Comparing Frequent Pax Benefits across lines

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Most likely, if you could corroborate the dates/details (assuming they were long enough ago that they might not be in their current system).

 

I cruised with Sitmar as a kid and teen. Sitmar subsequently became Princess. When I took my first Princess cruise in the early 2000s they were able to give me credit for all of the earlier cruises for which I had info.

 

I agree. There were 22 years between our Sitmar cruise and our first Princess cruise, and we were credited.

[Aquahound]

A free photo of the ship does kinda feel akin to my accountant giving me a picture of himself for Christmas. Ok... What am I supposed to do with this?

 

I feel the same way. The free photo benefit on RCI is a photo of you, not the ship. As a couple, you get 2 free photos. :)

[parrotfeathers]

One of the best RCL perks in my opinion is that those in a GS or above (equivalent of NS) are escorted by the concierge to the front of the line at disembarkation. And the CL is open 24 hours.

 

Perhaps HAL doesn't have to change their program since they have guests that have sailed years and years ad wouldn't try another line anyway. And those who do just like HAL and go back.

[cruisemom42]

If the truth be told, the past passenger benefits of any line aren't really a deciding factor for me. They rarely come into any equation in my head when comparing one cruise line versus another -- instead, I look at itinerary first, then probably cost (especially solo passenger pricing), size of ship, and availability of a good lecture program. Food might be somewhere on the list, but generally not a deal breaker unless I read the food was terrible on a particular ship.

 

On the small line I cruise with the most at the moment, they have just now instituted a past-passenger program that includes free laundry and internet. They already provide free wine/beer/soft drinks at dinner to all passengers. While I will appreciate these perks, I would continue to sail with the line with or without them, as only one other line (at the moment) comes close to providing a high score on "my" criteria.

[cruz chic]

Pick it up at the Photo Center.

 

I believe the poster was joking. Do people actually want such things?

[POA1]

I feel the same way. The free photo benefit on RCI is a photo of you, not the ship. As a couple, you get 2 free photos. :)

Why would I want a picture of me? I can get that anytime. The pictures of the ship usually require a helicopter. Now, if I could get a picture of me, taken from a helicopter, that would be a good benefit.

 

If you let me use the helicopter to take a photo of my own choosing, that would be outstanding!

[Xport]

I sailed my first Celebrity Cruise last fall. I have had RCCL stock for years. I was not able to get the Shareholder OBC credit because the cruise booking came with a free drinks package. To get the OBC credit, I would have had to cancel the drinks package. From what I could gather in communication with Customer Relations, Celebrity does not allow perks to be stacked. The cruiser has to decide what "perk" is most valuable to them and give up the rest.

 

(I recently got an email from Celebrity. They are reconfiguring their perks program this year. Since I have only one cruise with them, I didn't pay much attention to the details.)

 

I sailed a HAL Alaska cruise in June of last year. I have had CCL stock for years. I was able to get the OBC credit even though the cruise was part of the Explore 4 program.

 

 

Isn't that silly that you can't combine perks? I really don't see why people like celebrity so much. I guess some folks are impressed by a couple free drinks. I find very little appeal with celebrity after sailing with them twice.

 

And admittedly, it has become increasingly difficult to get the Shareowner Benefit offered by the Royal Caribbean family of brands [Royal, Celebrity, and Azamara] given their increased tendency to price with promotions that preclude stacking with the Shareowner Benefit...

 

That said, I happened to purchase shares of RCL stock [actually, twice the 100 share minimum associated with the Shareowner Benefit] on 2 March 2009 just before my first Celebrity Cruise... At the time, I paid $5.50/share for my Royal Caribbean stock... It closed yesterday at $84.71 for a gain of $7921 per 100 shares purchased...

 

If I'd purchased Carnival Cruise Lines shares on the same day at its average price of $18.21/share, that investment--valued at $46.12 yesterday--would have yielded a gain of $2791 per 100 shares purchased...

