twangster

But why?
If someone isn't cruising they cost the loyalty program $0.
Life can present temporary challenges.  Becoming pregnant, becoming a primary caregiver for elderly, other life events that prevent someone from cruising for a few years.  What do the cruise lines gain from alienating guests who can't cruise for a few years?  With the playing field reset, why return to a cruise line who just dumped you?  Seems like it reduces loyalty, not increasing it.

But why?
If someone isn't cruising they cost the loyalty program $0.
Life can present temporary challenges.  Becoming pregnant, becoming a primary caregiver for elderly, other life events that prevent someone from cruising for a few years.  What do the cruise lines gain from alienating guests who can't cruise for a few years?  With the playing field reset, why return to a cruise line who just dumped you?  Seems like it reduces loyalty, not increasing it.

But why?
If someone isn't cruising they cost the loyalty program $0.
Life can present temporary challenges.  Becoming pregnant, becoming a primary caregiver for elderly, other life events that prevent someone from cruising for a few years.  What do the cruise lines gain from alienating guests who can't cruise for a few years?  With the playing field reset, why return to a cruise line who just dumped you?  Seems like it reduces loyalty, not increasing it.

Congratulations on fulfilling your teaching career!

I'm a million miler on Delta.  That gets me lifetime Gold status but I'm only an entry level million miler.  
95% of my first million miles was business travel paid for by someone else.
The business traveler is the cash cow of airlines and hotels.  Their loyalty programs are written for business travelers.   
There are no business travelers on cruise lines other than some few and far between corporate charters to reward top performers.  
Airline and hotel loyalty programs can't be used to compare with cruise line loyalty programs.  Despite that, there is a permanent lifetime status component of Delta's loyalty program for their most traveled fliers.

Ironically Delta upset a lot of their loyalty members with their latest update where they made it all about spend on the branded credit card.  I actually don't fly them very much now.  As I've grown up and pay for business class now Delta is my least flown airline.  Since I buy business class I don't need their loyalty perks.  Kind of ironic.  Their loyalty program doesn't create loyalty.  
 

Why maintain a fleet of 30 ships when you can sail with just as many berths with fewer ships in the fleet?
That's 30 captains and staff captains, 30 sets of bridge officers and 30 hotel directors, all high paid salary positions.  Do more with less.
Royal's biggest problem is selling off the older inefficient ships while avoiding selling them to a competitor who will buy a ship at a fraction of a cost and compete with Royal in the Bahamas and Caribbean where Royal makes bank.  Cordella was a nice fit as they sail only in India.  No overlap.  TUI wants new ships for the same reasons why Royal does.  So for now it remains optimal to sail the old crud into the ground while carrying passengers and generating lower profits but avoiding giving a competitor the means to take business away for the price of a song.      

When you look at Carnival's old VIFP program it was pretty weak.  I've been 3 cruises short of platinum for over a decade.  Over that period there was zero motivation to cruise in order to advance to platinum.  The only real benefit of platinum was early boarding.  Carnival creates chaos for the boarding process so they can sell FTTF.  Platinum and above don't need FTTF.  
The one free beverage had restrictions, only available on the last day after 5pm, or something silly like that.  
VIFP was always a terrible loyalty program.
What's fascinating to me is how strong the reaction has been.  Despite taking away very few benefits, the customer reaction has been explosive.
Can you imagine what Royal would face if they took away the real benefits that CAS currently provides.  Customer reaction would be nuclear in comparison to the strong reaction that Carnival received.

I'm a million miler on Delta.  That gets me lifetime Gold status but I'm only an entry level million miler.  
95% of my first million miles was business travel paid for by someone else.
The business traveler is the cash cow of airlines and hotels.  Their loyalty programs are written for business travelers.   
There are no business travelers on cruise lines other than some few and far between corporate charters to reward top performers.  
Airline and hotel loyalty programs can't be used to compare with cruise line loyalty programs.  Despite that, there is a permanent lifetime status component of Delta's loyalty program for their most traveled fliers.

Ironically Delta upset a lot of their loyalty members with their latest update where they made it all about spend on the branded credit card.  I actually don't fly them very much now.  As I've grown up and pay for business class now Delta is my least flown airline.  Since I buy business class I don't need their loyalty perks.  Kind of ironic.  Their loyalty program doesn't create loyalty.  
 

