Crown & Anchor Program Revisions - join the merged discussions here

[cruzendude]

The week before we cruised the Voyager of the Seas, we received the following email from RCL. "Due to limited capacity, the Concierge Lounge has not been able to accommodate our growing membership, challenging our ability to provide the optimum experience for our guests. Therefore the Concierge Lounge will now be accessible to our suite and Diamond Plus guests only. Diamond Members cruising on Freedom class, Oasis of the SeasSM, and Allure of the SeasSM will continue to be able to experience exclusive access to a dedicated Diamond Lounge on these ships, which feature a complimentary 'happy hour' from 5:00-8:30pm daily."

What does this mean?

A diamond club member can no longer enjoy the Concierge Lounge which we have been accustomed to and earned by believing the lines previous advertising and encouragement. They are taking benefits away that were earned. Surely they could have grandfathered current members that were enjoying these benefits. Does anyone feel diamond members will frequent the Voyager in the future when we know the lounge is no longer available. I don't think so. RCL is sacrificing long term results for short term results. Shame on you RCL. Loyalty works both ways, let's not forget.

This is still a five star ship even though management decisions are not guest friendly.

 

This thread has attracted more posters with less than 10 posts than ANY I have evr seen on CC...not that that matters, just an oddity I noticed...

 

Anyhoo....if RC grandfathered the benefit how would that alieveiate the overcrowding???? Yes, after a few years it would as Diamonds move on, get tired of flowriders and rock walls, die, etc but it would do nothing for the current situation.

[cruzendude]

Here is some interesting reading that gives a different view of the "new" perks.....maybe this is exactly why RC did this...

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=966792

[NCMtnBoys]

It does encourage people to sail on the newer ships that have a dedicated Diamond Lounge, but that narrows the choice of itineraries. If it means a lot to someone, then that would be their decision to only sail on the newer ships with that amenity.

 

At the same time, I wonder if there are a lot of Diamond members who sail ONLY on RC ships that contain a CL? Not all RC ships have a CL, so do they not sail on those ships? In other words, there may be a whole group of Diamonds who sail ONLY on RC ships with a CL, in order to benefit from that one specific perk.

 

If there are those customers who exist, as *I* have chosen to sail only RC, *they've* taken it a step further and chosen to ONLY sail those few classes of ships within RC that have a CL. There's nothing wrong with that for either me or them...you find what you like and you stick with it.

 

Little point to this post really, I just thought it was interesting to speculate.

 

Carry on.

[ECCruise]

This thread has attracted more posters with less than 10 posts than ANY I have evr seen on CC...not that that matters, just an oddity I noticed...

 

Anyhoo....if RC grandfathered the benefit how would that alieveiate the overcrowding???? Yes, after a few years it would as Diamonds move on, get tired of flowriders and rock walls, die, etc but it would do nothing for the current situation.

 

Where, exactly have you encountered the overcrowding? You keep bringing this up over and over. We were on the IOS in December and Brilliance in February, different class of ship, different itineraries. Both had overflow lounges. There were nights on Brilliance when there were less than a dozen people in the overflow lounge.

[emdia43]

I don't understand why you think RCCL should continue this as long as you continue to buy their cruises. It's like you want the perks to be continuous. They didn't "give their word" that you would get perks indefinitely, so there's no "broken word" involved.

 

I also missed the part where you said, "I choose to buy cruises, which is my decision, and what I got in return is very nice vacations, plus a few frequent cruiser perks". Isn't the main reason you spent the $50k is for the fun vacation that they did deliver??????

 

Also, it isn't just you alone that got the free drinks, it was the other THOUSANDS of people that received them, and that's what finally overwhelmed the perks "system". I think a bigger perspective on the picture is needed. It's not just your individual situation, but the combination of all of it that caused the change in the program, IMO.

 

If you read my post, you will see that I go back to LL Bean, rather than shopping with a multitude of other online companies because they reward loyalty with coupons. I wanted the items but the coupon was a nice perk.It was enough to make me feel valued as a customer.

 

I bought cruises because I wanted to take them, I kept coming back to Royal Caribbean because once I had become Platinum, it made sense to continue with them so that I could obtain some extras.

 

They promised that "the more you cruise the more we reward you with benefits and extras" - just as it says today, if you look at the website.

The problem is that the perks and benefits they stated we were buying our way towards at the time we were purchasing cruises, have now been canceled.

