Minors losing their Diamond status…

[cruisegirl1]

YEARS ago Royal extended C&A level to spouses.  At that time, single gender marriage was not legal in some (most?/all?) states.   Royal, in recognition of single gender couples, extended the benefit to include "significant other" to equalize benefits to couples who could not get married.   

 

Over the years, the benefit no longer applies to just single gender couples and has been watered down to include anyone's date for the cruise.   

 

Status is rarely if ever removed, so giving a current date the upgraded status (we'll say D for argument's sake), creates a new C&A D member for life because they took one cruise with a casual D friend.   And as the new D dates, marries someone else, the D status will transfer to their current mate because of one casual cruise years earlier.   

 

M

Edited May 21, 2023 by cruisegirl1

[twangster]

I'm beginning to think Royal doesn't care that there are some that abuse the program with the "significant other like a spouse" verbiage.  

 

When someone at any level in the program isn't cruising there is no cost to having a CAS label applied to them.

 

If someone is cruising then the CAS program may have been a factor in the decision to book a Royal cruise.  If it was then the program accomplished the primary goal of a loyalty program.

 

I'm not condoning those that abuse the spouse verbiage but if Royal wanted to crack down or reduce program abuse it wouldn't be that hard for them to do so.  They appear to be pretty relaxed about approving status matches.  

[cruisegirl1]

5 minutes ago, twangster said:

I'm beginning to think Royal doesn't care that there are some that abuse the program with the "significant other like a spouse" verbiage.  

 

When someone at any level in the program isn't cruising there is no cost to having a CAS label applied to them.

 

If someone is cruising then the CAS program may have been a factor in the decision to book a Royal cruise.  If it was then the program accomplished the primary goal of a loyalty program.

 

I'm not condoning those that abuse the spouse verbiage but if Royal wanted to crack down or reduce program abuse it wouldn't be that hard for them to do so.  They appear to be pretty relaxed about approving status matches.  

agreed.  

Royal LOVES that lounges/bars are crowded because there are SO MANY D, D+ P passengers.  What a great problem to have, too many loyal customers. 

M

 

 

 

[Bruin Steve]

25 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

YEARS ago Royal extended C&A level to spouses.  At that time, single gender marriage was not legal in some (most?/all?) states.   Royal, in recognition of single gender couples, extended the benefit to include "significant other" to equalize benefits to couples who could not get married.   

 

Over the years, the benefit no longer applies to just single gender couples and has been watered down to include anyone's date for the cruise.   

 

Status is rarely if ever removed, so giving a current date the upgraded status (we'll say D for argument's sake), creates a new C&A D member for life because they took one cruise with a casual D friend.   And as the new D dates, marries someone else, the D status will transfer to their current mate because of one casual cruise years earlier.   

 

M

Except...it really isn't just single gender relationships...Society has changed considerably over the years.  A couple of generations ago, couples living together "without benefit of marriage" was largely unheard of...and divorce among married couples tended to be rare.  Today, a good portion of couples, whether heterosexual or LGBTQ, tend to be together without formalizing the relationship through "marriage".  And, many of these relationships last a whole lot longer than many formal, documented marriages.  (What is the line I once heard from a stand-up--"50 % of all marriages end in divorce...but the other 50% end in DEATH!").  Is there really a lack of equivalency between a couple who get married, go on a cruise and divorce a few months later and an unmarried couple who have been together for 5+ years and may continue to be together for the rest of their lives? 

 

Is it up to a cruise line to enforce some people's notion of forcing people to get marrired rather than "live in sin"?  Seriously, all Royal Caribbean...or any other cruise line...cares about--and SHOULD care about--is SELLING CRUISES...and you do that by making EVERY customer--whether married, in a relationship or related family--comfortable and happy with their cruise experience.  If I've got 5 out of 6 family members (ALL of which I am paying for--and paying some farely high fares for), I want a consistent and easy experience...otherwise, I have other cruise line choices.  RCCL knows that...and they want my business.  I expect my daughter and her boyfriend to be together a LONG time...and they will likely go on more cruises...just as I expect my married daughter and her husband to stay married a LONG time and, perhaps, go on more cruises.

