Elite Lounge Hours - possible change

[gagirl7143]

How do they determine who has 20 or 25 credits when they spilt the group? The only thing on your card is the word Elite. Is this just done on the honor system?

 

On Equinox last Nov. they just sent those with 25 or more cruise credits a letter.... others did not get one so you would not be aware if you did not get the Letter. We had 38 with RccL but only 6 at the time with X and did not receie a lettter. We knew about it from friends that had 45 on X. they chose to stay in Reflections with us.

[beachbuddy]

On Equinox last Nov. they just sent those with 25 or more cruise credits a letter.... others did not get one so you would not be aware if you did not get the Letter. We had 38 with RccL but only 6 at the time with X and did not receie a lettter. We knew about it from friends that had 45 on X. they chose to stay in Reflections with us.

 

I think that would be difficult to do now since RCCL changed their credit system. They would probably grandfather people anyway. RCCL did.

[swigso]

Of course, that would only accomplish the reverse-- overburdening the Diamond Plus amenities...

 

Whatever they do, I (along with many others) am likely not to be completely happy...Once they've given an amenity, it's hard to take it away...

 

And, with all the new accounting and new tiers, some of us are in this strange position:

I am Diamond--still a few cruises short of Diamond Plus on RCCL...and Elite (with 16 credits...at the end of my currently booked Celebrity cruises, I'll be at 20 credits) with X...

Say they add an "elite Plus" at 25 credits to mirror RCCL's Diamond Plus, I'll be closing in on 40 cruise credits on the combined lines but still several cruises short of "Plus" while many people with 25 cruises will have the "Plus" amenities on both!! Anyone sense an inherent unfairness with that?

 

I think that originally the idea was that loyal RC cruisers who were looking to move up to X would not have

to work their way up the X loyalty program.

The problem is now that there are so many Ex RCCl D+ passengers sailing who have moved on to Celebrity

that it is likely they are starting to look at it because of the cost implications.

We are D+ on RCCl too but now we prefer Celebrity and it would be

unlikely that we will sail with RCCl again soon,unless with our family and grandson.

However having said that we have 25+ sailings with X/Azamara but

will not get the top benefits if we do choose to sail with RCCL again.

That is not really an issue if we did take a RC trip but what I can see is that

the level of entry for D and D+ from RCCL to the Captains Club progrm will need to be changed.

Maybe a Look what you can get, on their first sailing with X and then entry at select level or something.

It would seem that there are many RCCL D+ cruisers changing to X but not the other way around.

That is to be expected due to the style of the different companies.

[gagirl7143]

I think that originally the idea was that loyal RC cruisers who were looking to move up to X would not have

to work their way up the X loyalty program.

The problem is now that there are so many Ex RCCl D+ passengers sailing who have moved on to Celebrity

that it is likely they are starting to look at it because of the cost implications.

We are D+ on RCCl too but now we prefer Celebrity and it would be

unlikely that we will sail with RCCl again soon,unless with our family and grandson.

However having said that we have 25+ sailings with X/Azamara but

will not get the top benefits if we do choose to sail with RCCL again.

That is not really an issue if we did take a RC trip but what I can see is that

the level of entry for D and D+ from RCCL to the Captains Club progrm will need to be changed.

Maybe a Look what you can get, on their first sailing with X and then entry at select level or something.

It would seem that there are many RCCL D+ cruisers changing to X but not the other way around.

That is to be expected due to the style of the different companies.

 

:confused::confused::confused: Not quite sure what you said. If you are D+ on RCCL , then that did not change when they converted to days. If you have 25 x cruises and sail on RCCL then, yes , you would only get the D level status since x does not at this time have an Elite + range.

[dzcruisers]

How do they determine who has 20 or 25 credits when they spilt the group? The only thing on your card is the word Elite. Is this just done on the honor system?

 

Our friends with 20 went to Michaels. They got a letter.

[phoenix_dream]

Just off the Millennium and the time was changed to 5-7. It was my understanding from the Captains Club Hostess that this change is no longer experimental, but is now the permanent time. (with us all understanding that nothing is permanent!) We were on a 10 night cruise and if I remember correctly I think there were over 150 Elite on our cruise. Nevertheless, the event was held in Michael's Club, and we never found it overcrowded. We are late diners, and we generally showed up at 6:00 for about an hour or so. We found that others who visited also did the same - very, very few people if any stayed for the entire two hours. This worked out nicely as early diners came at 5, and late diners generally not until around 6. My point is that at least on this cruise, the time change seemed to work out very well for both seatings. The only advantage I could see for us late diners is that if we stayed until 7:00 and still had drinks left, we had no issue at all in walking out with the drinks in hand. Had we needed to leave at 6:00 there might have been an issue doing this - not sure.

