Diamond Plus Perk now Taken Away on Anthem!

[LorraineP]

8 minutes ago, kruzerci said:

 

Make sure you email C&A and/or Bailey's office your disappointment. 

Did. Their reply

 

Thank you for contacting our office regarding your upcoming sailing. As Crown &Anchor Society Diamond Plus members, we especially value your patronage of Royal Caribbean International and appreciate this opportunity to respond to any concerns.

The Concierge Lounge is now only available to the Pinnacle members and Diamond and Diamond Plus members will now have exclusive rights to the Diamond Club. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you for allowing me to address this concern. We look forward to welcoming you onboard soon.

Sincerely,

Sean Stewart
Royal Guest Experience Management

[kruzerci]

1 minute ago, LorraineP said:

Did. Their reply

 

Thank you for contacting our office regarding your upcoming sailing. As Crown &Anchor Society Diamond Plus members, we especially value your patronage of Royal Caribbean International and appreciate this opportunity to respond to any concerns.

The Concierge Lounge is now only available to the Pinnacle members and Diamond and Diamond Plus members will now have exclusive rights to the Diamond Club. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you for allowing me to address this concern. We look forward to welcoming you onboard soon.

Sincerely,

Sean Stewart
Royal Guest Experience Management

 

I got a similar response. Keep the emails flowing! 

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, kruzerci said:

 

I got a similar response. Keep the emails flowing! 

Agree. I did too. United we stand, divided we fall. 

Edited January 24, 2020 by davekathy

[LorraineP]

56 minutes ago, kruzerci said:

 

Nope. They should be removing all Pinnacles also if they are removing D+ and make it truly for suites only. I doubt they will, but sincerely hope they do. The tone of the "oh well" Pinnacles would undoubtedly change! 

The tone of the "oh well" Pinnacles would undoubtedly change! 
 

DEFINITELY

[Husky1987]

13 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Yes, absolutely correct!  They already know who has 340 or more points, as well as 525.  Simply pick a number 340, 525 or whatever and redo the benefits page so that everyone understands. 

 

They apparently have chosen a number.

 

700

[LorraineP]

14 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Yes, absolutely correct!  They already know who has 340 or more points, as well as 525.  Simply pick a number 340, 525 or whatever and redo the benefits page so that everyone understands. 

Seems like they’re reluctant to redo the benefits page, I wonder why???

[RFerrington]

We just got our letter for the 2/7 Anthem cruise as well.

 

What I don't understand is why they are making this so painful for everyone.  It is obvious that their goal is to make the CL/SL for PC and Suites only.  That decision has obviously already been made.  Just rip the bandaid off and be done with it !  This pulling at the scab by sending these insincere "we're enhancing your experience" emails is insulting.  Do they really think that this "interim" step of pretending that they are temporarily repositioning D+ out of the CL is going to make it easier ?

 

We will not be adversely affected by this change as we are in a Suite (as we almost always are) but pretending that they are making my cruise BETTER by making this change is ridiculous.  This cruise is not a TA or a repositioning cruise or any kind of "special event" cruise.  This is a run-of-the-mill 8 day Anthem cruise.  There is no reason for it to be gorged with high level C&A members any more than any other 8 day Anthem cruise.

 

I am one of those who believes that something does, indeed, have to be done.  I recognize that C&A is a victim of its own success and that the ranks of the D/D+/PC are getting out of control.  If they think that removing the D+ from the CL/SL is the solution that will work, then DO IT !  It will be painful for some.  There will be rending of cloth and gnashing of teeth and shrieks and death throws...but it will be done and over quickly.  The way they are doing it is just prolonging the inevitable and creating worse "bad blood" than if they just did it, already.

[Merion_Mom]

19 minutes ago, LorraineP said:

Seems like they’re reluctant to redo the benefits page, I wonder why???

 

Heck the website still refers to an "honor bar" in the Concierge Lounge.  That has been gone for 15 years.

[Merion_Mom]

4 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

We just got our letter for the 2/7 Anthem cruise as well.

 

What I don't understand is why they are making this so painful for everyone.  It is obvious that their goal is to make the CL/SL for PC and Suites only.  That decision has obviously already been made.  Just rip the bandaid off and be done with it !  This pulling at the scab by sending these insincere "we're enhancing your experience" emails is insulting.  Do they really think that this "interim" step of pretending that they are temporarily repositioning D+ out of the CL is going to make it easier ?

