Disney Cruise Line Updates Castaway Club Membership Requirements

[HokieRaven5]

Disney Cruise Line has updated its Castaway Club membership terms. To remain in the Castaway Club program, members must book or sail on at least one eligible cruise within 5 years of their last Disney voyage.

The change, which went into effect today, is noted on the Castaway Club FAQ page:

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/castaway-club/membership/

Scott Gustin

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Oh this is not going to be liked, but its understandable. Its way too top heavy in the Pearl and Platinum levels which is blocking so many Silver from various experiences and excursions.

 

[Kwami]

Oh this is not going to be liked, but its understandable. Its way too top heavy in the Pearl and Platinum levels which is blocking so many Silver from various experiences and excursions.

That doesn't make sense. If the Platinum and Pearl members aren't sailing at least once every five years, then they aren't taking up spaces in those experiences and excursions.

 

[bcwife76]

If you're Platinum or Pearl (Pearl esp) you're definitely cruising way more often than once every 5 years so this changes nothing for them or the cruise line.

 

[sponica]

It's probably that the database is too big and it's an easy way to prune people.

 

[lanejudy]

Agree with others that this has nothing to do with Pearl or Platinum. It's Silvers who cruised back in... 2004 and now booking their 2nd or 3rd cruise, looking for their CC numbers and trying to match up now-adults who cruised as kids way-back-when with new names and/or addresses. It's a basic purge of old records in the database.

 

[sponica]

Agree with others that this has nothing to do with Pearl or Platinum. It's Silvers who cruised back in... 2004 and now booking their 2nd or 3rd cruise, looking for their CC numbers and trying to match up now-adults who cruised as kids way-back-when with new names and/or addresses. It's a basic purge of old records in the database.

Yeah, I'm in that category....we cruised in 2014 and didn't get around to cruising again until 2024.

 

[xiphoid76]

I think any change like this is fine...if they grandfather people in. You made a certain status - we are platinum for example, but my work has changed where I can't find the time to cruise. Why should we be punished because we didn't cruise for 5 years when we have cruised 20+ times already...We go back to 0 status when I retire and can cruise again in a few years. But, DCL is a business and can do whatever they want, and hopefully this will prompt me to get a cruise in before 5 years

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I find it interesting that the actual requirement is "book or cruise within 5 years". And "DCL may (but is not required to) extend the Activity Period and/or continue making Program Benefits available to Member if Member does not book or complete an eligible DCL cruise within their Activity Period; such decisions shall be in DCL’s sole discretion."

So, if someone books a cruise that's 2 years out, but booked 4 years and 11 months years after their last one their status won't change. Then what happens if they cancel the cruise (before penalties, of course)? Immediate cancellation of status?

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Agree with others that this has nothing to do with Pearl or Platinum. It's Silvers who cruised back in... 2004 and now booking their 2nd or 3rd cruise, looking for their CC numbers and trying to match up now-adults who cruised as kids way-back-when with new names and/or addresses. It's a basic purge of old records in the database.

Exactly.. and are like I don’t remember when I sailed


Having people BE a status has zero effect on cruises they are not on and if they are on it they deserve their status

 

[OpieDoodle]

I'm not a fan of this even tho we are starting to sail every year or every other year. Disney cruises are VERY expensive and sometimes once every 5-6 years may be all someone can afford to do. I do not believe most of the other cruiselines do this and honestly DCL was already lacking quite a bit in their loyalty program compared to other cruise lines.

For me this will hit the hardest for those first time cruisers that want to sail again but can't for a while. A lot of first time cruisers get bummed about the booking windows and not being able to get certain things. Finally, getting to go on your second cruise after years of waiting and saving just to find out that if you are now outside of that window would be a huge bummer.

I don't think its going to affect as many pearl members so most of them sail way more often than once every 5 years but I could see this mostly coming into play for silver, golds, and even some of the platinum members. Basically this is forcing people to cruise more than once every 5 years or lose your status. So I could see quite a few people losing their status over these changes. Especially with COVID and some people haven't sailed or booked anything since then.

I could see this tho making the booking window better for first time sailers tho. Not as many people in the silver/gold categories if they get bumped out giving them a shot at booking things like mixology and such.

 

[CarolynFH]

Agree with others that this has nothing to do with Pearl or Platinum. It's Silvers who cruised back in... 2004 and now booking their 2nd or 3rd cruise, looking for their CC numbers and trying to match up now-adults who cruised as kids way-back-when with new names and/or addresses. It's a basic purge of old records in the database.

