Diamond member's i received a call from mr. Goldstein's office

[catnt2]

Hubby & I are both Diamond +......He received a letter in the mail and I received a email announcing the new policies.

 

On our Liberty cruise in Sept., the Concierge had several hundred envelopes on his desk. I questioned him on what they were for. He told me he had over

500 :eek: Diamond/Diamond + guests on the next cruise, not including the Suite guests. He had to send letters to each member and let them know that the lounge would only be available to them during certain times, depending on their dining times.

 

Can you imagine?? Even with splitting the members, the Diamond Lounge would have been packed during the designated times.

[OHCruisin]

Hubby & I are both Diamond +......He received a letter in the mail and I received a email announcing the new policies.

 

On our Liberty cruise in Sept., the Concierge had several hundred envelopes on his desk. I questioned him on what they were for. He told me he had over

500 :eek: Diamond/Diamond + guests on the next cruise, not including the Suite guests.]

 

Imagine how happy he is to lose out on all that money attached to all those diamond guests. I wonder if they're bumping the salary of the concierge sto make up for the loss of tips? Heck I didn't even use my concierge other than to chat with him and I tipped him a decent amount.

[catnt2]

Imagine how happy he is to lose out on all that money attached to all those diamond guests. I wonder if they're bumping the salary of the concierge sto make up for the loss of tips? Heck I didn't even use my concierge other than to chat with him and I tipped him a decent amount.

 

I doubt it! Concierge make good money and work very hard when the ship is full of D&D+ The sad part is that most people don't tip the concierge!!

 

I guess they figure, no envelope, no tip needed. Same goes with the Ocean Adventure Kids Program.

[MICKMAC100]

If you want to use the CL book a GS or above. simple.

 

I think RCL was correct to change, the CL was far to busy with non suite guests

[hellosailer]

Envelopes were prominently placed on the Concierge's desk a few days before the end of our cruise on the Brilliance!!:p

 

They will be able to pay more attention to the Suite guests when the new system is implemented - and the Suite guests can be VERY generous!! Be interesting to see whether or not they lose out.

[TFOGARTY]

I agree that Rcl is trying to make things better with the new program, but I am still not happy with their decision.

 

My wife and I have been on 21 RCI cruises plus 2 Celebrity, 6 Carnival, 2 NCL, and 1 princess cruise, and we have always reverted back to Rcl for their great past member program, they stood apart from the rest, now they are becoming like the rest. We have recently canceled a RCI cruise to go back on Carnival and give them a chance. Still very disappointed diamond member

 

To all our Diamond Member's:

I like many of you was dismayed, at RCI changes to Diamond Members, I sent letters to Mr. Goldstein's office and other key RCI staff.

 

On Friday, April 24, I received a call from Mr Goldstein's office, asking if I was aware of the updates to the Diamond program, I advised I was. She proceeded to explain some of the changes, and was very pleasent.

 

Before closing, I advised her I was still not happy with the new program, made some suggestions. We cruise every year from San Juan, so the ship's with special Diamond Lounges, are no benefit to us, and while we do appreciate the new benefits, they still do not provide enough of an incentive for us to book exclusively with RCI in the future. I would wait so see if RCI revises it's program, before booking, as we usually book in April for February sailing.

 

I was advised, she would foward my recommedations, and there could possibly be changes to the program.

 

So my suggestion, is to continue to contact Mr. Goldstein's office, preferably by mail. Perhaps........... if we continue to voice our displeasure, together, we can sent them a clear message.

[aqhacruiser]

It works two ways you know....

I contacted Mr. Goldstein via email to say how happy i am that there will be no more over crowding of the CL. As a D+ I appreciate the recognition and having to be crowded out of the CL and how easy it is to make diamond. I got a lovely response from his office.

 

I'm diamond plus too and I also just contacted Goldstein to tell him what I thought. In Dec. on our 12 night Explorer cruise the CL situation was out of control. It was packed in both the lounge and in Cloud Nine the oveflow and we had about 240 diamonds and 22 D plus on that one. The concierge had no control over the CL HOWEVER that was not the case on this last cruise.

 

I just came off the Explorer from the 4/26 13 night cruise. We had over 300 diamonds, and 38 D plus onboard. Both the CL and Cloud Nine remained comfortable and not overcrowded like it was on the Nov. 30 cruise. We had a new concierge Kelly. She enforced the rules, put expiration dates on the CL cards, everyone was carded at the door of the overflow lounge, no one was allowed to take any drinks out of the CL, turned down people asking if their friends/family could join them in the CL and she did this all firmly but nicely and everyone I met were very impressed with her. Since she took over and put the expiration dates on cards she has collected quite a few cards that people tried to use from past cruises as they no longer work in the new lock system and people did complain their card didn't work but were then embarrassed when they realized she knew they shouldn't have cards to begin with. I do not know if past cruisers gave them the cards or if they had stayed in a suite on a prior cruise but they didn't get in the CL this time.

