Anyone think status should be based on days cruised rather than cruises?

[we"reofftoneverland]

I blame the people willing to pay the ridiculous prices. I think a lot of people become travel agents for the perks. I can't really blame them.

I agree to some extent but it is DCL who has set up the system. That's actually what's interesting about DCL-- they really do not let the market work. And I do not blame travel agents for exploiting the situation at all. We use 2 travel agents and love them!

 

[cruiser21]

If people weren't willing to pay the high prices dcl would lower the prices. There not just going to fill ships with travel agents. I really don't see it as travel agents exploiting the situation. Most of them probably became travel agents or flight attendants because they love to travel and this is a perk that goes along with it. They also get discounts on resorts, car rentals, airlines tickets etc. I got hired as a flight attendant years ago. My biggest regret is not taking the offer. I chose a different career that I hate.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

If people weren't willing to pay the high prices dcl would lower the prices. There not just going to fill ships with travel agents. I really don't see it as travel agents exploiting the situation. Most of them probably became travel agents or flight attendants because they love to travel and this is a perk that goes along with it. They also get discounts on resorts, car rentals, airlines tickets etc. I got hired as a flight attendant years ago. My biggest regret is not taking the offer. I chose a different career that I hate.

I just do not fully buy that. I do not think most people realize to what extent they are subsidizing fares for others with DCL.

 

[bbel]

Yeah, that's false.

I've tracked the CM rates over the last few years and they are low, but not as low as you are making them out to be.

Actually, they can be that low. I can upload the photo to prove it if you want?

 

[Trera]

Actually, they can be that low. I can upload the photo to prove it if you want?

Guess that would be a great perk of being a Disney CM. I wonder if there is a limit on how often you can go and how many in your party get the discounted rate?

 

[Dug720]

Guess that would be a great perk of being a Disney CM. I wonder if there is a limit on how often you can go and how many in your party get the discounted rate?

Primary limit would be time off. And yes - it is usually your room only. Unless it is a friends and family - then you do not have to be in the room (unless it has changed) - but I am pretty sure there is a limit.

 

[bbel]

Guess that would be a great perk of being a Disney CM. I wonder if there is a limit on how often you can go and how many in your party get the discounted rate?

I mean they certainly don't fill the ship with CMs as some apparently think.
Yes you can get great deals. But you don't really get a choice. And they're normally only released a few weeks before, so if you're a planner it's not much good. Some months it might only be Magic cruises offered. Or only inside cabins. I've seen a few months when it's only one option on one cruise offered. Perfect if you just want to get away but not if you want to choose where to go.
Usually There's no limit and you can book for as many as it will allow. But as it's usually only one category available for the cruise available there's not that many spaces. But sometimes the offer is as long as the CM sails in the same room.
However, if your a DCL CM you'll probably never use the offers. I don't want to go to work on vacation. It's a good deal for American crew whose family want to sail though.

 

[Billinaz]

No. This isn't the way it's done in the cruise industry. Do you want to deny our military from becoming platinum because they get a discount? What about cast members?

I think the way the cruise industry does their loyalty programs is fine(DCL excluded because they really don't have one). I would think their goal is loyalty. Why should it would make a difference if it's the family that can only afford 4 day cruises in an inside stateroom or the family like your's that can afford concierge everytime to all destinations. Each type of family has choices and I would think a cruiseline would appreciate them equally. Filling hundreds of inside rooms is just as important as filling the half dozen suites.

The military discount isnt a large enough amount to make a large difference, however if sailing on cast member rates, then yes, I dont think that should count at all.

 

[Trera]

I mean they certainly don't fill the ship with CMs as some apparently think.
Yes you can get great deals. But you don't really get a choice. And they're normally only released a few weeks before, so if you're a planner it's not much good. Some months it might only be Magic cruises offered. Or only inside cabins. I've seen a few months when it's only one option on one cruise offered. Perfect if you just want to get away but not if you want to choose where to go.
Usually There's no limit and you can book for as many as it will allow. But as it's usually only one category available for the cruise available there's not that many spaces. But sometimes the offer is as long as the CM sails in the same room.
However, if your a DCL CM you'll probably never use the offers. I don't want to go to work on vacation. It's a good deal for American crew whose family want to sail though.

I was thinking it would also include CMs at the parks, hotels, administrative offices, etc.......................not just DCL CMs

 

[Billinaz]

Since the loyalty levels are individually awarded, it shouldn't be part of the rationalization that "I paid for 5 people, so we all should be awarded a higher level."

While I realize it's only my thoughts, I think "loyalty" should be determined by how long you've cruised with any given cruise line (number of nights cruised, not number of cruises). Because number of cruises makes things really unequal - one 4 night cruise being equal to a 15 night cruise.

Just tracking number of nights cruised, equals the playing field more, IMO.

If I pay $20 dollars for a meal at one restaurant, and $50 for the same meal at another restaurant, who am I "loyal" to? For me, I'd be loyal to the restaurant that only charges me $20, as I will choose to return there again. The $50 meal? I'd probably only do that once.

