RCI and Celebrity loyal points "merged"? How's that work?

[PaperSniper4]

Our last RCI cruise was maybe 4 years ago, but we have another booked this October 2024. On our account at RoyalCribbean.com shows we are RCI Platinum with 32 points

Our last Celebrity cruise was October 2023. Our account at CelebrityCruises.com shows we are Select with 244 points.

 

I thought when I heard the points were merged we'd get the higher loyal level. Maybe the count them differently, but I figured we'd now have one loyal level, not two. Other than the loyal name being different. Can someone explain it to me? I sure don't want to miss out on anything I'm "owed" this October!😁

 

I did find this <LINK> below. Perhaps the loyal benefits are the same for Platinum and Select, it just seems with 244 compared to 32 there would be a big difference in loyalty level.

partial:

 

 

 

 Doug

[smokeybandit]

Nothing was merged. Just reciprocal loyalty tiers were aligned more one to one.

[c-leg5]

5 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Our last RCI cruise was maybe 4 years ago, but we have another booked this October 2024. On our account at RoyalCribbean.com shows we are RCI Platinum with 32 points

Our last Celebrity cruise was October 2023. Our account at CelebrityCruises.com shows we are Select with 244 points.

 

I thought when I heard the points were merged we'd get the higher loyal level. Maybe the count them differently, but I figured we'd now have one loyal level, not two. Other than the loyal name being different. Can someone explain it to me? I sure don't want to miss out on anything I'm "owed" this October!😁

 

I did find this <LINK> below. Perhaps the loyal benefits are the same for Platinum and Select, it just seems with 244 compared to 32 there would be a big difference in loyalty level.

partial:

 

 

 

 Doug

The points are not merged. There are reciprocal equivalent benefits.
 

Your points remain at whatever points you have actually earned on the individual cruiselines.

 

If your highest status is with Celebrity, you will have equivalent status on Royal.  

[nelblu]

However, other than Pinnacles all other C&A benefits are much better than X

[smokeybandit]

25 minutes ago, nelblu said:

However, other than Pinnacles all other C&A benefits are much better than X

What, that whopping 4 hours of Internet that Elite+ gets doesn't appeal to you?

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

Nothing was merged. Just reciprocal loyalty tiers were aligned more one to one.

It would be an interesting concept - and even more interesting challenge - to merge points and have one program for both where total points on either combine for tier changes on both.

 

Either way, even though I am mid level Diamond + / Elite+, by the time I reach Pinnacle or Zenith it would likely be "Weekend at Bernie's" for me - someone would be pushing my former self around on board in a wheelchair... LOL.

Edited June 16 by leaveitallbehind

[smokeybandit]

15 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

It would be an interesting concept - and even more interesting challenge - to merge points and have one program for both where total points on either combine for tier changes on both.

I would just like it if I could accrue C&A points while on a Celebrity cruise. Heck even if it's like a one time promo thing. In fact that is a great idea.  Try another cruise line, earn points for your preferred loyalty program.

[OnTheJourney]

2 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

If your highest status is with Celebrity, you will have equivalent status on Royal.  

And the same for reverse? I'm D+, so do any recent changes affect my current X level (honestly without checking I have no idea what that even is - guessing Elite?) 

[OnTheJourney]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

would just like it if I could accrue C&A points while on a Celebrity cruise.

Sort of ridiculous when you consider it's all the same company.

[Another_Critic]

15 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

And the same for reverse? I'm D+, so do any recent changes affect my current X level (honestly without checking I have no idea what that even is - guessing Elite?) 

With the new full reciprocal status, you are now Elite+ on Celebrity.  Prior to the change the reciprocal status maxed out at Elite / Diamond.

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Sort of ridiculous when you consider it's all the same company.

Not any different than Carnival and all their subsidiaries.

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

What, that whopping 4 hours of Internet that Elite+ gets doesn't appeal to you?

I would prefer 240 minutes versus two 24 hour periods.  30 minutes a day works better for me than maybe 4 hours max. for 2 days.

 

Edited June 16 by Another_Critic

[neverbeenhere]

A Celebrity cruise and a Royal Caribbean cruise are two different monsters. We will certainly be looking at itinerary and price more often in the future. 

[smokeybandit]

17 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

I would prefer 240 minutes versus two 24 hour periods.  30 minutes a day works better for me than maybe 4 hours max. for 2 days.

 

If that 240 isn't consecutive, then that's a fair point.

[Another_Critic]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

If that 240 isn't consecutive, then that's a fair point.

In the past it wasn't.  But of course you have to remember to log off each time or the counter continues.

 

Also, I forgot that you can actually stretch each C&A 24 hour period across 2 days (12N to 12N or 2PM to 2PM, etc.).

[leaveitallbehind]

45 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Not any different than Carnival and all their subsidiaries.

