry 6,000+ including crew.

 

Cruising has changed, because the cruise lines wanted and wished it to be so. I respectfully suggest that pining for the good old days will not bring it back again, and might considerably lower your future loyalty status too.

 

So please dont be in a rush to make the same mistake that many of the P&O faithful made.

 

On a personal note, whilst now a member of many cruise lines loyalty schemes, I/we much prefer the freedom of choosing which ships and where their itineraries are taking them around the world, than stick with just one cruiseline and have them tell us what they are going to be doing in the next year.

It may perhaps make us very ordinary passengers, in the eyes of some, compared to those who feel that need to feel special and recognised, but that's just us.

[Chunky2219]

Hmmm. Would I start using a different supermarket if my local place changed their loyalty scheme? To go elsewhere where the quailty of meat isn't as good, prices not so attractive and the car park always full?

 

Nope. The same applies to a cruise line.

 

Anyone who puts great store in a contrived "status" which delivers a few free drinks, a chance to rub elbows with like minded individuals and a bag of free laundry isn't looking at the big picture.

.

.

.

[willie2845]

I started cruising with Celebrity in 1996 on the Zenith. It was not my first cruise. What impressed me was the level of service. I never carried anything. As I embarked, a steward would place a glass of champagne in my hand and then he would carry my handbags, etc. to my cabin. It was seldom that there was a wait for anything. In the buffet area, the tables were always cleaned quickly. The trays had white linen liners. The choices were fresh, hot, and varied. IF it was on the buffet today, it wasn't repeated on another day. Waiters were at the end of the buffet line to carry trays to tables. White glove service was the norm in all venues. In the cabin, everything sparkled. I never had to request additional towels, shampoo, hangers, etc. There was always enough. I loved the Denney products. Cabin stewards always seemed to know when you were out. My cabin was made up early while I was at breakfast. In the evening, the cabin was turned down while I was at dinner. Invitations to events were delivered in white envelopes. They were placed on your bed or in the holder on the door. I enjoyed the cruise and paid to join the Captains Club. Everyone was treated special. No need for concierge level. I have many credits past elite. I enjoy the perks. I miss the the former level of service. That was my reason for joining the Captains Club. Each time I have cruised on Celebrity there seems to be less service or a cutback. After reading the posts on this topic I hope that the reps from celebrity take them seriously. Do not take away the existing perks from those who have been frequent guests. Perhaps, if you add more levels, consider some exclusive perks......24 hour special lounge for snacks and drinks, an extra discount above and beyond the usual promos, an exclusive excursion or a private concert, a welcome on board with chocolates and good wine, a complimentary special dinner, wine with meals, and a complimentary fully stocked minibar. I have received all of these perks from other frequent guest programs including cruises, airlines, hotels, and tour companies. And as you reach the next tier, a special gift that you would use. One cruise line gave us Frette robes with their logo and our name. Each time I use it, I think cruise. On my most recent trip ( land tour), I received a beautiful hand written letter from my tour guide when I arrived. Lots of wonderful extras were given to us during the 3 week trip. Flowers, chocolates, fruit, wine, etc. were offered in many places. Free unlimited internet access was the norm. Extra excursions without charge. Within a week after the trip, I received a personal letter from the tour company asking for feedback. I returned it in the prepaid envelope. A thank you note arrived a few days later. I booked another tour with that company. I have not booked another cruise.

 

:) God do we miss the Zenith, and the service Celebrity was known for back then. When we read your post it brought back a lot of great memories of when Celebrity was a truly a great cruise line. Today it's still a very good cruise line.

Thank you so much for your post!!!!!:)

[lightning bolt]

:) God do we miss the Zenith, and the service Celebrity was known for back then. When we read your post it brought back a lot of great memories of when Celebrity was a truly a great cruise line. Today it's still a very good cruise line.

Thank you so much for your post!!!!!:)

 

 

In 1992 we sailed on the Zenith. It was our first Celebrity cruise. We fell in love with Celebrity even without any perks. I also paid to join the Captains Club, I think it was $25.00. I have sailed on a few other lines but always come back to Celebrity.

[baldercash]

Makes no difference for us we new nothing about the perks before we became Elite.

We cruised X as we enjoyed her, true we enjoyed her even more with the perks.

We sail RCI often now and are close to a true Diamonds there.

We have sailed other lines where else are we going to go?

[Redtravel]

It's nice to know that I am not alone. Those cruises in the 90s were very special. I remember them fondly. There is a lot of competition in the cruise business. I understand that in order to keep the price down, Celebrity has made cutbacks. Perhaps, they have gone too far. The attitude of many staff members needs adjusting. A pleasant hello or a nice smile doe not cost money. On my last cruise on the Infinity, I heard many staff members complaining....and it was unusual to see anyone smile. Staff complained of being tired from being overworked. When I vacation, I want to forget my problems. I do not want to hear staff complaining. It is not professional.

