Cruisers who sail frequently on the same cruise line earn loyalty program perks that can be quite meaningful.
Royal Caribbean, for example, gives Diamond-tier and higher members of its Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program access to a special lounge, free beverage vouchers each day, and other perks like free days of internet service.
Earning Diamond status is not easy. You earn 1 point for every night you're on board, 2 as a solo traveler, or 3 if you are a solo passenger in a suite. You need 80 points to achieve what's generally considered to be the first meaningful tier in the program, measured by significant perks.
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Once a passenger earns a loyalty program level, they appreciate the benefits offered. They likely looked forward to reaching the tier for a long time, and that makes any changes a cruise line makes to its loyalty program benefits very risky.
Take away something people felt they earned, and the cruise line looks as if it cheaped out on its best customers. Even a tweak that seems positive on its face can lead to a backlash.
Royal Caribbean, for example, used to offer an all-you-can-drink happy hour in the Crown Lounge from 5 to 7 p.m. For social-distancing reasons during the covid pandemic, that was replaced with four daily free-drink vouchers for Diamond members, five for Diamond+, and six for top-tier Pinnacle members.
Unless you really hit the happy hour hard, it's difficult to see how that offer was better than the current voucher-based system. Yet that did not stop some passengers from being angry and even threatening to take their business to other cruise lines.
Now, Carnival has removed a loyalty perk from its VIFP program, and members, if they notice, are likely to be angry.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line.
Carnival makes a loyalty program change
Carnival's Very Important Fun Person loyalty program is very simple.
"Earn VIFP points just lounging by the pool. Each day you cruise is another VIFP point earned, so whether you like long cruises or spontaneous getaways, every one is totally worth it," the cruise line says.
Unlike the Royal Caribbean program, you don't earn more points for sailing solo or staying in a suite. Carnival also does not offer an equivalent to the Crown Lounge or Royal Caribbean's beverage vouchers.
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It does offer priority boarding to its Platinum (75-199 VIFP points) and Diamond (200 or more VIFP points), which its rival no longer offers. Carnival also offers Platinum and Diamond members a unique collectible pin on every sailing, as well as a piece of logoed merchandise (like a tote bag or a towel).
Carnival's top-tier loyalty members also get priority reservations in specialty dining restaurants. Royal Caribbean does not offer that, but RCL Diamond Plus members (175-699 points) get a buy-one-get-one deal at specialty dining on the first two nights of their cruise.
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Carnival makes a loyalty program change
Carnival recently took away a meaningful loyalty perk without notifying VIFP members. It was simply on the list and then it wasn't. The change was first spotted by Cruisehive.
"Carnival Cruise Line has quietly removed a popular benefit for its Diamond and Platinum level returning guests, without notice of the discontinuation," the website reported. "The $25 FunPlay credit in the ship’s casino was never intended as a long-term benefit, but nevertheless it has been a popular perk that guests have enjoyed for several years."
The cruise line's brand ambassador, John Heald, confirmed the change on his Facebook page.
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“Yes, the casino has decided to remove the $25," he wrote. "The $25 FunPlay casino credit was one of our temporary offers to our top-tier VIFP guests. With a full suite of casino promotions and activities, we are sunsetting this credit and continue to look for other ways to make sure our loyal guests have a great time while cruising with us."
Royal Caribbean gives all Crown & Anchor Society members between $2 and $8 of free play in its casinos on every sailing.
Carnival's $25 credit was initially offered when the cruise line had to cancel slot tournaments due to social distancing. Even after those tournaments were brought back, the credit remained until its recent removal.
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