Best Loyalty Program at Sea?!? RCL? CCL? NCL?

[mixedbruhnmd]

Of the big players, who has the best loyaly program in the business? I just hit Gold with Carnival (which means absolutely nothing)... rather than focusing on Platinum with Carnival, what cruise line would you stick with to gain status?

 

I have cruised on NCL (The Norway.... YEARS AGO!!!) and RCL, so I guess my question would be limited to these 3 cruise lines.

 

Any input would be awesome!!!!

[jamscckmc]

RCCL. Diamond and above lounge with free drinks in the evening. $$$ off balcony and above. Princess as platinum I get 2 1/2 hrs of free internet. The next level has free minibar set up and free laundry. Both those lines have welcome back parties after first cruise. Most lines seem to have better past passenger and suite perks then Carnival.

[CruiserBruce]

Totally subjective. The "best" one will be the one that has the perks that most interest and benefit YOU.

[paul929207]

I don't think any of the programs are so good that I would go out of my way to sail with them.

[Hlitner]

Its a tough question because the amenities vary from line to line with pros and cons. We are Elite Plus on Celebrity, 4 Star Mariners with HAL, Diamond with RCI, Elite with Princess and some others that are not important here. But for those that like to drink alcohol, we think that Celebrity is heads and tails above all others. And here is why. Elite (and above) on Celebrity get some free internet (varies depending on the level but we get over 200 minutes per person), free laundry (it is limited but more then enough for most folks), a free 2 hour Elite daily breakfast that includes speciality drinks like Capuccino and smoothies as well as alcohol drinks like Sparkling wine, mimosas, Bloody Marys, etc. In addition Celebrity has a daily 2 hour Elite cocktail party where you can have unlimited drinks from a pretty decent selection. If there are too many Elites to make a daily party practical they will give each Elite coupons for 3 free drinks per day which must be used during the normal party hours (usually 5-7) at one of the authorized bars. DW and I once figured that the Celebrity benefits were worth over $35 per passenger day to us based on our drinking habits. There are some other benefits I have not mentioned.

 

HAL has some decent benefits for its 4 Star Mariners (and even more for 5 Star) such as 50% off of some wine packages, free unlimited laundry and dry cleaning (great on a long cruise), priority tendering, etc.

 

Princess also has some decent benefits for Elites such as you get a free stocked mini-bar (only 1 per cabin), free laundry and tons of free internet minutes (DW and I got 1,000 minutes on our last Princess cruise).

 

Hank

[taglovestocruise]

Its a tough question because the amenities vary from line to line with pros and cons. We are Elite Plus on Celebrity, 4 Star Mariners with HAL, Diamond with RCI, Elite with Princess and some others that are not important here. But for those that like to drink alcohol, we think that Celebrity is heads and tails above all others. And here is why. Elite (and above) on Celebrity get some free internet (varies depending on the level but we get over 200 minutes per person), free laundry (it is limited but more then enough for most folks), a free 2 hour Elite daily breakfast that includes speciality drinks like Capuccino and smoothies as well as alcohol drinks like Sparkling wine, mimosas, Bloody Marys, etc. In addition Celebrity has a daily 2 hour Elite cocktail party where you can have unlimited drinks from a pretty decent selection. If there are too many Elites to make a daily party practical they will give each Elite coupons for 3 free drinks per day which must be used during the normal party hours (usually 5-7) at one of the authorized bars. DW and I once figured that the Celebrity benefits were worth over $35 per passenger day to us based on our drinking habits. There are some other benefits I have not mentioned.

 

HAL has some decent benefits for its 4 Star Mariners (and even more for 5 Star) such as 50% off of some wine packages, free unlimited laundry and dry cleaning (great on a long cruise), priority tendering, etc.

 

Princess also has some decent benefits for Elites such as you get a free stocked mini-bar (only 1 per cabin), free laundry and tons of free internet minutes (DW and I got 1,000 minutes on our last Princess cruise).

 

Hank

 

RCCL has just about the same as Celebrity, but there are no free alcohol drinks on RCCL in the morning at breakfast. If you are Diamond on RCL then you are Elite when you sail Celebrity. happy cruising

[mixedbruhnmd]

Its a tough question because the amenities vary from line to line with pros and cons. We are Elite Plus on Celebrity, 4 Star Mariners with HAL, Diamond with RCI, Elite with Princess and some others that are not important here. But for those that like to drink alcohol, we think that Celebrity is heads and tails above all others. And here is why. Elite (and above) on Celebrity get some free internet (varies depending on the level but we get over 200 minutes per person), free laundry (it is limited but more then enough for most folks), a free 2 hour Elite daily breakfast that includes speciality drinks like Capuccino and smoothies as well as alcohol drinks like Sparkling wine, mimosas, Bloody Marys, etc. In addition Celebrity has a daily 2 hour Elite cocktail party where you can have unlimited drinks from a pretty decent selection. If there are too many Elites to make a daily party practical they will give each Elite coupons for 3 free drinks per day which must be used during the normal party hours (usually 5-7) at one of the authorized bars. DW and I once figured that the Celebrity benefits were worth over $35 per passenger day to us based on our drinking habits. There are some other benefits I have not mentioned.