 

I know what I have paid (and each daughter has paid) for cruises and, though maybe their spouse/S.O. just "married into it", I don't think they deserve the status any less than all of those Diamond members that got there by taking 10 three-night cruises in inside cabins during low season.

[LobsterStalker]

1 hour ago, cruisegirl1 said:

YEARS ago Royal extended C&A level to spouses.  At that time, single gender marriage was not legal in some (most?/all?) states.   Royal, in recognition of single gender couples, extended the benefit to include "significant other" to equalize benefits to couples who could not get married.   

 

Over the years, the benefit no longer applies to just single gender couples and has been watered down to include anyone's date for the cruise.   

 

Status is rarely if ever removed, so giving a current date the upgraded status (we'll say D for argument's sake), creates a new C&A D member for life because they took one cruise with a casual D friend.   And as the new D dates, marries someone else, the D status will transfer to their current mate because of one casual cruise years earlier.   

 

M

I'm kinda thinking I'm young enough still to "divorce" my lovely wife long enough to take a cruise with a new significant D+ other , gain the status and retie the knot with lovely wife and our new benefits going forward should more than make up for the legal headaches and hassles

 

Cheers

[LobsterStalker]

Just now, LobsterStalker said:

I'm kinda thinking I'm young enough still to "divorce" my lovely wife long enough to take a cruise with a new significant D+ other , gain the status and retie the knot with lovely wife and our new benefits going forward should more than make up for the legal headaches and hassles

 

Cheers

Heck , maybe we could even remarry on the ship and make it a onestop shop for the LA to get everything sorted properly for us !

 

Cheers

[RobInMN]

33 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

Except...it really isn't just single gender relationships...Society has changed considerably over the years.  A couple of generations ago, couples living together "without benefit of marriage" was largely unheard of...and divorce among married couples tended to be rare.  Today, a good portion of couples, whether heterosexual or LGBTQ, tend to be together without formalizing the relationship through "marriage".  And, many of these relationships last a whole lot longer than many formal, documented marriages.  (What is the line I once heard from a stand-up--"50 % of all marriages end in divorce...but the other 50% end in DEATH!").  Is there really a lack of equivalency between a couple who get married, go on a cruise and divorce a few months later and an unmarried couple who have been together for 5+ years and may continue to be together for the rest of their lives? 

 

Is it up to a cruise line to enforce some people's notion of forcing people to get marrired rather than "live in sin"?  Seriously, all Royal Caribbean...or any other cruise line...cares about--and SHOULD care about--is SELLING CRUISES...and you do that by making EVERY customer--whether married, in a relationship or related family--comfortable and happy with their cruise experience.  If I've got 5 out of 6 family members (ALL of which I am paying for--and paying some farely high fares for), I want a consistent and easy experience...otherwise, I have other cruise line choices.  RCCL knows that...and they want my business.  I expect my daughter and her boyfriend to be together a LONG time...and they will likely go on more cruises...just as I expect my married daughter and her husband to stay married a LONG time and, perhaps, go on more cruises.

 

I know what I have paid (and each daughter has paid) for cruises and, though maybe their spouse/S.O. just "married into it", I don't think they deserve the status any less than all of those Diamond members that got there by taking 10 three-night cruises in inside cabins during low season.

You seem to be consistently missing the point. 

I don't think anyone has ever said that your daughter's husband and your other daughter's SO should not be able to share in your daughter's (and your) C&A status during your cruise.

There's been discussion about whether or not it's right that such status (especially for the SO) should be a permanent grant or not. There's been other comments about minor status matching has sometimes not been permanent. And there's been discussion about how the "Spouse" status match being changed to "SO" status match specifically to account for same-sex "marriages" before it became a legal status, which your oldest daughter can take advantage of. No one's making any arguments or judgements about couples "living in sin" or anything of the sort. The simple fact is that RCL made that modification specifically for same-sex couples. The fact that it applies to non-married traditional m-f couples is just a reality of the fact that pre-same-sex marriage, there was no legal document of commitment. The fact that theirs an increase in couples not opting for marriage only makes the change increasingly relevant, but that was not why the change was originally made.

