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Crown & Anchor Program Revisions - join the merged discussions here

ommboz

By ommboz,
in Royal Caribbean International

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DaNana

DaNana

Posted
Posted

We have received both emails. We choose a cruise based on is it going where we want to go, is it a good deal and do others have positive things to report about it. We are C & A but that is not the driving force in determining the cruise.

RCCL has come to make amends. Not all was restored yet they have really done a good job in trying to overcome the negative they created for their self. Change is not easy as we can all see by the posts here. Though not a diamond, I am happy they have made some concessions to try and bridge the gap to decrease the negative atmosphere they created.:)

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birdie16

birdie16

Posted
Posted

Too little to late for us...we have already tried greener pastures. RCCL is no longer our "first choice" when booking a cruise, can't trust them. Diamond means nothing to RCCL, why should it mean anything to me? Am I still angry? You bet!

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Ladylouwho

Ladylouwho

Posted
Posted
Thanks for the info, I do not know why I am not getting the emails???

 

gambler,

 

I have not received ANY e-mails regarding this either. It actually seems like most have not. So don't worry. Just be glad you are a CC member and have access to the information. Somebody on CC usually posts the news long before it gets on the official cruise line website.

 

Colleen

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skandls

skandls

Posted
Posted

While a compromise of sorts - this doesn't change our future cruising plans. Price and ports will be more important than the RCI ships. We live near Los Angeles and we were looking forward to many fun cruises on the Mariner. We even flew out to Orlando so we could do a preview cruise. Part of what we were looking forward to was the CLounge.

 

I liked being able to get Chops and Portofino reservations the first day on board - if I did not get them online. If the RCI bean counters have their way the champagne and wine will be undrinkable and there will be no crudite or petit fours at happy hour.

 

Maybe its time for the C&A to find out where all the Diamonds are coming from. Any D+ want to adopt me or my husband so we can get an automatic upgrade? I do think cruise status should be on how many cruises each person has been on - not 'I live with Grandma' so I am Diamond.

 

Perhaps we cruise when there are few Diamond members on board - there was only one cruise where we had difficulty finding a seat and that was only the last 2 nights. So how many cruises are there so many of us that the Suite people are kept from their just desserts.

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Quickcanuck

Quickcanuck

Posted
Posted

We'll never know, but I wonder how much outright cancellation activity RCI was seeing as a result of the change, my guess is a significant amount. Obviously the strong reaction on the forum, and the number of people that did write emails to Sr. management was a factor, but my guess is the folks voting with their feet made the difference.

 

I personally think this is a reasonable compromise, our previous experience with the CL was for one glass of wine before dinner, so this helps preserve that social opportunity and the recognition. I'm hoping that the overflow lounge will also allow them to provide some of the basic concierge functions - for me priority tendering is a significant benefit and I hope that can be arranged for Diamond members.

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aqhacruiser

aqhacruiser

Posted
Posted
I received the same letter about the compromise to the C&A benefits today. I am a platinum member and found that the letter had nothing that really benefited me as a member. It only seemed to apply to Diamond and Diamond+. So i am wondering if I missed something that applied to me and if there was nothing why did they send it to anyone below Diamond. Sorry if this is dumb but sending a letter to someone it didn't apply to isn't much better.

Robert :)

 

The letter addresses the perk of a Diamond member and as a Plat. member it would pertain to you in the future. I suspect many platinum members may be very close to Diamond at this point and they probably let RCCL know how they felt about the original change also and RCCL is letting them know the perk will still be there now with some changes. :)

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aqhacruiser

aqhacruiser

Posted
Posted
They just updated the Royal Caribbean website. Check it out.

 

Colleen

 

That was quick! :D Here it is from the RCCL website

Cruising with Royal Caribbean International is truly a rewarding experience, especially when you're a member of the Crown & Anchor Society. The more you treat yourself to our amazing cruises, the more we reward you with benefits and extras. And with our Crown & Anchor Society Youth Program, the entire family can enjoy the rewards!

s.gif

Member Benefits Changes effective on sailings on or after September 1, 2009

Starting September 1st there will be some changes to our Crown & Anchor Society benefits. Crown & Anchor members will continue to receive their most valued benefits such as discounts on cruises, savings certificates and priority boarding and departure. Our Platinum and Diamond members also will continue to receive discounts on balcony and suite category staterooms including the recently introduced upgraded services and amenities for suite guests.

