Leveling Up on Loyalty

Okay my fellow Royal experts. We are Platinum at 45 points/cruise credits (whatever you call them). It looks like you become Emerald at 55 points. Since we are so close, I am thinking about booking a junior suite to get us to our 55 point mark, so we can be Emerald on the following cruise. Will a Junior Suite for 5 nights get us there? It is my understanding that suites give you 2 points per night of sailing. So that should get us to the 55 point mark. At that point, we will have obtained enough points to be Emerald on the following cruise, right? We usually cruise for 7 nights, but I would be okay with a five night one in a JS to get the requisite points.

So my next question is whether the benefits at Emerald are worth paying the extra money to get their more quickly. I wouldn't mind if it took us two cruises in OV or balconies to get our points. I just feel like we are so close to the next level, it might be worth it to go ahead and pay the extra to get there.

I don't see any huge benefits to getting to Emerald. It looks to me like you don't really start getting any meaningful perks until you get to Diamond. I know there are plenty who think even those perks are diminished.

I should have said My fellow Royal Cruisers who have greater expertise than I.

I am certainly NO expert, thus I have no fellow experts. :o

Okay my fellow Royal experts. We are Platinum at 45 points/cruise credits (whatever you call them). It looks like you become Emerald at 55 points. Since we are so close, I am thinking about booking a junior suite to get us to our 55 point mark, so we can be Emerald on the following cruise. Will a Junior Suite for 5 nights get us there? It is my understanding that suites give you 2 points per night of sailing. So that should get us to the 55 point mark. At that point, we will have obtained enough points to be Emerald on the following cruise, right? We usually cruise for 7 nights, but I would be okay with a five night one in a JS to get the requisite points.

 

So my next question is whether the benefits at Emerald are worth paying the extra money to get their more quickly. I wouldn't mind if it took us two cruises in OV or balconies to get our points. I just feel like we are so close to the next level, it might be worth it to go ahead and pay the extra to get there.

 

I don't see any huge benefits to getting to Emerald. It looks to me like you don't really start getting any meaningful perks until you get to Diamond. I know there are plenty who think even those perks are diminished.

Yes, a 5 day cruise in a JS would give you 10 points.

It would not be worth it for me to go on a cruise solely to make Emerald. If you are already going on the cruise, no big deal, but if you're doing it so you can get Emerald perks, it would not be worth it to me.

Check out the program at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/benefitsLoggedout.do

Then ask yourself if a free welcome gift including a free beer is worth what you are thinking about. Diamond is the better step, Emerald does basically nothing.

I'm not an expert either, my DW would be better to answer this, but my opinion is getting to the next level, from any level to any level (except maybe to Pinnacle) is not worth paying more money for it.

We are Diamond and it seems like now you have to be Diamond Plus to start getting some of the special treatment, which is the way it was we were the level below Diamond. So either the perceived perks aren't as good once you're at that level, or they keep changing them to push them higher.

Either way, a would rather go on more cruises or other vacations, then to spend the same amount of money to go on fewer at a higher price, just to get to a certain status.

With all that said, we still look at suite prices when looking at a cruise because sometimes they really are competitive during certain situation. We have gotten JS's as cheap as balcony's before, so it does happen if the timing is right.

Good luck and always do what you think is best for you!!

It would not be worth it for me to go on a cruise solely to make Emerald. If you are already going on the cruise, no big deal, but if you're doing it so you can get Emerald perks, it would not be worth it to me.

We did squeeze in a 3 day in a JS a few weeks ago. (We were really anxious to get back on the water.):) Now, when we sail on the Freedom in September, we will sail as Diamonds. :D

 

I don't see any huge benefits to getting to Emerald. It looks to me like you don't really start getting any meaningful perks until you get to Diamond. I know there are plenty who think even those perks are diminished.

I would also be in the camp that it really would not be worth the extra expense to make the cruise at the Emerald level. Of course it could be open for discussion if you were trying to get to Diamond faster. While there has been some nibbling around the edges of the upper level perks, I think they are still great and enjoy them immensely.

We did squeeze in a 3 day in a JS a few weeks ago. (We were really anxious to get back on the water.):) Now, when we sail on the Freedom in September, we will sail as Diamonds. :D

That's just prudent planning:):)!

I would also be in the camp that it really would not be worth the extra expense to make the cruise at the Emerald level. Of course it could be open for discussion if you were trying to get to Diamond faster. While there has been some nibbling around the edges of the upper level perks, I think they are still great and enjoy them immensely.

I think the real benefit begins as the others have stated at Diamond. So, the question is being 30 or 35 points short of diamond important to you.

jc

That's just prudent planning:):)!

Thanks, LeeBe:D

We did squeeze in a 3 day in a JS a few weeks ago. (We were really anxious to get back on the water.):) Now, when we sail on the Freedom in September, we will sail as Diamonds. :D

I also think there's a much bigger difference between Emerald and Diamond, than between Platinum and Emerald.

Check out the program at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/benefitsLoggedout.do

 

Then ask yourself if a free welcome gift including a free beer is worth what you are thinking about. Diamond is the better step, Emerald does basically nothing.

No free beer at Emerald.

I would agree with the others. but what $$$$ are talking about.

