Disappointed with the direction DCL is heading.

[cgolf]

How about if I could transfer my Platinum CC status to another cruise line?

Now that would be awesome Maybe if DCL changes some more things, maybe other lines will start to offer some promos to get DCL cruisers to try another line

 

[holula]

How about if I could transfer my Platinum CC status to another cruise line?

I'm a lowly Gold on Royal but probably get better benefits than Platinum does on Disney. I'm wondering if I will ever actually get to Platinum on DCL now, and I only have one more cruise to take!

 

[orion2185]

Try being a castaway club member who lives overseas
Zero perks that us based member get

No bounce back offer or discounts are ever passed onto international members

Of course you still get the perks whilst onboard
But really in our eyes they are not perks
Except to early booking Windows
But there are so many castaway members ...the early window does not really offer any benefit. As plat members still have issues booking certain items.

Keep in mind too other cruise lines have massive ships with allot more staterooms to offset costs. Which also means more bodies to spend extra $$$ on board

We worked as entertainers on many cruise lines
And some cruise companies will shock you at their operating costs
And majority of their sailings are done as a net Financial Loss.
Even if they sail at 100% occupancy The staterooms do not cover the operating costs for that sailing.
Over 60% of income come from the extras onboard
And some lines that mostly come from alcohol
These other cruise lines need each guest to spend x dollar per person to break even.
Which of course does not happen. Some guest spend nothing more out of pocket. Whilst others make upmformthose guest who don't spend any more out of pocket.

DCL is not the cheapest and certainly not the most expensive cruise line out there

While we agree the price is high
Try being an international guest with forgiven currency conversions

For the Aussie to US dollar as its sitting
We pay double if not more

Then consider it cost anywhere for $6 to $10k just for airfare to get to port
Then add your cruise cost etc
It's certainly getting up there

We just wished that international guest would get,some discounts
Or even access to bounce back offers
Due to the extreme cost to travel to port
Which will help,offset the cost of trip

But Disney has had in recent years a surge of overseas guest
So there is no need to offer any discounts and if they did the people who took advantage of the discount would be so small...it's a nothing number to Disney.

As its not easy for overseas guest to jump on any last min offer or deals


We can see disneys side of things as well
They put up their prices
Ships are still,sailing over 90%
So the numbers guys says we can increase the price

Only when DCL takes a huge hit in occupancy numbers
Will we see the prices come down
However DCL operating cost don't go down
So DCL will have to adjust offerings and make big changes for them to reduce the price.

Which then in term upsets their customer base
While the piece gets lowered
So does the service offerings and be fits of a Disney cruise

They are for profit company and will never give anything away for free

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I don't think think that's what was being said. Preferable customers for any luxury company, including Disney, are those who have plenty of disposable income and with whom they can form a company/customer relationship over decades. These types of customers tend to purchase premium items and services, refer friends and family and become sort of "brand ambassadors." All luxury brands court the customers with plenty of time and money to spend.

I disagree in that I don't believe Disney or DCL is a luxury brand anymore. They price themselves closer to the Crystal, Cunard, Seaborn etc. true luxury lines, but they provide an experience that is far closer to the mass market lines.

IMO DCL has been pretty consistently chipping away at the things that made them that in between line.

I'm not sure how you define a "chronicly unsatisfied" customer that they're happy to see walk away, but I can't imagine their image for service (which I think is way overinflated at this point) will take many more hits if they stop trying to address costumer issues and complaints.

Maybe they were happy to see me go? When I check in to my new stateroom and find blood stained sheets on the bed and poop smeared on a towel (oh how I wish I were exaggerating), I'm ok being seen as an unsatisfied guest.

I'm starting to think that Disney's ideal customer is one with disposable income who doesn't really know what luxury service is supposed to look like.

 

[texas disney mom]

Try being a castaway club member who lives overseas
Zero perks that us based member get

No bounce back offer or discounts are ever passed onto international members

Of course you still get the perks whilst onboard
But really in our eyes they are not perks
Except to early booking Windows
But there are so many castaway members ...the early window does not really offer any benefit. As plat members still have issues booking certain items.

Keep in mind too other cruise lines have massive ships with allot more staterooms to offset costs. Which also means more bodies to spend extra $$$ on board

We worked as entertainers on many cruise lines
And some cruise companies will shock you at their operating costs
And majority of their sailings are done as a net Financial Loss.
Even if they sail at 100% occupancy The staterooms do not cover the operating costs for that sailing.
Over 60% of income come from the extras onboard
And some lines that mostly come from alcohol
These other cruise lines need each guest to spend x dollar per person to break even.
Which of course does not happen. Some guest spend nothing more out of pocket. Whilst others make upmformthose guest who don't spend any more out of pocket.

