Does DCL ever send you anything to entice you to come back??

[Iamaplanner]

We cruised with DCL for four years in a row. Our last cruise was 2016. We decided to try RCL in 2017 and we are booked to go to Aulani in 2018. We have every intention of going back to DCL in 2019. I'm wondering if DCL ever scours their database to check who was previously a 'loyal' customer but who then had a lapse in bookings, and sends them out a little teaser to get them to book again (i.e discount, OBC, anything)?? I'm guessing not, but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask??

 

[Shanti]

We cruised with DCL for four years in a row. Our last cruise was 2016. We decided to try RCL in 2017 and we are booked to go to Aulani in 2018. We have every intention of going back to DCL in 2019. I'm wondering if DCL ever scours their database to check who was previously a 'loyal' customer but who then had a lapse in bookings, and sends them out a little teaser to get them to book again (i.e discount, OBC, anything)?? I'm guessing not, but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask??

No. With a mega-popular brand and only four ships to fill, they don't need to. When they add the three more ships that are currently being planned, it will be interesting to see if prices drop a bit and if more promotions occur.

 

[cruiser21]

They may send you an email about new itineraries. I don't think they really care about your loyalty.

 

[owensamo]

We are platinum and we regularly get mail from DCL about itineraries or the current "special", but we've never gotten an offer for a discount or OBC to come back . In the past they have sent some random trinkts - a Castaway Cay CD of music, a Castaway Club level car magnet, and I think maybe some stickers.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

They may send you an email about new itineraries. I don't think they really care about your loyalty.

I'm sure they care, they just don't need to try and convince you to come back.

 

[Laundress]

I get mail every so often with lots of pretty pictures telling me about Star Wars or Marvel or Castaway Cay.
Lots of visiual Enticement just no $$ off incentive.

 

[Twilight Terror]

I don't think we've ever received anything from DCL other than our cruise documents, and sometimes just a day or two before we leave (snail mail around the world is terrible!). I'm pretty sure they aren't going to bother posting anything to us in Australia. Besides, if it's anything like our DVC mail, by the time it arrives, any offers that were on have expired! The only 'offer' we have been able to take advantage of, has been the regular on board pre-booking discount/OBC. Nothing outside of the ship itself.

It will be interesting to see if the new ships have any bearing on cost overall. I really hope they can start doing something out of Australia, but we have a very thriving cruise industry already established, and I'm not sure current DCL prices would be able to compete. But here's hoping!

 

[NZMUM]

I don't think we've ever received anything from DCL other than our cruise documents, and sometimes just a day or two before we leave (snail mail around the world is terrible!). I'm pretty sure they aren't going to bother posting anything to us in Australia. Besides, if it's anything like our DVC mail, by the time it arrives, any offers that were on have expired! The only 'offer' we have been able to take advantage of, has been the regular on board pre-booking discount/OBC. Nothing outside of the ship itself.

It will be interesting to see if the new ships have any bearing on cost overall. I really hope they can start doing something out of Australia, but we have a very thriving cruise industry already established, and I'm not sure current DCL prices would be able to compete. But here's hoping!

We don't get anythng from DCL either, we're in NZ. Sometimes not even our cruise booklet. The last time we cruised, we did a back to back - we got the booklet for our 2nd week. The one for our first week turned up while we were on the 2nd week . We don't even get emails, unless it is directly related to our cruise.

It would be great to have a cruise departing closer to home.

 

[Twilight Terror]

We don't get anythng from DCL either, we're in NZ. Sometimes not even our cruise booklet. The last time we cruised, we did a back to back - we got the booklet for our 2nd week. The one for our first week turned up while we were on the 2nd week . We don't even get emails, unless it is directly related to our cruise.

It would be great to have a cruise departing closer to home.

I hadn't even thought about that - we are planning, and hopefully booking a B2B on our cruise in December, but these will only be a 3-night and 4-night on the Dream; completion of these will bring us to Gold . With days at WDW before our B2B cruises, there is a good chance we won't receive the booklets again! But with online access these days, it does make it a lot easier, and 9 times out of 10 you don't need the details in the booklet anyway.

P.S. We are flying to WDW via you (NZ) this time, with Air New Zealand (normally we go Delta via LAX)

 

[NZMUM]

I hadn't even thought about that - we are planning, and hopefully booking a B2B on our cruise in December, but these will only be a 3-night and 4-night on the Dream; completion of these will bring us to Gold . With days at WDW before our B2B cruises, there is a good chance we won't receive the booklets again! But with online access these days, it does make it a lot easier, and 9 times out of 10 you don't need the details in the booklet anyway.

