How many ships allow Gold suite cards into the DL?

[goodycruising]

I was on Voyager last November, and the suite guests could access the Diamond Club with their cards. I know the concierge spoke to several of them and explained that they had their lounge on deck 9. I saw that with my own eyes. It is not my place to say anything, I know that also. They ignored the concierge. There were signs placed on the doors stating for Diamond, Diamond plus and Pinnacle guests only.

 

When we talked to the concierge later she said it was the same on all ships. We have only been at Diamond level when we cruised on Radiance and Rhapsody previously, and it certainly was not the way it was happening on those ships. So she seemed surprised when we told her of our experiences with those ships.

 

We have previously been in a suite on Voyager 3 years ago, and back then there was not a dedicated diamond lounge of course, so we were certainly not welcome up at the diamond event that was being held where Izumi is now.

 

So my question is - what other ships does that happen on? Is it only on Voyager class due to the dismal location on the Concierge Club lounge?

[Aussieflyer]

Although not having direct experience (as have not been sailing recently on RCI) I think this may be an assumption by suite passengers that they have access to the DL should they prefer that to the CL/SL. Rather like when flying, a passenger in F can access the F lounge but is also able to enter the J lounge should they prefer. Regardless that the DL is for status pax, suite passengers would feel that as it is 'lower' to their lounge they should be able to use it.

[The_Big_M]

As you say, same on Explorer, being part of Voyager class.

 

Quantum is the reverse, where there is no Diamond lounge so we were directed to the Concierge lounge.

[RealNorwegianCruiser]

on our upcoming cruise next week with Mariner from Singapore, the concierge wrote that the concierge lounge is at deck 14. Based on the deck plans for Mariner, thats where the Diamond lounge is located..

 

I guess I will experience it with my own eyes....

[goodycruising]

As you say, same on Explorer, being part of Voyager class.

 

Quantum is the reverse, where there is no Diamond lounge so we were directed to the Concierge lounge.

 

I thought the Diamond lounge was on Deck 4 on Quantum class?

[trojan3000]

I thought the Diamond lounge was on Deck 4 on Quantum class?

 

Correct deck four

[goodycruising]

on our upcoming cruise next week with Mariner from Singapore, the concierge wrote that the concierge lounge is at deck 14. Based on the deck plans for Mariner, thats where the Diamond lounge is located..

 

I guess I will experience it with my own eyes....

 

Interesting. I see the Cloud Nine & Seven Hearts still show on deck plans on Mariner. Maybe instead of making that side Izumi they will move the Concierge Club up there. Which would save the kitchen a lot of effort in taking items down in the lifts to Deck 9 like we saw many times on Voyager. Isumi seemed to be empty, or few people there, a lot of the time on Voyager.

 

I will be interested what your eyes see! :)

[Aussie FF]

Hi Goodycruising.

 

Did you also notice the Grandparents, who were Diamond, their kids, not Diamond or above, and the grand children, lying around on the lounges, taking seats away from eligible occupants?

 

I saw their cards.:eek:

Edited January 17, 2016 by Aussie FF

[Firefighterhoop]

The Independence was NOT letting suite guests into the Diamond Club 2 weeks ago. It was strictly for Diamond, D+, and Suites. The Navigator was also NOT allowing suite guests in back in December.

[goodycruising]

Hi Aussie FF! Certainly did. The grandparents tried to tell hubby that the kids were well behaved, and hubby just flat out said they are not supposed to be in here, and you know that. They didn't like that. I had already mentioned them another time to the concierge, but during happy hour one evening unfortunately they were not lying around they were bumping repeatedly into the back of my chair. We were talking to other people that we had mutual friends with, so I didn't want to appear to be a whining harridan. Another day at lunch time they raced in and just took every single bit of the food that was out for lunch. They seemed so bored to have to hang around with the grandparents. Most kids on other cruises love the kids clubs. These ones must have not been allowed to go there.

 

I don't know if you have seen on another post, but we have needed to change our cruise to a shorter overall option. We are not doing the two we had planned at the same time. We are doing one sooner. So we shall have to catch up on another trip. :)

[goodycruising]

The Independence was NOT letting suite guests into the Diamond Club 2 weeks ago. It was strictly for Diamond, D+, and Suites. The Navigator was also NOT allowing suite guests in back in December.