 

To those long time cruisers: There are other cruise lines that are like the old Celebrity. They just cost more.

[cruiseerf]

Will we still cruise with Celebrity? Sure. Will we continue to try other lines? Yes Indeed! The loyalty program is nice however our choices are more based upon where we want to go.

 

Cheers!

[maggie.1008]

As far as the Mass Cruiselines Celebrity will always be my first choice. If you can try Azamara. They have the happiest crew and officers. Everyone smiles and knows your name. More money but great service. Granted they don`t have 2800 people.

[Chunky2219]

NO NO NO

Reading these boards it seems many (I didn't say all) people are more impressed with status and climbing the ladder of status then enjoying the cruise. I book a cruise for the itinerary, cost, port of debarkation, dates. I never consider the level I'm at on any cruise line and I'm high up, because i cruise a lot. I have my next four cruises booked with 3 different cruise lines because they met my needs.

I used to work at a big, big, international firm and we had a central department for booking flights. Price was always the primary factor.

 

One chap was well know for only wanting to fly with a certain airline, so that he could maintain his Gold status and be sure of lounge access even when travelling in the cheap seats. You really need to be charged up with free peanuts and those teeny, tiny cans of soda before a flight.

 

Here's the thing. To get the miles points he would try every trick in the book. He'd spend hours of his own time understanding timetables and seeking to circumvent the system. This might involve flying on a Sunday evening rather than Monday morning and spending a lonely night in a foreign hotel. Or he would arrange a series of meetings that could only be connected with one airline, but which would nevertheless cost him hours and hours of his own personal time travelling when he could have been in bed earlier and less hassled just by missing out on a few points. This was in the days before budget airlines - it wasn't like he was going to be slumming it.

 

Status, you see. You can get people to act completely irrationally if you tell then that they are special and are getting something for free that others can't have.

.

.

.

[TomTN]

I used to work at a big, big, international firm and we had a central department for booking flights. Price was always the primary factor.

 

One chap was well know for only wanting to fly with a certain airline, so that he could maintain his Gold status and be sure of lounge access even when travelling in the cheap seats. You really need to be charged up with free peanuts and those teeny, tiny cans of soda before a flight.

 

Here's the thing. To get the miles points he would try every trick in the book. He'd spend hours of his own time understanding timetables and seeking to circumvent the system. This might involve flying on a Sunday evening rather than Monday morning and spending a lonely night in a foreign hotel. Or he would arrange a series of meetings that could only be connected with one airline, but which would nevertheless cost him hours and hours of his own personal time travelling when he could have been in bed earlier and less hassled just by missing out on a few points. This was in the days before budget airlines - it wasn't like he was going to be slumming it.

 

Status, you see. You can get people to act completely irrationally if you tell then that they are special and are getting something for free that others can't have.

.

.

.

 

 

That may be true for the guy you worked with, but I doubt there are many people who sail on any cruise line because they are trying to achieve free perks. Most people sail on several cruise lines, and decide which one or two they like the most. Getting the frequent cruiser benefit is something that just happens as they cruise more.

 

We prefer X and HAL, although we have not sailed with HAL since 2005. So Hal is a not so close 2nd to X. We have also sailed with Princess, NCL and RCL. I think X is better than those three by a wide margin, but I would sail on those lines various reasons. NCL and RCL are OK, and we have relatives that will only sail on Princess, and we like to travel with them.

We never "tried" to become elite. It is just something that happened because we cruised with the cruise line we like best. We do like the free internet(rip-off on all cruise lines), free laundry(helps with traveling light), casino coupon(free money), and every now and then the free drinks in the evening.

 

BTW, your co-worker was not spending his money. That makes a big difference. Many companies in the US ban rewards programs because it is really just a kickback. I have a Delta Sky Miles Card, but if it is my money I'm spending I'm gonna go with the lowest price unless the airline is horrible.

[amusea]

I have friends that only sail on HAL and they have complained recently about long waits for food in the dining room and fewer stewards to make up the cabins. I think all the large lines are cutting back so that they can compete with each other in terms of price. That is what attaracts the public to a great degree.

If you want better service you need to look at the smaller ships. Even though they have cut back also, the service still is much more personal than on the mass cruise lines.

[BosoxI]

Which one? We cruised he Ruby Princess last year, not even close to the same quality cruise. Will not waste 7 days and our dollars with Princess in the future.