 

One woman kept trying the door one day with her Seapass and another passenger in the CL at the time opened the door for her and Kelly was also there at the time and asked to see her CL card. The woman said her seapass had always worked before and something must be wrong with it and Kelly explain nicely that wasn't possible to use a seapass and Kelly asked the woman to get her CL card instead. Needless to say the woman never returned as she didn't have a CL card. Seapasses are now marked with suite names as well as C & A status and the lady was not in a suite nor was she diamond/plus. It was a good trick and I wondered how many others get away with it if a concierge is not checking CL cards. How many times do we see people trying to get in with a CL card but swiping card too fast and lock doesn't release and someone opens the door for them? Happens all the time and I've opened the door for people myself. I would never think they may be using a seapass instead but that's the trick that lady was using and I wonder how many others do the same thing?

 

So in my opinion a GOOD concierge who enforces the rules and is checking cards makes a huge difference and I wrote to Goldstein telling him that because there were no issues on this cruise and yet we had many more diamonds/pluses AND suite guests in the onboard then we did in Dec. and there were no problems. We knew there were people in the CL in Dec. that did not belong there but the concierge at the time was too worried about insulting someone if he asked to see their card or seapass. It is impossible for anyone to remember faces/names of a few hundred people and I have no problem presenting my card when anyone asks and I witnessed what a difference it makes when a concierge does check and also turns down all those exceptions when people want to include others that do not belong in there as it does create overcrowding.

 

I heard 3 people myself on that cruise ask her if they could bring in friends they were traveling with and she said sorry, she had to follow the rules and couldn't permit it as there would be no room for others that are entitled to be there as part of the C & A program or in a suite. The 3 people that I had seen said they understood and didn't give her a hard time but someone I knew on the cruise did witness a person pitching a fit they couldn't bring in family as they were in a suite themselves and family in interior and Kelly stood firm and said she was sorry but it was not permitted. She really did an excellent job as concierge for all of us on this cruise and if there were more like her, I do not think lack of space would be an issue as a reason to exclude diamonds and I let Goldstein know it! :)

[Ladylouwho]

I'm diamond plus too and I also just contacted Goldstein to tell him what I thought. In Dec. on our 12 night Explorer cruise the CL situation was out of control. It was packed in both the lounge and in Cloud Nine the oveflow and we had about 240 diamonds and 22 D plus on that one. The concierge had no control over the CL HOWEVER that was not the case on this last cruise.

 

I just came off the Explorer from the 4/26 13 night cruise. We had over 300 diamonds, and 38 D plus onboard. Both the CL and Cloud Nine remained comfortable and not overcrowded like it was on the Nov. 30 cruise. We had a new concierge Kelly. She enforced the rules, put expiration dates on the CL cards, everyone was carded at the door of the overflow lounge, no one was allowed to take any drinks out of the CL, turned down people asking if their friends/family could join them in the CL and she did this all firmly but nicely and everyone I met were very impressed with her. Since she took over and put the expiration dates on cards she has collected quite a few cards that people tried to use from past cruises as they no longer work in the new lock system and people did complain their card didn't work but were then embarrassed when they realized she knew they shouldn't have cards to begin with. I do not know if past cruisers gave them the cards or if they had stayed in a suite on a prior cruise but they didn't get in the CL this time.

 

One woman kept trying the door one day with her Seapass and another passenger in the CL at the time opened the door for her and Kelly was also there at the time and asked to see her CL card. The woman said her seapass had always worked before and something must be wrong with it and Kelly explain nicely that wasn't possible to use a seapass and Kelly asked the woman to get her CL card instead. Needless to say the woman never returned as she didn't have a CL card. Seapasses are now marked with suite names as well as C & A status and the lady was not in a suite nor was she diamond/plus. It was a good trick and I wondered how many others get away with it if a concierge is not checking CL cards. How many times do we see people trying to get in with a CL card but swiping card too fast and lock doesn't release and someone opens the door for them? Happens all the time and I've opened the door for people myself. I would never think they may be using a seapass instead but that's the trick that lady was using and I wonder how many others do the same thing?

