Diamond Club Theory when we return

[compman9]

1 hour ago, Lady Hudson said:

I am with islandwannabee.  I don’t drink alcohol but still frequent the lounges everyday.  Passengers who cruise often enjoy getting together with friends.  I also love the lattes during the day.  Not everyone in the lounges drinks excessively.  😀

 

It's nice. I like that you enjoy your cruise in that fashion

 

DW and I probably have 5 / 6 drinks each night in the lounge (inc. bar), which would save us around $800 per week long cruise

 

I would have beer, which are bottles. Which in turn amounts to about three pints in the UK. For the average British man in a pub, I can assure you that is not much in three hours

 

"Excessively" is subjective 

[Lady Hudson]

Just now, compman9 said:

 

It's nice. I like that you enjoy your cruise in that fashion

 

DW and I probably have 5 / 6 drinks each night in the lounge (inc. bar), which would save us around $800 per week long cruise

 

I would have beer, which are bottles. Which in turn amounts to about three pints in the UK. For the average British man in a pub, I can assure you that is not much in three hours

 

"Excessively" is subjective 

Absolutely.  I disagree with the idea that there are passengers who have a lot more to drink than what you have suggested.  But to each his own.  Guess I should have said that not everyone goes to the lounge to drink. Cheers!  😀

[livingonthebeach]

2 hours ago, islandwannabee said:

For me, I don't care about the free drinks, it's more about getting together with old friends and making new ones.

 

This was one of the best aspects of cruising Pre-Covid.  Now with the social distancing and mask requirements, it might be difficult to make new friends, and not a very chummy experience with old friends. 😢

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, Couple-Somerset said:

 

3 x drinks x 7 nights = probably $10-$15 total COST to Royal

 

Yes, I'm willing to bet that the COST of a meal in a speciality restaurant will be less than $10.

 

Then, guests will probably be paying top $$ to buy the drinks they got for free before.

 

It's also a great way to get people trying the alternative dining venues.

 

25% off, 50% off or 100% off one venue per sailing depending on loyalty tier.

So lets say you are correct about up front cost. How do you then accommodate everyone who may want to take advantage of their perk when you have limited seats during a cruise? Do you cancel paying guests and lose that revenue? Do you deny C&A members access to their perk?

 

With the present drink system there is little up front cost per unit, no messing with reservations, changes, and no shows. And there is little distuption or impact to other guest. When I get a perk drink it does not deny anyone else the ability to get a drink and RCI gets that income.

 

Apparently, RCI has found a perk that does not overly impact ship operations, has a reasonable cost / benefit ratio, and that C&A members view very favorably.  As said earlier by @twangster, there is no need to fix what isn't broken.

[ATC cruiser]

3 hours ago, Couple-Somerset said:

 

3 x drinks x 7 nights = probably $10-$15 total COST to Royal

 

Yes, I'm willing to bet that the COST of a meal in a speciality restaurant will be less than $10.

 

Then, guests will probably be paying top $$ to buy the drinks they got for free before.

 

It's also a great way to get people trying the alternative dining venues.

 

25% off, 50% off or 100% off one venue per sailing depending on loyalty tier.

You’re assuming I’m going to pay for those drinks if I don’t get them for free. They may get 10 dollars for my gin and tonic if I buy one, but in actuality it only costs them about a buck to give it away for free. The cost of a meal is much higher than a free drink, especially when you figure the preparation, serving and the lost revenue from me taking up a table in the specialty restaurant. 

[livingonthebeach]

RCI more than makes up for what they spend offering free drinks during HH.  Alcohol tends to loosen inhibitions and impairs judgement -- think about impulse purchases at the shops, auctions and excessive casino gambling that come from those who had one too many -- and yes, that includes the majority of us at one time.  

[twangster]

8 minutes ago, ATC cruiser said:

You’re assuming I’m going to pay for those drinks if I don’t get them for free.

 

This is spot on.  

 

If I go on another cruise line I don't drink the same as I do when I'm on Royal and it's HH.   

 

When I used to fly and had access to airline lounges I'd have a beer or glass of wine because it was there and it was included.  When I fly from an airport that didn't have a lounge I didn't go to a bar and buy the equivalent drinks.  

 

When I used to get a complimentary upgrade to first class for being an elite flier I would drink because it was included.  When I didn't get the upgrade, I didn't buy those same drinks back in coach.   

[CSHS1979]

1 hour ago, compman9 said:

 

It's nice. I like that you enjoy your cruise in that fashion

 

DW and I probably have 5 / 6 drinks each night in the lounge (inc. bar), which would save us around $800 per week long cruise

 

I would have beer, which are bottles. Which in turn amounts to about three pints in the UK. For the average British man in a pub, I can assure you that is not much in three hours

 

"Excessively" is subjective 

 

You really spend the whole night in there?

