Missus Makkem

I think the OP has a valid point to some degree, however a Lounge is only a lounge by name, does it really matter what it is called.

 

A Diamond Lounge is for Diamond guests be they D or D+, and on some ships the D Lounge is in fact a nicer space than the CL.

Sure at times the D Lounge is crowded, but don't blame others for enjoying enough cruises to be able to use that facility, at those times the vouchers become useful.

 

HOWEVER the main point I would like to make is this................

 

Your true Suite or Pinnacle friends would happily join you for a drink in other areas of the ship if they missed you on the SL.

 

I have done on recent ships when travelling with friends some of which do NOT have any access to any lounge. Also thanks to Royal and the introduction of the voucher system I still get my happy hour drink.

Also for my real friends I am able to take them into Coastal Kitchen to dine with me.

 

Sometimes I think people forget what made them Diamond in the first place, which surely was the enjoyable cruise experience before they had any access to any lounge. Of course I understand the disappointment of restricted access to one part of the ship, but that is no more than my disappointment of not getting access to a CL before I was Diamond member.

 

The same situation applies now as it did then, access to the Suite Lounge is available to anybody..............that books a Suite. In exactly the same way the First Class cabin is to those on airlines. :)

Another well thought out post from Chip with beautiful paragraphs too

An added bonus

Thank you.

I was on the pre inaugural 2 days cruise on Harmony last week. The ship it' really amazing and everything was perfect. Here you can find all the pics of this amazing mini cruise: https://www.facebook.com/CrazyCruises/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1042170122486103

That must be the European one as the British one was last month.

Also refused on the Harmony

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Did you get to go to any of the Plaques and keys ceremonies whilst onboard?

The local authority in Livorno provide the shuttle not RCI and where you are dropped off just walk around the corner to the bus stop for the train station.

Several years ago I was watching one of the business channels and they were interviewing Adam Goldstein when he was still President of Royal Caribbean. The interview was mainly about how Royal was heading into the Chinese market in a big way. I swear Adam was literally wetting his pants when he talked about how in the Chinese market all they want to do is gamble and shop. He said they couldn't keep enough crap in the shops. The Chinese would buy it all up. Now mind you he didn't actually call it crap, but the meaning was solidly put across. Gambling and shopping for overpriced stuff. Pure GOLD for the Cruiseline, no wonder they call that casino the Golden room.

Having just been on the Ovation the shops and their goods are diffidently not crap.

All high end boutiques selling goods I could not afford...Gucci for one.

Whether it's called a CL or an SL there's nothing to prevent the ship from inviting D and D+ to deck 12 on Ovation on the China sailings.

Hope you are right but on our sailing the Suite lounge was only if you were in a suite or a Pinnacle member.

I haven't sailed the market yet, but I have been told by people that do that due to the low number of D, D+, and PC that cruise over there right now, everyone that would go to the DL is just invited into the CL on other ships? Can anyone confirm/deny?

The Ovation does not have a CL but a Suite lounge.

For anyone wondering, it will supposedly be changing back to a DL once she arrives in Australia.

Not so sure about that, what will they do with all the gaming tables etc

We were told once it reached Dubai the Diamond lounge would be gone.

If you have sailed on the ship, then I respect that you are entitled to your opinion, if you have not I respectfully state that you do not know what you are talking about.

I had the pleasure of sailing on the first 4 sailings, and yes I saw some small issues on the first 2, ( for which we all received generous compensation) but now the ship is sailing as expected. Yes I know there are still some shows to be finalized but the actual ship is operating well and the staff are amazing.

We enjoyed our time on board and cannot wait to return, which we will do soon.

Well said Chip and I would certainly agree with your first paragraph.

One per family. You can give him yours. ;)

Or get him a different address,

Used this system at least 3 times on different ships and it works well.

Have never hear on ship or even on CC about anyones card being taken from door and used on board.

We use a store loyalty card to put in slot for lights usually an old one!

I sincerely hope that among the 13K plus views of this thread some were Royal execs and that in some way the exposure (really, it is just a reposting of a news article that was seen by millions) helped to gain compensation for those on the first two short sailings. Likely a slim shot, but the compensation is a win for those guests on board the two short sailings.

Trouble with that is lots of those Bigwigs were on the 2 day pre inaugural and saw the ship at its best.

They were on it you were not.

What were the conditions like on the two days before paying guests went on board like ?

They were very good but we did not have the large numbers that a full ship has.

We really enjoyed it but a bit large to think about booking a cruise on it ...that is just my opinion.

Can the balcony dividers be opened on the Harmony?

Yes, they were all open on deck 14 when we embarked and they were cleaning along the balconies but they did come along and close them after they had finished their work.

On Harmony? RCI announced long ago they would not do DD on Harmony. Although they left the decor of the separate restaurants, they are supposed to operate as MDR. :confused:

You are correct.

No luggage tags. I asked when we dropped out bags as had expected the rfid tags.

 

I have seen a couple of wow bands but not sure where people have got them from. There was non in the room or any information on how to get one

 

There is a charge for the wrist band about $5 so that is probably why you did not see many,

Had one on our pre inaugural but for me a waste of time but my husband liked it.

Oh but it was free on this trip.

It works for everything your card does but not getting on and off the ship.

Jamies Italian on the cruise ship is a cut down version of the actual restaurant in the UK. Also, please don't confuse Jamies Italian for a traditional Italian, otherwise you will be disappointed.

Well said but still like it.

Love the fact they make their own pasta, and those giant capers are worth the experience alone for me.

They are not watertight doors. They are fire screen doors. There is no need for watertight doors inside the ship, above the waterline.

Oh pardon me for getting the terminology wrong, so nice to be corrected by one who knows.

So I can now argue with the guard outside the door.

Thanks for keeping us all informed as you do so often.:rolleyes:

The doors to the hallways leading to the cabins are locked so you will not be able to just walk to your cabin. You will have to find a way to keep it cold until the hallways are opened. Another thing, if your medication truly needs to be "refrigerated", you'll need to make arrangements to have a refrigerator delivered to your cabin. The things in the cabins that they call refrigerators are not actually refrigerators, they are more of a glorified cooler.

They are not locked but are they watertight doors kept closed to stop people from entering before the rooms are ready.

If you are a back to back traveller you have access thro these doors which just pull open.

There is usually a member of staff standing guard but after explaining to them your need they will let you have access to your room for a drop off of meds I am sure.

Bit confused as part of the solarium had a pool last week with a small part with chairs in the water but the solarium at the very back also had a tiered one but all roped off with no water, so pools are there.

That would be great. Thank you!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Not able to post til Sunday 22nd as we are travelling light with no notebook.

Now that we have a nice shot of Harmony docked in Southhampton, is anyone going to volunteer to photoshop in some cabin numbers? Particularly the Grand Suites. :D

 

Trying to find our room...counting up from the life boats. What deck are the lifeboats on?

We are on the Harmony 2 day pre first sailing and they usually have cabins open for viewing so will try and take some photos.

Some of our non internet issues could be our stateroom attendant , we ask him a question and his reply is" I need to check with my supervisor"

Just off the previous Ovation cruise and we had the poorest room attendant ever.....she was Chinese as were so many of the staff, and really did not understand much English and although the room was kept clean lots of things were neglected.

Her training seems to have been at best inadequate.

I am sure when her guests can speak Mandarin she will be much better.

We will be on even before you as we are on the 2 night sailing on20th of May Looking forward to seeing if any big differences to the previous ships in this class.