RCCL new Diamond Lounge Policy?

[island lady]

Sorry to hear it is still painful but hopefully it will be okay soon.

 

Thanks, me too. Heading up to Maine again for the summer and really don't want to miss out on the hiking we love to do up there. Sigh....:o

 

Oh well, at least I can still paddle around in the kayak. :hearteyes:

[grapau27]

Thanks, me too. Heading up to Maine again for the summer and really don't want to miss out on the hiking we love to do up there. Sigh....:o

 

Oh well, at least I can still paddle around in the kayak. :hearteyes:

Best wishes and hopefully you both have a super summer hiking.

Kindest Regards.

Graham & Pauline x

[Redrobo]

I thought I was losing my mind for a minute there when the last several posts disappeared

It was the right thing to do.

 

Moving on....

The Mariner next week is likely to have hundreds of D and above onboard. ( over one hundred P's by all accounts) it will be interesting to see if there is an overflow in operation.

 

Friends greg and Verona are on their way to Singapore from Sydney to join Mariner, I think they will be away 56 or so days.

[Redrobo]

Friends greg and Verona are on their way to Singapore from Sydney to join Mariner, I think they will be away 56 or so days.

 

Just heard from Greg they are on Ovation at the Moment.

[Aussie FF]

There are 139 people on Ovation transferring to Mariner.

They have organised express transit and transfer of luggage.

They have also put on a free shuttle into Singapore.

 

Aussie Frequent Floaters

[ano]

Totally agree. One step forward...two steps back.

 

Sad indeed. What good is having a loyalty program...if RCI does not really care about their loyal customers any longer? :(:oWhy bother even trying to attain the D+ level? :o :o

 

That is a simple one. Royal wants the best of both worlds. Royal couldn't care less if their rooms are filled with old customers or new customers. They just want to make sure rooms are filled with someone and they get maximum profit from each. So why even give these perks to returning passengers? We'll Royal has learned that the more times people cruise, the more they spend onboard. So give them a drink or two and Royal is rewarded in return with more revenue due to their spending. But Royal also has also learned that these people will return (and spend more) anyway, even without big perks, so why spend lots of money on them?

 

How much Royal has to spend and the return they achieve has been calculated out very carefully over the years. If Royal can get a new cruiser, as long as they spend well, that's even better than a returning cruiser because they don't need to be given any of these Diamond perks. Cruise lines only have loyalty to one thing, profit, the rest is just an illusion to achieve that.

[grapau27]

That is a simple one. Royal wants the best of both worlds. Royal couldn't care less if their rooms are filled with old customers or new customers. They just want to make sure rooms are filled with someone and they get maximum profit from each. So why even give these perks to returning passengers? We'll Royal has learned that the more times people cruise, the more they spend onboard. So give them a drink or two and Royal is rewarded in return with more revenue due to their spending. But Royal also has also learned that these people will return (and spend more) anyway, even without big perks, so why spend lots of money on them?

 

How much Royal has to spend and the return they achieve has been calculated out very carefully over the years. If Royal can get a new cruiser, as long as they spend well, that's even better than a returning cruiser because they don't need to be given any of these Diamond perks. Cruise lines only have loyalty to one thing, profit, the rest is just an illusion to achieve that.

Spot on description.A few free drinks to them is small change but it means a lot in the loyalty lounges and thats why a lot of people keep coming back to them.

[North of 60]

Remember what those few drinks are costing them - and how much money they are making on the drinks that aren't given away free.

Picking a state and a liquor at random, I looked up the price of a bottle of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.

A 26 oz bottle (750 ml, sometimes referred to as a "fifth") will run you and I about $13 in California.

If the retail markup is a very modest 25%, the cruiseline is paying about $10 for that bottle of booze.

At 1.5 ounces per drink, that means about 17 drinks per bottle, or about $0.60 a drink.

Add the cost of the mix and you come up with, being generous, $0.75 a drink.

Heck, let's be really generous and assume they aren't getting a discount for wholesale, duty free, or large quantities of either the booze or the mix and we'll give them $1 a drink. That allows some costs for the server, the ice, cleaning the glasses, etc etc.

Considering that in 2017, a Spiced Rum and Coke was $7 - $9, depending on where you look, that means they are making $6 to $8 per drink.

And let's not forget the 18% gratuity on top of that. The gratuity essentially covers RCL's cost for a drink.

