Back to the Class System

[SWACK]

Two evening of complimentary dinners in the specialty restaurant of our choice.

These are exactly the type of suite bennies there should be..

 

Play this out the full way.. Now special areas for suites.. next a special pool, and infact, the whold top deck should be only for Balcony and above.. Anyone on Deck 4 or below can not use the ice rink.... those slobs in Deck 2 get their own MDR on that floor, why should they get the nice room for the rate they pay?? Afterall, if they want to see daylight, they could pay for a room that comes with that perk, like I did!

 

Although a few empty suites does cost the line more, if they continue on this course they will be a big dropoff from the insides and lowers, and they will be left looking to fill them at progressively lower and lower prices..

[MrsPete]

I have to disagree. If you had taken the time to read the posts, you would see there seems to be a common theme here. It's not about what the suite guests are getting, it's what is being taken away from non suite guest that they once had.

 

I have stated twice already that I have no problems with suite guests getting extra perks. But when it infringes upon the rest of the guests, then it can be a bit irritating to them. If RCI wants to add perks for the suite guests, then add them. But don't take away from the non suite guest in order to do it.

 

My problem with this whole thing is that they have taken away many of the diamond benefits and at the same time added to suite benefits.

This is it EXACTLY. It's like being bullied, and no one likes that. Things that used to be a "standard" part of the cruise, things that used to be included are being taken away, and we're told, "Don't like it? Pay more." It's not as if the non-suite passengers' bills have gone down since we "lost" these areas. It's not as if we're not paying our cabin tickets too. We don't want to give up our lunches to a bully just because he's bigger and able to take it (the bully being the cruise line, of course, not the suite passengers -- I'm angry with the company's choices, not any individual whose choices are different from mine).

 

Someone else said essentially "carve out new spaces for the suite guests". Well, that WOULD be a perfect solution . . . but the ship is already built and has a fixed amount of space. That's not realistic. It COULD happen, though, on Labadee. The cruise line could easily expand the beach area, creating a new, exclusive place for suite guests -- and leave what already exists for everyone else.

[MrsPete]

Although a few empty suites does cost the line more, if they continue on this course they will be a big dropoff from the insides and lowers, and they will be left looking to fill them at progressively lower and lower prices..

I agree. I can't imagine more than a few people saying, "Well, I can't really afford this higher price, but I want the suite perks, so I'll figure it out." Instead, the people who would've bought suites anyway will keep buying them . . . and the rest of the cruisers will be angry about it. People don't keep doing business with people who make them angry.

[kooljamming]

I agree. I can't imagine more than a few people saying, "Well, I can't really afford this higher price, but I want the suite perks, so I'll figure it out." Instead, the people who would've bought suites anyway will keep buying them . . . and the rest of the cruisers will be angry about it. People don't keep doing business with people who make them angry.

 

With the right price anger can easily be overcome:D

 

I was angry at my pizza place so left in a flare, with a few choice words. Yep, I told him what I thought, in no uncertain terms:eek: Weeks later I ordered again after trying others. DH said, I thought you were mad, I replied, hun this is business, the price is right, and the pizza is good. Outside of cruise world things get taken away all the time, starting with the Lord, giveth and He taketh away. RCCL is giving people more that pay more but not costing them anything.

[cruznjan]

I see no problem with suite passengers getting extra perks. But unlike the past when the classes were physically separated, now "steerage" space is being taken away with the attitude, "If you don't like it, too bad!"

[andrzej5914]

What's wrong with some of you?

 

We're talking about small sq footage being roped off on the pool deck, EVERYBODY still enjoys the same deck and swims in the same pool. We're taliking about few seats reserved for the suite guests, yet everybody else still can get a decent seat if not better and enjoy the same show.

 

It's not like the average Joe Cruiser from deck 2 is not allowed into these areas or can't enjoy the shows.

[amybeth4]

Don't you get it? You shouldn't be there to begin with... and as you've stated, after a few drinks you wouldn't care it they sat on you. Real classy.

