Free Speciality Coffee for Diamonds n above

[ZiggaZagga17]

Just this morning we've had an email to say that our impending Allure TA has as expected, a considerable number of Diamonds and above on it. 

Therefore they've split the locations between the lounge on 11 and Blaze on 4, as usual we have 3 drinks elsewhere on the ship, but we've now each one speciality coffee added to our seapass cards to alleviate the mad rush for coffee in the morning - I don't recall ever 'rushing' for coffee, but it's a nice touch all the same, that may sneak it's way into other C&A 'heavy' cruises?

Edited February 13, 2020 by ZiggaZagga17

[Biker19]

Just now, ZiggaZagga17 said:

I don't recall ever 'rushing' for coffee, but it's a nice touch all the same, that may sneak it's way into other C&A 'heavy' cruises?

This is a side affect of D+ getting kicked out of the CL (on ships that had/have them) - I think everyone is getting that message about the coffee on Seapass card.

[spookwife]

its very common.. whether due to a bazillion D and D+ on board, or the machine  being down.

 

Personally, I think they'd be better off  just loading the drinks and a coffee on all D cards as a matter of course and restricting access to the Lounge to D+ only.   and I say this as a newly minted D who hasn't sailed as one yet( will in July)

 

 

 

 

[rbschultz]

Got this for the Feb 15th Anthem cruise as well

[cruisegirl1]

4 hours ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

Just this morning we've had an email to say that our impending Allure TA has as expected, a considerable number of Diamonds and above on it. 

Therefore they've split the locations between the lounge on 11 and Blaze on 4, as usual we have 3 drinks elsewhere on the ship, but we've now each one speciality coffee added to our seapass cards to alleviate the mad rush for coffee in the morning - I don't recall ever 'rushing' for coffee, but it's a nice touch all the same, that may sneak it's way into other C&A 'heavy' cruises?

I received that same letter for an upcoming Rhapsody cruise. I am an early riser and never experienced any rush for the coffee machine. When I go in to get coffee, I am generally the  only person there. I do find that the coffee offered at the coffee bar on the ship is way better than what comes out of the lounge machine so it is a win for me. 

if it “sneaks its way“ into other cruises, that would be fine with me.

m

[island lady]

The extremely tiny DL on Vision was horribly busy during happy hour last three weeks, and as D+...we were kicked out of CL.  

 

Knew there was a coffee voucher, but never used it.  The DL was empty on that ship early in the morning, and had two coffee machines in there (which I have never seen in a lounge before).  Had no problem at all filling our travel coffee mugs, being muliti-tasking and filling both at once.  😉 

[ZiggaZagga17]

I'm not really a coffee drinker, I know I can't abide that warm dishwater they call coffee at breakfast time (room service) so a spec coffee is I guess a nice treat for the wife and she'll probably make more use of it than I will - although I'll give it a go if they're ok ... 

Interesting to see it's found it's way to other ships/itineraries too ...

[blackshirt]

2 hours ago, spookwife said:

its very common.. whether due to a bazillion D and D+ on board, or the machine  being down.

With one big difference. If the coffee machine in the D lounge is down, you aren’t limited to just one specialty coffee, at least we weren’t on Liberty last December. 

[psumother]

It has made its way to Grandeur!!  Received my email for both my 20th and 28th sailings.

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

I'm not really a coffee drinker, I know I can't abide that warm dishwater they call coffee at breakfast time (room service) so a spec coffee is I guess a nice treat for the wife and she'll probably make more use of it than I will - although I'll give it a go if they're ok ... 

Interesting to see it's found it's way to other ships/itineraries too ...

You can likely also get coffee in the lounge. They added the coffee on the voucher for those that didn’t want to bother with the lounge.

M

 

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

They added the coffee on the voucher for those that didn’t want to bother with the lounge.

I think it was more to pacify those who were upset over D+ getting kicked out of the CLs.

[Lady Hudson]

Just my recent experience — Grandeur.  There is a specialty coffee machine in Chops — which connects to Giovanni’s.   Folks who qualified could go into Giovanni’s in the am — I think 9 to 11 - and order their coffee which came in a to go cup.  They had the option to sit at a Giovanni’s table if they wished.  I qualified for Chops breakfast so ordered my latte for breakfast. Then I asked for a to go cup of latte as I left.  It was all very nice.

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

Just this morning we've had an email to say that our impending Allure TA has as expected, a considerable number of Diamonds and above on it. 

Therefore they've split the locations between the lounge on 11 and Blaze on 4, as usual we have 3 drinks elsewhere on the ship, but we've now each one speciality coffee added to our seapass cards to alleviate the mad rush for coffee in the morning - I don't recall ever 'rushing' for coffee, but it's a nice touch all the same, that may sneak it's way into other C&A 'heavy' cruises?

Seems a bit of a downgrade for the TA.  On our Symphony TA we had specialty coffee all day every day  at any location except Starbucks.  Pinnacles had taken over Dazzles and the DL, Jazz on 4, and the Attic were all used for the nightly D happy hour.  We are on the Allure Nov. TA and it will be very heavy loaded with the Presidents cruise the week prior.  happy cruising

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

I think it was more to pacify those who were upset over D+ getting kicked out of the CLs.

