Pinnacle travelling pattern (popular dates/itineraries) + Coastal Kitchen Q

[John&LaLa]

30 minutes ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

Quantum and Ovation both have a CL deck 12 aft.

 

But doesn't it's clientele change depending on where it ports out of?  Pretty sure Spectrum is renaming it and other parts of the ship.

[itsmeagain]

5 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

FWIW, I'd wager we have more Suite nights on RCCL than you do.  And I'm not counting JS's or the B&J Sweet. 😉

 

Happy Thanksgiving old friend. 🦃

 

Had to love the x3 points when LaLa traveled single.   Can’t believe your even putting that in writing.

[jazzycitrine]

19 hours ago, twangster said:

I have some friends who were in a full suite and had just finished their appetizer in CK.  Hostess came over and told them they needed to move tables before their entree arrived - Pinnacles wanted their table.  So yes, some Pinnacles definitely impact Suite guests in way that is not reciprocal.

 

Thanks again everyone for your insightful input.

As it currently stands, it seems to me that there will be overcrowding situations.  So I am trying to do a bit of "self-help" by avoiding cruising at a time when there is likely to be a lot of Pinnacles.  Like everyone regardless as to what type of cabin one cruises in, I would like to get what I paid for  and if I am paying for a suite I would like to get the suite perks!

Nonetheless,  I am shock to hear about what @twangster related above.  It is quite disappointing that an RC employee would ask folks already sitting at the table and still working on their meal to make way for another guest.  Why would the RC employee be willing to upset one guest over another guest's unreasonable demand?  Is it because corporate policy provides that Pinnacles will have their way no matter what?  If that's the case, it adds another level of consideration before considering whether RC suite would be a good idea.  

[reallyitsmema]

7 minutes ago, jazzycitrine said:

Thanks again everyone for your insightful input.

As it currently stands, it seems to me that there will be overcrowding situations.  So I am trying to do a bit of "self-help" by avoiding cruising at a time when there is likely to be a lot of Pinnacles.  Like everyone regardless as to what type of cabin one cruises in, I would like to get what I paid for  and if I am paying for a suite I would like to get the suite perks!

Nonetheless,  I am shock to hear about what @twangster related above.  It is quite disappointing that an RC employee would ask folks already sitting at the table and still working on their meal to make way for another guest.  Why would the RC employee be willing to upset one guest over another guest's unreasonable demand?  Is it because corporate policy provides that Pinnacles will have their way no matter what?  If that's the case, it adds another level of consideration before considering whether RC suite would be a good idea.  

 

I find this story very hard to believe.  

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, itsmeagain said:

 

Had to love the x3 points when LaLa traveled single.   Can’t believe your even putting that in writing.

 

21 points on a basically free Oasis was cool. Not sure I understand the second statement.  I'm an open book.

[John&LaLa]

2 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I find this story very hard to believe.  

 

Been in CK a lot. Never seen anything like that.

[twangster]

Not all Pinnacles are like that.  

 

10 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Been in CK a lot. Never seen anything like that.

 

13 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I find this story very hard to believe.  

 

I told them they shouldn't have moved and that I would have politely refused the hostess's request. 

 

They didn't want to cause a fuss on their first cruise in a suite and first CK experience.  There is nothing I can say to change your mind but I believe them, they had no reason to fabricate such a story.

[HSVcruiser01]

16 hours ago, Andy C said:

To be clear I could care less if you’re a nice pinnacle or a nasty one; if you don’t have a suite you shouldn’t be in the Suite Lounge or Coastal Kitchen.  If you’re a pinnacle not paying for or staying in a suite you are taking space in a limited area that is billed by RCI as exclusive and for Royal Suite Class.  This is obviously RCI’s fault and not an individual pinnacle’s fault. 

 

And those of you who haven’t encountered this well known and documented issue, be glad you were on in a sailing with few pinnacles. 

I hope i never ever get to meet such a Pinnacle hater like you !

[FLACRUISER99]

14 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

But doesn't it's clientele change depending on where it ports out of?  Pretty sure Spectrum is renaming it and other parts of the ship.

Yes China based ships have a Gold and Silver lounge.

[Andy C]

4 hours ago, HSVcruiser01 said:

I hope i never ever get to meet such a Pinnacle hater like you !

 

Thankfully we will never meet.  Primarily because I have no interest and second, we don't do care for or fawn over logo merchandise like glass block, lanyards, luggage tags, cups, etc...so you won't see us at meet & mingles, cabin crawls, slot pulls or cruising with Michael Bayley.

[John&LaLa]

9 hours ago, twangster said:

Not all Pinnacles are like that.  

 

I told them they shouldn't have moved and that I would have politely refused the hostess's request. 

 

They didn't want to cause a fuss on their first cruise in a suite and first CK experience.  There is nothing I can say to change your mind but I believe them, they had no reason to fabricate such a story.

 

I'd add not all staff are like that. 

 

I guess you could swap the participants and say a Genie requested an occupied table.  Just as believable.

 

FWIW, we had 5 voyages on Oasis in a JS prior to Pinnacle and never had any issues with dining in CK.  

[John&LaLa]

58 minutes ago, Andy C said:

 

Thankfully we will never meet.  Primarily because I have no interest and second, we don't do care for or fawn over logo merchandise like glass block, lanyards, luggage tags, cups, etc...so you won't see us at meet & mingles, cabin crawls, slot pulls or cruising with Michael Bayley.

 

The President Cruise was really a lot of fun.  🌞VISA events way out numbered the Pinnacle events. 

 

Your probably an AMEX guy though.😉

[Andy C]

17 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

The President Cruise was really a lot of fun.  🌞VISA events way out numbered the Pinnacle events. 

