Rumors about January C&A changes

[critterchick]

[quote name='bilyclub']Another Pinnacle stating they should get a free drink package and give everybody else crumbs.[/quote]

Crumbs? Some number of free drinks daily, a discounted drink package that's more deeply discounted at every level and offpeak CL access are crumbs to you (and you'll note that I included P in the offpeak access)? Really?

I think airline analogies are imperfect, but I'll try this one: AA has three levels of elite, Gold, Platinum and Executive Platinum. Each gets a certain level of benefits that get better as one moves up the ranks. Golds get a 25% mileage boost. P and EXP get 100%. EXP get certain upgrade opportunities that the rest of us don't get (I've never been EXP so don't know what they are). Did I get mad when AA decided not to let us lowly Golds choose the Main Cabin Extra seats for free any more? You betcha. But that's how status in a program often works when a company needs to save some money or loosen up a logjam - the upper levels maintain all or most of their benefits and the lower ones lose a few.

So yes, I think Pinnacle should get better benefits than D+, otherwise why have the level? But if 50% or 75% off a package isn't enough for you ON TOP OF A BUNCH OF FREE ONES AS WELL, then what is? Just curious

[seaofwonder]

Apply that discount to soda packages and I would be in heaven!


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[critterchick]

[quote name='reallyitsmema']I also think it is funny everytime someone posts about people grabbing seats at 4pm or people staying for 3 hours long. Someone would only know that if they were parked in the chair beside these people or spends 3 hours going in and out policing who if doing what.:rolleyes:
[/quote]

False. I only know about it because people have told me that's what they do. Or have said, "come with me, we're going to stake out our chairs in the CL," at 4:30 in the afternoon. Not all of the early birds stay for the full opening time, but on a Radiance cruise a few years back there was a group of about 10 who did it nightly and were quite proud of themselves. Edited November 28, 2013 by critterchick

[LMaxwell]

Not all of the early birds stay for the full opening time, but on a Radiance cruise a few years back there was a group of about 10 who did it nightly and were quite proud of themselves.

 

"To each their own"

"A cruise is what you make of it"

 

Two comments I see on this website repeated so often I have to believe everyone but me has it as a keyboard shortcut.

 

That's what those people chose to make of their cruise. They paid for it. I'm missing what the problem is.

[critterchick]

"To each their own"

"A cruise is what you make of it"

 

Two comments I see on this website repeated so often I have to believe everyone but me has it as a keyboard shortcut.

 

That's what those people chose to make of their cruise. They paid for it. I'm missing what the problem is.

 

I don't have a shortcut key, either.

 

Others paid for their cruises, too but can't take advantage of an advertised benefit if there's no place to sit. That's one problem that I see. Creating more "private" lounges helps reduce overcrowding, as does providing an overflow venue, but then non-status cruisers are shut out of venues that used to be open to all and a source of revenue to the line (I'm thinking of the use of the Viking Crown lounge as an overflow lounge, for example). I'm sure I could think of another few but it's time to feed the critters.:)

[LMaxwell]

Others paid for their cruises, too but can't take advantage of an advertised benefit if there's no place to sit. That's one problem that I see.

 

Agreed. But who has the right to determine if someone has been there too long and should leave to make space for others? Right and wrong doesn't correspond always to fair or not.

 

Creating more "private" lounges helps reduce overcrowding, as does providing an overflow venue, but then non-status cruisers are shut out of venues that used to be open to all and a source of revenue to the line (I'm thinking of the use of the Viking Crown lounge as an overflow lounge, for example).

 

That is an excellent point. Royal has to balance the amount of off-limit venues as others have rightfully paid for their cruise and access to those areas.

 

We will see what, if any, changes are in the near future.

[gadawg1979]

Based on the celebrity changes looks good and looks like no one lost anything there.... Hmmm Many pages of anger for not much.

[teddie]

Conjecture, lording-over, guesswork, entitlement, bickering, class warfare, and directorship. And not one official word from RCI.

 

You'd think half of the posters owned the company.

