change of internet benefit for diamond and diamond plus

[Milwaukee Eight]

Actually, unless I’m missing something here, if you were going to buy an internet package anyway, this is an upgrade to the benefit. For example for an average 7 day cruise, a Diamond member was getting 24 hours free but the 20% actually gives you 33.6 hours free. For D+ that got 48 hours free, the 40% discount would be worth 67.2 hours free!

 

 

 

Now for those who just wanted to use their free time, that is a loss of benefit.

 

 

 

Excellent post. It’s all about FREE to many.

 

On Oasis Class, Internet is included for Suite Guests. I wouldn’t say it’s free.

 

 

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

The concierge can remove the cost of 2 days of internet from my onboard account. Remember, you have to speak the businesses language.

 

 

 

I can picture the line at the Concierge desk now.

 

 

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[KeywestK]

While it's disheartening to learn that we might lose our free one-day internet per person, I can't say I'm surprised. Things change, and benefits can disappear at any time. BUT, when we lose our D balcony discount, that could be the point when I actively start looking elsewhere. Our next cruise is is August on Anthem. I'm disappointed we might not have our free internet days.:(

[icsys]

Excellent post. It’s all about FREE to many.

 

On Oasis Class, Internet is included for Suite Guests. I wouldn’t say it’s free.

Not sure but are you Pinnacle?

 

I wonder, did you / will you take your FREE cruise?

[Milwaukee Eight]

Two different reps wrote back to me on social media; both denied any change "at this time". I specifically asked about it changing after April 5 and they said they had NO information on that.

 

So you can pretty much bet your house it's happening.

 

 

 

Isn’t asking on Social Media about as reliable as asking your cabin steward?

 

 

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[grapau27]

Pro-rated- sorry auto correct did its thing. As a solo traveler, I do not get my full Crown and Anchor balcony benefit when traveling solo and paying either the reduced supplement for having more than 340 points or if I book a solo cabin on a ship like Anthem.

In terms of the toiletries, yes "upgraded toiletries" have been at the 340 level, however when on the Serenade and Freedom in January and February I received the same toiletries that until last year on Serenade were given to C&A members upon reaching Platinum, so to me it seemed a downgrade.

I was told by the Concierge, Guest Services, and my cabin steward that this was a directive from Miami that the upgraded toiletries I used to get were now reserved for Suite only guests, however the concierge on Freedom at that time (she is leaving RC) said that she made sure that her Pinnacles (no matter what cabin class they were staying in) received the better toiletries despite receiving a directive to the contrary.

The saying Directive from Miami sounds like a big cop out to me for the ships management to side step complaints.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Not sure but are you Pinnacle?

 

I wonder, did you / will you take your FREE cruise?

 

 

 

Nope, just Diamond. D+ next year.

 

Yes, have taken Club Royale Free cruises but still must pay taxes and port fees.

 

Internet on Oasis Class has been included for guests in Star and Sky Class. Not sure about Sea Class. Will be sailing on Harmony April 7 so will see if we still have Internet.

 

 

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[grapau27]

Yes, they can... its in their terms and conditions.

 

Its a pitty that 'common courtesy' isn't in their terms and conditions too !!

They can but its always the same individual who happily informs us.

We use our own toiletries and never use RCL toiletries so they save on us.

[TheMiz]

I did a message to Royal Caribbean on the site I can't mention and Val answered and said that Diamond Plus will still get the 2 days. There is no change to that benefit.

 

I am hoping that she is correct and this was just some quirky thing. I don't sail until June, so hopefully, if this is the case, we will all know for sure before then.

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if you checked again you would get a different answer.

[shelbelle99]

Well it looks like it is time to flood the social media page and emails with all of the D and Dplus expressing our displeasure with the situation. As I recall (which may be incorrect), at one point they took away the Balcony discounts for sailings less then 6 months. After many people voiced their displeasure regarding this loyalty perk, then the backed off of the new policy.

