Looks like drink vouchers are here to stay

[SA Traveler]

There has always been a stated dress code.

 

I no longer see it being enforced, and it was barely enforced before.

One of my pet peeves. You are getting this perk and in my opinion you should respect the requested dress code. Seems most people don't agree with me though. The other thing no longer enforced is not taking drinks out of the lounge. I wonder why they bother with the "rules".

 

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[PCWalton1]

Thanks for clarifying. Does the theatre qualify as a venue? Also, we are sailing Rhapsody to Hawaii 5 September, will this start for them? Thanks in advance!

 

I ask the same question about the theater earlier but no answer. Hopefully you will get a response. :)

[CVU]

I ask the same question about the theater earlier but no answer. Hopefully you will get a response. :)

The drink vouchers on our Indy cruise were not for the Theater or the ice Rink. Seems there was another NO venue but I can't remember. Vintages was OK to use it there. We did and sat in the Promenade. It was listed where you could use the vouchers and they have a list of what drinks are allowed on a voucher.

Edited June 17, 2014 by CVU

[lovetocruise/diamond]

Sailing on the Oasis on August 16th, have not received the email thus far. Has it started on the Oasis? Thanks

[beachnative]

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS:

 

We were on the Freedom for the May 31 and June 5 sailing. Vouchers were not used during those two weeks.

 

Last November we had them during the trial on the Independence TransAtlantic. We had mixed feelings about them but think they would be enjoyable by many.

 

We are sailing in August with friends who are not Diamond or higher and hope the vouchers are offered.

Edited June 17, 2014 by beachnative

[jennywren46]

Just off Indy. We didn't have drink vouchers, they opened the cleopatra lounge for nightly diamond event. It was so packed couldn't get a seat after 7.45 there were so many diamond/ diamond plus on that sailing. It would have been nice to have a voucher to go elsewhere as they had signs up saying no drinks etc were to be taken out of the lounge .

[CRZAHOLIC]

Just got this email from RC:

 

YOUR ONBOARD LOUNGE BENEFITS JUST GOT BETTER

 

We are excited to introduce an expanded Crown & Anchor Society benefit for you during your upcoming cruise! In addition to the nightly receptions at the Diamond Lounge and the Concierge Lounge (for our Diamond Plus and Pinnacle guests), you now have the flexibility to enjoy happy hour at a wide variety of bars onboard.

 

Your SeaPass Card will be pre-loaded with three complimentary drink vouchers for each night of the sailing, which can be used during nightly lounge hours. Toast your way around the ship, on us!

 

This expanded benefit will be slowly rolled out across the entire fleet by Fall. Kindly note, drinks vouchers are not valid in the main dining room, the Windjammer Café or in any of our specialty restaurants, and expire daily.*

 

Guess they're here to stay! I think it's a nice perk, especially on ships without a dedicated Diamond Lounge.

 

 

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I just got off of the Explorer and we didn't have vouchers or a diamond lounge. We had a Diamond Event which was only wine and champagne and 25% off of drinks. Your was a better deal.

[PCWalton1]

The drink vouchers on our Indy cruise were not for the Theater or the ice Rink. Seems there was another NO venue but I can't remember. Vintages was OK to use it there. We did and sat in the Promenade. It was listed where you could use the vouchers and they have a list of what drinks are allowed on a voucher.

 

Thanks for the info on ordering from the theater.

 

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[heatherb1958]

Just off Indy. We didn't have drink vouchers, they opened the cleopatra lounge for nightly diamond event. It was so packed couldn't get a seat after 7.45 there were so many diamond/ diamond plus on that sailing. It would have been nice to have a voucher to go elsewhere as they had signs up saying no drinks etc were to be taken out of the lounge .

 

We join Indie on 28th June and wanted to have an experience of using vouchers. Seems strange you didn't have them when , if I remember correctly , that was the ship that started it all off . Can you remember who the Hotel Director was?

By the way, did you mean the Pyramid lounge, deck 5 forward?:)

[jennywren46]

Sorry. Why did I say that. ..lol it was the pyramid lounge. And the hotel director was Carl Luxford .

[heatherb1958]

Sorry. Why did I say that. ..lol it was the pyramid lounge. And the hotel director was Carl Luxford .

 

Thank you for that. The name is not familiar. Things change on ships depending on who the HD is. I was hoping to grab a gratis drink to have in the room while getting ready for dinner.:)

[jennywren46]

He hasn't been with the company long and isn't very old. The diamond concierge is Mel Arandia I'm sitting looking at all the cruise compasses and sheets now ..lol

[CruisinWithMySweetie]

Sounds great! Now if only I was Diamond....;)

[Tagsalong]

Sailing right now and asked the Hotel Director, after reading this thread, if he could officially comment on the vouchers issue. He said two ships will begin the vouchers in June and it will roll across the fleet. The HQ IT guys/gals have to board each ship to set up the system.

 

Of particular interest was when he said Miami suits will no longer allow any of these ships to open up an overflow lounge. The vouchers are being implemented to solve over-crowding and the cost of using the extra venue, bar servers and bar tenders.

 

There is a company wide program to reduce crew size to accommodate all the extra guests that filling the extra cabins being installed on the ship when revitalized. The manning of the over-flow lounges is inhibiting this effort. Put 50 cabins on the Navigator and book 100 more passengers, without adding more life boats, and the ship cannot sail under Coast Guard and SOLAS rules without reducing crew size.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Tagsalong

[Folk Singer]

Outstanding! Absolutely agree with you there.

