Concierge lounge Access

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Can we get an agreement on the meaning of the word 'loyalty'? (Probably not.)

 

£ or $ spent, or 'time' spent?

 

This is certainly more true with X and its Captains Club points by cabin category, but two people (or couples) would have different C&A point after spending the exact same amount of time on board but one booked 'suites' and the other booked 'standard' cabins. Which of the two was the most 'loyal'?

 

I'm not proffering an opinion, just asking.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

 

PS: Consider Mark 12: 41 - 44 before answering

Edited August 19, 2020 by cublet
Addendum

[yogimax]

2 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

This explains a lot. 😇

 

Yes, we are blessed!

[yogimax]

9 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

And yes, there was ugliness in the CL when some D+ were told that they were ineligible to be there.  Ricardo tried to calm them down, but they were on fire.  (Yes, I saw it).

 

Ricardo's comment on this topic:  It's a done deal, and we're just waiting for the new sign to arrive.

We were on the shortened February 7th cruise and met Ricardo at the Loyalty Ambassador's desk.  He basically said, 'It's a done deal."  Much of the frustration (I never heard loud words) was from D+ making the case that the benefits still listed online included access to the CL.

[DaniDanielle]

14 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Yes, we are blessed!

👍👍👍👍

[yogimax]

5 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

👍👍👍👍

Indeed!!!

[xpcdoojk]

17 hours ago, yogimax said:

Strong actions to take away benefits deserve strong (and truthful) words.

 

Nope, were you one of the guests who tried to sneak in?

 

How would you sneak in?  Either your key works or it doesn’t?  I can’t imagine unless my cabin was nearby the CL walking all the way back there to wait for someone to open the door then walk in?  

 

I did intentionally book a cabin on deck 12 just about 8 doors away from the CL on the Ovation for the TransPacific sailing in 2019.  Got a notification sometime prior to boarding that D+ would not be allowed.  It didn’t really affect me except for not being able to get a coffee in the morning with a convenient walk, versus the serious hike down to the DL.  I tried my key one time it didn’t work, and I didn’t see any way to sneak in.

 

jc

[yogimax]

54 minutes ago, cublet said:

PS: Consider Mark 12: 41 - 44 before answering

Thank you for sharing a perspective...

 

 “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

 

I would add Proverbs 29:23

[yogimax]

12 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

 

How would you sneak in?  Either your key works or it doesn’t?  I can’t imagine unless my cabin was nearby the CL walking all the way back there to wait for someone to open the door then walk in?  

That's precisely how someone would do it, namely, wait at the door for someone to enter or leave.

 

I do believe, however, that the reference was to friends (who were not eligible) coming in with someone who had a key.

[Ashland]

6 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Thank you. I didn’t realize there was a specialty hot chocolate.   So, I’m guessing there is no special hot chocolate from the lounge so the issue is with the free voucher.  Seems RCCL might receive fewer complaints if they didn’t offer the free voucher at all.  
 

I am a decaf coffee drinker and do understand as a few times the lounge machines do not have decaf. Of course often there is no coffee voucher so I have to pay for a decaf speciality coffee. Actually I don’t care for the strong coffee they provide at the coffee stations and at meals so after one cup of paid specialty coffee I switch to decaf hot tea.   
 

m

 

The (coffee) vouchers for my particular cruise were given as a courtesy due the extremely high number of upper level onboard for the Snowbird itinerary.

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

In your experience, do the D+ with an attitude change when they reach P or maybe they know they will never reach P and that’s the reason for the attitude. 😇

 

Asking for a friend

 

M8

 

LOL.

 

I guess I'm not very experienced as I don't know of anybody personally that fits either criteria.  But perhaps there are one or three people here on CC😇 that do, so here is my honest answer:

 

Everyone has their own set of expectations and priorities when booking a vacation. When those expectations are not met, there is bound to be disappointment and a certain amount of griping, for which CC is the perfect forum to express those emotions.  I'm not D+ so the whole CL issue does not personally affect me but from what I've read here on CC, the change in policy (which was well within Royals right) was somewhat abrupt with uneven enforcement and conflicting information given at the time.  Such miscommunication just further fuels the disappointment and griping. 