And what you may have paid for your fairs is irrelevant.

 

[RobInMN]

6 minutes ago, LobsterStalker said:

I'm kinda thinking I'm young enough still to "divorce" my lovely wife long enough to take a cruise with a new significant D+ other , gain the status and retie the knot with lovely wife and our new benefits going forward should more than make up for the legal headaches and hassles

 

Cheers

 

4 minutes ago, LobsterStalker said:

Heck , maybe we could even remarry on the ship and make it a onestop shop for the LA to get everything sorted properly for us !

 

Cheers

 

Completely possible per the way RCL operates things, but you are aiming too low. Shoot for Pinnacle. 

Actually, you don't even need to actually divorce. All you need to do is claim that you live at the same address. Temporarily change one of your addresses in the RCL system, then change it back later.

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by RobInMN

[topnole]

On 5/19/2023 at 6:25 PM, twangster said:

 

I can see it both ways.

 

My adults "kids" never received CAS status from me because I switched to Royal later in life, after a divorce.  Right after the divorce I didn't have money to cruise and I didn't, for a while.  By the time I could my kids missed the match.

 

Fast forward and now my adult kids are booking and paying their own way.  Absent of meaningful CAS status and being early in their careers they can't afford Royal, they shop low prices. So they book elsewhere.  Royal loses the revenue.  

 

If they were Diamond that would make all the difference with their limited budgets.  Four free drinks would be a game changer.  They would be more likely to book Royal.  

 

At their age they are not lounge dwellers so their presence, if they were D would have zero impact on other CAS members.  

 

As an investor I have to weigh the cost of four drinks versus lost revenue and seeing the competition get the business.  It's their money my kids have earned themselves by working, I'm not going to tell them how to vacation.  

 

Bottom line, Royal loses.  But they have no issue filling ships so, Royal wins?  They didn't have to give 4 drinks away for free.  🤷‍♂️

 

It's a loyalty program.  The match generates loyalty.  Mission accomplished.

 

Royals not losing.   They want people to buy drinks.  Not people who don’t.  They don’t need to give out status to adults who never cruised with them before just because their parents are diamond or above.  Makes zero sense.  

[AspiringCindy]

On 5/19/2023 at 8:06 PM, AspiringCindy said:

My daughter is diamond status that she inherited through me. When we called 2 months ago to get her husband matched with her status, they told us no! They said although she is diamond, she is not true diamond and can't give her status to her husband! We were told that in order for a spouse to match status...the person has to have the points.

Problem solved! My daughter is no longer a diamond member. They said that she was given diamond status in error to match mine...but it was later determined that some of the points were after her 18t birthday. Oh well! 1 point short!! 

Edited May 21, 2023 by AspiringCindy

[JessyCruises]

On 5/19/2023 at 9:09 PM, firefly333 said:

Ask the loyalty ambassador onboard. I bet he would match her if her spouse has diamond on his card.

That is what we had to do.  When we cruised with my son and his live in girlfriend in January, we were D+ which we got before his 18th birthday.  He had enough points for Emerald on his own, but his account still showed D+. When we called C&A before hand to get her matched to him, they would only match her to Emerald.  

 

When we boarded Anthem,  we went to the LA the first day and they said that was not right and she should have put at D+ too.  They reprinted her a card for her that said Diamond + and she got the amenities. That cruise put our son to Diamond on his own points.  His account still shows Diamond+ but now hers shows Diamond which is his status based on the # of points he actually has.  I am not going to bother to call again.  They only sail with us so next time I am just going to visit the C&A again and see if they can put her at D+.  

Edited May 21, 2023 by JessyCruises

[The Fun Researcher]

On 5/19/2023 at 5:58 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

On Celebrity everyone in the cabin gets the same status of the highest person regardless of whether they are related or not...it's not uncommon and in fact Roysls is stricter than some programs. 

This is interesting.  My son and daughter and a friend are in a connecting cabin for a Celebrity cruise we have booked for December.  My son, 16yo, is Diamond which transferred to Elite on Celebrity.  So my 19yo daughter and 19 yo friend will also be Elite for that cruise? (they are not Diamond on Royal)

[cruisegirl1]

"Significant other" is the changed interpretation.  Seems now it is for whoever one happens to be dating this week.   

