CARNIVAL GAME IS AFOOT...

We still have to pay our own way! But often it's first time cruisers that want us to "hold their hand" on their first adventure. They know we enjoy cruising and figure we can help smooth the way. Or people we sailed with before and want to reconnect but not be with us 24/7. I'd be happy to join you on a cruise. We've tried to have a Cruiseline group before and it ended up 3 of us on the sailing and one joining us as a pre-sailing special (didn't sail with us but toured the ship and met us). I supose we could try it again, but I wouldn't expect a better turn out.

Nice !!! Rub it in our faces that other cruisers like to be with you, while the rest of us travel embarrassingly ALONE !!! La de DAH !!!

Note: I tried a little foreign language skills there in case anyone ever invites me on an all expenses paid Mediterranean cruise.

Ciao !! Arrivederci, Guten tag, au revoir !!

And the good ol' American standby - eat me pilgrim !!!

I like the way you think. It is just another of the data points. Sadly, the points do NOT transfer to other Carnival Corp. lines. I understand that they do with RCCL. Mostly, we look at when we want to go, where we want to go, then who has the best bargin. So far we have found either Carnival or Princess fits the parameters best. We also factor in if someone has asked us to join them on an adventure.

Nah...too boring..other than the fact there's way more of the former than the latter..

Nah, I thought that was boring. I can't believe anyone would launch it as a topic.......J/K

So am I understanding this correctly? if I go on a 3 day cruise, and during that cruise I go absolutely hog wild and whip out my card every nigh to buy "drinks all around" at the bar, eat only in the premium venues every night and go on a whirlwind shopping spree at the onboard shops, get daily spa treatments etc.... I'll be in line to get the same amount of loyalty points as the guy who goes on a 15 day transatlantic cruise and spends his money wisely while on board. Sure, but I guess I'd like to see what he paid for his cruise vs what I spent on mine. If the dollar totals were close, then why not? Ultimately that's what it's all about.... right?

Or do I have to read the article again?

How about the "discussions" re awarding points for spending $$$ onboard...A bit in your face?

I'm with Johngold. I'm nowhere near any of the levels that you're all discussing, and it's highly unlikely I'll ever get there. And although at this time we like CCL and have a couple more cruises booked with them, we're not married to any one cruise line. In other words, if something happens that sours us on them, or if another line comes along with an attractive offer, or if we're just in the mood for something different, we'll direct our vacation dollars elsewhere.

But another point is that even if we did have CCL's Diamond or Platinum level, I would still always consider other offers. Although it (loyalty status) would be taken into account, it would just be another data point on the "pro & con scale". I don't see how that makes us "disloyal", just discerning.

And another thing. Does Carnival's loyalty program extend to any of their other lines? Does the Gold, Diamond or Platinum status come into play when considering or booking a cruise on Princess, HAL or Cunard? If not, why not? It's all part of Carnival Corp. If they don't have something like that, it might be something they should consider. We already had a conversation about competing lines accepting other's elite status programs. If that ever comes about then affiliated lines should most certainly do so.

I must admit that we like the perks offered by Carnival. When the restart rewarded only suites and not Platinum/Diamond ,early boarding there was a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth by the PlatinumlDiamond level folks. I wasn't gnashing my teeth but I was disappointed. By observing that behavior, changes will be met with "why didn't I get that? can I retroactively get credit for my suite 10 years ago? why is my time less rewarded that theirs?" and more. I figure it will happen with or without my input and I'll decide what I think when it does. Originally, Carnival didn't have the Diamond level and it took 10 cruises (no day requirement) to be Platinum. The cry went up that Soandso went on 3 4days cruises and I went on one 12 day cruise but they got 3 credits and I only got 1, how is that fair? We had 13 cruises but not 75 days at the time. Finally, they settled on the number of days and if you already had reached the Platinum level but not 75 days you were grandfathered in. Oddly at that point we had 77 days, so we met the requirement no matter how you looked at it. Some time later they added the Diamond level.

Re: Cruise Line Loyalty Levels. You think things are bad now, just wait a few more years. The below was copied from a different cruise chat board --

-- my 2 year old is booked on his third Princess cruise in September. We live near Vancouver so its pretty easy for us to do the 1-day transitions between Seattle and Vancouver. It's great that the status counts for him. I could easily see him already being Elite when he turns 18 (end of the chat board quote).

In addition, at least these cruise lines currently offer cruise credits for children: Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess, Holland America, and MSC. Credits accrue, but the child does not attain the loyalty level card until the first cruise AFTER their 18th birthday.

All this means is that the loyalty programs will continue to accrue top tier(s) members.

I personally always had difficulties with1-day cruises (for $69 pp) earning a full cruise credit. BUT, that is how the program works, and some can take advantage. Those of us that are land-locked, are just jealous. I understand.

I can understand WHY the Cruise Lines have to look at the Loyalty Programs. I can also see, the first Cruise Line to make a significant change, the others will follow. IMO, a cruise cannot have 25% (or more) being top tier under the current loyalty program rules/perks, and keep everyone happy.

Good analysis... your view is rational...however it won't be shared by those top tier who may be "adjusted"...the whole thing is crafted to appeal to people's egos (including mine)...and the mini-reaction to the loss of "priority" status, (however temporary they may claim it was) proves it. We (my wife and I that is) earned that status by spending entirely too much on cruising over the years. Yes we were "sucked in"...looking forward the the next color and whatever it earned...and now that we're "there", be careful about what they may do...I suspect the law of "unintended consequences" is going to kick in here unless they're very very very careful...I wish he would stop saying how smart these "beards" are...I knew many of them in another life..I earned less, and wound up "doing better"...with alot less angst...I don't like my boat being rocked....although clearly things change..and lately, not for the better...