 

Again, posting/griping here in CC is okay as long as it doesn't dominate every thread long after the fact. If that's the case, then I would agree with you that person may need to adjust their attitude/expectations to the new reality,

 

But since this thread is specifically about D+ access to CL, I would expect some old complaints to resurface as it's on topic.  I haven't seen anything on this thread to say someone has an attitude problem but maybe I'm not here enough and missed something.

 

I think I might have "over-answered" your question. 😁

 

[HBE4]

4 hours ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

Can we get an agreement on the meaning of the word 'loyalty'? (Probably not.)

 

£ or $ spent, or 'time' spent?

 

This is certainly more true with X and its Captains Club points by cabin category, but two people (or couples) would have different C&A point after spending the exact same amount of time on board but one booked 'suites' and the other booked 'standard' cabins. Which of the two was the most 'loyal'?

 

I'm not proffering an opinion, just asking.

 

When I think of loyalty - specifically customer loyalty - it's someone that will buy a specific brand of product even though there may be cheaper and/or better products out there.  They do not need any further incentive - such as a loyalty program - to continue to buy that product.  They generally like that product and will not shop around.

 

In this case, I would say time spent i.e. repeat customers is one that constitutes a loyal customer. Money spent constitute a big spender (or high roller, if you will).

 

People can belong to both groups and Royal seems eager to cater to both groups.

 

IMO.

Edited August 19, 2020 by HBE4

[John&LaLa]

4 hours ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

Can we get an agreement on the meaning of the word 'loyalty'? (Probably not.)

 

£ or $ spent, or 'time' spent?

 

This is certainly more true with X and its Captains Club points by cabin category, but two people (or couples) would have different C&A point after spending the exact same amount of time on board but one booked 'suites' and the other booked 'standard' cabins. Which of the two was the most 'loyal'?

 

I'm not proffering an opinion, just asking.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

 

PS: Consider Mark 12: 41 - 44 before answering

 

My feelings are it's a combination of both. 

 

But at the end of the day, Royal considers Pinnacles to be their most loyal cruisers. I've honestly heard that multiple times. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how you earned that badge. 

 

On the other hand,  I can see how Royal might consider suite guests to be very valuable and lucrative. Nothing wrong with that.

Edited August 19, 2020 by John&LaLa

[HBE4]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

My feelings are it's a combination of both. 

 

But at the end of the day, Royal considers Pinnacles to be their most loyal cruisers. I've honestly heard that multiple times. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how you earned that badge. 

 

On the other hand,  I can see how Royal might consider suite guests to be very valuable and lucrative. Nothing wrong with that.

 

It can be argued that the suite guests are the more profitable customers.  For example: Customer A spends $10,000 on a suite for one cruise. Customer B spends $1,000 a cruise for 10 cruises over 2 years.

 

Both spent $10,000 but Customer A is the more profitable one as Royal only had to incur the expense of providing 1 cruise vs 10 cruises (7 dinners vs 70 dinners, fuel, entertainment, etc....).

 

I'm sure the Marketing guru's at Royals have a ton of algorithms to slice-n-dice the data ten ways to Sunday to figure out who butters their muffin, so to speak. 🙂

 

 

[John&LaLa]

3 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

It can be argued that the suite guests are the more profitable customers.  For example: Customer A spends $10,000 on a suite for one cruise. Customer B spends $1,000 a cruise for 10 cruises over 2 years.

 

Both spent $10,000 but Customer A is the more profitable one as Royal only had to incur the expense of providing 1 cruise vs 10 cruises (7 dinners vs 70 dinners, fuel, entertainment, etc....).

