Has Celebrity Deliberately Killed off Captain’s Club?

[Definitas]

It seems like Captain's Club benefits have been eroded to the point where they have little or no value. This begs the question is this the result of a deliberate decision to negate membership tiers so that older, perhaps more discernible customers who, by default, cost the line more money are deterred from cruising with Celebrity? Are those Elite and Elite Plus members legacy dinosaurs that Celebrity has decided to deter from booking future cruises? It is very clear that Celebrity have reduced the benefits built up over years to being of little or no value. The pleasure of getting together in the CC lounge for happy hour and meeting like minded people has gone (and the one time lounge is now the exclusive domain for suite guests).
 

The once prized complimentary Internet minutes, the last remaining benefit of any value,  have been spirited away without any actual announcements. Inclusive Streaming minutes are no longer awarded to Elite and Elite Plus members who already have an alternative package (which is anyone on the “Always Included” package). I couldn’t understand why there was no discernible difference between my complimentary stream minutes and the Always surf minutes on a recent cruise so Asked Celebrity what is going on. The shocking truth is that the complimentary minutes are now replaced by the lower (abysmal) quality surf minutes but they don’t actually tell you. I messaged Celebrity to ask the question and received a fairly vague reply but the information is there. Complimentary stream minutes are no longer awarded unless you don’t have a package. Put another way, they are gone for most passengers. Even passengers who have cruised half their lives to reach Zenith have had their benefits cut. This is Celebrity's reply to my question about Elite benefits: It seems like they have purposely made it difficult to understand but the underlying gist is that complimentary stream minutes have been replaced by surf minutes whenever surf minutes are included in your “ticket”. My interpretation of the changes is that loyalty benefits for 20 years of cruising has been reduced to a free bag of laundry. For those of us who remember when Celebrity was a premium line it is very sad and very disappointing. It seems that it is time to move on. 

 

The complimentary minutes for Elite and Elite Plus members will still be available to guests beyond the first two who do not have internet included. For example, a Select member with an Elevate rate can get 25% off the cost to upgrade from surf to stream and the cost to add a package to a third device. If you do not sail with Always Included, you can apply the 10% - 35% discount to any internet package and the complimentary minutes for Elite and Elite Plus members will still apply. You may apply your internet package to one device, and the free minutes from your membership to another. These would be applicable for both guests in the stateroom.

Zenith members will continue to enjoy a complimentary Stream internet package for one device. If a Zenith member has stream internet already included in their ticket, then they will get 1 device with stream from their ticket and 1 device with stream from their loyalty benefits so 2 devices total. If a Zenith member has surf internet included in their ticket, then they will get 1 device with stream from their loyalty benefits. They can’t have two devices with different speeds though – so the surf device from their ticket would go to someone else in the room if they are not also Zenith.

Edited September 17, 2021 by Definitas
Correction

[Covepointcruiser]

Believe Zenith members still get their free cruise, premium drink package, specialty dining, unlimited laundry and dry cleaning.   Elite + get one bag of laundry.

[Spif Barwunkel]

I can't answer your question. But I can offer a response. I believe that some cruisers are quick to pounce when afforded the opportunity by what they perceive as a reverse mutiny, if you will. As a loyal cruiser It is very easy, and quite selfish, to feel slighted, disrespected and no longer appreciated. Never mind the hard times, just make sure you give me everything I deserve once things get going again. You've had it tough, no cruises in many months, how is X going to make up for that? How dare them to take away my perks and my earned rewards. I say, how dare you, the cruiser, to assume that Celebrity owes you anything. Take what is offered for what it costs and pay extra for what you want above and beyond. Be thankful it's there. It's been hard times for everyone and if you cannot accept things the way they are, for now, find another way to spend your money.

 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by Spif Barwunkel

[Ken the cruiser]

Hey, we just made Elite+ and as long as we each get our 2 bags of laundry per leg, we’re good! 😎

[Mike45LC]

I paid to join the Captain's Club back in 1984 or so.  Definite, I think your revised title is correct, Celebrity is killing the Club off.  

