Casino loyalty program perks are earned, often at a fairly high cost to the gambler.
Celebrity Cruises has generally offered one of the most generous casino programs when you reach its higher levels. The meaningful perks start when you reach the Sapphire level of the cruise line's Blue Chip casino program.
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Under the past system, earning Sapphire status required 100,000 points, which were earned by wagering $1 and $2 on video poker. Table players earn points at higher dollar amounts, which vary by game.
So, a slots player would have to cycle $100,000 through Celebrity's machines to reach that tier. Given the roughly 85% return rate on cruise ship slot machines, that's a $15,000 loss, although some will do worse and some will do better (a few may even come out ahead).
Sapphire Plus required 500,000 points, while Ruby took 1 million. In all three cases, that's very meaningful money wagered, but the perks for hitting those top tiers were also very meaningful. Ruby members, for example, get $500 in FreePlay on any cruise 4 nights or longer, a free internet package, and a free classic beverage package on each cruise after they attain the status.
Celebrity Cruises shared a few months ago that it would end its casino year (which had actually gone on for roughly 3 years due to the Covid pandemic) on July 31. Traditionally, when that happens, anyone who earned status and benefits in the past year would keep them for the next year.
But that's not what happened.
Image source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
Celebrity made major changes
In most cases, when a cruise line changes its casino program, it does so for the following year. This means that passengers who made the investment earn certain perks they can enjoy from the time they hit that tier and for a full year after.
That is why it was shocking when Celebrity Cruises shared the benefits for the casino year beginning August 1. It did not include the guaranteed FreePlay for Sapphire ($500), Sapphire Plus ($1,000), and Ruby ($2,500). It also completely dropped the drink package benefit and removed included gratuities from Ruby members.
The original benefit honored the FreePlay for cruises paid in full by August 1 (and longer in some cases based on loyalty program tiers), but Celebrity did not honor the drink package benefit. That's a perk worth roughly $80 per day, so losing it has a meaningful financial impact on people who had already booked cruises (and, in many cases, made budget choices).
The new benefits added included discounts in Effy jewelry store and spa discounts, Celebrity also revamped the FreePlay system to reward Blue Chip members for their play on each sailing rather than the previous benefit offered on every cruise.
These changes caused significant anger on social media because Celebrity's Blue Chip members felt that their earned perks — the reason many of them invested so heavily in gambling onboard — should be honored for the year they earned them.
To its credit, Celebrity Cruises did something few corporations do — it listened to its customers and rolled back many of the changes.
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Celebrity Cruises delays casino changes
Outrage over the changes taking effect in the coming casino year was loud, with many posts sharing Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge's email along with other top executive emails.
Celebrity, also to its credit, issued a second email a day after the changes that addressed the root cause of why many Blue Chip members were angry.
"Yesterday, we announced some changes to the Celebrity Blue Chip Club program. The feedback we received from you in the last 24 hours made it clear that we did not roll out these changes the way we should have. We are very sorry for the stress this may have caused you and would like to share how we are addressing this," the cruise line shared via email.
The cruise line essentially restored the drink and FreePlay benefits, not for the entire year, but for booked and paid-for cruises.
"On August 1, 2024, you will retain your current Tier Status for the next 12 months until July 31, 2025. You will continue to receive the same FreePlay benefits, beverage package benefits, and prepaid gratuity benefits of the previous program based on your tier for bookings fully paid and confirmed prior to August 1, 2024, with a sail-by date on or before July 31, 2025 (sailings must be 4 nights or longer)," it added.
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Top-tier Captain's Club members also get an extended period to book and pay for cruises where they will get the old benefits.
- Elite: Book by October 30, 2024 and sail on or before July 31, 2025
- Elite Plus: Book by January 31, 2025 and sail on or before July 31, 2025
- Zenith: Book by and sail on or before July 31, 2025
In theory, the drink benefits and guaranteed FreePlay will end when the 2024/25 Blue Chip casino year ends on July 31, 2025. The cruise line, however, could opt to delay or even drop those changes based on passenger feedback.
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