 

I'm sure the Marketing guru's at Royals have a ton of algorithms to slice-n-dice the data ten ways to Sunday to figure out who butters their muffin, so to speak. 🙂

 

 

 

What's with all the 10K suites? Those are pretty rare outside of holidays. And 1K cruises aren't the norm either😉

[HBE4]

4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

What's with all the 10K suites? Those are pretty rare outside of holidays. And 1K cruises aren't the norm either😉

 

LOL.

 

Just using simple numbers for example purposes.

 

I'm a simple man. ☺️

[neverbeenhere]

We’re bringing bible verses into the loyalty discussion or any cruise discussions.  Zowie!

 

Cruise lines are/were in business to make money. $$$

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

We’re bringing bible verses into the loyalty discussion or any cruise discussions.  Zowie!

 

Cruise lines are/were in business to make money. $$$

 

Were😪

[John&LaLa]

10 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

LOL.

 

Just using simple numbers for example purposes.

 

I'm a simple man. ☺️

 

More often than not, the spread between balcony and GS is closer than between GS and STAR.  So all suites definitely aren't equal.😉

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, HBE4 said:

 

LOL.

 

I guess I'm not very experienced as I don't know of anybody personally that fits either criteria.  But perhaps there are one or three people here on CC😇 that do, so here is my honest answer:

 

Everyone has their own set of expectations and priorities when booking a vacation. When those expectations are not met, there is bound to be disappointment and a certain amount of griping, for which CC is the perfect forum to express those emotions.  I'm not D+ so the whole CL issue does not personally affect me but from what I've read here on CC, the change in policy (which was well within Royals right) was somewhat abrupt with uneven enforcement and conflicting information given at the time.  Such miscommunication just further fuels the disappointment and griping. 

 

Again, posting/griping here in CC is okay as long as it doesn't dominate every thread long after the fact. If that's the case, then I would agree with you that person may need to adjust their attitude/expectations to the new reality,

 

But since this thread is specifically about D+ access to CL, I would expect some old complaints to resurface as it's on topic.  I haven't seen anything on this thread to say someone has an attitude problem but maybe I'm not here enough and missed something.

 

I think I might have "over-answered" your question. 😁

 

Actually, IMO, great answer. I thought I addressed the question to @John&LaLa as I know he is a Pinnacle but obviously goofed up. 
 

So John, with your experience.... 

 

Is it generally, D+ who will probably never make P, the biggest complainers or ones wanting more perks?  
 

M8

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Actually, IMO, great answer. I thought I addressed the question to @John&LaLa as I know he is a Pinnacle but obviously goofed up. 
 

So John, with your experience.... 

 

Is it generally, D+ who will probably never make P, the biggest complainers or ones wanting more perks?  
 

M8

Just joined the thread as we were on a ship (Ferry across the Mersey).

I don't think many humans would turn down perks.

To cruise is wonderful so complainers are complainers anywhere.

[mets07]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

4 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

 

Just joined the thread as we were on a ship (Ferry across the Mersey).

My husband loves that song.....🎵 Ferry Cross the Mersey 🎵

 

Gerry and the Pacemakers. 🙂

[Hogbay]

There is two type's of Pinnacle Umbilicus , The Inner and The Outer  They too are not equal . 😜

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Hogbay said:

There is two type's of Pinnacle Umbilicus , The Inner and The Outer  They too are not equal . 😜

 

Like Atlanta 🤔

 

OTP vs ITP

[grapau27]

8 hours ago, mets07 said:

My husband loves that song.....🎵 Ferry Cross the Mersey 🎵

 

Gerry and the Pacemakers. 🙂

That's why we got on the Ferry across the Mersey when we were in Liverpool yesterday.

One of the band was singing at night in Central park on Harmony from Barcelona in 2016.

He started with 'You Will Never Walk Alone' and we asked for the song Ferry across the Mersey and he was surprised that we remembered them.

Within 10 minutes there was a big crowd in Central Park listening to him singing.

Graham.

[Hogbay]

13 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Like Atlanta 🤔

 

OTP vs ITP

Had to do some homework on that one 😂 

More defined than Interstate 285 , you can cross over and both sides have plenty to offer . I would say like railway tracks .