Latest news with #cruiseIndustry
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean cruisers react to Carnival cruise loyalty shakeup
Royal Caribbean cruisers react to Carnival cruise loyalty shakeup originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. As Carnival Cruise Line revealed details of its overhauled cruise loyalty program on June 18, it wasn't just Carnival cruisers who recoiled. Carnival Rewards, a spend-based rewards program set to roll out in June 2026, has many cruisers reeling, even some who don't sail with the cruise new program appears to require passengers at the highest tiers to spend tens of thousands of dollars each year to maintain their elite status, and it could open the door for other cruise lines to do the same. Carnival's new spend-based loyalty program isn't a completely new concept — most airlines and hotels already follow this type of model, but the cruise industry has been slow to evolve. What do Royal Caribbean cruisers think about the new program and what it could mean for the cruise industry? Many "loyal to Royal" cruisers made their opinions clear in a discussion in the Royal Caribbean community on Reddit.'The new program Carnival announced yesterday rewards money over loyalty. Do you think this is something Royal and the other lines will try to adopt?' Redditor oOoOsarahOoOo asked fellow Royal Caribbean cruisers. 'If so, would cruisers stay loyal to Royal, or would this be a reason to try other brands?' A number of cruisers reasoned that Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines will likely follow suit in a few years, if Carnival reports that the change increases revenue. 'I think the other cruise lines are going to wait to see how this affects Carnival's business. If there's not too much of a difference, or somehow Carnival's earnings go up with this reward program? You will 100% see other cruise lines adopt this model,' CricketCapital4095 other travel loyalty programs increasingly reward travelers based on their spending, it's not surprising that cruise lines would follow. 'This is an extremely logical move for [Carnival] to make, despite how many people are deep in their feels about it, and I'd bet the cost of my next cruise that other lines will follow suit within a couple of years of Carnival's first earnings call after this goes into effect,' baltinerdist added. Commenters also pointed out that if the industry moved in this direction, cruisers may be more inclined to sail with multiple cruise lines rather than stay loyal to one in order to gain status.'If there is no loyalty program, then why be loyal,' Routine_Day_1276 questioned. 'That's the entire reason for it. Granted, you don't get a lot for being loyal, but anything that isn't an insult is better than nothing. In my opinion, what Carnival did is an insult to everyone who has been loyal. So no, if Royal went that route, I would not be loyal to them anymore.' Royal Caribbean cruisers don't want the cruise line to change its popular Crown & Anchor loyalty program. Like Carnival's current VIFP Club, Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor program rewards cruisers based on nights sailed.'I very much hope Royal realizes that by having the best loyalty program in the industry, they would have the most to lose by making drastic changes to Crown & Anchor,' xAdray commented. Still, if the Carnival Rewards program proves successful, Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines would likely begin to incorporate spending-based rewards into their loyalty programs in some way. 'Even if other cruise lines don't adopt the Carnival-specific model, I wouldn't be surprised if an 'onboard spending' category was added as a way to retain top-tier status. It's all about capturing dollars on board for the cruise lines,' CricketCapital4095 pointed out. 'If you're top-tier status but don't spend much on board, why would a cruise line much care about your loyalty status? More than likely those customers cost cruise lines money in some capacity,' CricketCapital4095 added. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Travel Daily News
09-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
VIVA Cruises partners with Widgety to enhance travel trade experience
