Diamond Drinks Trial?

Just heard from someone who received this email from RCCL regarding the Diamond Lounge.

You asked – we listened! Often we hear great ideas from our Crown & Anchor Society members that we are able to bring into action.During your upcoming transatlantic voyage onboard the Independence of the Seas®, you will be part of a pilot test to enhance the Loyalty experience onboard.We understand at times the Diamond lounge can be crowded, so we are excited to introduce a new option for you aboard the Independence of the Seas: A nightly happy hour from 5:00 - 8:00pm to be enjoyed at almost every venue throughout the ship!*

How? Free drink vouchers will be pre-loaded onto your SeaPass® card to enable you to enjoy the flexibility of up to three complimentary beverages at almost every bar throughout the ship. You can still sit back and relax while enjoying all of the amenities in the Diamond Lounge, plus all of the other options available to you!We look forward to hearing your feedback about this new experience and wish you a wonderful cruise holiday.Happy sailing!

We are on this sailing and have received the e mail. Looking forward to it and seeing how it works.

Just heard from someone who received this email from RCCL regarding the Diamond Lounge.

 

 

You asked – we listened! Often we hear great ideas from our Crown & Anchor Society members that we are able to bring into action.During your upcoming transatlantic voyage onboard the Independence of the Seas®, you will be part of a pilot test to enhance the Loyalty experience onboard.We understand at times the Diamond lounge can be crowded, so we are excited to introduce a new option for you aboard the Independence of the Seas: A nightly happy hour from 5:00 - 8:00pm to be enjoyed at almost every venue throughout the ship!*

How? Free drink vouchers will be pre-loaded onto your SeaPass® card to enable you to enjoy the flexibility of up to three complimentary beverages at almost every bar throughout the ship. You can still sit back and relax while enjoying all of the amenities in the Diamond Lounge, plus all of the other options available to you!We look forward to hearing your feedback about this new experience and wish you a wonderful cruise holiday.Happy sailing!

Three drinks for the entire cruise?

Translation: Only three drinks per person. I would think per night.

A nightly happy hour from 5:00 - 8:00pm to be enjoyed at almost every venue throughout the ship!*

I think this means every night. Personally enjoy being in the lounge but I think it's not such a bad idea. Then it wouldn't matter if you couldn't make it up there on time.

Let's hope that "nightly" is the key word!

Three drinks per person per night to be enjoyed at any bar. Also says that you can still enjoy the amenities at the diamond lounge or concierge bar. Guess you could have a drink there too if you wanted. I will find out in 10 days!

This is actually not a new concept. Celebrity started doing this last winter on many of its sailings, and I liked it a lot. Each night (with the exception of embarkation night and the night of the Captain's Cocktail reception,) each Elite member had 3 drink coupons to use between 5 and 7 p.m. at most bars on the ship. Pre-loading the 3 free drinks per eligible passenger into their sea pass card will prevent folks from giving coupons to non-eligible guests (which I admit we frequently did.)

The biggest benefit to this is that you can enjoy cocktails with others who may not be eligible to use the DL.

Very smart on a cruise like a transatlantic where frequently at least half the ship (or more) is Diamond or higher. I know on my TA that I never went to the Diamond lounge because it was way too crowded.

Interesting. Wonder if they mean three every night, or three in each bar or three total an all bars. Not sure I understand the restrictions if they plan to do this. Many ships now use overflow space when the numbers are large and currently the drinks in the lounge (or overflow) are unlimited during the cocktail hours.

IMO they should simplify this and if they want to accommodate a large number of D / D+ / Pinnacle on board a given ship, just have the same service as provided in the Diamond Club at any bar during those hours by showing you SeaPass, which of course has your C & A level printed on it.

Very smart on a cruise like a transatlantic where frequently at least half the ship (or more) is Diamond or higher. I know on my TA that I never went to the Diamond lounge because it was way too crowded.

I agree with you. And I think that was the idea behind X starting it last winter on their 14-night itineraries. Those sailings typically have a lot of elite/diamond members, and the lounge that they typically use just couldn't handle the large numbers.

I like it. :)

This seems like a no-brainer to me. Since on the TAs there are often over 700 diamonds on board.

jc

I think this is wonderful.

Friends who had this on Celebrity said it was especially good if you were still by the pool at early doors, you could have a relaxing drink by the pool then go get ready for dinner then enjoy your other cocktails elsewhere.

Brilliant. Thank you Tom for posting.

So long as it is (and remains) in addition to the traditional Diamond Lounge offerings I think it's an excellent idea! Provides guests with additional choices and will hopefully ease DL crowding on voyages where there are a lot of Ds. I personally really enjoy the DL experience, but I realize there are probably plenty of other Ds who would prefer to enjoy their cocktails elsewhere on the ship.

I hope it goes fleet wide

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I always go after 18:30 when most members left for early seating and is not crowded at all! wondering if they will be doing it on my Serenade TA as well.

Do you think these vouchers will be allowed in the MDR?

OK I'll be the one to say it.................Only 3 drinks!!!! (assuming they mean 3 drinks each night...hopefully)

There have been many times we have sat in Cl with friends and had more than 3 drinks !!!!

I am a little weary of any change that is said it is for my benefit...just sayin

Very interesting! Would be especially nice on ships that don't have a Diamond Lounge!

Do you think these vouchers will be allowed in the MDR?

No, it says not in MDR or Windjammer

OK I'll be the one to say it.................Only 3 drinks!!!! (assuming they mean 3 drinks each night...hopefully)

There have been many times we have sat in Cl with friends and had more than 3 drinks !!!!

I am a little weary of any change that is said it is for my benefit...just sayin

It says that you will still be able to enjoy the amenities in the diamond and concierge lounge, so I don't see why you won't be able to get a drink there as well or instead.

If it also applies to the drinks in the lounges, it should definitely cut down on people who have come in when they should not have!

It says that you will still be able to enjoy the amenities in the diamond and concierge lounge, so I don't see why you won't be able to get a drink there as well or instead.

Oh ok ....I was reading it differently....So no vouchers in the DL lounges... but if you want to visit other venues during DL cocktail hours you can and have 3 drinks outside the DL.

Well this seems great...but it is a slippery slope for other more restrictive changes.

I like, I like :)