Diamond Cocktail hour question

[2chiefs]

Our experience/routine:

-Always sign up for 2nd seating MDR

-Arrive at DL AFTER MDR 1st seating starts (DL typically empties out depending on amount of D, D+ & P on board)

-When we leave, we bring a full glass of wine with us to the MDR for dinner.

[TravelerThom]

They don't seem to care much anymore if you bring drinks out of the lounge.

This change seemed to occur about the same time that 3 Drinks in Bars were added to the D Sea Passes. I'm not sure if the official DL /CL policy changed, or if the staff just realized that since you could get a free drink elsewhere, it wasn't worth their time to worry about it. Either way, all is good:)

 

Thom

[Biker19]

^ Like other policies on the ship, they simply do not enforce it. There was a fairly obvious sign in the Navigator DL to not remove drinks form the DL, but lots of folks simply walked out with drinks.

[TravelerThom]

^ Like other policies on the ship, they simply do not enforce it. There was a fairly obvious sign in the Navigator DL to not remove drinks form the DL, but lots of folks simply walked out with drinks.

In the past I have seen a Diamond Concierge literally yelling and running down the hall chasing someone who had sneaked past him with a drink; haven't seen that since the 3 Drinks on the Card went in. Of course this was the same Concierge who on Day 5 of a cruise told me at the door of the Lounge "You can't come in Thom until you show your Card" - yep, he knew me by name but demanded my Card.

 

Thom

[CruisingChick]

^ Like other policies on the ship, they simply do not enforce it. There was a fairly obvious sign in the Navigator DL to not remove drinks form the DL, but lots of folks simply walked out with drinks.

 

When we sailed on Anthem last March, there were so many people they opened it up to the Music Hall. If you were sitting in The Music Hall, there was no way they could stop people from walking out with drinks.

[troykahack]

On Dec. Oasis they allowed us to take glass of wine with us to dinner. We also got wine at Vintages and took it to dinner.

 

 

 

Grace

 

 

This sign was posted in 3 places in the CL as well as DL.

 

 

However, NOBODY was watching people remove their drinks. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Biker19]

This sign was posted in 3 places in the CL as well as DL.

 

Same sign on Navigator and the door to the DL is right by the Concierge desk.

[troykahack]

Same sign on Navigator and the door to the DL is right by the Concierge desk.

 

This particular picture was on the counter of the Concierge desk, just as you walk in as well. There was also 2 more, one at the bar and one by the coffee machine.

[CruisingChick]

This particular picture was on the counter of the Concierge desk, just as you walk in as well. There was also 2 more, one at the bar and one by the coffee machine.

 

Are we not suppose to take the coffee/capuccino/lattes out of there either?

[troykahack]

Are we not suppose to take the coffee/capuccino/lattes out of there either?

 

Actually, it was on the top shelf of the self serve bar (breakfast and cocktail hour treats) which is part of the coffee bar. I actually wondered the same thing.

[kc320]

Are we not suppose to take the coffee/capuccino/lattes out of there either?

 

Actually, it was on the top shelf of the self serve bar (breakfast and cocktail hour treats) which is part of the coffee bar. I actually wondered the same thing.

 

Coffee machine has paper to go cups available...in the past the reason I had heard given for not removing drinks from the lounge was because of the glassware...true or not I don't know...just what I was told...

[CruisinShips]

A post in this thread raised a question for me....someone mentioned giving cash tips to the bartenders for the comp drinks....I must admit it never occurred to me to carry cash and tip them that way. When I have had the drink package, they give you a paper to sign and I always include a tip (charged to my account)...but never a cash tip.

 

Curious if many people do this.

[Clarea]

A post in this thread raised a question for me....someone mentioned giving cash tips to the bartenders for the comp drinks....I must admit it never occurred to me to carry cash and tip them that way. When I have had the drink package, they give you a paper to sign and I always include a tip (charged to my account)...but never a cash tip.

 

Curious if many people do this.

I see a great many people tip the servers for the complimentary drinks.

[TravelerThom]

Coffee machine has paper to go cups available...in the past the reason I had heard given for not removing drinks from the lounge was because of the glassware...true or not I don't know...just what I was told...

