First Trip as C&A Diamond

[MommaBear55]

I ask this question with a little hesitation. If I ever got a drink package, I would never share. Are the three drinks on my card similar in that I should not use one for my traveling companion or is this perk okay to share? Really NOT trying to stir up controversy, just want to know the right thing.

[Swath]

I ask this question with a little hesitation. If I ever got a drink package, I would never share. Are the three drinks on my card similar in that I should not use one for my traveling companion or is this perk okay to share? Really NOT trying to stir up controversy, just want to know the right thing.

 

Your 3 Drinks Day/Night On Your Your Sea Pass CAN BE Shared :)

[Clarea]

I ask this question with a little hesitation. If I ever got a drink package, I would never share. Are the three drinks on my card similar in that I should not use one for my traveling companion or is this perk okay to share? Really NOT trying to stir up controversy, just want to know the right thing.

Since the vouchers are limited, they don't seem to care if they are shared.

[MommaBear55]

Your 3 Drinks Day/Night On Your Your Sea Pass CAN BE Shared :)

 

Since the vouchers are limited, they don't seem to care if they are shared.

 

Thanks!

[Merion_Mom]

Since the vouchers are limited, they don't seem to care if they are shared.

 

They seem to be totally oblivious to what happens to that drink after it hits your hand. ;) Just not in the least bit interested.

[Virtopia]

New Diamond member here as well! My first cruise as Diamond is coming up in September and if I read the posts right, in the Diamond Lounge, you can get drinks AND you still have the 3 drink vouchers to use at other venues on the ship?

 

If that's correct, this is going to be the best cruise ever :D also looking forward to the free picture and the laundry perk.

[AustinCruise]

New Diamond member here as well! My first cruise as Diamond is coming up in September and if I read the posts right, in the Diamond Lounge, you can get drinks AND you still have the 3 drink vouchers to use at other venues on the ship?

 

If that's correct, this is going to be the best cruise ever :D also looking forward to the free picture and the laundry perk.

 

 

Yes, but both limited to the same (roughly) 5:30pm-8:00pm window.

[poz222]

Look forward to meeting you on the cruise. Will sign up for the M&M.

You too! Be sure to,go to the roll call too... Zimdog has a slot pull, poker run and other stuff planned! Will be a fu. Halloween cruise for sure!! And by the 2nd week, you'll be ol pros at the Diamond perks ;-)

Edited February 25, 2016 by poz222

[JamesEM]

Thanks for the information everyone, I will be a diamond for the first time on my cruise this Fall.

[yuvraj]

Some pointers for newbie Diamond members - things I didn't pay much attention to but wish I had ...

 

a). Take appropriate clothes for formal nights, dress up and enjoy the thrill of having your photos taken in different areas of the ship by professional photographers. Some of the photographers are really good. Enjoy the whole experience and then choose the best photo to take home for free! A couple who are diamond members will be entitled to 2 photos.

 

b). Make sure you are directed to the priority queue on embarkation. Priority embarkation is a big part of the Diamond enhanced experience.

 

c). Diamond Lounge is a great social gathering where you will meet other regular cruisers. During the day it is a nice quiet spot overlooking Central Park. Serves great coffee all day. In the evening you have the drinks and snacks which are worth checking out. Don't use the lounge just for drinks, use it to mingle with others.

 

d). Look out for invites to special events. This tends to vary between ships but we have had invites to Top Tier party etc. Keep track of the invites and go if they fit in with your schedule.

 

e). Collect your free glass of wine from a bar before you go for dinner. They charge if you order wine at the dinning room but you can carry drinks in.

 

f). There are discounts on spa and other services. Make sure you point out the discount when booking as they may not be automatically deducted.

 

g). There was a special lounge for disembarkation for C&A members, not sure if it was only for D and above when we were on Allure last year. Very quiet and a nice space to wait for disembarkation. They had drinks and continental breakfast.

 

h). If you need reservations for a show which is fully booked (like ice show), or something needs sorting out then the concierge in the Diamond lounge is very helpful.

 

Others have listed perks and what you get. For me it is about enjoying an enhanced cruise experience.

[Clarea]

They seem to be totally oblivious to what happens to that drink after it hits your hand. ;) Just not in the least bit interested.

True, sometimes they even ask us if we want to use a voucher for a friend's drink.

[TravelerThom]

...Diamond Lounge is a great social gathering where you will meet other regular cruisers. During the day it is a nice quiet spot overlooking Central Park...

A tiny correction: On the under discussion O-class, DL is overlooking the Boardwalk with the sea beyond:)

Yes, but both limited to the same (roughly) 5:30pm-8:00pm window.

IME RCI C&A Happy "Hour" has always been 3.5 hours, starting 3.5 hours prior to late traditional dining, so often 5:00 - 8:30pm. Since I eat early I've been known to get a cocktail before dinner and make it back for a glass of port after dinner:)

 

Thom

[yuvraj]

A tiny correction: On the under discussion O-class, DL is overlooking the Boardwalk with the sea beyond:)

Thom

 

Oops. Muddled memories on my part. :)

[yuvraj]

Since I eat early I've been known to get a cocktail before dinner and make it back for a glass of port after dinner:)

 

Thom

 

Yes, I like to eat early so have a pre-dinner drink. Never got round to picking up a glass of port after dinner but aiming to fit that in on future cruises. :)

[impatientlywaiting]

Just to clarify:

 

The photos are in the photo gallery, not the gift shop.