 

Teddie

 

 

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[yogimax]

I also think it is funny everytime someone posts about people grabbing seats at 4pm or people staying for 3 hours long. Someone would only know that if they were parked in the chair beside these people or spends 3 hours going in and out policing who if doing what.:rolleyes:

 

 

Absolutely not true. This is factual. We walk into the CL on Oasis at 5:05 on the first night and every seat is taken. Every seat! How many seats are there? 100? Well, logic tells you that all those people, who already had their drinks, did not arrive in the last five minutes.

 

We have no desire to sit there for 3 1/2 hours but would like a seat. Yes, folks, whether suite guests or D+, have the "right" to be there for the full time, but common courtesy tells me that the lounge should be shared in a reasonable way. That is precisely why, after the first night, we did not go until well after the lounge "officially" opened for cocktails at 5PM.

[gadawg1979]

Absolutely not true. This is factual. We walk into the CL on Oasis at 5:05 on the first night and every seat is taken. Every seat! How many seats are there? 100? Well, logic tells you that all those people, who already had their drinks, did not arrive in the last five minutes.

 

We have no desire to sit there for 3 1/2 hours but would like a seat. Yes, folks, whether suite guests or D+, have the "right" to be there for the full time, but common courtesy tells me that the lounge should be shared in a reasonable way. That is precisely why, after the first night, we did not go until well after the lounge "officially" opened for cocktails at 5PM.

 

While your at it please tell people not to line up at stores on black friday until the official posted opening time.

[yogimax]

While your at it please tell people not to line up at stores on black friday until the official posted opening time.

 

If folks were smart, they would stay home on Black Friday!

Edited November 28, 2013 by yogimax

[xpcdoojk]

Conjecture, lording-over, guesswork, entitlement, bickering, class warfare, and directorship. And not one official word from RCI.

 

You'd think half of the posters owned the company.

 

Teddie

 

 

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Actually my wife owns 105 shares. I on the other hand own 109 shares of CCL. we bought them a decade plus ago and they make no difference in my life at all. Since we can't combine discounts they are pretty much worse than useless. As I wasted most of $10,000 acquiring them.

 

That said, I have never been in the CL, and on the one cruise I took where I was entitled too, I never visited. The only cruise I really spent significant time in the diamond lounge last January on the Freedom, was mostly for the fun of the absolute freakiness of the pinnacles that graced us with their presence. I am talking, I walk around on the ship with all of the trinkets we have been given by the C&A in the last two decades. I get crap given to me and at the moment, I am like thank you and 2 hours later, I am what the heck is this piece of crap.

 

What I am not eloquently saying is that I do not buy into the mystique.

 

I enjoy the diamond lounge, or the diamond event, but in the end they make zero difference in my life.

 

Why do I cruise..... RIGHT NOW THAT IS BECAUSE I LOVE THE FLOWRIDER AND STANDUP surfing,,,,

 

not the free drinks because I have been cruising RCI off and on for almost two decades.

 

jc

[Coralc]

I love these threads. I think the drama and angst is totally entertaining. :D

[gadawg1979]

I love these threads. I think the drama and angst is totally entertaining. :D

 

I hear you,,,, It amazes me the amount of drama that comes around as a reward for doing something we enjoy...

[bilyclub]

Getting thrown out of the CL for a second time would be really hard to swallow. Royal knew that the whole points conversion that gave 3 day cruises equal footing with the 7 day and up ones, along with the D in D promotion would create a lot of D/D+. Now to knock people out of the lounges again is a lot like bait and switch.

[gadawg1979]

I wonder if all these people complaining about the possible (yet to be determined) lose of their entitlements are the same ones that would complain about government health care. LOL

[JillLovesTravel]

Thanks for confirming what I thought to be true. The good outweighs the inconveniences with Tapatalk. I just wish there was a way to "unparticipate". This thread in particular has taught me much about the thoughts going on in some people's heads about C and A, and frankly from some, I am just shocked, at a time when little shocks me any more. Just a few thoughts, since this is my last post on this thread:

 

-I'm absolutely appalled at the disrespect of people for other people. We leave on a cruise in 15 days at the end of which, we will be D+. We are excited about getting to D+, and it has NOTHING to do with "thinking we are better than someone else", "soaking up the resources of the CL" or other comments I have seen here. It provides additional perks that save us money.