 

We only go for around 45 minutes, then leave. And not out of some sense of obligation to free a spot, it's just more than enough time for a snack and a few drinks.

Edited July 11, 2020 by CSHS1979

[bonsai3s]

58 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

This is spot on.  

 

If I go on another cruise line I don't drink the same as I do when I'm on Royal and it's HH.   

 

When I used to fly and had access to airline lounges I'd have a beer or glass of wine because it was there and it was included.  When I fly from an airport that didn't have a lounge I didn't go to a bar and buy the equivalent drinks.  

 

When I used to get a complimentary upgrade to first class for being an elite flier I would drink because it was included.  When I didn't get the upgrade, I didn't buy those same drinks back in coach.   

 

😊You are spot on...we do exactly the same things. 😊

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, compman9 said:

 

It's nice. I like that you enjoy your cruise in that fashion

 

DW and I probably have 5 / 6 drinks each night in the lounge (inc. bar), which would save us around $800 per week long cruise

 

I would have beer, which are bottles. Which in turn amounts to about three pints in the UK. For the average British man in a pub, I can assure you that is not much in three hours

 

"Excessively" is subjective 

I think you would certainly get your money’s worth out of the drink package. 😇

[zekekelso]

10 hours ago, TravelerThom said:

The US Federal government regulates allowed sizes of containers of liquor, all being in metric sizes. 1.5 liters  is not an allowed container, but 1.75 liters is. Someone has apparently been sipping out a quarter liter of vodka from your bottles 😳

 

in related news I know people who take pride in their ignorance and claim that the metric system is WAY to difficult for them to learn at their age, but have no answer as to how they somehow manage to buy liquor in metric units. 

I never realized “a handle” was an official metric unit of measurement 🙂

[Dennis#1]

5 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

I never realized “a handle” was an official metric unit of measurement 🙂

"A Handle"?

[LorraineP]

5 hours ago, islandwannabee said:

For me, I don't care about the free drinks, it's more about getting together with old friends and making new ones.

Definitely missing our cruising friends. 

[davekathy]

4 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

You should think about getting a new magic 8 ball.

 

Your old one keeps giving the same non-answer. 😉

Never. It's 61 years old and I'm older and it hasn't failed me yet. More reliable than a lot of WAGs, assumptions or speculations thrown around on these threads. 🤣

Edited July 11, 2020 by davekathy

[Dennis#1]

52 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I think you would certainly get your money’s worth out of the drink package. 😇

True if you want that many drinks, and can not use DL, CL or SL.

[CSHS1979]

43 minutes ago, Dennis#1 said:

"A Handle"?

 

A 'handle' is a common term fot a 1.75, because they used to have handles on them.  You don't see it as much anymore.  

 

Tito's has a handle still😉

[DaniDanielle]

Titos is so good!🍸

[Milwaukee Eight]

Just now, DaniDanielle said:

Titos is so good!🍸

Yes!!!  So smooth. Doesn’t smell like paint thinner. 

[DaniDanielle]

My liquor store guy, whom I have gotten to know a little too well, told me to try Western Son Texas Vodka.  He said it has been giving Tito’s competition.  It must be because the bottle I bought is almost gone!!

i think there was a hole in the bottle🤪

[The Viking]

6 hours ago, islandwannabee said:

For me, I don't care about the free drinks, it's more about getting together with old friends and making new ones.

 

On our first cruise, one couple at our dining table was late for dinner as they "lost track of time visiting with friends in the Diamond Club". My thought then, and still is as D+, that you can easily meet great friends everywhere on the ship and arrange to meet again anywhere.

 

 

 

 

[yogimax]

6 hours ago, Lady Hudson said:

I agree that ‘temporary’ changes might be warranted for health reasons.  Praying for betters ways to treat those affected with Covid as well as a vaccine.  Katherine

Yes, and just as excessive use of alcohol affects the immune system, certainly smoking compromises the ability of the lungs to function.  This would be a great time for RCCL to ban smoking in the casino and in outdoor areas where people sit close together, namely outside the Windjammer.

[BillB48]

38 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

i think there was a hole in the bottle🤪

 

Right at the very top😂!

[Dennis#1]

1 hour ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

A 'handle' is a common term fot a 1.75, because they used to have handles on them.  You don't see it as much anymore.  

 

Tito's has a handle still😉

Thanks.  I was not familiar with the term “handle.”   Learn something new every day.

[torpeedo]

2 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

My liquor store guy, whom I have gotten to know a little too well, told me to try Western Son Texas Vodka.  He said it has been giving Tito’s competition.  It must be because the bottle I bought is almost gone!!

i think there was a hole in the bottle🤪

 

Here's a funny response from our Lexington Beverage proprietor. I asked him how business was and he said that now everyday is NEW YEARS EVE!!!!  Some business's are thriving!! 

[DaniDanielle]

So true!