No more free drinks for Diamond Level?

[71Bruin]

Just checking to see if what I read is correct. Since we have been Diamond, we have been able to drink for free in the evening from 5 - 8 pm. Last cruise, they also loaded our sea passes with 3 drinks each which could be used at all the bars around the ship (Allure) when we didn't want to go to the Diamond Lounge. I was roaming around an e-mail I got today on cruise "deals" and found my way to the Diamond benefits page. There in the small print was a statement about the nightly Diamond event which essentially said "free wine and champagne AND 25% off beer and other liquor drinks". While we are not "big" drinkers, a couple of beers or gin and tonics before dinner was a nice benefit of our loyalty to RCI. Am I missing something? When did they change this? We leave for the Baltic at the end of May and this has me bummed out! Am I right or wrong? Thanks!

[harz99]

Based on my March trip on Radiance your wrong. There is a menu of drinks in the DL which includes some beers and spirits, you also get the 3 drinks loaded on your seapass.

 

I don't for one moment see RCL changing the drinks offering available in the DL as the uproar from us cruisers would be huge! :eek:

[Cuizer2]

I was on the Freedom of the Seas April 19 - 26 and Diamond members and higher still could get free drinks.

[goodycruising]

I am pretty sure that is actually old wording. It sounds like the wording before they rolled out so many Diamond lounges on the ships. Also way before they loaded the drinks on your card. Someone else might be able to confirm.

[Paulxyz2004]

The Statement is about the Diamond Event which is/was Held on ships without a DL.

So you are wrong.

[Merion_Mom]

Just checking to see if what I read is correct. Since we have been Diamond, we have been able to drink for free in the evening from 5 - 8 pm. Last cruise, they also loaded our sea passes with 3 drinks each which could be used at all the bars around the ship (Allure) when we didn't want to go to the Diamond Lounge. I was roaming around an e-mail I got today on cruise "deals" and found my way to the Diamond benefits page. There in the small print was a statement about the nightly Diamond event which essentially said "free wine and champagne AND 25% off beer and other liquor drinks". While we are not "big" drinkers, a couple of beers or gin and tonics before dinner was a nice benefit of our loyalty to RCI. Am I missing something? When did they change this? We leave for the Baltic at the end of May and this has me bummed out! Am I right or wrong? Thanks!

 

Also, by the way, the "happy hours" are EITHER 5 to 8:30 or 4:30 to 8, depending on the fixed dining times on your cruise.

[molly361]

Just off the BR- free drinks still available during Happy Hour:)

[hallasm]

At Anthem right now - Free drinks in the Diamond lounge from 5 to 8:30 pm as well as the 3 drinks loaded to the SeaPass. No changes.

[BekkaW]

The Statement is about the Diamond Event which is/was Held on ships without a DL.

So you are wrong.

 

Yes, this ^

 

Diamond event is a totally different thing from Diamond lounge.

[spookwife]

Just checking to see if what I read is correct. Since we have been Diamond, we have been able to drink for free in the evening from 5 - 8 pm. Last cruise, they also loaded our sea passes with 3 drinks each which could be used at all the bars around the ship (Allure) when we didn't want to go to the Diamond Lounge. I was roaming around an e-mail I got today on cruise "deals" and found my way to the Diamond benefits page. There in the small print was a statement about the nightly Diamond event which essentially said "free wine and champagne AND 25% off beer and other liquor drinks". While we are not "big" drinkers, a couple of beers or gin and tonics before dinner was a nice benefit of our loyalty to RCI. Am I missing something? When did they change this? We leave for the Baltic at the end of May and this has me bummed out! Am I right or wrong? Thanks!

 

the Diamond EVENT is for those ships that do not have a Diamond LOUNGE. as each ships gets retrofitted, eventually ALL ships will have a D lounge, although there is speculation that ACCESS to said D lounge will change and will only be for D+ while Ds will have to settle for just the three drinks loaded on their sea pas for daily use during cocktail hours .

 

anything you can get in the Lounge is available at any bar with those coupons

[emeraldcity]

Woo Hoo! Planning to use this perk on my Alaska cruise this summer to get a before-dinner drink prior to heading for the dining room with drink in hand. :)

[silentbob007]

I also have to say that when the Diamond Event was rolled out, it was much appreciated by me. I was sailing on the Rhapsody in Australia soon after, and it provided a nice mingle time with some wine that otherwise would have been completely missing from that experience. Sure, it was not as "nice" as having a limited bar service that CLs had at that time, but I somehow managed to make do (and enjoy wonderful views from the Viking Crown each night as we sailed away from interesting ports).

[roquejo]

Kindly be careful and be responsible enough in your choice of words in posting thread titles... as this is a potentially sensitive issue.

 

Removing free drinks will definitely cause an uproar among diamonds.. your thread title can initially mislead many diamonds suspecting that RCCL is planning to remove this benefit only to find out what you are merely seeking to clarify things when they read the thread body.

 

I would think using the title "Questions about Diamond drink benefit" is more appropriate,

Edited May 2, 2015 by roquejo

[daka]

Just off OASIS this morning,still 3 drinks in the bars, the DL was so crowded we only went 2 times....people, do you really need apps before dinner.....food before the food? It's no wonder ......never mind.....