 

-All of you who stay in suites and wish "to banish lowly D+ folks from the CL" while I agree that you should have a special place to go that isn't crowded

 

 

 

especially considering the amount of money you pay to stay in those staterooms, no amount of money paid should give you a license to be unkind to others, and I understand that not all suite purchasers hold your disdain for D+ members in the CL. Just some of you are so vocal about it.

 

In 20 RCCL cruises, I have never felt the need to stay in a GS or above as I would rather spend my money on MORE trips, and some aren't cruises. Our D+ has been mostly earned by staying in promenade to regular balcony rooms on cruises, and the old system of getting a weeks credit for a three night sail was not an option for us due to our location. All I am saying is, we EARNED our perks as well. It took eight years of sailing.

 

Finally, we won't be "soaking up the resources" in the CL, as the most we have is ONE drink or glass of wine prior or after dinner. We don't use the lounge as an alternative to purchasing an alcohol package.

 

The final straw for me on this thread was last week when a member posted here about the "near do wells and wanna bes" sailing and told ME I was not in the CC in crowd, that I was a nobody here. Online I found out this person joined CC in the spring of 2013. I don't need a Person new to CC to tell me what my value is here. My value is in helping others and meeting new friends.

 

I love CC. We have made wonderful friends here and on most threads, have found kind, helpful people with whom we have worked together to enhance our

cruise experience, provide and solicit helpful cruise information, and with whom we have planned shore excursions and events. Many of the comments on this thread are not the the CC I know, thank goodness, have not been the opinions of but a handful of cruisers we have met on RC.

 

And, with that, I have posted my last comment on this thread. Let the bashing of levels in C and A continue, as I'm sure it will, and the superiority of some continue. Honestly, I think it would be futile to hope for anything else here. Bye bye and back to boards where people are interested in helping each other,

sharing the common love and excitement of a cruise, and are civil and kind to others.

 

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BuhBuyBye!!!

[JillLovesTravel]

So who actually believes that the D+ will have access to the CL on Royal Caribbean much longer? I am D+ so I am not hoping this happens I just think it will.

[onlyonetrevorfrancis]

So who actually believes that the D+ will have access to the CL on Royal Caribbean much longer? I am D+ so I am not hoping this happens I just think it will.

 

I hope things don't change for the many folks that have attained Diamond and Diamond plus status on RCI.

 

However, we travelled RCI this summer for the first in 12 years and witnessed what looked like 200 - 300 people in the Diamond lounge actually spilling out in to the Viking Crown lounge each night. We also got chatting to a family in a suite who said that the CL was standing room only at 4.15 every evening due to Diamond plus guests.

 

Folks have attained this status and are entitled to use the facilities sold to them as a recognition for signing up to the company loyalty programme.

 

It's clear though that this is a financial and logistical car crash waiting to happen for RCI and they don't seem to know what to do.

 

We hope to turn Diamond in two years time and it's a bit worrying what benefits will be available :confused:

[north29]

On certain cruises, especially in the off times(cheaper) times of the year the whole ship seems to be full of D and D+ cruisers, with a few Pinnacle thrown in. Many pinnacle cruisers are older, some are still active, and enjoy the abidance of what they have been awarded, some are not. Younger cruisers, some not even in there teens are D and D+. RC, on many cruises, just has too many upper tiered people to give them the Perks RC promised . Perks do no cost RC toooo much money, there is just not enough space to accommodate all of them at HAPPY HOUR.

I would be highly disappointed to see the perks go away, even if they offered drink vouchers for the bars, we enjoy meeting and talking to others in the CL or D lounge, I do not believe that would easily happen in just a bar.

I assume that is why RC dropped Diamonds in December. Lots of complaining on here about it, but I think its was a necessary move, to try and control the number of upper tiered cruisers and keep the perks the way they are.

Edited November 28, 2013 by north29

[Kokomo91165]

So who actually believes that the D+ will have access to the CL on Royal Caribbean much longer? I am D+ so I am not hoping this happens I just think it will.

 

I think what you are seeing with Celebrity isn't so much a precedent for what Diamond Plus benefits will be in terms of the CL, but rather Celebrity dealing with a space issue on their ships. Celebrity is using Michaels Club, which ordinarily is a pub during the daytime and late evening hours, and converting it from 4pm - 8:00 pm (or whatever the new hours are) into a club for their top cruises.