 

Spif, having paid a membership fee to join, I do feel entitled to the benefits that were promised.  Although amortizing the membership fee over almost 40 years, the per year (or per cruise) cost is pretty low.

 

I will not switch from Celebrity over this, but part of the loyalty club is to make us, the loyal passengers, feel valued and appreciated.  I want to feel the love!  The crew is showing the love to all the passengers, and all is good.  Even if I am getting ripped off on the various tier benefits.  Gelato, anyone?

 

[phoenix_dream]

First, in response to the streaming versus surf internet - we just sailed on Millennium with all included, and were not happy that we could not even do wi-fi calling on the surf package.  Long story short, we had a long conversation with the onboard IT guy about this, and he said we had the ability to switch packages from our included surf package to our Elite Plus minutes, and the Elite Plus minutes would be streaming wi-fi.  Once they were all used up, we could either stick with surf or upgrade to stream if we wanted to.  Truthfully, it sounded like such a PIA (and we were in Alaska where we could call home from the ports) we did not try it out to see if he was giving us correct information.

 

As to your comments about Captains Club - I agree 100%.  The levels are of little value.  As Elite Plus, the only values for us are the 2 bags each of laundry (we sail a lot so use that perk quite a bit), the discount on the upgrade to stream internet (which still angers me that we even need to do that!), and on rare occasion the discount to specialty restaurants, although in normal times we could almost always negotiate a better deal anyway.

 

I feel very strongly that Celebrity absolutely does not want to reward the loyal cruisers who helped them build their brand.  We have sailed so often we don't spend as much extra money as the newer cruisers on things such as photos, spa services, jewelry, shore excursions, etc..  Been there; done that.   It's shameful IMHO, as our loyalty helped make them so successful, and many of us, while older, still have maybe 10-20 years or more of cruising in our future.  I understand building a new base - they have to in order to survive.  But it feels like they are basically telling us our loyalty is of little value to them anymore and they really don't care if we take our $$ elsewhere.

[phoenix_dream]

9 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

I can't answer your question. But I can offer a response. I believe that some cruisers are quick to pounce when afforded the opportunity by what they perceive as a reverse mutiny, if you will. As a loyal cruiser It is very easy, and quite selfish, to feel slighted, disrespected and no longer appreciated. Never mind the hard times, just make sure you give me everything I deserve once things get going again. You've had it tough, no cruises in many months, how is X going to make up for that? How dare them to take away my perks and my earned rewards. I say, how dare you, the cruiser, to assume that Celebrity owes you anything. Take what is offered for what it costs and pay extra for what you want above and beyond. Be thankful it's there. It's been hard times for everyone and if you cannot accept things the way they are, for now, find another way to spend your money.

 

 

 

I think there is a point here being missed.  The drop in values was beginning before the Covid situation even started.  It began with a certain change in management that decided well-to-do Millennials and younger were the target audience from that point forward.  Due to that change, I began to feel slighted, disrespected, and no longer appreciated long before the world shut down last year.  I can certainly understand a pause in some values due to the losses suffered.  But that is not what this is at all.  

 

And being frustrated and annoyed at the loss in values can definitely be felt at the same time as a thank you to the powers that be that I am still here and still able to enjoy cruising.  I can, and do, feel both of those feelings.  

 

You may ask why I would continue to sail Celebrity at all?  I still absolutely enjoy my time onboard and sincerely appreciate all the wonderful hard work that the staff provides.  I always treat them with the utmost respect and thankfulness, and often tip well beyond the standard.  But I remain unhappy with their current upper management,  and marketing approaches.  If that makes me selfish, then I guess I am selfish.

[HskrCrsr]

Either OP is wrong or Celebrity is lying.

 

Regarding the lounge that is now just for suite guests, Celebrity has maintained that "Zenith access to the lounge at The Retreat^® and Michael’s Club will be limited to members staying in The Retreat until further notice." This is clearly a COVID thing. Access may or may not be granted in the future but any claim that it's gone forever is not made from a perspective of knowledge.

 

As far as happy hour, nothing is stopping Elites and higher from gathering wherever they want with whomever they want. Personally, I have found that barring all others from the Sky Lounge for this event was worse than barring Zeniths from the Retreat Lounge for COVID. Of course, I'm not Zenith.

