Dazed & confused:)

[Christine Frances]

We are Elite+ on Celebrity and have just booked our first Royal cruise on the Radiance Feb/17. Researching this cruise I am so far out of my comfort zone so please bear with me:)

 

First of many questions to come:

 

As "honorary" Diamond cruisers I understand that we get 3 drinks loaded onto our sea pass cards. Also, there is a Diamond lounge.

 

So, are the 3 drinks to be used in the Diamond Lounge? Is there a time frame to use them? Or are there free drinks in the Diamond Lounge but you can use your 3 loaded drinks in other bars during the day or only during the Lounge hours?

 

Sorry:(. Everyone is as probably confused as I am lol

[BekkaW]

The free loaded drinks are a separate perk, additional to use of the lounge. You can use them at any bar around the ship (except the theatre or dining room). Use is limited to the nightly cocktail hour times, which will be printed in your cruise compass but is usually around 530 - 830

[cruisegirl1]

The reciprocal is a very nice perk for Rccl or Celebrity cruisers. When you arrive in your statement, there will be a list of the other benefits that you received as a diamond number. If you booked a balcony or above cabin, you are also eligible for a balcony discount. Contact your travel agent or the cruise line.

 

No need to call yourself "honary" , as you are a full-fledged diamond member and recognized as such by Royal Caribbean. :)

 

I'm not sure if things have changed, but you may want to contact Royal Caribbean to make sure that you have a crown and anchor membership number. The reciprocity is not exactly automatic.

 

One benefit difference between Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, is that the diamond cocktail hour is available every night of the cruise, including the first night as well as any formal evenings. I know that a slightly different from Celebrity.

 

Enjoy

 

M

[Christine Frances]

Tks all:). May have more ?'s in the future though lol

[goodycruising]

Diamond lounge is open all day and has a nice coffee machine. They have a light breakfast for a couple of hours, and at other times biscuits and couple of light things at lunch time.

 

We like sitting there during the day sometimes for a quiet read.

 

During the happy hours there is some nibbles available, but you go over to the sideboard and pick them yourself, unlike Celebrity where they bring them around during happy hours.

 

The Diamond concierge is situated in the lounge during hours that are on display, rather than being situated elsewhere like we saw on Solstice. So if you have questions they can look them up on the computer straight away, or print out tickets or whatever.

 

We went the other way, RCI with reciprocal to Celebrity, and were treated very nicely, and I have seen Celebrity reciprocals on RCI. It is a welcoming atmosphere either way and you have earned the level whichever side it has happened on.

 

It is not like when you cash in flight points and are treated like you are second class.

[Merion_Mom]

The free loaded drinks are a separate perk, additional to use of the lounge. You can use them at any bar around the ship (except the theatre or dining room). Use is limited to the nightly cocktail hour times, which will be printed in your cruise compass but is usually around 530 - 830

 

IME, the theater is NOT "off-limits". Where have you encountered this? Or seen it written?

 

Only dining rooms (complimentary and specialty) are excluded, and on some ships, the Champagne Bar. (usually without explanation ;) )

 

The cocktail "hours" are either 4:30 - 8 or 5 - 8:30. The choice depends on the times of traditional dining. When second seating is 8, it's the first time frame. When second seating is 8:30, it's the second time frame.

 

:)

[biomedbob]

We have used them in all venues and bars during the accepted hours! :)

[Christine Frances]

So if we have early traditional we can use the 3 loaded drinks in the MDR? Or do we have to go to a bar and bring them in to the MDR?

[DragonOfTheSeas]

So if we have early traditional we can use the 3 loaded drinks in the MDR? Or do we have to go to a bar and bring them in to the MDR?

 

You will need to go elsewhere and bring it in.

[orville99]

So if we have early traditional we can use the 3 loaded drinks in the MDR? Or do we have to go to a bar and bring them in to the MDR?

 

I don't believe you can use them in the MDR, but they are good from a half hour before the first seating until the start of the second seating, so you can get 1 (or more) in one of the lounges before you go in to dinner, and carry one in with you. After the early seating is done, the D lounge is still open for about an hour so you can go up there and refresh, or go back to one of the lounges and use up the ones remaining on your card. Rinse and repeat. They reload 3 more the next day :)

Edited September 9, 2015 by orville99

[Desertbelle]

In a few months we will be doing the opposite, going from Diamond over to Elite and I am also a little *dazed and confused*. We are so used to Diamond status on Royal (just a few nights from being Diamond +), so there's going to be a learning curve. Thankfully the cruise is 18 days long, so we will have plenty of time to adjust! :D

 

I think the biggest adjustment is going to be the much shorter, and not on every night, cocktail hour....so you will really love those extra hours and drinks every night! We love not rushing before dinner and enjoying a couple of drinks before going to the dining room. But, the internet package and the free laundry will be nice.

[sr4mjc]

Has anyone asked gotten a beer during the covered hours and asked the bartender NOT to open it? Save it for later? Or earlier the next day?

[xpcdoojk]

In a few months we will be doing the opposite, going from Diamond over to Elite and I am also a little *dazed and confused*. We are so used to Diamond status on Royal (just a few nights from being Diamond +), so there's going to be a learning curve. Thankfully the cruise is 18 days long, so we will have plenty of time to adjust! :D

 

I think the biggest adjustment is going to be the much shorter, and not on every night, cocktail hour....so you will really love those extra hours and drinks every night! We love not rushing before dinner and enjoying a couple of drinks before going to the dining room. But, the internet package and the free laundry will be nice.

 

Congrats, from an old friend.

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

Has anyone asked gotten a beer during the covered hours and asked the bartender NOT to open it? Save it for later? Or earlier the next day?

 

That strikes me a lot like staying at a hotel that serves breakfast and taking all of the bananas.