 

So in my opinion a GOOD concierge who enforces the rules and is checking cards makes a huge difference and I wrote to Goldstein telling him that because there were no issues on this cruise and yet we had many more diamonds/pluses AND suite guests in the lounges in the evening then we did in Dec. and there were no problems. We knew there were people in the CL in Dec. that did not belong there but the concierge at the time was too worried about insulting someone if he asked to see their card or seapass. It is impossible for anyone to remember faces/names of a few hundred people and I have no problem presenting my card when anyone asks and I witnessed what a difference it makes when a concierge does check and also turns down all those exceptions when people want to include others that do not belong in there as it does create overcrowding.

 

I heard 3 people myself on that cruise ask her if they could bring in friends they were traveling with and she said sorry, she had to follow the rules and couldn't permit it as there would be no room for others that are entitled to be there as part of the C & A program or in a suite. The 3 people that I had seen said they understood and didn't give her a hard time but someone I knew on the cruise did witness a person pitching a fit they couldn't bring in family as they were in a suite themselves and family in interior and Kelly stood firm and said she was sorry but it was not permitted. She really did an excellent job as concierge for all of us on this cruise and if there were more like her, I do not think lack of space would be an issue as a reason to exclude diamonds and I let Goldstein know it! :)

 

Suzanne,

Right on girl!

If the rules were followed AND enforced, we might not have seen the changes. Too bad so many were affected by the few. Happens too often in life I guess.

 

Anyway, hope you had a great cruise.

 

Colleen

[lv2cruisgrl]

Well i was on that same cruise and no one was carded in the over flow Cloud Nine after the first night and the door was always open. Anyone could have walked in. There was not enough room as a few nights if we didnt get there by 4:45 there was no place to sit. If they dont have enough room for everyone then they should move it to another lounge but since they have changed the rules only 2 more cruises and I am Diamond Plus so I guess I wont worry about it.

[pmshirl]

Well i was on that same cruise and no one was carded in the over flow Cloud Nine after the first night and the door was always open. Anyone could have walked in. There was not enough room as a few nights if we didnt get there by 4:45 there was no place to sit. If they dont have enough room for everyone then they should move it to another lounge but since they have changed the rules only 2 more cruises and I am Diamond Plus so I guess I wont worry about it.

 

I too agree with you about no one checking in the Cloud Nine and the door being open at all times! I was on this same cruise! Drinks were allowed to be taken out of the overflow lounge also! I am 1 cruise away from Diamond + and will be doing that in 3 weeks!

 

I am not one who visits the CL or overflow lounges often on my cruise. This past 13 day cruise, we spent 3 visits for approximately 15 min per visit! It is not only people who DON'T belong there that causes over crowding...it is also people who feel they are the only members entitled to the perk and CAMP OUT for hrs there.

 

I saw mostly the same exact people each time I visited. We stopped by usually around 7:45 pm and pax were sitting in shorts and T-Shirts on Formal night, getting drinks after drinks. The table with the veggie dishes, etc. were Empty! The only reason I know people Camp Out is because my DH is a smoker and we would stop to smoke on Deck 14 (in a bar opposite from the lounge) prior and after the visit to the lounge! Saw people leaving with drinks, tables with double drinks in front of the same person, Unreal!

 

I feel it is unfair too, that the Diamond member's policy was changed starting Sept 1, 2009. Now the Campers can have loads to look forward too! It doesn't bother me since it isn't something I will miss! I am more upset over the OBC/Benefit change!

 

So the abuse goes further than enforcing the Rules!:)

[jmraggs]

I'm diamond plus too and I also just contacted Goldstein to tell him what I thought. In Dec. on our 12 night Explorer cruise the CL situation was out of control. It was packed in both the lounge and in Cloud Nine the oveflow and we had about 240 diamonds and 22 D plus on that one. The concierge had no control over the CL HOWEVER that was not the case on this last cruise.

 

I just came off the Explorer from the 4/26 13 night cruise. We had over 300 diamonds, and 38 D plus onboard. Both the CL and Cloud Nine remained comfortable and not overcrowded like it was on the Nov. 30 cruise. We had a new concierge Kelly. She enforced the rules, put expiration dates on the CL cards, everyone was carded at the door of the overflow lounge, no one was allowed to take any drinks out of the CL, turned down people asking if their friends/family could join them in the CL and she did this all firmly but nicely and everyone I met were very impressed with her. Since she took over and put the expiration dates on cards she has collected quite a few cards that people tried to use from past cruises as they no longer work in the new lock system and people did complain their card didn't work but were then embarrassed when they realized she knew they shouldn't have cards to begin with. I do not know if past cruisers gave them the cards or if they had stayed in a suite on a prior cruise but they didn't get in the CL this time.