 

OMG are you KIDDING ME?!?!?! My heart just started racing because I just don't believe your response here. IT WAS A JOKE, for god's sake! Someone asked me (ALSO JOKINGLY, HELLO) if they had a rule where you COULD LEGALLY sit in a roped off chair UNTIL a suite guest came over and asked for the chair back, would I do it? I JOKINGLY said YES. If I REALLY wanted to do this, I WOULD'VE sat in the suite chairs on the Liberty and waited for a deck police person to kick me out. The ALCOHOL part was ALSO a JOKE. WOW!!!!!

 

Preeeetty sure that's not what she meant. She KNOWS she shouldn't be there--her point was that nobody offered it and she wasn't going to just up and do it.

 

As for the "sitting on" part--there's this thing called, humor, see, and when people want to be funny, they use it. Usually it works pretty well.

 

Thanks for being one of probably hundreds who actually GOT it, Mehitabel! I'm still seriously in shock here...

[amybeth4]

Okay but only if I'm allowed to smoke in said corner!

 

Yeah, you can smoke but don't forget the agreed upon rule for the pool.:mad:

 

Not sure what you mean here, OB...

[mehitabel]

You know, this thread has got me thinking. I really do dislike things that smack of elitism and privilege, but then I realized that the fact that I can even take a vacation of ANY kind would come off as elitist and privileged to ... I don't know, maybe 90% of the rest of the world?

 

So.

 

As I plop my big ol' corn-fed 'merican posterior into a (non-suite-reserved) deck chair, I will try--TRY, by golly!--not to weep as I pine for the suite life. I will smile through my impending tears as I gnaw through yet another plate of food. I will even drown my sorrows in the Solarium hot tub. It'll be challenging, but I'll face this with dignity and somber pride.

 

Look for me. I'll be the one with people sitting on her next to the pool. LITERALLY. 'Cause I'm classy like that. :D

[MrsPete]

With the right price anger can easily be overcome:D

We're different then because once I'm DONE with something, I'm DONE and I never look at their prices again so that I won't be tempted to go back on my word. For example, there's a certain grocery store near my house in which I haven't set foot for the last 9 years. No loss to me; I live in a good-sized city and have plenty of other options.

 

I'm not DONE with Royal Caribbean, just pretty worked up.

We're talking about small sq footage being roped off on the pool deck, EVERYBODY still enjoys the same deck and swims in the same pool. We're taliking about few seats reserved for the suite guests, yet everybody else still can get a decent seat if not better and enjoy the same show.

Ah, yes, just the attitude the cruise line wants you to adopt: It's not much, just this little something.

 

We're talking about deck chairs -- they seem to be the most visible.

We're also talking about the loss of the best beach on Labadee, essentially regulating non-suite passengers to the rocky side of the island, which will now be over-crowded.

We're also talking about seats at the shows, which really matter to some people.

We're also talking about special seating at the buffet, which -- again -- really matters to some people.

Did I leave anything out? Priority tendering and check-in, but I don't think those are highly contended items.

 

And, of course, there's the question about what it'll be tomorrow. Will room service become a suites-only thing? Will perhaps the bar with the great view on top of the ship (its name escapes me) be reserved for suite passengers? Before you say, "it'll never happen", remember that a year or so ago none of us would've thought that the non-suite passengers would lose Barefoot Beach.

[lcguy]

How dare they do that? Don't they realize that the specialty restaurants are public areas, and if all the reservations gets filled with suite guests, they're denying the regular passengers the right to eat there? As part of their crusie fare, those passengers paid for the right to spend money in the specialty restaurants, and they used to have no problem doing so. These suite perks are completely out of hand.

 

LOL... will it ever end???

 

 

What's wrong with some of you?

 

We're talking about small sq footage being roped off on the pool deck, EVERYBODY still enjoys the same deck and swims in the same pool. We're taliking about few seats reserved for the suite guests, yet everybody else still can get a decent seat if not better and enjoy the same show.

 

It's not like the average Joe Cruiser from deck 2 is not allowed into these areas or can't enjoy the shows.

