Permanent change to lounge access?

[frank808]

12 hours ago, Mick B said:

Sorry, my comment about the pool hogs was a poor attempt at humour.

 

However, I do believe they published some literature somewhere stating that anything left unattended on chairs for more than 30 minutes would be removed and taken to the towel station for collection. So in effect, unless that is just bull on Royal's part, then I would actually image they would have someone available to carry out just such an action.

 

Anyway, back to the Crown Lounge, I do feel a bit sorry for the Diamond members who may lose out on the HH perk depending on capacity. One of the reasons for limiting the available space in there is partly due to RCI limiting the amount of Pins in the CL and therefore moving them into the Crown Lounge. 

 

I think a better way to handle this on ALL ships on ALL sailings (since they know how many C&A members Diamond and above will be onboard) is to simply allow everyone in the Crown Lounge and also open up a overspill nearby like they do on ships like the Anthem where they open up part of the Music Hall next to it, or on ships where the Viking Lounge is adjacent.

 

Its not like RCI are saving anything as everyone has to use their drinks vouchers to obtain a drink now.

 

The whole point of benefits is to not only award repeat cruisers with loyalty, but to also make them feel special and part of something. It isn't nice if you are given it but then find out you can't have it during a particular cruise, but you could have had it if you had gone a week earlier or later when the numbers were lower etc.

 

If you are like me, I didn't cruise to get to D+, my wife and I cruised because we liked what RCI did for us with food and shows etc and also to visit certain ports where we only wanted to visit for a few hours and not stay. Getting to Diamond and then D+ was a bonus, and a very nice one too. 

 

Sadly, at some point in time, unless RCI start changing the way points are kept/accrued, then more and more perks will probably be removed for Diamond and D+ folk. I get that and that's why I enjoy to the max what I can currently get. What I don't like is finding out once on board that certain things you were promised in advance are suddenly removed for the duration of that cruise only.

Can anyone remember when they started limiting access to the CL for D+ members when too many Pins or Suite guests were sailing that cruise. Well in the end they axed D+ members' entry to the CL full stop - so if that's anything to go by then you know what may happen soon. Really hope it doesn't come to that.

 

Mick.

 

It was right before covid in Jan or Feb of 2020 that D+ was eliminated from Concierge Lounge. I was on one of the first sailings this happened. At least we got to use the concierge lounge for a few times while not in a suite before the expulsion.

[Merion_Mom]

27 minutes ago, frank808 said:

It was right before covid in Jan or Feb of 2020 that D+ was eliminated from Concierge Lounge. I was on one of the first sailings this happened. At least we got to use the concierge lounge for a few times while not in a suite before the expulsion.

 

Depends on the ship.  On some, it was December 2019.

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, frank808 said:

It was right before covid in Jan or Feb of 2020 that D+ was eliminated from Concierge Lounge. I was on one of the first sailings this happened. At least we got to use the concierge lounge for a few times while not in a suite before the expulsion.

Permanent D+ ban was Dec. 16, 2022.

[Mick B]

Hi,

The thing I miss about not being allowed into the CL as a D+ member was use of the coffee machine. I know there is one in the DL (sorry Crown Lounge), but on many occasions the one in the DL was broken and awaiting parts whilst the one in the CL was working so could use that. There really wasn't any other benefit as the food and drinks were the same.

 

I do feel sorry for the Diamonds being barred from the Crown Lounge during HH on certain sailings, but if you just want a nice coffee from the machine in there, then you could go and get one at any other time of the day other than during HH.

 

Now, what would be really nice is if when the machine in there lounge is broken that RCI upload some free coffee vouchers onto your sea pass card for use elsewhere. I know you can use you vouchers for coffee anyway, but I for one wouldn't want to waste a $14 voucher that could get me the drink of the day, for example, on a coffee no matter how nice it is.

 

I too believe that at some point in the next 5 years that all the top perks we currently enjoy will be removed for all C&A members below 340 points and a new tier (possibly called the Crown tier) will be introduced. I could be wrong and I hope I am wrong. However, if I am right then at some point this will be leaked out a few years in advance (on purpose) to make people start booking suites instead of insides or balconies to get double points to hit the deadline for their first cruise affected making RCI more money than they would have got in the process.

 

Mick.

 

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, Mick B said:

Hi,

The thing I miss about not being allowed into the CL as a D+ member was use of the coffee machine. I know there is one in the DL (sorry Crown Lounge), but on many occasions the one in the DL was broken and awaiting parts whilst the one in the CL was working so could use that. There really wasn't any other benefit as the food and drinks were the same.