 

Please expand your comments. We had a very mediocre TA on the Infinity this year. Princess seems a choice for a switch

[TomTN]

Please expand your comments. We had a very mediocre TA on the Infinity this year. Princess seems a choice for a switch

Bosox, you should give Princess a try. you might decide that Princess is a good fit for you. We sail on Princess only because one of our relatives believes Princess is the bees knees, and she will not sail on any other cruise line.

On some Princess ships the over crowding is horrible. At least for me. I would avoid those ships that are like the Caribbean Princess.

 

Caribbean Princess: Note tonnage/passengers/crew

TONNAGE: 112,894 gross tons (85,676 net tons)

CAPACITY: 3,622 (maximum)

 

CREW: 1,200

Celebrity Silhouette:

TONNAGE: 122,000 gross tons

PASSENGERS: 2,850

CREW: 1,500

[lawgirl]

I love the free perks! But, for us, RCI perks are way better than X. I can take or leave X perks.

 

Frankly, X is apparently geared for those who dine early and don't do excursions! Their loyalty party is from 5:30 to 7:00 or something like that. What about those who dine at 8:45? Or those who don't re board until right before the ship sails?

 

You have to get dressed up for the elite lounge (no shorts, etc) and then figure out what to do for an hour or more between the party and dinner. Silly. Plus, the drinks are limited to 10 choices or so. I would rather use my beverage package.

 

No real other perks of Elite that I care much about. I think you get something pressed for free and some Internet access.

 

On RCI, the Diamond lounge or Concierge Lounge is open from 5:30 to 8:30... Better for BOTH seating times. Plus, more drink options and better appetizers. Same Internet , dry cleaning perks. And RCI has a nice party one night for platinum and above. We are ALMOST Diamond Plus on RCI. I really like their loyalty program and do sail more on RCI because of it.

[wallie5446]

Please expand your comments. We had a very mediocre TA on the Infinity this year. Princess seems a choice for a switch

First Celebrity sailing in 1992, and We are not new Princess cruisers with our 1st in 1993. Was the staff unhappy because many were moving to the new Royal, while others were being left behind? Should not have been, since the Ruby was only a year into service, yet many not so happy workers. Crown Grill was lacking, casino was so smoke filled we did not play, 2 different night 3 straight bakes were brought that would not melt butter. My wife has Celiac, they hyped their concern and knowledge, no where near the level of RCCL, she got sick two times. It was a cruise, nothing special, except we carried on a case of her favorite wine, which we understand has now been changed. It was not the Princess we knew. Has X changed too? Yes but not to the level Carnival has changed Princess.

[Christine Frances]

I love the free perks! But, for us, RCI perks are way better than X. I can take or leave X perks.

 

Frankly, X is apparently geared for those who dine early and don't do excursions! Their loyalty party is from 5:30 to 7:00 or something like that. What about those who dine at 8:45? Or those who don't re board until right before the ship sails?

 

You have to get dressed up for the elite lounge (no shorts, etc) and then figure out what to do for an hour or more between the party and dinner. Silly. Plus, the drinks are limited to 10 choices or so. I would rather use my beverage package.

 

No real other perks of Elite that I care much about. I think you get something pressed for free and some Internet access.

 

On RCI, the Diamond lounge or Concierge Lounge is open from 5:30 to 8:30... Better for BOTH seating times. Plus, more drink options and better appetizers. Same Internet , dry cleaning perks. And RCI has a nice party one night for platinum and above. We are ALMOST Diamond Plus on RCI. I really like their loyalty program and do sail more on RCI because of it.

 

Can you provide the link re internet and laundry? I don't see it here.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/benefitsLoggedout.do

 

Celebrity also has the party plus there are Bloody Mary's and Mimosas served at the breakfast along with the specialty coffee's. We love the breakfasts but usually don't bother to go to the lounge, prefer the Martini Bar pre dinner.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/captainsclub/membershipBenefits.do#captains_club_tier_elite/captainsclub/membershipTierDetails.do%3Fpagename=captains_club_tier_elite

[lawgirl]

Can you provide the link re internet and laundry? I don't see it here.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/benefitsLoggedout.do

 

Celebrity also has the party plus there are Bloody Mary's and Mimosas served at the breakfast along with the specialty coffee's. We love the breakfasts but usually don't bother to go to the lounge, prefer the Martini Bar pre dinner.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/captainsclub/membershipBenefits.do#captains_club_tier_elite/captainsclub/membershipTierDetails.do%3Fpagename=captains_club_tier_elite

 

The perks are in the book of coupons you get onboard. Casino credits, laundry, photo deals, spa deals, bar coupons, wine tasting, Internet credit, etc. you get a different coupon book depending on your loyalty level. You are right about mimosas etc on X....only breakfast on RCI, no drinks. I am usually asleep then though!!