 

Thanks for the info. I am very interested to see how Explorer works very soon.

[Firefighterhoop]

The Independence was NOT letting suite guests into the Diamond Club 2 weeks ago. It was strictly for Diamond, D+, and Suites. The Navigator was also NOT allowing suite guests in back in December.

 

Ooops... its getting late and its been a long night and it's too late to edit.

 

The Diamond Lounges on Independence and Navigator were for Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members Not Suites..... Sorry if I created any confusion.

[heatherb1958]

Are you sure the guests didn't have C&A eligibility?

If you are a D,D+ or P in a suite you are allowed in both venues. If your card works for access you are allowed, end of story.

I can't imagine a first time cruiser in a suite is aware of another lounge and request to have access .:confused:

Just to add we have sailed on Mariner and Explorer after the DLs were added and your card needs to be programmed to gain access.

Edited January 17, 2016 by heatherb1958

[BND]

As you say, same on Explorer, being part of Voyager class.

 

Quantum is the reverse, where there is no Diamond lounge so we were directed to the Concierge lounge.

 

Yes, it does have a DL and D+ and above are allowed into the CL, but not D.

[cruisenfever]

SeaPass cards are programmed to open the 2 specific lounges no matter what color they are. Diamond Members will have access to the Diamond Lounge and Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club Members will have access to both the Diamond and Concierge Lounge. Access to the Diamond Lounge, other than the Concierge Lounge, will depend on the C&A level of the Suite Guest.

 

The Concierge Lounge on Deck 9 on all Voyager class ships is not the most inviting whereas, the Diamond Lounge is. From what you have posted, it appears that the Suite Guests preferred the views from the Diamond Lounge. Children are not supposed to be allowed into the Diamond Lounge, but they are allowed in the Concierge Lounge with a parent.

 

Both lounges on Vision and Radiance class ships are in a much more inviting location with windows to view of the sea.

Edited January 17, 2016 by cruisenfever

[spookwife]

So my question is - what other ships does that happen on? Is it only on Voyager class due to the dismal location on the Concierge Club lounge?

 

we were told on the last night of a cruise ( NAV) by a Pinnacle member that our cards were automatically coded to permit access to the D Lounge so we could use it.

 

we, being rather prim and proper and boring, choose to abide by the welcome letter we get which only offers us the use of the CL( or Suite) Lounge.

 

we have never tried to use our card to get into a DL but on the next cruise (LIB) we took, we were told the same thing.

 

I may try it on our next but ONLY during the day just to see what it looks like.

 

I do know a LOT of Suite people used it to gain access to the coffee machine since ours was down. Joke was on them... so was theirs.

[lovethesun1960]

We are in a grand suite on the Allure on 11-very close to the Diamond lounge but we are only gold status. It would be nice to go grab a drink/snack at the D lounge and take it back to the giant balcony during the day, but I doubt if timid me will even try.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

When I was on Oasis last May, we were talking to another couple at the pool. We were telling them about how it was our first time in a suite, etc. They had been in suites before (not on the current cruise) and told us that we should have access to the DL. We said that that was for Diamond C&A members (we were Platinum at the time), he said the "Gold card gets you anywhere". So on the last night, out of curiosity (I was not trying to get access, nor did I feel I should have access), I swiped my card to see if I could get in the DL. Didn't work. So no, suites don't get access to the DL on Oasis.

[cruisenfever]

When I was on Oasis last May, we were talking to another couple at the pool. We were telling them about how it was our first time in a suite, etc. They had been in suites before (not on the current cruise) and told us that we should have access to the DL. We said that that was for Diamond C&A members (we were Platinum at the time), he said the "Gold card gets you anywhere". So on the last night, out of curiosity (I was not trying to get access, nor did I feel I should have access), I swiped my card to see if I could get in the DL. Didn't work. So no, suites don't get access to the DL on Oasis.

Keep in mind that now on Oasis and Allure, the old CL located on Decks 11 & 12 is now the DL and there is a new Suite Lounge on Deck 17.

 

If a Suite Guest is a Diamond Member or above, then their card would be programmed to open the DL door.