If you're only interested in attaining a higher level in the C&A club, take a bunch of low cost Majesty cruises this fall, you'll ZOOM right past Emerald to Diamond!:D

we got to emerald fairly quickly, but we did it by sailing suites only.

the extra perk is not all that.. a non alcoholic drink and a tiny box of stale stuff.

I would squeeze in an extra cruise to make Diamond. not worth it for Emerald.

+1 for not doing this for emerald. Personally I don't think it's worth it at all, when looking at it from financial terms, even if you were going to diamond.

Where I would do it is if my reaching a certain level would make it easier to participate in activities with a group. For example the D+ bridge tour.

Okay my fellow Royal experts. We are Platinum at 45 points/cruise credits (whatever you call them). It looks like you become Emerald at 55 points. Since we are so close, I am thinking about booking a junior suite to get us to our 55 point mark, so we can be Emerald on the following cruise. Will a Junior Suite for 5 nights get us there? It is my understanding that suites give you 2 points per night of sailing. So that should get us to the 55 point mark. At that point, we will have obtained enough points to be Emerald on the following cruise, right? We usually cruise for 7 nights, but I would be okay with a five night one in a JS to get the requisite points.

 

So my next question is whether the benefits at Emerald are worth paying the extra money to get their more quickly. I wouldn't mind if it took us two cruises in OV or balconies to get our points. I just feel like we are so close to the next level, it might be worth it to go ahead and pay the extra to get there.

 

I don't see any huge benefits to getting to Emerald. It looks to me like you don't really start getting any meaningful perks until you get to Diamond. I know there are plenty who think even those perks are diminished.

None of the tiers offer enough of a benefit to warrant booking a cruise just to move up one tier. Now, if you are already booked on a cruise and want to pay extra to get more points, the best time to do that is when you move from Emerald to Diamond or when you move from D+ to Pinnacle. However, I would not do that just to move from Platinum to Emerald.

Oh I wouldn't go on the cruise just to get emerald. My post was a little confusing. I was asking if sit was worth pending the extra for a JS to get my level up quicker. Doesn't seem like it.

Oh I wouldn't go on the cruise just to get emerald. My post was a little confusing. I was asking if sit was worth pending the extra for a JS to get my level up quicker. Doesn't seem like it.

Depends on how many days, how much total extra, itinerary, and time of year.

I also think there's a much bigger difference between Emerald and Diamond, than between Platinum and Emerald.

I agree. I didn't make see much difference between Platinum and Emerald. I'll get there when I get there.

Emerald the Waiting Room for Diamond

On 6/DEC/2014

Parents & Myself were at 61 Points and did a 5 Night in a JS, then on

19/APR/2015 we did a 6 Night in a JS and Completed Emerald in TWO Cruises and then a 5 Night in a Cat K right after (First Diamond)

83 Points 25/APR/2015

88 Points 30/APR/2015

Emmerald & Diamond only Comparible is the agreement with MGM Casinos

I agree. I didn't make see much difference between Platinum and Emerald. I'll get there when I get there.

I agree with the others but I do like Junior Suites. :D What's the price?

Coincidentally the one Jr. Suite I sailed in brought me up to Emerald on an 8 night cruise. While the extra C&A Points were an added bonus, I booked the JS when the price was right to get the extra space, bigger balcony, and a bathtub instead of the cramped shower.

Booking your cruise should be about the ship and/or itinerary you'd like to sail. The accommodations should be secondary, and based on your budget and comfort level. I'd rather sail two non-suite cruises if it were the price of one JS cruise. On the other hand, if the price was only slightly more than a balcony for a JS, then I would go for the JS.

Now that I'm Diamond, Diamond Plus is too far out of reach. With all the cutbacks in benefits lately, I'm not even gonna try. Just going to sail on ships and itineraries I'd like to sail on my budget. If it means sailing with another cruise line from time to time, so be it.

Back when there were "Cruise Credits" (1 "credit" per cruise, and a 2nd credit if staying in a JS or higher), it would take 5 Cruises to obtain Platinum and another 5 (10 total) for Diamond in non-suite staterooms.

When the "Credits" were changed to "Points" (1 "point" per night, and a 2nd point if staying in a JS or higher) back in 2011, the conversion created a bigger gap between Platinum and Diamond, so Emerald was added to help lessen the impact of the increase needed.

Think of Emerald as Platinum Plus, with the Plus being 1 bottle of water or can of soda and a welcome basket with cookies and dried fruit as others have posted.

Coincidentally the one Jr. Suite I sailed in brought me up to Emerald on an 8 night cruise. While the extra C&A Points were an added bonus, I booked the JS when the price was right to get the extra space, bigger balcony, and a bathtub instead of the cramped shower.

 

Booking your cruise should be about the ship and/or itinerary you'd like to sail. The accommodations should be secondary, and based on your budget and comfort level. I'd rather sail two non-suite cruises if it were the price of one JS cruise. On the other hand, if the price was only slightly more than a balcony for a JS, then I would go for the JS.

 

The difference in price between the 2 cabins is $285.00 total ($142.50 per person). I don't think that is a HUGE difference in price. Although, it could certainly be used toward other things. I know everyone has their own opinions on what is "worth it." I think I might prefer to use my money on other things, but it would certainly cost me more to take two cruises to get to Diamond than it would to spring for the JS this one time and be there.

Although, we may be up for trying some other lines right now.

You need to go through Emerald to get to Diamond....so yes its worth it.