 

Oh, but some want all the benefits and don't want to pay for it. Funny that they're the one's who demand "choices" in other areas, but are not inclined to make the choice to spend the money to get the benefits on a cruise ship that they want.

[buckirj1]

Wow. Seems like the so-called Loyal Royals are awfully hard to please. First it was the Diamond folks whining earlier in the year because some perqs were taken from them. Now the other folks are whining about not having the same perqs as the Diamond folks. For myself, I'm looking forward to sailing either the Jewel OTS, NCL Dawn, or CB Princess in my inside cabin. Chances are I'll be able to find deck space somewhere.

[lcguy]

OMG are you KIDDING ME?!?!?! My heart just started racing because I just don't believe your response here. IT WAS A JOKE, for god's sake! Someone asked me (ALSO JOKINGLY, HELLO) if they had a rule where you COULD LEGALLY sit in a roped off chair UNTIL a suite guest came over and asked for the chair back, would I do it? I JOKINGLY said YES. If I REALLY wanted to do this, I WOULD'VE sat in the suite chairs on the Liberty and waited for a deck police person to kick me out. The ALCOHOL part was ALSO a JOKE. WOW!!!!!

Oh that's right... and your sneaking into the Diamond lounge was a joke to! I get it. Hahahahahahaha

[Ocean Boy]

Nice bennies. :)

 

But see... according to some people, why should someone in a suite get a complimentary dinner while they have to pay $20 or $25? That would be taking something from them. :rolleyes:

 

I don't think people would be upset by that at all. Nothing is being taken away from the people who are paying for those venues. They can still use them and they have always paid for them. The problem with it is that it will costs RCI something. As far as I can see, unless I have missed something, RCI so far only seems willing to give perks that don't cost RCI anything. In fact, we all seem to be loosing perks that have any monitary cost to RCI. But then, for all I know, there may be all kinds of perks inside those suites that I don't know about as I have never been in one... and probably will never be.

[Ocean Boy]

Not sure what you mean here, OB...

 

Goes back to a previous conversation where I said I could get along with the smoking but would have any $shi!!ing in the pool....

[amybeth4]

Oh that's right... and your sneaking into the Diamond lounge was a joke to! I get it. Hahahahahahaha

 

I didn't exactly sneak in. I had a card. How about letting that one go and moving on? You don't know me from a freakin' hole in the wall and I absolutely do NOT deserve your never ending rudeness and holier-than-thou attitude towards me. Talk to me next time you accept a free upgrade that you didn't pay for and someone tries to book last minute only to be told that, because of free, undeserved upgrades, they can't have that cabin.

[lcguy]

I don't think people would be upset by that at all. Nothing is being taken away from the people who are paying for those venues. They can still use them and they have always paid for them. The problem with it is that it will costs RCI something. As far as I can see, unless I have missed something, RCI so far only seems willing to give perks that don't cost RCI anything. In fact, we all seem to be loosing perks that have any monitary cost to RCI. But then, for all I know, there may be all kinds of perks inside those suites that I don't know about as I have never been in one... and probably will never be.

I guess tongue in cheek tone doesn't come across well in print. :rolleyes:

 

When someone's paying $3,000 per person per week to sail in a suite, they deserve the perks. Call them "suiteners"?

 

I've done the suite thing, but it made sense for 4 people simply for the space. And I feel it somewhat embarrassing to sit or lounge behind a "velvet rope".

 

Now that there's two of us cruising, I don't need the space and understand that I won't get the perks. Then again, I didn't pay for them. Why should I?

 

It's inevitable that people will complain no matter what. If you don't like the policies, then vote with your pocketbook and move on.

[amybeth4]

Goes back to a previous conversation where I said I could get along with the smoking but would have any $shi!!ing in the pool....

 

You mean from parents with their little tea bags? lol

[Ocean Boy]

I guess tongue in cheek tone doesn't come across well in print. :rolleyes:

 

When someone's paying $3,000 per person per week to sail in a suite, they deserve the perks. Call them "suiteners"?