 

I do feel sorry for the Diamonds being barred from the Crown Lounge during HH on certain sailings, but if you just want a nice coffee from the machine in there, then you could go and get one at any other time of the day other than during HH.

 

Now, what would be really nice is if when the machine in there lounge is broken that RCI upload some free coffee vouchers onto your sea pass card for use elsewhere. I know you can use you vouchers for coffee anyway, but I for one wouldn't want to waste a $14 voucher that could get me the drink of the day, for example, on a coffee no matter how nice it is.

 

I too believe that at some point in the next 5 years that all the top perks we currently enjoy will be removed for all C&A members below 340 points and a new tier (possibly called the Crown tier) will be introduced. I could be wrong and I hope I am wrong. However, if I am right then at some point this will be leaked out a few years in advance (on purpose) to make people start booking suites instead of insides or balconies to get double points to hit the deadline for their first cruise affected making RCI more money than they would have got in the process.

 

Mick.

 

I agree with you about the coffee voucher but imagine the line!!!  It is my only reason to go into the lounge.  

As an aside, I spent 10 days last month in the YC on MSC Divina and the bartender would hand me my coffee when I finished at the gym and came into the Top Sail Lounge.  For half the price of an inside on the Icon.  Point is there are other options if Royal continues to cut corners for loyalty.  It was the 1st time in 34 cruises I was very sad to leave a ship.

[BND]

6 hours ago, Mick B said:

 

 

Now, what would be really nice is if when the machine in there lounge is broken that RCI upload some free coffee vouchers onto your sea pass card for use elsewhere. I know you can use you vouchers for coffee anyway, but I for one wouldn't want to waste a $14 voucher that could get me the drink of the day, for example, on a coffee no matter how nice it is.

 

They have done the coffee vouchers and still do occasionally.  We've been on a couple of ships where the coffee machine didn't work and we got coffee vouchers.  We do use our drink vouchers for coffee and gasp, occasionally for water.  We also never use all 5 each.  We've only used all 5 one time and that was a day we got fresh squeezed oj at breakfast.  Use them however you like, but it's not a waste even if you don't use them if you don't need to.  

[Mick B]

I think it was on the Anthem back in Oct 2022 doing the TA that we got 1 free coffee voucher per day for some reason. IIRC the machine in the DL was working, so not sure why they did it, but it proves it can be done.

 

Mick.

 

[actuarian]

On 2/7/2024 at 9:09 PM, Tatka said:

   I am prepared for Royal to raise number of points to 350 or even higher for Crown lounge and be excluded for 3 hours. I can skip snacks 🙂

I enjoyed cruising without lounge too. 
I can drink my 5 drinks in various places 

Now that the Diamond Lounge has become the Crown Lounge, how long before RCCL adds a new tier to Crown & Anchor? They have already given us the name; "Crown" or maybe "Crown Club". Perhaps Crown Club will be for members with 350 points or maybe even 500 points. Then the Crown Lounge will be only for Crown Club and Pinnacle Club members.

[Tatka]

8 minutes ago, actuarian said:

Now that the Diamond Lounge has become the Crown Lounge, how long before RCCL adds a new tier to Crown & Anchor? They have already given us the name; "Crown" or maybe "Crown Club". Perhaps Crown Club will be for members with 350 points or maybe even 500 points. Then the Crown Lounge will be only for Crown Club and Pinnacle Club members.

 

Could be. Private company with own analysts and rules.

 

As long as they provide me with what is expected from cruise I am good.

[MichaelCMTX]

2 hours ago, actuarian said:

Now that the Diamond Lounge has become the Crown Lounge, how long before RCCL adds a new tier to Crown & Anchor? They have already given us the name; "Crown" or maybe "Crown Club". Perhaps Crown Club will be for members with 350 points or maybe even 500 points. Then the Crown Lounge will be only for Crown Club and Pinnacle Club members.

Would not be shocked to see this. It's a LONG way from D+ to Pinnacle.

 

What I often wonder about, and I'm sure folks here have some numbers, I know a great many Pins we've met have been... let's euphemistically say "folks my parents age"... (I am at the middle ground of my 50s) and I know at their age they've long since hung up their sea pass lanyards. Getting to the ship alone is just too much hassle.

 

And I know we spoke to many Pins who remembered with enthusiasm RC's long-ago since-ended double-points for December sailings.  Many saying that specifically was what got them to Pinnacle.

 

Is there enough of a flow of new Pins to replace those no longer cruising (Or, sadly, walking the Earth in general)?  

[ChittyChittyBangBang]

On 2/7/2024 at 1:38 PM, Tatka said:

 

Honestly with removing unlimited drinks in Diamond lounge they already reduced a number of people who go there during HH.

 

For us it is also a location. I like lounges with windows or adjacent to Viking Crown lounges or at least places with windows like on Quantum class.

 

I find that I do not go into DL (now Crown lounge) on Oasis class as it is just in bad location.

 

Yep! I really enjoy most Voyager class Diamond Lounges!

[Tatka]

7 minutes ago, ChittyChittyBangBang said:

Yep! I really enjoy most Voyager class Diamond Lounges!

 

We loved it on Explorer, Adventure and also on Liberty! I guess if will be denied access to CL I will still be in VCL on sailaways with my Diamond drink. 🙂

 

In fact we have Vision cruise coming and CL is not upstairs (it is in aft lounge). We are thinking about skipping CL and spend time in VCL. Maybe we can take some snacks with us for imitation.

[ChittyChittyBangBang]

On 2/7/2024 at 3:56 PM, 3yorkies said:

Except on Allure, which has the best lounge in the fleet IMHO.   Great view, relatively spacious

Yep! Allure OTS has a great lounge and a one of kind Brazilian Steakhouse!

[ChittyChittyBangBang]

On 2/7/2024 at 4:09 PM, BND said:

Not for long.  She's going in for her amp up finally and that will change, just like all Oasis class ships.  We did enjoy that lounge.

Oh my!  When does Allure OTS get amped up!  Uh!  Will amped keep the Brazilian Steakhouse?  spent 20 days onboard Oasis OTS Amped in December 2023.  Crown lounge does not have any windows 🙂

[SUgwoz]

1 hour ago, MichaelCMTX said:

Would not be shocked to see this. It's a LONG way from D+ to Pinnacle.

 

What I often wonder about, and I'm sure folks here have some numbers, I know a great many Pins we've met have been... let's euphemistically say "folks my parents age"... (I am at the middle ground of my 50s) and I know at their age they've long since hung up their sea pass lanyards. Getting to the ship alone is just too much hassle.

 

And I know we spoke to many Pins who remembered with enthusiasm RC's long-ago since-ended double-points for December sailings.  Many saying that specifically was what got them to Pinnacle.

 

Is there enough of a flow of new Pins to replace those no longer cruising (Or, sadly, walking the Earth in general)?  

In 2000 there was 13 ships, with capacity less than 2500.  I assume less suites available for double points.  Now there is 27 ships, with capacity more than 3500.  Cruising is more accessible and available than ever.  If someone wanted to be a Pinnacle they can probably achieve it quicker than someone who wanted to do it in the past.  

 

Also there is probably a lot more young adults, that accrued a fair amount of points in their childhood that you wouldn't see 20 years ago. 

[BND]

3 minutes ago, ChittyChittyBangBang said:

Oh my!  When does Allure OTS get amped up!  Uh!  Will amped keep the Brazilian Steakhouse?  spent 20 days onboard Oasis OTS Amped in December 2023.  Crown lounge does not have any windows 🙂

Sometime in early 2025 is what I've seen.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Allure-of-the-Seas-refurbishment

 

Edited February 9 by BND

[Chip and Dale]

On 2/7/2024 at 3:24 PM, tanderine said:

Would you kindly tell me where in the app it addresses Diamond access to Crown Lounge?  We leave on Symphony on 2/24 and are wondering if we will have restricted access. Just trying to manage expectations!

I was on Symphony b2b January 7 to 21.  They limited 30 top Pinnacles to the Suite Lounge and no Diamonds in the Crown Lounge. 
 

The Crown lounge had someone at the door checking cards almost every night. It was full of Pinnacles, especially the 2nd cruise. 

[RobInMN]

3 hours ago, ChittyChittyBangBang said:

Oh my!  When does Allure OTS get amped up!  Uh!  Will amped keep the Brazilian Steakhouse?  spent 20 days onboard Oasis OTS Amped in December 2023.  Crown lounge does not have any windows 🙂

She's doing an east bound TA to Barcelona from Feb 10-22, 2025, and her next cruise is a 5 night from Barcelona April 15-20. At one point there was a 4 night April 11-15, but it's no longer listed. After that, she's spending the summer doing the Western Mediterranean until October 26th. Waiting for the west bound TA to be posted (next week?).

 

There has not been a formal announcement yet, but apparently it was referred to in the Q4 earnings call last week (all though it sounds like they might not have used "Amplification" by name). So there is no information yet as to whether there will be any changes from the original amplification plan. Here's the original press release from 2019 for the cancelled 2020 Amplification:

https://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/press-release/1403/new-amplified-adventures-on-royal-caribbeans-allure-of-the-seas-to-make-a-summer-splash-in-europe/

 

If they stick with the original plan, I think Samba Grill stays, but Sabors will be replaced by Portside BBQ. The Diamond/Crown lounge becomes Playmakers, and yes, the Crown lounge would go to the windowless deck 4. Dazzles will become Music Hall. The one I really hope they drop is changing the Champagne Bar to a Bionic Bar. I think that has run it's course and I think RC knows it. I think they'd be much better off trying to put the Pesky Parrot in there instead (that's what Utopia will have in that spot).

 

But we'll have to just wait and see what gets announced.

 

 

[Another_Critic]

On 2/9/2024 at 9:16 AM, Mick B said:

I think it was on the Anthem back in Oct 2022 doing the TA that we got 1 free coffee voucher per day for some reason. IIRC the machine in the DL was working, so not sure why they did it, but it proves it can be done.

 

Mick.

 

 

Also received 1 coffee voucher per day on the Oct 2023 Anthem TA.

[Another_Critic]

On 2/9/2024 at 6:17 AM, jean87510 said:

I agree with you about the coffee voucher but imagine the line!!!  It is my only reason to go into the lounge.  

 

Lines at multiple coffee venues vs a line at one CL coffee machine.

 

I've been on several cruises with a very long line in the AM for the CL coffee machine.  Of course, regardless of the line, people are getting double/triple espressos and 3 or 4 drinks.  😞 

[BND]

2 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Lines at multiple coffee venues vs a line at one CL coffee machine.

 

I've been on several cruises with a very long line in the AM for the CL coffee machine.  Of course, regardless of the line, people are getting double/triple espressos and 3 or 4 drinks.  😞 

On Jewel on our b2b Oct/Nov Bayonne to Quebec City cruise, there was a long line every morning, but then, there were a lot of D and above onboard.  Like half the ship lol.

[TeamCan]

On 2/9/2024 at 6:13 AM, BND said:

They have done the coffee vouchers and still do occasionally.  We've been on a couple of ships where the coffee machine didn't work and we got coffee vouchers.  We do use our drink vouchers for coffee and gasp, occasionally for water.  We also never use all 5 each.  We've only used all 5 one time and that was a day we got fresh squeezed oj at breakfast.  Use them however you like, but it's not a waste even if you don't use them if you don't need to.  

Agree… us too. Since we don’t use all of our vouchers up, we ask our room steward what beers, ciders he/she likes and will leave them for them in the cabin

[steveru621]

Any mention of the suite lounge is disappearing from all documents.

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

On 2/8/2024 at 8:56 AM, Mick B said:

I think a better way to handle this on ALL ships on ALL sailings (since they know how many C&A members Diamond and above will be onboard) is to simply allow everyone in the Crown Lounge and also open up a overspill nearby like they do on ships like the Anthem where they open up part of the Music Hall next to it, or on ships where the Viking Lounge is adjacent.

 

Its not like RCI are saving anything as everyone has to use their drinks vouchers to obtain a drink now.

 

The whole point of benefits is to not only award repeat cruisers with loyalty, but to also make them feel special and part of something. It isn't nice if you are given it but then find out you can't have it during a particular cruise, but you could have had it if you had gone a week earlier or later when the numbers were lower etc.

 

It certainly means saving less with vouchers required, but I'm not so sure about saving nothing. On many (not all) ships, the evening hors d'oeuvres have desserts that are exponentially higher in quality than what you find elsewhere. My last cruise had choux buns, complete with craquelin and crème pâtissière in various flavors, that rivaled any choux pastries I've had anywhere in the world. The appetizers themselves tend to be a step up as well, in my experience. I suspect they don't want to "feed the masses" at that level of food cost. 

 

That being said, I completely agree with your point about making repeat cruisers feel special and valued. I expect to reach D+ before any permanent change in that direction could be implemented, but for now, I would definitely be disappointed if I was on one of the cruises where Diamonds were shut out in the evenings. I might just lurk around the entryway and bribe people to sneak me out sone choux buns when they're on the menu. 😉

[Engineroom Snipe]

2 hours ago, BND said:

On Jewel on our b2b Oct/Nov Bayonne to Quebec City cruise, there was a long line every morning, but then, there were a lot of D and above onboard.  Like half the ship lol.

November, 2023, on Jewel from Bayonne to Puerto Rico, close to 1,200 Diamond and higher with a 2,150 occupancy (maximum available was about 2,400 on that ship). I believe that Diamond Plus and higher was almost 600. The high Pinnacles were in the 3,000 to 6,000 point range if one could imagine it.

 

Literally, more than half the ship seemed to be in theater for the Crown and Anchor welcome event. I remember one person tripping down the stairs and taking a hard fall trying to find a seat. She seemed to be ok but I was very worried for her.