How many Castaway Club members are there?

[over50visits]

Has anyone ever seen any official (from a Disney employee) information on the mix of CC members on a cruise? How many are silver, gold, platinum, and how many are first time cruisers?

Just wondering. I'd make this a poll, but probably DIS participants aren't representative of the general cruisers.

Also, we've see a few small changes, probably reflecting the growth of the CC membership. Remember when the onboard reception was for all members...now you have to be gold or above. Remember the special events for Platinum members? They are gone.

We also hear of times when terminal check-in for Platinum in the concierge area is denied (even though it appears to be listed on the CC Disney website).

Are we approaching the day when platinum level isn't rare, but more the norm? Wonder if a new level will appear someday?

 

[jdb in AZ]

Has anyone ever seen any official (from a Disney employee) information on the mix of CC members on a cruise? How many are silver, gold, platinum, and how many are first time cruisers?

Just wondering. I'd make this a poll, but probably DIS participants aren't representative of the general cruisers.

Also, we've see a few small changes, probably reflecting the growth of the CC membership. Remember when the onboard reception was for all members...now you have to be gold or above. Remember the special events for Platinum members? They are gone.

We also hear of times when terminal check-in for Platinum in the concierge area is denied (even though it appears to be listed on the CC Disney website).

Are we approaching the day when platinum level isn't rare, but more the norm? Wonder if a new level will appear someday?

The percentages vary from cruise to cruise. On the first Hawaiian cruise April/May 2012, over half the passengers were platinum. New cruisers often start with the shorter 3-4 day cruises, so I suspect the percentage of returning cruisers on the Dream would be much lower.

 

[over50visits]

The percentages vary from cruise to cruise. On the first Hawaiian cruise April/May 2012, over half the passengers were platinum. New cruisers often start with the shorter 3-4 day cruises, so I suspect the percentage of returning cruisers on the Dream would be much lower.

Just interested, was that reliable information? 1/2 platinum seems really high!

 

[faithfullyeeyore]

As PP said, it varies from cruise to cruise. During the Castaway Welcome back (gold and above) the captain will make an announcement on how many silver, gold, platinum are on board along with who has sailed the most. My last cruise a couple had sailed 43 times!!!!! He also informs us of how many newbies are on board and they always outnumber CC members! No perks for platinum have been taken away since the first year, to my knowledge. I've been a member since '07.... Which kinda makes me sound like a newbie myself! Lol

 

[clten]

For the first Hawaii cruise, I thought the 50% platinum was a low when I heard that figure on the cruise because just about everyone we met were platinum! Remember that cruise sold out when it was just in the pre-sale phase open to gold/platinum only, and I'm sure there were people who were gold when they booked it but became platinum by time they sailed! There were a few people able to slip in later when there were cancellations but the majority of people who booked it that first day sailed.

They have taken away platinum benefits. In fact the first time I saw the change was on that Hawaii sailing. I thought they removed the experience because they had too many platinum guests to be able to offer it and figured when we sailed a couple months later it would be back. But it hasn't returned. The "experience" has been replaced by "buy something and we'll give you something either at a discount or free" -- not exactly the same thing as having a unique experience. They changed the shopping discount from $25 for totals over $100 spent (so basically about a 25% discount) to 10%.

As far as the original question, they do tell you when you are at the Castaway Club reception the breakdown of platinum/gold/silver/first timers. On an average sailing (at least the ones I've been on, which are usually at least 7 days), about 40-50% of the passengers are Castaway Club members. We've been on sailings where less than 300 were gold/platinum and been on some where that number is over 1000.

I do think that the levels were not placed far enough away from each other when they set them up. So the # in the platinum level is too high for it to really be an "elite" level. (Which is why they've had to scale back the perks.) I do hope a change is coming. But I know when it does, it's going to cause a brouhaha! I'd like them to set it up where they can offer the perks they say they are going to have and keep them meaningful for longer than a year!

 

[over50visits]

I do hope a change is coming. But I know when it does, it's going to cause a brouhaha! I'd like them to set it up where they can offer the perks they say they are going to have and keep them meaningful for longer than a year!

CC is a loyalty program. Thus, I suggest their criterion should be the number of Disney cruises you have taken MINUS the number of cruises you've taken on other cruise lines.**

I'm reasonably certain they will change the rules/levels some day. Won't that be a blast to discuss about here on the DIS! I can see it already...."it's not fair"....they should have done it <this> way.....what fun is going to be had!

**Just joking, folks.

 

[PrettyPrincessJen]

If there was a change I would hope the levels would correspond to number of days instead of number of cruises.

