New "crown lounge" rule

[nelblu]

Just now, OCSC Mike said:

 

That's what my wife does... so I get up with her but my version of exercise is walking to the DL/CL for coffee and then somewhere for "pre-breakfast."

 

I love walking through the ship in the early hours. Central Park is very peaceful and I often go to Park Cafe when it opens at 6:30am.

I like 6:30. On Oasis CP opened at 7 and I usually wound up in the WJ and get a fresh made to order omelet.

[OCSC Mike]

10 minutes ago, nelblu said:

I like 6:30. On Oasis CP opened at 7 and I usually wound up in the WJ and get a fresh made to order omelet.

 

I think we had this conversation, lol.

[livingonthebeach]

Wow - while most of us thought this policy would take a while before implementation  -- it's happening sooner than we thought. So the rumors were not just rumors -- it's seems it's a done deal. Personally, I never really liked the hors-d'oeurvres served during HH. They were not very good (think greasy spoon) and they are dinner appetite killers. Since I am 7 points away from being D+ I don't think I will be affected unless they limit the D lounge to just Pinns. RCI should really think about something extra to give to the D folks to make up for this change -- like an extra drink to two. What would be a fair exchange?

[Tree_skier]

12 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

Wow - while most of us thought this policy would take a while before implementation  -- it's happening sooner than we thought. So the rumors were not just rumors -- it's seems it's a done deal. Personally, I never really liked the hors-d'oeurvres served during HH. They were not very good (think greasy spoon) and they are dinner appetite killers. Since I am 7 points away from being D+ I don't think I will be affected unless they limit the D lounge to just Pinns. RCI should really think about something extra to give to the D folks to make up for this change -- like an extra drink to two. What would be a fair exchange?

It's far from a done deal... It appears to be based on capacity of the lounge and the number of D's. There is a live going right now that shows diamonds with full access to the lounge.  My suspicion is they are going to handle it like they have done with Pins in CK and the suite lounge.  If capacity is challenged because of the number they'll implement the restriction.  

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

That's what my wife does... so I get up with her but my version of exercise is walking to the DL/CL for coffee and then somewhere for "pre-breakfast."

 

I love walking through the ship in the early hours. Central Park is very peaceful and I often go to Park Cafe when it opens at 6:30am.

 

57 minutes ago, nelblu said:

I like 6:30. On Oasis CP opened at 7 and I usually wound up in the WJ and get a fresh made to order omelet.

6:30 is still night time 🤯

[ReneeFLL]

14 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Pinnacles were not allowed in the suite lounge on the TA.    They used Vortex for a private nightly Pinnacle event.  I think there were about 160 Pinnacle’s on the cruise. At all other times or for Concierge assistance,   Pinnacle’s were directed to the Diamond  lounge.

 

Since  that was a private event, I can understand why people were asked to leave. I think however, it will be a little more difficult in the crown lounge.  I can  imagine some passengers getting quite upset and causing a scene. I suspect if a handful of folks are in the lounge at the beginning of HH, perhaps the Concierge will just let go.

 

Sounds like a mess for both passengers and staff 

m
 

We never tried to get into the suite lounge so I didn’t know that. We went to the nightly Pinnacle HH (event). There was one man we saw who wasn’t happy and said he wasn’t going to leave. He finally did after a couple of minutes. I still think they will ask people to leave, but only time will tell.

 

Whenever we needed assistance we just waited for the HH. Francisco would make the rounds every night in the Vortex and that’s when we would talk to him.

[rolloman]

1 hour ago, PompeySailor said:

Can confirm 5:15 for us with a 5:30 in app

It saves all the lines and Q’s outside 

so the masses don’t all arrive at the same time 

A window eases the flow 😎

The first night is 5:30...your server will tell you at the dinner service to be there at 5:15 the rest of the cruise. I think they allot 15 extra minutes first night because they have to show everyone their seat. This is why the app says what it does.

