Breaking News - C&A Changes/Enhancements

[Mapleleafforever]

That's why we book GS only when price is close to JS. When its drastic we don't book at all because we were not Diamond. Now that Diamond hits next cruise I will be booking more JS

 

How are you not diamond already? Based on your cruise history you should definitely be diamond by now no?

[SharkByte]

I could never tell the difference between Top Tier Party and Welcome Back Party. So this news does not effect me. I never really went to either. It always felt like a infomerical with booze.

 

The Top Tier Parties we've attended have introduced the newest members of each tier, presented them w/ their pins, blocks... had some sort of off handed entertainment by a talented crew member (liquor bottle juggling, celebrity impersonations...).

 

Just off the Adventure, the Top Tier was a BORE! Not even up to Welcome back Standard.

[beachnative]

(changed my mind)

Edited April 19, 2016 by beachnative

[Merion_Mom]

How are you not diamond already? Based on your cruise history you should definitely be diamond by now no?

 

According to his signature, he has been on nine Royal Caribbean cruises.

 

At least half were short cruises.

 

But he is close. :)

Edited April 19, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[Garavar]

How are you not diamond already? Based on your cruise history you should definitely be diamond by now no?

 

According to his signature, he has been on nine Royal Caribbean cruises.

 

At least half were short cruises.

 

But he is close. :)

 

07/14/04 Navi 7 Nights 7 Points

03/05/05 Navi 7 Nights 7 Points

12/06/14 Liberty 5 Nights 10 Pts

1/9/15 Enchantment 4 Nights 8 Pts

2/2/15 Enchatment 4 Nights 8 Points

11/06/15 Allure 2 Nights 2 Pts

11/28/15 Adventure 7 Nights 14 Pts

1/25/16 Briliance 5 Nights 10 Pts

4/9/16 Indy 5 Nights 10 Pts

 

Close but no cigar :what:

[Mapleleafforever]

07/14/04 Navi 7 Nights 7 Points

03/05/05 Navi 7 Nights 7 Points

12/06/14 Liberty 5 Nights 10 Pts

1/9/15 Enchantment 4 Nights 8 Pts

2/2/15 Enchatment 4 Nights 8 Points

11/06/15 Allure 2 Nights 2 Pts

11/28/15 Adventure 7 Nights 14 Pts

1/25/16 Briliance 5 Nights 10 Pts

4/9/16 Indy 5 Nights 10 Pts

 

Close but no cigar :what:

 

Ah I see, thanks. We'll be Diamond after our Brilliance cruise end of May.....just in time for it to be basically meaningless lol

[Garavar]

Yep same here Diamond on Empress June 6, was looking at JS for July, August, September or October, but holding off until I hear if we are kicked out of Diamond Lounge.

 

If so then ill be cruising Rhaposody in November only this year because thats in a RFS.

[vickila]

Marketing costs are sunk costs. Always have been - always will be. $ spent administering a loyalty program are also quasi marketing sunk costs. Pay less on one - you can pay more for another and remain even. Simple business. Each ship must make a profit each voyage. Period. You either get people to spend more aboard, decrease your expenses or increase your pricing (or any combination).

 

The suite cabins aren't going to fill themselves - they need to be marketed smartly (no - they just aren't for C&A upgrades). Your smartest marketing is one that produces a buzz to your target audience - not hard to do once you figure out who your target is. But once you do figure out that target you need to deliver on your "buzz". They have the opportunity to do that which, by the way, just may stabilize cabin prices in the other categories.

 

I think Royal would be missing a golden opportunity to both revitalize their suite program as well as address the C&A monster all at one time.

 

And for disclosure - I also have never cruised in anything lower than a balcony (well - the Sun Viking had no balcony cabins - but it was an OV). But I'm sure you read the same stuff here that I do. We book +/- 30 days a year because we like the product and will continue to until the product no longer appeals to us.

 

Can't book full suites anymore since they aren't built out as accessible (which is a crying shame) so I would essentially vote myself out of the SL for life.

 

Never thought of not being accessible excludes one from ever being in a SL. That's seems like exclusion to me.....not fair! On the Anthem recently there were spots in the 270 a w/c could not go to and not possible to go up to deck where i Fly is....not even to watch or photo someone. Hmm. V.

[Justmekaren918]

Just Awesome!

 

I just busted my tail and money to become Diamond to have the lounge ripped away, and not get accepted into the lounge once!

 

I was so looking forward to it for my b-day sail on Adventure in Sept. This bites if this becomes true!

 

Might they be grandfathering in Diamonds before the change date?

 

Are they taking away the crossover to?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[Ourusualbeach]

Just Awesome!

 

I just busted my tail and money to become Diamond to have the lounge ripped away, and not get accepted into the lounge once!