 

The changes include:

con_bulletgray_ico.gifA new Ultimate Value Booklet with coupons for various onboard amenities.con_bulletgray_ico.gifAn upgraded wine tasting event at a special pricecon_bulletgray_ico.gifA new exclusive nightly event for Diamond and Diamond Plus members to meet and mingle with other fellow members on ships without a Diamond Lounge. This will feature complimentary wine, champagne and a happy hour discount of 25% off all other beverages.con_bulletgray_ico.gifA continental breakfast with a crew member available to provide services such as obtaining ice show tickets and other assistance.

 

 

 

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 guests staying in Grand Suites and above and Diamond Plus guests only. Diamond Members cruising on Freedom Class ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will continue to be able to experience exclusive access to a dedicated Diamond Lounge on these ships, which feature a complimentary 'happy hour' from 5-8:30pm daily.

 

Thank you for your continued loyalty to Royal Caribbean. For the convenience of all our Crown &Anchor members, the following chart outlines all benefits, starting September 1. If you are cruising between now and September 1 and have questions about your benefits please contact the Crown & Anchor Society at 1-800-526-9723 or e-mail then at crownandanchor@rccl.com.

 

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skandls

skandls

Posted
Posted

If the real problem was crowding in the lounge the new happy hour would be more than a 25% discount on drinks.

 

I agree suite passengers pay a lot of money (unless they get upgrades) and they should get extra perks. But penalizing loyal customers is not the way to do things.

 

Why weren't the rules for reaching Diamond changed as the lounges got more and more crowded? There are some very lax rules that should be changed. A 3 day is the same as a 7 day. If I live at the same address as a D+ I get that level in the C&A. How many people have relatives that are D or D+ because of that one crazy rule?

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jan_de_bouff

jan_de_bouff

Posted
Posted

WOW what a result. To all those Diamond members who wrote emails or rang offices around the world thank you.

 

To the people who attacked D members some you win some you lose :D

 

To Ladylouwho who's post have been to the point you deserve a bottle of champagne for your hard work :D

 

A big thanks to AG and RCCL for taking the views of loyal cruisers into account. Lets hope this is a change of course for RCCL and the cut backs will stop.

 

Thanks also to CC for allowing this issue to be discussed, its been a hard topic to control.

 

 

To all members lets put this behind us and move forward and enjoy cruising for 2009

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Ladylouwho

Ladylouwho

Posted
Posted
If the real problem was crowding in the lounge the new happy hour would be more than a 25% discount on drinks.

 

I agree suite passengers pay a lot of money (unless they get upgrades) and they should get extra perks. But penalizing loyal customers is not the way to do things.

 

Why weren't the rules for reaching Diamond changed as the lounges got more and more crowded? There are some very lax rules that should be changed. A 3 day is the same as a 7 day. If I live at the same address as a D+ I get that level in the C&A. How many people have relatives that are D or D+ because of that one crazy rule?

 

Absolutely true. They need to revamp the whole C& A program. It will probably involve grandfathering in those who already made it by the end of this year or something. But the rules need to change to those that actually sail the required times and it should be (in my opinion) 6-7 nights to get a cruise credit. As far as giving folks double for suites, that may need to change, I mean if people get the perks in suites, why give them double points? But then you have the pesky question of the JS. They charge so much more for the JS and give the extra credit. But no CL access. So what to do?

 

RCL made the rules, people who could, took advantage of them and FAIRLY made Diamond and Diamond PLus. Even if they did 3 day BtoBtoB type things. But they were abiding by the rules that RCI put in place.