[gagirl7143]

We will be very upset if the ships shift the early seating to 5:30 as has happened on some Transatlantics.

[jagoffee]

We will be very upset if the ships shift the early seating to 5:30 as has happened on some Transatlantics.

 

Didn't you hear? You can Select your dining time and eat whenever you want.

[BoyntonBeth]

Just off the Millennium and the time was changed to 5-7. It was my understanding from the Captains Club Hostess that this change is no longer experimental, but is now the permanent time. (with us all understanding that nothing is permanent!) We were on a 10 night cruise and if I remember correctly I think there were over 150 Elite on our cruise. Nevertheless, the event was held in Michael's Club, and we never found it overcrowded. We are late diners, and we generally showed up at 6:00 for about an hour or so. We found that others who visited also did the same - very, very few people if any stayed for the entire two hours. This worked out nicely as early diners came at 5, and late diners generally not until around 6. My point is that at least on this cruise, the time change seemed to work out very well for both seatings. The only advantage I could see for us late diners is that if we stayed until 7:00 and still had drinks left, we had no issue at all in walking out with the drinks in hand. Had we needed to leave at 6:00 there might have been an issue doing this - not sure.

 

I'll be on Solstice this Sunday, so hopefully I'll be able to confirm this "new" schedule.:cool:

[gagirl7143]

Didn't you hear? You can Select your dining time and eat whenever you want.

 

With 356 days at sea:D with Rccl and X combined I am aware of the select dining option..... but we prefer to dine in the main dining room with our own waiter and etc:cool:. and just wish that we could be afforded the same amount of hours:mad: in the Elite event as ALL other diners:(.

[gagirl7143]

These should be joined i think

[Solstice23]

It worked out great for us on the Eclipse in March we went Twice only because we had friends that were only Select! But on previous cruises we could never work the timing with our late dining times

 

The new times are more fare to everyone

[gagirl7143]

It worked out great for us on the Eclipse in March we went Twice only because we had friends that were only Select! But on previous cruises we could never work the timing with our late dining times

 

The new times are more fare to everyone

 

I guess I am too dense to see how 2 hours for everyone (4-6) is not as

fair as 1 hr for early and 2 hr for late is (6 to 7) more fair...... duh???:rolleyes:

[Bruin Steve]

I guess I am too dense to see how 2 hours for everyone (4-6) is not as

fair as 1 hr for early and 2 hr for late is (6 to 7) more fair...... duh???:rolleyes:

 

It's not even two to one...

 

Assume early seating diners should get to the Dining Room by 6:00...This entails taking some time to walk from the lounge to the dining room to your asssigned table...So, we're really only talking about 45 minutes or so...Then they've got to rush to get to dinner...

 

Meanwhile, late seating diners can get there at 4, if they wish...and pick up a refill at "last call" at 7:00 and sit there and keep drinking that one if they wish...maybe enjoying that over the next half an hour or so...

 

So, it's more accurate to say it's more like 45 minutes for early, two and a half hours for late...

 

Funny how all of the late diners find this to be "fair for everyone"...

 

Of course, on RCCL, they hold it from 5:00 to 8:30!! Early diners can get in for their 45 minutes pre-dinner while the late seating folks have the amenity for three and a half hours!

 

Perhaps the cruise line thinks people really only all pop in for ONE drink...

We know, from past experience, that many people enjoy this amenity for the length of the drink hours...

 

It was how we spend this period onboard the ship--to sit and talk with friends while enjoying the top-level service and elegant atmosphere...To enjoy the "special" treatment one gets having done a large amount of cruising with Celebrity or Royal Caribbean...

 

Two hours is a nice, leisurely amount of time...

Want to cut back hours and make it "fair for everyone"? How about opening 5 to 6 for Early Seating Diners only and 7:30 to 8:30 for late diners?

 

Gosh, I am going to miss the really nice time we had in the Elite lounge with our "friends" leisurely enjoying a two hour conversation, story-telling, jokes and drinking session each day on our last few cruises...

 

But, my late seating friends, it really is not "fair for everyone"...

I am sure you late seating folks wouldn't mind if they switched it to 6:30 to 8:30 either, would you? "Fair" isn't the motive here...

 

Let's ask them to change it to 8:30 to 10:30!!!

[dmk]

"Two hours is a nice, leisurely amount of time...

Want to cut back hours and make it "fair for everyone"? How about opening 5 to 6 for Early Seating Diners only and 7:30 to 8:30 for late diners?"

 

 

Assume late seating diners should get to the Dining Room by 8:15...This entails taking some time to walk from the lounge to the dining room to your asssigned table...So, we're really only talking about 45 minutes or so...Then they've got to rush to get to dinner...

