Diamond & Platinum Not great

[Indiansbaseball]

Just off The Freedom. I am Platinum and I Picked the earliest time slot 10:30-11:00 and while there were tons of people in the waiting area…we were A1 and on board within 20 minutes of arriving. The platinum gift was not a luggage tag but a photo album. Picking up my items was easy because you pass Pixels all the time ! When I ordered a soda by the aft pool, the bar tender asked me if I wanted my free water. I was told by the bar tender in the Sky Box that my drink I ordered on the last evening was on Carnival. I honestly felt it couldn’t have been easier! 
BTW: we picked evening room service and always had great evening service, but I did ask for ice twice a day and he happily provided it. We saw him in the hallway all morning and evening, anything we wanted, we asked and he brought it ! I think they still work just as hard. 

[nlktx49]

We are Platinum, pretty close to making Diamond, but not much in the way of benefits for hitting that level. We just got back last week from an Ultra cruise on Vista, our first cruise since January 2020. We have done one Ultra Players Club offer before and it was great, got some good gifts and won some great prizes. This time, not so much. 6 chocolate covered strawberries we had to order from room service so they could be delivered when we were in our cabin, came long after we left, chocolate had melted off by the time we got back to our cabin. 6 cookies, less variety, smaller cookies than before. A gift of some kind of rubber bag and an uninsulated drinking bottle that we should have tossed in the trash rather than bothering to take them home with us. Supposed to be gifts delivered to our cabin every day. Oh, I forgot the two ball caps that had Premier embroidered on them, not Ultra and a cheesy pair of sunglasses, oh, and two decks of playing cards. No comparison to what we got on our previous Ultra cruise. I know they've probably got tons of stuff in storage for all the time there were no cruises, but don't call it an Ultra cruise then hand out crap. Unfortunately we cruise out of Galveston so don't have much choice on cruise lines. If we had to pay airfare we probably could only cruise once a year. I hope Carnival steps up their game and their communication.  We had no idea we had to sign up via the HUB for Your Time Dining in the MDR, or we had to access the menus on the HUB, or we had to register for Sea Day Brunch on the HUB, or we wouldn't be getting Funtimes in our cabin, had to access that on the HUB. And then the ship's internet went down several times, making the HUB useless. But we knew all about the new Muster Drill!!! Gosh, I didn't realize how dissatisfied I was with Carnival until I replied to this topic. We have 6 cruises booked for next year due to crazy cheap offers we got, so I'll just lower my expectations and appreciate my 3 bags of free laundry.

[Guest BasicSailor]

17 minutes ago, nlktx49 said:

We are Platinum, pretty close to making Diamond, This time, not so much. 6 chocolate covered strawberries we had to order from room service so they could be delivered when we were in our cabin, came long after we left, chocolate had melted off by the time we got back to our cabin. 6 cookies, less variety, smaller cookies than before.

The plates are suppose to be per Diamond/Platinum member in the cabin. Not one plate per cabin. Some of you have been getting ripped off :).

 

[ScottsSweetie]

1 hour ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

What savings are you referring to? Prices are higher than ever. The only free stuff as you say that I want is Priority boarding costing them zip zero.

If you are platinum then you should know that prices vary widely and there is no way to make that blanket statement. While I haven't gotten any offers for the really cheap cruises (that seem to be only for gamblers anyway), I just booked a Thanksgiving week 7 day cruise in a balcony room for less than $600.00. Not all ships and all dates are higher than ever. But, to each his own - if you don't feel like you are receiving the value for your dollar being spent, then by all means you should move on - I certainly would.

[ScottsSweetie]

3 hours ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

. . . Now lets cover the other perks. Want your free bottle of water. Go get it yourself at the bar. Want the ships pin and gift. Go get it yourself at Pixels. By the way. No ships name on the pin any longer. Want the nice strawberries or cookies delivered to your room. Call room service. So I guess you going to get the items yourself is saving them money? How? There was nothing telling us any of this. If we did not ask, we would never have known. Remember the get together party. Free flowing drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Now you receive one glass of wine. No other choice. Then they give you a $10.50 voucher for a drink. Now! they are saving money and demoting our status at the same time. If you are not going to give something additional, at least do not take things away. I do understand they took a hit. They are charging more for the cruise plus other things. Maybe the Priority Boarding will just be temporary. What can they possibly be saving there? If you purchase a suite and you get priority boarding why not us that deserve it. Guess loyalty has been tossed overboard.

So did you ignore the paper on your desk when you arrived in your room that had a QR code to scan that was titled "VIFP Benefits"? 

[IntrepidFromDC]

3 hours ago, BasicSailor said:

Well the post have been fairly tame up to this point , my surprise. I feel your anguish and you have valuable points. Reading here shows quite a few people are dissatisfied with  Mardi Gras as well as you. One reason I'm in no hurry to sail on her.