 

HAL has some decent benefits for its 4 Star Mariners (and even more for 5 Star) such as 50% off of some wine packages, free unlimited laundry and dry cleaning (great on a long cruise), priority tendering, etc.

 

Princess also has some decent benefits for Elites such as you get a free stocked mini-bar (only 1 per cabin), free laundry and tons of free internet minutes (DW and I got 1,000 minutes on our last Princess cruise).

 

Hank

 

Thank you all for the info!!! I'm starting to think that I need to just go with the flow on cruises!! If I see a ship, itinerary and cruise line that peaks my interest, just go for it!!! GOD WILLING in time, I'll have status on several lines!!!

[Cruzaholic41]

Of the big players, who has the best loyaly program in the business? I just hit Gold with Carnival (which means absolutely nothing)... rather than focusing on Platinum with Carnival, what cruise line would you stick with to gain status?

 

I have cruised on NCL (The Norway.... YEARS AGO!!!) and RCL, so I guess my question would be limited to these 3 cruise lines.

 

Any input would be awesome!!!!

 

Carnival and NCL have 2 of the worst programs. In my opinion, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have the 2 best programs, particularly because they recognize one another's status. So of the 3 you mentioned, definitely Royal Caribbean blows away the other 2, especially at the higher levels. You get balcony discounts starting at Platinum status, and Diamond and above tiers have a dedicated lounge with a concierge, free alcohol nightly, free internet and a 24 hour capuccino machine. You also get free photos, BOGO specialty restaurants, saved seating at shows, along with all the typical stuff you get on other lines like priority boarding.

[Folk Singer]

Totally subjective. The "best" one will be the one that has the perks that most interest and benefit YOU.

 

 

Also the iternary should be a major factor what places the ship goes to. How many times do you want to go to the same islands.

[LOVINCRUIZIN]

I agree that none of them are too great. As a non-drinker, I get little benefit. I do like the free laundry service offered to Carnival Platinum.

 

As a gambler, those benefits (free cruises) trump any loyalty perks.

[mtwingcpa]

I don't think any of the programs are so good that I would go out of my way to sail with them.

 

That's been my reaction as well. It's not like frequent flyer miles where you eventually get totally free tickets, etc.

[swedish weave]

OP -- The answer to your question is in your own preferences. Look at the various loyalty programs and put a dollar figure on each item, then add up the numbers from the items that appeal to you and your answer will magically appear !!

[Hlitner]

RCCL has just about the same as Celebrity, but there are no free alcohol drinks on RCCL in the morning at breakfast. If you are Diamond on RCL then you are Elite when you sail Celebrity. happy cruising

 

RCI (RCCL) is an interesting example of how to lose customers because of a decent amenities program. For many years, RCI allowed Diamond members unlimited access to their Concierge Lounges where there were usually some goodies and a free evening cocktail party. When those lounges got too crowded, RCI changed their amenities and took the Concierge access away from Diamonds (but continued it with Diamond Plus). For quite a few Diamonds it was the straw that broke the cruise ships back...and they stopped or reduced their RCI cruising. In our case, we totally stopped with RCI and soon discovered that there were several other lines (we have cruised on 14 lines) that better met our needs.

 

Meanwhile, with all the uproar over taking away some Diamond benefits, RCI again changed their policy and re-established some type of cocktail hour for Diamonds. At one point you could only get free lousy wine and had to pay a reduced charge for most drinks. Not sure what they are even doing these days (and do not care since we no longer have an interest in RCI for many reasons).

 

But, then a key RCI executive (Michael Bayley) moves over the Celebrity brand and decided to revamp their frequent cruiser package. But Mr. Bayley remembered the lessons from RCI days and carefully changed the Celebrity packages so as not to take away any benefits (although some were still miffed because it became harder to achieve levels).

 

To be honest, DW and I do not decide to cruise a certain line because of the frequent cruiser amenities, but it is a factor that can tilt the scales. We know one frequent RCI cruiser (who happens to also be a moderator on these boards) who once told us he specifically cruised RCI because of their amenities. So for some folks this can actually be an important factor.

