Pinnacles back to Suite lounges Mar. 15 and other questions

[39august]

Now that we have been notified that Mar. 15 Pins will be allowed back into suite lounges, I am wondering if that  means that on Oasis class ships, Pins will also be allowed to dine in Coastal Kitchen.  Or were PIns never excluded from the Coastal Kitchen perk?  Does the Oasis class suite lounge still offer wine and beer from 11 AM to 11 PM, please?

[twangster]

Pins have been allowed in CK with reservations during the restart. 
 

Edited February 28, 2022 by twangster

[topnole]

23 minutes ago, 39august said:

Now that we have been notified that Mar. 15 Pins will be allowed back into suite lounges, I am wondering if that  means that on Oasis class ships, Pins will also be allowed to dine in Coastal Kitchen.  Or were PIns never excluded from the Coastal Kitchen perk?  Does the Oasis class suite lounge still offer wine and beer from 11 AM to 11 PM, please?

Pretty sure I read oasis class SL bars are open 11-11 with free beer and wine.  
 

After 3-15, there goes any chance for getting a bar seat in the SL in the evening and PM.  😂😂   Not that I blame the pinnacles for taking advantage of the perk.  

[island lady]

4 minutes ago, twangster said:

Pins have been allowed in CK with reservations during the restart. 
 

 

And even those pesky Pinnacles that happen to sail in full suites.  😄   

[island lady]

5 minutes ago, topnole said:

Pretty sure I read oasis class SL bars are open 11-11 with free beer and wine.  
 

After 3-15, there goes any chance for getting a bar seat in the SL in the evening and PM.  😂😂   Not that I blame the pinnacles for taking advantage of the perk.  

 

On Harmony during the four cruise weeks that we were on in December and January, the bar stools were taken away for social distancing.  There were only six (or five when host borrowed one) there anyway.   The other seats scattered around the SL (IMHO) are horribly uncomfortable, and looks like left over garage sale stuff.  

 

Mostly we used our vouchers elsewhere.  

[topnole]

8 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

On Harmony during the four cruise weeks that we were on in December and January, the bar stools were taken away for social distancing.  There were only six (or five when host borrowed one) there anyway.   The other seats scattered around the SL (IMHO) are horribly uncomfortable, and looks like left over garage sale stuff.  

 

Mostly we used our vouchers elsewhere.  

So if pinnacle, do they count a beer in the SL against the 6 for the day?   I assumed they didn’t.  I guess you’ll know after 3-15?   
 

Yeah, Harmony SL bar is horrible compared to Oasis and Allure.  

[mac_tlc]

There goes the neighborhood….. 😜😜😜

(insert sarcasm here).

 

 

mac_tlc

[John&LaLa]

33 minutes ago, topnole said:

Pretty sure I read oasis class SL bars are open 11-11 with free beer and wine.  
 

After 3-15, there goes any chance for getting a bar seat in the SL in the evening and PM.  😂😂   Not that I blame the pinnacles for taking advantage of the perk.  

 

Beware the Ides of March my friend.

[John&LaLa]

Curious what 'desired capacity' means🤔

 

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Curious what 'desired capacity' means🤔

 

 

Elusive verbiage to give them an out so they do what they want or need to do.

[Cigar King]

 

[topnole]

10 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Beware the Ides of March my friend.

Interesting date to reinstate isn’t it?   

[topnole]

8 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Curious what 'desired capacity' means🤔

 

Perhaps it is an out of Covid ebbs and flows as it has in the past?  Obviously better to warn ahead than not at all.  
 

I assume this also gives them outs when the number of pinnacles is unusually high and then the CK becomes over crowded and dysfunctional.  

[long4acruise]

Just now, topnole said:

Interesting date to reinstate isn’t it?    

Yes, strange "after March 15th"  (Tuesday) date and poorly worded.  Why not just say effective "xyz" date?!

[island lady]

28 minutes ago, topnole said:

So if pinnacle, do they count a beer in the SL against the 6 for the day?   I assumed they didn’t.  I guess you’ll know after 3-15?   
 

Yeah, Harmony SL bar is horrible compared to Oasis and Allure.  

 

We were in an OS, GS, and CLS on Harmony during this last December and January.  In the SL from 11-11 the approved list of beer, wine, bubbly were no vouchers needed or used.  During normal happy hour,  all approved cocktails were no vouchers needed.  

 

We would sometimes start HH earlier, ordering a Gin & T...using vouchers for those.  We never came close to using all our vouchers.  😮 

 

Agree...we loved location of the bar on Oasis.  Not a fan of where they put it (old Chef's Table location against the wall) on Harmony.  

[island lady]

19 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Curious what 'desired capacity' means🤔

 

 

Dart board?  

[smokeybandit]

8 minutes ago, long4acruise said:

Yes, strange "after March 15th"  (Tuesday) date and poorly worded.  Why not just say effective "xyz" date?!

"Starting on sailings beginning after March 15th"

 

So it could be March 16, 17, 18, 19 or even 20th depending on the cruise

Edited February 28, 2022 by smokeybandit

[twangster]

18 minutes ago, Cigar King said:

 

 

Why?

