Introduce a new Loyalty Tier

[jeanlyon]

20 hours ago, Fionboard said:

I don't need speciality restaurants, WiFi, room service, coffee, ice cream, etc. P&O balcony cabins are quite big enough for me on my own. Obc pays mostly for my drinks and occasional excursion then 10% off. So these extras are not worth the additional cost for me. Saga small ships do look nice though. Maybe in future.

Yes, sounds like us.  I don't need all those extras. 

[Fionboard]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

Yes, sounds like us.  I don't need all those extras. 

Plus, I do not want to travel to Dover (or Tilbury)! Southampton is easy for me.

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Plus, I do not want to travel to Dover (or Tilbury)! Southampton is easy for me.

But not for everybody. 

[Fionboard]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

But not for everybody. 

Nitpicking. Obviously I was not talking about everyone, just me!

[jeanlyon]

Just booked Fred for Apri 2024 out of Soouthampton.

[Britboys]

On 3/27/2023 at 4:50 PM, wowzz said:

I think that's the point. 

Much of the price premium is due to the fact that you are sailing on a small ship with less than 1000 pax.

It all depends on how much an individual is prepared to pay for that type of bespoke cruising compared to mass market cruises.

Albeit 1 under 1000... 😀

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

Just booked Fred for Apri 2024 out of Soouthampton.

Where are you off to Jean?

[zap99]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Just booked Fred for Apri 2024 out of Soouthampton.

We booked him on a day trip from Lanzarote.  It has a fast ferry. Fred runs lots of ferries in the Canaries.  Where in the Canaries is Soothampton?.

[daiB]

On 3/26/2023 at 10:19 AM, Cynthia Darch said:

Rubbish, cruising was far and above better 25 years ago and I don't wear tinted glasses. Clearly you prefer massive ships crowded with cheap paying cruisers who standards in the main are quite poor. As for the food offer many of us don't like the canteen type of dining offered, rather have a series of quality restaurants to visit each evening and during the day. Happy to have a buffet, not that I use it as it keeps a lot of folk that do away from the main dining experience. What has declined and P&O need to address it is the food offer in the main dining rooms, certainly on the bigger ships. So Different, yes Worse, definitely in my opinion.

To quote you “rubbish” food is as good if not better than it has been for a number of years.

[jeanlyon]

On 3/28/2023 at 5:34 PM, Britboys said:

Where are you off to Jean?

St Malo, Brest, Madeira and the Azores, back via Oporto.  Following the eclipse apparently.  On Bolette.  Shirley's last cruise was on Bolette and she really liked it.

Edited April 2, 2023 by jeanlyon

[Britboys]

23 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

St Malo, Brest, Madeira and the Azores, back via Oporto.  Following the eclipse apparently.  On Bolette.  Shirley's last cruise was on Bolette and she really liked it.

Yes, I like the look of Bolette too but as ever, launch prices for solo pax are crazy. Looked at one recently and it was £178 per night for the cheapest inside cabin...

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

Yes, I like the look of Bolette too but as ever, launch prices for solo pax are crazy. Looked at one recently and it was £178 per night for the cheapest inside cabin...

We;ve paid more than we usually do for this one, but just decided we wanted to do it.  The next one will be a late booking.

[WestonOne]

Personally, I travel on several different cruise lines.  The 'loyalty' systems have never been a deciding factor on who I travel with.  So whether they add a level, remove a level or scrap the whole thing would not affect me at all.

(Do people actually wear these pins they give out as you reach new levels of loyalty?  I can't remember every seeing one.)

[jaydee6969]

11 minutes ago, WestonOne said:

(Do people actually wear these pins they give out as you reach new levels of loyalty?  I can't remember every seeing one.)

 

Having just got our first pin on our recent cruise, I knew what I was looking for.  And I did spot a few people wearing them during the evenings.  More so on formal night.  But only a few.

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, WestonOne said:

Personally, I travel on several different cruise lines.  The 'loyalty' systems have never been a deciding factor on who I travel with.  So whether they add a level, remove a level or scrap the whole thing would not affect me at all.

(Do people actually wear these pins they give out as you reach new levels of loyalty?  I can't remember every seeing one.)

Never have known what the devil they are for.  Mine go in the bin.  Bit like being at school.  Get a badge if you are a prefect!

Edited April 4, 2023 by jeanlyon

[Wonky]

In my opinion the whole scheme needs revamping, goes for Cunard too. The schemes don’t appear to drive bookings. I’m fairly new to cruising having spent quite a few years using airline and hotel schemes, both of these I’ve actually booked flights and hotel rooms to move up or maintain a tier. This week I’m going to the Moxy in Southampton to maintain a tier🤣. I’m only doing this because it’s worth it though, looking at both P&O and Cunard I’ve definitely not thought oooh 50% off laundry I must book another cruise. The discount for on board spend is good and could be improved to drive business. I think a credit card would be a good idea too to earn points.

