Can First-Time Friend Come to Crown & Anchor Event with Me?

[hornedfrog363]

I am cruising with someone who has never been on a cruise before. I am in the platinum level of the Crown & Anchor society. I know there is at least one night where you have the repeat cruisers events or the "top-tier" exclusive event invite. It's been a few years since I've been on RC... I don't remember if it's RC where you get a little invitation in your stateroom. I'm wondering if my friend would be able to get into these events with me (definitely try to make them due to the free drinks offered!) or if they are especially strict on that.

 

Thanks in advance for the comments and help

[JasonTehGreat]

If they are I'm your stateroom they can go. On my first cruise my cousin took me to his C&A party.

[rubrrick]

Royal Caribbean's policy is "no". That being said, if he is with you, and you go in together, and you hand in your invite, no one will question whether he is supposed to be there or not.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!;)

 

Rick

[Ourusualbeach]

On our cruise in December they no longer provided invitations you just showed your Seapass card at the door. That being said we only ever showed one Seapass card for our group.

[bluegirlum]

I took my friend to the one on Majesty last year and no one gave us any grief. I just handed over the invitation and we walked in. Even when it became obvious that it was her first cruise when we were talking to some of the officers, they didn't care and actually started talking to her about some neat things about the history of the ship and stuff.

[hornedfrog363]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm feeling more optimistic we will both be able to get in! :)

[Retired LEO]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm feeling more optimistic we will both be able to get in! :)

 

Get there early before the doors open. When there's 20 or 30 people going in at one time they don't know who's who. :)

[Ashland]

Sorry...but in all my many cruises with RCI I have never seen them require/ask for the invitation or to see your SeaPass.

[Langley Cruisers]

Get there early before the doors open.

 

Our last 3 cruises the doors were closed and no one could get in until the staff opened the doors, at which time they checked our Sea Pass cards for status.

[Ashland]

Our last 3 cruises the doors were closed and no one could get in until the staff opened the doors, at which time they checked our Sea Pass cards for status.

Hmmm...they must be cracking down..didn't see this during our most recent (October) cruise either..I'll be checking this when I'm onboard again in March.;)

[RCCL Fan]

Yes, My first timer cabin mates were denied on Allure, so we didn't go.

 

same with diamond lounge. I've been diamond for years and have never set foot in the lounge because we usually travel with friends and hang with them and they would never let us all in.

[Merion_Mom]

Yes, My first timer cabin mates were denied on Allure, so we didn't go.

 

same with diamond lounge. I've been diamond for years and have never set foot in the lounge because we usually travel with friends and hang with them and they would never let us all in.

 

Two VERY separate situations.

 

I rarely see them check at C&A events, like the Welcome Back Party.

 

Diamond Lounge is almost always very strict.

 

They are really totally different issues.

[Wyuna1]

Why is that so many people seem hell bent on gaining access to loyalty events that non qualified friends are not entitled. Participation in these events is a reward to loyal cruisers and has been earnt with repeat voyages.

The same people trying to gain an advantage they are not entitled to would be the first to complain if any existing benefits are reduced due to abuse of rules applying to access.

[trev71]

Why is that so many people seem hell bent on gaining access to loyalty events that non qualified friends are not entitled. Participation in these events is a reward to loyal cruisers and has been earnt with repeat voyages.

The same people trying to gain an advantage they are not entitled to would be the first to complain if any existing benefits are reduced due to abuse of rules applying to access.

 

 

I some what agree with you on that. But in reality I dont think you would get too much at a welcome back party being Platuim anyways would you ??

[griffy116]

There were 5 of us traveling together. Four of the five of us are Diamond. We went to the Diamond dining room for breakfast and they initially didn't want to seat our friend. We started to walk away and they decided they would "allow" us to dine there. We hadn't used it in the past and weren't really interested. Our non-Diamond friend was the one that wanted to see what it was like. We're kind of a rule-following group so we aren't tempted to try to see how far we can push it. We're going to be in the same situation this time with one first-time cruiser and four Diamond cruisers traveling together. I'm glad to see the free drinks added to the SeaPass. We don't leave one of our group so that we can attend the repeat or elite events and we don't try sneaking someone in. If the non-Diamond guest is questioned, it's an embarrassing situation all around.

[north29]

Go for it!!!!!!!!!!! If it works fine.

I have seen far too many of what were apparent rule breaking/party crasher of lounges and events by cruisers. I doubt that RC really worries about it too much. I will say certain ships are different in how they enforce the rules. I do know X is more constant than RC about the lounges.

[insulationbabe]

Your absolutely right about access to the lounges. We always use the concierge lounge and have sometimes gone to the diamond lounge (which are usually very crowded. We've travelled with guests in our cabin who are platinum and they were allowed into the concierge lounge, because they paid for their share of the cabin. They received the same amenities as we did - because we were in the Royal Suite.

However, our son travelled with us in his own cabin recently and we nicely asked the Concierge if we could bring him into the Concierge lounge and he said sure. The cruise we were on with our son had very few diamond plus and pinnacles, so it wasn't a problem, but I guess if the ship had a lot of the top tier cruisers, it would have been I think.

 

So it just depends on the situation - it is tough to leave someone behind and go into the lounge for drinks - but a lot has to depend on the Concierge. We will run into this again in March so we shall see what happens. It's our friends first cruise and she is a widow so we will not leave her along if they don't allow her in.