In years past I have encountered Concierges who watched their glassware like a hawk, and who actually personally stood by the outbound door of Happy Hour asking you not to take glasses from the lounge while simultaneously offering you a to-go-cup. Not quite as elegant as glassware, but that was a compromise I had no problem living with.:p It has been several years since I have seen any attempt at policing the "no drinks to leave" policy.

[troykahack]

A post in this thread raised a question for me....someone mentioned giving cash tips to the bartenders for the comp drinks....I must admit it never occurred to me to carry cash and tip them that way. When I have had the drink package, they give you a paper to sign and I always include a tip (charged to my account)...but never a cash tip.

 

Curious if many people do this.

 

Yes. We tip for complimentary drinks in the CL. Generally, either a dollar or two per drink or maybe $5 an evening. It's nice when you enter the CL and the bartender(s) know what you are drinking and bring them promptly to your seating without asking. We tip the Concierge as well, when special services rendered and at the end of the cruise.

 

We go to the bank and get a lot of $1, $5, $10, & $20 bills just for tipping. We both have DP and on our last two cruises the last three months, we were never given a receipt to sign??

Edited January 6, 2017 by troykahack

[Biker19]

It has been several years since I have seen any attempt at policing the "no drinks to leave" policy.

 

Which of course begs the question: Why bother with the signs?

 

Biker, who think the signs are driven by.........lawyers.

[flowerlady]

We give cash tips in the Diamond Lounge and in the outside bars.

[troykahack]

Which of course begs the question: Why bother with the signs?

 

Biker, who think the signs are driven by.........lawyers.

 

Those lawyers much be in charge of the email requesting (asking/suggesting) that cruisers board by deck number.

 

Troy says boarding is not Check In. Check In is a perk for status.

Edited January 6, 2017 by troykahack

[Clarea]

Which of course begs the question: Why bother with the signs?

 

Biker, who think the signs are driven by.........lawyers.

I think it's like the rules about bringing water onboard. If they didn't have the rule, then they would have a harder time enforcing it at spring break. With the rule about drinking inside the lounge, they can choose to ignore the guests taking a drink to dinner, but enforce it for the guest that may be repeatedly coming in and out getting drinks for those who are not entitled to lounge access.

[troykahack]

I think it's like the rules about bringing water onboard. If they didn't have the rule, then they would have a harder time enforcing it at spring break. With the rule about drinking inside the lounge, they can choose to ignore the guests taking a drink to dinner, but enforce it for the guest that may be repeatedly coming in and out getting drinks for those who are not entitled to lounge access.

 

Bob is a wise man. Those that abuse cause problems for those that do not.

 

Just ASK BOB.

[TravelerThom]

I see a great many people tip the servers for the complimentary drinks.

Essentially the only time I carry cash on a cruise is if I'm getting off the ship or if I'm going to the Lounge. I have heard (so it must be true:rolleyes:) that the servers do get extra pay ($5/hour was mentioned) for this gig; maybe, maybe not. A common tip is $1/drink or $5 for 4 drinks (2 each for a couple). Some tip at the beginning, some daily, some at the end of the week, some not at all. I am not an extravagant tipper, but when I walk in and the server brings me "my" drink without asking and asks about my day, I think that is worth a good tip; service was so good one time that in addition to more $$ than mentioned above I wrote a letter to the Hotel Manager commending the individual. Not surprisingly the servers seem more likely to remember what the tippers drink.

 

Thom

[troykahack]

 

I am not an extravagant tipper, but when I walk in and the server brings me "my" drink without asking and asks about my day, I think that is worth a good tip; service was so good one time that in addition to more $$ than mentioned above I wrote a letter to the Hotel Manager commending the individual. Not surprisingly the servers seem more likely to remember what the tippers drink.

 

Thom

 

We AGREE. It helps one enjoy their cruise.

[BillOh]

Ask before you order your (voucher) drink we have found several ships lately that are allowing you to use them at more and more venue's ;)

 

That maybe a good post. I've always said the thing Royal is the most consistent at is being inconsistent.

[WhiteSoxFan]

We've had the bartender offer to make us a drink to go when we told them we were heading to dinner.

 

I always tip the bartender $10 every night we're in there.

[BillOh]

When we sailed on Anthem last March, there were so many people they opened it up to the Music Hall. If you were sitting in The Music Hall, there was no way they could stop people from walking out with drinks.

 

That's a good point with so many ships having Diamond overflow it would be hard. My last cruise on Majesty used the open area so there was no policing.