 

The great thing about RCL is that their ships do have the space for dedicated diamond lounges and concierge lounges. The trend during the revitalizations have been to make these lounges larger. For example, on all Radiance class ships, the new concierge lounge capacity is nearly 3x the old capacity of the lounge of deck 10.

 

As a result, I would not turn to Celebrity and use them or their new loyalty program as an indicator of what is to come for diamond plus.

[drarill]

Many suite guests and that includes me are not one time wonders and are in fact repeat suite cruisers. On my last 3 cruises in a suite on Independence we have not been able to use the CL because of overcrowding in there at peak times.

No empty seats and a Concierge who is run off his feet.

The problem on Independence is that the CL is way too small for the amount of people entitled to use it. It is a problem that needs to be addressed by RCI as suite passengers pay a lot of money for their perks.

Maybe on some ships with the very small CL maybe relocation of the CL would be the answer to make suite guests and D+ guests able to both use the CL comfortably.Nobody wants to see anyone thrown out just to make the CL usuable by everyone that is entitled to do so.

 

I agree with you. Same thing happened to us last year on the Adventure, we are D+ and were cruising on an OS. Tried two nights to get a seat on the CL for a pre-dinner drink and it was impossible. The concierge was really apologetic and told us that most seats were taken by D+ members. Don't know how RCCL is going to fix this problem, we had the same experience on the Jewel back when Diamonds were allowed on the CL. I'm sure it has something to do with the CL size in different ships. We don't use the CL a lot but if this benefit is taken away from D+ and we happened to be cruising on a non-suite cabin, we will be happy to visit the D Lounge. We don't feel entitled to anything, we cruise with RCCL and Celebrity for different reasons; itineraries, service, entertainment, smoking policy (Celebrity) and specialty restaurants. We feel blessed for being able to cruise. We have three cruises booked for the next year; two with RCCL and one with Celebrity, no complains here about their loyalty programs. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, count your blessings, please!

[A&L_Ont]

I agree with you. Same thing happened to us last year on the Adventure, we are D+ and were cruising on an OS. Tried two nights to get a seat on the CL for a pre-dinner drink and it was impossible. The concierge was really apologetic and told us that most seats were taken by D+ members. Don't know how RCCL is going to fix this problem, we had the same experience on the Jewel back when Diamonds were allowed on the CL. I'm sure it has something to do with the CL size in different ships. We don't use the CL a lot but if this benefit is taken away from D+ and we happened to be cruising on a non-suite cabin, we will be happy to visit the D Lounge. We don't feel entitled to anything, we cruise with RCCL and Celebrity for different reasons; itineraries, service, entertainment, smoking policy (Celebrity) and specialty restaurants. We feel blessed for being able to cruise. We have three cruises booked for the next year; two with RCCL and one with Celebrity, no complains here about their loyalty programs. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, count your blessings, please!

 

I love your attitude! You can flow ride and WJ with our family anytime.:D. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all the posters on this thread!:)

Edited November 28, 2013 by A&L_Ont

[Ocean Boy]

I really don't get some of this issue at all. If someone decides to park themselves in the solarium or by the pool or in the Cafe Promenade or the Pub all day and others can't get a seat that is how it goes. There may be a time limit to leaving the chair you are using vacant but there is no limit on how long you can park yourself in it. You don't get a seat even though you are "entitled" to one because you paid your cruise fare. The key is that you are entitled to a seat IF one is available. No one is going into these lounges and throwing a towel on a chair to reserve it for the day. They are either sitting in the chair using it or they are not and the chair is available. Why does this concept of sharing apply to the special lounges and not anywhere else on the ship?

[papaflamingo]

When they transitioned from cruises to cruise days, they converted everyone. I suspect any change will be similar. Those with the perk likely will not lose it, but it will become more difficult to attain the level. I love RCCL but have considered other cruise lines for itinerary. I come back to RCCL because of the D+ perks. It's a money saver. If those were to diminish, I might not be so inclined to not cruise anyone else. To be honest, except for Oasis and Allure, I don't see me spending much time in the CL. The Diamond lounge is very nice. There is always a bar to drift into. Also if they give 3 drinks per day in any bar, that'll lower the usage as many cruise with non-Diamond friends. I would like the option of some different bars occasionally, but it is hard to beat the DL or CL.