Either your word means something or it doesn't. If you make a commitment to your customers to provide a certain benefit after 10 cruises, then don't be surprised if passengers are disgusted when you don't keep that commitment.

It bothers me if you change your 'promise' because circumstances change.

[temple1]

I was just shopping online from LL Bean- now there's a company that knows how to bring customers back... for every $50 I just spent I will get a coupon for $10 off my next purchase.

I did not purchase these items solely to get a discount, but because I wanted them. If I go to use the coupon and they tell me the benefits have been changed, it's not worth anything anymore,I won't be doing business with them again.

On the other hand....

After spending many thousands of $ with RCCL over the last 6 years (at least $50,000 at last count) I get from them........ umm? what do I get....oh yes, nothing.

I don't think it will break the budget for them to keep their word and provide a couple of watered down drinks to me in a lounge of their choice, once a year, for 7 days.

Sometimes it's not all about the money, it's a matter of a company being the kind of people who keep their word , that I want to continue to do business with.

RCCL disappoints on that score.

 

I don't think that comparison works unless you get an additional $5 or $10 coupon for the 5th, 10, 25 purchase you make. As it is, I can come in as a 1st time customer and get a $10 coupon for buying $50 worth of product, the same as you a loyal customer who has been shopping with them for years.

[TRadle]

I don't think that comparison works unless you get an additional $5 or $10 coupon for the 5th, 10, 25 purchase you make. As it is, I can come in as a 1st time customer and get a $10 coupon for buying $50 worth of product, the same as you a loyal customer who has been shopping with them for years.

 

And don't forget that those coupons usually have an expiration date...so hurry up and us it before it goes away.:D

[temple1]

And don't forget that those coupons usually have an expiration date...so hurry up and us it before it goes away.:D

 

No kidding. We had $20 from Carrabbas expire. :mad:

[GEORGET]

This thread has attracted more posters with less than 10 posts than ANY I have evr seen on CC...not that that matters, just an oddity I noticed...

 

Anyhoo....if RC grandfathered the benefit how would that alieveiate the overcrowding???? Yes, after a few years it would as Diamonds move on, get tired of flowriders and rock walls, die, etc but it would do nothing for the current situation.

 

The reason for so many NEW people are posting is that we are upset with ALL the cutbacks.

This is one of the few sites that we can vent our feelings and know that RCCL will be monitoring the feedback.

They could Grandfather, open up a Diamond bar on all ships 5-830 and only allow diamond members to use the CL the rest of the day.

This worked well on the Brilliance at Christmas and in February.

A lot of us prefer the smaller ships this again could be the reason for the anger felt.

RCCL have a lot of competition in Europe and as they are rarely the cheapest should be trying to keep there customer base not alienating it.

By the way, in the UK we are still waiting to be told offically of the changes.

So that is another reason for so many hits.

I hope that they change there mind but if they dont i will still cruise, in balconies or suites, but it will be based on price not loyalty.

[DJLDRUMS]

This thread has attracted more posters with less than 10 posts than ANY I have evr seen on CC...not that that matters, just an oddity I noticed...

 

Anyhoo....if RC grandfathered the benefit how would that alieveiate the overcrowding???? Yes, after a few years it would as Diamonds move on, get tired of flowriders and rock walls, die, etc but it would do nothing for the current situation.

 

*The word overcrowding was also used by the C&A people that sent me the 'form letter' no personalized letters were sent out to the loyal RCCL people who notified C&A about the impending changes. As I said previously these letters all contained the same paragraphs and explanations but alluded to the Oasis coming out and that will be a great ship tto book on. Not to say it wont it still is just a band aid approach to not answer C&A members but to publicize other venues. In the many times that we've enterd the C&A from 5:30-8:00PM there has not been one time that there was standing room only. members make themselves a coupld of drinks, enjoy some hordeuvres and go to the dinning room. it's never been a place that people park themselves for two and a half hours. Plus a good Steward that's in the lounge will do what he or she can to entertain you (such as on the Enchantment). On the final evening he put on a show and received monetary tips for his excellent service to his C&A members. Overcrowding just does not cut it in any way. I've done 20 RCCL cruises and one coming up in May on the Liberty and have only posted 2 other times. Veteran cruiser..yes ..Veteran poster..no..

[Blizzard54]

It looks like they are reversing a little

 

From Adan Goldstein

April 13, 2009

 

Dear Crown & Anchor Diamond Plus, Diamond and Platinum Members,

I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the recent changes to our Crown & Anchor® Loyalty Program.