 

[carmie3377]

If there was a change I would hope the levels would correspond to number of days instead of number of cruises.

That would be nice! Hubby and I have sailed 35 nights with Disney but only 4 cruises. We've still got one more just to get GOLD status. Some with 35 nights are platinum +

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[jrg]

That would be nice! Hubby and I have sailed 35 nights with Disney but only 4 cruises. We've still got one more just to get GOLD status. Some with 35 nights are platinum +

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I totaly agree with you. DCL should really rethink their loyalty progam. We are friends with several platinum families that have sailed under 40 days. My family of 4 has been on 5 DCL cruises for 36 days of sailing. We are sailing in a couple of weeks with another family. We will be new gold CC members and at the end of the cruise we will have sailed 43 days and the other family will be completing their 12th cruise for a total of 45 days. Something just doesn't seem right!

 

[MAYNARDS99]

NCL, Norwegian, switched from number of cruises to number of days. It does make more sense. Southwest Airlines does something similar based upon the price of your ticket. Spend more, earn more points.

I do like that my quickie cruises on Celebrity and Disney advance me quickly up the ladder though!

 

[lbgraves]

Just interested, was that reliable information? 1/2 platinum seems really high!

The Fantasy's MV had an even higher percentage of platinum cruisers. Everything sold out within a very short time of the 120 day mark opening up. The rest of us knew that we didn't have a chance at Palo or any cabanas.

 

[jdb in AZ]

That would be nice! Hubby and I have sailed 35 nights with Disney but only 4 cruises. We've still got one more just to get GOLD status. Some with 35 nights are platinum +

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It took us 51 days to reach gold. I really don't think a 2-day cruise to nowhere should count the same as a 15-day through the Panama Canal.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It took us 51 days to reach gold. I really don't think a 2-day cruise to nowhere should count the same as a 15-day through the Panama Canal.

We're right there with you - it took us 53 nights to make Gold.

 

[carmie3377]

It took us 51 days to reach gold. I really don't think a 2-day cruise to nowhere should count the same as a 15-day through the Panama Canal.

Wow, we'll only be at 42 before gold, lol! Unless attached to a longer cruise, I just refuse to do shorter than a week. ( Well, we did a 6 nt but that was close enough. ) But finally a little something in our favor, there is a 3 nt repo back to PC after the last Southern we are booked on. With the current system, I wished we had done the 2 nt cruise to nowhere after the 2011 Panama Canal

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[Spurr002]

I agree! It's weird to think a 2 night cruise to nowhere (back when the Magic sailed hers) counts as the same notch in your belt as a 15 night repositioning cruise or anywhere in between!

ETA: Oops, I meant to quote jdb in AZ 's post! But you guys get it

 

[lilpooh108]

I hope they revamp the program and introduce some more Platinum perks. We just made gold and while we LOVE DCL, it can be hard for us to find interesting itineraries in order to make Platinum.

Maybe they can add in an extra level above Platinum (IHG hotels have Plats, Ambassdor and Royal Ambassador). We'd strive to make higher levels if the perks were good enough.

 

[Mystery Fan]

If days are counted to reach higher club levels, might as well consider a room category factor too. Those that pay conceirge or 4A vs. category 11, etc.

 

[lbgraves]

...Maybe they can add in an extra level above Platinum (IHG hotels have Plats, Ambassdor and Royal Ambassador). We'd strive to make higher levels if the perks were good enough.

Hmmm...maybe Royal Mouse?

 

[jrabbit]

If days are counted to reach higher club levels, might as well consider a room category factor too. Those that pay conceirge or 4A vs. category 11, etc.

And from what I've heard, DCL does make more money on the 3 and 4 night cruises than the longer ones.

But then again there are the Florida rates for the locals on many of the cruises. Do those nights count as much as the rest of us paying full fare?

The 14/15 night Panama Canal cruises are probably the least profitable to DCL - it costs a LOT of money to transit the canal $300,000+ each way. And most of the rooms only have 2 passengers ...

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Yea, so bottom line, if and when DCL changes the loyalty program, there will be lots and lots of us not happy. Probably me included. I have 90 nights on board in 12 cruises (average of 7.5 nights/cruise). I started cruising DCL in '99 and it took me 14 years to get to platinum.

 

[Kendal]

I agree with everyone here but when it comes down to it being a 7 day a 15 day or a two day it's ur choice.... The way it stands now 5 cursor to be gold... So why not do a 2,3,4 night cruise you could be topped out faster that way and have the same amount of days as for say a longer cruise

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