Discounts

[crazygranny]

Why do these lines not NOT offer deeper discounts for past guests? We have been on 19 cruises with the same company and have spent thousands of dollars. By our choice, we have only been to the dining room on one occasion which like I said is our choice. I am not whining about this but think deeper discounts should be applied to past guests. Please no smart remarks, just asking!!!!

[Traveling Gentleman]

From what I know, the loyalty programs offered by cruise lines are somewhat limited and few, which is actually rather surprising. Someone might say this is not the case, but any frequent airline traveler would know the huge perks available, and it cannot be compared to the loyalty programs offered by cruise lines.

[leaveitallbehind]

While the amount varies by tier, RCI does offer a balcony discount to their higher level tier members that provides a lower price when booking any balcony stateroom category. Free cruises are also offered to their highest tiers at certain point levels. To my knowledge this is the only loyalty program that offers any type of financial or free cruise incentive for their members.

[Nitemare]

You answered your own question: Because folks will go back 19 times without deep discounts for returning guests.

[beachbum53]

Why do these lines not NOT offer deeper discounts for past guests? We have been on 19 cruises with the same company and have spent thousands of dollars. By our choice, we have only been to the dining room on one occasion which like I said is our choice. I am not whining about this but think deeper discounts should be applied to past guests. Please no smart remarks, just asking!!!!

 

Why should loyalty to a specific cruise line equal a "deeper discount"? And just how much of a discount would you expect? 20%? 30%? 40%? More? There are certain costs on any cruise line, such as fuel, food, maintenance, etc. that tend to either remain fixed or go up. Guess where the money comes from to pay those costs. Then there are the stockholders that expect a fair return for their investment. And how about the thousands of people that are employed by the cruise line? If a cruise line offered a deeper discount to every past cruiser that has been on "x" number of cruises, it would have a ripple effect on everything else. I suspect that any sort of discount offered by a cruise line is calculated in such a way that it doesn't have a negative impact elsewhere.

[thinfool]

Discounts are given to stimulate interest and bookings. If bookings are good and the cruise line is making money there is little to no interest in offering discounts.

 

Discounts usually appear after final payment date and are offered to passengers who have signed up for 'last minute' offers.

 

If sales continue to lag, the discounts are opened to more prospective passengers.

 

General sales with drink packages, gratuities, etc are usually smoke and mirrors created by the marketing division of a given cruise line.

[John Bull]

I wonder whether this has a bearing ......................

 

Cruise lines don't make their money from cruise tickets.

They make it on the extras - ship's shore excursions, bar tabs, casino, internet & cell time, photos, art auctions and the like.

As a general rule, newbies spend more money on these things, experienced cruisers are much more selective about such purchases.

So a newbie is likely to provide the cruise line with bigger profits.

"Loyalty" counts for little in most businesses these days.

 

In fact, if they could I feel sure they'd follow other industries in making offers "for new customers only" :rolleyes:

 

BTW, you don't use the MDR. I doubt they even know that, and anyway I'm none too sure it makes any odds.

 

There's mileage in checking the on-board spend of past-cruisers and making offers to specific customers, but I don't know whether they do - and with my cheapskate spending on-board I'm not likely to find out. :D

 

Just MHO as always

 

JB :)

[paul929207]

We have often been on cruises where 90% or more of the passengers have sailed with the line previously.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Why do these lines not NOT offer deeper discounts for past guests? We have been on 19 cruises with the same company and have spent thousands of dollars. By our choice, we have only been to the dining room on one occasion which like I said is our choice. I am not whining about this but think deeper discounts should be applied to past guests. Please no smart remarks, just asking!!!!

 

 

Change cruise lines. For example: the 20th cruise on Oceania is free. And even lower numbers of accrued trips are rewarded with substantial savings (e.g., OBC, gratuities, etc). New O passenger? Look for occasional first timer discounts offered through their top selling Connoisseurs Club TAs.

 

 

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[notentirelynormal]

I smell a troll. There seems to be a trend this month. First timers asking questions that can only cause controversy. If you have really been on 19 cruises you would think you were smart enough to know the answer yourself. No one can go on 19 cruises and not understand what they will and will not pay and why. Surely you must know what your past passenger benefits are.