New Castaway Club Benefits Announced

[PeachyB]

I'm really disappointed in the change for the Gold & Platinum receptions! Doing a quick scan of the current schedule, that eliminates it from 269 cruises and leaves it on only 18 cruises. I sent them an email voicing my opinion of this change. If it impacts you, I suggest you voice your thoughts to. They need to hear from their customers. -- dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com --

 

[godde8ss]

View attachment 234933

I found an old benefit listing to compare. The new one doesn't list "special onboard booking offer" anymore?! It only mentions "Gold and Platinum discounts", which I thought was equal to the prior "special merchandise offering" for Gold and Platinum.

They took it out as a line item, and now its just a blurb at the bottom that reads the following:
While on board, enjoy special savings on future cruises. Just stop by the Disney Vacation Planning desk during your next cruise for details.

 

[RedSox68]

Bummer - it figures my first cruise as Platinum is coming up and now there won't be a CC Reception and no more "Exclusive Platinum Experience."

What is the "exclusive platinum experience" that they aren't doing anymore?

 

[fairfax]

Wow. We always attend the reception and look forward to it, from the photo op with Captain Mickey to having a chance to chat with the officers. I know we'll get to do that on our upcoming 10 night but I don't ever see us being able to take a cruise longer than a week again. This is just yet another example of things being taken away and no value being added to replace it. So very disappointing but not surprising as this seems to be the overall trend on DCL.

Edited to add--no more chocolates or sparkling wine either I see.

 

[chaseg03]

Well darn about the reception. I loved it

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Edited to add--no more chocolates or sparkling wine either I see.

Where are you seeing that (or "not" seeing that)? Even the old benefits list doesn't specify what the gifts are. Just that there are returning cruiser gifts, based on highest CC level within a room.

And that's still there on the new benefits list.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

More reductions in service from dcl. Not in the tradition of Walt Disney +ing it!

 

[Garyjames220]

Well on earth are they making the benfits even less if anything it needs to be more compared to other lines

 

[PrincessShmoo]

One thing we need to keep in mind - each cruise line (or, indeed, any business) sets their own "reward" program for using their product.

While DCL may not measure up to some other cruise line benefits, that's their call.

I don't cruise DCL for the perks I get as a return cruiser, but I do enjoy whatever they want to give me for "free".

 

[miztressuz]

Was the Palo benefit always limited to 1 per stateroom? I thought I had read here that each member got Palo for two, at some point, but I could be remembering a different cruise line.

I'm not too disappointed as we're just Silver and it'll be another 5-6 years before we get to be Gold so I'm sure it'll change again. But right now, as long as embarkation time is indeed different than PAT, I'm only seeing upsides.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Was the Palo benefit always limited to 1 per stateroom? I thought I had read here that each member got Palo for two, at some point, but I could be remembering a different cruise line.

I'm not too disappointed as we're just Silver and it'll be another 5-6 years before we get to be Gold so I'm sure it'll change again. But right now, as long as embarkation time is indeed different than PAT, I'm only seeing upsides.

The Palo benefit is "good for the Platinum member and any other adults in the same room". If you have two Platinum members in the same room, it's only good for one dinner for the two of them.

 

[miztressuz]

The Palo benefit is "good for the Platinum member and any other adults in the same room". If you have two Platinum members in the same room, it's only good for one dinner for the two of them.

Right, got that, but was it always this way? Or a more recent change?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Right, got that, but was it always this way? Or a more recent change?

Well, it's been that way since we've started cruising (2008).

 

[JWG]

I sent an e-mail to DCL about this as well. While they are starting the move to reducing perks, they also 1) didn't send me any notification as others apparently got and 2) DID send me an e-mail addressed to Mark letting him know he was only 3 cruises away from GOLD and listing all the great changes coming to the Fantasy. The only problem is my name is Jason and I am only 1 cruise away from GOLD.

I expressed concern over not receiving communications such as new itineraries and booking dates (have never received these), getting communications for the WRONG person (and wondering who is getting mine), and changes to the Castaway Club benefits that only create a larger divide comparatively to other cruise lines at the same time the premium to sale DCL grows in comparison to other cruise lines. I know they don't so much care (nor are perks guaranteed), but it is aggravating when you spend 25%-33% (or more) over a similar itinerary on another cruise line and they can't even e-mail you correctly to solicit your business, much less offer competitive perks.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I guess I won't be in a hurry to go on my 5th Disney Cruise to get to Gold and have the reception. Wait, our 5th cruise is in about a month. Sad to see that we won't be able to take advantage of the reception on future cruises since we usually go on 7 night or shorter. This will be our first cruise longer than 7 nights.

 

[JWG]

To add, the onboard booking benefits / discounts were never a Castaway Club perk so just as well they don't sell it as one. Anyone on their first cruise could take advantage and they're technically not Silver until they complete that cruise. It's a benefit for all who are onboard so they can play on our emotions and get us hooked back in the moment. It's actually a really smart move as if you don't use the deposit and get it back, they still collected interest on your money for some period of time.

 

[SweetSpot]

Has the Platinum Palo benefit always been only for dinner? I know we have used it for Brunch in the past and booked brunch for that reason for our cruise in 2 weeks. I called to see if the change affects our cruise and was told that it has always been for dinner only.

 

[Notyourtypicaldisney]

The benefits of cruising Disney really is narrowing vs. Competition. This upcoming cruise will be our first as Platinum. All I cared about was dinner at Palo and early check-in. I don't give a rip about about the Gold/Platinum party. Never been to one. I always thought the gifts were kinda weak. Now that my kids are older we are a long way from doing another Disney Cruise. This last cruise we weren't' able to get any family members to join us. They are sick of paying the prices. Almost all of them agree the cruises are great but not worth premium, even a small one. I think it is worth a little more but I can have a ship with a casino for half the price. Sign me up!!!!!!

 

[chaseg03]

I guess I won't be in a hurry to go on my 5th Disney Cruise to get to Gold and have the reception. Wait, our 5th cruise is in about a month. Sad to see that we won't be able to take advantage of the reception on future cruises since we usually go on 7 night or shorter. This will be our first cruise longer than 7 nights.

Hate to break it to you but if this is your fifth cruise your still a silver member. So have you completed 5 cruises or is this your fifth?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Has the Platinum Palo benefit always been only for dinner? I know we have used it for Brunch in the past and booked brunch for that reason for our cruise in 2 weeks. I called to see if the change affects our cruise and was told that it has always been for dinner only.

It's always been listed as "dinner" on the benefits page online. In practice, however, most of us had our first Palo experience comped (whether dinner or brunch) on our cruise. Subsequent (dinner/brunch) experiences on the same cruise were charged.