Past Passenger Party

[Nic6318]

2 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

They always are held in the theater.  At least all of the ones that we've went to have been in the theater.

 

Hi

 

No. Obviously it depends on how many people will be eligible but the comedy club, or some similar lounge are venues that are often used. As you noted even with only platinum/diamond guests there can be a very large crowd. So a blanket "past guest" party as the OP suggested would be unreasonable, especially since that was the main reason it was changed to begin with. 

Edited August 9, 2019 by Nic6318

[Stick93]

Will it help changing the plan and bumping people down?? You have to figure In couple of years they will be in the same place as people keep cruising and adding on days.  The change I would worry about is making people reach annual thresholds to keep their current status. It would have to be done by all the cruise lines to work  - but with more people cruising every year, it means more people becoming higher status quicker. 

[Retired_to_Cruise]

4 minutes ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

No. Obviously it depends on how many people will be eligible but the comedy club, or some similar lounge are venues that are often used. As you noted even with only platinum/diamond guests there can be a very large crowd. So a blanket "past guest" party as the OP suggested would be unreasonable, especially since that was the main reason it was changed to begin with. 

Since they changed it to a diamond/platinum party, the ones I have attended were in a club in the aft on deck 5, with one exception - on a Journeys cruise with a partial transit of the Panama Canal it was in the theatre because 80% of the cruise were Diamond and Platinum.

[2wheelin]

6 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

 

 

I can't wait for them to change it. There are way too many "priority" folks and it will take a serious reduction in that number for us to go back to enjoying the few benefits offered.

I can't wait for them to change it. There are way too many "priority" folks.

I agree but for very different reasons. I am seeing the attitude (from many people) of “they should limit it as long as I am already at the top and won’t be affected”. I never really understood why there needs to be a loyalty program at all. Your benefit is that you got to go on a lot of fun cruises.

When over half the passengers have priority, the common cruiser who can’t afford a lot of cruises is pushed to the back. They have to wait to get on and off the ship and the more priority people there are, the less likely they are going to want to cruise that line. This is what the cruise line understands does not attract new customers.

There are things they can do that won’t affect other passengers or cost more. Free laundry—go for it. Free drinks every evening—raises cost for everyone but still possible. Free token gift—sure. 

I see the argument that when there are so many with priority, no one has priority, but they still all have priority over Average Joe. Look at it from his viewpoint. Why would he want to go on a cruise if experience has shown him that pretty much everyone else gets to push past him for everything. He is second class.

[Elaine5715]

26 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

I can't wait for them to change it. There are way too many "priority" folks.

I agree but for very different reasons. I am seeing the attitude (from many people) of “they should limit it as long as I am already at the top and won’t be affected”. I never really understood why there needs to be a loyalty program at all. Your benefit is that you got to go on a lot of fun cruises.

When over half the passengers have priority, the common cruiser who can’t afford a lot of cruises is pushed to the back. They have to wait to get on and off the ship and the more priority people there are, the less likely they are going to want to cruise that line. This is what the cruise line understands does not attract new customers.

There are things they can do that won’t affect other passengers or cost more. Free laundry—go for it. Free drinks every evening—raises cost for everyone but still possible. Free token gift—sure. 

I see the argument that when there are so many with priority, no one has priority, but they still all have priority over Average Joe. Look at it from his viewpoint. Why would he want to go on a cruise if experience has shown him that pretty much everyone else gets to push past him for everything. He is second class.

I don't think there are too many priority folks.  I think it is because Carnival doesn't limit the perks to just priority folks.  If only the person with the status can board early, attend the party, priority shuttle, etc then the earned status would actually have value.  

[tkportersat]

5 hours ago, OnePsychLynne said:

 

I became Platinum right before they changed the requirements from cruises taken to days days sailed. We knew it was coming so we booked our 10th cruise before the date the changes would go into effect. I guess I've been Platinum for around 8 years at least. I would be BEYOND angry if they "demoted" me at this point. Taking my 17th Carnival cruise in October. 