 

I agree. First we need to call and complain and then get it out on social media anytime you can! They are steering me to another cruise line. Unfortunately I am booked on 4 Royal and 2 celebrity this year. May just have to. I’ve on after that :mad:

[icsys]

Excellent post. It’s all about FREE to many.

 

On Oasis Class, Internet is included for Suite Guests. I wouldn’t say it’s free.

 

Thinking about it... it is very much about the FREE.

 

 

Three FREE drinks during happy hour

Buy any wine beer or soda and get another FREE

Buy JR shake get another one FREE

one FREE speciality coffee

FREE spins to win

Buy a bingo package get six FREE jackpot cards

1 or 2 FREE internet days - to be discontinued :mad:

One FREE photo of your choice

 

Have I missed any?

 

If they get rid of all the FREE's there wont be much left!

[JessyCruises]

Thinking about it... it is very much about the FREE.

 

 

Three FREE drinks during happy hour

Buy any wine beer or soda and get another FREE

Buy JR shake get another one FREE

one FREE speciality coffee

FREE spins to win

Buy a bingo package get six FREE jackpot cards

1 or 2 FREE internet days - to be discontinued :mad:

One FREE photo of your choice

 

Have I missed any?

 

If they get rid of all the FREE's there wont be much left!

 

Most of those things are available to all levels of C&A members, with the exception of the 3 drinks, the photo, the internet. I also think you get more free cards as diamond. So if they take away the internet, that really leaves only the photo and drinks. If you have the drink package, the drinks it not really a perk to those folks, so that leaves a free photo.

[Paulxyz2004]

With the current C&A internet benefit it was always better to pre-purchase.

Can someone remind me about the onboard package price?

I think the new benefit might actual be beneficial to me, so while I´m still on the fence about it, I´m more leaning towards positive than negative.

[TheMiz]

The internet benefits have always been considered an "on board offer" loaded on your sea pass (formerly a coupon). That way they can change them whenever they want. They keep watering down the coupons but this would be the most egregious example. Free pictures are probably next.

 

 

Lee

 

If you remember same thing happened to us on our May 10th 2016 cruise from Barcelona to Dubai many of us were told the new policy went in effect on May 5 , 2016 but we didn't have it on the cruise to Barcelona from Tampa on the Brilliance , Either way it was a mess with 3 days of useless to no internet at all.

[Paulxyz2004]

Pro-rated- sorry auto correct did its thing. As a solo traveler, I do not get my full Crown and Anchor balcony benefit when traveling solo and paying either the reduced supplement for having more than 340 points or if I book a solo cabin on a ship like Anthem.

In terms of the toiletries, yes "upgraded toiletries" have been at the 340 level, however when on the Serenade and Freedom in January and February I received the same toiletries that until last year on Serenade were given to C&A members upon reaching Platinum, so to me it seemed a downgrade.

I was told by the Concierge, Guest Services, and my cabin steward that this was a directive from Miami that the upgraded toiletries I used to get were now reserved for Suite only guests, however the concierge on Freedom at that time (she is leaving RC) said that she made sure that her Pinnacles (no matter what cabin class they were staying in) received the better toiletries despite receiving a directive to the contrary.

 

OK, thanks for explaining.

 

I haven´t seen any upgraded toiletries for plaitnum and up and din´t even know they existed, but then it´s been a long time since platinum;). As for the upgraded ones, I alway got the Gilchrist and Soames and I´m fine with those.

[TheMiz]

Most likely, the word will be out - confirmed or denied - by the time I sail, but I'll be on board the Grandeur on April 14 and will report the situation then.

 

Sue and I are on the April 5th sailing so we will know soon enough.

 

Since we are going down the US coast I felt we didn't need it until the last 4 days and that is when we would have used our free days.

[Milwaukee Eight]

They can but its always the same individual who happily informs us.

We use our own toiletries and never use RCL toiletries so they save on us.

 

 

 

People need someone from time to time to bring them back to reality.

 

 

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[MindyJohn]

On Adventure recently they offered internet specials on Day 5 and 7. If you bought the remaining 3 days of coverage for one device on Day 5 the cost was approximately $50. On Day 7 there was a $10 offer that was described as being able to check-in for flights. I can't remember if it was all day or a limited number of minutes.

