Met head of Loyalty for Celebrity

[Water babies]

16 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

I've left a couple half joking comments on this thread, but I mean this:

 

Virgin Voyages will lead the industry in credit card rewards, and loyalty programs.  Branson has already stated that he wants to combine the cruise line, space program, and Virgin Atlantic for status.  Virgin already has experience with lucrative credit cards, and partnering with the American Express point system.  It won't be long, and Millennials will have an option to sail for "free".

Virgin no longer flies out of PHL. I hate flying in/out of Newark so their loyalty programs do nothing for me and I'm certainly not a millennial. I've stopped allowing merchants to sign me up for loyalty programs (when it's optional)--just another invasion of privacy tracking my purchases and targeted direct marketing. Trying to stay off social media for the same reasons. I have enough spam in my life. Nothing is "free"--you pay for it one way or another.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

14 hours ago, Fogfog said:

We were planning to match shortly only because we'd be Black and then do YC.

There are things like priority boarding thats only Black...

Still a specialty meal is nice. 

 

I remember back in the day when the twice baked cheese souffle was in Celebrity's MDR and requested as a recipe by someone who wrote in to Gourmet. MDR food is terrible now

We are Murano fans... 

 

You get priority boarding and disembarkation with Yacht Club.  Has nothing to do with your MSC status.

[Taking It Easy]

After our next booked four Celebrity cruises and one Azamara cruise, , we'll be at about 1500 or so points. We began with Celebrity in 2012. 

 

However, realistically we do not aim at becoming Zenith level members.   We cruise because we like the itinararies, level of service and dining quality.  We do appreciate and use the category upgrade, laundry, and 240 Wi-fi minutes.

 

It would be nice to have a mid level status. Perhaps 50% off of a beverage package if not already included with a booking would be nice or if part of the booking increase to the Premium package.  Perhaps a few meals in a Specialty dining room.

 

[Stateroom_Sailor]

16 minutes ago, Water babies said:

Virgin no longer flies out of PHL. I hate flying in/out of Newark so their loyalty programs do nothing for me and I'm certainly not a millennial. I've stopped allowing merchants to sign me up for loyalty programs (when it's optional)--just another invasion of privacy tracking my purchases and targeted direct marketing. Trying to stay off social media for the same reasons. I have enough spam in my life. Nothing is "free"--you pay for it one way or another.

 

Next month my Airfare to Vancouver, a night at the Sheraton pre-cruise, 4 Nights post-cruise at a Wyndham timeshare in Honolulu, and the flight back, all comped with points and miles.

 

Delta, Marriott, and Wyndham aren't doing this maliciously for my data, or to be nice, it comes from loyalty kickback from using their products, and swiping their credit cards.

[Taking It Easy]

17 hours ago, fleckle said:

 

We feel the same way.  There are many of us in this situation, between Elite+ and Zenith, with Zenith too far away to be realistically achievable anytime in the foreseeable future.

 

Celebrity really needs to add another loyalty level half-way between Elite+ and Zenith.  It is long overdue.

 

Or even better, add two more levels spaced out 750 points apart, so that passengers always have the next realistically obtainable goal ahead as an incentive that is within reasonable reach.

 

 

Perhaps after 1500 points, make two new lwvels. One at 2000 and 2500 before Zenith. 

 

But if we are attracted to a new intinarary, we'll not hesitate trying another line.  Perhaps

a European or Asian river cruise. That's how we booked a great itinarary, a fall 2020 African 22-day cruise with Azamara.  By the way, that cruise is essentially sold out with occasional cabins opening up.

 

Edited March 16, 2019 by Taking It Easy

[MamaFej]

10 hours ago, hurwitz5 said:

We are Elite on Celebrity.  We appreciate the benefits, but would like to see increased benefits for longer cruises.  Celebrity gives the same amount of free laundry (1 per person) whether you are cruising for 7 nights or 14 nights. Internet time is 90 minutes free per person  whether your cruise is 7 nights or 14 nights.  Would like the amount of laundry and internet minutes to increase based upon the length of the cruise.  

I agree! One of the reasons we sail Princess is that we can do our own laundry (in machines) which allows us to pack lighter. 

