New "crown lounge" rule

[nelblu]

11 minutes ago, 2chiefs said:

When they used to have the Tuttie salad bar at lunch in the main dining room (pre-covid), I would go up and simply request prosciutto and feta cheese only. I would get a weird look, but they complied, and I would take it back to my table and enjoy....

Yes, loved the Tutti salad bar and the pasta station and other hot dishes.  No need to step foot in the WJ for lunch.  The best however was on Quantum and later the Anthem.  They had a dessert table as a center piece when you entered the American Icon restaurant.  The centerpiece was a chocolate flowing fountain.  I used to get a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream and pour the chocolate syrup and when it touched the ice cream, it hardened just like the brown top at Dairy Queen.  The also had fruits, like strawberries, bananas, etc. that one could dip into the fountain syrup.

[marci22]

Just off a Liberty 9 night and the D HH snacks were not that appealing.

 

The cheese part was fine but the hot appetizers were lower quality than usual. Some type of ground meat ball every night, or salmon balls, or 'fish cakes'. One night there were salmon cakes and fish cakes. Served with the same chili sauce and bbq sauce as usual. Soggy quesadillas. Lukewarm mozzeralla sticks. There was some cut up hot dog thing that was terrifying.

 

They are trying to make us not want the snacks and it's working.

 

And no mudslide cookies anywhere 😞

[OCSC Mike]

14 minutes ago, marci22 said:

Just off a Liberty 9 night and the D HH snacks were not that appealing.

Sorry to hear. That sounds exactly like how Indy was last year. There seems to be a big drop off between Oasis class & Freedom class.

[doghog]

5 hours ago, BND said:

How?

No CAS member below 18 years old. Only those 18 + married or living together. If divorced, no longer living together or death then CAS tier levels are adjusted to actual CAS cruise points.

Edited October 16, 2023 by doghog

[BND]

11 minutes ago, doghog said:

No CAS member below 18 years old. Only those 18 + married or living together. If divorced, no longer living together or death then CAS tier levels are adjusted to actual CAS cruise points.

None of those will make a real difference especially on cruises with a lot of higher tiers such as unique cruises, longer ones, etc.  There are always very few under 18's in the lounge even when families travel a lot.    We've done Spring Break cruises where 1/3 of the passengers are under 18 and there are almost no kids in during HH.  In fact, the last two years we've done SB cruises and have not seen any kids in the DL except a couple of times outside of HH. And, the number impacted by adjusting points for death, divorce, etc is also very small.  In most cases, spouses have the same points and most of the rest are within a few.  

Edited October 16, 2023 by BND

[Tlbecker1]

4 hours ago, crzndeb said:

I have seen a couple types of little sandwiches and cookies, but I’m usually on longer cruises. I never went into the lounge on my recent 14 night on Jewel. So not sure if it’s standard.

I agree that it does vary by ship.  We were on Grandeur for 3 weeks in August and they had cookies in the lounge every day after the small breakfast fare and until the evening.  Anthem has a lot of sandwiches and snacks all day long.

[cannotfathom]

On 10/15/2023 at 3:13 PM, BND said:

The ban is during HH, not the rest of the day.  It's during peak usage time.

And that must mean that when there are snacks for the before dinnertime Diamond members wouldn't want to be in there?!?!?!?

[doghog]

15 minutes ago, BND said:

None of those will make a real difference especially on cruises with a lot of higher tiers such as unique cruises, longer ones, etc.  There are always very few under 18's in the lounge even when families travel a lot.    We've done Spring Break cruises where 1/3 of the passengers are under 18 and there are almost no kids in during HH.  In fact, the last two years we've done SB cruises and have not seen any kids in the DL except a couple of times outside of HH. And, the number impacted by adjusting points for death, divorce, etc is also very small.  In most cases, spouses have the same points and most of the rest are within a few.  

Disagree. Doesn't matter who is using the lounge the LA will make the decision based on actual numbers booked for that specific cruise not by who is actually maybe using the DL. Just like how the decision is made for P's being allowed in the SL or not. 

[cannotfathom]

On 10/15/2023 at 12:05 PM, firefly333 said:

Lol I'm already seeing posts how people are never cruising royal again. ... over evening snacks.

 

Its posted on wonder now too. I'd like to see the whole letter and about which cruises its affecting, how many high level were on. Crazy posts elsewhere. Once they starts snacks same time as my dinner imquit going. Can I gift my snacks to some diamond so they quit being outraged?

Is it so much the loss of snacks or loss of perks that were earned?  It seems like every turn everything is costing more and services and benefits are getting reduced.

[cannotfathom]

On 10/15/2023 at 12:28 PM, firefly333 said:

Only the top 30 pinnacles have access to the suite lounge. .. count how high you are pinnacles, it's your turn.

 

 

On my most recent cruise on Oasis there were 32 pinnacles....imagine how fun it is to be the bottom 2.

[RoperDK]

 

22 hours ago, RoperDK said:

Glad this seems to be only for top tier heavy cruises.  Spreads out the crowds.  We don't use the coffee machine in the Crown or Suite lounges because we can't figure out how to use it. 😁 I have to admit that we use the evening snacks as a light dinner sometimes. It would be missed if we don't have access.      

 

21 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Using the coffee machine pretty much involves pushing a button or two.

 

21 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Push the Americana button.