 

We will not be adversely affected by this change as we are in a Suite (as we almost always are) but pretending that they are making my cruise BETTER by making this change is ridiculous.  This cruise is not a TA or a repositioning cruise or any kind of "special event" cruise.  This is a run-of-the-mill 8 day Anthem cruise.  There is no reason for it to be gorged with high level C&A members any more than any other 8 day Anthem cruise.

 

I am one of those who believes that something does, indeed, have to be done.  I recognize that C&A is a victim of its own success and that the ranks of the D/D+/PC are getting out of control.  If they think that removing the D+ from the CL/SL is the solution that will work, then DO IT !  It will be painful for some.  There will be rending of cloth and gnashing of teeth and shrieks and death throws...but it will be done and over quickly.  The way they are doing it is just prolonging the inevitable and creating worse "bad blood" than if they just did it, already.

 

They are waiting for the ordered "Suite Lounge" sign to arrive.  😉 

[LorraineP]

4 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

They are waiting for the ordered "Suite Lounge" sign to arrive.  😉 

They need to then update their deck plans for Anthem. CL deck 12 through April 24, 2022 then their benefits page & remove CL. 

[bigeck]

8 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

They are waiting for the ordered "Suite Lounge" sign to arrive.  😉 

They might do it on the Ta before the dry dock. 

I've not had an email regarding the Ta but it will be the same I suppose.

Doesn't really bother me

Edited January 24, 2020 by bigeck

[DaKahuna]

40 minutes ago, frank808 said:

Not on Serenade this cruise either.

 

 No D+ Access to the CL on the Serenade?  We are doing a B2B in July and I love sitting at the bar in the CL before/after dinner. 

 

[actuarian]

1 hour ago, LorraineP said:

Got the same BS email for my two cruises 1/27/20 (11 nights) & 2/7/20 (8 nights). Went on RCL website & CL is still listed on deck plans up to April 24, 2022 & CL is still listed as a Diamond Plus benefits. It’s about time RCL discontinue their sneaky way of eliminated benefits. 

The actual language on the web site is "Concierge Lounge Access (on select ships)".  That gives the cruise line the complete freedom to decide to close the concierge lounge to Diamond Plus members for a specific cruise whenever the number of Diamond Plus members booked on that cruise exceed a number that is known only to the cruise line.

[voyager70]

13 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

They are waiting for the ordered "Suite Lounge" sign to arrive.  😉 

 

7 minutes ago, LorraineP said:

They need to then update their deck plans for Anthem. CL deck 12 through April 24, 2022 then their benefits page & remove CL. 

 

Agree and agree.  Why don't they just change all the CL's to SL's effective immediately and do away with this nonsense.  As a D+ I don't like it but I understand why.  It just brings back the disappointment of being kicked out of the CL one year after becoming D.  Here we go again.  This time at least we still have the DL - for now.

 

 

 

[frank808]

What happens when the P start to number in the 100's per sailing?  When the number of P get high per sailing, C&A will be doing the same to P level that they are doing to the D+.

 

3 years ago, cruising Serenade, I went to the top tier party and there were 34 or so P onboard.  Fast forward 3 years and on last cruise there were 55 P and this week there are almost 70 P members. 

 

Last cruise on Serenade a couple made P.   Last Oct/Nov on the liberty there were over 14 new P's in 2 weeks.  The P ranks are growing for sure just like all the levels.  

 

A little over half way to P and now Royal will not be my default cruise line anymore.  Used to be if price and itinerary are similar, booked Royal.   Will not stop cruising Royal, but will be open to try more lines.  

[frank808]

11 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 No D+ Access to the CL on the Serenade?  We are doing a B2B in July and I love sitting at the bar in the CL before/after dinner. 

 

As of last cruise Jan 10, D+ have been kicked out of CL.  Have been told by cruisers staying on, they have gotten the same letter for Feb. 

[LorraineP]

8 minutes ago, actuarian said:

The actual language on the web site is "Concierge Lounge Access (on select ships)".  That gives the cruise line the complete freedom to decide to close the concierge lounge to Diamond Plus members for a specific cruise whenever the number of Diamond Plus members booked on that cruise exceed a number that is known only to the cruise line.

But the point is there are no CL they are all SL now whether or not signage has been changed. 

[actuarian]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

If they would "name" a level between D+ & PC, give it a new programmed level in their IT system, they might be able to do that.  As it is, there is no way to allow "some" D+ in and not others.  

Actually, there is a simple way to do it and it would appeal to the "bean counters" at corporate headquarters.  Allow a limited number of Diamond Plus members (first come first served) to purchase access to the Concierge Clubs or Suite Lounges.  That purchase would be encoded in Sea Passes the same way "The Key" is encoded.  Those who thought the benefit particularly valuable would pay and that would be one more revenue source for the cruise line.  The lounges would never become overcrowded since the cruise line would cut off sales before that happened.

