new loyalty club

[Harriet]

Do you suppose now David Dingle is back in charge we might get a review of the loyaly club..........

[Manoverboard]

Very likely ... amd he will probably scrap it in favour of something more modern and a la Tesco Club Points based on spends rather than History

[Harriet]

Dont mind what it is as long as it is better than the current one and i keep my 10% off booze.........but as someone who has to work full time I hate the fact I cant get beyond Caribbean becuase I cant take more than one holiday a year!!!!!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Let's not expect too much. Let's not forget he was the overall boss at P&O and Cunard when Vantage and Getaway were introduced across both lines. Maybe he'll bring back the POSH Club, the loyalty scheme you had to pay to join!

[david63]

Do you suppose now David Dingle is back in charge we might get a review of the loyaly club..........

I think that there will be more important things for him to focus his mind on in the foreseeable future

[Dark Knight]

I don't see the loyalty scheme as a big enough draw,to keep my booking with Pando, if they were to improve the service, food ,entertainment ,and itineraries then this may see a more loyal customer base
in my own opinion, Pando re a mainstream line and are in real danger of becoming a cheap mass market line, if they do not turn things around, the pile it high sell it cheap model, may fill the ships but at the cost of reputation and loyalty

what price profit??

[barney]

What price profit DK ?

As it 'appens, it's the only thing that matters

They don't run the company for our pleasure, they run it to make money for the shareholders.

If pile it high, sell it cheap works for them , that's exactly what they will do.

If you, I, or any others don't like it, then it's goodbye.

There will be many to fill our places

[Dark Knight]

Barney
as I have no loyalty to any holiday company and do not believe PandO or cruising ,to be the be all and end all of any holiday, I have no issue with their business model, as it allows them to invest in new ships for me to try
if the product does not meet my expectations, I will vote with my feet ,as any sensible person would and go elsewhere, but it does have an effect on loyalty, but loyalty does not give quality and service

[arcadialover]

Wish they would make it as good as Princess, their "perks" are brilliant, especially for the top level Elite.

[Ray Scully]

Wish they would make it as good as Princess, their "perks" are brilliant, especially for the top level Elite.

[emjay45]

Very likely ... amd he will probably scrap it in favour of something more modern and a la Tesco Club Points based on spends rather than History

My husband met David Dingle and Carol Marlowe in Southampton just before we set sail in January.( I was in the shower and missed them). They asked him what he liked about P&O and he told them. He also told them he didn't like the 'Loyalty' system in it's present form, and DD said he absolutely agreed with my husband. So you could be right MOB.

[Manoverboard]

It has to go that way MJ as the business gain is in the future, rather than from the past, and those who sail for the first time have to be ' encouraged ' to do so again for four or maybe five more cruises out of Southampton with P&O.

To achieve that they need to offer treble points and a few other incentives like a voucher for a free excursion / bottles of wine / cabin upgrades or/and meals in the select dining venues etc.

At the moment they seem to reward those who book inside cabins and spend nothing ... they are pandering to history and we are all paying for their pleasures.

It cannot continue.

[Dark Knight]

it would encourage a better return rate Moby, that's for sure but also moving quicker up the tiers would help and a bigger incentive per tier as well
also the future cruise deposits on board could be enhanced to encourage newbies to book ahead and enhanced for the higher tiers

[emjay45]

Manoverboard wrote:
At the moment they seem to reward those who book inside cabins and spend nothing ... they are pandering to history and we are all paying for their pleasures.

More or less exactly what my husband said to David Dingle.

[Jan Rosser]

Manoverboard wrote:
At the moment they seem to reward those who book inside cabins and spend nothing ... they are pandering to history and we are all paying for their pleasures.

More or less exactly what my husband said to David Dingle.

Well here we go again - I have to defend myself because I have to pay a hefty single supplement and choose an inside cabin purely because of the cost. Make no mistake I would prefer an outside and have booked them on the odd occasion since I've been on my own but only because they have been on a getaway deal (still paid double though). Contrary to what you say some of us insiders do spend money - I certainly don't deprive myself of wine with a meal or a drink in the bar and eat in the speciality restaurants. I also book excursions simply because I am on my own and feel safer. I always purchase perfume for myself and the odd handbag - well anything I fancy really.

I don't think you are being fair lumping all us insiders together. Of course I can see your point of view that you spend more in a suite and should get more recognition for this but if I cruise three times in a year which I normally do I'm spending a lot of money with P&O and for goodness sake what am I getting a free lunch, 10% off the final bill and priority boarding - big deal

I understand there will be more single cabins on the new ship but I can guarantee they will be at inflated prices - P&O are on a win win situation once again.