Every complaint/comment he posted, I also experienced in September and October on The Pride.  So I don't understand how that's being dissatisfied with Mardi Gras.  More like dissatisfied with Carnival.

[SkaterJasp]

2 hours ago, fyree39 said:

We're chasing Diamond for no good reason. If another line I actually liked cruised out of San Pedro I'd switch for good. For now, I'll stick with Carnival and the occasional other line for a nice change. 

The only reason why I still cruise on Carnival (Platinum) and Princess (Elite) was exactly this… there was no other lines I like out of California that isn’t outrageously expensive (Disney… amazing but expensive) for quick getaway… Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas is coming to San Pedro with the test cruise on Monday and the first revenue cruise in a little over a week… So I’m excited… already booked 5 cruises on Navigator out of San Pedro.. my last foreseeable Carnival Cruise is on Radiance in December but after that I don’t see myself going back on Carnival or Princess with Navigator of the Seas out of San Pedro year round. The perks and rewards offered by Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor program is significantly better. 

[BlerkOne]

"Loyalty" programs are 100% marketing programs. All of them. Period. WC Fields is spinning in his grave. All are subject to change, with or without notice, for any reason or no reason at all. Nothing is guaranteed. It is all written in the terms and conditions of the programs.

 

Carnival wants cruisers who cruise for the brand - not cruise for perks. If that isn't you, that's on you.

 

Nobody stays in their cabin 100% of the time, it's no big deal to pick up a bottle of water or a pin. Many people just threw them away when they were delivered. I like not having tons of paper delivered everyday trying to sell me junk I don't want or need. It's a fair tradeoff.

[Guest BasicSailor]

1 hour ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Every complaint/comment he posted, I also experienced in September and October on The Pride.  So I don't understand how that's being dissatisfied with Mardi Gras.  More like dissatisfied with Carnival.

 The dissatisfaction of the MG's came from the OP . Easy enough to understand

[Colorado Beach Bum]

Carnival hasn’t had a good loyalty for years.  We enjoy the priority boarding (if it comes back) and laundry but never have we made decision to book based on loyalty perks as the value is minimal.  We’ll hit Diamond this next year and the perks are a total joke, basically embarrassing.  Our decision to cruise has always been about overall value.  We normally get casino rates so can’t beat what we get.  The casino loyalty perks are nice.  But we “pay” for those perks.  

[sgttami]

  I'm Platinum on Carnival (more than halfway to Diamond) and the only perk I really liked and used was Priority Boarding.  

 

All these programs change so much.  I'm Diamond Plus on RCL and haven't sailed them since 2007. Regular Diamond  members  used to get the key to Concierge Lounge, free drinks, tons of goodies etc. and all of a sudden, there are too many diamonds so they add more levels/tiers for perks.

 

I have 180 points/days on RCL and my next level of Pinnacle is 700 points.  I'll be dead 10 times over before I ever hit that.

 

Keep all the gifts.  I just want Priority Boarding.

 

[Don Kehote]

The biggest and best perk that I receive, and will continue to receive, is the ability to afford a fun cruise without breaking the bank.  I don't need any special perks.  If I want them, I'll buy them. SMH at the entitlement. 

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, sgttami said:

  I'm Platinum on Carnival (more than halfway to Diamond) and the only perk I really liked and used was Priority Boarding.  

 

All these programs change so much.  I'm Diamond Plus on RCL and haven't sailed them since 2007. Regular Diamond  members  used to get the key to Concierge Lounge, free drinks, tons of goodies etc. and all of a sudden, there are too many diamonds so they add more levels/tiers for perks.

 

I have 180 points/days on RCL and my next level of Pinnacle is 700 points.  I'll be dead 10 times over before I ever hit that.

 

Keep all the gifts.  I just want Priority Boarding.

 

For me as a solo on rcl, I want to hit that unnamed 340 pt level where I get 50% off all categories of solo supplements. I hear a 2nd bottle of free wine. I also dont care about the gifts, but I do care about the bottom line price. Both lines can keep the gifts.  .. though at diamond plus true it's now 5 drink vouchers any where any time for anything I want to drink per day. 

[matymil]

7 hours ago, Bgcruising said:

Time to dump the benefits for the platinum guests. There's too many and that's the excuse typically given.

Honestly ive thought for a long time that they needed to add another tier. Somewhere between 75-250 days...maybe 150? 

[matymil]

1 hour ago, sgttami said:

  I'm Platinum on Carnival (more than halfway to Diamond) and the only perk I really liked and used was Priority Boarding.  

 

All these programs change so much.  I'm Diamond Plus on RCL and haven't sailed them since 2007. Regular Diamond  members  used to get the key to Concierge Lounge, free drinks, tons of goodies etc. and all of a sudden, there are too many diamonds so they add more levels/tiers for perks.