[grapau27]

7 minutes ago, frank808 said:

What happens when the P start to number in the 100's per sailing?  When the number of P get high per sailing, C&A will be doing the same to P level that they are doing to the D+.

 

3 years ago, cruising Serenade, I went to the top tier party and there were 34 or so P onboard.  Fast forward 3 years and on last cruise there were 55 P and this week there are almost 70 P members. 

 

Last cruise on Serenade a couple made P.   Last Oct/Nov on the liberty there were over 14 new P's in 2 weeks.  The P ranks are growing for sure just like all the levels.  

 

A little over half way to P and now Royal will not be my default cruise line anymore.  Used to be if price and itinerary are similar, booked Royal.   Will not stop cruising Royal, but will be open to try more lines.  

Us too.

We had a great Hawaiian cruise on Grand Princess last November and the food and service was excellent.

[frank808]

15 minutes ago, actuarian said:

The actual language on the web site is "Concierge Lounge Access (on select ships)".  That gives the cruise line the complete freedom to decide to close the concierge lounge to Diamond Plus members for a specific cruise whenever the number of Diamond Plus members booked on that cruise exceed a number that is known only to the cruise line.

I take it to mean not all ships have CL.  If it was your definition, mine as well list "Suite Lounge Access" (on select ships) but never fulfill that statement.  

 

I get it that C&A can change rules anytime.  Just do it and do not list CL access as a benefit anymore.  I understand that they have to do it but do not appreciate these letters that say we are doing this to enhance your cruise experience.  That just insults my intelligence.

Edited January 24, 2020 by frank808

[DaKahuna]

6 minutes ago, frank808 said:

As of last cruise Jan 10, D+ have been kicked out of CL.  Have been told by cruisers staying on, they have gotten the same letter for Feb. 

Good to know.  Now I may just cancel and do something else.

 

Letters may get some attention but voting with my $$ may help get a little more.

 

[Clarea]

2 hours ago, yogimax said:

 ...

Second, this is still a listed benefit of D+. ...

 

They may change this soon, but it would not be the first time a benefit is still listed ("honor bar") years after the policy has changed. 

[kruzerci]

8 minutes ago, frank808 said:

A little over half way to P and now Royal will not be my default cruise line anymore.  Used to be if price and itinerary are similar, booked Royal.   Will not stop cruising Royal, but will be open to try more lines.  

Same with us. We just booked our first Princess Cruise. Came with free drink package, so not worried about missing happy hour. Not simply because of this, but the quality of everything onboard is just falling through the years it seems. We still like their ships and will continue to sail RC, but by the time we got to PC, the benefits will be watered down just like D+ and D have been, so I won’t sail them for loyalty anymore. 

[Ocean Boy]

5 minutes ago, actuarian said:

Actually, there is a simple way to do it and it would appeal to the "bean counters" at corporate headquarters.  Allow a limited number of Diamond Plus members (first come first served) to purchase access to the Concierge Clubs or Suite Lounges.  That purchase would be encoded in Sea Passes the same way "The Key" is encoded.  Those who thought the benefit particularly valuable would pay and that would be one more revenue source for the cruise line.  The lounges would never become overcrowded since the cruise line would cut off sales before that happened.

Now we should have to purchase our perks?

[twangster]

So I cruised a bunch in 2019 and had CL access only on Vision in January.  The cruise before was restricted due to numbers, I got lucky.  

 

In all cases though the expanded Diamond Lounge worked really well.    Twice on Ovation, on a different Vision cruise through the Panama canal, etc.  My past Anthem cruise this month was restricted.  The Music Hall overflow worked great and had a bar to sit at that was very popular.  I met several new friends and even saw some Pinnacle hanging out there to be social with non-P as well.  

 

I tend to cruise the longer and upper top tier heavy cruises and it's been a non-event for me (losing CL access).   I've also purchased full suites at full rates (no casino or other discount) so I see it from that side too.

 

All ships being AMPED have had CL removed and a new SL added.  Adventure, Mariner, Navigator, Indy and Liberty which has been this way for a while now.    I've cruised them all as D+ and had a great DL overflow experience.  Oasis class has only had a DL and a SL for a long time now. 

 

I'm okay with this change and happy with the DL experience I've had when I've been restricted from the CL.  Soon there won't be any CL's in the fleet.  So be it.  Times change.  D+ levels are growing and so are P levels growing.  Something had to change.