Carnival Cruise Line takes on cruise class controversy
Many Carnival cruisers are proud of their loyalty to the cruise line, but how they show it may send the wrong message to some passengers.
Carnival cruisers who have reached the highest levels in the cruise line’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty program, Platinum and Diamond VIFPs, have a reputation for sometimes acting entitled.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald often receives complaints on his popular Facebook page from some of these high-status passengers demanding special treatment on board.
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The reputation that Platinum and Diamond Carnival cruisers have gained has also led to rumors about ways that these cruisers flaunt their status over others on board.
Since Carnival issues passengers onboard Sail & Sign key cards in colors that signify their levels in the VIFP program, the fact that some Platinum and Diamond cruisers wear these cards on lanyards around their necks has sent the wrong message to some cruisers.
John Heald recently dedicated a Facebook video to this cruise class controversy in an effort to combat the latest rumor, and to share his perspective on loyalty.
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Carnival brand ambassador addresses VIFP lanyard rumor
Transcript:
John Heald: Good morning, good afternoon, and to my friends in Cleveland, New Zealand and Australia, good evening. I don't know why I say that every time.
Welcome to today's three-minute video, and we're going to talk a little bit this morning about a post I received yesterday from somebody who we will call Michael because, well that's his name.
And Michael says: “A big discussion on Cruise Critic. Will the Grand Pooh Bear — and in brackets: you Heald lol, care to comment? — It has been said that most Diamond and Platinum [VIFPs] wear their Sail & Sign card on their lanyards at all times to impress the lowly Golds, Reds and Blues. Of course, they do. What do you say, John?”
Well, thank you very much, Michael, Mickey. I think it's brilliant, by the way, that you've put Cruise Critic in with a capital C and a capital C, but when you've written my name, not only did you not call me John, but Heald is in all small case, so no capital for my name. Does not bother me in the slightest and if you tried to get under my skin it's not working. It's not working.
Related: Carnival cruise passengers debate controversial cruise tradition
Carnival cruisers are proud to be loyal
All right, seriously, I think some of our most loyal guests do wear their Sail & Sign card on a lanyard to show, simply, how proud they are of their loyalty. Now this is very much a cruise thing. You will never see this on Cleveland Airlines with a Diamond Platinum Elite member walks down the aisle with an airline card around their neck.
It's just a cruise thing, but although I do think it is mostly for convenience, I think that a lot of, or some of, our most loyal guests do want to show their loyalty and it's not to look down on people who are not Diamond or Platinum. It is just to say, “Look what I have done, look what I have achieved. I'm proud. I love Carnival.”
And those last three words I would like to think is the reason that most people who have reached those levels wear their cabin key around a lanyard. So that's my answer.
I'll be interested to see what others have to say on this, but I would say that 99% of our Diamond and Platinum guests wear their card around their neck simply because they are proud. Nothing more and nothing less.
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- Carnival Cruise Line adds new attraction families will love
No news on changes to Carnival’s loyalty program yet
Now, I don't have any news on the new loyalty program. As soon as I do, of course, we will share it in the usual way.
They do say if you want to talk about loyalty, you have to talk about a pet and it always reminds me of this story:
There are three pets. They pass away and they go to heaven and they meet God. And God wants to know what they believe in and he looks first at the German Shepherd and says, “What do you believe in?” and the German Shepherd says, “I believe in discipline and loyalty to my family,” and God said, “Well done, you can sit on my right side.”
Then he looks at the next pet. It's a Shih Tzu — It's not where the joke's going — It's a Shih Tzu, and God says to the Shih Tzu, “What do you believe in?” and the Shih Tzu says, “I believe in love and care and cuddles and loyalty,” and God said, “You can sit on my left side.”
And then God looks at the cat and says to the cat, “What do you believe in?” and the cat looks at God and says, “I believe you're sitting in my seat.”