 

Let me begin by thanking you for being loyal customers of Royal Caribbean International®. These are remarkable times - economic challenges, new modes of communication, amazing new ships and so many other changes that impact our lives at every turn. Especially in these times, we appreciate your loyalty as Crown & Anchor Society members.

 

As you may know, we recently announced a number of changes to our Crown & Anchor Loyalty Program. Many of our Diamond Members have expressed considerable unhappiness about the change in eligibility for access to our Concierge Lounges. While we knew the reaction would be negative, it has been more negative than we anticipated. This underscores how phenomenally passionate our most loyal customers are about their Royal Caribbean experiences. We believe one of our strengths that inspires such loyalty is our ability to learn from others and especially from our Crown & Anchor customers. With this in mind, I will comment on the change in eligibility regarding our Concierge Lounges and also inform you of some new enhancements that will improve your experience onboard our ships.

 

Our decision to limit access to the Concierge Lounges was based on the unfortunate but inescapable fact that we cannot deliver an acceptable experience in lounges that were never designed to handle so many people. We regret that the crowding in our Concierge Lounges prevents us from delivering the experience we intended. It also prevents us from being able to grandfather in Concierge Lounge access for existing Diamond level members. We deeply regret having to restrict this access, but we are committed to delivering an exceptional Concierge Lounge experience. Having said that, we realize we should have provided more notice of our decision, which carries such consequences. To that end, we will delay the implementation date for the change in eligibility from July 1, 2009, to September 1, 2009.

 

Before I address the additional initiatives we will implement, I would like to summarize the physical or "hardware" status of our fleet as it relates to Concierge Lounges and Diamond Lounges, taking into account all 22 Royal Caribbean International ships that are now open for sale.

 

Five ships (our Freedom class and Oasis class) have both Concierge Lounges and Diamond Lounges. We are excited about the Concierge Lounge overlooking the Boardwalk and the Diamond Lounge overlooking the Royal Promenade on our forthcoming Oasis of the SeasSM and Allure of the SeasSM.

 

Five ships (Monarch of the Seas®, Majesty of the Seas®, Vision of the Seas®, Grandeur of the Seas® and Rhapsody of the Seas®) have no Concierge Lounges and two ships (Splendour of the Seas® and Legend of the Seas®) have limited Concierge Lounges.

 

Ten ships have Concierge Lounges but no Diamond Lounges (Enchantment of the Seas®, as well as the ships in our Voyager class and Radiance class). While we don't currently have plans to add Diamond Lounges to these ships, we will look for opportunities to invest in Diamond Lounges as we go forward.

 

The strong response from our Diamond members regarding our recent changes demonstrates how much the Concierge Lounges are valued and we clearly should honor that response. The feedback we have received from Diamond members falls primarily into one of the three following categories:

•

Preserving the social aspect - the ability to meet and mingle with other members

•

Maintaining free or reduced price drinks

•

And, access to concierge-type services for ice show tickets and other activities

In order to address the first two interests for Diamond members, outside the Concierge Lounge, effective September 1 we will offer them a dedicated VIP private party in one of our bars or lounges. This may be held in the Viking Crown Lounge, or any other bar or lounge designated by the ship. In this dedicated area, from approximately 5 to 8 p.m., we will offer complimentary wine and champagne and a happy hour discount of 25 percent off all other beverages. This will be offered every day of each sailing and will replace our recently announced one-time per-cruise special Diamond party.

 

Additionally, we will offer a new continental breakfast from approximately 8 to 10 a.m. in one of the rooms adjacent to the main dining room onboard. During these morning hours, a crew member will be present and will provide services such as obtaining ice show tickets, and other assistance. We believe these changes will address the primary desires our Diamond members have expressed. These enhancements will be instituted on all our ships that don't have a Diamond Lounge today.

 

A number of Crown & Anchor members have placed the Concierge Lounge issue in the context of a perceived sequence of "cutbacks" that taken together have reduced the quality of the product we offer. We take these comments seriously. I am pleased to inform you that in 2009 we are seeing one of the most meaningful year-over-year improvements in our guest satisfaction ratings in memory. Apart from the obvious - Independence of the Seas® entering the fleet, Empress of the Seas® and Sovereign of the Seas® leaving the fleet and Oasis of the Seas soon to join - systemic improvements such as My Time DiningSM, our suite enhancements, the new debarkation process, and numerous smaller initiatives are being very positively recognized by guests, travel agents and the media.