 

Regarding the complimentary internet minutes, Celebrity clearly says these minutes are still available but must be used first (not sure why you can't use your minutes however you'd like):

How will internet benefits for loyalty members be impacted since internet will now be part of Always Included?

Previously Captain’s Club members received 10% - 35% off the first internet package purchase. Elite and Elite Plus members also received 90 and 240 free stream minutes respectively.

Now, if you sail with Always Included, you can apply this discount to upgrade from the Surf to Stream package . If you do not sail with Always Included, you can apply the 10% - 35% discount to any internet package.

Zenith members will continue to enjoy a complimentary Stream internet package for one device in both scenarios. Zenith members sailing at the Indulge rate will enjoy a complimentary stream internet package for two devices.

Elite and Elite plus members will still receive 90 and 240 complimentary stream minutes in both scenarios. These minutes must be used before any surf minutes included in your ticket.

The 10% - 35% internet discount can be booked pre-cruise (via call center) or onboard. However, if purchased pre-cruise it is combinable with the additional 10% pre-cruise advantage.

Sure, some benefits have eroded but they're not all gone. New things have been added, and more are supposed to be coming: "As more and more members start to sail with our Always Included package and have drinks included in their ticket, we’ll be introducing new events and benefits so stay tuned." This statement has hung around for quite a while now, and similar statements have been made in webinars with little to show so far, but things have not settled down yet and I expect it will be some time before they do.

 

Will Celebrity follow through on these things? Who knows. Phoenix_dream has said this started some time ago. And maybe the trend will continue. I just don't see the cataclysm (yet).

[Covepointcruiser]

Airlines have changed their loyalty programs much more than the cruise lines.   Every year more miles are required for travel and upgrades.   They do that every year.  Celebrity has upgraded their onboard experience so if upgrading most passengers experience hurts your Celebrity benefits so be it.   There are many other cruise lines to disappoint you.

[jelayne]

Everyone finds different value in the benefits. We always selected the beverage package as a perk.  We found no value in the 5-7 drinks not because we don’t drink, we do.  We typically have dinner around 8:30 so our pre dinner drinks are at 7:30.  DH would  use his internet minutes and I would use the discount to purchase a unlimited package, now I use the discount to upgrade to stream.

 

We use the wash & fold laundry, the pressing and the dry cleaning benefits, priority tendering, the 1 category upgrade, the dining and wine discounts.

So we find a lot of value in the Captaind Club  benefits others may not.

[Spif Barwunkel]

I asked this question in another thread over a year ago, pre-covid. Not too many responses.Too many folks feeling entitled and therefore incapable of a dignified retort. If the cruising cost included room and board only with everything else a la carte and no perks or rewards,  would you still be cruising today? My thought, and I am being conservative, 50% of you good folks would not. The extraneous needs far outweigh the actual journey.

[miched]

I don’t need the HH lounge to meet other passengers.   I talk to everyone and anyone.    Have made a few friends that we still stay in touch with, sometimes meet on another cruise and if possible as they are in another state  visit at their home.

 

Most of the time that HH a lounge would turn into a mad house of passengers  trying to get as many drinks as they could in the 2 hour limit.  Having a package we would sometimes attend just to watch the madness.    
 

I don’t think  I will ever reach Zenith and am not into chasing points because I got burned too many times by other loyalty programs.   By the time I reach Zenith I am sure 50% of the passengers will be that status.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited September 18, 2021 by miched

[dkjretired]

2 hours ago, Definitas said:

It seems like Captain's Club benefits have been eroded to the point where they have little or no value. This begs the question is this the result of a deliberate decision to negate membership tiers so that older, perhaps more discernible customers who, by default, cost the line more money are deterred from cruising with Celebrity? Are those Elite and Elite Plus members legacy dinosaurs that Celebrity has decided to deter from booking future cruises? It is very clear that Celebrity have reduced the benefits built up over years to being of little or no value. The pleasure of getting together in the CC lounge for happy hour and meeting like minded people has gone (and the one time lounge is now the exclusive domain for suite guests).
 