[Manoverboard]

I am not having a pop at anybody, nobody at all, the plain fact is that some spend a great deal and some do not. It does not matter one iota how that amount is apportioned ... it is still expenditure.

Those that spend the most should derive the most benefit, simple but that reward should only be available until is it used and not become a benefit for the next 20 or 30 years as is presently the situation.

[david63]

I would quite favour a system somewhat akin to that used by several airlines.

This system has two elements based on mileage - a cruise line could use mileage or spend. With both elements you get a point for each mile travelled - bonus points are given on some bookings and business class get 1.5 points, first class 2 points and cattle class 1 point.

With the first element point move you up the tier "ladder" where there are additional benefits such as priority boarding, use of lounges, priority upgrades etc. The catch is that these points have a life - so after say two years they expire and unless you keep travelling you go down the "snake".

The other element gives you the same points but these are redeemable against gifts (for cruise think drinks, speciality dining etc) and again have an expiry date.

With a bit of tweaking here and there I could see a model that would work on a cruise line

[Jan Rosser]

I am not having a pop at anybody, nobody at all, the plain fact is that some spend a great deal and some do not. It does not matter one iota how that amount is apportioned ... it is still expenditure.

Those that spend the most should derive the most benefit, simple but that reward should only be available until is it used and not become a benefit for the next 20 or 30 years as is presently the situation.

Perhaps I am being sensitive about this issue although based on spend I won't lose out because I do spend a lot simply because of the supplements I pay - with a partner paying the same as me I'd be in a flippin suite

[emjay45]

I am not having a pop at anybody, nobody at all, the plain fact is that some spend a great deal and some do not. It does not matter one iota how that amount is apportioned ... it is still expenditure.

Those that spend the most should derive the most benefit, simple but that reward should only be available until is it used and not become a benefit for the next 20 or 30 years as is presently the situation.

Perhaps I am being sensitive about this issue although based on spend I won't lose out because I do spend a lot simply because of the supplements I pay - with a partner paying the same as me I'd be in a flippin suite

Jan like MOB I'm not having a pop at anyone either. It just has always seemed ridiculous to me that the points are awarded for the number of nights on board in spite of some people paying thousands of pounds more for the same number of nights. Our son travels with us and has to pay the same amount as if there were 2 people in his cabin. Why shouldn't he get more points than people paying less. The fact is that P&O should be rewarding people for the amount they spend not to do so is in my opinion not good business sense.

[arcadialover]

I wouldn't like to see loyalty based on spend because I feel for the people who can't drink/don't like alcohol, and can't go on excursions, maybe because of a disability. Friends of ours on average on a 2 week cruise spend approx £80.. I think it is fair the way it is but would like to see more perks like Princess offer, i.e free internet minutes, priority tenders, free laundry etc.

[Manoverboard]

£80 !!!

On one cruise in 2012 I had a bill for nearly £1,400 and still didn't get a free lunch let alone free internet minutes, priority tenders, free laundry etc ...

Like I said the system has to change.

[Princess]

Re Inside Cabin via on board spending.

Years ago we were in an inside cabin on Canberra. Spent a fortune. Met couple in a Court Cabin, they spent nothing and would not tip anyone!

[Capt Black]

These days I do think that nights on board, should not be the sole determining factor as to how loyalty is calculated. I think there is scope for including on board spend in the loyalty level calculation. Don't ask me how though, I'll leave that to PandO's corporate bean counters!

[Cockers43]

I hate to say this but it is great that P&O reward loyalty! Too many companies these days reward new customers with big discounts and sneakily put up prices to those unwitting customers who do not change suppliers.

Personally what form the reward takes is largely irrelevant - going from Caribbean upwards gives very little benefit and 10% off spend after on board allowance doesn't really amount to very much.

We should accept the fact that P&O recognise customer loyalty and stop moaning about how hard done by you all are!

Ian (my real name)

[emjay45]

I hate to say this but it is great that P&O reward loyalty! Too many companies these days reward new customers with big discounts and sneakily put up prices to those unwitting customers who do not change suppliers.

Personally what form the reward takes is largely irrelevant - going from Caribbean upwards gives very little benefit and 10% off spend after on board allowance doesn't really amount to very much.

We should accept the fact that P&O recognise customer loyalty and stop moaning about how hard done by you all are!

Ian (my real name)

Well Ian enjoy it while you can, because like MOB I’m sure P&O will be changing the way they reward ‘loyalty’ in the future. They surely can’t afford to keep the cheapskates in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed. After all what benefit is it to them to reward people for attendance and not the amount they spend.