Very Sad, Allure Viking Crown Changes

[icsys]

[quote name='LMaxwell']Many venues that have no scheduled events are pretty quiet. They should have looked for ways to utilize the space and drive more people in there. For example, a trivia session held in VCL instead of in On Air (tiny, way too tiny) or Schooner Bar on O/A.[/QUOTE]

Ditto...!

On most of the RCI ships we have sailed, the VCL had nightly live entertainment.
It was always difficult to get a seat!

We were actually disappointed recently on Explorer.
The VCL is still there but now there is no entertainment until it turns into the night club at 11pm.
Still... it has remained open to steerage rather than reserved just for the elite :D Edited May 28, 2015 by icsys

[KansasK]

When we were on the Oasis last February, the Viking Crown lounge was only for suite guest or Pinnacle guests. You had to swipe your card to get in.

It was also my favorite place to have a drink. On the last night of all our cruises, we would go there after packing and sit with a drink and talk about the cruise. Now we cannot.

We went to the Schooner bar instead most days of the cruise and looked over the promenade below us. We could watch the rising bar go up and down, also. I did not find a place to have a drink inside and look over the ship and the ocean.

We cannot live in the past and know we will probably never be able to book a suite or live long enough to be Pinnacle status. Once you get used to the Viking Crown bar being reserved for a small group of guests, we enjoyed the Schooner Bar the most and set a possibly new tradition for ourselves for our last night of the cruise talk.

[ocav]

I have to agree with the "VCL for all"

If you don't have anything up there to draw people in then what do you expect it to be like. VCL is positioned well away from a lot of the other entertainment on the ship so unless you have reason to be up there, you aren't likely to go up there on a whim.

A bar with access to 100% of the Guests with Entertainment of some form will do a lot better than a bar serving 10% of guests with no entertainment.

Liberty had a fantastic band in the VCL and was full every night.

[BGCruiser85]

I will be much less inclined to sail the ships with this change. We used the VCL every day when we cruise. Guess we never will again.

[John&LaLa]

You do realize there are still around 20 VCL's out there

[johnbob7]

[quote name='John&LaLa']You do realize there are still around 20 VCL's out there[/QUOTE]

Exactly. And many of those are indeed well used as a prime night time entertainment spot.

The Oasis class had so many alternatives available, that the VCL was very poorly used. So they re-purposed it and now it is being used effectively.

Why would RCCL keep it as a public space that got no traffic?

bobj

[Anita Latte]

[quote name='johnbob7']The Oasis class had so many alternatives available, that the VCL was very poorly used. So they re-purposed it and now it is being used effectively.[/QUOTE]

What is really sad is that there isn't a single alternative on the Oasis class. Not apples to apples. Plenty of bars...no other indoor bars with a view of the ocean.

[ocav]

[quote name='johnbob7']Exactly. And many of those are indeed well used as a prime night time entertainment spot.



The Oasis class had so many alternatives available, that the VCL was very poorly used. So they re-purposed it and now it is being used effectively.



Why would RCCL keep it as a public space that got no traffic?



bobj[/QUOTE]


Because if you gave people reason to traffic then max 100% guests using a bar is better than max 10%.

[transam84]

[quote name='alfaeric']For all of you who loved the VCL- you needed to find more people just like you to spend time up there.

We like it, too, but being one of a handful of people that go up there means that the space isn't being used oterwise.

Our last trip on the Oasis- the VCL was really big- but maybe 6 couples spread out over the whole thing- very empty.

By making it a suite and restaurant space, at least it should be used by more people.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree!
On our oasis cruise we went up there many times but there was rarely anyone there. Maybe a handful of people in the evening. It was beautiful but rather depressing to see such a lovely space so under utilized. I am sad that it is no longer opened to all but will be happy if more people enjoy the view. I for one will be visiting Coastal Kitchen in Oct on Allure.

[johnbob7]

[quote name='Anita Latte']What is really sad is that there isn't a single alternative on the Oasis class. Not apples to apples. Plenty of bars...no other indoor bars with a view of the ocean.[/QUOTE]

I understand that, but none the less...Oasis class VCLs were not generating a lot of traffic. Yes, some people liked them enough to go there instead of one of the other twenty plus bars, but apparently not enough people did that to justify keeping it as it was.

bobj

[johnbob7]

[quote name='ocav']Because if you gave people reason to traffic then max 100% guests using a bar is better than max 10%.[/QUOTE]

But in fact, despite their efforts to market the venue, it did not. As a suite guest lounge and restaurant, it get far more traffic, and it helps drive their announced intention to market more offerings for the suite guests. So win for them, albeit at the expense of the small minority of passengers that did enjoy the venue on he Oasis class.

As Vonnegut says...and so it goes...

bobj

[Anita Latte]

[quote name='johnbob7']I understand that, but none the less...Oasis class VCLs were not generating a lot of traffic. Yes, some people liked them enough to go there instead of one of the other twenty plus bars, but apparently not enough people did that to justify keeping it as it was.

bobj[/QUOTE]
I understand the reasoning behind the decision. It is what it is. I like the ocean...I like to look at it a lot. I sailed on Allure for the first time in April 2015...it was my first time on an Oasis class ship. It isn't my class of ship. I think that I could have enjoyed the cruise a lot more if I had had access to the VCL...

I think I'll end up on an Oasis class ship once more so that my DH and DS can experience it. Maybe. It has some unique features...and they are worth experiencing at least once. I'm sure it will happen at some point...but I kind of dread it...and wouldn't be repeating Oasis class if DH and DS had been on the cruise with me.

It's fine that I'm not a part of the target audience for Oasis class. I'm not trying to complain...more like venting some frustration because the class of ship is literally ONE INDOOR OCEAN VIEWING PLACE away from being more of a favorite ship.