 

One woman kept trying the door one day with her Seapass and another passenger in the CL at the time opened the door for her and Kelly was also there at the time and asked to see her CL card. The woman said her seapass had always worked before and something must be wrong with it and Kelly explain nicely that wasn't possible to use a seapass and Kelly asked the woman to get her CL card instead. Needless to say the woman never returned as she didn't have a CL card. Seapasses are now marked with suite names as well as C & A status and the lady was not in a suite nor was she diamond/plus. It was a good trick and I wondered how many others get away with it if a concierge is not checking CL cards. How many times do we see people trying to get in with a CL card but swiping card too fast and lock doesn't release and someone opens the door for them? Happens all the time and I've opened the door for people myself. I would never think they may be using a seapass instead but that's the trick that lady was using and I wonder how many others do the same thing?

 

So in my opinion a GOOD concierge who enforces the rules and is checking cards makes a huge difference and I wrote to Goldstein telling him that because there were no issues on this cruise and yet we had many more diamonds/pluses AND suite guests in the onboard then we did in Dec. and there were no problems. We knew there were people in the CL in Dec. that did not belong there but the concierge at the time was too worried about insulting someone if he asked to see their card or seapass. It is impossible for anyone to remember faces/names of a few hundred people and I have no problem presenting my card when anyone asks and I witnessed what a difference it makes when a concierge does check and also turns down all those exceptions when people want to include others that do not belong in there as it does create overcrowding.

 

I heard 3 people myself on that cruise ask her if they could bring in friends they were traveling with and she said sorry, she had to follow the rules and couldn't permit it as there would be no room for others that are entitled to be there as part of the C & A program or in a suite. The 3 people that I had seen said they understood and didn't give her a hard time but someone I knew on the cruise did witness a person pitching a fit they couldn't bring in family as they were in a suite themselves and family in interior and Kelly stood firm and said she was sorry but it was not permitted. She really did an excellent job as concierge for all of us on this cruise and if there were more like her, I do not think lack of space would be an issue as a reason to exclude diamonds and I let Goldstein know it! :)

 

I am glad to see this happening more and more because of the crowding issue, but I think this type of checking should have been in place at the beginning of the lounge creation. We just came off of Jewel and they were doing to same type of checking every night with everyone! We have been on too many cruises were people were bringing in "guests" into the lounge when it was standing room only.

[jmraggs]

I saw mostly the same exact people each time I visited. We stopped by usually around 7:45 pm and pax were sitting in shorts and T-Shirts on Formal night, getting drinks after drinks. The table with the veggie dishes, etc. were Empty! The only reason I know people Camp Out is because my DH is a smoker and we would stop to smoke on Deck 14 (in a bar opposite from the lounge) prior and after the visit to the lounge! Saw people leaving with drinks, tables with double drinks in front of the same person, Unreal!

 

 

On Jewel we noticed the same thing; some people wore tank tops and shorts there every night even on formal night. I thought they were supposed to have regulations like "proper dress". One guy wore the same tank top for 10 nights that was the same one he wore around the pool all day!:eek: (ok, maybe he had 10 tank tops of the same color to give him the benefit, but I doubt it). There were some people who drank their dinners there, and then complained the next day how sick they were all night, but of course, they did the exact same thing the next night.

[aqhacruiser]

I too agree with you about no one checking in the Cloud Nine and the door being open at all times! I was on this same cruise! Drinks were allowed to be taken out of the overflow lounge also! I am 1 cruise away from Diamond + and will be doing that in 3 weeks!

 

I am not one who visits the CL or overflow lounges often on my cruise. This past 13 day cruise, we spent 3 visits for approximately 15 min per visit! It is not only people who DON'T belong there that causes over crowding...it is also people who feel they are the only members entitled to the perk and CAMP OUT for hrs there.

 

I saw mostly the same exact people each time I visited. We stopped by usually around 7:45 pm and pax were sitting in shorts and T-Shirts on Formal night, getting drinks after drinks. The table with the veggie dishes, etc. were Empty! The only reason I know people Camp Out is because my DH is a smoker and we would stop to smoke on Deck 14 (in a bar opposite from the lounge) prior and after the visit to the lounge! Saw people leaving with drinks, tables with double drinks in front of the same person, Unreal!

 

I feel it is unfair too, that the Diamond member's policy was changed starting Sept 1, 2009. Now the Campers can have loads to look forward too! It doesn't bother me since it isn't something I will miss! I am more upset over the OBC/Benefit change!