 

:):):)

[marci22]

Of particular interest was when he said Miami suits will no longer allow any of these ships to open up an overflow lounge. The vouchers are being implemented to solve over-crowding and the cost of using the extra venue, bar servers and bar tenders.

 

This will be bad for off-peak cruisers (higher D+ and Pinnacle numbers).

 

During these cruises they will just limit CL to P and suites and D+/D can use the (overcrowded) D lounge or get their 3 drinks elsewhere.

[marci22]

I just got off of the Explorer and we didn't have vouchers or a diamond lounge. We had a Diamond Event which was only wine and champagne and 25% off of drinks. Your was a better deal.

 

I don't like the EX Diamond Event. No one goes, you have to pay for drinks, and they only serve trail mix.

[impatientlywaiting]

There has always been a stated dress code.

 

I no longer see it being enforced, and it was barely enforced before.

 

On our recent cruise we noticed the guys were wearing khaki pants or slacks and the women were wearing the same type of pants or casual skirts. We only bring shorts or jeans and wouldn't want to risk the chance of being thrown out of the DL. :(

[marci22]

On our recent cruise we noticed the guys were wearing khaki pants or slacks and the women were wearing the same type of pants or casual skirts. We only bring shorts or jeans and wouldn't want to risk the chance of being thrown out of the DL. :(

 

Depends on the ship, but I have seen people walking in straight from the pool in their coverups and nothing was said to them. I feel sorry for whomever sat in their chair afterwards.

[critterchick]

This will be bad for off-peak cruisers (higher D+ and Pinnacle numbers).

 

During these cruises they will just limit CL to P and suites and D+/D can use the (overcrowded) D lounge or get their 3 drinks elsewhere.

 

I don't see it as a bad thing, even if they limit the CL to suites. In my experience, most of the time when a cruise is so full of D and up that they need an overflow lounge, the overflow is crazy. I'm not a fan of big crowds, so would happily take a voucher under those circumstances. Yes, it would limit my ability to sit and chat every night with fellow D/D+/PC, but one can always arrange to meet people somewhere else, and a night off from all of that once in awhile is a good thing.:)

[PSCruiser]

This will be bad for off-peak cruisers (higher D+ and Pinnacle numbers).

 

During these cruises they will just limit CL to P and suites and D+/D can use the (overcrowded) D lounge or get their 3 drinks elsewhere.

 

I don't see any basis for this speculation. The use of overflow lounges is a decision made on a case by case basis to ease overcrowding.

Excluding D+ from the CL would be a change in a long-standing policy, and I doubt it would be done lightly as it would be sure to alienate some of RC's best customers.

[orville99]

Sailing right now and asked the Hotel Director, after reading this thread, if he could officially comment on the vouchers issue. He said two ships will begin the vouchers in June and it will roll across the fleet. The HQ IT guys/gals have to board each ship to set up the system.

 

Of particular interest was when he said Miami suits will no longer allow any of these ships to open up an overflow lounge. The vouchers are being implemented to solve over-crowding and the cost of using the extra venue, bar servers and bar tenders.

 

There is a company wide program to reduce crew size to accommodate all the extra guests that filling the extra cabins being installed on the ship when revitalized. The manning of the over-flow lounges is inhibiting this effort. Put 50 cabins on the Navigator and book 100 more passengers, without adding more life boats, and the ship cannot sail under Coast Guard and SOLAS rules without reducing crew size.

 

Just put a beer tap in my cabin and they can eliminate all the bar staff:D

[marci22]

I don't see any basis for this speculation. The use of overflow lounges is a decision made on a case by case basis to ease overcrowding.

Excluding D+ from the CL would be a change in a long-standing policy, and I doubt it would be done lightly as it would be sure to alienate some of RC's best customers.

 

I was remarking on the other post which said that Miami didn't want to continue to operate the overflow lounges anymore.

 

Right now it's nice if they're letting you choose lounge or vouchers. I don't think they are going to continue with overflow lounges if they can save money. They're wringing every last cent out of anything they can.

 

Excluding D+ from the CL will be easier once they have D lounges on all the ships.

Edited June 17, 2014 by marci22

[Starry Eyes]

This will be bad for off-peak cruisers (higher D+ and Pinnacle numbers).

 

During these cruises they will just limit CL to P and suites and D+/D can use the (overcrowded) D lounge or get their 3 drinks elsewhere.

Maybe they will do that, maybe not. Even before vouchers made sporatic appearances, plenty on cruise critic have speculated that D+ would be removed for the CL. Time will tell. In any case, giving vouchers likely will ease the worst of the crowding. On my cruises the crowding occured from 5 pm until 6 pm, with crowds easing greatly when the early dining folks left for dinner. And early dining seems very popular with high level loyalty members. With vouchers, enough of them may happily go elsewhere to relieve the crowding.

[jamon]

Under the vouchers system that is being talked about, what happens on ships with only a Diamond Event? Will I be able to use my vouchers for a beer, rather then only getting 25% off? Will I be able to get a standard vodka tonic for instance? Or do I have to go to some lounge other then the Diamond Event to get a drink using my voucher? Anyone have any ideas on this??? Thanks