Should DCL change how you get Castaway Club tiers?

[Cfabar1]

Looking at the benefits they offer, I think it is fine the way that it is.

You get a reception at Gold and higher.
You get a complimentary dinner (if you can book it) at Platinum.

It rewards people who want to keep coming back. The appeal of a DC is much more finite in people’s lives most likely than say RCL, which wants to get you from college through retirement.

RCL’s amenities at higher levels are much nicer. Disney could explore adding a diamond tier, that included available upgrades to the Concierge Class or lounge, maybe for cruisers with 500+ or 700+ nights. My guess is that the DCL cruise patterns of their customers don’t merit even offering such a product.

For the average American, with four weeks of paid vacation, it would take something like 25 years to reach Pinnacle status, if they spent nearly all their vacations on the boat on RCL…. Hardly seems worth the Herculean effort for many.

I see the value in Airline loyalty and Hotel loyalty programs, the cruise ones in general I find difficult to justify “chasing”. Disney’s is actually the easiest to “chase”, and has very limited benefits. I think that makes it very compelling, and they should just leave it alone.

 

[CamColt]

I would like to see another tier added for sure, but I don't think they need to revamp the entire system.

This is what I'm thinking too, but I'm not sure how fair that would be to those who just became platinum. Would they lose something? I don't know.

All I know is I have 25 and 26 booked in the next year, and all I want is to get my boarding group 1/no PAT perk back! However they can do that, I say go for it!

 

[71 Truck]

I have said it before It should be based on number of nights sailed.
There are so many Platinum members now they are starting to remove what little benefits we had. Pretty soon I can see them having different levels of Platinum for different benefits.

They already did this for, if I am not mistaken, your ability to book certain cruises with different opening days.
You had 2 or 3 different platinum levels with so many cruises completed.

 

[RAD]

Looking at the benefits they offer, I think it is fine the way that it is.

You get a reception at Gold and higher.

It used to be for 7 night or longer, then they changed it to 8 which greatly limited the usefulness.

You get a complimentary dinner (if you can book it) at Platinum.

Which they’ve limited which menu items are included.

It rewards people who want to keep coming back. The appeal of a DC is much more finite in people’s lives most likely than say RCL, which wants to get you from college through retirement.

RCL’s amenities at higher levels are much nicer. Disney could explore adding a diamond tier, that included available upgrades to the Concierge Class or lounge, maybe for cruisers with 500+ or 700+ nights. My guess is that the DCL cruise patterns of their customers don’t merit even offering such a product.

As I mentioned in the OP I made Elite after just two cruises due to length and stateroom booked. IMHO the benefits of Celebrity blow away DCL, a Palo dinner you might be able to book, a discount at their shops, the same discount I got as. DVC member, the biggest benefit is early booking window for a future cruise or excursion, both things that mean you have to spend money at DCL to get it. At least on Celebrity I could get free drinks for 2 hours per night without having to spend anything.

For the average American, with four weeks of paid vacation, it would take something like 25 years to reach Pinnacle status, if they spent nearly all their vacations on the boat on RCL…. Hardly seems worth the Herculean effort for many.

I see the value in Airline loyalty and Hotel loyalty programs, the cruise ones in general I find difficult to justify “chasing”. Disney’s is actually the easiest to “chase”, and has very limited benefits. I think that makes it very compelling, and they should just leave it alone.

 

[nikem3]

I agree that Disney needs to revamp their loyalty program. I personally think cruise nights should be considered more than cruises booked, but I don't mind if that stays the same. I do, however, think the rewards need to be more worth it. I'm a Diamond Member on RCL and we get a reception (regardless of how long the cruise is), a lounge onboard dedicated to our status with free drinks and food, four free drinks daily, some sort of dessert delivered to the cabin, a free entertainment tour, free waters, etc. It makes you WANT to sail back on that same ship and be loyal because of the benefits you get. It doesn't need to be THAT extensive, but I still feel like you should have some additional benefits than the ones provided currently.

 

[DCLMP]

They need to improve their benefits for being platinum regardless of how you get there.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

I suspect that Disney is trying to reward loyalty, not wealth. It's fine the way it is. I wouldn't be sad to see another tier added, though.

 

[bcwife76]

Yes, why don't they give discounts to CA residents for cruises out of San Diego?

I agree, that is very odd. I'm booked for an end of December cruise out of San Diego, coming from Vancouver BC and have it booked on a Canadian residents rate! Works out well for me but if I were a CA resident on my sailing I'd probably be kind of bitter towards me

 

[Kwami]

The program has been here for much longer than he's been in charge, though.

 

[Lilsia]

You get a reception at Gold and higher.

Yeah, so that used to be the case but they changed it for only cruises 8 nights or longer. And they put that into affect a couple of months before I was going to take my first Gold level cruise. So I have not gotten to experience that. I just turned Platinum so I am expecting an announcement at any time now that they are going to get rid of the free Palo meal perk.

 

[DLR70]

I agree, that is very odd. I'm booked for an end of December cruise out of San Diego, coming from Vancouver BC and have it booked on a Canadian residents rate! Works out well for me but if I were a CA resident on my sailing I'd probably be kind of bitter towards me

We have a cruise booked for January out of San Diego. No discounts for us!

 

[mocodis]

We have a cruise booked for January out of San Diego. No discounts for us!

we have a cruise coming up in November out of San Diego, no CA discounts

 

[RAD]

Same problem in TX, haven’t seen discounts for Texas residents on Galveston cruises.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

Yes, why don't they give discounts to CA residents for cruises out of San Diego?

I'd call and ask them and if not give them that feedback!

 

[DCLMP]

The program has been here for much longer than he's been in charge, though.

They've taken away some benefits. They've added nothing.

