Breaking News - C&A Changes/Enhancements

[Ocean Boy]

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.

 

I have to agree with you on that. Heck, from RCI's perspective they probably figure since eveyone is already bitchin' about it anyway we don't really have anything to lose by actually doing it.:rolleyes:

Edited April 20, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[jules815]

Whenever I hear this it reminds me of National Lampoon Xmas Vacation, Clark is expected a big bonus but just gets a subscription to the jelly of the month club, his cousin Eddie is oblivious to his despair and just says "it's the gift that keeps on giving" :D

 

Yes! I thought that too! And that Clark rant is classic. :D

[xxHadleyxx]

I am curious if top tier cruisers really do sped less on board?

 

It has been the opposite for us. When we began cruising we were young parents with not much extra to spend on vacation--we stuffed 4 into an interior stateroom and most cruises the ONLY onboard expense we had was in tips.

 

Eventually, as our income grew (and so did the kids) we moved to paying for two cabins, at least one a balcony and enjoying an upcharge meal or two.

 

These days, we normally book two balconies, my husband usually gets a drink package, I might get a massage or DS might make use of a personal trainer, we do some shopping ,etc. We spend more with each passing year, not less.

[A&L_Ont]

Yes, but no reason to lock this thread.

 

I agree, no reason at all.

[Clarea]

I am curious if top tier cruisers really do sped less on board?...

I would be curious to see statistics on that too. I'm sure that there are some that spend a bunch on board, many are sailing in suites all the time. However, my gut feel is that the majority tend to spend less.

[cruisegirl1]

OK – please help me out. Did I miss a post that indicated the diamonds will no longer have access to a lounge? There are a lot of comments about that but I don't recall reading that will be the case. I thought the original post made reference to a suite lounge but I don't recall reading about changes to the existing diamond lounge admittance.

 

Thanks.

 

M

[John&LaLa]

I would be curious to see statistics on that too. I'm sure that there are some that spend a bunch on board, many are sailing in suites all the time. However, my gut feel is that the majority tend to spend less.

 

I have the Visa points that say otherwise. :eek:

[Clarea]

I have the Visa points that say otherwise. :eek:

I did say that some always book suites.

[John&LaLa]

I did say that some always book suites.

 

I was referring to Laura's jewelry splurges

[nelly55]

I would be curious to see statistics on that too. I'm sure that there are some that spend a bunch on board, many are sailing in suites all the time. However, my gut feel is that the majority tend to spend less.

 

We hardly spend anything on board now, use the 3 vouchers to get wine on the way to dinner, couple of G&Ts in lounge pre-dinner, free photo each - all we buy is maybe a cocktail by the pool.

[karena1]

We just got off Adventure the 9th. Package discounts were listed right on the slip the guy had you sign when you bought the package - 20% off for D, 30% off for D+ and 40% off for Pinn. Did not matter which package. We both bought the Premium pkg which would normally be around $404 for a week, with the 30% off it was just shy of $283 so a huge savings per package.

 

We still enjoyed the DL every night and went in the CL once. DL on Adventure is way nicer

 

Celebrity - we love have the pkg included on Silhouette and still went up to the Sky Lounge each evening for the top tier event. Really enjoyed the little bites to eat and talking to the various officers that came and went. We personally loved Silhouette and hubby by far thought it was the best food he has ever had on a cruise ship

 

I have to say b/c of view we more often go to the DL vs CL anyway so really doesn't matter to me but it is nice to have access to both. I will also say, as a rule, the place clears right before early dinner so have never found it impossible to find a place to sit. People are usually very friendly and if there are spaces open by them, you are normally more than welcome to join them.

 

And even with the pkg on Celebrity we still go to the nightly event for a while just to enjoy the atmosphere and talking to other cruises and the staff.

[FUN33]

After reading all this it looks like our next cruise will be an interesting one for us. We are doing six B2B's on Navigator beginning this Sunday. If the May 1st implementation date is firm, we will be D+ for our April 24th and April 30th cruises. We become Pinnacle on the third leg; that's the Trans-Atlantic that begins on May 8th.

 

So it looks like we can use the CL for the April 24th and April 30th cruises then we cannot use the CL for the May 8th Trans-Atlantic and then we can use the CL again for the May 21st, May 30th and June 6th cruises.

 

Just hoping they don't' simultaneously increase the Pinnacle requirement from 700 to 1,000 (as some have suggested) at the same time.

[Justmekaren918]

After reading all this it looks like our next cruise will be an interesting one for us. We are doing six B2B's on Navigator beginning this Sunday. If the May 1st implementation date is firm, we will be D+ for our April 24th and April 30th cruises. We become Pinnacle on the third leg; that's the Trans-Atlantic that begins on May 8th.

 

So it looks like we can use the CL for the April 24th and April 30th cruises then we cannot use the CL for the May 8th Trans-Atlantic and then we can use the CL again for the May 21st, May 30th and June 6th cruises.

 

Just hoping they don't' simultaneously increase the Pinnacle requirement from 700 to 1,000 (as some have suggested) at the same time.

 

If you are changing tiers during your 6x b2b you will not be changing tiers per LA and Corporate for 14 days past cruised finished date which was my sad experience on Brilliance in March/April on my b2b2b! Royal flat out didn't care, but maybe because it is a higher tier they will, or the LA on Navigator will be competant, understand their job, and actually understand and speak English; which is something the chix on Brilliance didn't!

 

Which is something I have witnessed in the last year that it is much harder to really communicate with staff, because they truly barely understand English.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[cruising grandma]

OK – please help me out. Did I miss a post that indicated the diamonds will no longer have access to a lounge? There are a lot of comments about that but I don't recall reading that will be the case.