 

So the abuse goes further than enforcing the Rules!:)

 

We were up at Cloud nine every night about 7:45-8pm before we went to dinner and there was a woman asking to see cards when we came in and the younger girl that was doing the drinks also asked people for CL cards which I thought was great! :) I was in the Golf Bar also for the same reason your DH was:) I agree that there are people that camp out in the CL on every cruise. I drink coke so we are a drive by in the CL preferring to buy a drink for DH and sit in a lounge that we want to and listen to music but some do plant themselves there everynight from 5pm to 830 and the concierge can't do anything about that as there are no rules on how long someone can stay. It was so much better then it was on our Dec. 12 night and I really think the difference was a good concierge on the 4/26. Several CC members were with me on the 11/30 cruise and forget the food, you couldn't get in the door to get to the food on that cruise! CL door was wide open and people were standing in hallway waiting to get in! It was really out of control. I wouldn't miss the CL at night but I do like it in the morning to get tea and to use my laptop and that I spend the most time in there early in the morning

[crisndeefromde]

I'm diamond plus too and I also just contacted Goldstein to tell him what I thought. In Dec. on our 12 night Explorer cruise the CL situation was out of control. It was packed in both the lounge and in Cloud Nine the oveflow and we had about 240 diamonds and 22 D plus on that one. The concierge had no control over the CL HOWEVER that was not the case on this last cruise.

 

I just came off the Explorer from the 4/26 13 night cruise. We had over 300 diamonds, and 38 D plus onboard. Both the CL and Cloud Nine remained comfortable and not overcrowded like it was on the Nov. 30 cruise. We had a new concierge Kelly. She enforced the rules, put expiration dates on the CL cards, everyone was carded at the door of the overflow lounge, no one was allowed to take any drinks out of the CL, turned down people asking if their friends/family could join them in the CL and she did this all firmly but nicely and everyone I met were very impressed with her. Since she took over and put the expiration dates on cards she has collected quite a few cards that people tried to use from past cruises as they no longer work in the new lock system and people did complain their card didn't work but were then embarrassed when they realized she knew they shouldn't have cards to begin with. I do not know if past cruisers gave them the cards or if they had stayed in a suite on a prior cruise but they didn't get in the CL this time.

 

One woman kept trying the door one day with her Seapass and another passenger in the CL at the time opened the door for her and Kelly was also there at the time and asked to see her CL card. The woman said her seapass had always worked before and something must be wrong with it and Kelly explain nicely that wasn't possible to use a seapass and Kelly asked the woman to get her CL card instead. Needless to say the woman never returned as she didn't have a CL card. Seapasses are now marked with suite names as well as C & A status and the lady was not in a suite nor was she diamond/plus. It was a good trick and I wondered how many others get away with it if a concierge is not checking CL cards. How many times do we see people trying to get in with a CL card but swiping card too fast and lock doesn't release and someone opens the door for them? Happens all the time and I've opened the door for people myself. I would never think they may be using a seapass instead but that's the trick that lady was using and I wonder how many others do the same thing?

 

So in my opinion a GOOD concierge who enforces the rules and is checking cards makes a huge difference and I wrote to Goldstein telling him that because there were no issues on this cruise and yet we had many more diamonds/pluses AND suite guests in the onboard then we did in Dec. and there were no problems. We knew there were people in the CL in Dec. that did not belong there but the concierge at the time was too worried about insulting someone if he asked to see their card or seapass. It is impossible for anyone to remember faces/names of a few hundred people and I have no problem presenting my card when anyone asks and I witnessed what a difference it makes when a concierge does check and also turns down all those exceptions when people want to include others that do not belong in there as it does create overcrowding.

 

I heard 3 people myself on that cruise ask her if they could bring in friends they were traveling with and she said sorry, she had to follow the rules and couldn't permit it as there would be no room for others that are entitled to be there as part of the C & A program or in a suite. The 3 people that I had seen said they understood and didn't give her a hard time but someone I knew on the cruise did witness a person pitching a fit they couldn't bring in family as they were in a suite themselves and family in interior and Kelly stood firm and said she was sorry but it was not permitted. She really did an excellent job as concierge for all of us on this cruise and if there were more like her, I do not think lack of space would be an issue as a reason to exclude diamonds and I let Goldstein know it! :)

 

You go girl!!! Even Nicky would have done a better job than the concierge on the 11/30, and you know who I am speaking of. did you also include the food part too???

[booze brothers]

Suzanne, did that girl replace Ricardo? sounds like she did a pretty good job.

 

Mimi