The once prized complimentary Internet minutes, the last remaining benefit of any value,  have been spirited away without any actual announcements. Inclusive Streaming minutes are no longer awarded to Elite and Elite Plus members who already have an alternative package (which is anyone on the “Always Included” package). I couldn’t understand why there was no discernible difference between my complimentary stream minutes and the Always surf minutes on a recent cruise so Asked Celebrity what is going on. The shocking truth is that the complimentary minutes are now replaced by the lower (abysmal) quality surf minutes but they don’t actually tell you. I messaged Celebrity to ask the question and received a fairly vague reply but the information is there. Complimentary stream minutes are no longer awarded unless you don’t have a package. Put another way, they are gone for most passengers. Even passengers who have cruised half their lives to reach Zenith have had their benefits cut. This is Celebrity's reply to my question about Elite benefits: It seems like they have purposely made it difficult to understand but the underlying gist is that complimentary stream minutes have been replaced by surf minutes whenever surf minutes are included in your “ticket”. My interpretation of the changes is that loyalty benefits for 20 years of cruising has been reduced to a free bag of laundry. For those of us who remember when Celebrity was a premium line it is very sad and very disappointing. It seems that it is time to move on. 

 

The complimentary minutes for Elite and Elite Plus members will still be available to guests beyond the first two who do not have internet included. For example, a Select member with an Elevate rate can get 25% off the cost to upgrade from surf to stream and the cost to add a package to a third device. If you do not sail with Always Included, you can apply the 10% - 35% discount to any internet package and the complimentary minutes for Elite and Elite Plus members will still apply. You may apply your internet package to one device, and the free minutes from your membership to another. These would be applicable for both guests in the stateroom.

Zenith members will continue to enjoy a complimentary Stream internet package for one device. If a Zenith member has stream internet already included in their ticket, then they will get 1 device with stream from their ticket and 1 device with stream from their loyalty benefits so 2 devices total. If a Zenith member has surf internet included in their ticket, then they will get 1 device with stream from their loyalty benefits. They can’t have two devices with different speeds though – so the surf device from their ticket would go to someone else in the room if they are not also Zenith.

I believe that LLP has done everything she could to get rid of us old timers, just my opinion. Everything is directed towards millennials. 

 

Just curious to the poster who stated he joined CC in 1984, were you a member with Chandras since Celebrity didn’t start until 1990.

Edited September 18, 2021 by dkjretired

[Auntiemomo]

The laundry for Elite was one bag/30 items per person, and Elite+ two bags/30 items per person.  I know on shorter cruises it used to be only 20 items.  We were on a 16 night AUS/NZ sailing and had 4 bags/30 items for the cruise between us.  Has this changed?

[Auntiemomo]

10 minutes ago, dkjretired said:

I believe that LLP has done everything she could to get rid of us old timers, just my opinion. Everything is directed towards millennials. 

 

Just curious to the poster who stated he joined CC in 1984, were you a member with Chandras since Celebrity didn’t start until 1990.

I agree.  LLP is trying to price us out of her market.

[jelayne]

14 minutes ago, Auntiemomo said:

The laundry for Elite was one bag/30 items per person, and Elite+ two bags/30 items per person.  I know on shorter cruises it used to be only 20 items.  We were on a 16 night AUS/NZ sailing and had 4 bags/30 items for the cruise between us.  Has this changed?

No the laundry perk has not changed.  Elite get 1 bag per Elite member, Elite + get 2 bags.  Some itineraries have a lower item limit due to local restrictions

[patty1955]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

Everyone finds different value in the benefits. We always selected the beverage package as a perk.  We found no value in the 5-7 drinks not because we don’t drink, we do.  We typically have dinner around 8:30 so our pre dinner drinks are at 7:30.  DH would  use his internet minutes and I would use the discount to purchase a unlimited package, now I use the discount to upgrade to stream.

 

We use the wash & fold laundry, the pressing and the dry cleaning benefits, priority tendering, the 1 category upgrade, the dining and wine discounts.

So we find a lot of value in the Captaind Club  benefits others may not.

And don't forget the debarkation lounge. We enjoy the benefits that we receive and don't agree that sharing them with others negates their value. 

