Bean Counters vs Diamonds

[tserface]

3 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

Mostly agree.

 

While 3 is probably plenty, I'd even bump that up and say unlimited drinks on the card during the happy hours.

 

Of course, the down side to this plan is now all the other bars will be more crowded with Diamond refugees.

 

On our recent Celebrity Summit cruise they gave us unlimited drinks during happy hour at any bar on the ship.  Happy hour was 5p-8p, but that was plenty of time.

 

Tom

[The Fun Researcher]

6 minutes ago, gc said:

 

all it took was a post quoting "very reliable source"  and 121 posts later.

I do remember for a fact when the Diamonds were booted out of the concierge...that hurt!! And Diamonds only complimentary drinks were cheap wine or 50% off beer....and that was not that long ago.

 

 

Sure beats talking about other boring topics like the virtues (or not) of daylight savings time.  🙂

 

Dan

[Tulsacoker]

Just now, The Fun Researcher said:

 

Sure beats talking about other boring topics like the virtues (or not) of daylight savings time.  🙂

 

Dan

or Tipping 

[compman9]

Change my free drinks off to max of three and I'll be off - No more RCI for me

[legaljen1969]

4 hours ago, ValerieJo said:

This is from the "Book of Face Group"  from people who are currently on the Presidents Cruise.  "To better serve our members?"

 

Molly - “In 2020, we will look at the Crown & Anchor program for possible changes to better serve our members.”

Substitute "stockholders" for "Members" and I think there may be an accurate statement there from Royal.

[Tulsacoker]

1 minute ago, compman9 said:

Change my free drinks off to max of three and I'll be off - No more RCI for me

you know you are Loyal to Royal... they have you 😄

[rimmit]

1 hour ago, Tatka said:

Well. If it is enough for particular cruiser he/she does not have to order more.

 

I would remove 3 drinks limit, let people get drinks in bars. This is already done on Celebrity and their lounge is not overcrowded.

Celebrity also has drink packages included in their fares or promos (and it really is a good deal.  Most cruises we have done it has only upped our fare about 400-500 dollars and we get $300obc or free grats as well so it was effectively a $200 dollar

increase over base fare).   So the point is most of the people who enjoy drinking on celebrity get the drink package,  even with the 2 hours of unlimited alcohol.  That is not so much the case on RCI.  Because it is 3 hours and the BP is cost prohibitive many do not buy the BP where as people with a BP are pretty rampant on X.

[legaljen1969]

3 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Take away matching status.  All passenger's status should be based on their actual cruise credits, not a spouse or mom and pop or someone at the same address.

I can definitely see the benefits of doing that. I do think each person should have to earn their own.  Sure, at some point maybe spouses or kids will be at the same level, but each person should own his or her own status. 

[rimmit]

8 minutes ago, tserface said:

 

On our recent Celebrity Summit cruise they gave us unlimited drinks during happy hour at any bar on the ship.  Happy hour was 5p-8p, but that was plenty of time.

 

Tom

did they extend it?  We were on the summit in august and it was the standard 5-7 happy hour.

[Tatka]

4 minutes ago, rimmit said:

did they extend it?  We were on the summit in august and it was the standard 5-7 happy hour.

 

No, it is still 5-7PM.

It was in September at least.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Tatka

[legaljen1969]

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Definitely, our last cruise on Symphony had over 2100 Diamond and above. They used the DL, Jazz on 4 and  the Attic every night for D & D+ overflow, There were so many Pinnacles that Dazzles was used for them every night. There were still a few nights we used the vouchers and sat at the Wonderland lounge area.  We like to use the vouchers in the specialty restaurants. This was on the TA.

So, Jazz on 4, The Attic and Dazzles were off limits to other cruisers during Diamond and above happy hour(s)?  So from what- 5 to 8 p.m. every night?  That's a lot of spaces that other cruisers are not allowed to use. I totally agree that when you earn your status, you should have your space.  Sounds like they need to reconfigure how they are allocated space for Diamonds and above. If there are that many, they definitely need to have a bigger DL.

[cruisegirl1]

2 minutes ago, legaljen1969 said:

So, Jazz on 4, The Attic and Dazzles were off limits to other cruisers during Diamond and above happy hour(s)?  So from what- 5 to 8 p.m. every night?  That's a lot of spaces that other cruisers are not allowed to use. I totally agree that when you earn your status, you should have your space.  Sounds like they need to reconfigure how they are allocated space for Diamonds and above. If there are that many, they definitely need to have a bigger DL.

Dazzles and the attic have nothing scheduled during that time, so there would likely be no reason to go in there. Jazz on four would have nothing scheduled either, that is why they use it as an overflow since it is next to the diamond lounge

 

Nothing  is taken away from the general population

 

m

[legaljen1969]

3 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I get the spouse matching rule. That makes sense.

 

But the children?  I'd say any cruise before they turned 12....or 16...or 18 (however Royal defines kids) shouldn't count. Or maybe have the rule that it takes 2 nights for 1 point since the kids either sailed free or as a very cheap 3rd & 4th passenger.  Or some combination of those two, i.e. nothing under 12 counts, between 12-18 it's 2 nights-for 1 point, etc

Are you saying children under 12 (or whatever age) should not accrue any points?  Or should only accrue 1/2 points? 
While maybe they should not automatically have matching status to their parents, I think when their parents are paying for them- especially if they are doing two cabins- then kids should get the points. At some point, it will become beneficial to their paying parents to be able to take advantage of C&A cabin discounts and other things they may get.  I think saying that kids should not get any points penalizes the parents who still pay quite a bit for their kids to come on cruises. 
They may say "kids cruise free" but everyone knows that nothing is really "free" on Royal.

