Recent concierge lounge experience

[knittinggirl]

[quote name='betmust']Recently on the Oasis and had and experience that shocked me.
First, please do not get mad about this - I do not mean to offend anybody - just sharing my experience.

We have done 8 cruises - 4 with Royal with another coming in June and 4 with others. Tested the waters early and found Royal to be what we loved.

I had a Grand Suite on the Oasis so the first night we went to the concierge lounge after dinner for a drink. We found we enjoyed going for 2 drinks between dinner ( MTD at 5:30) and going to shows.
On the 2nd night, a couple came over and asked if they could join us and we said sure. Very nice people and enjoyed their company. After the first drink another couple joined us. The same 6 of us had drinks the following 2 nights. As we talked, I found out these 2 couples had cruised extensively and were Diamond Plus. I love hearing their cruising stories. While talking, the lady of the second couples said to me " I hate these people who book a Grand Suite so they can come in here and drink. It pisses me off". I was shocked - as the night wore on, I did share that I was only Platinum and yes she knew I was in a Grand Suite. I did say that I did not do it for the drinks in the lounge but love the extra room in the cabin.
Come the next night, when that couple walked in the lounge, the walked by us and sat with other people. I thought nothing of it at first. As I was leaving, she looked at me and said " Oh hi Bette, I did not see you over there". That was fine, I know that happens. On the following nights, they never came near us.
Really? Did I change over night? You liked me enough for 3 nights to sit and share drinks with us - until you found out I was not Diamond/Diamond Plus.

Wow I was shocked. The first couple continued to join us for a drink or 2 and all was very nice.

I know people who are Diamond/Diamond Plus/Pinnacle deserve everything for all the cruising they have done. I was just totally shocked by the whole thing.

Ok rant over...[/quote]
We booked a suite on Princess for our 25th anniversary and got some perks reserved for Elite. At the time, I figured we can either buy our way into the perks w/ a suite or buy your way with multiple cruises.

Suite cruises earned the perk for that cruise just as legitimately as a diamond plus. Also, there have to be better perks for the suite members, or no one would every consider spending that much for the room.

If they don't want to rub elbows with suite guests, then visit the Diamond Lounge instead.

Personally, I don't mind staff checking our cruise cards. It helps with the crowding, by keeping out the gate crashers.

[Paulette3028]

[quote name='BND']The hot breakfast and lunch on Allure are in the CL, not the DL. The DL has the typical continental breakfast and no lunch.[/quote]

Thanks for the clarification. When someone put it in a thread earlier, they did not clarify that the hot breakfast and lunch with wine or beer, was only in the CL not DL, where you can have the typical continental breakfast and they do not serve lunch, at all.

Others also appreciate the clarification, I am sure.

[beardedladies]

Anyway I had similar experience whilst within the lounge on the Independence I was having a coffee and reading the paper and this lady came in and I said morning, I was totally ignored, same thing happened the next day, until the third day of the cruise.

On this occasion I was sitting with the captains wife and another friend enjoying coffee and light banter, then this same lady came in with her friend and she recognized the I was siting with the captains wife and then they both came over and said hello and chatted away to the captains wife for ages never looked or acknowledged me (so rude).

I put it down to me having both my arms heavily tattooed and was prejudged, I am the most polite respectable person there is, its such a shame people put barriers in place, after they left told the captains wife this and she laughed and said their loss.

Off topic a bit but....

For our honeymoon we decided to book the Royal Suite and amazing suite and wanted it to be special. We were about to go to dinner I opened the door this couple walked past and said oh, your staying in the Royal Suite ?... did you win it at bingo !.... :eek:

Some people make me laugh :) - I replied saying no we both worked very hard to pay for this and they walked off shocked and stunned.

Mark

[Host Kewlguy]

[COLOR="Black"][B]Since this thread has gone way off topic from the original post it will now be closed. Thanks to everyone for participating. [/B][/COLOR]