Crown & Anchor Diamond Plus cutbacks continue!

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, nelblu said:

 

Not on your life.  Symphony DL is inside and folks are standing in line to get in.  However, the DL has 2 screens which show virtual reality of the sea/Ocean.

Thanks for the information the virtual reality is a good move when the DL is otherwise like a dungeon.

[Nashna]

6 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Sounds to me like you are saying that RCI is overpriced for what you get. And then you knock someone for booking the least expensive cabin on RCI that they can find.

I'm am more than willing to pay RCCL for a GS stateroom as we will be using it as a gathering place for our family.   Frankly, it is overpriced.  However, this is a unique sailing for our family and we are willing to pay for the extra room and service.  Our sailing in January on MSC is just for my DH and myself and we are looking for a different experience.   What I am saying is that competition is coming to RCCL.  MSC intends to have many more ships sailing in the next few years and they are going for the RCCL customers by offering amazing perks that match and are better than RCCL's loyalty program. They are the new kid in town and are making a big play for cruisers on Princess, RCCL, NCL, etc to jump ship.   MSC is rewarding cruisers who are spending more money than nights on their ships.  RCCL's program was based more on nights sailed than money spent.  I see main stream cruise lines changing their programs in the future in the same way that airlines are now rewarding the spenders rather than the flyers who buy the lowest fares and rack up the miles.  Cruise lines make a profit on the drinks, excursions, casinos, spas and all those extras they have added in the last 10 years.  

[karena1]

We love the DL on Mariner, but doubt we will ever go to it on Navigator.  We always have the package so can go anywhere.  So we will either go up to the VCL and sit there or go to Schooners

[Ocean Boy]

22 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

 

I don't think so. I've been to many bars during the nightly lounge hours on various ships, and they are empty of D and up cruisers. On Brilliance in the UK I hung out often with 2 other cruise buddies I met on board the Schooner Bar and we were the only ones D or above there for 12 days. I feel that the mentality of a large majority is "if I'm D, then I MUST and DESERVE to go to the D lounge at all costs, under any circumstance"... even if they are packed with no seating. Let's all jam into 1000 square feet whereas there's a 200,000 TON ship to use.

 

My biggest aha moment about this was on Explorer last year on the BC 4-day coastal. I decided to open the door to the interior CL on EX on deck 9.... standing room only/every seat jam packed with very little room to maneuver.... in one of the very worst locations on the entire ship. I hope I'm wrong, however I felt as if none of those C&A members could likely overcome the thought of demeaning themselves by being "demoted" up to the DL and the Viking Crown with superlative views and much more space.

I don't think I have ever been in the lounge during happy hour. I'm a big Schooner Bar fan. There is usually something interesting and fun going on there.

[nelblu]

13 minutes ago, Nashna said:

I'm am more than willing to pay RCCL for a GS stateroom as we will be using it as a gathering place for our family.   Frankly, it is overpriced.  However, this is a unique sailing for our family and we are willing to pay for the extra room and service.  Our sailing in January on MSC is just for my DH and myself and we are looking for a different experience.   What I am saying is that competition is coming to RCCL.  MSC intends to have many more ships sailing in the next few years and they are going for the RCCL customers by offering amazing perks that match and are better than RCCL's loyalty program. They are the new kid in town and are making a big play for cruisers on Princess, RCCL, NCL, etc to jump ship.   MSC is rewarding cruisers who are spending more money than nights on their ships.  RCCL's program was based more on nights sailed than money spent.  I see main stream cruise lines changing their programs in the future in the same way that airlines are now rewarding the spenders rather than the flyers who buy the lowest fares and rack up the miles.  Cruise lines make a profit on the drinks, excursions, casinos, spas and all those extras they have added in the last 10 years.  

 

I don't know why you did not  have  the family cruise on MSC.  I guess that RCL is so afraid of competition from MSC that they're going to cancel all of their new ships on order.

[xpcdoojk]

34 minutes ago, nelblu said:

 

I don't know why you did not  have  the family cruise on MSC.  I guess that RCL is so afraid of competition from MSC that they're going to cancel all of their new ships on order.

 

I am in for MSC... when they have a flowrider, I will try MSC.

 

JC

[Nashna]

14 hours ago, nelblu said:

 

I don't know why you did not  have  the family cruise on MSC.  I guess that RCL is so afraid of competition from MSC that they're going to cancel all of their new ships on order.