[Orator]

A change to "days", that I favor could possibly alter the cruises I take starting in January if a change is announced before then. Our goal was to reach the 100 point level and we projected that a cruise in March would do that. If Celebrity goes to days then points become meaningless to us. Would probably cancel shorter cruises and take fewer longer cruises. I know that many reading this will find my goal silly or worse, but it was something on our bucket list.

[hurwitz5]

The Celebrity loyalty program is very important to us. We have booked our last five cruises with Celebrity (after sailing on other lines) in order to reach Elite status on Celebrity. After our next cruise in September, we were looking forward to being Elite. The benefits of free laundry service (for many items), free Internet time, free drinks, etc. are a big draw for us. We have thought about trying HAL or returning to Princess for different itineraries and shows, but Celebrity's benefit program keeps us loyal. We will be very disappointed if the Elite benefit program is taken away, just as we are about to reach that level. We cruise 2 - 3 times a year, and have sailed on about 30 cruises with various cruise lines.

[Moeve]

We have been elite for some years now and we have found that we don't even use all the perks offered anymore. Internet is great when we have problems - sick Grandma or some other drama. Alcohol / evening social - my dad and I enjoy meeting up with other cruisers and everynow and then we will meet a familiar face who we have cruised with before. My mom on the other hand would rather rest up during this time. Over and above that now that we have our non alcoholic drink packages we are happy any way.

 

The laundry - that comes with a sour touch these days as it is not ironed so we no longer use this bit.

 

There are a whole lot of other perks that simply do not appeal to us like the spa - on a port day. I don't use the spa on a port day as I am out and exploring the I am in.

 

There are also many things in those booklets we never use - like those overpriced photos. We try to save paper by not even volentieering for those photos anymore.

 

Bottom line is some of these things are of more value to soem and less to others and the longer you are on one level the more selective one becomes.

 

However adding levels to the prog. is still a good idea since it gives those of us who return every year something new to work for. Perhaps Celebrity can consider rewarding those really big returners with proper discounts not just on those cabins least wanted.

[BosoxI]

First Celebrity sailing in 1992, and We are not new Princess cruisers with our 1st in 1993. Was the staff unhappy because many were moving to the new Royal, while others were being left behind? Should not have been, since the Ruby was only a year into service, yet many not so happy workers. Crown Grill was lacking, casino was so smoke filled we did not play, 2 different night 3 straight bakes were brought that would not melt butter. My wife has Celiac, they hyped their concern and knowledge, no where near the level of RCCL, she got sick two times. It was a cruise, nothing special, except we carried on a case of her favorite wine, which we understand has now been changed. It was not the Princess we knew. Has X changed too? Yes but not to the level Carnival has changed Princess.

 

Thanks for filling us in. We have been Elite on Princess for many years, though the ease of becoming Elite on X had weaned us away most recently. Increasingly, I get the impression that cruising has become a crap shoot. The Infinity cuisine was much worst than mere cold potatoes, I can assure you. One thing I can say is that we have never run across surliness from "working" level crew members. It's always been "Good morning, sir", "Good evening, ma'am". The coolness had come from the officers, if it existed at all.

 

I see people with similar complaints about diminishing quality on Seabourne, Crystal, et al. So I guess paying through the nose doesn't guarantee anything, either. Or have we, the cruising public, become so picky that nothing will please us?

[BosoxI]

.

 

 

There are also many things in those booklets we never use - like those overpriced photos. We try to save paper by not even volentieering for those photos anymore.

 

.

 

I might have agreed with this comment up until three years ago, when I got a taste of what professional photographers are charging where we live. Now cruise line photos seem like a real bargain, maybe the only one on board.

[Mulege]

It's the itinerary, ship, cabin, and price that are most important. The extra perks are just a bonus for me.

[wallie5446]

Thanks for filling us in. We have been Elite on Princess for many years, though the ease of becoming Elite on X had weaned us away most recently. Increasingly, I get the impression that cruising has become a crap shoot. The Infinity cuisine was much worst than mere cold potatoes, I can assure you. One thing I can say is that we have never run across surliness from "working" level crew members. It's always been "Good morning, sir", "Good evening, ma'am". The coolness had come from the officers, if it existed at all.

 

I see people with similar complaints about diminishing quality on Seabourne, Crystal, et al. So I guess paying through the nose doesn't guarantee anything, either. Or have we, the cruising public, become so picky that nothing will please us?

 

I will add that the Head of Room service, with 20+ yrs with Princess, that delivered and served our Ultimate Balcony Dinner, was simply wonderful. He was training that evening, there were 4 of us, and we got the white glove treatment!

[ccruisequeen]

Because Celebrity has so few cruises on the west coast, I think it will be years to make elite. this will be our second cruise with this line, although I love the dignity of the line and their clientele.