These schemes can really beneficial to a company, IIRC Airmiles as was was worth more than BA at one point.

[jeanlyon]

4 minutes ago, Wonky said:

In my opinion the whole scheme needs revamping, goes for Cunard too. The schemes don’t appear to drive bookings. I’m fairly new to cruising having spent quite a few years using airline and hotel schemes, both of these I’ve actually booked flights and hotel rooms to move up or maintain a tier. This week I’m going to the Moxy in Southampton to maintain a tier🤣. I’m only doing this because it’s worth it though, looking at both P&O and Cunard I’ve definitely not thought oooh 50% off laundry I must book another cruise. The discount for on board spend is good and could be improved to drive business. I think a credit card would be a good idea too to earn points.

These schemes can really beneficial to a company, IIRC Airmiles as was was worth more than BA at one point.

absolutely agree.  The only good thing about my Caribbean tier is the on board discount.

[majortom10]

26 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

absolutely agree.  The only good thing about my Caribbean tier is the on board discount.

Which is non existent if you have OBC.

[terrierjohn]

42 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

absolutely agree.  The only good thing about my Caribbean tier is the on board discount.

 

15 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Which is non existent if you have OBC.

I quite enjoy the higher tier luncheons, and much prefer to have my OBC cover my on board spend, rather than have a meagre 10% saving.

[jaydee6969]

6 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

 

I quite enjoy the higher tier luncheons, and much prefer to have my OBC cover my on board spend, rather than have a meagre 10% saving.

 

My favourite probably would be the priority boarding along with the lunch, but am a long way off that yet.  Experienced it on a 3 night seacation in the heady post C era with a suite on Britannia, and loved it.

[Wonky]

Yes the parties are a nice thing to have but would you book a cruise in order to have them? Probably not.

 

So let’s help out P&O, what WOULD encourage you to make an EXTRA booking and get to a higher tier?

 

For me being able to get upgrades as you moved through the tiers would be a good start. If say the grade above is available 2 months before your cruise, automatic free upgrade.

 

Mr Ludlow, I’m available at a very fair price if you need help with this🤣

 

 

[jaydee6969]

6 minutes ago, Wonky said:

 

Mr Ludlow, I’m available at a very fair price if you need help with this🤣

 

 

 

And I live conveniently close to Carnival House and the docks, if they need product testers.

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Which is non existent if you have OBC.

True. 

 

Sometimes we got lots of OBC, sometimes we only get the shareholder amount.  Our last Iona cruise ended being all inclusive due to OBC, as in all probability will be our forthcoming Arvia trip.  However, later in the year we will be on a 30 nighter with only the shareholder OBC.  10% off on board spend will be welcome compared to nothing.  

 

A couple of years ago I treated myself to a Tag Heuer on board.  OBC had run out, and I still got 10% Peninsula discount.  The watch was already 20% below UK retail price, so a genuine benefit on this occasion.  BTW, I'm not in the habit of buying such extravagances onboard, but on this occasion it was rude not to!

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Wonky said:

Yes the parties are a nice thing to have but would you book a cruise in order to have them? Probably not.

 

So let’s help out P&O, what WOULD encourage you to make an EXTRA booking and get to a higher tier?

 

For me being able to get upgrades as you moved through the tiers would be a good start. If say the grade above is available 2 months before your cruise, automatic free upgrade.

 

Mr Ludlow, I’m available at a very fair price if you need help with this🤣

 

 

Top tier P&O loyalty tier also get priority embarcation and disembarcation, which is also very beneficial.

Some worthwhile free wi fi would also be welcome, along with daily free drinks a la Royal Caribbean.

No interest in upgrades and, with shareholder and booking OBC the  discount is of no real benefit.

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, Wonky said:

Yes the parties are a nice thing to have but would you book a cruise in order to have them? Probably not.

 

So let’s help out P&O, what WOULD encourage you to make an EXTRA booking and get to a higher tier?

 

For me being able to get upgrades as you moved through the tiers would be a good start. If say the grade above is available 2 months before your cruise, automatic free upgrade.

 

Mr Ludlow, I’m available at a very fair price if you need help with this🤣

 

 

Quite honestly, getting to a higher tier cuts no ice with me. I feel no need to be made special. And a loyalty scheme plays no part in my choice of cruise, which is mainly based on itinerary and the quality of onboard experience. Changes to the loyalty scheme would not make any difference. And before anyone says sour grapes, I am currently in the Caribbean tier and in pre pandemic years oscilated between that and the Baltic.

Edited April 4, 2023 by Denarius