We booked the Allure cruise over a year ago for our family of 19.  We have 9 grands sailing between the ages of 9 to 18.  I think the ship will be perfect for them.  MSC was not even on my radar until I sailed on HAL.  Several folks, that we met on the sailing, mentioned that they were going back to MSC's Yacht Club as the service level was higher.  When we got back from the HAL cruise, we started doing some research for our next cruise and liked what we found on MSC.  I am not loyal to a particular cruise line.  I earned Diamond status when our children were younger.  This will be our first cruise on RCCL since 2003.    

[Paulette3028]

2 minutes ago, Nashna said:

We booked the Allure cruise over a year ago for our family of 19.  We have 9 grands sailing between the ages of 9 to 18.  I think the ship will be perfect for them.  MSC was not even on my radar until I sailed on HAL.  Several folks, that we met on the sailing, mentioned that they were going back to MSC's Yacht Club as the service level was higher.  When we got back from the HAL cruise, we started doing some research for our next cruise and liked what we found on MSC.  I am not loyal to a particular cruise line.  I earned Diamond status when our children were younger.  This will be our first cruise on RCCL since 2003.    

I suspect that your grandkids will enjoy the heck out of Allure.....this grown up who masquerades as a 10 year old, loves those big ships and all that they have on them  -- I find myself with the other children onboard aplenty.

[rimmit]

3 minutes ago, Nashna said:

  I earned Diamond status when our children were younger.  This will be our first cruise on RCCL since 2003.    

 

Just as a warning.  A lot has changed in 16 years on RCI....     I would argue it’s not even the same line hardly.   It’s still a fun time,  but a lot has changed.  Just go in without prior expectations clouding your juddgement and it’ll be a great time for everyone.   

[John&LaLa]

On 2/26/2019 at 9:42 AM, xpcdoojk said:

 

Sounds like they are making the Diamond experience even better, adding a free coffee, that will come in handy when the line in the DL is 15 deep at the coffee machine or it is broken.  Hope this expands fleet wide!

 

jc

 

It just moves the line somewhere else. 😉☕

 

[John&LaLa]

On 2/26/2019 at 12:23 PM, Ocean Boy said:

So th DL on Navigator us now on deck 5 with no ocean views? Sounds like a great enhancemen.

 

Isn't this the same location as Adventure card room?  I thought there were a couple round windows.

[John&LaLa]

19 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Thanks for the information the virtual reality is a good move when the DL is otherwise like a dungeon.

 

Graham,  have you sailed on Harmony?

[John&LaLa]

18 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

 

I am in for MSC... when they have a flowrider, I will try MSC.

 

JC

 

I seem to recall you sailed Radiance recently. 😉🏄‍♂️

[Captain Billy Bob]

 First cruise with RC was 1984 on the Nordic Prince out of Miami. It was topnotch, Viking Crown Lounge, horse races by the pool, belly flop contest, bingo (of course) Baked Alaska that they lite up right at your table, Cesare salad made at your table, blackjack tournament lots of fun stuff. And Scotty the bartender who always remembered our drinks no matter what bar we were in. I don’t know if there was a Crown and Anchor society or if there were any rewards for frequent cruisers. Next cruise was on Vision of the Seas to Alaska in 2006 after kids and college and weddings. We just couldn’t believe how much cruising had changed, they even had a rewards program for sailing on their ship.  2018 we hit D+ and we get free stuff and a special place to enjoy our free stuff. Yup cruising sure has changed since our first cruise on the Nordic Prince.

From our perspective it just keeps getting better and better.

 

Just sayin...

 

 

[xpcdoojk]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

It just moves the line somewhere else. 😉☕

 

 

Yikes.  That said, when I struggled it was like 7AM on the Symphony TA.  I haven’t ever seen a crowded at that time on the promenade.

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

58 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I seem to recall you sailed Radiance recently. 😉🏄‍♂️

 

Yes, but that was Alaska, I guess if I was going back MSC might be something to consider.  Although, everyone tells me HAL is the line to do in Alaska.

 

jc

[John&LaLa]

3 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

 

Yes, but that was Alaska, I guess if I was going back MSC might be something to consider.  Although, everyone tells me HAL is the line to do in Alaska.

 

jc

 

I've heard Princess is good as well

 

We may do SilverSea so we can get to Dutch Harbor 

[John&LaLa]

6 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

 

Yikes.  That said, when I struggled it was like 7AM on the Symphony TA.  I haven’t ever seen a crowded at that time on the promenade.

 

jc

 

That was the Mariner repo last year.

[xpcdoojk]

I am too cheap for Silver Seas.  I would think if you want to go to Dutch Harbor (never heard of it) you could just take the ferry to it and stay in a hotel.  They have a really good ferry system that goes between all of the different places, that is how the locals get around.  

