Looks like drink vouchers are here to stay

[FLASHINGLIGHTS83]

Have not received e mail yet and we sail next month.

Then again I can't think of a time when I received one from Royal other advertisement.

Same here!! I read all the time people saying "I received this e-mail from RCCL today"......HOW?? I NEVER receive e-mails from them!! I want to be in the loop here!! So again, I'll ask......HOW DO I GET IN THE COOL KIDS GROUP?? :D

[c230k]

Does this benefit also apply on Celebrity?

[kimala]

This makes me happy.

 

I sailed on Independence of the Seas in March when they were doing the voucher trial. Since that was my first cruise as Diamond, and my friend who was sailing with me wasn't yet Diamond (that cruise did get him to Diamond), it was very nice to be able to hang out with him in Olive or Twist and enjoy our pre-/post-dinner drinks together.

 

Our next cruise is in October, and we're sailing with a whole bunch of friends, most of whom will be on their second Royal Caribbean cruise. Once again, we'll be able to hang out with the group while my friend and I will be able to enjoy our Diamond drinks in the evening.

 

Did you do a review of the Indy? We will be on Indy Oct 18 2015. Also, we just received the same E mail posted here regarding the drink vouchers for our upcoming cruise. I'm very happy about it because like you we will be traveling with another couple who are New to Royal all together.

[nivek82]

I can see how they actually make money off of this. An empty bar might not attract people like a more full one does. Also people traveling with non memebers might now get the members to buy. Just hope they don't "take the card" in the DL or CL as a pre "getting dressed" drink sounds good. Also some port days when we don't want to change this would be nice. (Then again I have seen many that don't change for the DL).

 

I agree with others that this might end the DL at least for diamond. They do this for a while then cut out diamond from a lounge and say "well you're not losing that much".

[Shocked91]

This is great news.will be on Indy this October for 11 nights.We are Diamond soon to be plus.

[kruzerci]

Same here!! I read all the time people saying "I received this e-mail from RCCL today"......HOW?? I NEVER receive e-mails from them!! I want to be in the loop here!! So again, I'll ask......HOW DO I GET IN THE COOL KIDS GROUP?? :D

 

 

Have one of mine :p! I get them on my work, personal, and old email account. And the unsubscribe button does not work.

[FLASHINGLIGHTS83]

Have one of mine :p! I get them on my work, personal, and old email account. And the unsubscribe button does not work.

 

I think I found where to sign up....but its checked, and my accurate e-mail address is there..so the subscribe button doesn't work for me!!

 

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[kimala]

Here are the bar drinks available under this plan. I have a menu they go by and will provide you. I got this on the INDY. H

 

 

Thanks a lot for this it clears it up a lot! I'm assuming that the "Diamond Drinks" will include mixers like coke for a Rum&coke or Orange juice for a Vodka &OJ???

[OHCruisin]

On Jewel in August. No email and no Diamond lounge. So wine it will be. Why do they have to roll out slowly across the fleet? This seems like a very easy IT programming fix. Maybe they will include Jewel soon since it is one of the few ships without a dedicated lounge.

 

I was on Jewel is February and they set up a Diamond Lounge in Hollywood

Odyssey and had the full DL drinks available, along with nibbles.

[steveru621]

What an odd reaction to my post! :confused:

 

It is a fact that if all of the Diamonds can just get their drinks in bars all over the ship, there will be no "need" for a Diamond Lounge/Club or a Diamond Concierge. Royal Caribbean then can turn that space into something that generates revenue and eliminate the position of Diamond Concierge.

 

Just because *you* don't use the Concierge for anything doesn't mean that others can't.

 

And this information comes from several concerned Concierges.

 

Odd reaction? We will have to agree to disagree. I have heard Hotel Directors, Loyalty Ambassadors, and Concierges say a lot of things. Most have turned out to be untrue rumors. I prefer my posititive to your constant negative concerning the clubs. Vouchers are in place to allow Diamonds to mingle in other areas of the ship and relive some of the crowding on some cruises. I don't believe RCI is out to kill the Diamond Clubs.

 

RCI has spent millions of dollars actually building new Diamond clubs in all ships. At least you could give them a few days before you turn them into a restaurant. And your 'just because' does not fit as well. I didn't say I didn't use them. I have observed most of the time they do nothing but kiss up to the Diamonds in the club.

 

Your logic would also apply to the Concierge Club.

 

You always provide us valuable information and I respect your opinion. But I disagree with you.

[Colorado Babe]

Received an email yesterday from RC stating we will have the coupon option on the Brillance in October and that this is going to go fleet wide in the fall.

[postmeome]

And SERIOUSLY, FOLKS. I started a thread about this in March.

 

Here is a renewal of my PSA:

 

If you are on a ship where this program has been rolled out..........

 

If you are ordering drinks in random bars around the ship for free on this program...............

 

TIP YOUR SERVERS!