So, your 3 free drinks on your card save you $20 to $30 a day, but cost them about $3 a day. Let's be real generous and call it $10 a day, for those people that order them fancy foo-foo drinks with the fruit and umbrellas and stuff. Of course, ordering those drinks will save you a little more, but some of them aren't available as your C&A benefit.

 

All in all, I am not crying over the amount of money I might have to spend if I go over my 3 drinks. Nor am I complaining about how much RCL is making on the drinks. The drink prices are high, yes. But they have a captive market, and I am used to ridiculous drink prices - I live in the Canadian Arctic, where it costs me $6.50 Canadian for a beer.

 

Finally, I know someone out there is thinking "they are actually losing $30 a day, because they aren't getting the revenue from those 3 foo-foo drinks". I'll give you that, but remember that if they give you a drink, you are much more likely to buy another one. If you have to buy all your drinks, you will inevitably drink less.

 

Standard disclaimers: You mileage may vary, depending on the drink(s) you order and/or buy. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Keep away from children and other small animals. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[grapau27]

Remember what those few drinks are costing them - and how much money they are making on the drinks that aren't given away free.

Picking a state and a liquor at random, I looked up the price of a bottle of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.

A 26 oz bottle (750 ml, sometimes referred to as a "fifth") will run you and I about $13 in California.

If the retail markup is a very modest 25%, the cruiseline is paying about $10 for that bottle of booze.

At 1.5 ounces per drink, that means about 17 drinks per bottle, or about $0.60 a drink.

Add the cost of the mix and you come up with, being generous, $0.75 a drink.

Heck, let's be really generous and assume they aren't getting a discount for wholesale, duty free, or large quantities of either the booze or the mix and we'll give them $1 a drink. That allows some costs for the server, the ice, cleaning the glasses, etc etc.

Considering that in 2017, a Spiced Rum and Coke was $7 - $9, depending on where you look, that means they are making $6 to $8 per drink.

And let's not forget the 18% gratuity on top of that. The gratuity essentially covers RCL's cost for a drink.

So, your 3 free drinks on your card save you $20 to $30 a day, but cost them about $3 a day. Let's be real generous and call it $10 a day, for those people that order them fancy foo-foo drinks with the fruit and umbrellas and stuff. Of course, ordering those drinks will save you a little more, but some of them aren't available as your C&A benefit.

 

All in all, I am not crying over the amount of money I might have to spend if I go over my 3 drinks. Nor am I complaining about how much RCL is making on the drinks. The drink prices are high, yes. But they have a captive market, and I am used to ridiculous drink prices - I live in the Canadian Arctic, where it costs me $6.50 Canadian for a beer.

 

Finally, I know someone out there is thinking "they are actually losing $30 a day, because they aren't getting the revenue from those 3 foo-foo drinks". I'll give you that, but remember that if they give you a drink, you are much more likely to buy another one. If you have to buy all your drinks, you will inevitably drink less.

 

Standard disclaimers: You mileage may vary, depending on the drink(s) you order and/or buy. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Keep away from children and other small animals. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I always tip $1 per drink so i suppose i am covering their cost value.No tax or vat at sea plus RC buying power means the drink cost price is negligible although i take your point about the vast profit they must make on drinks sales.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Remember what those few drinks are costing them - and how much money they are making on the drinks that aren't given away free.

Picking a state and a liquor at random, I looked up the price of a bottle of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.

A 26 oz bottle (750 ml, sometimes referred to as a "fifth") will run you and I about $13 in California.

If the retail markup is a very modest 25%, the cruiseline is paying about $10 for that bottle of booze.

At 1.5 ounces per drink, that means about 17 drinks per bottle, or about $0.60 a drink.

Add the cost of the mix and you come up with, being generous, $0.75 a drink.

Heck, let's be really generous and assume they aren't getting a discount for wholesale, duty free, or large quantities of either the booze or the mix and we'll give them $1 a drink. That allows some costs for the server, the ice, cleaning the glasses, etc etc.

Considering that in 2017, a Spiced Rum and Coke was $7 - $9, depending on where you look, that means they are making $6 to $8 per drink.

And let's not forget the 18% gratuity on top of that. The gratuity essentially covers RCL's cost for a drink.

So, your 3 free drinks on your card save you $20 to $30 a day, but cost them about $3 a day. Let's be real generous and call it $10 a day, for those people that order them fancy foo-foo drinks with the fruit and umbrellas and stuff. Of course, ordering those drinks will save you a little more, but some of them aren't available as your C&A benefit.