[Ken the cruiser]

Just curious, how many years and/or cruises sailing with Celebrity does it take on average to make Zenith? To accumulate 3000+ points, unless you consistently sail in Royal Suites or higher, that is quite a monumental task. If you sail exclusively in sky suites at 8 points per day, it would require 375 cruise days. If you sailed exclusively in concierge or aqua cabins, it would take 600 cruise days. Or was the climb to Zenith a little easier prior to Celebrity switching from cruise days to the variable points system based on category? 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[WNcruiser]

I made Elite+ in my 40's so definitely not a dinosaur. I think many people have ventured away from X, including myself, even before going AI.

 

Personally I am trying other lines like Oceania, Seabourn and Viking who are priced the same or lower than the retreat and offer a much better product. There are of course some negatives like the entertainment but I am willing to forgo that for all the other positives. 

 

I do not feel valued by Celebrity like I once did and losing so many benefits is definitely one of the reasons. 

 

 

[goofysmom99]

Back in the day, if you cruised for 14 nights on a TA in a CS, you got 3 pts (2 for cruise length, 1 for suite).  At the changeover, that equated to 90 points.  Under current system, it would have been 168 pts.  Then for several years, I paid double but got single points.  I would have made Zenith ages ago under present system.  I still resent paying double beverages and double gratuities, but at least they seem to be giving me double wifi, and I usually receive double points.  Often have to call to correct double point errors, though.  I like the beverage package if for nothing more than wine with dinner, wherever I choose to dine.  I'm still cruising Celebrity but Crystal is on my radar for when I feel more confident about their financial health.

[Ipeeinthepools]

As long as I get priority tender access for Elite and above, I’m good.

[Definitas]

10 hours ago, HskrCrsr said:

Either OP is wrong or Celebrity is lying.

 

Regarding the lounge that is now just for suite guests, Celebrity has maintained that "Zenith access to the lounge at The Retreat^® and Michael’s Club will be limited to members staying in The Retreat until further notice." This is clearly a COVID thing. Access may or may not be granted in the future but any claim that it's gone forever is not made from a perspective of knowledge.

 

As far as happy hour, nothing is stopping Elites and higher from gathering wherever they want with whomever they want. Personally, I have found that barring all others from the Sky Lounge for this event was worse than barring Zeniths from the Retreat Lounge for COVID. Of course, I'm not Zenith.

 

Regarding the complimentary internet minutes, Celebrity clearly says these minutes are still available but must be used first (not sure why you can't use your minutes however you'd like):

How will internet benefits for loyalty members be impacted since internet will now be part of Always Included?

Previously Captain’s Club members received 10% - 35% off the first internet package purchase. Elite and Elite Plus members also received 90 and 240 free stream minutes respectively.

Now, if you sail with Always Included, you can apply this discount to upgrade from the Surf to Stream package . If you do not sail with Always Included, you can apply the 10% - 35% discount to any internet package.

Zenith members will continue to enjoy a complimentary Stream internet package for one device in both scenarios. Zenith members sailing at the Indulge rate will enjoy a complimentary stream internet package for two devices.

Elite and Elite plus members will still receive 90 and 240 complimentary stream minutes in both scenarios. These minutes must be used before any surf minutes included in your ticket.

The 10% - 35% internet discount can be booked pre-cruise (via call center) or onboard. However, if purchased pre-cruise it is combinable with the additional 10% pre-cruise advantage.

Sure, some benefits have eroded but they're not all gone. New things have been added, and more are supposed to be coming: "As more and more members start to sail with our Always Included package and have drinks included in their ticket, we’ll be introducing new events and benefits so stay tuned." This statement has hung around for quite a while now, and similar statements have been made in webinars with little to show so far, but things have not settled down yet and I expect it will be some time before they do.

 

Will Celebrity follow through on these things? Who knows. Phoenix_dream has said this started some time ago. And maybe the trend will continue. I just don't see the cataclysm (yet).

