No more past guest pins.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I'm thinking they may continue to give them out until they run out. My DH will be upset when I tell him about it.:(

 

I say keep giving the pins out and do away with the pizza and ice cream.:D

 

Bill

[jrmende63]

...and they DO sell them in the gift shop for around $3.00 ea.

 

I bought extras on the Conquest in March. Not exactly the same, but close enough!

What do they look like from the gift shop? I am so sad, I really like these pins and collect them. Do the ones in the gift shop have the funnel and ship name?

Thanks Julie

[Stircrzy]

I enjoy the pins and have quite a collection of them. I'd be willing to pay for them if they show up in the gift shop..but only if they are the same quality' date=' appearance, etc.[/quote']

 

They were in the gift shop on the Conquest when I last sailed in March, G. They were very nice, about the same size and possibly a bit nicer than the give-away ones. I think they were around $3. I bought a couple for my friend who collects them.

[jaja]

I , too, hope they have some ship pins in the gift shop IF they are doing away..booked on Glory next year...and would hate to not have a pin..:o

[vacruizer]

I am sad to hear this.:(We have a wall with our "travel shrine" on it - a big world map with pins in all the places we've been. The outside border we add a pin from each port, city or attraction, along with the past guest pins from each ship we go on.

 

Will buy them in the gift shop if need be, and I do understand they are cutting corners to save a few $$, but still disappointing to those of us who collect them and think it's a nice thank you for being a past guest. :(

[poptart]

Mine would be the thermos for Platinum-I know I should not me ungrateful, they are giving me a gift, but dang I have enough thermos's (sp?) to keep all the customers in a Starbucks coffee hot. Give me a drink coupon I'll be happy. And while they are at it they keep those yucky canapies and Hors d' Oeuvres and just give me chocolate covered strawberries.

 

AMEN!!!! Free drinks and chocolate covered strawberries are the best!

[retcwby]

we were just on the splendor 5/3-5/10 and we got past guest pins with our party invites.

[cuted126]

:(I love collecting those pins.

[Azure Moon]

I'll say the same thing I did when NCL discontinued giving out ship pins...

 

I like the pins. I wish they would continue to give them out.

 

I wish they had given a guest one pin the first time they sailed on a ship, rather than one pin every time they sailed on the ship. That way multiple pins wouldn't have been given out if a person sailed the same ship 2 or more times.

 

I think it would have kept the cost down and the perk could have continued.

[CalifCruiser1]

Mine would be the thermos for Platinum-I know I should not me ungrateful, they are giving me a gift, but dang I have enough thermos's (sp?) to keep all the customers in a Starbucks coffee hot. Give me a drink coupon I'll be happy. And while they are at it they keep those yucky canapies and Hors d' Oeuvres and just give me chocolate covered strawberries.

 

Ditto! and double Ditto!! Karon:D

[davethomasowns]

:( I hope they have them on the Inspiration Monday.

 

It would make a lot of sense to sell them in the gift shop. The people that keep/collect them wouldn't mind paying $3-$5 for them. I mean I pay that much for pins from other places, what's the difference? Like stated previously in this thread, most people probably throw them out.

[misterchatter]

We got our pins on the 5-3 sailing on the Victory.

[aggieastrosfan]

I collect the pins as well, and am sad to see them go. However, if they do sell them in the gift shop, I'm willing to pay $3 for them.

 

That being said...I know this is a REALLY small thing to cut, but what happened to John Heald saying on his blog they would NOT be cutting any past guest perks? :mad: If he says no, and they're willing to still cut pins, what's next?

[UpstateCruizer]

I have all of my past guest pins but I haven't figured out a plan as to what I will do with them. I'd buy them from the gift shop for each cruise that we take as long as they are offered there.

 

Remember those placemat pics that we used to get at dinner? When they cut those many people were upset but we got them on the Splendor sailing. I'm not sure if they had already printed them up before deciding to do away with it or if they are bringing them back??

[Aplmac]

If they have to cutback on something the pin would be my first choice.

Cutting back on the quality of one's product to appease the great money-inflationary God

is a temporary measure that only stalls the inevitable.

 

After all the quality cutbacks, including pins,

the price of cruising and bread -and everything else- will go higher

as the value of the inflationary paper currency(no longer backed by real gold) goes lower.

 

It's a race that cannot be won

unless maybe we get back to the Gold Standard. Maybe.

 

 

And when all the cost-cutting is done, down to the absolute bone

and still the $-numbers keep rising.. what then??

 

Whatcha gonna do? Call Ghost Busters? :D

 

.

[Nezmo]

...

That being said...I know this is a REALLY small thing to cut, but what happened to John Heald saying on his blog they would NOT be cutting any past guest perks? :mad: If he says no, and they're willing to still cut pins, what's next?

 

I think we need to stop treating Mr. Heald as if he's Cahill. Even Cahill's word can't be trusted folks come to think of it.