I did the same thing and took my 10th cruise in 2013...I don't cruise as much as I used to so I'm not sure the perks make a big difference to me anymore.  My husband doesn't like cruising as much as I do, so we have been doing more land and AI type vacations.  

[Host Carolyn]

It doesn't matter how a good discussion gets started, what matters is how civil it stays. Watching this and thank you to those staying on topic

[cruizergal70]

Wait. Folks really care about these bogus "loyalty " programs? If you do the math, they are never worth it.

 

Sail whatever lines you like but expect some random, faux "status. "

[GradUT]

13 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

I don’t see how they can have a past passenger party. That goes against everything I have heard about why Carnival is planning to change their VIFP Program. How can you have a party for possibly 3,000 or more passengers?  That doesn’t make sense to me.  

The way they can have a past passenger party is by how they did it in the past—make it for the last day of the cruise and barely advertise it (one small line in the Fun Times).  Thus, fewer than 100 people show up. I went twice in the past (as a Gold cruiser—nowhere near Platinum!) and they were both great parties with probably 75 participants.  The drinks were good and plentiful and the music was live and excellent.  

 

They stopped doing these saying that there was too little participation, but that’s what made them good. 

[BallFour4]

10 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

They always are held in the theater.  At least all of the ones that we've went to have been in the theater.

Not in several years. Once they limited the guests to diamond and platinum it moved to the aft lounge on the Promenade deck in the same lounge where the comedy club is held. At least for the past four our five years where we cruised. I think about seven trips, I could be wrong.
 They did step up the quality and quantity of drinks, and in the past have encouraged us to take beer with us when we left.

 The bad news is it moved to the last sea day at 5:00pm and the officer staff are worn out. They look like they'd rather be anywhere else. The entire event lasts about 30-40 min max now.

 

[RWolver672]

21 minutes ago, BallFour4 said:

Not in several years. Once they limited the guests to diamond and platinum it moved to the aft lounge on the Promenade deck in the same lounge where the comedy club is held.

 

On our last cruise on the Horizon, it was held in the theater.  It was a premier cruise with 586 Platinums and 87 Diamonds.  Prior to when they made the great change of adding Gold, it was always held in the theater.  We always went to them before they made us Gold.

[BallFour4]

3 minutes ago, RWolver672 said:

 

On our last cruise on the Horizon, it was held in the theater.  It was a premier cruise with 586 Platinums and 87 Diamonds.  Prior to when they made the great change of adding Gold, it was always held in the theater.  We always went to them before they made us Gold.

600 people and a premier were the difference. We haven't cruised on one of those. Our past few years experience has been here in Galveston, Miami and Ft Lauderdale.  Even on the New Years Eve cruises they were in the aft lounge. I replied to your "They always are held in the theater." comment, and they answer is it varies.
.

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, RWolver672 said:

 

On our last cruise on the Horizon, it was held in the theater.  It was a premier cruise with 586 Platinums and 87 Diamonds.  Prior to when they made the great change of adding Gold, it was always held in the theater.  We always went to them before they made us Gold.

That party on the Horizon was terrible.  Drinks were hard to get, food was awful and there were countless blue/red/gold cards everywhere.  

[2wheelin]

57 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

It doesn't mean breaking up anything.  It just means the person with the perks needs to forgo them until others in their party earn it.  It would stop the splitting up P/D at booking to share priority boarding/luggage then switching around on board.  Carnival and GS are clearly aware of this practice but don't stop it.  P/D can hang back and tender with the non P/D.  If the P/D Reunion was enforced to only invited members, food and service would be better.  

Good points.

I want to know how to get into the parties -or even know when/where with my gold card. Lol

[phoneman69]

14 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

They always are held in the theater.  At least all of the ones that we've went to have been in the theater.

The ones i have attended have all been in the comedy club small theater. (back of boat) Not where they do the shows  in the front.

[Elaine5715]

8 minutes ago, phoneman69 said:

The ones i have attended have all been in the comedy club small theater. (back of boat) Not where they do the shows  in the front.

