Getting “perks” on Carnival?

[MrsTocko]

Hello all.

 

i started my cruise addiction on the elation 18 years ago...and last cruised the line 7 years ago on the miracle, with my own miracle for our honeymoon.  It was his first cruise and we did Alaska.

 

we have been cruising NCL since.  Nothing against Carnival, it was just the price/itinerary options that drive the decisions.   We are now looking at another carnival cruise again for the price/itinerary.

 

ncl offers perks and promotions for most offered cruises. Things like the drinking package.Cheers on ccl

 

my questions..is this ever an option or deal on ccl?  In my mock booking I haven’t been able to select it.  So I’m wondering if anyone has ever had that as an option or bonus or perk?

 

(we signed up for vacation club, and got the cruise free...yes we are paying to upgrade to the balcony and our cabin choice..just wondering if I might be able to get a little extra thrown in?)

 

TIA

 

Gail

[tallnthensome]

 Nope, maybe a small OBC during a booking promotion. 

[Organized Chaos]

You won't get anything like the Cheers package or, let's say, specialty restaurant meals for free. If you buy Cheers prior to the cruise, the price is discounted. That's about as good as that gets. The internet plans are discounted, too, if bought before the cruise. Some rates include things like reduced deposits and OBC. Travel Agents often give perks to attract customers to took through them, like OBC, etc. Not sure what all they offer, we don't use one, but I think a lot of them will offer more OBC than what Carnival typically does. Most of Carnival's perks don't come until you hit Platinum level VIFP (their loyalty program), but even then, it doesn't include the Cheers package.

[MrsTocko]

Ok. Thanks..pretty much figured that..ncl fare is typically “higher” but when you figure the cost of the cheers package they run about the same. May try to 

Leverage that we will be cruising the week before my birthday. 

 

will definitely prepurchase it.  We are looking at a five day. Out of home port. DH doesn’t care about going into Cabo and neither do I, so staying on the ship.  Will take advantage of the pool and emptier ship...I know we are limited on number per day, but that won’t be an issue either.

 

 

 

[firefly333]

Royal caribbean has something similar included. I think its platinum that you get free wine or bubbly at night in a certain spot. Higher tier there is a nice lounge with free drinks and hot finger foods. Every night, maybe for 4 or 5 hours. Diamond probably is the mixed drinks level on rcl.

 

At diamond you can also get into lounges, a coffee lounge on larger ships that has food earlier in the day. Platinum breakfast with a couple of mocha whatever coffees and better service. I go to get the coffee. 

 

Rcl levels of loyalty transfer to celebrity, I was the highest tier of rewards my first cruise on celebrity.

 

Carnival has good pts too, just not free drinks. Except for the parties. 

[PhillyFan33579]

As others have stated, Carnival doesn’t any offer any promotions like Norwegian does when it comes to “free” packages like drinks or internet. Also, not sure if your post was about loyalty perks, but as the last poster mentioned, the loyalty perks on Royal Carribean are significantly better than Carnival. 

[jimbo5544]

There is no such thing as a free lunch.  The perks that NCL offer are not free, they just offer them in the price.  Perception is the key to value.

[MrsTocko]

Agree..perception is key. All my free perks are built into the price on ncl.  They are not on cal. So when I want them I have to pay.. they average out to about the same amount. But the perception is that I’m getting something for free.  Trying to get status on both, about the same level on both...used to be every couple years that I would cruise...getting to be once per year.  So glad my DH loves to cruise as much as I do.  Makes it so much easier..we are trying to do different ports...

 

thank you all again for the quick responses

 

 

[mpdog42]

13 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Royal caribbean has something similar included. I think its platinum that you get free wine or bubbly at night in a certain spot. Higher tier there is a nice lounge with free drinks and hot finger foods. Every night, maybe for 4 or 5 hours. Diamond probably is the mixed drinks level on rcl.

 

At diamond you can also get into lounges, a coffee lounge on larger ships that has food earlier in the day. Platinum breakfast with a couple of mocha whatever coffees and better service. I go to get the coffee. 

 

Rcl levels of loyalty transfer to celebrity, I was the highest tier of rewards my first cruise on celebrity.

 

Carnival has good pts too, just not free drinks. Except for the parties. 

Royal also gives you full credit on your days(points) in loyalty club for solo people paying 100%of the fare for two people... so if you are on a 12 day cruise you would get 24 days, where Carnival only gives you 12 days...

Edited February 17, 2020 by mpdog42
correction

[firefly333]

34 minutes ago, mpdog42 said:

Royal also gives you full credit on your days(points) in loyalty club for solo people paying 100%of the fare for two people... so if you are on a 12 day cruise you would get 24 days, where Carnival only gives you 12 days...

When did this start? If its changed will influence my choice of my next cruise. 

 

They didnt used to give 200% but I havent paid attention lately.

[Djptcp]

We are loyal to Carnival (going on our 39th Carnival cruise next Monday and 55th cruise overall) as I receive many great casino offers with cash and heavily discounted cruises. I booked our cruise next week two days ago and got a balcony cabin for $50 per person for a 4-day Liberty cruise. DH and I are retired and live in FL so we take many 4-5 day Carnival cruises because we live 45 minutes from Tampa and Port Canaveral is less than a 2-hour drive.

 

Having said that we are also loyal to Holland America (3 star Mariners bearing down on 4 stars) as we get double sailing days for our suites and an extra sailing day for every $300 we spend on board. We also receive 25% discounts on specialty dining restaurants and other perks. With only 10 Holland cruises, we have almost as many days as we have with 38 Carnival cruises because Carnival just doesn't offer the same perks.

 

I know Royal Caribbean has many loyalty perks, but it's a little late in the game to get started with them as we only have one cruise with them and frankly, their prices are so much higher than Carnival and Holland because we don't have any loyalty built up with them. We started out with NCL, but found the cabins tiny and we just started going on Carnival more.