Majesty Diamond situation

[Kbonner]

 

8 minutes ago, phish tales said:

serious as a heart attack. i said this is what i would like to see. i can enjoy my drinks anytime. this is coming, it is only a matter of time before RCL bean counters can see the money saved with the dia lounge closing and freeing up their bar servers, money saved on drinks and food. as i said, I any many others are all for this. i respect your opinion. respect mine.

I cannot follow your excerpt. You may talk from a Diamond standpoint, I I.e. am talking from a suite guest , Pinnacle and D+ standpoint and the broken 2way loyalty street on Majesty minus. Also I am not in favor of all day booze use. 

[phish tales]

18 minutes ago, Kbonner said:

 

I cannot follow your excerpt. You may talk from a Diamond standpoint, I I.e. am talking from a suite guest , Pinnacle and D+ standpoint and the broken 2way loyalty street on Majesty minus. Also I am not in favor of all day booze use. 

all i am saying, within the next 12--24 months the diamond lounge as we know it will vanish and the drinks will be on your seapass card to use as you will. we see it happening slowly ship by ship.  the only lounge that will be left is the gold card lounge.                                             and in "my opinion" i am all for this. end of topic.

[karenemily]

Gosh... there is so much I want to say or offer out to this thread from the perspective of a non drinker. My husband is known to have a drink or two. When we cruise,  I love going to the Happy Hour event. I could care less about the beverages. I love being able to sit in a somewhat quiet space with adult conversation. My day job is a pre k teacher for 3 year olds.  The idea of grabbing a little plate of snacks early and then sitting and visiting while I sip on a soda. While I realize there are other bars and lounges that would offer drinks, it's just not the same. Sorry there is something kind of nice about it being an exclusive event. Almost like a nightly thank you for spending so many cruises with RCI. I also love the lounge during the day. Fruit and cookies, not to mention water, coffee, and tea are out where I can sit and enjoy the views. 

 

When we booked our upcoming trip, I did so because the cost was for a week was AMAZING. I knew going from the larger ships with a diamond lounge to a smaller ship would be different. And honestly, I was bummed when I heard that there was going to be no event. I guess the fact that it's listed in the Diamond benefits meant that all Diamond members would have a Happy Hour to attend. I think that is the part of the discussion that bothers me. Not so much that there are drink tickets but not an open bar. It's simply the fact that I know that this perk is not available to me, even though it's listed as being available. It doesn't say " on some ships" it's listed as on all ships. I will be fine and will have a great time. I will notice my opinion on our surveys. 

 

I appreciate knowing about the change ahead of time and that everyone here chimed in with their thoughts too. It's part of why I love these boards!

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Or get them for nothing if you have the drink package, not to mention decent Vodka. 

 

Nothing 🤔

 

Really🤣🤣🤣

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, karenemily said:

Gosh... there is so much I want to say or offer out to this thread from the perspective of a non drinker. My husband is known to have a drink or two. When we cruise,  I love going to the Happy Hour event. I could care less about the beverages. I love being able to sit in a somewhat quiet space with adult conversation. My day job is a pre k teacher for 3 year olds.  The idea of grabbing a little plate of snacks early and then sitting and visiting while I sip on a soda. While I realize there are other bars and lounges that would offer drinks, it's just not the same. Sorry there is something kind of nice about it being an exclusive event. Almost like a nightly thank you for spending so many cruises with RCI. I also love the lounge during the day. Fruit and cookies, not to mention water, coffee, and tea are out where I can sit and enjoy the views. 

 

When we booked our upcoming trip, I did so because the cost was for a week was AMAZING. I knew going from the larger ships with a diamond lounge to a smaller ship would be different. And honestly, I was bummed when I heard that there was going to be no event. I guess the fact that it's listed in the Diamond benefits meant that all Diamond members would have a Happy Hour to attend. I think that is the part of the discussion that bothers me. Not so much that there are drink tickets but not an open bar.

It's simply the fact that I know that this perk is not available to me, even though it's listed as being available. It doesn't say " on some ships" it's listed as on all ships. 