The coffee machine is also in the diamond lounge, and honestly is rarely crowded. Perhaps on a busy transatlantic but otherwise not. 
 

We have many many cruises, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than two or three people around the coffee machine any morning.
 

I’m not really sure why they bother putting in the coffee voucher, but it works for me. If I was annoyed that I was kicked out of a lounge, a coffee voucher would not make me any happier. 

 

m

 

 

[CruiseGirl4ever]

3 hours ago, spookwife said:

its very common.. whether due to a bazillion D and D+ on board, or the machine  being down.

 

Personally, I think they'd be better off  just loading the drinks and a coffee on all D cards as a matter of course and restricting access to the Lounge to D+ only.   and I say this as a newly minted D who hasn't sailed as one yet( will in July)

 

 

 

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see D's being excluded from the Lounges in the near future. As a long time D (who is still several cruises away from D+) I've noticed the increased crowding in the lounges, and I've found myself preferring to just get my free drinks elsewhere. I'm sure there will be a lot of fuss if/when it happens though!

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

I’m not really sure why they bother putting in the coffee voucher, but it works for me.

The coffee going on the Seapass card happened at the same time as D+ got kicked out of the CLs - one can infer they were somewhat related.

[parrotfeathers]

I drink a lot more lattes than I do booze.

 

So is the next step that there will be no more D lounge at all?  All they have to do is change a sign.

[cruisenlove]

I received the same email. I am sailing on Anthem on March 1st. I am a diamond member and I will be taking full advantage of this!! Yumm!!

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, blackshirt said:

With one big difference. If the coffee machine in the D lounge is down, you aren’t limited to just one specialty coffee, at least we weren’t on Liberty last December. 

 

Mariner broke one morning in January. 

Only allowed one medium coffee from Cafe Promenade 

 

It was only down a couple hours

[John&LaLa]

On Serenade spring 2019 TA, no one got kicked out of any lounge, they had a great overflow in the big aft lounge with buffet breakfast, and brought in two espresso machines for the mornings. They were not functional after 10am.

 

The HH down there was our preferred location

Edited February 13, 2020 by John&LaLa

[island lady]

3 hours ago, psumother said:

It has made its way to Grandeur!!  Received my email for both my 20th and 28th sailings.

 

Upcoming Rhapsody this Saturday...same rotten form letter email.   I think it might be the norm now, no matter how many upper tier are on the ship.  Was actually quite limited on our last leg Vision, with only 15 pinnies and 60 some D+, but D+ was still kicked out of the CL.  Heard from Pinnie friends that the CL was a ghost town during HH.  D was extremely busy, with no overflow out of that very tiny lounge.  😞 

 

Wonder what RCI actually calls "upper tier heavy" numbers?  🤔

Edited February 13, 2020 by island lady

[cruisegirl1]

4 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Upcoming Rhapsody this Saturday...same rotten form letter email.   I think it might be the norm now, no matter how many upper tier are on the ship.  Was actually quite limited on our last leg Vision, with only 15 pinnies and 60 some D+.  Wonder what RCI actually calls "upper tier heavy" numbers?  🤔

I agree that it is the new norm. It seems to be sent out for every ship that has a concierge lounge. I believe  it is just a way to make a change to the concierge lounge until they get all the names changed to suite lounge

 

m

[island lady]

9 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

I agree that it is the new norm. It seems to be sent out for every ship that has a concierge lounge. I believe  it is just a way to make a change to the concierge lounge until they get all the names changed to suite lounge

 

m

 

Agree.  RCI finally got cheap and lazy, by just simply kicking out the D+ members, versus make new a new SL in another location...or even bothering to change the sign.  Which is naturally, IMHO, what they had in mind all along I am guessing.  😞 

 

Though I do feel sorry for CL concierge and team.  They have lost a lot of tip income.  

Edited February 13, 2020 by island lady

[grapau27]

3 hours ago, CruiseGirl4ever said:

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see D's being excluded from the Lounges in the near future. As a long time D (who is still several cruises away from D+) I've noticed the increased crowding in the lounges, and I've found myself preferring to just get my free drinks elsewhere. I'm sure there will be a lot of fuss if/when it happens though!

As a D+ we regularly just use our 3 drinks vouchers elsewhere including Giovanni's.

We still use the DL for coffee and hot chocolate during the day.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Agree.  RCI finally got cheap and lazy, by just simply kicking out the D+ members, versus make new a new SL in another location...or even bothering to change the sign.  Which is naturally, IMHO, what they had in mind all along I am guessing.  😞 

 

Though I do feel sorry for CL concierge and team.  They have lost a lot of tip income.  

I absolutely agree,it is much cheaper to keep the CL send D+ letters and just change the name to SL which will be the next step.

Our last cruise 15 nights Princess.

Next cruise 14 nights P&O.

Then 7 nights RCI.

Then 14 nights P&O.

Before the Princess cruise 18 out of our last 20 cruises were on RC.

We are D+.