Well, I only gained 2 pounds..

Edited May 2, 2015 by daka

[antsnanny]

Just off the Quantum today and drinks were free in the Diamond Lounge between 5 and 8:30 and in addition they loaded 3 free drinks onto your card which could be used instead at a bar on the ship. They had a list of about 10-15 drinks to choose from.

[orville99]

There are still a few ships in the fleet (Jewel and Majesty come to mind) that do not have a dedicated Diamond Lounge, and several ships that either just had one built during their latest re-fit, or are in the process of having one installed (Explorer comes to mind), so it may very well be a "stub" left over in the system from a ship that was recently retrofitted (like Rhapsody), or a ship that hasn't been "Oasis-ized".

 

So depending on which ship the OP is cruising, the statement may not, in fact, be wrong.

[Cuizer2]

There are still a few ships in the fleet (Jewel and Majesty come to mind) that do not have a dedicated Diamond Lounge, and several ships that either just had one built during their latest re-fit, or are in the process of having one installed (Explorer comes to mind), so it may very well be a "stub" left over in the system from a ship that was recently retrofitted (like Rhapsody), or a ship that hasn't been "Oasis-ized".

 

So depending on which ship the OP is cruising, the statement may not, in fact, be wrong.

 

Whether there is a DL or not, there are still free drinks. I was on the Explorer in November and there was no DL then. The free unlimited drinks were available in one of the lounges set up for the many Diamond members (of which I was one - I earned enough points to make Diamond Plus during the cruise) as well as the three free drinks on the card.

[Honeybearhollow]

Our adult son will be joining us on a cruise and will be staying in our cabin. We are Diamond, but he is not. Will he be allowed to join us in the Diamond lounge? He probably would not be drinking.

[Cuizer2]

Our adult son will be joining us on a cruise and will be staying in our cabin. We are Diamond, but he is not. Will he be allowed to join us in the Diamond lounge? He probably would not be drinking.

 

No, the Diamond Lounge is for Diamond and up.

[71Bruin]

Feeling assured now that RCI didn't go off the deep end with their treatment of Diamond level cruisers and their happy hour. I sure wish they did a better job of keeping up their web site with correct information. Looking forward to the Baltic at the end of the month and my pre-dinner drinks! Really liked the decision to preload the cards with 3 drinks (sometimes they get things right!). It allowed us to "treat" our adult children before dinner and do trivia at the same time on our last cruise. Now, if they can just figure out dining and better and more affordable internet!!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Our adult son will be joining us on a cruise and will be staying in our cabin. We are Diamond, but he is not. Will he be allowed to join us in the Diamond lounge? He probably would not be drinking.

 

He MIGHT be allowed in, especially if he isn't drinking. On Celebrity, our adult son who was not Elite, but in the same cabin with us, was allowed to go to Elite events and eat breakfast in the Tuscany with us.

 

I know Royal is different. We are D+ on Royal. If you are on a ship with a Diamond Lounge, there are quiet times of day when no one is there. I'm sure no one would complain if he went then. During cocktail time, if the D lounge is not too crowded, there might be no problem then either. The lounge tends to empty out toward the end of cocktail time, by the way.

[cincicruisers]

son in same cabin as diamond or suite is allowed to go to CL or DL.

 

My sister was recently on freedom and it was a non issue. He could not go without them to the DL as his card will not open door. For the CL his card will open door.

 

Enjoy your cruise

[Honeybearhollow]

Thank you. I appreciate your input. We are Elite with Celebrity, but this will be our first trip as Diamond.

[John&LaLa]

Our adult son will be joining us on a cruise and will be staying in our cabin. We are Diamond, but he is not. Will he be allowed to join us in the Diamond lounge? He probably would not be drinking.

 

Technically the answer is no. Granted, your key will open the door, but adult children don't share same level as minor children. BTW, minor children are not allowed in DL during happy hour either.

 

The fact that he is not drinking has no bearing. Many on these threads contend that the DL is not primarily for drinking, and you would be taking a seat in a crowded lounge for one of those C&A members visiting for social reasons.

 

That being said, just take him in and enjoy

[cruisegirl1]

Our adult son will be joining us on a cruise and will be staying in our cabin. We are Diamond, but he is not. Will he be allowed to join us in the Diamond lounge? He probably would not be drinking.

 

Just FYI

 

This is a difference from RCI and Celebrity. Celebrity allows a cabin mate to join you in the Elite activities /venues, RCCL does not. My grown daughter - and cabin mate, was not allowed to simply sit with me in the (Concierge) lounge on Enchantment. ( We were not in a suite together - I had CL access because I am D+, but she is D. ) She is not a drinker, so the drinking part had nothing to do with it.

 

I asked the concierge if she could sit with me as we waited for some friends who asked me to meet them in the CL. Not only were we asked to leave, but the request was done in such a way that anyone in the lounge was sure to know I had attempted to break the rules. Yes before I get flamed - I was at fault.

 

Others report different experiences.

 

enjoy

M