[Beachammo]

Here's hoping that as a D+ solo traveler, RC doesn't decide to prorate this discount as well. 40% off something I buy regularly on longer cruises will save me more than the current 2 days free internet that I get now. RC has a habit of "pro-rating" discounts, ie. my C&A cabin discount, bogo discounts,

As I only cruise in the fall and the winter to escape the weather in the northeast, I was surprised to find out that the "upgraded toiletries" were no longer "upgraded by comparison" to what we used to receive and that it was limited to 340 or more loyalty plus when I boarded Serenade this past January.

I do wonder as I get closer to Pinnacle status (this coming February) what Pinnacle perks will be left to enjoy.

Serenade has been the only ship where I was denied getting the little shampoo bottles. The floor supervisor was sent to give me the news after I asked our steward.

 

Been on 2 ships since with no issue....

 

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Edited March 30, 2018 by Beachammo

[EmmasNana]

I guess you can blame the loss of internet on me.

 

We turn diamond when getting off the ship April 16 and hubby was looking forward to the free internet in September.

 

This is the kind of luck I have. Perks going away just before I am eligible for them.

:loudcry::loudcry:

[MaritimeR&R]

OK thanks for explaining.

 

I haven´t seen any upgraded toiletries for plaitnum and up and din´t even know they existed, but then it´s been a long time since platinum;). As for the upgraded ones, I alway got the Gilchrist and Soames and I´m fine with those.[/quote

 

The regular bottles/tubes of toiletries (other than what is in the dispenser in the shower/tub) were an amenity that used to appear at the Platinum level - right when you got bathrobes (that is why 340 says "upgraded bathroom amenities since calling soap in the shower an amenity is like calling toilet paper an amenity)

.

Gilchrist and Soames and L'Occitane were the upgraded at 340. Now. according to what I was told both on Serenade and Freedom the G&S and L'O are Suite only amenities and the regular tubes/bottles are the "newly designated" upgraded 340 amenities.

 

Below 340 gets only what is in the shower dispenser. Passengers onboard Serenade that asked were told that this is going fleet wide (I was told the same thing from the LA and Concierge on Freedom) and that RC was in the process of standardizing the amenities from ship to ship over the next couple of years.

 

How they will do that is beyond me as some ships just do not have what others do unless they just eliminate amenities that can not be standardized like coastal kitchen access for Pinnacle.

[NavarreCruiser]

There is a change coming. Here is my story. I am on the Liberty OTS right now. We got the standard letter outlining our benefits and it stated 2 days (24 hour periods) of free basic internet. I signed on to the first free day no problem. LaterI I tried to log on for the 2nd day and the Royal website said I had a coupon value of $9.40 and would be charged $13.60.

 

I went to guest services to ask why and get it corrected. and they were clueless. They told me to just log on and come back later and they would refund the $13.60. I did log on. During the day we got letters saying that the internet benefit was not being correctly reflected by their system and giving each of us a specific access code to get the right benefit.

 

When I went to guest services to get the refund I was told that the new Diamond+ benefit was a 40% discount on any package effective immediately. I went to the internet cafe to express my displeasure and was told by that crew member that there was a change coming but that this cruise should not be affected and that she would take care of the refund and to use my access codes for our normal benefit.

 

So is this an experimental 1 ship change or coming fleetwide? Who knows.

[molly361]

Deleted

[bigeck]

Thinking about it... it is very much about the FREE.

 

 

Three FREE drinks during happy hour

Buy any wine beer or soda and get another FREE

Buy JR shake get another one FREE

one FREE speciality coffee

FREE spins to win

Buy a bingo package get six FREE jackpot cards

1 or 2 FREE internet days - to be discontinued :mad:

One FREE photo of your choice

 

Have I missed any?

 

If they get rid of all the FREE's there wont be much left!

If they get rid of the FREE's it stops being a benefit and just becomes a sale

[bigeck]

Internet is same price in the cruise planner for the Symphony Ta in Oct.