 

What I don't like is posters who blame the customer and let RCI off the hook. Meaning talking about how cruisers took advantage, etc., etc. RCI made the rules, they should have enforced the rules. Why does everyone blame the customer? Why does RCI always get off the hook for the problems they themselves created?

 

Colleen

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Ladylouwho

Ladylouwho

Posted
Posted
WOW what a result. To all those Diamond members who wrote emails or rang offices around the world thank you.

 

To the people who attacked D members some you win some you lose :D

 

To Ladylouwho who's post have been to the point you deserve a bottle of champagne for your hard work :D

 

A big thanks to AG and RCCL for taking the views of loyal cruisers into account. Lets hope this is a change of course for RCCL and the cut backs will stop.

 

Thanks also to CC for allowing this issue to be discussed, its been a hard topic to control.

 

 

To all members lets put this behind us and move forward and enjoy cruising for 2009

 

Thanks for your kind words. And actually on my upcoming May Mariner cruise I have already ordered the bubbly for sailaway. Thanks to all the many posters and especially New posters like you jan de bouff who supported our efforts! Yes, lets look forward to a POSITIVE 2009 and many more sailings on RCI.

 

Colleen

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kauppias

kauppias

Posted
Posted

Okay let me say I am quite satisfied witht he letter from goldstein, first I thought it was a joke by someone but since it is ON the rccl website I can assume its legit :)

 

WHILE I AM MOSTLY a beer drinker I am happy that they listened to what diamonds were saying and others too, and took a step in the right direction. While I am also super pleased that the nightly party will be on ALL SHIPS so that will be super nice as I also like the smaller ships and this will be a extra bonus for me :) I am on the vision soon too bad it wont be there yet ;)

 

but I just hope this will be taken positively by cruisers and the complaints can fade away atleast a little... :)

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wblynch

wblynch

Posted
Posted

Although Goldstein nibbles at the edges of customer complaints about declining service...

 

Adam M. Goldstein: 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

 

...he offers no remedy beyond citing some secret surveys.

 

I would way rather have had him address the degradation in service than reinstate the happy hour with 25% discounted cocktails.

 

We still have the steak surcharge and all the other well documented cutbacks.

 

Thanks Adam, but the bell has rung and we now have these tickets on your competitor's ships. It would seem we have had our Tea Party.

 

I still love Royal Caribbean but I am no longer a captive loyalist.

.

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dfishner

dfishner

Posted
Posted
Too little to late for us...we have already tried greener pastures. RCCL is no longer our "first choice" when booking a cruise, can't trust them. Diamond means nothing to RCCL, why should it mean anything to me? Am I still angry? You bet!

 

My sentiments exactly, and I trully believe they will try it again, we all ready have two cruises booked this year on other cruise lines which would of been RCL cruises. I am tired of playing in the sand box with RCL when there is a whole playground to play in.

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rubrrick

rubrrick

Posted
Posted
Oh no:eek:, no need for thicker skin, I did like your points and I'll just ignore the...in the future. So sorry if I hurt your feelings.:o

 

 

Morning Kathryn,

 

No, you didn't hurt my feelings, and I do know that my dots irritate some, and they are OK by others.

 

It's interesting, I speak in thoughts.........with some pauses, almost like I write, unless I'm on my third martini!!:D

 

You have done an excellent job of making your point on keeping something special going for the Diamonds. In the end, that is what I'm also trying to achieve, if you take the time to search my posts.

 

I know that corporate has been bombarded with emails, snail mail, and phone calls, and I, for one, am quite pleased with the beginning results.

 

Expect, within the near future.........a revamping of the whole C & A program. My prayer is that Royal Caribbean continues a decent loyalty program..........as that is truly one of the reasons that they have had the success and repeat business.

 

The good news is that they have moved the deadline back, allowing more time to come up with some good solutions, and if you feel that Diamonds on Cruise Critic represent between 4 and 15% of any cruise....of the total number of Diamonds cruising.........it would have been bedlam come July 1st.

 

This thread is not dead! Hopefully, instead of it being such a punching bag by some, now is the time to try to help RCCL with constructive thoughts, while our discussion continues.

 

Rick

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