 

I was so looking forward to it for my b-day sail on Adventure in Sept. This bites if this becomes true!

 

Might they be grandfathering in Diamonds before the change date?

 

Are they taking away the crossover to?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

I think that it would be a logistical nightmare to grandfather in existing diamonds so I don't see that happening. Also they didn't grandfather anyone the last time they took a lounge away from the Diamonds.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Just Awesome!

 

I just busted my tail and money to become Diamond to have the lounge ripped away, and not get accepted into the lounge once!

 

I was so looking forward to it for my b-day sail on Adventure in Sept. This bites if this becomes true!

 

Might they be grandfathering in Diamonds before the change date?

 

Are they taking away the crossover to?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

I have not seen that this is more than just a rumor. Unless I am missing something I wouldn't get upset. Now, I can see some restrictions on a voyage that is heavy D+ & P, like my upcoming TA. But from my last experience on the Oasis where the D Lounge was full to capacity each and every night there wasn't much of an incentive to be in there anyway.

 

On my four cruises since I have become Diamond the only cruises where I have truly enjoyed the D Lounge was my last cruise, the Jewel Panama Canal where the entire VCL was opened and there was enough room to sit and enjoy the company of the other Diamonds and above. That was very nice. However, on my first two Diamond cruises on the Jewel B2B in the Southern Caribbean there were so few people present in the "Diamond Event" that it wasn't much fun. At most we never had more than 4 other people there and they were busy chatting with each other as they appeared to be traveling together. Then, to the other extreme, the Oasis Lounge was so full that if you fainted you would not have hit the floor. We got our one glass of wine, a few appetizers and went to our cabin to enjoy them on our balcony. If we miss out on the appetizers so be it. I don't need the calories anyway. I will be disappointed that a perk is taken away for sure, but not devastated.

 

I find that I am looking forward to the D Lounge the most on our next Jewel cruise in the Med in 2017. By then it will be a dedicated lounge and since it is a regular 9 night cruise it should not be overcrowded. I hope it is not taken away from us then as we will not be D+ until we complete the cruise after that. On the two TA's we have booked - I figure they will be a repeat of the Oasis with standing room only.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Sunny AZ Girl

[Garavar]

Everyone keeps saying there are "X" number of Diamonds, D+ and P's on "Y" Future Sailing. Where are people getting these numbers?

 

How do people know how many D/D+/P are booked on a cruise that hasnt sailed yet?

[SULROSS]

Everyone keeps saying there are "X" number of Diamonds, D+ and P's on "Y" Future Sailing. Where are people getting these numbers?

 

How do people know how many D/D+/P are booked on a cruise that hasnt sailed yet?

 

You can get it from the Loyalty Ambassador or one of the Concierges a day or two before the sail date. Many of us know them from past experiences and becoming friends. They do not know the number more than a few days before.

Edited April 20, 2016 by SULROSS

[deepcman]

I hope I never get old enough to care how many D, D+ and P's are going to be on my cruise. There's nothing we can do about it and it's not going to change my life in any way.

I cruise for the enjoyment and not for the perks. RCL doesn't have a monopoly so if you're unhappy with any changes they make, take your business elsewhere. Just stop all the whining about something that hasn't happened yet.

[steveru621]

I hope I never get old enough to care how many D, D+ and P's are going to be on my cruise. There's nothing we can do about it and it's not going to change my life in any way.

I cruise for the enjoyment and not for the perks. RCL doesn't have a monopoly so if you're unhappy with any changes they make, take your business elsewhere. Just stop all the whining about something that hasn't happened yet.

 

Very insulting.

 

12 years I was loyal to RCI, and expected to reap the benefits of that loyalty, and I certainly don't believe that expecting what was marketed to me is whining.

 

As a senior today I cannot hope to make P. I also cannot expect the same benefits by starting from square one on another cruise line. What you are proposing is simply unrealistic for many D+ loyal cruisers.

 

I cruise because I enjoy cruising with the perks I have attained thru loyalty. Those loyalty benefits approach well over $700/cruise. If you could afford to throw away that money, good for you!

 

:mad:

Edited April 20, 2016 by steveru621
spelling

[Retired LEO]

I see you are doing a B2B on Enchantment so that means you will have tied him up on the first cruise, let us know how that goes and we will see you on Friday and of course buy the first drink :)

 

Going to miss some of the people onboard, hopefully some of them swap over to Majesty.

 

Have a good cruise

 

I may have to keep him tied up until the start of the 2nd cruise to ensure my 40% on that one. :D

 

I'll be right by the Oasis bar with my Bud Lite in hand. :)

 

Sure going to miss the Enchantment. Some really fun times.

[Retired LEO]

Very insulting.