DCL is not the cheapest and certainly not the most expensive cruise line out there

While we agree the price is high
Try being an international guest with forgiven currency conversions

For the Aussie to US dollar as its sitting
We pay double if not more

Then consider it cost anywhere for $6 to $10k just for airfare to get to port
Then add your cruise cost etc
It's certainly getting up there

We just wished that international guest would get,some discounts
Or even access to bounce back offers
Due to the extreme cost to travel to port
Which will help,offset the cost of trip

But Disney has had in recent years a surge of overseas guest
So there is no need to offer any discounts and if they did the people who took advantage of the discount would be so small...it's a nothing number to Disney.

As its not easy for overseas guest to jump on any last min offer or deals


We can see disneys side of things as well
They put up their prices
Ships are still,sailing over 90%
So the numbers guys says we can increase the price

Only when DCL takes a huge hit in occupancy numbers
Will we see the prices come down
However DCL operating cost don't go down
So DCL will have to adjust offerings and make big changes for them to reduce the price.

Which then in term upsets their customer base
While the piece gets lowered
So does the service offerings and be fits of a Disney cruise

They are for profit company and will never give anything away for free

Not sure why an international guest should get a discount not available to a us based guest? Just curious. But then I also do not understand Florida discounts.

 

[CesD]

Full disclosure, I'm a former CM of the Walt Disney Company as part of my professional career in hospitality and would work for them again in a heartbeat if I didn't have to leave AZ to do it. I also love DCL, they are responsible for me falling in love with cruise vacations.

I would love to continue sailing DCL as well but the price is just not justifiable anymore. Over the weekend we decided to do a cruise in October 2016 for kids and wife fall break. Choices were 2 connecting insides on the Fantasy western Caribbean deck 8 for $6016 for the 4 of us. I then found a western Caribbean out of Galveston on RCCL Liberty of the Seas, (Freedom class), same itinerary minus CC, 2 connecting insides on her for $2800 for the 4 of us. She is going into dry dock soon and getting 3 water slides and a new class of cabins on deck 12, the Panoramic Ocean View that Freedom of the Seas just got. I ended up booking one of the Family Panoramic cabins that sleeps 6, is over 400 square feet and has 1 and 1/2 bathrooms. I had to pay for 5 people to be able to book this cabin but it ended up priced at $2963 for this room:
View attachment 131584
The wall of glass is 7 feet tall and over 25 feet long. It has a full size sofa sleeper next to the 2 chairs and a bunk room with its own closet and privacy curtain.

I could not turn down this price. I'm still planning on booking the Fantasy for June 2017 when dates are released but this will give me a chance to test the other waters, (pun intended).

I had the same experience. We also have a fall break which gives us better pricing. For 2016, the price for similar itineraries on RC was HALF the price in a better category stateroom than on Disney..

 

[SonicGuy]

Well, most companies run on the "money now" principle. They are not our grandparents, sitting on mattresses stuffed full of cash and fearing the next Depression. It's all about the stockholders and what they bring in this quarter. It will flow back. It always does. And when it does, they will not need to have a staff of 2500 people with full benefits to handle calls about vacations being ruined because there were no towel sculptures in the room and "what are you going to do to make it up to us?"

You know your comment made me think - being a CEO today is a lot like being a college (or even professional) football coach. Win or go away. Just like coaches that have even a slightly off season and get canned, many CEO's face a similar situation. We are no longer a long-term thinking society. Its all about now.

 

[perdidobay]

I disagree in that I don't believe Disney or DCL is a luxury brand anymore. They price themselves closer to the Crystal, Cunard, Seaborn etc. true luxury lines, but they provide an experience that is far closer to the mass market lines.

IMO DCL has been pretty consistently chipping away at the things that made them that in between line.

I'm not sure how you define a "chronicly unsatisfied" customer that they're happy to see walk away, but I can't imagine their image for service (which I think is way overinflated at this point) will take many more hits if they stop trying to address costumer issues and complaints.

Maybe they were happy to see me go? When I check in to my new stateroom and find blood stained sheets on the bed and poop smeared on a towel (oh how I wish I were exaggerating), I'm ok being seen as an unsatisfied guest.

I'm starting to think that Disney's ideal customer is one with disposable income who doesn't really know what luxury service is supposed to look like.

This!

 

[jahber]

Try being a castaway club member who lives overseas
Zero perks that us based member get

No bounce back offer or discounts are ever passed onto international members

Of course you still get the perks whilst onboard
But really in our eyes they are not perks
Except to early booking Windows
But there are so many castaway members ...the early window does not really offer any benefit. As plat members still have issues booking certain items.

