Carnival points update

[Carnival happy]

Carnival should give more points on everything.  And to get points for spending money on items on the boat , that would be great.  

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Carnival happy To your point, many cruise lines do offer guest loyalty points for onboard expenditures such as excursion purchases and drink package purchases. I'm not sure why Carnival Cruise Line doesn't have this offering, but I agree it would be an added bonus to the line's loyalty perk program! Carnival Cruise Line has been hinting at a shift to its loyalty perks program, VIFP "Very Important Fun Person" loyalty program. One of the changes the cruise line may make is allowing onboard spending to influence the number of loyalty points earned. Hopefully, your preferences are heard and CCL makes changes that work to our advantage! 

[euroguy]

I totally agree I believe loyal solo CCL cruisers should get extra points. I know other cruise lines offer it and I'm exploring options but after 8 cruises with CCL I would prefer to stay loyal but not if I don't get rewarded for it. Additionally I think that points should not only be based on number of days but also cabin selection. Under current model a 7 day cruise $500 inside, $1500 + balcony $2500+ suite all receive equal points. Should be changes to something like... inside 1 per day balcony 2 per day suite 3 per day.  

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@euroguy Hopefully Carnival Cruise Line receives this message and does something about it. Your perspective on solo cruising would really be a wise transition for CCL's loyalty program to adopt. In fact, earning points for the amount of money you spend during your booking and on-ship should be factored into all guest loyalty reward amounts. This would truly entice solo cruisers to continue staying loyal to the brand! I also agree that there should be a shift in points earned per stateroom type. If you are booked in a higher class stateroom, spending more for it, then you should earn more for your larger expenditure. This is great feedback! 

[euroguy]

Kendall thank you for your positive support to my simplified overview and thoughts to what would make the loyalty program better across the board.

I would like to add that I understand that as a whole the cruise industry is more geared to couples and families, with that said, I suspect if CCL better supported the solo cruisers not only in the loyalty program but in other ways as well that they would greatly increase their market share. Additionally I can first handedly state as a solo traveler I spend more during a cruise than I would if coupled up or with family as simply put I can afford to do so. With this in mind if CCL catered more to solo travelers the.revenue share per guest would increase as well. 

Thank you for listening

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@euroguy That's an interesting perspective. I think expanding market interest by enticing solo cruisers could certainly increase CCL's market share. I agree that a solo cruiser may be more interested to splurge and spend more on vacation. I do think, however, that hitting maximum capacity on a ship is likely the more financially rewarding way for any ship to cruise. If the ship sails at full capacity then there are more guests to spend onboard. For instance, a solo guest in a single stateroom is only getting one drink package, now that person may get the more expensive package but still, it's one package. If a stateroom meets its full capacity there are potentially 2-4 guests that will likely be purchasing more excursions and drink packages onboard. This perspective is certainly variable, person-to-person, depending on spending habits and monetary restrictions. I think that it costs more per person for solo cruisers so those guests should be properly rewarded for their greater-than-average stateroom expenditure onboard. It makes perfect sense to me!

[euroguy]

Thinking back on the last time CCL revamping the loyalty program it didn't go into place right away. It had a window of time before it took place so I'm thinking this will most likely happen again but who knows

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Carnival happy You should definitely provide this feedback to CCL as well. It's a very popular opinion. 

@euroguy That could be a big benefit for you! Hopefully, CCL takes its time to put the potential new VIFP loyalty program protocols in place so you can continue meeting your new status goal as currently expected. You are so very close to your Platinum status and earning that free laundry service! 

[Tootie]

We began cruising shortly after the change from the number of cruises to the number of days. We're just now platinum and while it would be nice to make diamond, I doubt we'll be able to do it as we typically cruise once or twice a year now. We don't spend a lot on board - maybe a couple of specialty dinings and excursions. We always get the cheers package, Any of those would seem likely to add to points. We take Journeys every 2 or 3 years and those can get pricey. We always take an interior room as we do virtually nothing more than sleep or nap. It all works for us but it would be nice to be able to add points. We're about to go on our 14th and 15th cruises and we've never sailed any line but Carnival.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Tootie

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Tootie That's so cool that you are able to cruise that often! This must be your favorite way to vacation; it's undoubtedly my favorite too. With the rate you are cruising and spending with CCL, how long would it take to become a Diamond loyalty member? It seems you have been really pleased with Carnival Cruise Line and have no interest in cruising with any other line. What do you think attracts you to CCL the most? 

[RLL]

If they change the loyalty program to include spending then it is no longer "loyalty", you are just buying your way.

[Tootie]

On 5/25/2023 at 1:38 PM, Cruising Caribbean said:

@Tootie That's so cool that you are able to cruise that often! This must be your favorite way to vacation; it's undoubtedly my favorite too. With the rate you are cruising and spending with CCL, how long would it take to become a Diamond loyalty member? It seems you have been really pleased with Carnival Cruise Line and have no interest in cruising with any other line. What do you think attracts you to CCL the most? 

