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Diamond Drinks Trial?

TOM CRUIZES

By TOM CRUIZES,
in Royal Caribbean International

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GranysT

GranysT

Posted
Posted (edited)

Is this only going to be available on TA cruises? Also, we just became Diamond on our last cruise, last Jan. Our next cruise is in April 2014. I have already asked, and been answered, that there are no frozen drinks offered in the DL. Also, no one remembered if I could get Khalua and Cream, in the DL. But probably Not.

Now my question is, at this 3 drinks from any bar, would I be able to order either my Khalua, or a frozen mixed drink?

This is provided the 3 drinks at any bar, is available on other cruises besides a TA.

Edited by GranysT
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TEXASMUNK

TEXASMUNK

Posted
Posted

RCI introduces a new "enhancement" Many of the comments seem to be negative in attitude woven into the replies.

So, my question:

Are you giving up your D or D+ or Pinnacle status and never sailing RCI again if your expectations are not met 100%????

Do you sail solely because you get to say you are D, D+ or Pinnacle?

 

Yes, we are Diamond Plus, but do not because we get free drinks...you should see our bar bill at the end of a typical cruise!

 

RCI can enhance, pull back, do anything they want with the program...if is a benefit, not a right. So we worry not if a specific "enhancement does nto flaot our boat.

 

Kudos to RCI for continuing expansion of their loyalty program.

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Debde

Debde

Posted
Posted
Just remembered that we were on the first two cruises on the Indy last year after the T/A. The Olive and Twist was used as the D Lounge and was overwhelmed every night. Good to see nothing changed with the vouchers.

 

I'm confused. why it is a good thing that it is still overwhelmed???

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heatherb1958

heatherb1958

Posted
Posted (edited)
We have also just returned from this cruise. We sat in the Pyramid lounge for our evening drinks. They checked that you were Diamond or above when ordering your drinks. No one standing at the door. They did not swipe the cards, but when ordering drinks at the pub or Vintages they did to record you had had a drink. Not sure what they did at other bars as we did not use them. They also had the hot and cold appetizers in the Pyramid lounge. Every night there was always a large group of Diamond + people sitting in the lounge as they found the DL and CL overcrowded.

When speaking with a bar manager he felt the number of drinks should be increased from 3 to maybe 5.

We wish they had had this system in effect for the 4 day cruise prior to the TA. We were travelling with my DS and BIL who had never cruised before so we were not able to enjoy the DL if we all wanted to sit together. If this had been in effect we could have sat at any bar and enjoyed our complimentary drinks while still being able to enjoy their company.

 

Jenni

PS Hi Heather!

 

Hi Jenni, hope you and David had a good time despite the teething problems . Looking forward to seeing you guys albeit briefly next November if not before;):)

 

 

.

 

 

 

Hi Heather if you shut the CL what would happen to the suite guests?

 

Hi Brian, hope you and Sarah are okay. Did I see that you are on the eastbound TA on Indie next year?.

In my post my idea is to combine the cloud 9 rooms and add extra seating to make a larger CL, remember on Indie in May/June when it was used for an overflow for the DL?. That is where Concierge guests could go for evening drinks along with D+ and Ps . Unfortunately the seating is not as comfortable as on Adventure. For me cruising is all about meeting new friends and visiting new places.Maybe once the voucher system sinks in people will realise it is not necessary to herd in one place . We had drinks in Vintages on the Liberty with only a handful of other guests, it was lovely having a one to one service from the bartender who had time to chat and not look ragged!.

Edited by heatherb1953
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Folk Singer

Folk Singer

Posted
Posted
We just recently completed the Liberty TA.

The Concierge lounge on deck 10 was closed at night , Olive and Twist became the evening Concierge lounge for D+,P and suite guests. Deck 5 Sphinx lounge became the Diamond lounge, there were bar servers walking the floor of the Sphinx,if you couldn't wait 5-10 mins. there was a bar set up in the corner where you could walk over and get your own drink from a bartender,no queue except for final orders at 8.30pm.

I believe there were 1000 'free drink' eligible C&A guests onboard. We never had a problem getting a seat in either venue from 7pm( one drink each half hour on the basis of 3 per night;)) although when we were on deck 14 we did use the DL room with it's propped open door as it was quieter and cooler.

Noise levels increased when 1st seating guests returned to catch 'last orders'.

We thought the organisation was so much better than April 2011 and have no complaints about the service in either venue.

 

 

I wonder how many eligible guests were on Indie. This is what I would have done.:)

They should have closed the Concierge lounge at night like Liberty did and combined the cloud 9 rooms to make a larger venue for CL guests with added seating. Adventure has done a good job doing this.