Keep in mind too other cruise lines have massive ships with allot more staterooms to offset costs. Which also means more bodies to spend extra $$$ on board

We worked as entertainers on many cruise lines
And some cruise companies will shock you at their operating costs
And majority of their sailings are done as a net Financial Loss.
Even if they sail at 100% occupancy The staterooms do not cover the operating costs for that sailing.
Over 60% of income come from the extras onboard
And some lines that mostly come from alcohol
These other cruise lines need each guest to spend x dollar per person to break even.
Which of course does not happen. Some guest spend nothing more out of pocket. Whilst others make upmformthose guest who don't spend any more out of pocket.

DCL is not the cheapest and certainly not the most expensive cruise line out there

While we agree the price is high
Try being an international guest with forgiven currency conversions

For the Aussie to US dollar as its sitting
We pay double if not more

Then consider it cost anywhere for $6 to $10k just for airfare to get to port
Then add your cruise cost etc
It's certainly getting up there

We just wished that international guest would get,some discounts
Or even access to bounce back offers
Due to the extreme cost to travel to port
Which will help,offset the cost of trip

But Disney has had in recent years a surge of overseas guest
So there is no need to offer any discounts and if they did the people who took advantage of the discount would be so small...it's a nothing number to Disney.

As its not easy for overseas guest to jump on any last min offer or deals


We can see disneys side of things as well
They put up their prices
Ships are still,sailing over 90%
So the numbers guys says we can increase the price

Only when DCL takes a huge hit in occupancy numbers
Will we see the prices come down
However DCL operating cost don't go down
So DCL will have to adjust offerings and make big changes for them to reduce the price.

Which then in term upsets their customer base
While the piece gets lowered
So does the service offerings and be fits of a Disney cruise

They are for profit company and will never give anything away for free

I completely sympathize with having to deal with exchange rates and travel expenses (although, to be fair, if I want to travel to Australia for a cruise, I have to deal with the same). But can you specify what other benefits we get as US citizens? There are no "bounce back" offers on cruises--just the on board booking discount. Do you not get that, too? If not, that's terrible!

 

[holula]

I completely sympathize with having to deal with exchange rates and travel expenses (although, to be fair, if I want to travel to Australia for a cruise, I have to deal with the same). But can you specify what other benefits we get as US citizens? There are no "bounce back" offers on cruises--just the on board booking discount. Do you not get that, too? If not, that's terrible!

They should get that. The first cruise we took, we lived in the UK and got that offer.

 

[Sanchez]

I'm starting to think that Disney's ideal customer is one with disposable income who doesn't really know what luxury service is supposed to look like.

I think you are on to something here. Deluxe hotels that are far from deluxe and share the qualities of an Embassy Suites is a good place to start. Bland food for the masses at exorbitant prices. Disney succeeds in getting people to pay luxury prices for average quality.

As to DCL, the proof is in the steady diet of cabana and concierge brag posts on the DIS. The fervor in which people pursue cabanas is incomprehensible to me. Getting one (or "snagging" one in DIS terms) is the equivalent of winning the lottery to some and they are quite pleased to pay $600. Disney creates a service, situates the service so that all can see how the other half lives (the envy factor), limits the availability, creates a competitive hierarchy to reserve the service (the feeding frenzy), and attaches a fee that would make one think they will experience luxury. If people think it is true then it is. Instant luxury - even when it isn't.

The same is true with concierge. Add some coffee, middle shelf liquor, someone to get stuff for you, and other inexpensive perks to the standard cruise experience and create a frenzy. This passes for luxury service.

 

[Summerl30]

We also LOVE DCL but even my DH is getting gun shy about the pricing and with the extra we tack on for the exchange rate, it's crazy.

On another thread I posted how for March 2017...for the week our daughter has March break we could sale RCCL Allure of the Seas 7-night eastern Caribbean for $4478 Canadian in a superior ocean balcony stateroom (232 sq ft)

The same week cruise on the Fantasy in a 5A balcony (246 sq ft) is $5777 US...then tack on another 30% with the exchange...then you're close to $7700 Canadian! Even with the "nickel and diming" I hear about on RCCL, I don't think it would add up to the over $3200 difference.



Funny, the people I know with deep pockets are the ones who always look for the extra angle to hold on to a dollar

I know! Until the CAD is doing better, this is NOT a good deal AT ALL. Many of the other lines are offering 10-11% exchange rates if you pay in CAD. You have to pay for disney in USD, so this isn't an option. last year they had some canadian deals. Maybe they will again?

 

[littleblackegg]

I disagree in that I don't believe Disney or DCL is a luxury brand anymore. They price themselves closer to the Crystal, Cunard, Seaborn etc. true luxury lines, but they provide an experience that is far closer to the mass market lines.

IMO DCL has been pretty consistently chipping away at the things that made them that in between line.

I'm not sure how you define a "chronicly unsatisfied" customer that they're happy to see walk away, but I can't imagine their image for service (which I think is way overinflated at this point) will take many more hits if they stop trying to address costumer issues and complaints.