LOL, that’s us! Cruised once with DCL, on the Magic during her Inaugural Year 1998, taking our next DCL cruise this coming January. I’m glad we’ll maintain our Silver status!

I was very surprised several years ago, when I created a login to the DCL website, to discover they remembered me then. My name and email address were the same, so I guess that’s how they matched me with my CC number.

 

[mousefan73]

I totally agree with Disney decision on this it’s actually very generous. I’m also MSC platinum and I have to maintain that point level every two years and points are given based on how much you spend. Same thing with airlines. Once you don’t maintain a level with business you’re out.

A pearl versus silver/ non member has cash benefits if you look at what they pay on opening day versus what someone who’s not a CC member pays. In a way it’s a discount. I can totally get Disney revenue management thinking. OK we have a generation of kids who are pearl or platinum because their parents paid for their sailings. (at a discount because the third and fourth is significantly lower than the first two.). so why should they 10 years later as paying adults get these benefits basically as a “paying“ head of reservation starting at zero?

 

[DanCali]

Agree with others that this has nothing to do with Pearl or Platinum. It's Silvers who cruised back in... 2004 and now booking their 2nd or 3rd cruise, looking for their CC numbers and trying to match up now-adults who cruised as kids way-back-when with new names and/or addresses. It's a basic purge of old records in the database.

Well, if the goal is to purge Silver then limit it to Silver. But once someone makes Gold or higher they arguably spent plenty with DCL and purging their status after 5 years will just encourage them to cruise with other companies when they do cruise again eventually.

 

[CarolynFH]

I wonder if they’re planning to enhance the benefits at each level and need to purge the database for that reason as well?

 

[OpieDoodle]

Well, if the goal is to purge Silver then limit it to Silver. But once someone makes Gold or higher they arguably spent plenty with DCL and purging their status after 5 years will just encourage them to cruise with other companies when they do cruise again eventually.

I mean another way to look at it is just like the poster above you said. Kids. My kids are going to be gold status very quickly with the plans we have and my youngest isn't even 6 years old yet. Once my kids move out I am sure my husband and I will continue sailing as we love cruises but I bet my kids, unless they come with us, won't sail for quite some time. I mean we were married almost 10 years before we could afford to cruise with DCL. So my kids will have that big gap at some point with whatever level we leave them with. If they don't come back for 10 years should they get the benefit? I would be surprised if my kids are not platinum by the time they move out and stop wanting to come with us. Should they maintain their status if they don't go for another 10 years.

 

[lanejudy]

A pearl versus silver/ non member has cash benefits if you look at what they pay on opening day versus what someone who’s not a CC member pays. In a way it’s a discount.

CC level is really only a discount opportunity for relatively few cruises with the more "novel" itineraries. The standard itineraries don't increase in fare that quickly.

 

[holula]

This seems like such a weird decision for a cruise line that barely offers any benefits in their loyalty program to start with.

Maybe those lanyards cost them more than we think

 

[RedHead0186]

I don't mind the change. There are plenty of loyalty programs that require activity within a certain time frame in order to keep status/benefits. What I don't like is that DCL did this quietly (at least so far, perhaps an email is forthcoming). I also agree a grace period would be fair. That way, those that felt strongly about keeping their status would have the opportunity to book within a certain time frame to keep it. The way this reads, it seems like it's immediate so anyone that hasn't cruised in the past 5 years is out of luck (and maybe I'm wrong on that interpretation).

I do have to say, it was cool that when I cruised in 2016 with my friends and we went to check in, the cast member said "welcome back, you're a silver member!" because I had cruised with my family back in 2001. I had no idea they'd remember me, or even that there was a loyalty program. So that was neat.

 

[lanejudy]

Well, if the goal is to purge Silver then limit it to Silver. But once someone makes Gold or higher they arguably spent plenty with DCL and purging their status after 5 years will just encourage them to cruise with other companies when they do cruise again eventually.

I mentioned Silvers but didn't mean to imply that's being "targeted" by this. As PP shared, their kids will likely be Gold or Platinum as kids -- and there could easily be a 20-yr hiatus before returning to cruise as an adult with family in tow.

My own family is likely to be impacted by this but I have no issue with it. AFAIK most loyalty programs in the travel industry require some level of continued activity to maintain status/points/rewards.