[PompeySailor]

5 minutes ago, rolloman said:

The first night is 5:30...your server will tell you at the dinner service to be there at 5:15 the rest of the cruise. I think they allot 15 extra minutes first night because they have to show everyone their seat. This is why the app says what it does.

I know I’m currently on Grandeur 

in at 5:16 all done by 6:15

 

 

[livingonthebeach]

11 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

It's far from a done deal... It appears to be based on capacity of the lounge and the number of D's. There is a live going right now that shows diamonds with full access to the lounge.  My suspicion is they are going to handle it like they have done with Pins in CK and the suite lounge.  If capacity is challenged because of the number they'll implement the restriction.  

 

Thanks for the info. This sounds right for now but when there are more and more top tier passengers, I wonder if this is going to be a permanent thing. I wonder what would be a fair exchange for losing the HH snacks? 

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, nelblu said:

I'm an early riser myself and at the track at 5:30. The promenade is a ghost town at that time.

Best time of day on a ship as far as I'm concerned. Fortunately for people like us most folks in the ship never experience it.🙂

[Ocean Boy]

8 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Thanks for the info. This sounds right for now but when there are more and more top tier passengers, I wonder if this is going to be a permanent thing. I wonder what would be a fair exchange for losing the HH snacks? 

They have Sorrento's.🫨😊

[PompeySailor]

1 hour ago, nelblu said:

I'm an early riser myself and at the track at 5:30. The promenade is a ghost town at that time.

So you are the one waking everybody up on Deck 6 at 5:30 doing your laps on deck 5 - found you 😉

(Oasis class ships)

If you don’t jog on the big ladies , it’s not you 😇

Joggers on some ships should wait until after 8am and let us old folk sleep 😎

[livingonthebeach]

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

They have Sorrento's.🫨😊

 

Yes this is true, however Sorrento's has always been free for everyone. What do you think would be a fair exchange for Ds losing their evening snacks? Especially on ships with no Sorrento's?

Edited October 21, 2023 by livingonthebeach

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Yes this is true, however Sorrento's as always been free for everyone. What do you think would be a fair exchange for Ds losing their evening snacks? Especially on ships with no Sorrento's?

If they were losing out on drinks I could see the problem. I don't see the snacks as a big deal requiring a replacement. Finding something to eat on a cruise ship doesn't take much effort.

[cruisegirl1]

24 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

We never tried to get into the suite lounge so I didn’t know that. We went to the nightly Pinnacle HH (event). There was one man we saw who wasn’t happy and said he wasn’t going to leave. He finally did after a couple of minutes. I still think they will ask people to leave, but only time will tell.

 

Whenever we needed assistance we just waited for the HH. Francisco would make the rounds every night in the Vortex and that’s when we would talk to him.

We never tried to get into the suite lounge either, because the written information we received from the royalty  ambassador or concierge (honestly, I can’t recall who sends that information)  let us know that we were restricted. 

I recall that often  the loyalty ambassador is at the Pinnacle event. That is very nice. I understand some other officers come in, but we’re not there often enough to see them. 
 

m

 

 

[PompeySailor]

17 of us in Crown lounge, make that 15, 2 just left (Grandeur Deck 6)

 

Tonight’s offerings 

Vegetable Tempura, Chicken fingers and meatballs 

Healthy stuff and cookies 

 

For those who still like the lounges and nibbles 

 

TBH This is the most we have ever used a DL (Crown lounge) on any ship 

(Wifi hotspot here is best on ship) 😎

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2023 by PompeySailor

[deepcman]

1 hour ago, livingonthebeach said:

RCI should really think about something extra to give to the D folks to make up for this change -- like an extra drink to two. What would be a fair exchange?

Maybe a tissue would be the extra gift. What did they give D+ when they got kicked out of the concierge lounge. 