 

While we understand not everyone is happy about every change taking place in our fleet, we appreciate your loyalty to our company and we sincerely hope you will continue to choose Royal Caribbean International. It gives us no pleasure to hear from aggrieved Crown & Anchor loyalty customers. Our goal is to earn your advocacy and your return to our fleet by providing you with truly memorable vacations and by recognizing and rewarding your loyalty.

 

Our mantra at Royal Caribbean International, besides delivering the "Wow," is "continuous improvement." We constantly strive to find the right balance, so our product evolves in ways that our guests, especially our most loyal guests, are comfortable with. Our ratings and most communications we receive indicate that the balancing is working. However, occasionally we stumble and when we do we try to react quickly. This may be such an instance. We are committed to earning the faith you place in us. I hope the additional enhancements explained in this letter demonstrate our commitment.

 

These changes will be reflected on our website in the next 48 hours.

 

Thank you very much for being our customer and for your loyalty to Royal Caribbean International.

 

Sincerely,

Adam M. Goldstein

President and Chief Executive Officer

Royal Caribbean International

 

[PSCruiser]

Where, exactly have you encountered the overcrowding? You keep bringing this up over and over. We were on the IOS in December and Brilliance in February, different class of ship, different itineraries. Both had overflow lounges. There were nights on Brilliance when there were less than a dozen people in the overflow lounge.

 

A good point. We've been on longer cruises lately, with many Ds and D+s onboard. In every case, the ship has accomodated everyone very well by using the overflow lounges. There is no problem with overcrowding, it just takes commitment on the part of RC to do what is needed to take care of customers that it should value. A diamond lounge is provided on the newest ships, why not just MAKE diamond lounges on other ships?? All it takes is wanting to do it. Of course, some will respond that it is an economic decision - yes, but look what the decisions of the heavy thinkers in the banking and auto industries has done. So maybe RC should rethink?

[MrPete]

So, it DOES pay to be vocal about your dissatisfaction of things taken away, once promised, as opposed to being cheerleaders saying, "THAT's OK, may I have another."

[emdia43]

Is he serious?

25% off drinks.... well they increased the price by over 25% this year, so that cancels that one out.

[GEORGET]

when did you recieve this?

[Coralc]

At the same time, I wonder if there are a lot of Diamond members who sail ONLY on RC ships that contain a CL? Not all RC ships have a CL, so do they not sail on those ships? In other words, there may be a whole group of Diamonds who sail ONLY on RC ships with a CL, in order to benefit from that one specific perk.

 

If there are those customers who exist, as *I* have chosen to sail only RC, *they've* taken it a step further and chosen to ONLY sail those few classes of ships within RC that have a CL. There's nothing wrong with that for either me or them...you find what you like and you stick with it.

 

Little point to this post really, I just thought it was interesting to speculate.

 

Carry on.

 

In response to this post and to your previous post. We wouldn't have a problem utilizing the Diamond Lounge...if we didn't have to fly to Florida to do so. There are 4 ships on the West Coast this season, 3 with a Concierge Lounge, 1 without. The itinerary of Rhapsody doesn't interest us. But we wouldn't mind sailing Mariner, Radiance and Serenade. (And we have done so previously) Since we don't have anything booked in the near future...the concierge lounge on those ships will not be available to us. And they don't have "Diamond Lounges". Our last 3 cruises on Serenade, they don't even use the concierge lounge, only overflow. And not because of overcrowding...the CL is about the size of an office cubicle. And the diamond/+/suite area upstairs has never been particularly crowded.

 

We sail on a lot of ships without concierge access, mostly for itinerary...sometimes for a "getaway". Most recently on Grandeur for 10 nights from Tampa. 3 new islands for us, and a nice cruise. We knew there was no concierge, but that doesn't mean we won't miss it bitterly on ships that do have one and we are now excluded.

[KarinaGW]

April 13, 2009

 

Dear Crown & Anchor Diamond Plus, Diamond and Platinum Members,

 

I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the recent changes to our Crown & Anchor® Loyalty Program.

 

Let me begin by thanking you for being loyal customers of Royal Caribbean International®. These are remarkable times - economic challenges, new modes of communication, amazing new ships and so many other changes that impact our lives at every turn. Especially in these times, we appreciate your loyalty as Crown & Anchor Society members.

