Are D+ still admitted to Concierge Lounge?

[Trekker954]

In March, on the Enchantment , we received info only about the diamond lounge (we are D+, not sailing in a suite) in the welcome letter, but our key worked the both the d and c lounge door.

 

Amenities in the c lounges and d lounges, on most ships, are basically the same.

 

M

 

maybe in the Caribbean, but I disagree for other locations. CL Concierges bend over backwards to assist. The DL concierges just have too many people to assist.

[Trekker954]

Maybe she went to the wrong lounge? Does she have the drink vouchers still?

 

What wrong lounge. There is CL and DL, D+ on enchantment should be permitted in both. It was only suppose to be Oasis class we are banned from.

[CVU]

We are D+ and we always only get the letter from the D Concierge (unless we are in a Suite). Our key always works in the CL.

When D+, haven't had a cruise since turning PC......

We only a letter from the D Concierge, in a GS we got the Concierge info and the binder etc. with compass and MDR menu.

[RM]

Anyone know Freedoms policy on D+?

[Clarea]

Anyone know Freedoms policy on D+?

D+ have access to both the Diamond and Concierge lounges on Freedom.

[dasi11]

 

If they offer me free drinks, I will probably partake (questionable, though, as - IMO - the free drinks aren't that great and I often would much rather buy a decent drink than get the free cheap drinks offered in the lounge). But when you think about it, the amount of money saved on a couple of free drinks in the evening is a very small percentage of the cost of a cruise. If this is a big cost to a repeat guest, then they really are not spending the kind of money that the cruise line would prefer, making them a little less important than that suite guest who is spending more for their single cruise than might be spent by the repeat guest over 10 (or more) cruises.

 

It is clear by what you have written that you have never been to the lounges. There is a choice of bottled beers, many bottles of wine and champagne to choose from as well as whatever other alcohol or can of soda you want to drink....

 

It is not the cheap drinks they serve at the welcome back party!

 

It is very much like going to the bars on the ship and ordering. The frozen drinks are not offered as well as some higher end liquor options... But you have plenty of variety. Never heard anyone complain about the quality.

[3dog]

It is clear by what you have written that you have never been to the lounges.

 

Don't know how this is clear, but you would be wrong.

 

There is a choice of bottled beers, many bottles of wine and champagne to choose from as well as whatever other alcohol or can of soda you want to drink....

 

Note that I did originally post IMO ("In My Opinion" - your mileage may vary). But (similarly IMO), the beer offered is the cheapest and tasteless of beers in the world, and though some qualify as a beer in Germany, most include corn and rice as more than 50% of their fermentable bill, and wouldn't qualify as a beer in Germany (they have strict beer laws). No wonder that it accounts for less than 10% of what they serve.

 

The available wine is usually the least expensive, and has often been found to not be sold in California (certainly a decent wine should be commonly available in California wine stores). On my last cruise, the Pino Grigio was passible, but the Cabernet and Pino Noir wasn't worth the price they charge in the lounges. And the sparkling wines were in no way as good as the Pino Grigio they served.

 

I've been known to have an occasional Dewars in the lounge also making it passible, and after a couple of those, the Pino Grigio becomes much better. But the spirits offered are often the least expensive (though if having vodka or gin with any mixer, the "quality" of the spirit begins to not matter).

 

It is not the cheap drinks they serve at the welcome back party!

 

Don't typically drink those either, and as it is usually the same spiel, I haven't been to one in years.

 

It is very much like going to the bars on the ship and ordering.

 

Not at all like going to the other bars, as the lounges certainly doesn't have the selection available in Vintages. Nor does it provide the beers offered in the pub or the better Scotches.

 

The frozen drinks are not offered as well as some higher end liquor options... But you have plenty of variety. Never heard anyone complain about the quality.

 

There is significantly less variety in the lounges than in the pub or Vintages. To believe otherwise effectively suggests that you are OK with what I consider poor quality beverages. That's OK, though, as to each their own. For me the vacation is too short to not have the beverages that I prefer, even if I pay the bar price.

 

If you want to hear about the quality of the drinks in the lounges, just search this forum, as there have been a number that agree the selection of free wine is not that great.

 

As I stated (and this is my preference, everyone else gets to make their own choices): I would prefer to go to one of the bars and pay for the drink I want to have that I feel is better, then to be served something free that is not to my liking as it is not that significant of an extra cost compared to what I paid for my vacation.

[knots4crewzing]

D+ have access to both the Diamond and Concierge lounges on Freedom.

 

 

Glad to hear it! Hope things don't change by October:rolleyes:

 

On the Quantum back in April D+ also had access to both lounges as well.

[Clagmeister]

Glad to hear it! Hope things don't change by October:rolleyes:

 

On the Quantum back in April D+ also had access to both lounges as well.

 

Sorry. I still hold the view that CL should be suites only.

[Paul65]

It is clear by what you have written that you have never been to the lounges. There is a choice of bottled beers, many bottles of wine and champagne to choose from as well as whatever other alcohol or can of soda you want to drink....

 

I think you've been to different lounges than I, or you have a different understanding of the word "many." I definitely wouldn't say there is a choice of many bottles of wine and champagne to choose from. I'm a red wine drinker, when I'm having wine, and the concierge lounge (on the couple times I've qualified to go in there) has had two or three to choose from - typically one merlot, one cabernet sauvignon, and one pinot noir. And they are not terrible, but not higher end wines.

[Clarea]

...I'm a red wine drinker, when I'm having wine, and the concierge lounge (on the couple times I've qualified to go in there) has had two or three to choose from - typically one merlot, one cabernet sauvignon, and one pinot noir. And they are not terrible, but not higher end wines.