 

[Kwami]

They've taken away some benefits. They've added nothing.

Which has absolutely nothing to do with my original comment. That image was posted in response to the idea that the program rewards loyalty rather than wealth. That remains true, regardless of the offered benefits.

 

[jrapps]

With only 5 ships in the fleet (2 of which are small ships), almost always sailing near or at full capacity, There is ZERO incentive for Disney to add anything, and every incentive to remove perks (Goodbye Boarding group 0, Goodbye free Palo Brunch on Wish, Goodbye Loyalty meet n greet). Don't let the word "loyalty" fool you, there is no loyalty in business. It's Business. Royal and the other lines offer substantially greater perks in their loyalty program precisely because it promotes people to cruise again, spend more money, keep their ships full. But Royal has 26 cruise ships! (60 ships if you count Celebrity, Silversea, etc)

At any given time, the total capacity of the DCL fleet is 17,400 people.

Royal Caribbean has a total capacity of 113,000 people...that is A LOT of rooms to fill. They do this by bombarding you with emails, advertisements, and incentives (aka loyalty perks)

When Disney has a large enough fleet that sailing at 100% capacity (while charging double what other cruise lines charge) isn't a foregone conclusion, then and only then will you see any movement from DCL on improving loyalty.

DCL could absolutely add tiers above, add perks like free drinks, photos, dinner at Remy/Enchente, access to Concierge Lounge, private meet n greet or character times, etc, etc. But doing so now would only cost them money with zero upside.

As for Nights vs cruises, i think there is a reason that when every new class of ships comes out they always start with the 3/4 day runs. They make so much more money off those than 7 night cruises. No incentive to encourage more nights vs more cruises.

When Disney has 12-15 ships in the fleet, then "maybe" this will happen. In the meantime, I will continue to cruise DCL expecting nothing, and enjoy my free drinks and Diamond perks on Royal.

 

[FLPrincessMom]

With only 5 ships in the fleet (2 of which are small ships), almost always sailing near or at full capacity, There is ZERO incentive for Disney to add anything, and every incentive to remove perks (Goodbye Boarding group 0, Goodbye free Palo Brunch on Wish, Goodbye Loyalty meet n greet). Don't let the word "loyalty" fool you, there is no loyalty in business. It's Business. Royal and the other lines offer substantially greater perks in their loyalty program precisely because it promotes people to cruise again, spend more money, keep their ships full. But Royal has 26 cruise ships! (60 ships if you count Celebrity, Silversea, etc)

At any given time, the total capacity of the DCL fleet is 17,400 people.

Royal Caribbean has a total capacity of 113,000 people...that is A LOT of rooms to fill. They do this by bombarding you with emails, advertisements, and incentives (aka loyalty perks)

When Disney has a large enough fleet that sailing at 100% capacity (while charging double what other cruise lines charge) isn't a foregone conclusion, then and only then will you see any movement from DCL on improving loyalty.

DCL could absolutely add tiers above, add perks like free drinks, photos, dinner at Remy/Enchente, access to Concierge Lounge, private meet n greet or character times, etc, etc. But doing so now would only cost them money with zero upside.

As for Nights vs cruises, i think there is a reason that when every new class of ships comes out they always start with the 3/4 day runs. They make so much more money off those than 7 night cruises. No incentive to encourage more nights vs more cruises.

When Disney has 12-15 ships in the fleet, then "maybe" this will happen. In the meantime, I will continue to cruise DCL expecting nothing, and enjoy my free drinks and Diamond perks on Royal.

While I absolutely agree with what you are saying, I do think it's a problem that they aren't providing what they said they would. We didn't decide what would be offered at each tier - they did. At this point they just need to provide what they promote.

 

[nikem3]

With only 5 ships in the fleet (2 of which are small ships), almost always sailing near or at full capacity, There is ZERO incentive for Disney to add anything, and every incentive to remove perks (Goodbye Boarding group 0, Goodbye free Palo Brunch on Wish, Goodbye Loyalty meet n greet). Don't let the word "loyalty" fool you, there is no loyalty in business. It's Business. Royal and the other lines offer substantially greater perks in their loyalty program precisely because it promotes people to cruise again, spend more money, keep their ships full. But Royal has 26 cruise ships! (60 ships if you count Celebrity, Silversea, etc)

At any given time, the total capacity of the DCL fleet is 17,400 people.

Royal Caribbean has a total capacity of 113,000 people...that is A LOT of rooms to fill. They do this by bombarding you with emails, advertisements, and incentives (aka loyalty perks)

When Disney has a large enough fleet that sailing at 100% capacity (while charging double what other cruise lines charge) isn't a foregone conclusion, then and only then will you see any movement from DCL on improving loyalty.

DCL could absolutely add tiers above, add perks like free drinks, photos, dinner at Remy/Enchente, access to Concierge Lounge, private meet n greet or character times, etc, etc. But doing so now would only cost them money with zero upside.

As for Nights vs cruises, i think there is a reason that when every new class of ships comes out they always start with the 3/4 day runs. They make so much more money off those than 7 night cruises. No incentive to encourage more nights vs more cruises.

When Disney has 12-15 ships in the fleet, then "maybe" this will happen. In the meantime, I will continue to cruise DCL expecting nothing, and enjoy my free drinks and Diamond perks on Royal.

I don't disagree with any of this. This is clearly the reason and it makes sense. Maybe if they add the Global Dream and their other two ships (treasure and unnamed) they will have a bit more incentive. Until then, i'll still be tempted to continue to cruise with RCL more often because of the benefits (Hello 500 slides on the Icon!)

 

[FastPasser.]

I mean who cares theirs little to no benefits with this program

Agree, we're Platinum and other than the Palo perk, the tier change in our case has made very little difference.