 

As you may know, we recently announced a number of changes to our Crown & Anchor Loyalty Program. Many of our Diamond Members have expressed considerable unhappiness about the change in eligibility for access to our Concierge Lounges. While we knew the reaction would be negative, it has been more negative than we anticipated. This underscores how phenomenally passionate our most loyal customers are about their Royal Caribbean experiences. We believe one of our strengths that inspires such loyalty is our ability to learn from others and especially from our Crown & Anchor customers. With this in mind, I will comment on the change in eligibility regarding our Concierge Lounges and also inform you of some new enhancements that will improve your experience onboard our ships.

 

Our decision to limit access to the Concierge Lounges was based on the unfortunate but inescapable fact that we cannot deliver an acceptable experience in lounges that were never designed to handle so many people. We regret that the crowding in our Concierge Lounges prevents us from delivering the experience we intended. It also prevents us from being able to grandfather in Concierge Lounge access for existing Diamond level members. We deeply regret having to restrict this access, but we are committed to delivering an exceptional Concierge Lounge experience. Having said that, we realize we should have provided more notice of our decision, which carries such consequences. To that end, we will delay the implementation date for the change in eligibility from July 1, 2009, to September 1, 2009.

 

Before I address the additional initiatives we will implement, I would like to summarize the physical or "hardware" status of our fleet as it relates to Concierge Lounges and Diamond Lounges, taking into account all 22 Royal Caribbean International ships that are now open for sale.

 

Five ships (our Freedom class and Oasis class) have both Concierge Lounges and Diamond Lounges. We are excited about the Concierge Lounge overlooking the Boardwalk and the Diamond Lounge overlooking the Royal Promenade on our forthcoming Oasis of the SeasSM and Allure of the SeasSM.

 

Five ships (Monarch of the Seas®, Majesty of the Seas®, Vision of the Seas®, Grandeur of the Seas® and Rhapsody of the Seas®) have no Concierge Lounges and two ships (Splendour of the Seas® and Legend of the Seas®) have limited Concierge Lounges.

 

Ten ships have Concierge Lounges but no Diamond Lounges (Enchantment of the Seas®, as well as the ships in our Voyager class and Radiance class). While we don't currently have plans to add Diamond Lounges to these ships, we will look for opportunities to invest in Diamond Lounges as we go forward.

 

The strong response from our Diamond members regarding our recent changes demonstrates how much the Concierge Lounges are valued and we clearly should honor that response. The feedback we have received from Diamond members falls primarily into one of the three following categories:

• Preserving the social aspect - the ability to meet and mingle with other members

• Maintaining free or reduced price drinks

• And, access to concierge-type services for ice show tickets and other activities

 

In order to address the first two interests for Diamond members, outside the Concierge Lounge, effective September 1 we will offer them a dedicated VIP private party in one of our bars or lounges. This may be held in the Viking Crown Lounge, or any other bar or lounge designated by the ship. In this dedicated area, from approximately 5 to 8 p.m., we will offer complimentary wine and champagne and a happy hour discount of 25 percent off all other beverages. This will be offered every day of each sailing and will replace our recently announced one-time per-cruise special Diamond party.

 

Additionally, we will offer a new continental breakfast from approximately 8 to 10 a.m. in one of the rooms adjacent to the main dining room onboard. During these morning hours, a crew member will be present and will provide services such as obtaining ice show tickets, and other assistance. We believe these changes will address the primary desires our Diamond members have expressed. These enhancements will be instituted on all our ships that don't have a Diamond Lounge today.

 

A number of Crown & Anchor members have placed the Concierge Lounge issue in the context of a perceived sequence of "cutbacks" that taken together have reduced the quality of the product we offer. We take these comments seriously. I am pleased to inform you that in 2009 we are seeing one of the most meaningful year-over-year improvements in our guest satisfaction ratings in memory. Apart from the obvious - Independence of the Seas® entering the fleet, Empress of the Seas® and Sovereign of the Seas® leaving the fleet and Oasis of the Seas soon to join - systemic improvements such as My Time DiningSM, our suite enhancements, the new debarkation process, and numerous smaller initiatives are being very positively recognized by guests, travel agents and the media.

 

While we understand not everyone is happy about every change taking place in our fleet, we appreciate your loyalty to our company and we sincerely hope you will continue to choose Royal Caribbean International. It gives us no pleasure to hear from aggrieved Crown & Anchor loyalty customers. Our goal is to earn your advocacy and your return to our fleet by providing you with truly memorable vacations and by recognizing and rewarding your loyalty.