I would have closed the DL and have guests use the vouchers in ALL the bars . The voucher system works on Celebrity within a shorter evening time frame, Indie management should have grown some and just put the voucher system in place and reviewed it after a few days.

The only thing missing from this scenario is the nibbles, easy , have staff walk around the bars with trays like they do at the parties and like they used to do in the Casino many moons ago.

Flame away.

 

Heather

 

good to know thank you. hope you both are fine.

 

Don and Ginny

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
We are new Diamonds and our next cruise is on the Jewel, which does not have a Diamond Lounge.....yet. We also aren't much of drinkers so the free drins are pretty much wasted on us. However, I do appreciate the effort RCI is making to recognize loyalty in it's passengers.:D

Don't forget to request your higher Diamond balcony discount on any cruises you have booked.:)

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Folk Singer

Folk Singer

Posted
Posted
We are new Diamonds and our next cruise is on the Jewel, which does not have a Diamond Lounge.....yet. We also aren't much of drinkers so the free drins are pretty much wasted on us. However, I do appreciate the effort RCI is making to recognize loyalty in it's passengers.:D

 

it is why we cruise only with the RCCL.

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Lilyrosemum

Lilyrosemum

Posted
Posted
Same here, after the early seating guests leave the DL and CL, there's usually plenty of seating available. Great places to meet fellow passengers and share traveling experiences.

I didn't understand RCI's reason for having Diamonds in December Celebration over the past several years. Why get more Diamond members to Diamond Plus sooner? Wouldn't it have happened anyway?

 

Royal and Celebrity are still my favorite, and if we had been loyal to RCI we would be Pinnacle, but I wouldn't trade all of the other cruise line experiences and itineraries for a name badge.:rolleyes:

 

After our Allure cruise Dec. 1st, we're trying our first Azamara cruise Dec. 8th. No vouchers or private lounge, just get a drink when you want one.;)

 

So you must sit in there a long time to know when the early seating guests get there and leave then?

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beachnative

beachnative

Posted
Posted

I received (and completed) a survey regarding my satisfaction with the the "Trial Diamond Coupons" from Crown and Anchor today. It was a very short survey but did have an option at the end that allowed me to write a comment on how to improve "Crown and Anchor" but didn't ask how to improve the DL/CL/coupon or "Trial Diamond Coupons".

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
What is a "higher d balcony discount" ?

 

Diamonds get more of a discount off of their balcony cabin than emeralds. So Clarea was telling the poster not to forget to ask for the higher discount since they were moving up to diamond from emerald.

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TheMiz

TheMiz

Posted
Posted
Diamonds get more of a discount off of their balcony cabin than emeralds. So Clarea was telling the poster not to forget to ask for the higher discount since they were moving up to diamond from emerald.

 

 

OK I missed the part that is was a New Diamond member .

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ladyflatlander

ladyflatlander

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

We have been doing this on Celebrity for past 2 years, works out great. Can't use in MDR, be always pick up a glass of wine at the bar right near the MDR and take it in with us.

 

Nice to see preload on cruise card instead of the nightly vouchers. Too easy to slip away from the cabin without them and then have to go back for them. You also need them in the Captains Club on Celebrity.

 

Just bet you will enjoy them.

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heatherb1958

heatherb1958

Posted
Posted
We have been doing this on Celebrity for past 2 years, works out great. Can't use in MDR, be always pick up a glass of wine at the bar right near the MDR and take it in with us.

 

Nice to see preload on cruise card instead of the nightly vouchers. Too easy to slip away from the cabin without them and then have to go back for them. You also need them in the Captains Club on Celebrity.

 

Just bet you will enjoy them.

 

Thank you so much for the positive feedback.

We have friends who sailed mainly RCI and did a TA on Celebrity ,they were like you and pointed out the advantages of the vouchers, It should certainly save on paper cups;).

By this I mean the people who like to transfer their drinks from the DL/CL into paper cups so they can finish their drinks elsewhere.

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RoamingRetirees

RoamingRetirees

Posted
Posted
Could you post the link to this on the Celebrity site? I cannot find it. I would like to see what equates to what....:rolleyes:

 

It is listed on the benefits page for each tier. Here is the one for Elite Plus: http://www.celebritycruises.com/captainsclub/membershipBenefits.do#captains_club_tier_elite_plus/captainsclub/membershipTierDetails.do%3Fpagename=captains_club_tier_elite_plus. Also, if you click on the link for "Terms and Conditons" it spells it all out.

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