 

All in all, I am not crying over the amount of money I might have to spend if I go over my 3 drinks. Nor am I complaining about how much RCL is making on the drinks. The drink prices are high, yes. But they have a captive market, and I am used to ridiculous drink prices - I live in the Canadian Arctic, where it costs me $6.50 Canadian for a beer.

 

Finally, I know someone out there is thinking "they are actually losing $30 a day, because they aren't getting the revenue from those 3 foo-foo drinks". I'll give you that, but remember that if they give you a drink, you are much more likely to buy another one. If you have to buy all your drinks, you will inevitably drink less.

 

Standard disclaimers: You mileage may vary, depending on the drink(s) you order and/or buy. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Keep away from children and other small animals. Lather, rinse, repeat.

 

 

 

Your info is worthy of discussion.

 

Your remark concerning captive audience is so true. It’s difficult to compare land based prices against cruise prices for alcohol.

 

For example:

 

Mostly beer drinker here. Recent events near us we attended.

 

Bikeweek Daytona Beach. Beer prices varied from $6 to as high as $12 during Bikeweek during the one week event.

 

Hard Rock Concert Venue - $13 for a domestic beer and $15 for a cocktail.

 

Amway Center Orlando- Bruno Mars concert - beer $15 and $18 for a cocktail.

 

Amalie Arena Tampa - Andrea Bocelli - beer $15 and $20 a cocktail.

 

It doesn’t matter what a beer or cocktail costs you at home. If you want a drink in these venues, you pay the asking price.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[island lady]

Best wishes and hopefully you both have a super summer hiking.

Kindest Regards.

Graham & Pauline x

 

Thanks Graham! Currently enjoying the beautiful powder sugar sand beaches here in the Florida Panhandle that we do each spring. Back home mid month May and then in June we head to Maine after a quick 2 week turn around.

 

Also have a wine festival here coming up in a couple weeks...always fun!

 

You and Pauline enjoy a wonderful spring/summer season as well! :D

[grapau27]

Thanks Graham! Currently enjoying the beautiful powder sugar sand beaches here in the Florida Panhandle that we do each spring. Back home mid month May and then in June we head to Maine after a quick 2 week turn around.

 

Also have a wine festival here coming up in a couple weeks...always fun!

 

You and Pauline enjoy a wonderful spring/summer season as well! :D

Thank you,it sounds wonderful over there.

We sail on Independence in May and P&O Ventura in August then back on Independence in October and P&O Oceana in December.

All short cruises from Southampton.

[Redrobo]

Thank you,it sounds wonderful over there.

We sail on Independence in May and P&O Ventura in August then back on Independence in October and P&O Oceana in December.

All short cruises from Southampton.

 

2 3 5 or 8?.I was looking at the 8 day but £3060 seems a bit steep.

[grapau27]

2 3 5 or 8?.I was looking at the 8 day but £3060 seems a bit steep.

RC 5 nights.

[actuarian]

So why even give these perks to returning passengers? We'll Royal has learned that the more times people cruise, the more they spend onboard. So give them a drink or two and Royal is rewarded in return with more revenue due to their spending. But Royal also has also learned that these people will return (and spend more) anyway, even without big perks, so why spend lots of money on them?

 

The perks for top tier C&A members are just good marketing. While it is the top tier members who receive the perks, the real target audience for them are the lower tier members. The perks are an incentive to stay "loyal to Royal". When a non-top-tier C&A member starts thinking about whether to take his or her next cruise on Royal Caribbean or on a competitor, Royal Caribbean wants that person to think that if he or she goes with the competitor, then he or she will probably never get all of the perks that top-tier members get. In order to accomplish that purpose, the perks have to look pretty good. Otherwise, customers will want to get a taste of all the options, rather than sticking with one cruise line.

 

One other marketing point; the C&A perks seem to be aimed at middle income customers. People who can afford to take all of their cruises in a GS or better get all of the perks without having to be top tier. However, it is middle income customers who are most needed; the top suites almost always sell out before the middle priced cabins do.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Current Diamond letter for my upcoming cruise on Harmony. It doesn’t say access to the lounge but drinks loaded on card. Is this new?

 

 

 

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

Current Diamond letter for my upcoming cruise on Harmony. It doesn’t say access to the lounge but drinks loaded on card. Is this new?

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Where did you access that, I have a cruise next week and will look at mine and compare.