 

Why do you feel the need to remind everyone to "TIP YOUR SERVERS":confused:

[Daghis]

Did you do a review of the Indy?

I didn't write up a review, exactly, but I did post my comments after the cruise with a bunch of bullet-pointed categories of things I thought were of note.

[gregorykicks]

Why do you feel the need to remind everyone to "TIP YOUR SERVERS":confused:

 

I think it is because the drinks are free with the voucher. Reminder to tip even though you didn't have to pay.

 

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[Hoopster95]

This may cause staffing problems in other parts of the ship and it is more operationally feasible to spread D and D+ passengers across venues that already need to be maintained during opening hours.

 

There is also a revenue impact of having experienced cruisers ordering cocktails at all venues on the ship. Passengers are not attracted to empty venues around the ship and making them more social enhances the experience and other passengers may be influenced by the drink orders of the experienced cruiser in making their own drink choice.

 

Great post, especially the last paragraph.... can't remember how many times walking through Schooner Bar for example only to see 1 couple at a table and 2 bar servers talking to each other with absolutely nothing to do. I sure didn't want to stop there for a drink in such a boring place. Much much better use of staff in various venues with this idea

 

I think this the best business answer to my question on my prev post as to how perhaps RCL is gaining a true benefit by rolling this out... it's an extremely big win for them for all levels of cruisers (it just so happens to be good for us too) :D

[njmomof2]

We sailed on Oasis in April and when I pulled up the on screen benefits there were what appeared to be drink vouchers showing. Since it was not on the paper list they left in the cabin, we walked over to the LA and asked him about it.

 

His response was that it was a trial from the cruise right before ours, it should have been removed and it was not something we had on our cards. I'm D and mom is D+. Now since we had the kids with us, I never made it to the D lounge to get a drink, and if I had the vouchers, I could have used them when we stopped at other bars to get one of the kids a soda or frozen virgin drink.

 

Hope they have it on Freedom end of August when we sail again.

[traveling1969]

This is a great new perc but as others have noted, only as an adjunct to the other venues. If it replaces them then it's no perc at all. With RCCL's track record I would put it past them to close the lounges.

[xpcdoojk]

This is terrific news. RCI experimented and came up with a great solution. Last December many were predicting D+ would get kicked out of the Concierge Club. Do we have any new dire predictions?

 

Yes, remember the threads where all of the people who love to trash the C&A and its "declining" perks made all kinds of dire predictions.

 

Classic.

 

jc

[postmeome]

I think it is because the drinks are free with the voucher. Reminder to tip even though you didn't have to pay.

 

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This thread is for top tier cruisers,pay or don't pay for drinks,tip or don't tip.I think these people do not need a reminder.:)

[temple1]

I think it is a good thing. I am one who almost never goes into the Diamond lounges because DH doesn't drink and DS isn't quite diamond.

 

I know this is minor - do they run your card and give you a slip? Makes it easier to tip because I don't carry cash on board.

[Starry Eyes]

This thread is for top tier cruisers,pay or don't pay for drinks,tip or don't tip.I think these people do not need a reminder.:)

Maybe they don't need reminders; I hope not.

 

OTOH, if they are accustomed to tipping once in the CL or DL at the end of the cruise, they may not be accustomed to bringing small bills (for small tips while bar hopping with vouchers). DH intentionally takes lots of extra singles when know we will be on a voucher cruise, as it is the easy way to tip a bar waiter/ bar tender we may only see once. Adding such small tips to the seapass would seem like a pain for both sides.

[Starry Eyes]

I think it is a good thing. I am one who almost never goes into the Diamond lounges because DH doesn't drink and DS isn't quite diamond.

 

I know this is minor - do they run your card and give you a slip? Makes it easier to tip because I don't carry cash on board.

On IOS a few months ago, the bar tenders would swipe the card at the bar while the bar waiters that got to know us had made a note of the folio numbers. Either way, we never were offer paper slips (never asked for them either). We gave cash tips.

[postmeome]

Maybe they don't need reminders; I hope not.

 

OTOH, if they are accustomed to tipping once in the CL or DL at the end of the cruise, they may not be accustomed to bringing small bills (for small tips while bar hopping with vouchers). DH intentionally takes lots of extra singles when know we will be on a voucher cruise, as it is the easy way to tip a bar waiter/ bar tender we may only see once. Adding such small tips to the seapass would seem like a pain for both sides.

 

Why would a top tier not carry small bills with them to tip anywere on the ship ?:confused:

[dixieva]

I have a question- so if I go to the CL or DL and have one drink before dinner do they take one voucher off of my sea pass so that after dinner I will have two vouchers left for that evening? Or is anything you drink in the lounges not counting against the vouchers?

[Clarea]

I have a question- so if I go to the CL or DL and have one drink before dinner do they take one voucher off of my sea pass so that after dinner I will have two vouchers left for that evening? Or is anything you drink in the lounges not counting against the vouchers?

The way it has worked in the test situations has been that drinks in the CL and DL are not counted against your vouchers.