[cusyl]

I just got back yesterday from a sailing on the Holiday. I was a little surprised when our past guest party invite didn't include the whale tail pin with the ship name. I was at the pursors desk later in the day and happened to ask about it. The attendant said they are no longer giving those out. I asked if this was a new policy since February, or if it was just for the Holiday (since it will be retired in 5 months). She said they discontinued them last week, fleetwide. She did have a couple in the back room that she gave us anyway, but I don't think that'll be the case on all the ships. Bummer, too, as I was looking forward to building the "Platinum Collection" over the next couple years. Maybe they'll start selling them in the gift shop instead.

 

I understand that everyone is making cost cutting moves... It's just a little disapointing that they're taking the nickle and diming to this level. How much could those have possibly cost? I know... When you have 500,000 past guests every year, even a 25 cent pin makes a difference.

 

So if you're sailing soon, and you have your heart set on getting that pin, double-check the pursors desk.

 

You might check Ebay, usually there is stuff like that there. I'll have to round mine up and see what I have. :D

[bonniemari]

I say keep giving the pins out and do away with the pizza and ice cream.:D

 

Bill

 

WHAT!!!!!? Please, please, please don't say that too loud. I have a vision in my head of the bean counters doing a cost savings analysis-pins vs ice cream and pizza.

 

I know tons of folks smuggle booze-it would be kind of hard for me to smuggle my own ice cream.

[wadecruiser]

I am sad. :( We are going on our second carnival cruise on June 14, and I wanted my pin. I realize that for people who have been on multiple carnival cruises it may be no big deal, but I have not and wanted my pin.

[cruisingbajan]

I was realluy looking forward to getting my first past guest pin. Oh well...:rolleyes:. Like another poster said...if it keeps the prices down I'm willing to forego it.:)

[aggieastrosfan]

I think we need to stop treating Mr. Heald as if he's Cahill. Even Cahill's word can't be trusted folks come to think of it.

 

I disagree, when he puts himself out there like that and says things like that, with such assurance, you'd like to think you're hearing the truth. Like you said, though, he comes across like just another lying executive by having just said there would be no changes about a month ago.

[wopper81]

I just got off the Liberty and I received a past guest pin.

[Aplmac]

I was realluy looking forward to getting my first past guest pin. Oh well...:rolleyes:.

Like another poster said...if it keeps the prices down I'm willing to forego it.:)

Thing is...cost-cutting measures are mere "plasters on sores" as my dear mother used to say

-they are temporary fixit measures of no real lasting value!

i.e. there is no known way to beat inflation.

 

Sooner or later the costs rise (inflationary paper currencies do this).

 

 

...........................

 

 

Sell the darned pins! Charge $2.50 each for them!

That's not going to break anyone.

Those who want.. will buy.

I would.

 

 

In fact I could use one for my Destiny First Cruise

and another pin for the two Victory cruises I've recently done.

 

Willing to give Messrs. Cahill or Heald five bucks for the two pins.

Right now!

 

 

.

[nealstuber]

I just got back yesterday from a sailing on the Holiday. I was a little surprised when our past guest party invite didn't include the whale tail pin with the ship name. I was at the pursors desk later in the day and happened to ask about it. The attendant said they are no longer giving those out. I asked if this was a new policy since February, or if it was just for the Holiday (since it will be retired in 5 months). She said they discontinued them last week, fleetwide. She did have a couple in the back room that she gave us anyway, but I don't think that'll be the case on all the ships. Bummer, too, as I was looking forward to building the "Platinum Collection" over the next couple years. Maybe they'll start selling them in the gift shop instead.

 

I understand that everyone is making cost cutting moves... It's just a little disapointing that they're taking the nickle and diming to this level. How much could those have possibly cost? I know... When you have 500,000 past guests every year, even a 25 cent pin makes a difference.

 

So if you're sailing soon, and you have your heart set on getting that pin, double-check the pursors desk.

 

On Esctacy, we did a B2B (5day/4day). The 5 day had a party with pins. The four day had neither. Kind of strange because the 4 day actually cost a couple bucks more than the 5 day. Can't recall what the holiday is supposed to be sailing - but my guess is that OP was told they were disconinued because they wer discontinued for 4 day cruises and less. Or they discontinued them for the Holiday because they ran out and couldn't be bothered to get more before they got rid of the boat.

[Nezmo]

I disagree, when he puts himself out there like that and says things like that, with such assurance, you'd like to think you're hearing the truth. Like you said, though, he comes across like just another lying executive by having just said there would be no changes about a month ago.

 

Not to turn this thread in to a John Heald bashing deal, which is not my intention... What I really mean is that I think way too many folks take John's word as final - almost putting him on a pedestal. I am certain John means nothing but the best and I am sure he wants nothing but the best for Carnival and it's passengers but, he's been quoted over and over saying things that just don't pan out to be true. So, I think it's best to take his word like the rest from high-ups in large companies - treat it with caution. Just because John says it's so, doesn't mean it is so.