VIVA Cruises partners with Widgety to boost trade sales, offering agents seamless access to its full cruise programme and global market expansion support. In a bid to grow trade sales, European river cruise specialist VIVA Cruises, has partnered with Widgety, a leading technology platform designed for travel agents, OTAs and tour operators. This partnership will make it easier and more accessible for the travel trade to book VIVA Cruises product by providing the trade with seamless access to the complete VIVA Cruises programme. This includes pricing, images and brochure content via API feeds to drive their websites and booking platforms. The collaboration supports VIVA Cruises' strategic goal of substantially increasing market share of its global business from the UK, Ireland Australia, and New Zealand by December 2026. Widgety is renowned for its innovative solutions that empower travel professionals with comprehensive and up-to-date travel content. By integrating VIVA Cruises' full programme into Widgety's platform, travel trade partners can now effortlessly access and promote VIVA Cruises' offerings, enhancing their ability to serve customers and grow their businesses. Michelle Daniels, VIVA Cruises country manager for UK & Ireland, Australia and New Zealand said: 'We are delighted to partner with Widgety to offer our trade partners seamless access to the complete VIVA Cruises programme – including pricing, images, and brochure content. This collaboration further demonstrates our commitment to the travel trade and our dedication to becoming a trusted partner in river cruising.' Damian Gevertz, director at Widgety, added: 'We are thrilled to be collaborating with VIVA Cruises and their team and we are confident that this unique brand will achieve great success. The VIVA feed has been upgraded and is now available in GBP, USD and EUR across all our products.' By leveraging Widgety's technology, VIVA Cruises aims to provide an enhanced experience for travel professionals. The partnership is in addition to the VIVA Cruises programme being available on other platforms such as Traveltek, Dreamlake and Cabin Select, making it easier than ever to access and promote their unique river cruise offerings.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mexico cruise tax compromise is good news for cruisers, port towns
The cruise industry's efforts to stop a $42 per-passenger cruise tax proposed by the Mexican government seems to have been successful. Cruise industry leaders were blindsided by the plan last fall and have since been meeting with Mexican government officials to find a balanced solution that supports Mexico's tourism industry and keeps Mexico cruises affordable for they were focused on collaboration with Mexico, cruise industry leaders warned that it wouldn't be difficult for cruise lines to adjust itineraries to swap Mexican ports of call with other destinations if the $42 tax was implemented as planned on July 1. Even a small drop in cruise ship traffic could mean millions of dollars in lost revenue for local businesses in communities that depend on tourism, cancelling out the tax's intended economic benefits. It appears that the Mexican government listened to both cruise industry leaders and concerned port town residents, and came up with a better Mexican government has not completely dropped the planned cruise tax, but has significantly decreased it. Instead of charging $42 for each passenger beginning July 1, Mexico will introduce the cruise tax at a rate of $5 per passenger to start, according to Riviera Maya News. The cruise tax is expected to double in 2026 and increase again in 2027 and 2028, however. It will increase to $10 for 2026 and rise gradually, eventually reaching $ new tax amounts, which are intended to increase cruise tourism's contribution to Mexico's economic development, have been agreed upon by the Federation of Cruise Services and Related Activities (FSCA) and the Mexican government, according to Mexican Senator Eugenio Segura Vázquez. Riviera Maya News reports that the agreement includes 'commitments from the cruise ship companies to increase the number of cruise passengers to Mexican ports, promote infrastructure projects such as the fourth pier in Cozumel and the acquisition of domestic supplies, especially artisanal products, for sale on cruise ships.'Although the cruise industry has yet to comment on the Mexico cruise tax compromise, Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein previously expressed an optimistic outlook about the ongoing tax talks during a state of the industry panel at the Seatrade Cruise Global conference on April 8. 'We had an amazing meeting with the governor of Quintana Roo and others, and everything is moving in the right direction for hopefully something that's incredibly collaborative in its approach,' Weinstein said, as reported by Cruise Industry Royal Caribbean, and other cruise lines have recently been focused on expanding cruise options visiting Mexican ports. Reaching a compromise with Mexico is especially good news for Royal Caribbean, since the cruise line is currently making major investments, developing new cruise destination experiences in Mexico to better serve passengers who want to explore the western Caribbean. Royal Beach Club Cozumel is set to debut in 2026, and Perfect Day Mexico is expected to open in Costa Maya in 2027. Like its popular private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Perfect Day Mexico will feature a waterpark, pools, beaches, restaurants, bars, and other experiences, all developed with locally inspired designs and flavors. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