 

Hank

[Aquahound]

Of the big players, who has the best loyaly program in the business? I just hit Gold with Carnival (which means absolutely nothing)... rather than focusing on Platinum with Carnival, what cruise line would you stick with to gain status?

 

I have cruised on NCL (The Norway.... YEARS AGO!!!) and RCL, so I guess my question would be limited to these 3 cruise lines.

 

Any input would be awesome!!!!

 

I've got status on 5 different lines....RCI (Diamond Plus), Celebrity (Elite), Princess (Gold), HAL (2 Star) and NCL (Gold). Of those 5, I think RCI has the best loyalty perks. For a short period, I thought Celebrity did, but much like Hank's RCI example above, Celebrity just nixed their nightly Michael's Lounge for Elite members (I guess Michael Bayley failed on that one). But ref RCI...they started building Diamond Lounges in 2006 and have since added them to most of their ships....so the Diamonds who lost lounge access have regained access to their own lounge. But even when Celebrity had the lounge for Elite, it was only temporary during evening hours. RCI's lounges are dedicated and open 24/7.

 

Princess has a decent program. HAL is mostly unimpressive. NCL recently revamped their Latitudes program, but it's still unimpressive compared to the others. I know you didn't ask about all those lines though. Of the 3 you're asking about, I only know NCL and RCI....and RCI's is much, much better....not to mention how much better of a cruise line they are over NCL, in my opinion.

 

I'm not saying all this to get into a tit-for-tat on loyalty preferences. I respect everyone's individual preferences. This is obviously just my opinion.

[swedish weave]

OP -- Keep one thing in mind. Many of the loyalty benefits mentioned here do not apply until you reach the upper levels of the programs.

 

So, for your own situation, start with the level that you have achieved on each line, then calculate which one you want to continue using until you reach your desired level.

 

Also, check how many days or cruises it will take to reach that level. That will help you determine which suits your needs best.

Edited January 23, 2015 by swedish weave

[MERCE4]

I've got status on 5 different lines....RCI (Diamond Plus), Celebrity (Elite), Princess (Gold), HAL (2 Star) and NCL (Gold). Of those 5, I think RCI has the best loyalty perks. For a short period, I thought Celebrity did, but much like Hank's RCI example above, Celebrity just nixed their nightly Michael's Lounge for Elite members (I guess Michael Bayley failed on that one). But ref RCI...they started building Diamond Lounges in 2006 and have since added them to most of their ships....so the Diamonds who lost lounge access have regained access to their own lounge. But even when Celebrity had the lounge for Elite, it was only temporary during evening hours. RCI's lounges are dedicated and open 24/7.

 

Princess has a decent program. HAL is mostly unimpressive. NCL recently revamped their Latitudes program, but it's still unimpressive compared to the others. I know you didn't ask about all those lines though. Of the 3 you're asking about, I only know NCL and RCI....and RCI's is much, much better....not to mention how much better of a cruise line they are over NCL, in my opinion.

 

I'm not saying all this to get into a tit-for-tat on loyalty preferences. I respect everyone's individual preferences. This is obviously just my opinion.

 

Paul,

I read your post with interest, because I am Diamond on RCCL and about to book a Med cruise with Celebrity, assuming I can have the evening happy hour as per Elite/Diamond reciprocity agreement on Celebrity website (http://www.celebritycruises.com/captains-club/membership/captains-club-overview#captains_club_tier_elite/captains-club/membership/captains-club-tier-elite%3Fsubtab=true).

 

Does your statement that Celebrity has nixed the Elite lounge mean that they have also done away with the happy hour?

 

Thanks,

Ann

[SteveH2508]

There is only one real way to compare these loyalty programs - what is the dollar (saved) value to you of each one.

 

We are platinum on NCL - the dollar saved value on the perks we use:

 

2 x Le Bistro dinners for two + wine = c$140

2 x Laundry bags = $56

2 x Behind the Scene tours = 2 x c$50 (not the full tour for $75 so reduced the value)

Bottle of bubbles = say $30

 

Free party/pillow chocolates/choc covered strawberries/Priority tendering etc. = difficult to value exactly.

 

So - the Platinum benefits are probably worth around $300 to us - not major money but there is a certain intangible as well: the system flags us as platinum - I think we might get a little bit of preferential service due to that.

 

I don't know the details of other lines but it is clear that the real benefits ($) kick in at the higher levels (when you have already spent a few thousand dollars with them already).

 

Picking a cruise based on loyalty benefits is nuts - it might make the difference between two identically priced itineraries, but otherwise it should not really be a factor in choosing a cruise (IMHO).