M

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

This is interesting.  My son and daughter and a friend are in a connecting cabin for a Celebrity cruise we have booked for December.  My son, 16yo, is Diamond which transferred to Elite on Celebrity.  So my 19yo daughter and 19 yo friend will also be Elite for that cruise? (they are not Diamond on Royal)

Yes 

[cruisegirl1]

1 minute ago, The Fun Researcher said:

This is interesting.  My son and daughter and a friend are in a connecting cabin for a Celebrity cruise we have booked for December.  My son, 16yo, is Diamond which transferred to Elite on Celebrity.  So my 19yo daughter and 19 yo friend will also be Elite for that cruise? (they are not Diamond on Royal)

Celebrity extends benefits to cabin mates for the current cruise.   RCCL does not. 

M

[Mapleleafforever]

Glad to hear it all worked out. 

[The Fun Researcher]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Yes 

Thank you.  Our son has not sailed Celebrity before (my wife and I have), so he does not have a Captains Club number I don’t believe.  Can I call Celebrity before the cruise to get him a Captains club number assigned so that he then shows up as Elite and his cabin mates get his benefits?

[Ashland]

25 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Thank you.  Our son has not sailed Celebrity before (my wife and I have), so he does not have a Captains Club number I don’t believe.  Can I call Celebrity before the cruise to get him a Captains club number assigned so that he then shows up as Elite and his cabin mates get his benefits?

We had never sailed Celebrity before either but our RCI C&A number made this appear to be automatic for a Captains Club number...Not sure how but it did.

 

Perhaps a call should be made to double check this.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Ashland

[twangster]

5 hours ago, LobsterStalker said:

Heck , maybe we could even remarry on the ship and make it a onestop shop for the LA to get everything sorted properly for us !

 

Cheers

 

Start with an upside down pineapple on the cabin door.   You'll likely get all sorts of interesting offers.

[LobsterStalker]

19 hours ago, RobInMN said:

 

 

Completely possible per the way RCL operates things, but you are aiming too low. Shoot for Pinnacle. 

Actually, you don't even need to actually divorce. All you need to do is claim that you live at the same address. Temporarily change one of your addresses in the RCL system, then change it back later.

 

Hmmmm..... Processing , processing ...?

Alright . So any Pinnacles wanna have a fit , vibrant , good lookin (IMHO) 53 yr old gentleman companion for a week ? 

Let's get this ball rollin !

LOL

 

Cheers

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, LobsterStalker said:

Hmmmm..... Processing , processing ...?

Alright . So any Pinnacles wanna have a fit , vibrant , good lookin (IMHO) 53 yr old gentleman companion for a week ? 

Let's get this ball rollin !

LOL

 

Cheers

 

No, but tell more about your wife.  🤣😇

[LobsterStalker]

Just now, twangster said:

 

No, but tell more about your wife.  🤣😇

Hmmm.

 

😞  This plan is already falling apart  

[Scoobydobe7]

Just wondering if Royal acknowledges a "throuple" relationship when matching status???

Edited May 22, 2023 by Scoobydobe7

[Bobal]

18 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

 

When we boarded Anthem,  we went to the LA the first day and they said that was not right and she should have put at D+ too.  They reprinted her a card for her that said Diamond + and she got the amenities. 

So the LA matched her to his status and she got the relevant onboard benefits despite it being her first sailing?

 

I asked this question of the OP but got no answer, since my son - who is Diamond - will be taking a cruise later this year with his wife who hasn't sailed before and it would help their pockets if she gets the 4 free drinks a day

[twangster]

50 minutes ago, Bobal said:

So the LA matched her to his status and she got the relevant onboard benefits despite it being her first sailing?

 

I asked this question of the OP but got no answer, since my son - who is Diamond - will be taking a cruise later this year with his wife who hasn't sailed before and it would help their pockets if she gets the 4 free drinks a day

 

IME what one LA versus another LA does onboard can vary wildly.  I would not infer policy from something one LA does.

 

Have your son try it onboard but warn him it might not happen.