[topnole]

The perks for top tier C&A members are just good marketing. While it is the top tier members who receive the perks, the real target audience for them are the lower tier members. The perks are an incentive to stay "loyal to Royal". When a non-top-tier C&A member starts thinking about whether to take his or her next cruise on Royal Caribbean or on a competitor, Royal Caribbean wants that person to think that if he or she goes with the competitor, then he or she will probably never get all of the perks that top-tier members get. In order to accomplish that purpose, the perks have to look pretty good. Otherwise, customers will want to get a taste of all the options, rather than sticking with one cruise line.

 

One other marketing point; the C&A perks seem to be aimed at middle income customers. People who can afford to take all of their cruises in a GS or better get all of the perks without having to be top tier. However, it is middle income customers who are most needed; the top suites almost always sell out before the middle priced cabins do.

 

I tend to think it is more upper income doing suites. Not sure what you are considering middle income but suites often costing $5-10k for 2-4 people seems geared to upper income folks. Maybe I’m wrong.

 

But keep in mind it only takes six week long cruises in a GS to hit diamond which I’m assuming you consider top tier status? So it is a very short road for those with the resources to go in suites to get to top tier benefits anyhow.

 

I tend to think royal prefers newbies who will spends lots onboard because it is a once in a lifetime trip. Those who cruise 3-10 times a year don’t buy photo packages, etc.

[frank808]

Current Diamond letter for my upcoming cruise on Harmony. It doesn’t say access to the lounge but drinks loaded on card. Is this new?

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Standard letter we receive sometimes. But you will have access to dl as long as ship has a dl.

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[actuarian]

I tend to think it is more upper income doing suites. Not sure what you are considering middle income but suites often costing $5-10k for 2-4 people seems geared to upper income folks. Maybe I’m wrong.

 

But keep in mind it only takes six week long cruises in a GS to hit diamond which I’m assuming you consider top tier status? So it is a very short road for those with the resources to go in suites to get to top tier benefits anyhow.

 

I tend to think royal prefers newbies who will spends lots onboard because it is a once in a lifetime trip. Those who cruise 3-10 times a year don’t buy photo packages, etc.

 

That was my point; middle income cruisers can rarely afford suites so the C&A perks are more important to them.

 

I suppose that diamond could be considered "top tier" but the real goal of the marketing folks is to get those middle income people to aim for Pinnacle Club. For the majority of people who rarely cruise in suites, that is likely to require 100 of those week-long cruises. That in turn is likely to require strict loyalty to the brand for 15-20 years.

 

To be sure, the people who are aiming for Pinnacle may not purchase too many photo packages and perhaps they may not spend very much in the casino. However, they do spend money on specialty restaurants, shore excursions and alcohol. That is enough for the cruise line to make a tidy profit and, more important, to keep the ships sailing full.

 

Royal Caribbean has more total rooms than any other cruise line in the world, having recently surpassed Carnival. You cannot fill that many rooms with newbies on a once in a lifetime trip. The ships have to sail full for the cruise line to make a profit.

[topnole]

That was my point; middle income cruisers can rarely afford suites so the C&A perks are more important to them.

 

I suppose that diamond could be considered "top tier" but the real goal of the marketing folks is to get those middle income people to aim for Pinnacle Club. For the majority of people who rarely cruise in suites, that is likely to require 100 of those week-long cruises. That in turn is likely to require strict loyalty to the brand for 15-20 years.

 

To be sure, the people who are aiming for Pinnacle may not purchase too many photo packages and perhaps they may not spend very much in the casino. However, they do spend money on specialty restaurants, shore excursions and alcohol. That is enough for the cruise line to make a tidy profit and, more important, to keep the ships sailing full.

 

Royal Caribbean has more total rooms than any other cruise line in the world, having recently surpassed Carnival. You cannot fill that many rooms with newbies on a once in a lifetime trip. The ships have to sail full for the cruise line to make a profit.

 

I guess I misread your post and we agree on the upper income suite topic.

 

However, I have met so many diamond and above cruisers that don’t spend a dime or it is minimal onboard (I knew because they bragged about it). They drink lots form 5-8, bring their bottles of wine and use their coupons and happy hours etc. It is quite easy to consume a lot of booze when diamond and not spend a thing. Internet is cover for most of your trip we traveling as a couple at D+. Heck I’ve done a cruise or two with less than a $100 tab for me and my wife.

 

Sure some diamond and above spend but those doing say the 4-5 cruises a year (needed for you pinnacle example in 20 year timeframe) that fall in middle class certainly might be the type to keep spending to a minimum onboard. In these cases royal loses money.