[RSLeesburg]

I am curious about one thing - we have only sailed twice on RCI and have a third cruise planned for later this year. We have not really factored the loyalty program into our decision-making process. Our first two cruises were out of our home port in Baltimore, and our next is on Freedom based on recommendations from fellow cruisers. However, as we have enjoyed our RCI cruises, we have not seen any reason to jump ship, so to speak. One of the things we have liked about RCI is that it offers you double points if you sail in a suite - I love that my 6 y/o son will be Emerald after his third cruise this year. But do all the lines offer double points if you sail in their higher end suites?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited February 11, 2015 by RSLeesburg

[swedish weave]

I am curious about one thing - we have only sailed twice on RCI and have a third cruise planned for later this year. We have not really factored the loyalty program into our decision-making process. Our first two cruises were out of our home port in Baltimore, and our next is on Freedom based on recommendations from fellow cruisers. However, as we have enjoyed our RCI cruises, we have not seen any reason to jump ship, so to speak. One of the things we have liked about RCI is that it offers you double points if you sail in a suite - I love that my 6 y/o son will be Emerald after his third cruise this year. But do all the lines offer double points if you sail in their higher end suites?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I know NCL offers double points for suite guests plus another point if you book nine months ahead of the sail date. I believe they have one more point for something which totals 4 points per day if you meet all the requirements.

 

It may be something you would want to check.

[RSLeesburg]

I know NCL offers double points for suite guests plus another point if you book nine months ahead of the sail date. I believe they have one more point for something which totals 4 points per day if you meet all the requirements.

 

 

 

It may be something you would want to check.

 

 

Thanks! This is very good information to know. I will definitely keep it in mind for my next cruise.

[SteveH2508]

I know NCL offers double points for suite guests plus another point if you book nine months ahead of the sail date. I believe they have one more point for something which totals 4 points per day if you meet all the requirements.

 

It may be something you would want to check.

 

The extra point you allude to is for the monthly 'Latitude's Insider Offers'. You need to be a member of Latitudes to access that I guess.

[RSLeesburg]

The extra point you allude to is for the monthly 'Latitude's Insider Offers'. You need to be a member of Latitudes to access that I guess.

 

 

So, you cannot be eligible for this until after first cruise :). That's OK. Still nice to know - thanks for update.

[kelmac]

Paul,

I read your post with interest, because I am Diamond on RCCL and about to book a Med cruise with Celebrity, assuming I can have the evening happy hour as per Elite/Diamond reciprocity agreement on Celebrity website (http://www.celebritycruises.com/captains-club/membership/captains-club-overview#captains_club_tier_elite/captains-club/membership/captains-club-tier-elite%3Fsubtab=true).

 

Does your statement that Celebrity has nixed the Elite lounge mean that they have also done away with the happy hour?

 

Thanks,

Ann

 

Anne,

 

No, Celebrity did not nix the Elite Lounge, they just moved it's location. It used to be in a small lounge called Michael's Club, but since they allowed the Diamond and above members from RCCL to move to Celebrity Elite, they moved it to the Sky Lounge (much more room).

I agree with Paul, Celebrity benefits are excellent (Elite Plus). RCI is great as well (Diamond). My three star HAL status is a non-factor, and my small status with Princess, NCL, and Cunard are meaningless.

 

We jump around between many cruise lines, but 50% of the time, we will be found on a Celebrity ship. The Elite Plus status does help -- happy hour, 240 minutes of internet, free laundry, breakfast, priority tendering, disembarkation lounge and one category booking upgrade. In addition, we've been invited to the Captain's table 13 times with Celebrity, and once with HAL.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[dorisis]

I have Elite and Diamond Status on Princess and the RC lines, but I think maybe Oceania with the free cruise after 20 cruises would be the best for me. They also give OBCs instead of free drinks, which suits my lifestyle better.

 

I like Princess because of the Veterans policy and because I can combine my OBCs.

 

But I would never pick a cruise solely because of Loyalty Benefits.

[Cruzaholic41]

I am curious about one thing - we have only sailed twice on RCI and have a third cruise planned for later this year. We have not really factored the loyalty program into our decision-making process. Our first two cruises were out of our home port in Baltimore, and our next is on Freedom based on recommendations from fellow cruisers. However, as we have enjoyed our RCI cruises, we have not seen any reason to jump ship, so to speak. One of the things we have liked about RCI is that it offers you double points if you sail in a suite - I love that my 6 y/o son will be Emerald after his third cruise this year. But do all the lines offer double points if you sail in their higher end suites?

 

Most of them do, yes. On Celebrity, double points are earned even lower, by booking Concierge Class.