Maybe they were happy to see me go? When I check in to my new stateroom and find blood stained sheets on the bed and poop smeared on a towel (oh how I wish I were exaggerating), I'm ok being seen as an unsatisfied guest.

I'm starting to think that Disney's ideal customer is one with disposable income who doesn't really know what luxury service is supposed to look like.

I thought I described very thoroughly what businesses consider to be the chronically dissatisfied customer, as well as some of the new ways they were allowing them to walk away because maintaining them is no longer cost effective in the short term. Customers with legitimate complaints about safety or hygiene are not unsatisfied, because they have reasonable expectations that can be managed by the staff without additional resources. Unreasonable people will not be placated when their initial concerns are solved, and feel entitled to perks and monetary compensation (and perhaps litigation). When a company begins this habit, they quickly become inundated with customer service demands they can't meet or afford. There was an excellent article about this in the wsj a few years ago about the Ritz Carlton and how they were restructuring their customer service. I'm not sure where I implied a personal disdain for legitimate complaints or implied that these were the customers that many businesses are taking a new approach with. I totally apologize for any confusion. As for Disney specifically, I think you are correct in that they price themselves as a luxury line but do not offer the luxury of Cunard or Crystal. People pay for it though, and feel they are getting a luxurious experience.

 

[texas disney mom]

I think you are on to something here. Deluxe hotels that are far from deluxe and share the qualities of an Embassy Suites is a good place to start. Bland food for the masses at exorbitant prices. Disney succeeds in getting people to pay luxury prices for average quality.

As to DCL, the proof is in the steady diet of cabana and concierge brag posts on the DIS. The fervor in which people pursue cabanas is incomprehensible to me. Getting one (or "snagging" one in DIS terms) is the equivalent of winning the lottery to some and they are quite pleased to pay $600. Disney creates a service, situates the service so that all can see how the other half lives (the envy factor), limits the availability, creates a competitive hierarchy to reserve the service (the feeding frenzy), and attaches a fee that would make one think they will experience luxury. If people think it is true then it is. Instant luxury - even when it isn't.

The same is true with concierge. Add some coffee, middle shelf liquor, someone to get stuff for you, and other inexpensive perks to the standard cruise experience and create a frenzy. This passes for luxury service.

Great post. The cabana maybe, but concierge? I have trouble realizing the value. I know everyone likes different things.

 

[Flossbolna]

I live in Germany and have no problem getting the onboard booking discount. I also never experienced not having the same benefits from Castaway Club as if I lived in the US.

 

[cquick]

With the changes that DCL has implemented with charging extra for bar food, increase in Palo cost, the new alcohol policy and charging for ice cream on the Dream, it seems they are doing what every other cruise line is doing. That wouldn't be so bad except we pay a premium to sail on DCL. After sailing 17 times I feel Castaway Club memebrs get shortchanged on the benefits for being repeat cruisers. I really didn't mind paying the extra cost of the cruise on DCL because it was generally "all inclusive" with the exception of alcohol but now not so much. We have b2b booked for March but after that we might have to look elsewhere. Guess I'm just bummed about the whole situation with them.

I'm wondering too. But since we have gone on about the same number as you, I feel so comfortable knowing the cruiseline so well. And I do think the castmembers on the ship are the friendliest we have met.

 

[cquick]

Has anyone tried one of the "all inclusive" cruises? Just askin'.

 

[orion2185]

I completely sympathize with having to deal with exchange rates and travel expenses (although, to be fair, if I want to travel to Australia for a cruise, I have to deal with the same). But can you specify what other benefits we get as US citizens? There are no "bounce back" offers on cruises--just the on board booking discount. Do you not get that, too? If not, that's terrible!

Yes there are bounce back offers for DCL
My mother who lives in USA gets them frequently

I have often attempted to use her offer...but get told no when trying to book using it.

I will have to ask her to email me the pack she gets in the mail to prove DCL is sending her these offers.

 

[jahber]

Yes there are bounce back offers for DCL
My mother who lives in USA gets them frequently

I have often attempted to use her offer...but get told no when trying to book using it.

I will have to ask her to email me the pack she gets in the mail to prove DCL is sending her these offers.

Huh. I've never heard of that. There's a 10% off coupon that some people get after their first cruise (we got one and it hooked us, that's for sure), but I don't recall anyone mentioning being mailed anything else. And certainly not with any frequency. Anyone else get those? Because I'd sure like to get on that list!

 

[DCLDVC1]

I like many of the changes that have recently been made, or are being made - adding a Concierge Lounge on the Magic, adding a restroom near the cabanas, updated Dream kids club, hot tub and shade added to the Dream Concierge Sundeck and Satellite Falls added to the Dream are just a few of the upgrades that add value.