 

I tend to think that given the massive difference from D+ to pinnacle there is probably little motivation for most cruising royal to only cruise with royal for that reason. They main perks really take place at diamond. It is such a long commitment to pinnacle in the current system and the program will clearly be changed in the 10-20 years. Why chase the unknown when it is such a long race. I cruise royal because I like the product and the D+ perks now. But I would never cruise on royal just to get to 700 points. Im almost half way but the day a competitor gets a flowrider I’ll try them if the price is right and the product looks good. Until then I’ll only do shorter cruisers with the competition.

 

Happy cruising.

[actuarian]

But I would never cruise on royal just to get to 700 points.

 

Up to now, that has been my attitude too. My wife and I have 368 points, and have been on 37 Royal Caribbean cruises and 32 cruises with other lines. However, if all 69 of those cruises had been with Royal, I would have 686 points and could reach Pinnacle with one more one-week cruise in a JS. I rather regret missing that, since the 32 cruises on other lines were no better than Royal Caribbean cruises.

 

Happy cruising to you too.

[xpcdoojk]

Up to now, that has been my attitude too. My wife and I have 368 points, and have been on 37 Royal Caribbean cruises and 32 cruises with other lines. However, if all 69 of those cruises had been with Royal, I would have 686 points and could reach Pinnacle with one more one-week cruise in a JS. I rather regret missing that, since the 32 cruises on other lines were no better than Royal Caribbean cruises.

 

Happy cruising to you too.

 

The Duh moment. We have cruised about like you, other lines. I ignored the sirens loyalty call, because I don’t cruise for the benefits of being locked into a single line anymore than when I book a flight I only fly AA, because that is my regular airline.

 

I take vacations, to go places, RCI is an awesome cruiseline, and I love the flowrider, but I take at least half my vacations to go somewhere, which means at least half my vacations are not with RCI and in fact are not with any single cruiseline. I take trips to Europe, South America, and others because I want to go there. This whole I am loyal up until they take this away BS is just that BS. Do you all take vacations is it to hang out in the DL and eat semi warm semi edible food and to drink wine that is almost sellable? I hope not.

 

Get out there and travel and quit pretending that access to the DL CL or SL makes a real difference in your lives...

 

Just sayin...

 

JC

[topnole]

Up to now, that has been my attitude too. My wife and I have 368 points, and have been on 37 Royal Caribbean cruises and 32 cruises with other lines. However, if all 69 of those cruises had been with Royal, I would have 686 points and could reach Pinnacle with one more one-week cruise in a JS. I rather regret missing that, since the 32 cruises on other lines were no better than Royal Caribbean cruises.

 

Happy cruising to you too.

 

Pardon the pun but I’m in the same boat.

 

I’ve actually done way more cruising on other lines (Princess, big red boat, ncl, many many carnival back when their ships seemed awesome, and one or two other lines I can’t recall). If I had done only Royal I’m sure I’d have made pinnacle long ago. But more recently it is almost all royal b/c we love oasis, freedom class, etc. and in the last few year we are tending toward mostly suites because we like oasis class suite perks.

 

Like you I would love to be pinnacle now for the perks but I don’t care about status or wearing a diamond or pinnacle badge. In fact I wouldn’t wear one if you forced me. But the suite lounge is an awfully nice perk if you are in a regular balcony.

[ChipLondon]

I fail to understand why the extra Perks are so highly valued by many, and in reality are so few. When Pinnacle was introduced, it was clearly stated as being a recognition of Loyalty rather than a perk driven incentive. In fact the onboard benefits are very similar to that of D+.

Sure the main benefit is the “free” cruise, but hey a lot of dollars have been paid over to get that. For me the one occasional perk is being invited onto ship events, but even now with so many Pinnacle members that is not a given. I do consider it a privilege and am very grateful....Symphony here we come.

I have several friends that still chase points, i say to them simple Please cruise because you like the ship or. Its destination. Stay with Royal because you enjoy the experience, and consider if you had great value for money, do not stay loyal for points. Stay Loyal because the brand values your dollar on each cruise, because if they do then that is benefit enough and the perks will come. It took us 18 years to reach Pinnacle, and along the way we had some amazing experiences and made lots of new friends, for us that is the perk of regular cruising.

 

......................

Like you I would love to be pinnacle now for the perks but I don’t care about status or wearing a diamond or pinnacle badge. In fact I wouldn’t wear one if you forced me. But the suite lounge is an awfully nice perk if you are in a regular balcony.