[TinkBellaMom]

Wow, so sorry to read of this change. We sailed on the Oasis 2 times before her dry-doc. These were our first and second cruises ever. We are not disco people, we enjoy classical music and some of the venues with a piano only. We went on a walk around the ship after supper and just happened on the VCL. Because we were gold we didn't think we could go in there. We asked and were told to come on in. We enjoyed it very much it was so beautiful up there. We were there a few minutes when the cast of Hairspray came in and several of them got up and sang for us. It was honestly one of our favorite memories of the ship.
I understand that if you pay for a suite or have earned loyalty points, you should have perks. I am just sorry that we will probably not be able to enjoy it again.

[legaljen1969]

[quote name='kc320']You get double points for JS or higher...the only exception seems to be "IF" you take a RCL upsell on a JS or higher they will not give you double points...if this was not what happened to you, call Crown & Anchor & get the double points applied...[/QUOTE]


I knew about the upgrade exception. I didn't lose points. I was thinking of booking a suite to get the double points, but wanted to be sure that was still in effect.

[legaljen1969]

I was wondering if that bothered Pinnacle guests to share "their" lounge with folks who shelled out enough to do a (possibly) once in a lifetime suite cruise. It all evens out I guess. If you have enough money to do the suite, I guess you get to party with the elite.

[BGCruiser85]

[quote name='John&LaLa']You do realize there are still around 20 VCL's out there[/QUOTE]

I do, but the oasis class is my favorite class and now a big part of the reason for that has been taken away.

[John&LaLa]

[quote name='BGCruiser85']I do, but the oasis class is my favorite class and now a big part of the reason for that has been taken away.[/QUOTE]

Fair enough, I on the other hand think CK is phenomenal and now oasis replaces freedom as our favorite

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Oops! Edited May 29, 2015 by suzyluvs2cruise

[Thetrail]

[quote name='Anita Latte']I understand the reasoning behind the decision. It is what it is. I like the ocean...I like to look at it a lot. I sailed on Allure for the first time in April 2015...it was my first time on an Oasis class ship. It isn't my class of ship. I think that I could have enjoyed the cruise a lot more if I had had access to the VCL...

I think I'll end up on an Oasis class ship once more so that my DH and DS can experience it. Maybe. It has some unique features...and they are worth experiencing at least once. I'm sure it will happen at some point...but I kind of dread it...and wouldn't be repeating Oasis class if DH and DS had been on the cruise with me.

It's fine that I'm not a part of the target audience for Oasis class. I'm not trying to complain...more like venting some frustration because the class of ship is literally ONE INDOOR OCEAN VIEWING PLACE away from being more of a favorite ship.[/quote]Have sailed Oasis 4 times and Allure 7 times so far and honestly far and way my favorite ships....K.O.

[Anita Latte]

[quote name='Thetrail']Have sailed Oasis 4 times and Allure 7 times so far and honestly far and way my favorite ships....K.O.[/QUOTE]

Exactly...to each their own...plenty of ships in the world to choose from.

I think the Oasis class will be much more bearable on a different kind of sailing. 12 Sea Days in a row for struggling to sit and enjoy the sea when the high temps are around 63F...well...let's just say that I didn't pack the best wardrobe for that trip. And that made a huge difference in how enjoyable the ship could be...

I could see how sailing in warmer temps might be more appealing...

[icsys]

At the end of the day the ships belong to RCI so they can, and will, do whatever they like to them.

Yes... perhaps some VCL's are underutilised. I can say that on the smaller ships that we have sailed, Grandeur, Legend, Vision, and Independence, that had entertainment up there, it was well used and difficult to get a seat most evenings. During the daytime, guests utilised the lounge for quiet time and panoramic ocean views.

On Allure and Oasis, the VCL's are much larger due to the beam of the ship.
Surely they could have kept a public bar area up there?
Still, its loss won't deter us from sailing again. We have two planned already, but not on Oasis class.

Of course, Quantum class has no VCL, a complete move away from their signature venue. Edited May 29, 2015 by icsys

[tapemann]

RCCL is making all the changes to MAKE more Profit! You can always charge to other Cruise Lines. RCCL really doesn't care about past Cruises. They want the New ones to spend more money. Dynamic Dinning was tried to cut down on Labor cost and turn the Tables 3 times rather that twice a night. Too many people spoke up so the changed things back. They will try again.

[John&LaLa]

[quote name='tapemann']RCCL is making all the changes to MAKE more Profit! You can always charge to other Cruise Lines. RCCL really doesn't care about past Cruises. They want the New ones to spend more money. Dynamic Dinning was tried to cut down on Labor cost and turn the Tables 3 times rather that twice a night. Too many people spoke up so the changed things back. They will try again.[/QUOTE]

If they do not make profit, they will either get bought by another line or go the way of Premier, Dolphin, American Hawaiia, etc..

[beachnative]

[quote name='legaljen1969']I was wondering if that bothered Pinnacle guests to share "their" lounge with folks who shelled out enough to do a (possibly) once in a lifetime suite cruise. It all evens out I guess. If you have enough money to do the suite, I guess you get to party with the elite.[/QUOTE]

This Pinnacle couple does not mind sharing a space with other (pleasant) cruisers whether they are suite guests, inside cabin guests, seasoned cruisers, new cruisers, etc.

[Paulette3028]

[quote name='beachnative']This Pinnacle couple does not mind sharing a space with other (pleasant) cruisers whether they are suite guests, inside cabin guests, seasoned cruisers, new cruisers, etc.[/QUOTE]

All the Pinnacle cruisers I have ever met, are just like you -- wonderful. You usually have such wonderful stories to tell others as well.