I am actually surprised at the number of people who are for this change. (Not an argument - each has a right to their view).
I have no insight in the cost to maintain a database; I guess we know one of the ways
Amazon is making their billions, with AWS.
My first reaction was “what do I get (or would lose) that is tangible for my status?” And more importantly, would I regret losing (or could be a deal breaker)?
Palo dinner (not a deal breaker). I have often wondered if they get any paying customers, as so many people say they can’t get brunch because P’s have snagged them all.
Check-in Line: my favorite perk, even though there is no financial aspect. With the fuss made over the temporary No Boarding Group Needed, the threat of losing status would have seemed to really cause an uproar over the potential of losing this.
Early Booking - and this is actually for $$. Very noticeable on our latest booking. The price rose in the hundreds of dollars by the time if the general public window. This would be a deal breaker on deciding whether I would rebook if I lost status.
And I
would have lost status if this had happened when I took a nearly 7-year hiatus due to illness.
I truly wonder if I would have returned to cruising
DCL then if the policy had been in place (I have sailed 4 times on DCL since Sep 2021, having recovered sufficiently just before cruising shut down. The irony!)
I cruise next year. I guess it gives me until November 2029 to see what else happens in the Disney realm and whether this change sticks. I am going to go on that cruise, taking it all in, as though it might be my farewell to Disney cruising. A visit to LHP and a Double Dip at CC. That would be a great finish to 17 years of cruising with Disney.
I am not a Disney-exclusive cruiser, nor a cruise-only vacationer. But I do tend to stay in hotels and fly where I earn loyalty points. I am a small fry in those worlds, but I am extended some recognition toward earning a $ tangible benefit.
Castaway Club has not rewarded me for my cruises as well as other lines’ programs would, but I chose Disney over them for the experience and an environment that matches my preferences. But if they are willing to drop my status if I take a break to save the money I need to meet their escalating prices, I will walk away.
That is the value of a loyalty program - something small can be a deal breaker. it shows their loyalty to ME.
Thank you for listening.