? about drink vouchers on Diamond Sea Pass

[jules71]

Nope, if there is a Diamond Lounge, you can still go there to get additional drinks. My experience a couple of weeks ago on the Vision was, that after the first night, they just have a look a your sea pass. It depends from ship to ship and bars to bars! So in that case, you can have more than 3...

 

On Grandeur they swiped our Sea Pass cards every time and had us sign receipts with a $0.00 charge. The R Bar was very strict about what you could get. Asked for an "on the rocks" margarita and they said no. Did get a Pina Colada at the Pool Bar one day. I was going to pay for it because that is what I wanted and they gave me a 0.00 receipt to sign. Didn't argue!

[Big_G]

So how does this work on the freedom with the loung, vouchers and specialty coffees?

 

We just got off Freedom on the 12th. In the bars, they swiped your card for every drink and gave you a slip to sign with a zero balance. They didn't swipe in the Diamond Lounge. The coffee machine in the DL was working on off during the week. We saw them working on it a couple of times.

[TourDeCruise]

Is the coffee machine in the DL a cappuccino or specialty coffee machine or regular coffee machine? Is decaf an option? Is this machine available only during the 5-8:30pm timeframe? That is when it is working and available on the particular ship?

 

Are the vouchers good in any of the lounges for specialty coffees or teas that normally cost? I know we can get the specialty coffees at the Diamond breakfast - at least we could in 2012 on the Jewel, our last RCI cruise.

Edited October 18, 2014 by TourDeCruise

[Clarea]

Is the coffee machine in the DL a cappuccino or specialty coffee machine or regular coffee machine? Is decaf an option? Is this machine available only during the 5-8:30pm timeframe? That is when it is working and available on the particular ship?

 

Are the vouchers good in any of the lounges for specialty coffees or teas that normally cost? I know we can get the specialty coffees at the Diamond breakfast - at least we could in 2012 on the Jewel, our last RCI cruise.

The coffee machine in the DL is a specialty coffee machine. You can get things like cappucino, latte, expresso, and regular coffee. You can get decaf. The machine is available 24 hours. The vouchers are not good for specialty coffee.

[TourDeCruise]

Thanks, Bob. This will make my dh very happy that he can get specialty coffee throughout the day when he desires, providing the machine is working. Either way he can still get it at the Diamond breakfast.

Edited October 18, 2014 by TourDeCruise

[Clarea]

Thanks, Bob. This will make my dh very happy that he can get specialty coffee throughout the day when he desires, providing the machine is working. Either way he can still get it at the Diamond breakfast.

Just so you know ahead of time, the Diamond breakfast is not on every ship. Usually, when a ship gets a dedicated Diamond Lounge, they discontinue the Diamond breakfast. Some ships continue the breakfast even after they get a DL. If a ship does not have a dedicated DL (Jewel for example), then they will have the Diamond breakfast.

[TourDeCruise]

Bob, in those cases where they have a dedicated DL, do they have a breakfast setup in the DL? If so, what do they typically serve or have available? Pastries, fruit, cheese, salmon, bagels?

[Coochuck]

We just got off Freedom on the 12th. In the bars, they swiped your card for every drink and gave you a slip to sign with a zero balance. They didn't swipe in the Diamond Lounge. The coffee machine in the DL was working on off during the week. We saw them working on it a couple of times.

 

I always tip extra, but have been wondering if the 15% tip normaly applied to bar bills is paid to the bartenders by the company as part of this Diamond Perk?

[orville99]

I always tip extra, but have been wondering if the 15% tip normaly applied to bar bills is paid to the bartenders by the company as part of this Diamond Perk?

 

I asked a bartender this question while on Enchantment last week, and he said they still received the 15% tip on Diamond drinks.

[Topo Gigio]

Just so you know ahead of time, the Diamond breakfast is not on every ship. Usually, when a ship gets a dedicated Diamond Lounge, they discontinue the Diamond breakfast. Some ships continue the breakfast even after they get a DL. If a ship does not have a dedicated DL (Jewel for example), then they will have the Diamond breakfast.

 

Vision has both. DL & Diamond Breakfast in the MDR on deck 4.

[Clarea]

Bob, in those cases where they have a dedicated DL, do they have a breakfast setup in the DL? If so, what do they typically serve or have available? Pastries, fruit, cheese, salmon, bagels?

They would have continental breakfast in the DL for a couple of hours in the morning. Everything you mentioned above.

[TourDeCruise]

The Diamond breakfast sounds good either way. Evening event in DL or with vouchers will be good too. We will use both benefits.

 

Do the RCI servers get the 15% tip only if we use the vouchers in a non-DL lounge? What if we order a drink in the DL? Will they also get tipped per drink for that or get paid extra for serving at the morning and evening events in the DL? Or should we plan on tipping per drink or group of drinks in the DL? We typically give extra tips anyway.

[Clarea]

The Diamond breakfast sounds good either way. Evening event in DL or with vouchers will be good too. We will use both benefits.