 

Our mantra at Royal Caribbean International, besides delivering the "Wow," is "continuous improvement." We constantly strive to find the right balance, so our product evolves in ways that our guests, especially our most loyal guests, are comfortable with. Our ratings and most communications we receive indicate that the balancing is working. However, occasionally we stumble and when we do we try to react quickly. This may be such an instance. We are committed to earning the faith you place in us. I hope the additional enhancements explained in this letter demonstrate our commitment.

 

These changes will be reflected on our website in the next 48 hours.

 

Thank you very much for being our customer and for your loyalty to Royal Caribbean International.

 

Sincerely,

 

Adam M. Goldstein

President and Chief Executive Officer

Royal Caribbean International

[KarinaGW]

Just got the above about 6 minutes ago. It looks like they're trying.

[Blizzard54]

when did you recieve this?

5:17 pacific time

[GlenandVal]

hi I was able to post the same thing

 

this is ok with me unless I m missing something

 

I m still getting a Diamond Discount ?

 

I m not a big drinker so a 25 % discount is ok

 

and I like to be able to get ice show tickets and the small breakfast

[megr1125]

wow! seems the suits DO read emails! Thanks for posting that karina....now i shall check my emails and see when it shows up!

[wrp96]

Thanks for the info. Since I never got the first email, I don't think I'll be getting this one either.

[curley23]

Is he serious?

25% off drinks.... well they increased the price by over 25% this year, so that cancels that one out.

 

Sure, right away bring out the negative. I guess some people are never happy.

 

This will be interesting if it is really true. Can't wait for the comments.

[sealord]

If you read my post, you will see that I go back to LL Bean, rather than shopping with a multitude of other online companies because they reward loyalty with coupons. I wanted the items but the coupon was a nice perk.It was enough to make me feel valued as a customer.

 

I bought cruises because I wanted to take them, I kept coming back to Royal Caribbean because once I had become Platinum, it made sense to continue with them so that I could obtain some extras.

 

They promised that "the more you cruise the more we reward you with benefits and extras" - just as it says today, if you look at the website.

The problem is that the perks and benefits they stated we were buying our way towards at the time we were purchasing cruises, have now been canceled.

Either your word means something or it doesn't. If you make a commitment to your customers to provide a certain benefit after 10 cruises, then don't be surprised if passengers are disgusted when you don't keep that commitment.

It bothers me if you change your 'promise' because circumstances change.

 

Thankyou. But ... they probably won't 'get it'. I've been trying similar explanations, but there are still a 'number' of people that don't know what the words 'honesty' and 'integrity' mean. Another group does not understand the term, 'bait and switch'. There is a group here who insists their was no 'contractual' committment. Another group points out that somewhere there is a 'disclaimer' about being able to change the rules any time they wish ... not on the C&A application I might add. But no matter how great one's 'blind love' for RCCL, you must (if one is logical and reasonable) be able to see that RCCL clearly created the 'expectation' of being rewarded with the 'advertised' benefits.

 

It was really quite clever ... and deceitful what they did. They cancelled the CL for the Diamonds according to plan and with malice of forethought. Look at the "additional" Diamond Plus benefits as they existed prior to three weeks ago. There was no "there, there." There was nothing, zero, nada of 'value' there. Oh, maybe the prefered table location in the dining room? They created the Diamond Plus level a short time ago, in order to have a place 'beyond' the present Diamond goal posts to move the CL benefit to ... a place well out of range of anyone who was about to reach the Diamond level or those who recently got there ... thankyou very much. Then it was just a question of 'timing' as to when they would spring the 'surprise'. How about right after most people had made their summer cruise/vacation plans? This of course is my 'opinion'. But 'look' at the 'additional' Diamond Plus benefit (that benefit beyond that of the Diamond) minus the CL. There is nothing there. So, why did they creat it? As it was three weeks ago, if I saw the Diamond Plus (additional) benefit laying on the pool deck, I wouldn't go to the trouble to bend over and pick it up. It was worthless! But, there would be an additional (undefined) benefit at 50,75, and 100 cruises.:rolleyes:

[KarinaGW]

I can happily drink the free champagne and wine offered with the occasional discounted drink. Am glad about availabilty of the concierge-like services they will be offering too.

 

I do understand their position, but I really don't think thay have really contemplated what will happen as the diamonds become plusses....unless they anticipate being able to make changes over the next few years as hinted at in his email.