Carnival's Galveston port is only 160 miles away and CCL happened to be the first we saw. After the 3rd cruise, we discovered 2 couples of friends were also sailing Carnival so we usually buddy up on 1 or 2 of their cruises. Being they're retired, they go 4 to 6 times a year. We're still working. Now that we're platinums, we will likely try one of the other lines porting in Galveston. That's saying nothing bad about CCL, we just want to see how other cruisers enjoy their lines but we will return to CCL after that 1 "disloyal" event

[Tootie]

On 5/26/2023 at 11:26 AM, RLL said:

If they change the loyalty program to include spending then it is no longer "loyalty", you are just buying your way.

Agreed! I hadn't really thought of it in those terms but it cetainly does apply. Before we became cruisers, you simply could do 10 3 or 4 day weekend cruises to make platinum/diamond - I'm not sure anymore as to which is correct but 30 to 40 cruise days is a bit more than half of what platinums now require and diamonds are currently at 200.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Tootie Sailing out of Galveston sounds to be the most convenient port of call to embark from for you. It can be nice to not have to hop on an airplane and coordinate all of that when a port of call is so conveniently located from your hometown. It's always fun to cruise in groups! It sounds like you have a great flow to cruising, alongside good company. I chuckled at your "disloyal" commentary. I think it's great to explore other cruise lines and branch out! It gives a great baseline for comparison and also a great way to see if CCL truly is the line that best suits you. You really don't know what other cruise lines are like until you give them a go! What other cruise line are you tempted to explore?

 

[Tootie]

• Royal Caribbean International.
• Disney Cruise Line.
• Princess Cruise Line.
• Norwegian Cruise Lines.

All sail out of Galveston so we have excellent choices available. As a platinum soon to be diamond, we have sailed exclusively with Carnival. Though based on a recent trip on Dream whwere the food was mediocre, we decided it was time to give another line a try. Sad that Carnival doesn't offer "days" for totally owned subsidiaries - Princess in this case. I expect we'll go with RCL and Princess at some point in the near future.

 

[FJB]

On 4/29/2023 at 11:37 PM, euroguy said:

I totally agree I believe loyal solo CCL cruisers should get extra points. I know other cruise lines offer it and I'm exploring options but after 8 cruises with CCL I would prefer to stay loyal but not if I don't get rewarded for it. Additionally I think that points should not only be based on number of days but also cabin selection. Under current model a 7 day cruise $500 inside, $1500 + balcony $2500+ suite all receive equal points. Should be changes to something like... inside 1 per day balcony 2 per day suite 3 per day.  

Celebrity Cruises loyalty program is based on days sailed and cabin category - 1-5 points per day depending on which cabin you are sleeping in. 

[euroguy]

@FJB what cabins get what points?

I guess you also have to consider a Celebrity cruise costs considerably more than other cruise lines too so I would expect them to step up.

With that said it would be nice if CCL did something like that as well as if traveling solo and paying double to double the points for the solo traveler, seems only fair if paying double.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@euroguy These are great questions! Celebrity Cruises' loyalty program structure seems pretty similar to that of MSC Cruises.

@FJB is very knowledgeable on Celebrity Cruises! I have yet to cruise with the line, but I would be interested to try it in the next couple of years. I fear once I try it, I won't turn back to my more affordable ways. 

[FJB]

On 8/17/2023 at 10:22 PM, euroguy said:

@FJB what cabins get what points?

I guess you also have to consider a Celebrity cruise costs considerably more than other cruise lines too so I would expect them to step up.

With that said it would be nice if CCL did something like that as well as if traveling solo and paying double to double the points for the solo traveler, seems only fair if paying double.

Well dang I had that all wrong!  There must have been an update to the points when I wasn’t looking….

 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB Those updates happen all the time! I'm glad you checked. These Celebrity Cruises suites look pretty epic. Have you cruised in any of them before? If so, which ones do you recommend and why? I find the suites that offer additional perks, like unlimited spa access and/or drink packages to be (usually) well worth it. 

[FJB]

1 hour ago, Cruising Caribbean said:

@FJB Those updates happen all the time! I'm glad you checked. These Celebrity Cruises suites look pretty epic. Have you cruised in any of them before? If so, which ones do you recommend and why? I find the suites that offer additional perks, like unlimited spa access and/or drink packages to be (usually) well worth it. 

We had the lowest level suite on an older Celebrity ship about 15 years. I haven’t won the lottery yet that would enable us to stay in the penthouse suite. 

[Tootie]

On 5/25/2023 at 1:38 PM, Cruising Caribbean said:

@Tootie That's so cool that you are able to cruise that often! This must be your favorite way to vacation; it's undoubtedly my favorite too. With the rate you are cruising and spending with CCL, how long would it take to become a Diamond loyalty member? It seems you have been really pleased with Carnival Cruise Line and have no interest in cruising with any other line. What do you think attracts you to CCL the most? 

We lack about 80 days to make Diamond. It's possible but we are thinking about going back to driving vacations. In 2 weeks, except for Journeys, we can see more of the U.S. that we haven't seen before. There's much to see worldwide and time is becoming more and more precious with grandkids being a huge focus for us.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Tootie You are almost there! It would be so impressive to earn that Diamond status. I totally see the value of traveling the U.S. and taking a land vacation with family, but there is no relaxation like a cruise. I'm not sure how you all prefer to travel in the U.S., but coordinating different families with various interests and abilities can be tedious. That's one reason I prefer cruising with my family. The ship has a little bit of everything for everyone. It ends up being easier to plan!