 

JMHO and YMMV

 

jc

[John&LaLa]

I don't believe you can use them in the MDR, but they are good from a half hour before the first seating until the start of the second seating, so you can get 1 (or more) in one of the lounges before you go in to dinner, and carry one in with you. After the early seating is done, the D lounge is still open for about an hour so you can go up there and refresh, or go back to one of the lounges and use up the ones remaining on your card. Rinse and repeat. They reload 3 more the next day :)

 

I believe the vouchers go live an hour before 1st seating. Same as lounges

[John&LaLa]

Has anyone asked gotten a beer during the covered hours and asked the bartender NOT to open it? Save it for later? Or earlier the next day?

 

I suppose if you tip well. ;)

[Desertbelle]

Congrats, from an old friend.

 

jc

Hey, jc! How's it going? :)

[Merion_Mom]

So if we have early traditional we can use the 3 loaded drinks in the MDR? Or do we have to go to a bar and bring them in to the MDR?

 

As written above, DINING ROOMS, whether complimentary or specialty, ARE EXCLUDED.

 

They don't care if you carry it in, though.

 

Tidbit of advice: Pick up your glass of wine at a bar as far as possible from the dining room doors. The bar closest to the dining room can get very crowded with people who want that same drink. :D

[Merion_Mom]

Has anyone asked gotten a beer during the covered hours and asked the bartender NOT to open it? Save it for later? Or earlier the next day?

 

I don't drink beer, but I have done this with soda.

[Merion_Mom]

I believe the vouchers go live an hour before 1st seating. Same as lounges

......................

IME, the theater is NOT "off-limits". Where have you encountered this? Or seen it written?

 

Only dining rooms (complimentary and specialty) are excluded, and on some ships, the Champagne Bar. (usually without explanation ;) )

 

The cocktail "hours" are either 4:30 - 8 or 5 - 8:30. The choice depends on the times of traditional dining. When second seating is 8, it's the first time frame. When second seating is 8:30, it's the second time frame.

 

:)

[trihawks1]

I'm glad someone received the correct information. I am going to call crown and anchor tomorrow as we are celebrity Captains Club just one cruise...lol..but we were told that the points on our celebrity captains club could NOT be added to RCCL Crown and anchor. So I guess I will call again and see if things have changed. The reason it is important for me is that we currently have a cruise on Oasis booked for December and if we can get the celebrity points added on RCCL, it will bump us to the next level after the oasis cruise.

[Merion_Mom]

I'm glad someone received the correct information. I am going to call crown and anchor tomorrow as we are celebrity Captains Club just one cruise...lol..but we were told that the points on our celebrity captains club could NOT be added to RCCL Crown and anchor. So I guess I will call again and see if things have changed. The reason it is important for me is that we currently have a cruise on Oasis booked for December and if we can get the celebrity points added on RCCL, it will bump us to the next level after the oasis cruise.

 

They are NOT added.

 

You receive reciprocal recognition on the lines.

 

If you are Select on Celebrity, you will be recognized as Platinum on Royal Caribbean. (and vice versa, obviously - Platinum and Emerald are recognized as Select)

 

If you are Elite or above on Celebrity, you will be recognized as Diamond on Royal Caribbean. (Diamond, Diamond Plus & Pinnacle are recognized as Elite)

[Christine Frances]

In a few months we will be doing the opposite, going from Diamond over to Elite and I am also a little *dazed and confused*. We are so used to Diamond status on Royal (just a few nights from being Diamond +), so there's going to be a learning curve. Thankfully the cruise is 18 days long, so we will have plenty of time to adjust! :D

 

I think the biggest adjustment is going to be the much shorter, and not on every night, cocktail hour....so you will really love those extra hours and drinks every night! We love not rushing before dinner and enjoying a couple of drinks before going to the dining room. But, the internet package and the free laundry will be nice.

 

There is a little difference with X. Unless it's a TA with lots of Elites and up, the designated area will be the Sky Lounge (top forward). It is from 5-7 but no limits on numbers of drinks. You would be amazed at how many drinks some people can get in during that two hours lol If there are lots of Elites then only 3 vouchers are given to be used on most bars during the same two hour time frame as there are too many to fit in the Sky Lounge.

[robtulipe]

Has anyone asked gotten a beer during the covered hours and asked the bartender NOT to open it? Save it for later? Or earlier the next day?

 

Just go up to bar and order a 16 oz Miller Lite aluminum bottle or another beer that comes with a regular, not twist, screw cap directly from the bartender without a glass to pour it in. If the bartender does open it they only crack it open to break the seal and not remove the cap off completely. Simply screw it back closed. Most times they don't even crack it open especially if they know you are taking it back to your cabin.

On our last cruise, on Radiance for 16 nights, our cabin was just down the hall from the Lobby bar so I would do this to get my pre-supper beer to drink in our cabin. The bartenders there quickly caught on to what I was doing and a tip helped.

Edited September 10, 2015 by robtulipe

[Crusin-Suzan]

We are Elite+ on Celebrity and have just booked our first Royal cruise on the Radiance Feb/17. Researching this cruise I am so far out of my comfort zone so please bear with me:)

 

First of many questions to come:

 

As "honorary" Diamond cruisers I understand that we get 3 drinks loaded onto our sea pass cards. Also, there is a Diamond lounge.

 

So, are the 3 drinks to be used in the Diamond Lounge? Is there a time frame to use them? Or are there free drinks in the Diamond Lounge but you can use your 3 loaded drinks in other bars during the day or only during the Lounge hours?

 

Sorry:(. Everyone is as probably confused as I am lol

 

Hi!!! We are also doing the same except on the Seranade next month!!! Good information here!!! To bad we are not on the same ship!!!