Edited January 17, 2016 by cruisenfever

[ccotting]

We are in a grand suite on the Allure on 11-very close to the Diamond lounge but we are only gold status. It would be nice to go grab a drink/snack at the D lounge and take it back to the giant balcony during the day, but I doubt if timid me will even try.

 

Ask. What's the worst that could happen? Someone says no... Lot worse things in life. Don't be shy to ask. You may get a yes!

 

Sorry, hotel director!

Edited January 17, 2016 by ccotting
mistake in wording

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Keep in mind that now on Oasis and Allure, the old CL located on Decks 11 & 12 is now the DL and there is a new Suite Lounge on Deck 17.

 

If a Suite Guest is a Diamond Member or above, then their card would be programmed to open the DL door.

 

Yeah, I know.

 

The person we were talking to was trying to tell us that we had access to the DL just because we had a Gold Card. I know that's not the case.

[goodycruising]

Are you sure the guests didn't have C&A eligibility?

If you are a D,D+ or P in a suite you are allowed in both venues. If your card works for access you are allowed, end of story.

I can't imagine a first time cruiser in a suite is aware of another lounge and request to have access .:confused:

Just to add we have sailed on Mariner and Explorer after the DLs were added and your card needs to be programmed to gain access.

 

We talked to some very lovely first timers that were in a Grand Suite. They had been told by others in the CL to go up to the DL. We talked to them about how it was meant to work, and they were a bit embarrassed, but we told them they they were only doing what RCI had programmed their cards to be able to do.

 

There was another lady sitting behind us one evening, that was very loudly stating that she had spent over a million dollars with Royal Caribbean and had never seen anything like it.

 

The funny part was that several officers, including the concierge's boss could not get in, and a lot of the time the barman had trouble getting his card to work. So the door could be programmed to stop some people.

[Gingerbint]

Correct deck four

 

Yes, it does have a DL and D+ and above are allowed into the CL, but not D.

 

Just to note that I believe the Quantum does not have a DL anymore.

It was designated to be removed in the refit over to Asia.

They replaced the DL lounge and the Music Hall (some or all of it) with shops and high end casino tables. I think this was due to the Asia market being high in shoppers and low to none C&A members.

 

The Anthem still has hers on Deck 4

[goodycruising]

Just to note that I believe the Quantum does not have a DL anymore.

It was designated to be removed in the refit over to Asia.

They replaced the DL lounge and the Music Hall (some or all of it) with shops and high end casino tables. I think this was due to the Asia market being high in shoppers and low to none C&A members.

 

The Anthem still has hers on Deck 4

 

I really hope that Ovation comes out to Aus early 2017 with a DL. It will be doing some Asian itineraries also as far as I understand. We will be D+ by then and we moved from being up near the CL on deck 12 to down near the front elevators, as we were concerned it might be turned into a Suite Lounge!

 

If we don't know clearly which way things are going by mid year we will just cancel. I enjoy my lounge perk, but from the forward elevators to the back of deck 12 is a long walk, and we can get Solstice for a similar pricing with the drink package & OBC offers.

 

The lounge access is not the only factor, but we would add up all the pros and cons of each ship, including price, which is pretty high for those Ovation trips, as well as being school holidays here.

 

I would just like them to give a time frame if they are going to make changes, as we had not heard about Quantum changes before.

 

Thanks everyone for your info. I will be back mid Feb and report on the set up on Explorer :) We are going to be Gold suite card Diamonds then so will see both sides.

Edited January 17, 2016 by goodycruising

[drarill]

We are in a grand suite on the Allure on 11-very close to the Diamond lounge but we are only gold status. It would be nice to go grab a drink/snack at the D lounge and take it back to the giant balcony during the day, but I doubt if timid me will even try.

 

The Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen on the Oasis class ships are just wonderful. We are D+ and on our last cruise didn't go to the Diamond Lounge. We were on a CL suite on the 17th floor and going to the SL was easy and convenient. Close to our sailing date we almost changed our room but I decided to stay on the 17th deck and don't regret it. BTW, on the Oasis, suite guests on the 17th deck can order room service from Coastal Kitchen. :) If you can upgrade to a loft suite, do it!!