 

I have 180 points/days on RCL and my next level of Pinnacle is 700 points.  I'll be dead 10 times over before I ever hit that.

 

Keep all the gifts.  I just want Priority Boarding.

 

Im not familiar with the RCL system. Are points the same as days? 

[nwcruiselover]

4 minutes ago, matymil said:

Im not familiar with the RCL system. Are points the same as days? 

Yes, points are the same as days.  People who sail in suites get 2 points per night, and solos get 2 points per night.  As a solo cruiser, I have racked up the points fast on RCI since I mostly sail longer cruises and get 2 points a night for them.

Edited November 7, 2021 by nwcruiselover

[SkaterJasp]

7 minutes ago, matymil said:

Im not familiar with the RCL system. Are points the same as days? 

Yes and no… 1 point per night…. Extra points if you’re in a Jr Suite or above… extra points if you’re in a room by yourself… so in theory you can earn up to 3 points per night…. And had you book your upcoming cruise before the end of September, your total points would of been doubled. So basically…
 
A standard room with multiple people in the room 1 point per night
a standard room by yourself (solo) is 2 points per night
Suite with multiple people in the room is 2 points per night
Suite by yourself is 3 points per night….
if you booked before end of September 2021… you just take what you would of earned and times it by 2.

My next Royal Caribbean I’m going by myself and I booked a suite… I would be earning 42 points on a 7 night sailing. Normally it would only given me 21 points. 

I already made Pinnacle Club and you can’t really go any higher… but the points still matters because every 350 points starting with 700 you get a free cruise. 
 

Edited November 7, 2021 by SkaterJasp

[xDisconnections]

This shouldn’t be a surprise. Loyalty programs have taken a hit across the board, especially hotels and airlines.

 

At hotels, you’re lucky if the room is ready sooner than 6pm these days.

Edited November 7, 2021 by xDisconnections

[SNJCruisers]

9 hours ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

My time slot was 12:30 to 1:00 

Then you have nobody to blame but yourself for the fact that it took 90 minutes for you to board.  You were able to check in 16 days prior, giving you a 2 day lead.  If you checked in at midnight, YOU could have picked the 1030-1100 slot.  If you did that, it certainly would not have taken 90 minutes.

And regarding not knowing about the new protocols regarding the acquisition of the physical "perks" that go along with your status, you obviously have not been perusing the boards since this has been mentioned for months now and you must of missed the QR code scan in your cabin as well that had all of the new protocols listed.

[Computer Nerd]

8 hours ago, ScottsSweetie said:

So did you ignore the paper on your desk when you arrived in your room that had a QR code to scan that was titled "VIFP Benefits"? 

I was on the first sailing of the restart of the Freedom. There was no paper in our cabin and we had to find out about some of the stuff from other pax. Never did hear about the $25 from the casino.

[Computer Nerd]

4 hours ago, matymil said:

Honestly ive thought for a long time that they needed to add another tier. Somewhere between 75-250 days...maybe 150? 

Considering Diamond at 200 nights isn't anything special it really wouldn't matter.

[sgttami]

8 hours ago, matymil said:

Im not familiar with the RCL system. Are points the same as days? 

Yes.  I think they added a point or something if you also sailed in a suite.  I haven't been on RCL since 2007 but I'm sure it's the same.

[tree.critter]

There are so many platinum guests now on every cruise that I think it is just getting close to breaking point with priority boarding. I foresee leaving the option to book check in times early for platinum guests but reducing the priority boarding to diamond and suite guests only. 

 

We all know that they have to review these benefits from time to time and this could be on the chopping block.  

 

Just got off a cruise with 1200 guests, over 500 of them platinum and diamond. Can’t give priority boarding to nearly half the passengers. 

[BlerkOne]

18 minutes ago, tree.critter said:

There are so many platinum guests now on every cruise that I think it is just getting close to breaking point with priority boarding. I foresee leaving the option to book check in times early for platinum guests but reducing the priority boarding to diamond and suite guests only. 

 

We all know that they have to review these benefits from time to time and this could be on the chopping block.  

 

Just got off a cruise with 1200 guests, over 500 of them platinum and diamond. Can’t give priority boarding to nearly half the passengers. 

No loyalty program for a viable business is sustainable without change. You would get to a point where you give away more resources than you have. Once everyone has priority, nobody does.

[crewsweeper]

Disappointed that priority boarding isn't a perk at the present time.  But fully understand the need to stagger boarding without the rush.  However, they could do this differently.  Say give boarding group numbers to priority guests that are lower than boarding group numbers to others versus giving boarding numbers based on when you enter the terminal.

Does being a D or P still get you early entry to cabin?

As far as ship pins, don't care.  Water, we can lug it to the cabin but still that was a good perk to have it already in the cabin.   Once a  day cleaning is standard at any hotel, so big deal.

D&P parties can get out of hand.  But interesting to hear that smaller ships still have the free flowing drinks.