 

Not some, but it does say select

 

[RCLDIAMONDIAM]

To me, the Diamond Lounge is so much more than "free drinks". If it was just that, then I could accept the vouchers on my card and be done with it. I love the DLs. Why? It's a place to quietly (usually) relax.  A place to meet other people like ourselves (usually older, frequent cruisers).  People who cruise a lot have a different perspective on cruises than those that don't.  We've met friends this way.  Interesting people. It's to us part-and-parcel to only booking with RCCL.  Plus there's the breakfast aspect to the lounge. I get up, I go down to the lounge and have my latte/espresso combo. I might have a bagel and lox, and some fruit. It's quiet. It's not the mad house of the Windjammer.  but of course the free drinks are nice, but yes, we could get the 3-each drinks outside the lounge.  if they truly do away with the lounges, it probably will send us to look at other lines given that outside of the DL, I don't see very many benefits any longer to being a D or a D+ and I doubt I will cruise enough or live long enough to ever reach Pinnacle.  So if you remove the DL, I think we become free agents again...after more than 20 years of cruising 2-3x a year on RCCL.

Edited February 20, 2020 by RCLDIAMONDIAM

[John&LaLa]

But MJ has never had a DL

[clochette]

17 hours ago, phish tales said:

all i am saying, within the next 12--24 months the diamond lounge as we know it will vanish and the drinks will be on your seapass card to use as you will. we see it happening slowly ship by ship.  the only lounge that will be left is the gold card lounge.                                             and in "my opinion" i am all for this. end of topic.

where are you getting that the diamond lounge is vanishing, that is false, Majesty never had one, and I have not seen any of them disappear.

[cruisegirl1]

17 hours ago, phish tales said:

all i am saying, within the next 12--24 months the diamond lounge as we know it will vanish and the drinks will be on your seapass card to use as you will. we see it happening slowly ship by ship.  the only lounge that will be left is the gold card lounge.                                             and in "my opinion" i am all for this. end of topic.

To date, NO SHIP HAS LOST A DIAMOND LOUNGE.  I have no reliable information to the future.

 

M

[SHIP TRAVELER]

I was on the Majesty Feb 8th, 2020 7 day cruise and enjoyed the Diamond Breakfast in a side area of the MDR on three days of the cruise.  There were lots of tables for two and four. We were able to get cappuccino and fresh squeezed OJ complementary.  The eggs were not perfect one day but on the other days I had an excellent made to order omelet and eggs Benedict with the sauce on the side.  Those two days were as good as any breakfast I have had when in suites.  The breakfast times are the same as the MDR open breakfast and I let the time get away on the port days so I missed out.  Just a positive note about our Majesty Diamond experience.

[RFerrington]

6 minutes ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

Those two days were as good as any breakfast I have had when in suites.  The breakfast times are the same as the MDR open breakfast and I let the time get away on the port days so I missed out.  Just a positive note about our Majesty Diamond experience.

Thanks for this.  I was worried that we would miss the morning Suites breakfast.  Nice to know that there is an alternative.

[davekathy]

8 minutes ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

I was on the Majesty Feb 8th, 2020 7 day cruise and enjoyed the Diamond Breakfast in a side area of the MDR on three days of the cruise.  There were lots of tables for two and four. We were able to get cappuccino and fresh squeezed OJ complementary.  The eggs were not perfect one day but on the other days I had an excellent made to order omelet and eggs Benedict with the sauce on the side.  Those two days were as good as any breakfast I have had when in suites.  The breakfast times are the same as the MDR open breakfast and I let the time get away on the port days so I missed out.  Just a positive note about our Majesty Diamond experience.

Plus you still got your three C&A HH drinks in the evening plus all the other diamond perks/benefits. 👍

Edited February 20, 2020 by davekathy

[L454S]

4 hours ago, RCLDIAMONDIAM said:

To me, the Diamond Lounge is so much more than "free drinks". If it was just that, then I could accept the vouchers on my card and be done with it. I love the DLs. Why? It's a place to quietly (usually) relax.  A place to meet other people like ourselves (usually older, frequent cruisers).  People who cruise a lot have a different perspective on cruises than those that don't.  We've met friends this way.  Interesting people. It's to us part-and-parcel to only booking with RCCL.  Plus there's the breakfast aspect to the lounge. I get up, I go down to the lounge and have my latte/espresso combo. I might have a bagel and lox, and some fruit. It's quiet. It's not the mad house of the Windjammer.  but of course the free drinks are nice, but yes, we could get the 3-each drinks outside the lounge.  if they truly do away with the lounges, it probably will send us to look at other lines given that outside of the DL, I don't see very many benefits any longer to being a D or a D+ and I doubt I will cruise enough or live long enough to ever reach Pinnacle.  So if you remove the DL, I think we become free agents again...after more than 20 years of cruising 2-3x a year on RCCL.

