Platinums and Diamonds; What would you be happy giving up in return for what?

[SNJCruisers]

20 hours ago, xDisconnections said:

As a Platinum Member, I’m happy to give up sailing on Carnival to allow my vacation time to be spent on cruise lines with a product that provides a more enjoyable experience.

Could not agree more.  The Excel Class seems to be a step up and closer to what some of their competitors offer.  I will find out first hand in a few weeks.  

Otherwise, it's very easy to put Carnival in the rearview mirror and spend my vacation dollars elsewhere.

[SNJCruisers]

12 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

If memory serves me (which has been questioned in the past), FTTF was a perk for purchase that was then offered as a loyalty perk, not visa versa

Priority embarkation and the roped off line at guest services were platinum perks long ago.  Then Carnival decided to sell these perks to any blue, red or gold cruiser that wished to buy them.  Because of the popularity and demand, Carnival was able to increase the price substantially as well as having a sliding scale depending upon the ship and cruise length.

[BlerkOne]

5 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Priority embarkation and the roped off line at guest services were platinum perks long ago.  Then Carnival decided to sell these perks to any blue, red or gold cruiser that wished to buy them.  Because of the popularity and demand, Carnival was able to increase the price substantially as well as having a sliding scale depending upon the ship and cruise length.

Priority luggage and I think early cabin availability were FTTF perks extended to P/D. 

 

Limited numbers of FTTF are sold and by raising prices, Carnival is able to throttle demand while maximizing profit 

 

I don't mind if someone wants to subsidize my perks or even add to them.

[SNJCruisers]

10 hours ago, d12j28 said:

We are platinum and have not paid for about 2/3's of our cruises (others discounted besides first ever cruise on Carnival) so I would have to disagree. By getting the free offers from the casino we have stayed with Carnival and spent plenty on board every cruise. If we had not received the offers I'm sure we would have tried out many other lines or land vacations than we have and Carnival wouldn't have had our business. 

So the non existent benefits that Platinum status granted you mean nothing to you.  It would be no loss to you if you were still red since the casino based heavily discounted cruises are the only thing keeping you loyal to Carnival.

[BlerkOne]

43 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

So the non existent benefits that Platinum status granted you mean nothing to you.  It would be no loss to you if you were still red since the casino based heavily discounted cruises are the only thing keeping you loyal to Carnival.

Carnival has said before they aren't after cruisers who need bribes/perks. They want cruisers who like the Carnival brand. The rest are free to go to the highest bidders.

[Tapi]

Keep: Laundry and Priority embarkation.

 

I couldn’t care less about all of the other “perks”. 

Edited January 21, 2022 by Tapi

[Lee Cruiser]

Things that very useful for us:

 

1.  Priority Boarding, Luggage and Debarkation  (Number 1 perk for us.  This has been one of the main things keeping us from trying other lines.  This has basically been done away with under the guise of covid safety.  Will wait to see  if this is eventually reinstated before we book more cruises than the ones we already have booked.)

2.  Priority Dining

3.  Priority Water Shuttle

4.  Free Bottles of Water

5.  The gift, although our last two have been the luggage tag

6.  Priority line at guest services (though we seldom go there, it's nice when we need to)

 

Things that are useless for us:

 

1.  The laundry (never use it)

2.  The pins (they end of in a junk drawer)

3.  Chocolate Delight (I don't eat strawberries and my wife doesn't like the ones Carnival provides)

4.  Casino perk  (never use it)

5.  The drink that is only available at brunch  (We don't drink alcohol and rarely do the brunch.  We prefer breakfast and lunch.  We rarely use this for even a soft drink.  The gold drink coupon was much more useful for us as it could be used at night and for things like milkshakes.)

6.  The P+D Party.  (Never go anymore)

 

Things that we would like to see:

 

1. Discounts on Internet Purchases (more than just the pre-cruise discount)

2. A drink coupon that can be used at any time or place.

3. Priority seating or early entrance at shows

 

 

Edited January 21, 2022 by Lee Cruiser

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

Carnival has said before they aren't after cruisers who need bribes/perks. They want cruisers who like the Carnival brand. The rest are free to go to the highest bidders.

So, giving deeply discounted and free cruises to gamblers is not considered a bribe or a perk? The gambler likes the Carnival brand because they are bribed to continue sailing on them because of the gratis cabin.

[BlerkOne]

34 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

So, giving deeply discounted and free cruises to gamblers is not considered a bribe or a perk? The gambler likes the Carnival brand because they are bribed to continue sailing on them because of the gratis cabin.

I would think it is. But these are not normal cruising times, that "perk" is not guaranteed and many of those offers will dry up if covid disappears. As I mentioned earlier, Carnival screwed up when it allowed those cruisers to collect VIFP points on top of the casino perks. Casino loyalty should be a separate program, just like the Milestone program is unrelated to the VIFP program.

[d12j28]

12 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

So the non existent benefits that Platinum status granted you mean nothing to you.  It would be no loss to you if you were still red since the casino based heavily discounted cruises are the only thing keeping you loyal to Carnival.

I wouldn't say they don't mean nothing. As far we are concerned we have earned that status even though most of the so called benefits we don't use. Would it be the end of the world if we were gold vs platinum? No. We like Carnival and I'm sure we would of cruised more than once even if we didn't get the casino offers, but by them giving us the offers we have sailed (and spent) a lot more than we would have without them.