Celebrity are, at best, being economical with the truth. We sailed twice in a two month period, one of which was in the Retreat with stream internet.  On our second cruise it was painfully obvious that our Elite complimentary minutes were not giving stream performance (we couldn’t even send a photo by message apps). I went to the IT section and they set up my account so I could actively choose between the Elite stream and “Always” surf minutes but performance was identical regardless of which I chose. I went back and he admitted that the system is now set up to deliver surf minutes as a priority to anyone who has a surf package (which is almost everyone). This makes having Elite stream minutes irrelevant and, in some circles could be described as a con trick). The only solution is to upgrade to a stream package which is, no doubt the reason why they have done this. My problem is the fact that Celebrity think it is acceptable to do their very best to deceive us. The whole reason for a loyalty program is to create a culture of returning customers. This may no longer be commercially viable or necessary but I would much prefer Celebrity to come clean and tell me. I am not an inveterate complainer and have got 5 more cruises booked over the next 2 years with Celebrity. However, Celebrity gave an undertaking to provide me with some loyalty benefits and, if they have decided to take them away, I would appreciate it far more if they would just admit it. It is not about internet or other fripperies, it is about honesty.

 

On a separate note, I was a communications system analyst and have a good technical knowledge of satellite communications. The cruises we were on were only 50% occupied and there was nowhere near enough bandwidth for everyone (which is absolutely to be expected  and it would be commercially impossible to provide it without cruise prices being increased by thousands of dollars). Indeed, that is why internet packages were so expensive when they were first made available (by the hour!) So, the reality is that, when occupancy rates return to normal, there are going to be a lot of people whose internet will become unusable and the likelihood is that those who upgrade to the stream package will be allocated extra bandwidth to make it acceptable. However, unless Celebrity restrict the number of upgrades available, the uprated bandwidth allocated to stream packages will be diluted to the point where it won’t work either but Celebrity will probably make quite alot of money before people catch on. 

[4774Papa]

12 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

I can't answer your question. But I can offer a response. I believe that some cruisers are quick to pounce when afforded the opportunity by what they perceive as a reverse mutiny, if you will. As a loyal cruiser It is very easy, and quite selfish, to feel slighted, disrespected and no longer appreciated. Never mind the hard times, just make sure you give me everything I deserve once things get going again. You've had it tough, no cruises in many months, how is X going to make up for that? How dare them to take away my perks and my earned rewards. I say, how dare you, the cruiser, to assume that Celebrity owes you anything. Take what is offered for what it costs and pay extra for what you want above and beyond. Be thankful it's there. It's been hard times for everyone and if you cannot accept things the way they are, for now, find another way to spend your money.

 

 

 

Spif,

Never have I found a post on these threads that I disliked as much.  You didn't need to insult cruisers like me that point out X's lack of respect for its loyalty program.

Loyalty programs include perks for cruisers that come back to a cruise line.  The perks are modest incentives to encourage more loyalty.

I haven't found a Celebrity cruise that has a competitive price, since AI has largely wiped out our loyalty benefits.  I still check Celebrity against other lines, but book based on itinerary, value and price.

The loyalty benefits did tip the balance before when I would find cruises where Princess or HAL (never cruised on either) were about the same cost as X.  The loyalty benefits were the item that tipped the balance.  Also, I love cruising on X.  

No Celebrity doesn't owe me anything, but their pricing decisions don't demonstrate that they care whether I cruise with them or not.

[LXA350]

The "Classic" internet package that is now "Always" included is a big marketing scam from X. The "Classic package is absolutely useless, it's impossible to use for a simple voice call or basic surfing; hence this promissed benefit of Internet is non existing.

 

Nevertheless the Elite etc minutes can still be used.

[Oxo]

1 hour ago, LXA350 said:

The "Classic" internet package that is now "Always" included is a big marketing scam from X. The "Classic package is absolutely useless, it's impossible to use for a simple voice call or basic surfing; hence this promissed benefit of Internet is non existing.

 

Nevertheless the Elite etc minutes can still be used.

I use the AI Internet for the entire 7 days on the Edge never logging out.

I read emails,  my news feeds, downloaded apk updates and never had a problem. I also sent videos and pics via Messenger that seemed very fast. Didn't use my Elite+ Internet minutes. 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by Oxo