 

If Celebrity allowed one bag of laundry per week (or week segment) once people have earned it, the number and weight of bags their baggage handlers would have to deal with would decrease. I don't know if the increased labor and other costs for laundry would equal the decreased costs of baggage handling. Even if it were a wash, simply having fewer bags and less weight to manage and on board (times thousands of passengers) seems prudent. 

 

Increasing internet minutes based on cruise length also makes sense.

[Taking It Easy]

16 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We second the idea of including your "Captain's Club upgrade from C2 to C1" suggestion when you reach the 1500 point level. Great suggestion!

 

I've suggested to Captains Club they allow C1 upgrades. Standard answer, there are limited C1 cabins. Translated, we like the added $'s revenue. 

[H2OH!]

I say at Elite ++ - if price drops after final payment, you get your money back and keep your perks!!

 

At Elite +, i would like to get best price guaranteed without all the exceptions and apply difference as OBC for existing cruise or apply different to a future booking.

 

These are perks really worth something!!

 

Amy

[Fogfog]

1 hour ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

You get priority boarding and disembarkation with Yacht Club.  Has nothing to do with your MSC status.

Yes. We had just hoped to work out the Black  as well.

Shall see what they do when we eventually submit. Clearly MSC is looking to poach Celebrity customers 

Celebrity doesn't need to poach other since they already have too many with the RCCL pax coming over.

I do wonder how may RCCL folks stay with Celebrity vs preferring the large ships with better shows/more "to do". or are the RCCL folks "one and done"

 

 

 

 

[ch175]

I don't really care about levels, or benefits, or all of that stuff.

 

What I want is to feel like the thousands of dollars I spent to fly the 4 of us somewhere and spend a week on a ship was worth what I paid. Along with the cost of one of my three weeks of yearly vacation time.

 

That "worth it" feeling has been declining closer to the break-even point in recent years.

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Sorry for being confusing.  In the full context of my post I meant "limited" in that the Azamara crossover is only with Celebrity and not RCCL.  I sure could have phrased it better.

When I see folks mention this and you are by no means the first, the thing that comes to mind is aren't cabin prices on RCCL cruises, on average, a lot cheaper than X or Azamara cruises? If so then wouldn't it be possible for someone to accumulate many of their "CC" points doing the cheaper RCCL cruises, then reap the same benefits as X/Az cruisers when they cruise on the more expensive lines, even though the X/Az cruisers spent a lot more money to get to the same level? At least that's my perception on the subject. Am I wrong?

Edited March 16, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[richsea]

17 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

It occurs to me that while it is a nice thing that Celebrity does read cruise critic and will be aware of everything we write, this is all quite anonymous. They might get more accurate information if they would simply contact us. After all they have our email, they have our phone numbers, they know who all the Zeniths are, they know who all the elite pluses are.  And I don’t mean sending out a completely bogus questionnaire, where all the questions are aimed toward the answers they want. I mean an open ended inquiry. I’ve never understood why they don’t have focus groups for instance.  

 

 

I remember when Celebrity did do exactly that. I don’t know how extensive it was, but at one time (perhaps the early 2000s?), they contacted me about participating in a focus group from time to time, then would call inquiring about my thoughts on potential changes. Alas, those days are gone. 

[richsea]

“ There is no January 14 night cruise in the Caribbean.  There is only one 14 night cruise in February and the fares were double what we paid this year.”

 

Redtravel, we are also interested in 14 night sailings in January, to escape the cold for a while, and find that pretty much none of the mainstream lines offer tgem, other than b2b 7 nighters. One would think that the cruise lines would take advantage of a substantial number of retirees looking to “snowbird” on a ship in the winter.

[starlake]

  I will be in trouble with a lot of you but, stop catering to children.   I sail Celebrity to get away from large numbers of kids.   I can sail with plenty on Royal.      I don't hate kids, have my own, just enjoy sailing without them at times

[ghstudio]

1 hour ago, Taking It Easy said:

 

Perhaps after 1500 points, make two new lwvels. One at 2000 and 2500 before Zenith. 

 

But if we are attracted to a new intinarary, we'll not hesitate trying another line.  Perhaps

a European or Asian river cruise. That's how we booked a great itinarary, a fall 2020 African 22-day cruise with Azamara.  By the way, that cruise is essentially sold out with occasional cabins opening up.

