Anyone notice the change to RCCL & Celebrity's reward program?

[septrack]

Just received my RCCL crown and anchor mag. and it says that effective in 2005 you can receive the 6 cruise level on one line if you have it on the other. (also good for 10 cruise level) Sounds good except they definitely are doing a half step and not allowing you to combine cruises on the two lines.

 

Doesn't help us though. We are doing our third this Dec on the Summit and have 4 already on RCCL. Any thoughts?:confused:

[ocngypz]

It's fine the way they are doing it.. although the CC needs an Elite Plus.

Keep in mind that with the Carnival Corp cruiselines, VIP (Vacation Interchange Priviledge) only extends to bookings... and not to onboard benefits. So in essence RCL has gone a step further than the competition.

[GoVolsTB]

We are Select members with Celebrity but have not sailed with RCCL but we are thinking of booking with them for 2006. Can anyone give me an idea of what benefits we can expect with RCCL?

[ocngypz]

You can look up the C&A benefits at http://www.rccl.com

 

Then click on Crown & Anchor

[teedee]

I want to make sure I understand how this works. If you have 6 Celebrity cruises and 6 Royal Caribbean cruises you are in the category for 6 cruises, but you can't combine them to be in the category for 12. Is this correct?

 

Terri

[bob278]

Terri,

 

That's how I understand it. But, if you were at 6 in one and 11 in the other, you would get the benefits of the "11-level" in both.

 

Actually, the policy isn't so bad. You may not move up in either line as fast if you split your sailings, but you do have the higher benefits in both, so it is better than it was and, as ocngypz said, it's a little better than Carnival. So what we have is a program that was improved and people are still complaining.

 

I also agree that Celebrity needs to add a fourth tier like RCL did.

 

Just to throw my thoughts out there about how the programs might be combined: it could make a little bit of sense to give you half credit for points on the "other line" when computing your level. For instance, in your example of 6 and 6, this would give you 9 credits (6 plus half of 6) and not do anything extra for you. But if you had 8 and 6, you would have 11 on the line you cruised most (8 plus half of 6), giving you the next step, but only 10 on the line you cruise less (6 plus half of 8) and you would need to cruise once on the lesser line or twice on your preferred line. Convoluted, but it would encourage your continued loyalty to your more frequent line, but also give you a little more on the other one. Does that sound goofy?

[chessbriar]

I e-mailed to get some clarity on this and here was the response.

 

Dear Mr. Pierce,

 

Thank you for your recent e-mail. While it is true that we have been working on additional benefits for our highest members (Select, after 5th Celebrity cruise and Elite, after 10th Celebrity cruise or Platinum, after 5th Royal Caribbean cruise and Diamond after 10th Royal Caribbean cruise) where they will be able to receive some sort of reciprocity when it comes to Royal Caribbean cruises or Celebrity Cruises. Once anything is finalized, sometime in early 2005, we will let all of our members (on both brands) know. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us and we will be more than happy to help.

 

We do wish to advise you that there would still be no merge of the programs, just a reciprocity to our highest level members. This is an added benefit to those members.

 

Mr. Pierce, discover a complete cruise experience with a taste of luxury on every Celebrity cruise.

 

Sincerely,

 

Holly Fitzgerald

Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club

[teedee]

Thanks Bob - Just wanted to make sure I understood it correctly. I do like your idea about half credits, now all we have to do is talk RCI into it!

 

Terri