Diamond (and higher) drink vouchers are back on Independence of the Seas

[yogimax]

I usually go around 6:30. TONS of seats available, because most guests have left for dinner.

 

Yep, that's often our strategy.

[Daghis]

Yes, use of the Diamond Lounge for happy hour is still available for those who wish to do so; they're not taking it away.

 

Thetrail is right. The beverage selection is the same as is offered in the Diamond Lounge. I got drank Chardonnay and it was the house wine (St. Martin).

[Starry Eyes]

Yes, use of the Diamond Lounge for happy hour is still available for those who wish to do so; they're not taking it away.

 

Thetrail is right. The beverage selection is the same as is offered in the Diamond Lounge. I got drank Chardonnay and it was the house wine (St. Martin).

 

Thanks for sharing the info about the vouchers. We sail in a couple weeks and hope the vouchers stick around until then. we'd be delighted to have our choice each night among CL, DL or vouchers at a bar. Variety is good; choices are good:)

[Folk Singer]

Thanks for letting us know. We'll be on IOS next and will be following this thread to learn more about people's experiences. We're very interested to hear if the CL was still open for cocktails in the evening, and more about experiences at the bars and what cocktails are included.

 

 

Will check on this thread from time to time to see how things are working out.

[harry0]

Nice move Royal. This should be good news to all!

[CRUISEBOY305]

Very interesting. Going on Indy in January but I'm sure if this works out it'll be permanent by then.

[Finbar127]

This is going to go into effect on the Freedom today, on a trial basis.

 

I hope FOS will still have it in August. I like this idea. While the DW and I enjoy the DL I would like the flexibility to use the free drink perk in other venues.

[mariefisher]

I love this idea. Plus you can take the drink any place you want. Hope they do this on all the ships!

[Folk Singer]

I love this idea. Plus you can take the drink any place you want. Hope they do this on all the ships!

 

 

Agree. This is a great idea.:):)

[leaveitallbehind]

Yes, use of the Diamond Lounge for happy hour is still available for those who wish to do so; they're not taking it away.

 

Thetrail is right. The beverage selection is the same as is offered in the Diamond Lounge. I got drank Chardonnay and it was the house wine (St. Martin).

 

Enjoy the Diamond Club, Marc! One of the nicest in the fleet!

 

Please say hi to Nizar for Tami and me.

Edited March 17, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[cello56]

I am going to go out on a limb here and make a 'prediction' on where this is heading. I am guessing that down the road, RCI is going to limit the evening cocktails to THREE per guest anywhere. You want a drink in the D/L? They scan your card and hand you your drink. You want a drink at the English Pub? They scan you card and give you your drink. When your card totals three free drinks scanned for the evening, then the rest are charged to your account.

 

Personally to me, three drinks is more then enough for an evening cocktail hour. It is supposed to be a pre/post dinner treat - not an excuse to drink as much as you can.

 

Just my guess - for what it's worth! ;)

[debshomespun]

I am going to go out on a limb here and make a 'prediction' on where this is heading. I am guessing that down the road, RCI is going to limit the evening cocktails to THREE per guest anywhere. You want a drink in the D/L? They scan your card and hand you your drink. You want a drink at the English Pub? They scan you card and give you your drink. When your card totals three free drinks scanned for the evening, then the rest are charged to your account.

 

Personally to me, three drinks is more then enough for an evening cocktail hour. It is supposed to be a pre/post dinner treat - not an excuse to drink as much as you can.

 

Just my guess - for what it's worth! ;)

 

I agree with you. We were on Celebrity last year and they had the 3 voucher coupons, and we enjoyed it. There seems to be way too many Diamond & above members to fit into the lounge anymore. Doing it this way, if you are with members not Diamond, you can still go with them to have a pre-dinner drink, yours is free, and they can pay. Still a great perk at 3 per guest. That is suffecient!

[cruisequeenfl]

My husband and I are Diamond Plus and have spent many years getting

there. I don't think it is fair for Diamond to get the same # of drink

tickets as Diamond Plus, there is a big gap between Diamond and Diamond

Plus. The flip side of the coin is you can have a drink with your family members

that are not D Or DP. The bad part of the whole thing is you will never know

if someone you have cruised with before is there unless they are in the

lounge. We have seen people that we have cruised with before just by

seeing them in the lounges. We have made many friendships by meeting

other cruisers in the lounges. If they leave the lounges open too maybe

it could work, but I am still not loving it. I am going on Freedom April, and

I will be curious to see how other Diamond Plus cruisers feel about it!!!

[yogimax]

I am guessing that down the road, RCI is going to limit the evening cocktails to THREE per guest anywhere. You want a drink in the D/L? They scan your card and hand you your drink.

 

I doubt they would do this in the CL or DL.

 

1. It's time consuming to scan cards. More inefficiency.

2. It takes aware from the whole concept of a lounge, which is relaxation and no worries about details. Will the waiters be carrying around portable scanners or will they have to go off somewhere to scan? Either way it's time consuming and cheap looking.

3. It would lead to folks bribing waiters to "forget" to scan their cards.

[ChipLondon]

Mmm that is an interesting point of view, I wonder what your thoughts would be if you were a Diamond, and D+ got say 4 or 5 vouchers for use throughout the day. Would you feel as if their benefit had been increased or yours reduced. Also out of interest, how do you feel about us Pinnacle Members who have a much bigger gap between D+ and P, than there is beteen D and D+. Maybe they will give us a drink package similar to that offered to Zenith Members on Celebrity :D

 

My husband and I are Diamond Plus and have spent many years getting

there. I don't think it is fair for Diamond to get the same # of drink

tickets as Diamond Plus, there is a big gap between Diamond and Diamond

Plus. The flip side of the coin is you can have a drink with your family members

that are not D Or DP. The bad part of the whole thing is you will never know

if someone you have cruised with before is there unless they are in the

lounge. We have seen people that we have cruised with before just by

seeing them in the lounges. We have made many friendships by meeting

other cruisers in the lounges. If they leave the lounges open too maybe

it could work, but I am still not loving it. I am going on Freedom April, and

I will be curious to see how other Diamond Plus cruisers feel about it!!!