 

Do the RCI servers get the 15% tip only if we use the vouchers in a non-DL lounge? What if we order a drink in the DL? Will they also get tipped per drink for that or get paid extra for serving at the morning and evening events in the DL? Or should we plan on tipping per drink or group of drinks in the DL? We typically give extra tips anyway.

I would tip either way, vouchers or drinks in the lounge.

[Coochuck]

The Diamond breakfast sounds good either way. Evening event in DL or with vouchers will be good too. We will use both benefits.

 

Do the RCI servers get the 15% tip only if we use the vouchers in a non-DL lounge? What if we order a drink in the DL? Will they also get tipped per drink for that or get paid extra for serving at the morning and evening events in the DL? Or should we plan on tipping per drink or group of drinks in the DL? We typically give extra tips anyway.

 

In the DL, you are not presented with a charge to sign....therefore I would think the 15% tip is not included.

[TourDeCruise]

I would tip either way, vouchers or drinks in the lounge.

 

In the DL, you are not presented with a charge to sign....therefore I would think the 15% tip is not included.

 

That's what I figured and what we do in Celebrity's designated Elite/Elite+ lounge too.

 

When we get vouchers on Celebrity (only cruises when a large # of Elite/Elite+ onboard), we know the 15% is included in the lounges, so we usually tip extra to our favorite and most frequent servers at the end of the cruise (a generous extra); they see us 2-4x per day in Cafe al Bacio between the vouchers and our included specialty teas & coffees that we get as an Elite+ benefit (for which they also get the 15% gratuity).

 

You all are giving us great information, and I do so appreciate it. Dh and I just went for a walk and I caught him up on all the information you have provided on this thread.

 

Kathy

[Kellie Poodle]

Topo Gigio, thank you. If during your cruise you hear vouchers can or cannot be used for bottled water, can you report back? We would use most vouchers for glasses of wine although an occasional bottle of water would be good. We mainly cruise on Celebrity and haven't sailed with RCI since 2012, but we will be on the Grandeur and the Serenade next year so we are attempting to learn information on "changes".

 

Have a wonderful cruise and enjoy those vouchers!

 

Kathy

 

Hi Jack and Kathy. We loved Grandeur, Sailed on her in 2012 on an Eastern Med cruise.

 

BTW, Barry passed away on June 1. It was very sudden. I'm still booked for the B2B like the one I missed in 2013. Trying to find someone to sail with me.

[Kellie Poodle]

That's what I figured and what we do in Celebrity's designated Elite/Elite+ lounge too.

 

When we get vouchers on Celebrity (only cruises when a large # of Elite/Elite+ onboard), we know the 15% is included in the lounges, so we usually tip extra to our favorite and most frequent servers at the end of the cruise (a generous extra); they see us 2-4x per day in Cafe al Bacio between the vouchers and our included specialty teas & coffees that we get as an Elite+ benefit (for which they also get the 15% gratuity).

 

You all are giving us great information, and I do so appreciate it. Dh and I just went for a walk and I caught him up on all the information you have provided on this thread.

 

Kathy

 

 

One more hint. I like the DL as they have nice little snackie things and sometimes I'm hungry for just a little bite of something. I do MTD, so I'm not limited in time to either first or second seating.

 

What I do is wait until about 5 minutes before first seating to go into the DL. It's practically empty and service is great.

 

Also the DL is a quiet place, generally with a nice view, to bring your book and relax in the afternoon if it's too cool and windy to use the balcony.

 

There is usually fruit available and specialty coffee if the machine is working. There are cold sodas in the fridge under the counter and you can take what you want. I have on several cruises, but it's best to check about the soda with the loyalty ambassador.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Kellie Poodle

[TourDeCruise]

Thanks, Janet. Jack and I talked today during our morning walk that the DL would probably be a nice, quiet place to spend some time on sea days.

 

Jack and I are saddened to hear about Barry. I just emailed you.

 

Kathy

[Smallfamily]

They made me frozen margaritas under the free diamond drinks at 2 different bars 😄

 

 

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[karena1]

When we were on Vision a few weeks ago, my sis was not D+ (just D) and my nephew either so we went to Some Enchanted Evening Lounge right by the Diamond Lounge. Had no issues getting whatever we wanted. Wait staff was amazing. Hubby and I walked into the DL but it was packed. Grabbed a couple snacks and went back out to the lounge. They were totally using the lounge for the DL overflow.

[shopper77]

We are going on the Explorer and they do not have a DL. How will know about the diamond breakfast. Where is it located and what do they have? This will be our first cruise as diamond.

Thanks,

Arlene

[Clarea]

We are going on the Explorer and they do not have a DL. How will know about the diamond breakfast. Where is it located and what do they have? This will be our first cruise as diamond.

Thanks,

Arlene

You will get a letter in your stateroom with details of your perks.

[orville99]

You will get a letter in your stateroom with details of your perks.

 

Bob, are you on Enchantment this weekend? If so, are they still giving the double internet minutes?

[Clarea]

Bob, are you on Enchantment this weekend? If so, are they still giving the double internet minutes?

No, not on EN now. Hopefully tomorrow.