 

Let's not nitpick[/I];)

[Bruin Steve]

"Two hours is a nice, leisurely amount of time...

Want to cut back hours and make it "fair for everyone"? How about opening 5 to 6 for Early Seating Diners only and 7:30 to 8:30 for late diners?"

 

 

Assume late seating diners should get to the Dining Room by 8:15...This entails taking some time to walk from the lounge to the dining room to your asssigned table...So, we're really only talking about 45 minutes or so...Then they've got to rush to get to dinner...

 

Let's not nitpick[/I];)

 

AHA!!!

That being part of the point...

That short rushed and curtailed hour that late seating diners find "fair" for early seating diners is NOT something they would find accepable for themselves...

 

Thank you!!

[Can'tstopcruising]

A few weeks ago I was berated by one of the posters for suggesting that the hours should be from 4-7. I still think it is a good idea, so I will post it again and see what flack I get this time!

 

They should (somebody didn't like the fact that I posted what Celebrity SHOULD do!!) make chits. One colour should be good for drinks from 4-6; another colour should be good for drinks from 5-7. That way everyone can get free drinks for the same length of time.

[richsea]

I hope that they add an Elite Plus tier to the Captain's Club of say, 25 cruise credits, & make this perk open only to those who qualify. This way there will be that many less people to bit*h & moan over what they feel is a right, rather than what it is; a perk!

 

Reading this tread reminds me of first graders arguing over a ball during recess.

[gagirl7143]

"Two hours is a nice, leisurely amount of time...

Want to cut back hours and make it "fair for everyone"? How about opening 5 to 6 for Early Seating Diners only and 7:30 to 8:30 for late diners?"

 

 

Assume late seating diners should get to the Dining Room by 8:15...This entails taking some time to walk from the lounge to the dining room to your asssigned table...So, we're really only talking about 45 minutes or so...Then they've got to rush to get to dinner...

 

Let's not nitpick[/I];)

 

YEP... U R right!!!! That would give us early and those late people 45 min each..... Fair I guess!!!!

[gagirl7143]

I hope that they add an Elite Plus tier to the Captain's Club of say, 25 cruise credits, & make this perk open only to those who qualify. This way there will be that many less people to bit*h & moan over what they feel is a right, rather than what it is; a perk!

 

Reading this tread reminds me of first graders arguing over a ball during recess.

 

Could you be a late seater?

[dmk]

I hope that they add an Elite Plus tier to the Captain's Club of say, 25 cruise credits, & make this perk open only to those who qualify. This way there will be that many less people to bit*h & moan over what they feel is a right, rather than what it is; a perk!

 

Reading this tread reminds me of first graders arguing over a ball during recess.

 

OOH! OOH! I really agree with you...especially about the first graders...ROFL!!!!

[Bruin Steve]

I hope that they add an Elite Plus tier to the Captain's Club of say, 25 cruise credits, & make this perk open only to those who qualify. This way there will be that many less people to bit*h & moan over what they feel is a right, rather than what it is; a perk!

 

Reading this tread reminds me of first graders arguing over a ball during recess.

 

Yup...

The late seaters b*tched and moaned until they got it shifted to 5-7...Now they only want to remind everyone else that it's a perk and not a right...and that we shouldn't b*tch and moan...

[gagirl7143]

Yup...

The late seaters b*tched and moaned until they got it shifted to 5-7...Now they only want to remind everyone else that it's a perk and not a right...and that we shouldn't b*tch and moan...

 

 

Again AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[beachbuddy]

I guess I am too dense to see how 2 hours for everyone (4-6) is not as

fair as 1 hr for early and 2 hr for late is (6 to 7) more fair...... duh???:rolleyes:

 

Would it make you feel better if they had it 5 to 6 for early seating and 7 to 8 for late seating? That way we would only have an hour too! That would be perfect for me!!!! There's no way we'd ever get there even by 6 pm...........if we go at all, it will be closer to 6:30-6:45 so we'll most likely get 1/2 hour or less.

[gagirl7143]

Would it make you feel better if they had it 5 to 6 for early seating and 7 to 8 for late seating? That way we would only have an hour too! That would be perfect for me!!!! There's no way we'd ever get there even by 6 pm...........if we go at all, it will be closer to 6:30-6:45 so we'll most likely get 1/2 hour or less.

 

I only know that at 4:00 on Constellation one week prior to the change in hours (26 Feb.), The waiting area in front of Reflections was PACKED with Elites waiting to enter EVERYNIGHT!!! Yes, it was a Caribbean 14 night. So yes there were plenty of people there for the 4-6 time frame!