 

As long as there has been a Suite Lounge Pinnacles have had access.  A name is just a name.  The name doesn't convey anything other than a name.  

 

If anything this inevitable outcome is a sign of things returning to normal but done in a manner that clearly creates some operational boundaries should a particular sailing have high numbers of Pinnacles.  Clearly a necessary step for those cruises with high numbers of Pinnacle to protect Suite guests access when it is needed.

 

More interesting to me is Diamond Plus access to Concierge Lounges, where they still exist.  Given there are typically 5 to 15 times the number of D+ compared to P, the D+ ban from the CL that was never put into words before the shutdown hasn't (yet) been addressed as it has now been for Pinnacle.

[John&LaLa]

40 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

We were in an OS, GS, and CLS on Harmony during this last December and January.  In the SL from 11-11 the approved list of beer, wine, bubbly were no vouchers needed or used.  During normal happy hour,  all approved cocktails were no vouchers needed.  

 

We would sometimes start HH earlier, ordering a Gin & T...using vouchers for those.  We never came close to using all our vouchers.  😮 

 

Agree...we loved location of the bar on Oasis.  Not a fan of where they put it (old Chef's Table location against the wall) on Harmony.  

 

So there is still an approved list for off hours?

[John&LaLa]

29 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Why?

 

As long as there has been a Suite Lounge Pinnacles have had access.  A name is just a name.  The name doesn't convey anything other than a name.  

 

If anything this inevitable outcome is a sign of things returning to normal but done in a manner that clearly creates some operational boundaries should a particular sailing have high numbers of Pinnacles.  Clearly a necessary step for those cruises with high numbers of Pinnacle to protect Suite guests access when it is needed.

 

More interesting to me is Diamond Plus access to Concierge Lounges, where they still exist.  Given there are typically 5 to 15 times the number of D+ compared to P, the D+ ban from the CL that was never put into words before the shutdown hasn't (yet) been addressed as it has now been for Pinnacle.

 

Access is one thing, unlimited drinks for Pins isn't really addressed. Nor is the quality of the booze being offered going forward

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Access is one thing, unlimited drinks for Pins isn't really addressed. Nor is the quality of the booze being offered going forward

 

Biggest bang for my buck would be grabbing water bottles to stock my room.  

 

I'm quite happy with my any drink vouchers and how that's worked out.  I've never been one to camp out in the SL.  Being able to pick my brand of liquor at bar somewhere other than the SL will always win over swill in the SL.

[smokeybandit]

33 minutes ago, twangster said:

Being able to pick my brand of liquor at bar somewhere other than the SL will always win over swill in the SL.

 

But post-covid, you order off the ship's menu in the SL, not the roll-a-bar.  Templeton rye instead of Glenfiddich is nice.

 

Though for that reason I would think they'd go back to the roll-a-bar eventually. 

[twangster]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

 

But post-covid, you order off the ship's menu in the SL, not the roll-a-bar.  Templeton rye instead of Glenfiddich is nice.

 

Though for that reason I would think they'd go back to the roll-a-bar eventually. 

 

If I'm "buying" the drink, I can think of many nicer bars to sit and enjoy it compared to a SL.  The SL isn't "all that".    

 

It's nice to pop in, check out the view, etc but it's just not something I think is worth all this banter over.

 

The one exception has been the Radiance Class CL's were a solo can sit at the bar in the CL and make new friends very easily.  Of course there are other bars where you can do that but they often have trivia or some other loud activity going on for Radiance Class.  

[John&LaLa]

44 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Biggest bang for my buck would be grabbing water bottles to stock my room.  

 

I'm quite happy with my any drink vouchers and how that's worked out.  I've never been one to camp out in the SL.  Being able to pick my brand of liquor at bar somewhere other than the SL will always win over swill in the SL.

 

On Odyssey we didn't have swill in the SL. 

 

I'm afraid that could change.

 

We are in a CLS next week on Symphony. One last trip with a quiet SL🤣🤣

[Cigar King]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

As long as there has been a Suite Lounge Pinnacles have had access.  A name is just a name.  The name doesn't convey anything other than a name.  

I obviously don't care what the space is called.  As you say, it's just a name.

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Clearly a necessary step for those cruises with high numbers of Pinnacle to protect Suite guests access when it is needed.

This is my entire concern.  The number of suite guests is somewhat a finite number.  The number of C&A members with status can vary widely depending on ship and cruise.  The lounges simply do not have the capacity to deal with numbers in excess of the suite guests and a smaller number of those with status.  

 

If Royal wants to highlight one of the perks I pay for as this lounge, then I expect it to be reasonably available.  I'm willing to see how this shakes out.  Frankly, I'd like to see a statement from Royal to their suite guests saying how they intend to establish and protect the "desired capacity."  I'm not convinced that Royal will be able to allow access on cruises with lower numbers of Pinnacles and restrict them on cruises when they are higher.  I am prepared to be amazed though.