The one @RWolver672 is referring to was held in the theater.  The Horizon comedy club is much smaller than the ones located aft.  The Horizon theater is also terrible for parties.

[lottiegreen56]

The diamond and plat parties are no where near as fun as the passed passenger parties were, seems like there’s several in agreement but just wanted to emphasize the point. 

 

It could be because of the time/location change in the new format but i think opening it to more people just upped the energy. The booze flowed and people always seemed like they had a good afternoon/night after the party too imo.

 

We don’t sail for the perks, we’re gamblers and sail on the lines that give the best deals for our play. For the past 4-5 years, that’s been CCL by a landslide. Not sure that’s the case anymore though so if we lose status, it will be no skin off our back, we’ve had a good time. 

 

Honestly, reward tiers are a big thing when you travel for business but other than that it’s the millennials that have encouraged the emphasis by companies on them. I hardly ever complain about millennials but I wish they wouldn’t have been coddled witb grade inflation and trophies so much!

 

Being gamblers, I like what casinos are doing with their to credit cards and linking that to their reward tiers. CCL could consider this with their mastercard if they wanted to really get cute.

[Maraprince]

11 hours ago, lottiegreen56 said:

The diamond and plat parties are no where near as fun as the passed passenger parties were, seems like there’s several in agreement but just wanted to emphasize the point. 

 

It could be because of the time/location change in the new format but i think opening it to more people just upped the energy. The booze flowed and people always seemed like they had a good afternoon/night after the party too imo.

 

We don’t sail for the perks, we’re gamblers and sail on the lines that give the best deals for our play. For the past 4-5 years, that’s been CCL by a landslide. Not sure that’s the case anymore though so if we lose status, it will be no skin off our back, we’ve had a good time. 

 

Honestly, reward tiers are a big thing when you travel for business but other than that it’s the millennials that have encouraged the emphasis by companies on them. I hardly ever complain about millennials but I wish they wouldn’t have been coddled witb grade inflation and trophies so much!

 

Being gamblers, I like what casinos are doing with their to credit cards and linking that to their reward tiers. CCL could consider this with their mastercard if they wanted to really get cute.

Perhaps, instead of having one big party the amount of guests eligible could be divided between 2 or more smaller parties and held in one of the smaller lounges.  This would also cut down on those "additional" attendees who really aren't even platinum attending.  It could be done by limiting the parties by diving the ship either by zones (front, mid, aft) or by decks.  Something to consider.

 

MARAPRINCE

[hillbilly cruiser]

Have never had a past guest party in the theater.

[jimbo5544]

Since the change of format, we have cruised 7 times and the party was held in the main show room 6 times and only the last time in the comedy club.  

 

Change is coming, but we can only guess what it will be.  All speculation at this point.  We think the party has improved over what it was.  In terms of numbers, diamonds prob average 15-20 and plats slightly higher than 130 or so.  On our Journey cruise on the breeze there were 340 diamonds and 1800 diamonds.    

[ShakyBeef]

9 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

On our Journey cruise on the breeze there were 340 diamonds and 1800 diamonds.    

 

THAT'S A LOT OF DIAMONDS!!  😯🤪

[jimbo5544]

2 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

THAT'S A LOT OF DIAMONDS!!  😯🤪

Lol, is sure was..... meant 1800 plats. 

Edited August 10, 2019 by jimbo5544

[ShakyBeef]

1 minute ago, jimbo5544 said:

Lol, is sure was.  

 

I mean, I was no math major but I think that's like 2140 Diamonds!

[ShakyBeef]

5 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Lol, is sure was..... meant 1800 plats. 

I know.  I just couldn't resist.

[crzndeb]

Since I tend to go on longer, unique cruises, there are always a lot of Platinum and Diamonds. It has always been in the main theater, and sometimes held twice.

 

I think they need to add a level between Plat and Diamond, because there is such a big day gap between those 2. Also, maybe a level above Diamond (300-350 days).