NICruisers

Best to bring your own, due to what they sell in the ports are not what you think. Unless you go to a La Casa del Habano store (in Jamaica, Cozumel, St. Maartan). They are real Cubans, but be ready for "Sticker Shock". Since you are going to the Club, they will have cutters and a light for you, so I wouldn't bring it due to the different TSA and other rules today. Just pack your sticks in your luggage and you will enjoy the club.

 

On the Allure, we use the solarium bar at night (every night), so you could smoke outside, with a full service bar. Usually got up there at 11pm at night and enjoyed a stick nightly. Bar tenders usually made sure you glass was always full as well.

 

Going on the Freedom in June and hope it is just a casual experience of guys enjoying the evening. I thought I saw that they had Cigars under the Stars a few nights, does anyone know where that is?

Just a quick mention that the club is not staffed 24/7 so there may not be anyone there with a cutter or lighter. I generally pack these in my hold luggage, but bring my own cigars (enough to do until I get to a good cigar shop on the islands) in my hand luggage. Never had any problem on Indy with cigarette smokers in the club.

The congestion is not caused by abuse (your wording not mine). The DL offers free drinks and appetizers. D's take advantage of what is offered to them. It's not abuse. The lounges aren't the issue as they can easily move to other venues. The issue is the CL because they rarely expand into other lounges. They don't need to for suite guests, but the number of D+ and above drive that train.

 

Saying using the DL/CL is abusing the system is like saying taking advantage of other benefits (balcony discounts, free photos, free internet minutes) is abusing the system.

 

We enjoy the DL/D events for many reasons, meeting people, "free" drinks (nothing is ever free), and relaxing before dinner. The price reductions in drink packages wouldn't mean much, as the poll indicates. The drink package would be a huge waste of money for us. I drink maybe 3-4 drinks a day, including in the DL. DH drinks maybe 1 and we don't drink soda. Why should I vote to waste my money on such a package? It's been shown that only a few people ever benefit from the drinks packages (just read the threads and there's usually only a handful who do, the rest say it wasn't worth it). Sorry, but I can't imagine ever drinking 5-6 drinks a day. Our bar bill on our last cruise in Nov (7 night Allure) was not quite $200 and we had maybe 3 drinks total between us each night in the DL.

My attempts at explaining myself here are being taken the wrong way. The original post was regarding C&A members being offered a discount on the drinks packages as a possible way of reducing congestion in the lounges. And it included a poll so we could vote on what our views were. I agree with your views, the package would be no use to you, even at a reduced rate. I, on the other hand, purchase the package because I like to drink (I like to try a lot of cocktails) and not worry about the cost. I also enjoy going to the DL and (now that I'm D+) the CL. For the reasons you state, namely meeting fellow D and D+, and now also meeting P's as well. And, yes, I do enjoy the nibbles and the 'free' drinkies. My point, the only point of contention, is that some guests do not buy ANY drinks, plonk themselves in the lounge at 4.00pm and don't leave until 8.30pm, drink in hand, having drank themselves senseless and 'hogged' seats whilst other visitors have to stand during their entire time in the lounge. Those same people who pride themselves in having a zero bar tab at the end of the week. I understand that as suite guests or fellow D, D+ or P's they have the 'right' to do so. But that doesn't make it right that they do so. And that, in my very humble opinion, is the cause of the problems of overcrowded lounges. I note that you say your bar tab was a few hundred dollars. That's great, but you're (and my, and many others) bar spend is contributing both to subsidising these peoples 'free' drinks as well as paying the tips for the staff that serve the 'free' drinks. The 'hoggers' provide no such funding. THAT'S my gripe. Rant over!

Everyone is well aware of the comradery offered in the DL and that is definitely why most of us go there, but just because people drink free is no reason to label people who take advantage of something that is freely given as a perk to C&A members as "abusers of the system or lounge hoggers"....jeez. We've made lifelong friends in the DL, but we will continue to accept the drinks offered there as well:cool: And we never end up with zero tabs, we do buy drinks at other lounges and plenty of them.

But can't you see that you've just reinforced my point? You, like me, enjoy the DL for the reasons you mention. My point regarding the price reductions in drinks packages for C&A members would do nothing to reduce the congestion in the lounges, because the people causing the congestion do not, nor would they ever, buy drinks. They abuse the system in the lounges, hence the congestion.

The OP makes a great and valid point regarding the discounting of the drinks package for C&A members, and that's something that RCI may well look at doing now that they've removed the restrictions regarding both stateroom guests having to purchase the same package. However the drinks package and the CL or DL are two completely separate issues. So many people who read these threads are given the misconception that the lounges are used only for free drinking. That's simply not the case. Yes, it's a nice perk and a well deserved one too, but it's not ALL that the lounges are there for. The provision of a separate area for the most loyal of guests allows us to meet and mingle with fellow and like-minded passengers who are seasoned travellers and with whom we are likely to have a great deal in common. It's also a peaceful haven for those who want to relax and read or catch up on their correspondence. The availability of a dedicated staff member to assist with any concerns or issues is a huge benefit too. So, it's not all about the free drink. Too many people use the excuse of the free drinks to save on their bar tab and simply don't drink anywhere else on the ship, I've had several occasions when I've met people in the DL who are quite proud that they drink for free each night from it opens until it closes and at the end of the cruise their stateroom tab will be zero. Fine, but they are, thankfully, in the minority. In essence, what I'm getting at is that reducing the cost of the drinks packages for loyal guests would be a great additional perk, but it won't stop those people from 'hogging' the lounges because they would never buy it anyway. And for those of us who do enjoy a drink or three, we'll buy it AND enjoy a few 'free' drinks in the lounge as well. As a D+ I'm happy to say that I've earned the right to my free drinks, but I would never abuse the system.

Chill out at Sloppy Joe's and drink margaritas .. see http://www.sloppyjoes.com/ .. enjoy!