 

M

 

Just hoping they don't' simultaneously increase the Pinnacle requirement from 700 to 1,000 (as some have suggested) at the same time.

 

These ARE rumors.

[TexCruise371]

I am curious if top tier cruisers really do sped less on board?

 

It has been the opposite for us. When we began cruising we were young parents with not much extra to spend on vacation--we stuffed 4 into an interior stateroom and most cruises the ONLY onboard expense we had was in tips.

 

Eventually, as our income grew (and so did the kids) we moved to paying for two cabins, at least one a balcony and enjoying an upcharge meal or two.

 

These days, we normally book two balconies, my husband usually gets a drink package, I might get a massage or DS might make use of a personal trainer, we do some shopping ,etc. We spend more with each passing year, not less.[/Q

 

Same here. We definitely spend more now than we used to. When we started cruising more we were paying for 3 kids in college, building our business, etc, etc. We have cruised in inside cabins only three times. Now, we are cruising mostly in a GS with a JS thrown in here and there.

 

We eat in specialty restaurants quite a bit unless we are cruising with friends. We both usually get a massage, sometimes two.

Edited April 20, 2016 by TexCruise371

[sjb317]

Royal probably isn't fond of us as we have become those cruisers who don't spend much money. We usually buy one, maybe two drinks per day, may go to a specialty restaurant depending on length of cruise, no spa treatments, rarely buy anything in the shops, and, if a really good deal, will stay in an interior room.:D

 

I was totally shocked to get our final bill on our first cruise in 1999, $900.00 for an 11 day cruise! I had no idea you could spend that much on a cruise ship and returned home thinking I would have to sign up for some extra hours at work to pay for it!:D Our bill on our last cruise was $130 for 9 days on Vision. And we paid a lot less for the cost of Vision cruise than the Splendor cruise.

 

I think Royal can make whatever changes they want since it's their program, and we all have to adjust to changes or find another cruise line.

 

Sherri:)

[Paulette3028]

After reading all this it looks like our next cruise will be an interesting one for us. We are doing six B2B's on Navigator beginning this Sunday. If the May 1st implementation date is firm, we will be D+ for our April 24th and April 30th cruises. We become Pinnacle on the third leg; that's the Trans-Atlantic that begins on May 8th.

 

So it looks like we can use the CL for the April 24th and April 30th cruises then we cannot use the CL for the May 8th Trans-Atlantic and then we can use the CL again for the May 21st, May 30th and June 6th cruises.

 

Just hoping they don't' simultaneously increase the Pinnacle requirement from 700 to 1,000 (as some have suggested) at the same time.

 

What I am going to ask from you, may be of little interest to you, but I will ask anyway. Could you let me know who the Activity Manager is onboard your sailings?

 

It sounds like a great time will be had by you and yours on that lengthy sailing on Navigator. I am sure you will have a great time!

[alfaeric]

I would be curious to see statistics on that too. I'm sure that there are some that spend a bunch on board, many are sailing in suites all the time. However, my gut feel is that the majority tend to spend less.

 

For us, it depends...

 

For evening drinks, sure- we don't get a drink package as we get the lounge and 3 drinks.

 

But familiarity also gets an understanding of value, too- so we also go to specialty restaurants, and will splurge on special events (like dinner in Vintages). We also use the coupons to try stuff, which ends up having us spend extra on some wines.

 

The same familiarity also has us not buying pictures, and being quite selective of what excursions we pay for (if we do at all).

 

As well as John's wife buying stuff in the stores- as we know what is changing and what deals are.

 

Some plus, some minus. But we also always get a suite of some type.

 

I think it would be hard to pin down a hard number of increased or decreased spending overall.

[LMaxwell]

If you are changing tiers during your 6x b2b you will not be changing tiers per LA and Corporate for 14 days past cruised finished date which was my sad experience on Brilliance in March/April on my b2b2b! Royal flat out didn't care, but maybe because it is a higher tier they will, or the LA on Navigator will be competant, understand their job, and actually understand and speak English; which is something the chix on Brilliance didn't!

 

Which is something I have witnessed in the last year that it is much harder to really communicate with staff, because they truly barely understand English.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

Changing to Pinnacle, if it occurs mid-cruise, is recognized during the cruise, not after. It is the only tier this applies to.

 

If changing tiers during B2B's (below Pinnacle) the LA should have gotten you your new benefits at the start of the next segment. Your LA did not do their job properly.

[John&LaLa]

What I am going to ask from you, may be of little interest to you, but I will ask anyway. Could you let me know who the Activity Manager is onboard your sailings?!

 

You might have some luck posting these requests on the roll calls.

[Justmekaren918]

Oh and they will probably put a sticker but if there is financial with it watch it like a hawk, because I was charged at the lower tier.

quickest time ever leaving Emerald.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[LMaxwell]

You might have some luck posting these requests on the roll calls.

 

I was just about to post that. That's the best place to mine for that information.

[Clarea]

I was referring to Laura's jewelry splurges

Happy wife, happy life.:)

[John&LaLa]

Happy wife, happy life.:)

 

You would think. ;)

[MaritimeR&R]

If you are changing tiers during your 6x b2b you will not be changing tiers per LA and Corporate for 14 days past cruised finished date which was my sad experience on Brilliance in March/April on my b2b2b! Royal flat out didn't care, but maybe because it is a higher tier they will, or the LA on Navigator will be competant, understand their job, and actually understand and speak English; which is something the chix on Brilliance didn't!

 

Which is something I have witnessed in the last year that it is much harder to really communicate with staff, because they truly barely understand English.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

Any of my friends that did B2B's or more and turned Pinnacle during one of them were recognized during the cruise they turned and given a gold card thereafter.

One such occasion occurred as recently as Feb. of this year.