 

Jc

[John&LaLa]

6 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

I am too cheap for Silver Seas.  I would think if you want to go to Dutch Harbor (never heard of it) you could just take the ferry to it and stay in a hotel.  They have a really good ferry system that goes between all of the different places, that is how the locals get around.  

 

Jc

 

Dutch Harbor is in the Aleutians.  About 1500 miles west of Juneau.  😱

 

It is the port for that crab show.  Laura's mom grew up there. It used to be the place ships would refuel on the northern route to the far east.

 

SilverSea stops on their repo to or from Japan

[rimmit]

22 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

 

Yes, but that was Alaska, I guess if I was going back MSC might be something to consider.  Although, everyone tells me HAL is the line to do in Alaska.

 

jc

 

We did HAL for our honeymoon in 2007 for Alaska.  We were 32 and 31 and the youngest people on the ship by a ton.  We loved it though.  We really wanted to see Glacier Bay and RCI and Celebrity didnt do Glacier Bay.  

[Mikew0805]

I was recently on the Harmony,  I did not find the DL bad at all. Yeah the Independence was nice, and so is the Brilliance & Majesty in the VCL, but really I would not call it a dungeon. I liked that it was close to Casino Royale, Studio B, and the main theater. I guess different strokes.

[cruisegirl1]

21 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

 

I don't think so. I've been to many bars during the nightly lounge hours on various ships, and they are empty of D and up cruisers. On Brilliance in the UK I hung out often with 2 other cruise buddies I met on board the Schooner Bar and we were the only ones D or above there for 12 days. I feel that the mentality of a large majority is "if I'm D, then I MUST and DESERVE to go to the D lounge at all costs, under any circumstance"... even if they are packed with no seating. Let's all jam into 1000 square feet whereas there's a 200,000 TON ship to use.

 

My biggest aha moment about this was on Explorer last year on the BC 4-day coastal. I decided to open the door to the interior CL on EX on deck 9.... standing room only/every seat jam packed with very little room to maneuver.... in one of the very worst locations on the entire ship. I hope I'm wrong, however I felt as if none of those C&A members could likely overcome the thought of demeaning themselves by being "demoted" up to the DL and the Viking Crown with superlative views and much more space.

We think alike.  I too wonder why people would crowd into a lounge when you can get great service and meet wonderful other cruisers at venues all around the ship.   I’ve never used all three vouchers, so the  draw of unlimited drinks in a lounge  is not enticement over relaxing in lovely venues around the ship. 

M

[Beachin2]

21 hours ago, Nashna said:

I   What I am saying is that competition is coming to RCCL.  MSC intends to have many more ships sailing in the next few years and they are going for the RCCL customers by offering amazing perks that match and are better than RCCL's loyalty program. They are the new kid in town and are making a big play for cruisers on Princess, RCCL, NCL, etc to jump ship.   MSC is rewarding cruisers who are spending more money than nights on their ships.  RCCL's program was based more on nights sailed than money spent.  I see main stream cruise lines changing their programs in the future in the same way that airlines are now rewarding the spenders rather than the flyers who buy the lowest fares and rack up the miles.  Cruise lines make a profit on the drinks, excursions, casinos, spas and all those extras they have added in the last 10 years.  

 

Despite what the naysayers here say, you are 100% correct.  We are at the 500 point mark with RC and the perceived value just seems to be waning over time.  Recently cancelled our October Adventure B2B (8+6) in a balcony in favor of the MSC Seaside in the Yacht Club balcony suite 14 night.  Interesting, the MSC was about $1,000 more than the RC B2B all in but, of course, includes the drink package, butler, and YC experience.  All of which are missing from the RC sailing.

 

2020 may see us keep our current RC bookings, may not.  It is about price points and value and  the competition is getting much better.

 

Speaking of points, it high time RC got rid of the "coat-tail" status it seems many enjoy.  Would like to see them go to a "you are what YOU cruised" system.

[cruisegirl1]

So I read that on one ship/sailing D and up have AN ADDITIONAL PERK  of a free specialty coffee outside of the lounge. Seems like a nice jesture fromRCCL. But apparently not. Some are saying that’s not enough coffee, some are saying that just creates another line. It is AN ADDITIONAL PERK - YET SOME OF YOU ARE STILL NOT SATISFIED. I would like to know what more you people want! 

 

 Seems the more Royal Caribbean provides, the more people complain! 

 

M

Edited February 27, 2019 by cruisegirl1