 

If you are a new cruiser, or don't book a full suite, then ships like the Majesty or Empress might be a better fit for you. Am on the Majesty now and only because they cancelled the nightly event for D, D+ and P after final payment date for this sailing.

 

I happen to agree with the above quoted text. Other ships in the RC fleet still have DL and overflow lounges DAILY!  Not to mention SL or CL for Suite guests. IMO Majesty and Empress are ships that while interesting and in some ways nice otherwise, take away from D and up as well as suite guests. 

 

Given the chance, I would have cancelled this sailing and driven to Galveston and sailed on the Liberty. Easy drive from Baton Rouge and cheaper parking.

Edited February 20, 2020 by L454S

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

To date, NO SHIP HAS LOST A DIAMOND LOUNGE.  I have no reliable information to the future.

 

M

 

No, but there have been some serious downgrades 😉

 

Oasis 

Allure (coming soon)

Navigator

Voyager

[cruisegirl1]

34 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

No, but there have been some serious downgrades 😉

 

Oasis 

Allure (coming soon)

Navigator

Voyager

What are serious downgrades.  Don't these ships still have a D lounge?  

M

 

 

[John&LaLa]

6 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

What are serious downgrades.  Don't these ships still have a D lounge?  

M

 

 

 

Navigator and Voyager moved DL down to the cigar bar on Promenade to make a nice SL up on 14

 

Pretty sure you know what happened to Oasis and soon to happen to Allure

 

BTW, I think Explorer is getting the DL down on 5 as well

Edited February 20, 2020 by John&LaLa

[ILCTCRUISER]

19 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

No, but there have been some serious downgrades 😉

 

Yes, downgrades to DL.  And, as we've seen, the elimination of CL access for D+ as RCL moves toward a SL format.  Well, I guess one could say that's a done deal as CLs that still exist are no longer available to D+.  The fact that CL door signs still exist means little:  these lounges/clubs are de facto SLs.

 

I've enjoyed this perk and it's unfortunate that these changes are being made.  Will DLs disappear in 12-24 months as @phish tales suggests? I don't know, but I do agree that that seems to be the overall prevailing trend within RCL.   If demand stays strong,  RCL can and probably will rethink the incentives/perks that it has in place to attract cruisers and/or reward repeat customers.  If the ships keep filling up (and, yes, I understand that they fill up in part due to the loyalty of many C&A members), is it really that difficult to understand that possibly RCL decision makers are sitting in a meeting in Miami asking themselves, "Do we really need to offer this perk?  If we keep this perk, are we missing out on added revenue? If we do keep this perk, how can we strip costs out of it?  Do we really need a DL, if we've given D and above three drink vouchers on their cards?"   So much is driven by enhancing revenue and reducing expenses.  Fresh flowers on the MDR tables?  Dare I mention pepper mills?  How about assistant stateroom attendants?  Pool towels with RCL logos?  RCL will raise prices and cut costs whenever they can and will continue to do so until demand drops.  Of course,  an economic downturn could make that happen at some point in time.

 

I remember when RCL rolled out the three drink vouchers.  I turned to my wife and said something like "Well, this all seems to be the beginning of the end of the D lounge."  Obviously, the DLs are still around.  I never did predict how soon it would take, but I'm still convinced that at some point in time the DL will be history.

[John&LaLa]

3 minutes ago, ILCTCRUISER said:

Yes, downgrades to DL.  And, as we've seen, the elimination of CL access for D+ as RCL moves toward a SL format.  Well, I guess one could say that's a done deal as CLs that still exist are no longer available to D+.  The fact that CL door signs still exist means little:  these lounges/clubs are de facto SLs.