[doghog]

4 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Dave...you are D+ right?  No worries then.  😉 

Correct. My concern is where dose it stop. We lost the CL. Not a biggie for us. For some reason we felt out of place in the CLs and right at home in the DLs. Just hate to see the cuts. Fighting for the diamonds. 😉 BTW, I've expressed my concerns up the chain about this possible fleetwide change.  Even on Celebrity. As the great Buffalo Springfield sang, "For what it's worth". ✌️

[FishOn55]

13 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

I feel like I've posted this a dozen times already. Some of us really enjoy the happy hour snacks there. It has nothing to do with drinks or the room for me (which is usually the windowless basement but will actually be the nice one on Allure next week). I never order drinks there.

 

I won't complain (they have the right to change rules so there's no point) but I will be disappointed if I can't pop in for the snacks next week on Allure. Will it ruin my cruise? Of course not. But I will miss going there for maybe 30 mins to have some hors d'oeuvres that I can't get elsewhere before dinner.

Same.

[doghog]

1 hour ago, deepcman said:

Maybe a tissue would be the extra gift. What did they give D+ when they got kicked out of the concierge lounge. 

They only gave us the boot. 

[doghog]

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

It's far from a done deal... It appears to be based on capacity of the lounge and the number of D's. There is a live going right now that shows diamonds with full access to the lounge.  My suspicion is they are going to handle it like they have done with Pins in CK and the suite lounge.  If capacity is challenged because of the number they'll implement the restriction.  

Agree. The decision is being made from ship to ship based on the number of D+ and Ps onboard. If the numbers are high, D will be kicked out of the CL in the evening. When I spoke to the shoreside CAS this morning I told her the whole thing stinks. Just because the numbers might be high on that cruise doesn't mean the CL is going to be maxed out. I suggested if this continues the CL should be first come, first serve, no matter if D, D+ or P. Let the CL concierge decide room capacity.   

[FishOn55]

27 minutes ago, doghog said:

Correct. My concern is where dose it stop. We lost the CL. Not a biggie for us. For some reason we felt out of place in the CLs and right at home in the DLs. Just hate to see the cuts. Fighting for the diamonds. 😉 BTW, I've expressed my concerns up the chain about this possible fleetwide change.  Even on Celebrity. As the great Buffalo Springfield sang, "For what it's worth". ✌️

As a current Diamond  with a long way to go to Diamond+, I appreciate your fight for our right to continue our use of the Diamond/Crown lounge during HH. As we often cruise with friends that are Diamond+, we often meet in the lounge before dinner for a few drinks/snacks. We're comfortable there catching up on the days activities. I hope that we will continue to be able to do so in the future.

[FishOn55]

20 minutes ago, doghog said:

First come, first serve, no matter if D, D+ or P. Let the CL concierge decide room capacity.   

What a great idea!

[doghog]

20 minutes ago, FishOn55 said:

As a current Diamond  with a long way to go to Diamond+, I appreciate your fight for our right to continue our use of the Diamond/Crown lounge during HH. As we often cruise with friends that are Diamond+, we often meet in the lounge before dinner for a few drinks/snacks. We're comfortable there catching up on the days activities. I hope that we will continue to be able to do so in the future.

We've only been D+ since March of 2017. For us making D was way better than making D+. I don't think we'll ever grow tired of the DL, I mean CL. United we stand, divided we fall. 

 

Start voicing your concerns to Royal. The shoreside CAS (1-800-526-9723) is a start. I also emailed  mbayley@rccl.com. Hopefully it gets forwarded to the correct people and not deleted. Anyone know the email address for the executive office? I have had good results from the Celebrity executive office with questions and concerns about some of the recent Captains Club changes. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by doghog

[cruisegirl1]

3 hours ago, deepcman said:

Maybe a tissue would be the extra gift. What did they give D+ when they got kicked out of the concierge lounge. 

Are you aware that in many instances, pinnacles are also restricted  from the concierge lounge?  So,  both pinnacles and D+ are in good company. 😄
m

Edited October 22, 2023 by cruisegirl1