 

Hope this information is helpful. We've seen groups of people trying to access the concierge and are only Diamond members and didn't quite understand the procedure and were very upset at the non-entry. Oh well, rules are rules.

[bluegirlum]

Why is that so many people seem hell bent on gaining access to loyalty events that non qualified friends are not entitled. Participation in these events is a reward to loyal cruisers and has been earnt with repeat voyages.

The same people trying to gain an advantage they are not entitled to would be the first to complain if any existing benefits are reduced due to abuse of rules applying to access.

 

My friend was on her first cruise and I brought her with me to the C&A event. I've earned a lot of my C&A points in a single cabin paying for 2 people, so I think I've earned one or two drinks for another person.

She was so impressed by how well we were treated that it swayed her and her family to take a RC cruise instead of a Carnival cruise a few months after that. She also convinced her friend to take her bachelorette cruise on RC instead of Carnival---that's a group of 10 women who are going to spend a lot of money while on board.

 

So, for a few drinks and appetizers that cost RC close to nothing, and bothered absolutely no one else in the room, I think it was ok to bring my friend. RC gained a loyal cruiser who I think is earning her right to have joined me for those few drinks. We hardly were hell bent on breaking any rules.

[CCBR]

I am cruising with someone who has never been on a cruise before. I am in the platinum level of the Crown & Anchor society. I know there is at least one night where you have the repeat cruisers events or the "top-tier" exclusive event invite. It's been a few years since I've been on RC... I don't remember if it's RC where you get a little invitation in your stateroom. I'm wondering if my friend would be able to get into these events with me (definitely try to make them due to the free drinks offered!) or if they are especially strict on that.

 

Thanks in advance for the comments and help

 

When they ask if there are any first time cruisers tell your friend NOT to raise there hand.

Bill,

[JasonV1]

1 person costs them next to nothing, but if every Plat. guest brought their friends the costs would add up.

 

Listen, I'm not chastising anyone but please don't try to justify sneaking someone in. If you want to "break the rules" that is your choice but don't complain if/when benefits are cut down the road.

 

Whatever you do, please don't share drink packages or hog deck chairs, that's all I ask. I never go to the Plat. parties anyway non-members are welcome to my drinks.

 

My friend was on her first cruise and I brought her with me to the C&A event. I've earned a lot of my C&A points in a single cabin paying for 2 people, so I think I've earned one or two drinks for another person.

She was so impressed by how well we were treated that it swayed her and her family to take a RC cruise instead of a Carnival cruise a few months after that. She also convinced her friend to take her bachelorette cruise on RC instead of Carnival---that's a group of 10 women who are going to spend a lot of money while on board.

 

So, for a few drinks and appetizers that cost RC close to nothing, and bothered absolutely no one else in the room, I think it was ok to bring my friend. RC gained a loyal cruiser who I think is earning her right to have joined me for those few drinks. We hardly were hell bent on breaking any rules.

[LovesCruising]

I don't think you will have a problem with the repeaters party - however you may have a problem with a top tier event depending on what it is and where it is held

[bluegirlum]

1 person costs them next to nothing, but if every Plat. guest brought their friends the costs would add up.

 

Listen, I'm not chastising anyone but please don't try to justify sneaking someone in. If you want to "break the rules" that is your choice but don't complain if/when benefits are cut down the road.

 

Whatever you do, please don't share drink packages or hog deck chairs, that's all I ask. I never go to the Plat. parties anyway non-members are welcome to my drinks.

 

I will also admit to letting my friend use my cup at the Coke freestyle machine once on the trip. :eek: She needed some ginger ale for her bad stomach.

 

Point taken. I appreciate that I am an Emerald member and if I get any perks for that, great. I find most of the coupons and other things to be useless, and they're not the reason I cruise RCI. If the worst thing that happens to me in a day is that I'm on a cruise and my friend can't go to a reception, then life isn't too bad. I'm not really worried about it or what anyone else is doing.

[aftop]

I was on the Legend early January and when I and my DW entered the Solarium nothing was checked. However, it wasn't much of an event. Other than free drinks and a few candy type snacks, there were no presentations, comments, etc. by anyone. The Captain was there for a short time but otherwise it was small groups chatting together.

 

On the Enchantment last year several officers spoke on RCI plans, recognized an individual with the most points on the cruise, etc.

[blackshirt]

Sorry...but in all my many cruises with RCI I have never seen them require/ask for the invitation or to see your SeaPass.

My experience has been just the opposite. There has been someone at the entrance of every C&A event I've ever attended checking either invitation or sea pass. On the OASIS, the welcome back party was at the Aqua theater and I even saw them turn some folks away. As others have noted, though, they don't check every person so when my wife and I walk in together, I'll show the invitation or sea pass card and that's always been good enough.

[Michelle!]

Why is that so many people seem hell bent on gaining access to loyalty events that non qualified friends are not entitled. Participation in these events is a reward to loyal cruisers and has been earnt with repeat voyages.

The same people trying to gain an advantage they are not entitled to would be the first to complain if any existing benefits are reduced due to abuse of rules applying to access.

 

I really enjoy attending the C & A events - it's tough to not want to share the experience with a travelling companion. At the very least, it is marketing dollars at work. An inexperienced cruiser gets a taste for what they can get with just a few... more... cruises...

 

I dunno - the wine isn't mind blowing and neither are the hot canapés...what is the harm... :)