 

I've enjoyed this perk and it's unfortunate that these changes are being made.  Will DLs disappear in 12-24 months as @phish tales suggests? I don't know, but I do agree that that seems to be the overall prevailing trend within RCL.   If demand stays strong,  RCL can and probably will rethink the incentives/perks that it has in place to attract cruisers and/or reward repeat customers.  If the ships keep filling up (and, yes, I understand that they fill up in part due to the loyalty of many C&A members), is it really that difficult to understand that possibly RCL decision makers are sitting in a meeting in Miami asking themselves, "Do we really need to offer this perk?  If we keep this perk, are we missing out on added revenue? If we do keep this perk, how can we strip costs out of it?  Do we really need a DL, if we've given D and above three drink vouchers on their cards?"   So much is driven by enhancing revenue and reducing expenses.  Fresh flowers on the MDR tables?  Dare I mention pepper mills?  How about assistant stateroom attendants?  Pool towels with RCL logos?  RCL will raise prices and cut costs whenever they can and will continue to do so until demand drops.  Of course,  an economic downturn could make that happen at some point in time.

 

I remember when RCL rolled out the three drink vouchers.  I turned to my wife and said something like "Well, this all seems to be the beginning of the end of the D lounge."  Obviously, the DLs are still around.  I never did predict how soon it would take, but I'm still convinced that at some point in time the DL will be history.

 

I predict I will die one day.

 

But seriously, how long ago did they add the vouchers? At least 4 years. And you weren't the only one with that novel prediction.

Edited February 20, 2020 by John&LaLa

[yogimax]

2 hours ago, L454S said:

 Am on the Majesty now and only because they cancelled the nightly event for D, D+ and P after final payment date for this sailing.

 

Given the chance, I would have cancelled this sailing

We have a cruise on Majesty booked for May.  I would have cancelled with this new policy, once again taking away benefits from D+ but had already booked airfare.  Seriously, does RCCL understand it is losing the support of its best cruisers who often are the best sales people the company has?

[John&LaLa]

5 minutes ago, yogimax said:

We have a cruise on Majesty booked for May.  I would have cancelled with this new policy, once again taking away benefits from D+ but had already booked airfare.  Seriously, does RCCL understand it is losing the support of its best cruisers who often are the best sales people the company has?

 

I'm a pretty good customer and a decent proponent.  I'm not going away any time soon either😉

 

BTW, why did you book MJ anyway?

Departure port?

Itinerary?

Price?

Edited February 20, 2020 by John&LaLa

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, yogimax said:

We have a cruise on Majesty booked for May.  I would have cancelled with this new policy, once again taking away benefits from D+ but had already booked airfare.  Seriously, does RCCL understand it is losing the support of its best cruisers who often are the best sales people the company has?

Here's a better place (then CC) for you to start voicing your concerns and complaints with the C&A changes. crownandanchor@rccl.com or 1-800-526-9723 option #9.

Edited February 20, 2020 by davekathy

[yogimax]

1 minute ago, davekathy said:

Here's a better place (then CC) for you to start voicing your concerns and complaints with the C&A changes. 

crownandanchor@rccl.com or 1-800-526-9723 option #9.

That's the general booking number for D+ that connects to sales representatives.  Not the best place to voice general concerns or complaints.

[yogimax]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I'm a pretty good customer and a decent proponent.  I'm not going away any time soon either😉

Can I assume you are now Pinnacle?  If so, completely different story as Pinnacles are indeed at the top of the pyramid, the only ones with access to any lounge on the ship and the only ones (along with suite guests) who have suffered no losses.

[John&LaLa]

2 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Can I assume you are now Pinnacle?  If so, completely different story as Pinnacles are indeed at the top of the pyramid, the only ones with access to any lounge on the ship and the only ones (along with suite guests) who have suffered no losses.

 

Correct, class of 2017

 

Has anyone really 'suffered'?

[davekathy]

7 minutes ago, yogimax said:

That's the general booking number for D+ that connects to sales representatives.  Not the best place to voice general concerns or complaints.

OK ignore the phone extension then. Use the Email address. Again the best place to voice concerns and complaints. Speaking from experience.