We usually get the regular coffee at WJ or Cafe Promenade.  We bring large stainless to go mugs for the coffee and I bring our own flavored creamer onboard.  I have to admit to getting intimidated by the suite/diamond lounge coffee machines.  I've been told to just push the Americano button.  So, on the last cruise on Mariner when I was in the suite lounge for evening drinks I bravely walked up to that machine and looked for that Americano button.  There wasn't one, dang it!  So now what do I do?  I decided that we were happy enough with the regular old coffee onboard and left it like that.  

[island lady]

7 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

So this all turned out to be a casino signature cruise which meant there were much higher top tier numbers than a typical cruise.

Much ado about nothing.

 

But the ado is coming.  😉 

[island lady]

6 hours ago, BND said:

How?

 

LOL...don't go into the lounges.  😄   We don't.  

[island lady]

2 hours ago, 2chiefs said:

When they used to have the Tuttie salad bar at lunch in the main dining room (pre-covid), I would go up and simply request prosciutto and feta cheese only. I would get a weird look, but they complied, and I would take it back to my table and enjoy....

 

OMG...I miss the Tuttie salad bar.   Sigh..so many cut back now.  Just not the same. 😞 

[2chiefs]

14 hours ago, island lady said:

 

OMG...I miss the Tuttie salad bar.   Sigh..so many cut back now.  Just not the same. 😞 

Yep. First it was Honey Stung Chicken and now Tuttie..... Next it'll be the Ranger cookies

[OCSC Mike]

2 minutes ago, 2chiefs said:

Yep. First it was Honey Stung Chicken and now Tuttie..... Next it'll be the Ranger cookies

 

Paella became my embarkation WJ lunch for a long time and also disappeared. Somehow I still find plenty to eat every time I cruise.

[island lady]

42 minutes ago, 2chiefs said:

Yep. First it was Honey Stung Chicken and now Tuttie..... Next it'll be the Ranger cookies

 

Nooooo!!!   😮  Not the Ranger cookies!! 

[yogimax]

17 hours ago, doghog said:

Disagree. Doesn't matter who is using the lounge the LA will make the decision based on actual numbers booked for that specific cruise not by who is actually maybe using the DL.

Do you really believe the LA or concierge will make the decision based on numbers?  My experience when D+ were kicked out of the Concierge Lounge that numbers had nothing to do with it.  It simply became "No entrance for D+"  Period.

[OCSC Mike]

6 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Do you really believe the LA or concierge will make the decision based on numbers?  My experience when D+ were kicked out of the Concierge Lounge that numbers had nothing to do with it.  It simply became "No entrance for D+"  Period.

 

That would make the wording of the letter that says "based on the number of top tier members on THIS CRUISE, etc." a lie and I don't see the point of that if it's actually a fleet wide policy. We would immediately know it's a lie if it suddenly was the case on every ship and every sailing.

Edited October 17, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[island lady]

10 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Do you really believe the LA or concierge will make the decision based on numbers?  My experience when D+ were kicked out of the Concierge Lounge that numbers had nothing to do with it.  It simply became "No entrance for D+"  Period.

 

Much like when Diamonds were kicked out of the Concierge Lounges (which were the only lounges at that time...no separate loyalty lounges).   

 

Then later came the "Diamond Event"...normally held in one of the open lounges for 3 hours. No coffee machine, no keyed entry.   Just bar mix, beer, wine and bubbly.   But we had the best time at those!  

[yogimax]

12 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

We would immediately know it's a lie if it suddenly was the case on every ship and every sailing.

If not a policy now, it's coming to your neighborhood sooner than you think.  Why else, the sudden name change to "Crown Lounge?"

 

[OCSC Mike]

3 minutes ago, yogimax said:

If not a policy now, it's coming to your neighborhood sooner than you think.  Why else, the sudden name change to "Crown Lounge?"

 

You could be right, you could be wrong. I don't like to react to what ifs or get bothered in advance. If it happens, it happens. When I board Allure in 8 days, I'll find out the policy for that cruise and worry about it then (not actually worry as it's not THAT big a deal just b/c I like checking out the HH snacks).

 

The sudden name change could be for the selective denial on top tier heavy cruises... or it could be in anticipation of a fleet wide policy chance. Again, you could be right, you could be wrong.

 

You're confident in your prediction and that's perfectly fine. It doesn't impact me any. Obviously I hope you're wrong but not for the sake of you being wrong; I just enjoy the snacks.

[Husky1987]

[TYMAN]

32 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Much like when Diamonds were kicked out of the Concierge Lounges (which were the only lounges at that time...no separate loyalty lounges).   

 

Then later came the "Diamond Event"...normally held in one of the open lounges for 3 hours. No coffee machine, no keyed entry.   Just bar mix, beer, wine and bubbly.   But we had the best time at those!  

Loved the Diamond Event up in the VCL on the smaller ships! I remember listening to the Rosario Strings playing while drinking Appletini's made by Desmond. The Apps were so much better. Young Tyler loved when it was chicken wing night. Wow, long time ago, but great memories. Each cruise, from Sovereign to Majesty to Monarch the Diamond Event was our favorite HH. I remember seeing the same guy at each HH, Lord Timothy I believe was his name....

[BND]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Nooooo!!!   😮  Not the Ranger cookies!! 

They already don't have them everyday.   DH would go look for them and bring back a plate to  keep in our room (didn't last long). It got to be a running joke with friends onboard.  Whoever saw them would report back as to whether they were in the WJ or Park Cafe.