I'm a million miler on Delta.  That gets me lifetime Gold status but I'm only an entry level million miler.  
95% of my first million miles was business travel paid for by someone else.
The business traveler is the cash cow of airlines and hotels.  Their loyalty programs are written for business travelers.   
There are no business travelers on cruise lines other than some few and far between corporate charters to reward top performers.  
Airline and hotel loyalty programs can't be used to compare with cruise line loyalty programs.  Despite that, there is a permanent lifetime status component of Delta's loyalty program for their most traveled fliers.

Ironically Delta upset a lot of their loyalty members with their latest update where they made it all about spend on the branded credit card.  I actually don't fly them very much now.  As I've grown up and pay for business class now Delta is my least flown airline.  Since I buy business class I don't need their loyalty perks.  Kind of ironic.  Their loyalty program doesn't create loyalty.  
 

I'm a million miler on Delta.  That gets me lifetime Gold status but I'm only an entry level million miler.  
95% of my first million miles was business travel paid for by someone else.
The business traveler is the cash cow of airlines and hotels.  Their loyalty programs are written for business travelers.   
There are no business travelers on cruise lines other than some few and far between corporate charters to reward top performers.  
Airline and hotel loyalty programs can't be used to compare with cruise line loyalty programs.  Despite that, there is a permanent lifetime status component of Delta's loyalty program for their most traveled fliers.

Ironically Delta upset a lot of their loyalty members with their latest update where they made it all about spend on the branded credit card.  I actually don't fly them very much now.  As I've grown up and pay for business class now Delta is my least flown airline.  Since I buy business class I don't need their loyalty perks.  Kind of ironic.  Their loyalty program doesn't create loyalty.  
 

I'm a million miler on Delta.  That gets me lifetime Gold status but I'm only an entry level million miler.  
95% of my first million miles was business travel paid for by someone else.
The business traveler is the cash cow of airlines and hotels.  Their loyalty programs are written for business travelers.   
There are no business travelers on cruise lines other than some few and far between corporate charters to reward top performers.  
Airline and hotel loyalty programs can't be used to compare with cruise line loyalty programs.  Despite that, there is a permanent lifetime status component of Delta's loyalty program for their most traveled fliers.

Ironically Delta upset a lot of their loyalty members with their latest update where they made it all about spend on the branded credit card.  I actually don't fly them very much now.  As I've grown up and pay for business class now Delta is my least flown airline.  Since I buy business class I don't need their loyalty perks.  Kind of ironic.  Their loyalty program doesn't create loyalty.  
 

It was no where near as smoke filled as the Caribbean voyages, that’s for sure. I would have guessed the opposite considering the European smoking culture. Maybe the stars just aligned for us? I’m really curious what you see in August. 

Why maintain a fleet of 30 ships when you can sail with just as many berths with fewer ships in the fleet?
That's 30 captains and staff captains, 30 sets of bridge officers and 30 hotel directors, all high paid salary positions.  Do more with less.
Royal's biggest problem is selling off the older inefficient ships while avoiding selling them to a competitor who will buy a ship at a fraction of a cost and compete with Royal in the Bahamas and Caribbean where Royal makes bank.  Cordella was a nice fit as they sail only in India.  No overlap.  TUI wants new ships for the same reasons why Royal does.  So for now it remains optimal to sail the old crud into the ground while carrying passengers and generating lower profits but avoiding giving a competitor the means to take business away for the price of a song.      

I think they missed a digit, or two.  

Why maintain a fleet of 30 ships when you can sail with just as many berths with fewer ships in the fleet?
That's 30 captains and staff captains, 30 sets of bridge officers and 30 hotel directors, all high paid salary positions.  Do more with less.
Royal's biggest problem is selling off the older inefficient ships while avoiding selling them to a competitor who will buy a ship at a fraction of a cost and compete with Royal in the Bahamas and Caribbean where Royal makes bank.  Cordella was a nice fit as they sail only in India.  No overlap.  TUI wants new ships for the same reasons why Royal does.  So for now it remains optimal to sail the old crud into the ground while carrying passengers and generating lower profits but avoiding giving a competitor the means to take business away for the price of a song.      