[yogimax]

Mmm that is an interesting point of view, I wonder what your thoughts would be if you were a Diamond, and D+ got say 4 or 5 vouchers for use throughout the day. Would you feel as if their benefit had been increased or yours reduced. Also out of interest, how do you feel about us Pinnacle Members who have a much bigger gap between D+ and P, than there is beteen D and D+. Maybe they will give us a drink package similar to that offered to Zenith Members on Celebrity :D

 

Actually, your suggestions all make sense, although I still prefer the lounge concept to the coupon concept.

 

Being D+, I have a horse in the race. I would suggest the status quo for D+ and Pinnacle and a tinkering of the program for D. As cruisequeenfl points out, there is a large gap between D and D+ (as well as a larger gap to Pinnacle).

 

We are not "bar" people, but we are "lounge" people and enjoy the friendships we have made over the years in both the DL and CL. It's nice to just sit in a comfortable environment and chat over a drink (preferably a Manhattan:) I hope that remains!

[cruisequeenfl]

In response to Chip who is Pinnacle!!! I think you guys should have the

most vouchers of anybody!!! Let's just state the truth you spend the

most time on the ships and money. A BEVERAGE PACKAGE FOR YOU WOULD Perfect!!

Isn't that the way it is suppose to work? Why did I drive myself crazy getting

to Diamond Plus if Diamond have the same benefits.

[cello56]

Why did I drive myself crazy getting

to Diamond Plus if Diamond have the same benefits.

 

I believe that Diamond Plus have MANY extra benefits over Diamond. You can go to the Concierge Lounge. You get larger balcony discounts. You get first night BOGO meals at specialty restaurants. You get more free internet time. Just to name a few off the top of my 'Diamond' level head! :D

[PerferWarmWeather]

This is just my opinion, but I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for Diamond Plus members being allowed in the CL. Once all ships have the DL then this 3 drink idea will be ready to implement fleet wide. Again IMO the purpose is to slowly introduce this new drink system as a way to cut down traffic in the DL. I'f I'm right in about 2 years there will be way too many Diamond and Diamond Plus members to accommodate the DL lounges, thus a 3 drink system to avoid the crowd.

 

Not trying to offend anyone, just a thought and only my opinion.

 

BTW we will be Diamond Plus Feb next year.

[yogimax]

This is just my opinion, but I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for Diamond Plus members being allowed in the CL.

 

Please lets not start that discussion again. There were hundreds of posts at the end of 2013 all predicting, even guaranteeing, such a thing to be announced in January. Guess what? It never happened.

 

All this speculation does is give the sense that lowering of benefits are expected and acceptable.

 

I, for one, would prefer not to go there!

[maxs mom]

Please lets not start that discussion again. There were hundreds of posts at the end of 2013 all predicting, even guaranteeing, such a thing to be announced in January. Guess what? It never happened.

 

All this speculation does is give the sense that lowering of benefits are expected and acceptable.

 

I, for one, would prefer not to go there!

 

Amen!!

[PerferWarmWeather]

Please lets not start that discussion again. There were hundreds of posts at the end of 2013 all predicting, even guaranteeing, such a thing to be announced in January. Guess what? It never happened.

 

All this speculation does is give the sense that lowering of benefits are expected and acceptable.

 

I, for one, would prefer not to go there!

 

I sure didn't mean to offend you or anyone else. Just my interpretation of how things appear to be heading.

[Big_G]

I sure didn't mean to offend you or anyone else. Just my interpretation of how things appear to be heading.

 

No offense taken. It's just that some people apparently were scarred by the last thread discussing that very topic. :D

[ChipLondon]

I really do not know why anyone would actually "drive themselves crazy" getting to any point in a Loyalty system. Personally as we moved up through the program we did not do it to gain the extra benefits ( yes of course they are nice ) I cruise because I enjoy the style of holiday, I chose Royal because I consider the product to be value for money, I continue to cruise Royal ( amongst others ) because of the welcome that I receive when I cruise.

If they stopped my benefits I would continue to cruise with Royal, but yes I accept that I would give other lines better consideration on certain destinations.

Thank you for acknowledging that the Pinnacle Members should be the ones that should recove the highest benefits, but I also consider that the new system on Celebrity that rewards actual $$$s spent has merit. Sure with Royal those in Suites get extra points, but on C those in the bigger suites also get more than those in smaller ones, and inside cabins attract less points than outside or balcony cabins.

FYI I am not one of those that always books a suite, but do believe that those that do choose to spend high bucks on their cabin slection should be rewarded accordingly.

Wherever we cruise and with whoever is our chosen cruiseline, we should do it because it is the right thing at the time, and not only for what it might bring in the future. Because all cruise lines will at some time change the rules. :D

 

In response to Chip who is Pinnacle!!! I think you guys should have the

most vouchers of anybody!!! Let's just state the truth you spend the

most time on the ships and money. A BEVERAGE PACKAGE FOR YOU WOULD Perfect!!

Isn't that the way it is suppose to work? Why did I drive myself crazy getting

to Diamond Plus if Diamond have the same benefits.

Edited March 17, 2014 by ChipLondon

[debshomespun]

I hadn't thought about D+ getting more than Diamond, and Pinnacle getting more than D+. I like that idea. The more your cruise, should be the more benefits you get. Isn't this what a loyalty program is all about!