Our experience also.

[foxgoodrich]

I think you've been to different lounges than I, or you have a different understanding of the word "many." I definitely wouldn't say there is a choice of many bottles of wine and champagne to choose from. I'm a red wine drinker, when I'm having wine, and the concierge lounge (on the couple times I've qualified to go in there) has had two or three to choose from - typically one merlot, one cabernet sauvignon, and one pinot noir. And they are not terrible, but not higher end wines.

 

Agreed - I've been in the same CLs and DLs as you! I've never seen one with "many" wines/champagnes from which to choose. Although I usually prefer wine, I've changed to getting a mixed drink when we go to the CL/DL since I'm not much of a fan of the wines offered in the lounges. I will say that the wine they have now is better than the old La Terre swill they used to serve. (That's the one we all called La Terrible!)

Judy

[CRUISEBOY305]

Ditto for me as well. Not many wine options in the CL/DL usually.

[grand isle joe]

Sorry. I still hold the view that CL should be suites only.

 

....As I...................................

 

 

 

 

 

..................God Save the Queen......................

[Cigar King]

Sorry. I still hold the view that CL should be suites only.

 

I think that's where Royal is going. How long did it take to get diamond lounges on all the ships? (are they on all the ships now?) That might be an indicator of long it will take to get suite lounges on all the ships.

[Scotty G]

I'm not arguing with you, but I just can't figure out what benefit RCI achieves by eliminating an overflow lounge that costs them little or nothing. I haven't heard a compelling rationale yet. They're still handing out the same number of free drinks and using the same or very close to the same number or beverage servers whether there's an overflow lounge or not (at least based on my overflow lounge experience). Perhaps someone can explain to me what I'm missing.

 

An overflow lounge usually requires increased staffing. Just that simple when RCI has been cutting staff. Now you use your 3 vouchers at bars that bars that are understaffed!

[CRUISEBOY305]

Sorry. I still hold the view that CL should be suites only.

 

I agree. Let suite guest have their own lounge.

[Don Pedro]

I think that's where Royal is going. How long did it take to get diamond lounges on all the ships? (are they on all the ships now?) That might be an indicator of long it will take to get suite lounges on all the ships.

 

It might be simply changing the name on the signs. CL become SL and DL becomes D+L.

[CVU]

It might be simply changing the name on the signs. CL become SL and DL becomes D+L.

 

I agree, felt that was the way it was going for some time. We were Ds that were no longer invited to the CL way back when. So, it can happen again - be the D+L or by # of point levels as to their access.

[Don Pedro]

I agree, felt that was the way it was going for some time. We were Ds that were no longer invited to the CL way back when. So, it can happen again - be the D+L or by # of point levels as to their access.

 

A level or two between D+ and P makes sense and could happen. It sure would great for the D+ members who were at the 350 or 500 point levels.

[negc]

Sorry. I still hold the view that CL should be suites only.

 

Fortunately for most RCI loyalists, Royal Caribbean, not you, establishes the rules as to who qualifies for access to the lounges. They, apparently, value their suite passengers and their loyal, high tier, Crown and Anchor members pretty much equally.

[Cigar King]

A level or two between D+ and P makes sense and could happen. It sure would great for the D+ members who were at the 350 or 500 point levels.

 

There are already some additional benefits for higher level D+ members. They just don't have names. I don't know that it really helps if they just arbitrarily assign names to them.

 

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[Don Pedro]

There are already some additional benefits for higher level D+ members. They just don't have names. I don't know that it really helps if they just arbitrarily assign names to them.

 

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True! However one of the concerns being expressed is the worry that the D+ might eventually lose CL access. If that happens, extending CL access to C & A members with accumulated points somewhere in the 350 to 500 point range would seem to be a smart move. It is one heck of a long way between the 175 points requited for D+ and the 700 required for P. A member with 525 points is a triple D+.

Edited June 17, 2015 by Don Pedro

[critterchick]

It is clear by what you have written that you have never been to the lounges. There is a choice of bottled beers, many bottles of wine and champagne to choose from as well as whatever other alcohol or can of soda you want to drink....

 

It is not the cheap drinks they serve at the welcome back party!

 

It is very much like going to the bars on the ship and ordering. The frozen drinks are not offered as well as some higher end liquor options... But you have plenty of variety. Never heard anyone complain about the quality.

 

I beg to differ. The wine is exactly the same cheap swill they serve at the welcome back party. There may be many bottles lining the shelves, but with rare exceptions I've only seen St. Martin chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and merlot plus either Danzante or Zonin (?) Pinot Grigio. And IMO the St. Martin stuff is worse than the La Terre, if such a thing is possible.

 

The hard liquor choices are limited to Smirnoff vodka, Jack Daniels, Tanqueray and Dewar's. They have a Bailey's knock-off (some still have the real deal).

 

I've seen only Heineken, Amstel Light and Bud Light for beer.

 

A creative bartender can make a reasonable facsimile of a Cosmo or Lemon Drop, but not all will do it. If I can't get a glass of the Pinot, I'll have one of those and then go in search of a glass of good wine elsewhere. I'm willing to pay for it.

[Lilyrosemum]

I'll tell you what a creative bar server does. When their D+ guest who has purchased the drink package is in the CL Lounge and they offer to get some Grey Goose Vodka from the Bar to make your martini. He needed to take the sea pass card for proof to get the better vodka, but he did. Part of the reason some of us who now buy the drink packages stay out of the lounges is the inferior choices. But if we want to be in the lounge and they are willing to do that then we get the best of all worlds on the ship.:)