 

Your probably an AMEX guy though.😉

 

You know me well!  And to answer your question about Disney - no drink packages or casino and triple the price = not for me! I know at some point the kids will force my hand but we’re not there yet. 

[Pratique]

10 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I find this story very hard to believe.  

I believe it. I've seen preferred tables unofficially "reserved" for Pinnacles in the CK, presumably because they've made some prior arrangement with the maitre d'. Doesn't seem to happen with regularity but it has happened. Perhaps suite guests could also make such arrangements, I wouldn't know because I haven't tried, but I do know that getting in the good graces of the staff can go a long way toward getting a preferred table. Likewise, being difficult can also get one a long way, sadly.

 

It only takes a few bad apples....

 

As far as the Disney Springs transfer from the Symphony TA, my understanding is that the ride was comped because many guests were unhappy about having to get off the ship at Port Canaveral to clear immigration and wait indefinitely in the terminal to reboard the ship. The Disney Springs trip was a way to get people out of the terminal. Also, on the TA it was almost impossible to get into any show on the standby line, even for people near or at the head of the line.

[Pratique]

49 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I'd add not all staff are like that. 

 

I guess you could swap the participants and say a Genie requested an occupied table.  Just as believable.

 

FWIW, we had 5 voyages on Oasis in a JS prior to Pinnacle and never had any issues with dining in CK.  

You're trying to make the hypothetical argument that this isn't a Pinnacle-specific problem. Maybe it isn't, but that doesn't change the fact that it happens from time to time.

[cruisinghawg]

It seems that the vitriol being spewed in the direction of pinnacles is misdirected. RC policy is the issue here not people who have paid their dues. Hope I can make to that level one day.

 

And by the way if this policy is not to your liking perhaps one should change cruise lines.  

[twangster]

5 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

It seems that the vitriol being spewed in the direction of pinnacles is misdirected. RC policy is the issue here not people who have paid their dues. Hope I can make to that level one day.

 

And by the way if this policy is not to your liking perhaps one should change cruise lines.  

 

I'm not sure I completely agree with that.  It's been acknowledged that policy is SL and CK access for pinnacles.

 

The issue is a few bad pineapples that use their gold badge to intimidate crew into demands that exceed the company policies.  Zenith members on Celebrity don't adorn a badge like a peacock showing off it's color. 

 

On Royal it's not a badge of honor but a badge of intimidation.  Showing your SeaPass card on request like everyone else does is all that's required to use the benefits of the program and should I ever make it to that level that's exactly what I plan to do.  Given the behavior of those bad pineapples, I'd be embarrassed to wear one.

[Pratique]

4 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

It seems that the vitriol being spewed in the direction of pinnacles is misdirected.

Perhaps you haven't met some of them? Again, as repeatedly stated, it's not all of them but enough. Yes, it is the RC policy where suite guests get an inconsistent product based on a variable and somewhat unpredictable number of Ps using SL/CK on any given sailing. RC advertises it as an exclusive suite benefit and fails to mention that "exclusive" also extends to certain non-suite guests.

 

I also know that complaining on CC isn't going to change anything, but the advice to simply switch cruise lines is not particularly helpful either.

[Andy C]

8 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

It seems that the vitriol being spewed in the direction of pinnacles is misdirected. RC policy is the issue here not people who have paid their dues. Hope I can make to that level one day.

 

And by the way if this policy is not to your liking perhaps one should change cruise lines.  

 

Put on your glasses and scroll back to post #40 of this thread and read the last sentence of the first paragraph. 

 

I do not lose sleep thinking about pinnacles. I do not care one way or another how RCI or anyone else treats them, thinks of them, etc...  

 

I do lose sleep when I pay for a SUITE and what is billed as an exclusive experience when it is NOT because you have to share it with NON-SUITE paying pinnacles. And as has been discussed throughout these forums for a while - pinnacles are prioritized over suite paying guests. The exclusive experience is therefore diluted and cheapened when you don’t get service or can’t find a table at CK like has happened to many on here. 

[molly361]

While on the subject can someone tell me the best time to travel to avoid those pesky Diamond Plus members?👼😇

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, molly361 said:

While on the subject can someone tell me the best time to travel to avoid those pesky Diamond Plus members?👼😇

 

You're out of luck on that one.  They are on every cruise, really messing things up for the Pinnacles.

[Pratique]

9 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You're out of luck on that one.  They are on every cruise, really messing things up for the Pinnacles.

Lol @emmy love the magnet!

 

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by Pratique

[island lady]

On 11/21/2018 at 7:09 PM, STANMELB said:

 

We always make our Coastal Kitchen Dinner Reservations thru the Concierges when we respond to their Welcome E-Mail. Have never had a problem getting a 6:30  PM dinner reservation.

 

We sailed Star Class twice this year on the Oasis, Both times we were able to reserve a table in the Coastal Kitchen for dinner.

 

See Andy C's post for some valid comments.

 

Hi John!  Yeah, that's what we do also.  Make reservations with the SL concierge when we get that email around 5 days prior.  That last time we had 7 pm reservations for the week, but as you know, we simply let the hostess know we would take any available table if she needed to fill one prior to that time.  She just picked us up a the bar when she was ready.  It usually did work out to be around 6:30.  That is the time I will request this time, as it worked out so well.

 

See you soon!  "Hi" to Sandy for us! 🙂 

[twangster]

15 minutes ago, molly361 said:

While on the subject can someone tell me the best time to travel to avoid those pesky Diamond Plus members?👼😇

 

Those folks are the PITs.  

[island lady]

On 11/22/2018 at 3:58 AM, HSVcruiser01 said:

 

Well said salmonoftheseas ! Couldn't have done it better.

 

People are people, you find the nicest Pinnacle or suite guest, or the unfriendliest, rudest, antisocial. Money can buy everything, but it can't buy manners !

 

+1!!  🙂