And none of their family of cruise lines offer any reciprocity of loyalty benefits between any of them.  To my knowledge, RCI is unique with that benefit.

 

And for clarity for @OnTheJourney, they may be cruise lines that are all part of the same parent company, but RCCL and Celebrity are independent companies that operate separately. They are not the same company. The reciprocity of loyalty programs between them, as mentioned, is unique among them in the industry.

Edited June 16 by leaveitallbehind

[PhillyFan33579]

8 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Sort of ridiculous when you consider it's all the same company.

They are not the same company. Royal Carribean International and Celebrity Cruises are two separate independent companies. The only thing they have in common (other than both being cruise lines) is they are both owned by the same parent company, Royal Caribbean Group. 

[Toddcan]

Wait until the points / loyalty system is based on a combination of money spent & nights onboard - like the airlines do.  This board will light up like no tomorrow 🙂

 

(half-kidding, half-serious - but they have all said that the rewards programs are being revamped)

[PaperSniper4]

15 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

The points are not merged. There are reciprocal equivalent benefits.
 

Your points remain at whatever points you have actually earned on the individual cruiselines.

 

If your highest status is with Celebrity, you will have equivalent status on Royal.  

Thanks. That was my question really - since (I think) my loyalty level is higher with Celebrity, I thought maybe we'd be getting more benefits/perks carried over to RCI. But then we're sailed more on Celebrity - 6 versus 4 on RCI. (We are more NCL/Princess cruisers) Not a lot of RCCL cruises, but still........I guess what I was expecting was that RCCL would add those two numbers and give that elevated loyalty status to us. No biggie, just curious about how it works.

 

Thanks for all who replied; my question was answered.😎

 

 Doug

[leaveitallbehind]

28 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Thanks. That was my question really - since (I think) my loyalty level is higher with Celebrity, I thought maybe we'd be getting more benefits/perks carried over to RCI. But then we're sailed more on Celebrity - 6 versus 4 on RCI. (We are more NCL/Princess cruisers) Not a lot of RCCL cruises, but still........I guess what I was expecting was that RCCL would add those two numbers and give that elevated loyalty status to us. No biggie, just curious about how it works.

 

Thanks for all who replied; my question was answered.😎

 

 Doug

Just to be clear, whichever level you are highest on with either cruise line translates to the same tier level reciprocal benefits shared on board the other when cruising on them.

 

For instance, if you are Diamond on RCCL, you would share the Elite benefits when sailing on Celebrity, and visa versa.  Whatever cruise line on which you have the highest tier would determine the equivalent tier level on other with which you would share benefits when cruising on them.

 

The old program "capped" the reciprocal benefits at Diamond = Elite, Elite+, and Zenith, and visa versa.  The new program now says that Diamond = Elite, Diamond+ = Elite+, and Pinnacle = Zenith in terms of reciprocity of on board benefits.  That is all that changed.  Nothing changed affecting points earned remaining with the cruise line on which they were earned.

Edited June 17 by leaveitallbehind

[OnTheJourney]

13 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

RCCL and Celebrity are independent companies that operate separately. They are not the same company.

I'm just going by what I read, that X is a wholly owned subsidiary of RCCL.

Edited June 17 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

38 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

The old program "capped" the reciprocal benefits at Diamond = Elite, Elite+, and Zenith, and visa versa.  The new program now says that Diamond = Elite, Diamond+ = Elite+, and Pinnacle = Zenith in terms of reciprocity of on board benefits. 

So under the old program, though, what RCL point level did you have to attain to be Elite+  ?  Wouldn't the number of required points have wound up in the D+ category anyway?  Is it still that cruises done with X don't add any points to RCL though? It should work both ways in the spirit of "reciprocity".

Edited June 17 by OnTheJourney

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, OnTheJourney said:

Yes but X is a wholly owned subsidiary of RCCL - I guess that's what I was referring to.

No it is not.  RCCL and Celebrity (and Silversea) are separate companies that are wholly owned subsidiaries of Royal Caribbean Group (formerly Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.)  They are operated and managed separately and are independent of each other.

[PaperSniper4]

40 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Just to be clear, whichever level you are highest on with either cruise line translates to the same tier level reciprocal benefits shared on board the other when cruising on them.

 

...........

Thanks, I understand now.

 

 Doug

[OnTheJourney]

3 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

No it is not.  RCCL and Celebrity (and Silversea) are separate companies that are wholly owned subsidiaries of Royal Caribbean Group (formerly Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.)  They are operated and managed separately and are independent of each other.

Well, I'm not that familiar with what "Royal Caribbean Group" implies and so that's where I'm getting confused. Sounds a bit like splitting hairs but I'm sure there's a significant difference. No big deal. Thanks.

Edited June 17 by OnTheJourney