When you look at Carnival's old VIFP program it was pretty weak.  I've been 3 cruises short of platinum for over a decade.  Over that period there was zero motivation to cruise in order to advance to platinum.  The only real benefit of platinum was early boarding.  Carnival creates chaos for the boarding process so they can sell FTTF.  Platinum and above don't need FTTF.  
The one free beverage had restrictions, only available on the last day after 5pm, or something silly like that.  
VIFP was always a terrible loyalty program.
What's fascinating to me is how strong the reaction has been.  Despite taking away very few benefits, the customer reaction has been explosive.
Can you imagine what Royal would face if they took away the real benefits that CAS currently provides.  Customer reaction would be nuclear in comparison to the strong reaction that Carnival received.

When you look at Carnival's old VIFP program it was pretty weak.  I've been 3 cruises short of platinum for over a decade.  Over that period there was zero motivation to cruise in order to advance to platinum.  The only real benefit of platinum was early boarding.  Carnival creates chaos for the boarding process so they can sell FTTF.  Platinum and above don't need FTTF.  
The one free beverage had restrictions, only available on the last day after 5pm, or something silly like that.  
VIFP was always a terrible loyalty program.
What's fascinating to me is how strong the reaction has been.  Despite taking away very few benefits, the customer reaction has been explosive.
Can you imagine what Royal would face if they took away the real benefits that CAS currently provides.  Customer reaction would be nuclear in comparison to the strong reaction that Carnival received.

I think they missed a digit, or two.  

When you look at Carnival's old VIFP program it was pretty weak.  I've been 3 cruises short of platinum for over a decade.  Over that period there was zero motivation to cruise in order to advance to platinum.  The only real benefit of platinum was early boarding.  Carnival creates chaos for the boarding process so they can sell FTTF.  Platinum and above don't need FTTF.  
The one free beverage had restrictions, only available on the last day after 5pm, or something silly like that.  
VIFP was always a terrible loyalty program.
What's fascinating to me is how strong the reaction has been.  Despite taking away very few benefits, the customer reaction has been explosive.
Can you imagine what Royal would face if they took away the real benefits that CAS currently provides.  Customer reaction would be nuclear in comparison to the strong reaction that Carnival received.

Absolutely. 
Royal is not about trying to be everything and go everywhere.  They are a mass market cruise line engineered by design to visit mass market ports that want need mass tourism.
Want boutique ports?  Sail Celebrity.  

Why maintain a fleet of 30 ships when you can sail with just as many berths with fewer ships in the fleet?
That's 30 captains and staff captains, 30 sets of bridge officers and 30 hotel directors, all high paid salary positions.  Do more with less.
Royal's biggest problem is selling off the older inefficient ships while avoiding selling them to a competitor who will buy a ship at a fraction of a cost and compete with Royal in the Bahamas and Caribbean where Royal makes bank.  Cordella was a nice fit as they sail only in India.  No overlap.  TUI wants new ships for the same reasons why Royal does.  So for now it remains optimal to sail the old crud into the ground while carrying passengers and generating lower profits but avoiding giving a competitor the means to take business away for the price of a song.      

Absolutely. 
Royal is not about trying to be everything and go everywhere.  They are a mass market cruise line engineered by design to visit mass market ports that want need mass tourism.
Want boutique ports?  Sail Celebrity.  

When you look at Carnival's old VIFP program it was pretty weak.  I've been 3 cruises short of platinum for over a decade.  Over that period there was zero motivation to cruise in order to advance to platinum.  The only real benefit of platinum was early boarding.  Carnival creates chaos for the boarding process so they can sell FTTF.  Platinum and above don't need FTTF.  
The one free beverage had restrictions, only available on the last day after 5pm, or something silly like that.  
VIFP was always a terrible loyalty program.
What's fascinating to me is how strong the reaction has been.  Despite taking away very few benefits, the customer reaction has been explosive.
Can you imagine what Royal would face if they took away the real benefits that CAS currently provides.  Customer reaction would be nuclear in comparison to the strong reaction that Carnival received.

I think they missed a digit, or two.  

Why maintain a fleet of 30 ships when you can sail with just as many berths with fewer ships in the fleet?
That's 30 captains and staff captains, 30 sets of bridge officers and 30 hotel directors, all high paid salary positions.  Do more with less.
Royal's biggest problem is selling off the older inefficient ships while avoiding selling them to a competitor who will buy a ship at a fraction of a cost and compete with Royal in the Bahamas and Caribbean where Royal makes bank.  Cordella was a nice fit as they sail only in India.  No overlap.  TUI wants new ships for the same reasons why Royal does.  So for now it remains optimal to sail the old crud into the ground while carrying passengers and generating lower profits but avoiding giving a competitor the means to take business away for the price of a song.