 

I've done the suite thing, but it made sense for 4 people simply for the space. And I feel it somewhat embarrassing to sit or lounge behind a "velvet rope".

 

Now that there's two of us cruising, I don't need the space and understand that I won't get the perks. Then again, I didn't pay for them. Why should I?

 

It's inevitable that people will complain no matter what. If you don't like the policies, then vote with your pocketbook and move on.

I agree, they do deseve perks. When they are paying that much maybe RCI can afford a few perks that actually cost the comany a few bucks.

 

That was covered on this thread many posts ago.:rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

You mean from parents with their little tea bags? lol

 

Or big tea bag adults....;)

[lcguy]

I didn't exactly sneak in. I had a card. How about letting that one go and moving on? You don't know me from a freakin' hole in the wall and I absolutely do NOT deserve your never ending rudeness and holier-than-thou attitude towards me. Talk to me next time you accept a free upgrade that you didn't pay for and someone tries to book last minute only to be told that, because of free, undeserved upgrades, they can't have that cabin.

You're right again. I don't know you. TG.

 

It just goes to show anyone can justify anything in their own minds.

 

And FWIW, I've never gotten a free upgrade on a cruise ship.

 

Airlines? Different story and totally earned. :)

[lcguy]

You mean from parents with their little tea bags? lol

Classy.

[luckyprincess]

LOL... will it ever end???

 

 

 

 

Oh, but some want all the benefits and don't want to pay for it. Funny that they're the one's who demand "choices" in other areas, but are not inclined to make the choice to spend the money to get the benefits on a cruise ship that they want.

You know I love ya!! But the reason I kept trying to post and reword and get the point I was trying to make across has to do with this part you wrote above. When you say that some people want 'all the benefits and don't want to pay for it' the thing I feel you're maybe not taking into consideration is that those WERE the benefits those people were paying for - and by that (for the literal among us!:p) I mean the beach in Labadee that has always been offered as a private island where the use of the entire island is for all guests on the RCCL ship docked there, as well as showing photo after photo after photo and video and promotional media of the pool deck and lounge chairs and the events that go on right around it without ever having a disclaimer that 'chairs not included' or something:D - so yes, those are the people that spent their money with RCCL and those were indeed some of the benefits that they recieved, as well as the ice skating rink, the rock climbing wall, the flowrider, food in the MDR and everything else that they could always normally have in their fare. And the worst sticking point is that those areas that have always been included in their fare are now removed and yet - their fare hasn't been adjusted to reflect the loss of those benefits. Perhaps they are trying to drive people into a suite (desperate?) but for someone like me, that could afford a suite but just have no interest in the perks (I don't take kindly to wasting my money - that's why I still have some! lol) it's ineffective. Others can't afford it anyway so the enticement seems fruitless.

I mean, if you went next time and they tell you 'sorry, the beach front in CocoCay is now just for D+ - but you still get the whole rest of the island in the interior section - I'm pretty positive that no one would say - oh, that's awesome that they took that 'benefit that was included in my cruise fare' and gave it to people that have spent the most time cruising with RCCL. Good for them - great business decision and then slink off into the trees...:p

[amybeth4]

Classy.

 

Hey holyman, if you were on Cruise Critic for more than three months, you would've realized I was referring to someone whom many people on here knew and was the one who "invented" that term.

 

So go ahead, keep sarcastically calling me classy, keep picturing me as some kind of slob who wants everything handed to her, keep saying that we all want something for nothing and COMPLETELY misunderstanding what we're saying here (which Luckyprincess made QUITE clear in her above post, as have MANY of us on the last 18 pages)...and for the love of God please don't answer this post or anything else I type. Have a wonderful Christmas looking down at the rest of us from your perfect world.

[bluegirlum]

Okay, folks, I think we're missing the really important question--does Santa visit the kids in the suites first? And what happens if there are too many D and D+ kids on the ship to fill the concierge lounge, and they have to kick the regular kids out of their normal lounge to see Santa. What happens then?