I get what youre saying, but if they want to keep their "top paying" customers, they need to come up with more perks to go over and above the high tier loyalty level. Like in Vegas, their "high paying" customers get some pretty good perks that us mere mortals dont get. I dont get the perks or deals they may get when going back to the same hotel.

 

[mmmears]

I was thinking it would also include CMs at the parks, hotels, administrative offices, etc.......................not just DCL CMs

It is. I have a (Disney loving) local friend who took a very part time 2nd job with Disney (not in FL) and she said the discounts for hotels and cruises are pretty significant.

 

[cruiser21]

The military discount isnt a large enough amount to make a large difference, however if sailing on cast member rates, then yes, I dont think that should count at all.

You don't want the cast members to get a free meal at Palo? What's the big deal? Is it the fruit plate you don't think they should get? They're certainly not going to be booking on opening day. DCl offers so few platinum perks I still can't figure out why it' would matter.

 

[cruiser21]

It is. I have a (Disney loving) local friend who took a very part time 2nd job with Disney (not in FL) and she said the discounts for hotels and cruises are pretty significant.

Disneys not known for its high wages. At least they get that.

 

[mmmears]

Disneys not known for its high wages. At least they get that.

Again, something I didn't ask about, but she said she isn't making much money but she's having fun and said the discounts are wonderful. This is a person who already has a very good full time job so it wasn't really about what they are paying.

 

[cruiser21]

Again, something I didn't ask about, but she said she isn't making much money but she's having fun and said the discounts are wonderful. This is a person who already has a very good full time job so it wasn't really about what they are paying.

Sounds like a fun part time job.

 

[bbel]

I was thinking it would also include CMs at the parks, hotels, administrative offices, etc.......................not just DCL CMs

They do, as well as stuff like ABC, ESPN...but then those people are most likely going to have to book time off work prior to a cruise, and these deal, especially the really good $30 ones, often come too late to plan all that.
Recently the deals haven't been as good as they used to be either (I have a friend onboard that regularly sends them to me trying to get me to cruise...Once Ive paid for flights on top of the 'deal', I could still go somewhere that I actually want to go (i.e, not Nassau), for the same price or cheaper.).

Now, if you want a really good deal, you need to make very good friends with an officer who will let you stay in their cabin

 

[mmmears]

Sounds like a fun part time job.

Yeah, I'd like to have a job like that just for the discounts.

 

[Billinaz]

You don't want the cast members to get a free meal at Palo? What's the big deal? Is it the fruit plate you don't think they should get? They're certainly not going to be booking on opening day. DCl offers so few platinum perks I still can't figure out why it' would matter.

The Plat level is way too low for a top tier level, they do need a higher level.

That being said, this entire thread is about people frustrated some got to plat whole they are stuck on silver or gold and are expressing what they feel is unfairness.

Like other travel industry employee perks, not accruing status by using deeply discounted employee rates should be the rule.

The plat level is so diminished in perks that they really need to rethink it and increase them.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I mean they certainly don't fill the ship with CMs as some apparently think.
Yes you can get great deals. But you don't really get a choice. And they're normally only released a few weeks before, so if you're a planner it's not much good. Some months it might only be Magic cruises offered. Or only inside cabins. I've seen a few months when it's only one option on one cruise offered. Perfect if you just want to get away but not if you want to choose where to go.
Usually There's no limit and you can book for as many as it will allow. But as it's usually only one category available for the cruise available there's not that many spaces. But sometimes the offer is as long as the CM sails in the same room.
However, if your a DCL CM you'll probably never use the offers. I don't want to go to work on vacation. It's a good deal for American crew whose family want to sail though.

Of course they fill the ships with CMs. Disney is a huge company. They have something like 200,000 employees. Employees also take family with them. They also fill the ships with interline/travel industry rates, which is an exponentially larger population pool than Disney employees. I suspect the people on these boards defending Disney cruise line all the time have access to those rates which can start in the range of $25/ night. Do the math. Disney does this so that they can say their ships are full and so that the rest of the population will pay ridiculously inflated rates for cruises. It is a weird and very discriminatory system. And it says a lot about Disney as a corporation. Sure all corporations exist to make money. But anyone who has worked for more than one corporation can tell you that they are like people-- all different. All corporations have different ethos. There are some you want to work for and some you don't, for example. Disney as it exists today is a strange corporation. And I love Disney history, the parks, all of it, but the Disney corporation today doesn't give me good feelings. Other travel/leisure industry companies do.

 

[cruiser21]

I really don't think DCL would be profitable if they were filling the ships with CM's. There is really no way to tell how many cast members or travel agents are on any given cruise, but my guess from following the GT thread board and looking at the number of rooms that are left when those are released it's probably under 20%. We sat next to a TA at dinner on one cruise and he said the discounts were pretty random and not offered on all cruises. We spent most of the evening talking about other cruiselines because DCL is getting so expensive. That was a couple of years ago, but judging by the number of GT rates this year they may be more plentiful.

I don't cruise peak season, I don't cruise to the Caribbean anymore and I'm not tied to DCL. I did book an IGT rate on our upcoming cruise. I'm happy with the price and it's not going to bother me if there's people on board paying less.