 

If you go into the gift shop looking for your photos, they will look at you like you have eight heads.

 

;)

 

:)

 

Yep, you're so right! LOL.

 

Another thought I had for the new Diamond C&A members, and may have already been mentioned, but we always took a fresh drink with us when we left the Diamond Lounge to go to dinner.

[reallyhooked]

Thanks for the info, we are looking forward to it. It's our 15th wedding anniversary. We are in the same grand suite for both weeks, wanted to do it right for DW.

 

How nice. Congratulations on your anniversary

[TriCoachCruising]

Some pointers for newbie Diamond members - things I didn't pay much attention to but wish I had ...

 

a). Take appropriate clothes for formal nights, dress up and enjoy the thrill of having your photos taken in different areas of the ship by professional photographers. Some of the photographers are really good. Enjoy the whole experience and then choose the best photo to take home for free! A couple who are diamond members will be entitled to 2 photos.

 

b). Make sure you are directed to the priority queue on embarkation. Priority embarkation is a big part of the Diamond enhanced experience.

 

c). Diamond Lounge is a great social gathering where you will meet other regular cruisers. During the day it is a nice quiet spot overlooking Central Park. Serves great coffee all day. In the evening you have the drinks and snacks which are worth checking out. Don't use the lounge just for drinks, use it to mingle with others.

 

d). Look out for invites to special events. This tends to vary between ships but we have had invites to Top Tier party etc. Keep track of the invites and go if they fit in with your schedule.

 

e). Collect your free glass of wine from a bar before you go for dinner. They charge if you order wine at the dinning room but you can carry drinks in.

 

f). There are discounts on spa and other services. Make sure you point out the discount when booking as they may not be automatically deducted.

 

g). There was a special lounge for disembarkation for C&A members, not sure if it was only for D and above when we were on Allure last year. Very quiet and a nice space to wait for disembarkation. They had drinks and continental breakfast.

 

h). If you need reservations for a show which is fully booked (like ice show), or something needs sorting out then the concierge in the Diamond lounge is very helpful.

 

Others have listed perks and what you get. For me it is about enjoying an enhanced cruise experience.

 

Great info

[mek]

Your 3 Drinks Day/Night On Your Your Sea Pass CAN BE Shared :)

 

I've seen this mentioned twice on this thread - I thought it was 3 free drinks pp for the entire cruise, not per day. Confused. :confused:

[Clarea]

I've seen this mentioned twice on this thread - I thought it was 3 free drinks pp for the entire cruise, not per day. Confused. :confused:

The drink vouchers for Diamond level and above are 3 per evening. You can only use them during the Diamond lounge cocktail period, and any you don't use in an evening are lost, you cannot accumulate them.

[lovesthebeach2]

We will be diamond after our next cruise so I'm happy this thread was started!

[mek]

The drink vouchers for Diamond level and above are 3 per evening. You can only use them during the Diamond lounge cocktail period, and any you don't use in an evening are lost, you cannot accumulate them.

 

I didn't understand it that way - so the vouchers are good anywhere on the ship, except the dining room or specialty restaurants between 4:30 and 8 pm - not before or after?

Edited April 3, 2016 by mek

[TriCoachCruising]

We will be diamond after our next cruise so I'm happy this thread was started!

 

Yeah, I figured I wasn't the only new Diamond member that may have questions. We have received great feedback.

[Clarea]

I didn't understand it that way - so the vouchers are good anywhere on the ship, except the dining room or specialty restaurants between 4:30 and 8 pm - not before or after?

Correct, good at any bar and the main theater. Not good at restaurants. Not good outside of the DL cocktail period, whatever that is on your ship.

[marys350]

Was so happy to take my first diamond cruise but didn't get to enjoy the lounge as much as I could have because my roommates (my two sisters) are not diamond..........

I DID enjoy the perk of using the concierge to take us down to tender at Grand Cayman. And my sisters were able to enjoy that perk as well. :D.....

 

We took our first diamond cruise last year, and I did not know that it's possible to use the Diamond concierge to take you down to tender at Grand Cayman. Do Diamonds automatically get priority boarding for tenders or do you need to request it ahead of time? My husband and I have booked a private stingray city tour in the morning on April 14, 2016 with 4 friends who are not Diamond. It would be very helpful if we could get on an early tender and not have to wait until after all passengers on ship excursions leave. I want to make sure that we are not late for our private excursion.

[Merion_Mom]

We took our first diamond cruise last year, and I did not know that it's possible to use the Diamond concierge to take you down to tender at Grand Cayman. Do Diamonds automatically get priority boarding for tenders or do you need to request it ahead of time? My husband and I have booked a private stingray city tour in the morning on April 14, 2016 with 4 friends who are not Diamond. It would be very helpful if we could get on an early tender and not have to wait until after all passengers on ship excursions leave. I want to make sure that we are not late for our private excursion.

 

If every Diamond and every friend of a Diamond tried to get "priority tendering", there would be no priority tendering.