 

 

Everyone wants a new level....but few have taken the time to suggest to celebrity what they want in the new level.  If you can't define what you'd like to see.....stop asking (that's not you, taking it easy, it's a general comment to all who talk about wanting a new level).

 

Let's all agree that everone wants MORE.....and try to (rationally) define what "more" might be.

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

 

Everyone wants a new level....but few have taken the time to suggest to celebrity what they want in the new level.  If you can't define what you'd like to see.....stop asking (that's not you, taking it easy, it's a general comment to all who talk about wanting a new level).

 

Let's all agree that everone wants MORE.....and try to (rationally) define what "more" might be.

We looked at the perks Elite+ gets and what perks Zenith gets and then made a graduate jump between the 2 sets of perks where it made sense. For example, raise the Specialty Restaurant discount to 20%, raise the discount on the Beverage Package to 20%, and the Internet discount to 40%.

[Oville]

18 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We looked at the perks Elite+ gets and what perks Zenith gets and then made a graduate jump between the 2 sets of perks where it made sense. For example, raise the Specialty Restaurant discount to 20%, raise the discount on the Beverage Package to 20%, and the Internet discount to 40%.

I though Zenith cruisers get the Premium Beverage Package and free internet.

[Ken the cruiser]

33 minutes ago, Oville said:

I though Zenith cruisers get the Premium Beverage Package and free internet.

They do. I’m referring to the proposed Elite++ perks everyone is discussing. 

[jagoffee]

4 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Sorry for being confusing.  In the full context of my post I meant "limited" in that the Azamara crossover is only with Celebrity and not RCCL.  I sure could have phrased it better.

Got it.  Thank you for the follow up.

 

I beleive this unique feature between the Azamara and Celebrity brands is a carry over because Azamara was originally “part of” the Celebrity organization.

Edited March 16, 2019 by jagoffee

[BrendaJ]

New perks I would like to see for a higher level:

- behind-the-scenes tour of crew areas, including cabins and bar

- large discounts on internet and beverage packages

- dedicated phone number for customer service

- free in-room pay movies

- early access to new itineraries

- ability to order elite drinks in dining room or coupons to use any time of day

- luggage tag holders 

- free in-room bottled water

[goofysmom99]

If you book an Azamara cruise while onboard (an AZ, X, or RC), you get a 5% fare discount if you're Elite, 7% for Elite+, and 10% for Zenith, plus OBC.  That's a real tangible benefit for something right up front, before boarding.  Their other Elite+ benefits don't exactly "translate" to X because drinks and gratuities are already included and their loyal pax accumulate free nights.  An onboard booking discount, in addition to the OBC, would be a nice benefit for X loyalty passengers, attainable only when booking a future cruise while onboard (just like AZ).  Since X has jacked up the prices so much, this benefit could help keep X within my cruising wheelhouse.

Edited March 16, 2019 by goofysmom99

[Orator]

A Zenith member reported on another site that they just received a survey asking what 3 current benefits are important to keeping them loyal and what 3 are least important. They include a meal at Sushi on 5 that to the best of my knowledge have never been a Sushi on 5 benefit.

the survey is from Azamara. Anyone get the survey and can explain it?

Edited March 16, 2019 by Orator

[C-Dragons]

19 minutes ago, Orator said:

A Zenith member reported on another site that they just received a survey asking what 3 current benefits are important to keeping them loyal and what 3 are least important. They include a meal at Sushi on 5 that to the best of my knowledge have never been a Sushi on 5 benefit.

the survey is from Azamara. Anyone get the survey and can explain it?

Curious... we have never sailed Azamara. Do they have members in their club who are Zenith equivalents?

[Texed]

20 minutes ago, Orator said:

A Zenith member reported on another site that they just received a survey asking what 3 current benefits are important to keeping them loyal and what 3 are least important. They include a meal at Sushi on 5 that to the best of my knowledge have never been a Sushi on 5 benefit.

the survey is from Azamara. Anyone get the survey and can explain it?

 

Charles,

 

I received the survey.  But, there was not a question about Sushi on 5 directed to me.  

[Texed]

4 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

Curious... we have never sailed Azamara. Do they have members in their club who are Zenith equivalents?

 

Yes they do.  Azamara is completely reciprocal in the loyalty clubs.  The points you accumulate on either are added to your point totals.  

Edited March 16, 2019 by Texed