 

For the $5130 incremental increase in value per 100 shares [not including the value of Shareowner benefits I have earned with RCL/would have earned with CCL for the same cruises (actually, RCL's benefit is--when available--a bit more generous than CCL's benefit is for longer cruises) and dividends paid by both lines along the way], I'd need to claim/receive the $250 maximum [the limit is the same on either line] Shareowner Benefit from CCL twenty+ times to break even--based upon initially purchasing 100 shares of each and assuming that relative share pricing continues--with where I am at now with RCL [and could, if so inclined, sell my shares in RCL today to lock in that value; even after capital gains taxes, the disparity is still substantial]...

 

I wish that RCL's Shareholder Benefit were more stackable with other promos too... But I'm not confused about what has been--under my specific circumstances and given my good fortune--far more beneficial to me personally...

[Hlitner]

The mention of "combining perks" is almost another perk :). While RCI and Celebrity make it difficult to impossible to combine or "stack" perks, some of the CCL companies have very liberal policies. In fact, this past spring we took a 28 day Princess cruise where we were able to "stack" various perks (including stockholder credit, military credit, etc) and ended up with about $2000 in on board credits. Since DW and I avoid cruise line excursions (like the plague) and do not get into shopping or gambling (we refuse to gamble in any casino that allows smoking) we ended our cruise with a hefty on board credit balance (we are talking many hundreds of dollars). About 3 weeks after we got home Princess sent us a check for the balance of our OBC...and it almost felt like they had paid us to take the cruise :).

 

Hank

[Copper10-8]

Why would I want a picture of me? I can get that anytime. The pictures of the ship usually require a helicopter. Now, if I could get a picture of me, taken from a helicopter, that would be a good benefit.

 

If you let me use the helicopter to take a photo of my own choosing, that would be outstanding!

 

How 'bout a picture of you and a helicopter.....................on a ship?

[Xport]

Not just beverage and dinning. The top tier Suites on Celebrity (equivalent to Pinnacle Suites) get the following,

 

* Complimentary Premium Beverage package

* Complimentary unlimited Specialty Dining

* Complimentary unlimited Internet access

* Complimentary mini-bar stocked daily with water, sodas, beer

 

HAL should do more for their top Suite guests. Actually all of the Suite guests will have a private dining room for breakfast lunch and dinner, but can eat anywhere they want on the ship.

 

The benefits associated with attaining Zenith membership in Celebrity's Captain's Club [roughly equivalent to Five Star Mariner status with HAL (but I'll get there with fewer than 500 cruise nights by sailing in AquaClass and Concierge Class veranda cabins as I always have; it does help that--since last summer--Celebrity and Azamara have been doubling Cruise Point accruals for solo travelers paying full single supplement] are quite comparable--some gives/some takes--to those that have been introduced/are being introduced for Suite guests...

 

I'm very pleased with the Elite + benefits I have with Celebrity now [Four Star Mariner on HAL]; they meet my personal preferences [i am not much of a drinker] and I consider them generous... But upon attaining Zenith--I expect it will happen in late 2016/early 2017--I'll have the same access to Michael's Club that is afforded to top suite guests now, I'll have 1620 complimentary internet minutes and unlimited laundry, I'll have a complimentary beverage package of my choosing--all regardless of the stateroom I occupy--and, to commemorate the landmark, I'll be awarded a seven night cruise in a veranda cabin to the Caribbean or Bermuda [or the cash equivalent as an offset to the price of a cruise of my choosing]...

 

I won't have unlimited complimentary Specialty Dining [i have some discounts now, those discounts will become unlimited at Zenith] and I won't--unless I someday choose to cruise in a Suite--have access to the new Suite Dining Room...

 

Not bad given that I have been and--I expect--will continue to be extremely satisfied with the Celebrity product/experience... I haven't cruised for perks--they've just happened as I've pursued my yen for travel--but I must admit that they're now my "tie breaker' when I consider my travel options and find them increasingly difficult to discount/diminish...

[POA1]

How 'bout a picture of you and a helicopter.....................on a ship?

Throw in a submarine, and it's a no-brainer. (If it's just a minisub, we'd probably want some spa coupons.)

[sun~]

This is for you POA1.

 

I took this photo of the Eurodam in 2011 while on a helicopter leaving from Antiqua heading to Monseratte.

 

I can get submarine pics too if you like ;)