 

12 years I was loyal to RCI, and expected to reap the benefits of that loyalty, and I certainly don't believe that expecting what was marketed to me is whining.

 

As a senior today I cannot hope to make P. I also cannot expect the same benefits by starting from square one on another cruise line. What you are proposing is simply unrealistic for many D+ loyal cruisers.

 

I cruise because I enjoy cruising with the perks I have attained thru loyalty. Those loyalty benefits approach well over $700/cruise. If you could afford to throw away that money, good for you!

 

:mad:

 

And the cruise line reserves the right to discontinue the program at any time.

 

Nothing is certain when it comes to the future.

[Beachin2]

 

I cruise because I enjoy cruising with the perks I have attained thru loyalty. Those loyalty benefits approach well over $700/cruise. If you could afford to throw away that money, good for you!

 

:mad:

 

But don't you see - that is the problem. There are folks (read the threads) that don't even pay $700 for the cruise. How can they make a dime that way?

[steveru621]

And the cruise line reserves the right to discontinue the program at any time.

 

Nothing is certain when it comes to the future.

 

Ray,

 

That is certainly true.

 

It also doesn't diminish my anger. If no one expresses dissatisfaction, how can we ever expect RCI to at least mitigate program modifications? There was a post stating that stopping welcome back parties was a SUCCESS! How can that be? Can we also conclude that kicking the D's and D+ out of the CL was a success?

 

I remember our second Med cruise Emeralds were allowed in the CL, so clearly RCI has created their own problem.

 

:mad:

Edited April 20, 2016 by steveru621

[tallcva3344]

I agree suites need their own lounge but no one that has booked under Royals terms and conditions has gamed the system at all. They have made use of the benefits Royal has said they are entitled to. Taking maximum advantage of an offer is not gaming the system. It's playing by the rules. Gaming the system implies deception to get more than one is entitled to. Guests don't make the rules. Royal does. Royal is becoming a victim of its own successful program and one could say offers of recent years like diamonds in December or even this year bonus points in certain ships is Royal gaming it's clients by offering an inducement to book when they know they are going to move the goal posts and reduce the value of those inducements

 

Sent from my B1-730HD using Tapatalk

 

That is well said and correct! H

[steveru621]

But don't you see - that is the problem. There are folks (read the threads) that don't even pay $700 for the cruise. How can they make a dime that way?

 

It's you that don't understand. Third of that $700 is a balcony discount that I paid many times that amount.

 

I didn't make the rules, RCI did, but you bet I take advantage of them.

 

I'm firmly in the camp of awarding loyalty based on total spending. I can't remember the last cruise where our bill for OB spending was less than $1,000.

 

:mad:

[John&LaLa]

That's not it. The reason suite guests don't stay is because they have suites. Have you been in the CLs on Voyager Class ships. They are dark, depressing and often smell of old leather. Why stay there if you can enjoy lounging in your suite.

 

As I also mentioned, many suite guests have children. Think about it. Does a ten year old want to stay in a dark and depressing place when there is so much more to do?

 

No, designating the old CLs for suite guests only would be a real mistake. The lounges, as well as the concierge, would be underutilized and bad feelings would be engendered from the Ps and D+s. Not a good idea!

 

Well just have to differ on that. If the SL was more exclusive and welcoming, the Suite passengers would go. Children in the suites is likely seasonal and I doubt that many in reality.

[John&LaLa]

There is something to be considered besides just dollars per cruise spent. Also a cruise line is smart to consider cruises per year taken. Some of us are not just loyal customers from the past but very loyal in the future. I currently have 20 cruises booked and I personally know of several others that have many more than that booked. When you factor in the marketing cost to get a first time cruiser onboard our repeat dollars that they don't have to work for are more significant. And no, we never travel "inside". Anything from a full suite to an ocean view but never an inside.

 

We have 22, but 4 are insides :eek: (solo) however only one balcony, rest are JS, GS and RS.

[yogimax]

Just Awesome!

 

I just busted my tail and money to become Diamond to have the lounge ripped away, and not get accepted into the lounge once!

 

 

Just remember - everything we have read so far is pure speculation with no confirmation from Royal Caribbean. The closest thing to confirmation is a claim that all the officers on one ship in the fleet say something will happen.

 

Many like to speculate and claim inside knowledge for various reasons. As I have mentioned in previous posts, we have gone through this on a regular basis before.

 

You may ultimately have a right to be mad, as I would, but for now don't let the Illuminati get you down!

[jonbgd]

Ray,

 

cruise

I remember our second Med cruise Emeralds were allowed in the CL, so clearly RCI has created their own problem.

 

:mad:

 

was that a one time thing for that specific cruise?

The only way I got in the CL, while Emerald, was sailing in a GS:confused: