Couple of Diamond Plus Questions

[scottie99]

We are on Anthem out of Southampton on 19 May.

 

We are D+ but haven’t cruised RCCL for a long time.

 

To use our daily 5 drink vouchers, do you have to tell the bartender/waiter that we wish to use a voucher or will it happen automatically?

 

I believe we can get a buy one, get one free on specialty restaurants on first 2 nights.  How do we activate this?  Should I just book for the 2 of us in advance and ask for D+ discount when signing on board or is there an other method of getting the discount?

[Merion_Mom]

Many waiters will ask you if you want to use a Diamond voucher, but it's a good idea to mention it.

 

You can book in advance, but you have to pay for it when you book the reservations, then go through the process of getting a refund on board.  Or you can just wait until you are on the ship and pay when you eat.  

[Jetdriver787]

As I am sure you already know, you get a “BOGO” discount each. So effectively you can get two reservations. The T&C’s say you have to book and use them on night 1 or 2. Some ships operate a flexible interpretation of usage, but Anthem didn’t. It was easy to book and use the vouchers once you boarded at any of the speciality restaurants. There were also staff “roaming” to take bookings. 
 

As mentioned above, it is a good idea just to let bartenders or waiters know that you want to use a voucher when you order your drinks, but most of the time they ask in any event.

[rrraydon]

1 hour ago, Jetdriver787 said:

As I am sure you already know, you get a “BOGO” discount each. So effectively you can get two reservations. The T&C’s say you have to book and use them on night 1 or 2. Some ships operate a flexible interpretation of usage, but Anthem didn’t. It was easy to book and use the vouchers once you boarded at any of the speciality restaurants. There were also staff “roaming” to take bookings. 
 

As mentioned above, it is a good idea just to let bartenders or waiters know that you want to use a voucher when you order your drinks, but most of the time they ask in any event.

If you're D+ and solo I wonder can you dine on night one get the free dinner on night two?

[little britain]

It’s also good to tell them when you don’t want to use a voucher - like if you are buying a Coke. Don’t want to waste a $14 voucher on a £$4 tin of Coke !!!!

[little britain]

1 minute ago, rrraydon said:

If you're D+ and solo I wonder can you dine on night one get the free dinner on night two?

Yes you can 

[cublet]

2 hours ago, little britain said:

It’s also good to tell them when you don’t want to use a voucher - like if you are buying a Coke. Don’t want to waste a $14 voucher on a £$4 tin of Coke !!!!

Hello,

 

But it's a good deal if you want to use the Coke as a tarnished metal cleaner (the only thing it's fit for).

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, little britain said:

It’s also good to tell them when you don’t want to use a voucher - like if you are buying a Coke. Don’t want to waste a $14 voucher on a £$4 tin of Coke !!!!

That's been my experience. They'll by default use a voucher if one is available. Though I've had some ask "are you sure you want to use a voucher for that?"

[nelblu]

4 hours ago, rrraydon said:

If you're D+ and solo I wonder can you dine on night one get the free dinner on night two?

 Yes or get discount on one.  

[PhillyFan33579]

From my experience on over 30 cruises now, bartenders will automatically apply a drink voucher to anything you order unless you specifically tell them not to use a voucher. If you don’t want them to use a voucher (if ordering a soda, water, or even a beer, etc.) make sure to tell your bartender not to use a voucher when you tell them what you want. 

[rrraydon]

3 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

From my experience on over 30 cruises now, bartenders will automatically apply a drink voucher to anything you order unless you specifically tell them not to use a voucher. If you don’t want them to use a voucher (if ordering a soda, water, or even a beer, etc.) make sure to tell your bartender not to use a voucher when you tell them what you want. 

This has been my experience as well. I always specify when order. 

[Merion_Mom]

13 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

From my experience on over 30 cruises now, bartenders will automatically apply a drink voucher to anything you order unless you specifically tell them not to use a voucher. If you don’t want them to use a voucher (if ordering a soda, water, or even a beer, etc.) make sure to tell your bartender not to use a voucher when you tell them what you want. 

 

I have been surprised by how many times I've been asked.  

[George C]

10 hours ago, rrraydon said:

This has been my experience as well. I always specify when order. 

Same here

[TeeRick]

Slight nuance here to mention.  Sometimes you and your cabin mate have different amounts of vouchers remaining on a given day.  So you might tell the bartender which voucher to use, or to use two from the same person.

[IsanTom]

On 4/6/2024 at 4:47 AM, Jetdriver787 said:

As I am sure you already know, you get a “BOGO” discount each. So effectively you can get two reservations. The T&C’s say you have to book and use them on night 1 or 2. Some ships operate a flexible interpretation of usage, but Anthem didn’t. It was easy to book and use the vouchers once you boarded at any of the speciality restaurants. There were also staff “roaming” to take bookings. 
 

As mentioned above, it is a good idea just to let bartenders or waiters know that you want to use a voucher when you order your drinks, but most of the time they ask in any event.

Never had to notify bartenders in advance. In fact, most will let you know how many drinks you have left!

[Ubiquitous Cruiser]

A different flavor of discount is the two 50% off beer/wine. On sea days I may want to use that for a beer by the pool and save my D+ vouchers for a mixed drink. Just let the bartender know which discount you want to use because as others have noted the bartenders will default to the diamond vouchers.

[scottie99]

As OP, thanks for your helpful replies.

 

What I didn’t point out that my wife doesn’t drink any alcohol. That means I have 10 D+ drinks.

 

She may have a coffee or a soda, but as a moderate drinker, I can probably go for a couple of beers to augment my wine at dinner and lunch, along with a few Scotches!

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, scottie99 said:

As OP, thanks for your helpful replies.

 

What I didn’t point out that my wife doesn’t drink any alcohol. That means I have 10 D+ drinks.

 

She may have a coffee or a soda, but as a moderate drinker, I can probably go for a couple of beers to augment my wine at dinner and lunch, along with a few Scotches!

Well, you have one upped me. My wife usually has three or maybe four, leaving me with six or seven per day. I get by, but your percentage is a winner winner chicken dinner . happy cruising

[OCSC Mike]

11 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Well, you have one upped me. My wife usually has three or maybe four, leaving me with six or seven per day.

We just turned D+. I’m going to be somewhere in between you two. My wife probably uses 2-3/day. 7-8 is plenty for me.

[TeamCan]

On 4/6/2024 at 12:58 AM, Merion_Mom said:

Many waiters will ask you if you want to use a Diamond voucher, but it's a good idea to mention it.

 

You can book in advance, but you have to pay for it when you book the reservations, then go through the process of getting a refund on board.  Or you can just wait until you are on the ship and pay when you eat.  

I thought you had to make reservations on board to use the Diamond+ BOGO.  Do you book in advance on the cruiser planner for 2 people paying for it and then once on board, tell the restaurant that you want to use the BOGO and ask for a refund of the 2nd person? Thanks

[Biker19]

18 hours ago, TeamCan said:

Do you book in advance on the cruiser planner for 2 people paying for it and then once on board, tell the restaurant that you want to use the BOGO and ask for a refund of the 2nd person?

You might do that but it would be easier to just book for one to start. 

[OCSC Mike]

19 hours ago, TeamCan said:

I thought you had to make reservations on board to use the Diamond+ BOGO.

 

That is how it is intended to work but others book in advance and then deal with it onboard one way or another.