Should DCL change how you get Castaway Club tiers?

[RAD]

I'm a Platinum level Castaway Club member who's recently dipped their toes into another cruise line, Celebrity. Upon review of the Captain's Club (Celebrity's loyalty program) they base how you earn points based on the level of stateroom you've booked into addition to the number of days that you had booked in that level. Based on the two cruises we've taken, a 7 night and a 13 night, both in a suite in their Retreat level we've already 4th level of membership, Elite.

For DCL we've sailed everything from a 3, 4 and 7 night Caribbean, 7 night Alaska and Mediterranean to a 14 night Panama Canal cruise, in cat 5A and 4A cabins.

So the question I guess is should DCL change their program to make it so people that spend more money get rewarded more in a loyalty program? Look at what Disney has been doing at the theme parks, like you need to stay at a deluxe or DVC resort for the early entry to the parks, or spend money on Genie+ to get better access to rides.

I assume you know what you get with DCL's benefits, here's what Celebrity's Captain Club has, https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/updated-captains-club-brochure-v6.pdf

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You need an "other" option. I'm a fan of the combo # of nights/# of cruises format that some other cruise lines use.

As well as included extra points based on what you spend while onboard.

 

[Kwami]

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.

 

[otten]

I do wish there was some weight given to length of cruise. We’re still only silver but we have 32 sailing nights. If we’d done those nights as 3 night cruises we’d be platinum lol.

 

[RAD]

I do wish there was some weight given to length of cruise. We’re still only silver but we have 32 sailing nights. If we’d done those nights as 3 night cruises we’d be platinum lol.

I'd guess there's a majority of Platinum folks that are Florida residents. DCL gives them discounts for being a resident and they can jump in a car and do a short 3/4 night cruise.

 

[ggfred32]

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

 

[Marc D]

I've said it often in other threads but, unlike other cruise lines, where repeat cruisers are an important revenue source, this is not the case with DCL. The Castaway Club is an afterthought, with little to no benefits for repeat cruisers. Most families will sail 2-3 times then move on. Of course, that's probably not the case for people on this board, but we are a minority from DCL's point of view.

Once you sail with any other cruise line, you are bombarded with offers by email, special return guests deals, multiple tiers with real benefits, free cruises for Casino guests... After 13 cruises, a majority in Concierge, I maybe get 2-3 emails a year from DCL, and that's to announce new itineraries and booking windows. They are happy to see me come back time after time, but they certainly are not going out of their way for me to do so.

Therefore, I don't think they have any reason to invest in a points/tiers/rewards system as complex as those found on other cruise lines. You should not expect anything new or exciting from DCL in the future.

 

[McSmooth]

Yes, it should be changed.

A 3-night inside stateroom trip to the Bahamas for under $2,000 shouldn't count the same as a 7-night Alaska verandah trip that's $10,000+.

 

[mocodis]

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.

I had emailed dcl after our last cruise suggesting another tier be added, maybe someday they will.

 

[Tasmen]

I do wish there was some weight given to length of cruise. We’re still only silver but we have 32 sailing nights. If we’d done those nights as 3 night cruises we’d be platinum lol.

This ^^^^ We live on the West coast and only recently got easy access to DCL cruises almost year round with the addition of the Wonder in San Diego. We are just about to hit gold but we easily have 23 nights of sailing at this point, 26 after this next cruise where we will hit gold. If we were in Florida, we easily could have been platinum by now. This was especially frustrating to us when we wanted to book the Wish. We sail concierge and that just wasn't going to happen for us given our status as silver.

 

[Kwami]

A 3-night inside stateroom trip to the Bahamas for under $2,000 shouldn't count the same as a 7-night Alaska verandah trip that's $10,000+.

Why not?

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I voted to leave it. This question has been asked before. Everyone has a different answer due to how they cruise and how it would benefit their style of cruising. You just can't make everyone happy with leaving it or changing it. I am platinum but I don't cruise for rewards or bragging rights on how many days I've cruised, stateroom level or number of cruises. Heck. I can't even answer it for myself, lol.

 

[AquaDame]

Honestly I think the reason they do it this way is they themselves put more weight on the number of times they get you to set foot on a ship and not the number of nights you sail. They want to you KEEP spending money, and don't see a few extra grand once or twice to have the same weight as see you over and over again showing a continued willingness to fill the ships.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

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

 

[insureman]

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

Exactly. It does not matter to DCL. A Platinum guest can't even score a Palo brunch reservation now on the Wish because there are so many concierge cabins.

 

[Jsoenning]

100% agree it should be based on number of nights on board, type of room booked and if you want money spent on board. The way it's set up 100% rewards Florida residents that can take 3 and 4-night cruises.

I will say when Royal Caribbean switched to this method (other than money spent on board) due to I guess how the records were maintained we got shafted for our earlier cruises (1 or 2 points per cruise versus 7 or 14 depending on if we had a suite) and had to work our way to Diamond. Had they straight up done the nights and suites calculation we would have been Diamond day one of new method.

And on the already too many platinum members I think they could re-tier it and add tiers. Some folks that are platinum today might not be in the future. Of course I doubt they'd want to make a percentage upset so renaming all the tiers when they do this would likely make sense. Would need to think of some perks for those losing the free Palo.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

Yes, it should be changed.

A 3-night inside stateroom trip to the Bahamas for under $2,000 shouldn't count the same as a 7-night Alaska verandah trip that's $10,000+.

Looking at the number of nights can be extremely misleading. The 3 night sailings Disney's been doing for years have one of the highest per night costs per person, which is how they undoubtedly look at it.

There's been conversations like this over time on here. Disney doesn't seem to care/be too concerned with repeat guests as their current bread and butter is First time/Silver Cruisers.

Should it be changed? Yes. Will it be changed? Who knows. I hope any changes they make will be a benefit for cruisers but based on their current "income focus" I won't hold my breath. If anything, just don't make it any worse than it already is.

 

[Lilsia]

I'd guess there's a majority of Platinum folks that are Florida residents. DCL gives them discounts for being a resident and they can jump in a car and do a short 3/4 night cruise.

This is what I would love to see changed. Have that opened up to anyone who can get there, not just Florida residence. At least open it up to DVC members.

 

[DLR70]

I'd guess there's a majority of Platinum folks that are Florida residents. DCL gives them discounts for being a resident and they can jump in a car and do a short 3/4 night cruise.

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

 

[jiminyC_fan]

This is what I would love to see changed. Have that opened up to anyone who can get there, not just Florida residence.

Totally agree