P.S. We are flying to WDW via you (NZ) this time, with Air New Zealand (normally we go Delta via LAX)

We didn't leave until 2 days before our cruise that time & it still didn't turn up - but the 2nd week did . Only hassle was having to fill out the luggage tags at the port - just added on time that could've been spent checking in haha.
Yep, B2B are great for getting CC levels up. We are doing another B2B end of the year (on the Fantasy). 2nd week we will finally be Platinum.

Hope you like Air NZ. We always fly them and think they have great service. Are you flying into Houston instead of LAX?

 

[Twilight Terror]

We didn't leave until 2 days before our cruise that time & it still didn't turn up - but the 2nd week did . Only hassle was having to fill out the luggage tags at the port - just added on time that could've been spent checking in haha.
Yep, B2B are great for getting CC levels up. We are doing another B2B end of the year (on the Fantasy). 2nd week we will finally be Platinum.

Hope you like Air NZ. We always fly them and think they have great service. Are you flying into Houston instead of LAX?

Blimey, we don't stand a chance of getting our cruise documents on time this year then! We are leaving just before Christmas, and I would think that the general increase globally of international mail will delay it even more! I wish they would send more deals out, but since we all keep coming back, I guess there's no need to! We are also on the Fantasy end of the year - which two B2B cruises are you doing? Are we on the same cruise?!

And yes, we are going in via Houston. It means an extra stop for us because we stop in Auckland first, but the flights were a bargain. Air New Zealand was cheaper than Delta generally, and at the time, their PE seats were cheaper than their Economy seats, so savings all round - not bad for a holiday season trip!

 

[NZMUM]

Blimey, we don't stand a chance of getting our cruise documents on time this year then! We are leaving just before Christmas, and I would think that the general increase globally of international mail will delay it even more! I wish they would send more deals out, but since we all keep coming back, I guess there's no need to! We are also on the Fantasy end of the year - which two B2B cruises are you doing? Are we on the same cruise?!

And yes, we are going in via Houston. It means an extra stop for us because we stop in Auckland first, but the flights were a bargain. Air New Zealand was cheaper than Delta generally, and at the time, their PE seats were cheaper than their Economy seats, so savings all round - not bad for a holiday season trip!

You never know, they might turn up on time haha. I would just like them to acknowledge we exist even we aren't cruising lol. We are on the Fantasy 30 Dec & 6 Jan (Star Wars) cruises.
Houston is soooo much better than LAX, especially security. And love Air NZ PE (we use upgrades sometimes) - sounds like you got a great deal.

 

[Twilight Terror]

You never know, they might turn up on time haha. I would just like them to acknowledge we exist even we aren't cruising lol. We are on the Fantasy 30 Dec & 6 Jan (Star Wars) cruises.
Houston is soooo much better than LAX, especially security. And love Air NZ PE (we use upgrades sometimes) - sounds like you got a great deal.

Ah, we just miss you! We are 23 Dec! Yes, even a 'thank you for cruising, please fill out this survey' that arrives six months after you're back would be nice!

 

[KashasMom]

Other than a discount - and Disney doesn't do that - would could they possibly offer to entice anyone back? I seriously don't think prices will come down once they launch the new ships. I'm just hoping for more interesting itineraries! And I wish they'd find a way for the platinums/golds not to drive prices UP on opening day (and then canceling cruises they've booked). Itineraries come out well before booking. Take a look, have a price in mind, then book or don't! Not too difficult.

 

[SteveMP]

They may send you an email about new itineraries. I don't think they really care about your loyalty.

Pretty much this. they send emails saying come cruise with us and pay more than your last trip before they sell out, better hurry!

 

[cyclenut]

Email after email after email. Not as bad as Carnival where I get at least one a week that offers some sort of special or discount, but I do get marketing email from DCL frequently. Now, to be honest, it's been awhile since I haven't had at least one DCL cruise already booked.

 

[fredandkell]

After our first cruise in 2013, we got a postcard from DCL in the mail a few weeks later that had a code for 10% off our next booking. But I haven't seen anything like that since. We used that discount for a 2014 cruise, and didn't book anything again until 2016, and I can't recall getting any kind of "enticements" - mailing, emails, or otherwise between 2014 and 2016.

 

[llachance]

nothing - but only have 16 cruises with them (oh and three on the books) They obviously don't have to send me anything.

 

[kiford]

We do get discount offers a couple of times a year but they're usually for dates when we don't cruise (presumably they are the slower seasons for DCL) or they're too close in the future for us to take advantage. I'm hoping to retire in a few years and then I'll definitely take advantage of offers for cruises coming up shortly. In fact, that's part of my planned retirement activities!

 

[squirk]

We have sailed every year for five years in a row. I don’t think I have ever received anything to entice me to come back.

As others have said - a thank-you mailing with a small cardstock painting/sketch of the ship we were just on; an email about certain new itineraries - but no “dangling carrot” to get us to book again.

They don’t really have to. If my family fell off the face of the Earth tomorrow, there are five other families who can take our place.