[d12j28]

10 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

So, giving deeply discounted and free cruises to gamblers is not considered a bribe or a perk? The gambler likes the Carnival brand because they are bribed to continue sailing on them because of the gratis cabin.

It's a "comp", just like any other casino does. I can guarantee you that if a gambler didn't like Carnival (or any other casino) the offers wouldn't matter. 

[d12j28]

12 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Carnival has said before they aren't after cruisers who need bribes/perks. They want cruisers who like the Carnival brand. The rest are free to go to the highest bidders.

The players club would disagree with you. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 minutes ago, d12j28 said:

It's a "comp", just like any other casino does. I can guarantee you that if a gambler didn't like Carnival (or any other casino) the offers wouldn't matter. 

 

MLife/MGM land based casino has a partnership with RCL/X, where when you receive an offer you can cruise on your choice of cruise line if you gamble enough.  While exceptions exist, the two lines are polar opposites with RCL being kid friendly and X being almost kid-less.

[d12j28]

10 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

I would think it is. But these are not normal cruising times, that "perk" is not guaranteed and many of those offers will dry up if covid disappears. As I mentioned earlier, Carnival screwed up when it allowed those cruisers to collect VIFP points on top of the casino perks. Casino loyalty should be a separate program, just like the Milestone program is unrelated to the VIFP program.

If a person is sailing they should get the VIFP points. It is cruise days after all no matter what anyone paid. You could have the most expensive room on the ship and I could go with the cheapest interior I could find and we would both get the same VIFP points. 

 

 

[d12j28]

3 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

MLife/MGM land based casino has a partnership with RCL/X, where when you receive an offer you can cruise on your choice of cruise line if you gamble enough.  While exceptions exist, the two lines are polar opposites with RCL being kid friendly and X being almost kid-less.

I get a free Norwegian cruise every year through My Choice. Have yet to use it since I stay on Carnival. 

[cruizergal70]

11 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

So, giving deeply discounted and free cruises to gamblers is not considered a bribe or a perk? The gambler likes the Carnival brand because they are bribed to continue sailing on them because of the gratis cabin.

That's marketing. The gambling cruisers don't believe that they are special or have special power because of their status. The gamblers aren't making demands or have attitudes.

[xDisconnections]

53 minutes ago, d12j28 said:

It's a "comp", just like any other casino does. I can guarantee you that if a gambler didn't like Carnival (or any other casino) the offers wouldn't matter. 

Can vouch -- have received several free cruise offers over the years (especially shortly after the VIFP Club was introduced in 2012) and have never taken Carnival up on their offer.

[cruizergal70]

22 minutes ago, d12j28 said:

I get a free Norwegian cruise every year through My Choice. Have yet to use it since I stay on Carnival. 

Why are you staying on Carnival? The Norwegian cruises are free. Why not try it?

[xDisconnections]

24 minutes ago, d12j28 said:

I get a free Norwegian cruise every year through My Choice. Have yet to use it since I stay on Carnival. 

 

1 minute ago, cruizergal70 said:

Why are you staying on Carnival? The Norwegian cruises are free. Why not try it?

Perhaps he has limited vacation time and Carnival is his preference? Nothing wrong with that -- the free option is not always the better option based on personal preferences. 

[d12j28]

1 minute ago, cruizergal70 said:

Why are you staying on Carnival? The Norwegian cruises are free. Why not try it?

Mostly because we usually cruise with family who also get free or discounted cruises on Carnival and they don't get the Norwegian offer. 

[d12j28]

4 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

 

Perhaps he has limited vacation time and Carnival is his preference? Nothing wrong with that -- the free option is not always the better option based on personal preferences. 

I have 3 free offers on Carnival right now so both would be free. Biggest reason we stay with Carnival is family also gets discounted/free cruises. And we have always had a great time on Carnival and have had no reason to really change. I'm sure we would also have a great time on other lines if we went. 

[Joebucks]

21 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

It's all marketing. In this case, to get/keep attendance up at brunch.

 

You could be right. I don't know if there is this big push for Carnival to get people to attend brunch though. Sounds to me more like an advertised "free drink perk" that sounds better than it really is. 

[BlerkOne]

5 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

You could be right. I don't know if there is this big push for Carnival to get people to attend brunch though. Sounds to me more like an advertised "free drink perk" that sounds better than it really is. 

In the beginning it was. Brunch was a new concept on Carnival and poorly attended. Carnival decided you don't have to eat it - you could just show up and order a drink to go. Now brunch has good attendance, so the free drink is now a vestige that could morph into another marketing promotion.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, d12j28 said:

If a person is sailing they should get the VIFP points. It is cruise days after all no matter what anyone paid. You could have the most expensive room on the ship and I could go with the cheapest interior I could find and we would both get the same VIFP points. 

 

 

We agree to disagree. Loyalty programs, as previously mentioned, are marketing programs and they exist to generate a certain return on investment. Same as "free" rooms. The casino should have their own program and pay for it. Instead they are double dipping.

[PittsburghGirlee]

I would gladly trade my Strawberries and the pin for the bathroom samples returning. 

 

I know it's not much and can bring my own, but it always such a nice little surprise and I actually used almost everything in it.  If I liked something in there, I did purchase it at a later date. 

 

I remember getting  Oil of Olay samples, LOVED THEM!!