[tserface]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

No they want to squeeze into the lounge to receive unlimited drinks. The problem could be solved by just limiting the drinks to 3 no matter what lounge they are in. I bet if they did that they would find the lounges empty and could add more cabins it it’s place.

I understand they are doing this on some ships (heard about on Celebrity). Even if you go to the party you only get 3 drinks.  However, this is more work for the servers since they now have to run cards.

Also, in all the loyalty clubs, the servers will do just about anything for you if you tip them.  On our last Celebrity cruise about 1/4 of the lounge was reserved before the doors opened with drinks on the table.  Sometimes the people didn't show up for 10-15 minutes later, but no one sat at the tables because drinks were already there.  I asked why, and the servers just said they got here early, but they were not there.  Interesting.  Our guess was the people tipped the servers to save the tables for them.  One couple had the front table by the window every night and often didn't show up until 20 minutes after the doors opened.

 

So... cash is king even in the loyalty parties.

 

Tom

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, Tulsacoker said:

I dont, doesn't matter if its a spouse or cruise mate,  if you are not diamond on your own tough. I dont see how I can marry someone and me being D+ and my new wife never cruising she is D+ also.  C&A status is earned. 

 

I'm one of the old-fashioned fools that think when you marry someone, you share everything....the house, the saving accounts, the bills, the chores......and C&A status.

[tserface]

22 minutes ago, rimmit said:

did they extend it?  We were on the summit in august and it was the standard 5-7 happy hour.

It was only during Happy Hour (5-7) sorry if I got that wrong.

Tom

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

 

If that's the case, someone should be able to bring their cabin mate (spouse, SO, sibling, parent, child, friend, emotional support peacock 😄 , etc).

 

 

But I'm not married to my emotional support peacock. 😁

Edited November 4, 2019 by HBE4

[legaljen1969]

2 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Dazzles and the attic have nothing scheduled during that time, so there would likely be no reason to go in there. Jazz on four would have nothing scheduled either, that is why they use it as an overflow since it is next to the diamond lounge

 

Nothing  is taken away from the general population

 

m

So those areas are not open as bars anyhow during that time? It would seem like a jazz place would be a nice place for people to go get a drink before dinner (even people other than Diamond or above). I am not familiar with many of the ships.   It certainly makes sense if Jazz on 4 is next to the DL it would serve as overflow.  I have only sailed on Majesty, Mariner, Freedom and Allure.
Some people want to gain knowledge or understand, not to demean or accuse anyone of anything.   I just didn't know if the bars/lounges were not open at that time anyhow OR if they closed the venues in order to make more room for the Diamonds up.  Either way, I was just wondering.  It's certainly way beyond my loyalty level. 
I may have worded my question poorly. It certainly wasn't meant to be "not fair" or accusatory.

 

[neverbeenhere]

Just now, tserface said:

It was only during Happy Hour (5-7) sorry if I got that wrong.

Tom

 

Stockpile a few at 6:57 and Happy Hour seems to go on until 8. 😁

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

Why are 3 free drinks per night and person not enough?

 

For most people, yes. But since there DL allows unlimited drinks now during Happy Hour, I figured that whoever gets kicked out of the lounge should get to keep their unlimited happy hour drinks.

 

As I usually buy the deluxe beverage package, it doesn't matter to me.  I have no dog in the hunt...or fight...or whatever. lol

[legaljen1969]

3 minutes ago, tserface said:

I understand they are doing this on some ships (heard about on Celebrity). Even if you go to the party you only get 3 drinks.  However, this is more work for the servers since they now have to run cards.

Also, in all the loyalty clubs, the servers will do just about anything for you if you tip them.  On our last Celebrity cruise about 1/4 of the lounge was reserved before the doors opened with drinks on the table.  Sometimes the people didn't show up for 10-15 minutes later, but no one sat at the tables because drinks were already there.  I asked why, and the servers just said they got here early, but they were not there.  Interesting.  Our guess was the people tipped the servers to save the tables for them.  One couple had the front table by the window every night and often didn't show up until 20 minutes after the doors opened.

 

So... cash is king even in the loyalty parties.

 

Tom

If you tip well, any of the servers in any of the bars or lounges would do just about anything for you.  Cash is definitely king.

 

[Tulsacoker]

6 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

I'm one of the old-fashioned fools that think when you marry someone, you share everything....the house, the saving accounts, the bills, the chores......and C&A status.

Difference is C&A points should be earned not inherited or married into 

[legaljen1969]

6 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

I'm one of the old-fashioned fools that think when you marry someone, you share everything....the house, the saving accounts, the bills, the chores......and C&A status.

I somewhat agree.  That said, if the rule changed and my spouse had less C&A status than I did, I would go to the place where he was permitted to go so we didn't end up separated. I think leaving one's spouse behind because you have more "status" is pretty degrading.  I can imagine most of their marriage functions that way anyhow, so....

 

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, NateUpNorth said:

 

Now that bold part right there is some impressive, uniformed, unrealistic, head in the sand whataboutary!

 

Additionally, what you're saying is go ahead and give the spouse matching status - even if the spouse has NEVER cruised before.

However,  kids that might have achieved enough nights before 18 (or 21 when they can use the lounge to it's full benefit) to become Diamond in their own right should go fly a kite?

 

S.M.D.H

 

 

Yes.

 

The parents pay for the cruise, the kids did not.

 

How is that for a clear, level-headed, unemotional, logical reply?

 

 

[legaljen1969]

1 minute ago, Tulsacoker said:

Difference is C&A points should be earned not inherited or married into 

If you are marrying someone to get their C&A points, you're a whole new kind of shallow.  WOW!