Changes to Crown & Anchor

[later]

if my calculations are correct for 4 cruises you would have to average about 24 points a cruise. using todays point system you would have to average 12 days a cruise in a js or above unless you were cruising solo.

 

if you were not going solo you did a great job finding deals. i am not questioning your outcome. i am just amazed at how fast even D+ can be achieved.

 

Going from 175 points to 700 points will take some time though. Maybe even a whole life time for some of us.

[roquejo]

I hope that RCI reads this thread......

 

In Australia and New Zealand we don't have the problem of over-crowding in the DL and CL. We haven't had the benefit of the Royal ships for as long as the US and cruising has only become really popular in the last few years. The statistics are rising but there are not as many diamond and above C&A members here in Australia. Royal only comes here for half of the year - Carnival and P&O have a few ships all year round so RCI is missing out and they are becoming very popular. When they first arrived in I think 2008 they couldn't fill the ships.

 

SO, changing the C&A levels worldwide would create unnecessary negative press for RCI. On a recent cruise on Explorer there were 800 C&A members out of the 3200 passengers and only a handful were above Diamond level, of which 1 was pinnacle.

 

Suite guests and diamond and above C&A members were given access to both lounges, mainly because the CL is on deck 9 in the middle of nowhere with NO windows and very daggy furniture despite Explorer's recent $100m revitalisation.

 

That is nice to hear!!! As I will in Radiance in Australia 3 days from now.

 

I basically cruise RCCL all over the world, except for South America. So I am aware of the distribution discrepancies of D, D+, and Pinnacles on all territories except South America.

 

So those from US and Europe that have an overcrowded lounge problem please note:

 

The lack of D's, D+'s and P's is even more evident for Asia than Australia, being Asia a newer market that Australia. Do you believe that we had only 2 D's for a ship as large as Voyager of the Seas, not even one D+ or Pinnacle!!!

 

I had the D lounge, the concierge staff, and the bartender at the top deck all to myself, until the suite guests and their families start moving there since the C lounge of Voyager has no views.

 

So I will invite those from the US and Europe to try cruising Australia or Asia for a change and enjoy the non crowded lounges.

Edited February 15, 2016 by roquejo

[cruisenfever]

Thanks for sharing, I would be it interested to see how you could get from D to D+ in only 4 cruises.

I started doing a similar project to see how much I might have spent to get to Pinnacle, but my doctor said my heart was not strong enough to undertake such an exercise. :eek:

Before the conversion to points, the maximum number of cruise credits that could be earned for any cruise was 3.

 

Those Diamond Members with 12 cruise credits could then do 4 cruises earning 3 cruise credits each and when added to their Diamond total would make them Diamond Plus.

[PSCruiser]

Sorry, I can't afford it.:)

 

Not sure why you posted such a snarky response when all I did was ask a reasonable question based on the numbers.

 

Nope, my take was that you were accusing ILady of just thowing numbers around.

Since you took the time to check the capacity of Serenade, should have checked what type of itinerary she is on right now.

Those upper tier numbers are right in line with the same length cruise we did on Serenade a few months back.

[PSCruiser]

I have been looking on the Crown and Anchor website for this particular benefit but I cannot find it anywhere. Can you explain this to me or direct me to where I may find out about it? Thanks.

 

(referring to drinks loaded on Seapass cards)

This perk for Ds, D+s, but not suites, started a couple of years back on cruises that were very heavy on upper tiers (like TAs) to help with DL crowding. Its use seems to have spread, but I don't know if it is universal on all cruises or not.

Basically, 3 drink vouchers are loaded electronically on your Seapass each day, good for the same drinks available in the lounges, and only during the times when you can get drinks in the lounges. The vouchers do not carry over day to day. They can be used in most, but not all, bars, a list is provided in your stateroom.

Celebrity uses a similar system, except with paper vouchers.

[BARNET]

Back on Nov 2012 we sailed on Explorer on a B2B for 20 nights when booking what we didn't know was that the first 11 nights was a C&A members cruise talk about D, D+ and P members. It was nice and quite on the other 9 nights plenty of seats at the D event.

[Cuizer2]

Thanks for sharing, I would be it interested to see how you could get from D to D+ in only 4 cruises.

I started doing a similar project to see how much I might have spent to get to Pinnacle, but my doctor said my heart was not strong enough to undertake such an exercise. :eek:

 

I was Emerald with 69 points.

 

12 nights on Enchantment in a JS = 24 points - 93 points total (80 needed for Diamond).

 

1) 7 nights in a JS on Navigator = 14 points - 107 points total

2) 7 nights in a balcony on Allure solo = 14 points - 121 points total

3) 10 nights in a JS on Legend solo = 30 points - 151 points total

4) 14 nights in a balcony on Explorer solo = 28 points - 179 points total (175 points needed for D+)

 

You can go from zero to 180 points in five cruises if each cruise is 12 nights or longer, you are solo and in a JS or a full suite.

 

The problem is how Royal as the tiers set up. It takes 700 points to reach Pinnacle. There are six tiers. After obtaining 25% of the points (175) you have reached the fifth level. I think the tiers should look more like this:

 

Tier 1 - 3 to 34 points

Tier 2 - 35 to 69 points

Tier 3 - 70 to 174 points

Tier 4 - 175 to 349 points

Tier 5 - 350 to 699 points

Tier 6 - 700 + points

 

This would mean less Diamonds and less D+ without changing the number of Pinnacles. As you can see, this would require double the number of points needed to reach Diamond and D+.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Cuizer2

[John&LaLa]

Forget it, it was a play on words. Apparently not a very good one. :(

 

So what's new ;)

[ChipLondon]

Very interesting, wow with sailing solo and in JSs you have certainly paid for your points, however with your previously stated average costs you are also clearly a bargain hunter, well done. I hope you continue to enjoy your cruising.:)

 

 

I was Emerald with 69 points.

 

12 nights on Enchantment in a JS = 24 points - 93 points total (80 needed for Diamond).

 

1) 7 nights in a JS on Navigator = 14 points - 107 points total

2) 7 nights in a balcony on Allure solo = 14 points - 121 points total

3) 10 nights in a JS on Legend solo = 30 points - 151 points total

4) 14 nights in a balcony on Explorer solo = 28 points - 179 points total (175 points needed for D+)

 

You can go from zero to 180 points in five cruises if each cruise is 12 nights or longer, you are solo and in a JS or a full suite.

 

The problem is how Royal as the tiers set up. It takes 700 points to reach Pinnacle. There are six tiers. After obtaining 25% of the points (175) you have reached the fifth level. I think the tiers should look more like this:

 

Tier 1 - 3 to 34 points

Tier 2 - 35 to 69 points

Tier 3 - 70 to 174 points

Tier 4 - 175 to 349 points

Tier 5 - 350 to 699 points

Tier 6 - 700 + points

 

This would mean less Diamonds and less D+ without changing the number of Pinnacles. As you can see, this would require double the number of points needed to reach Diamond and D+.

[Cuizer2]

So what's new ;)

 

I get a few of them right. :)

 

Don't tell anyone I told you, but I hear (from a very reliable source) that the big change for C&A is that it will now be in alphabetical order. So it will now be A&C or Anchor and Crown.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Cuizer2

[SConnolly]

Yes, dinner only. Don't think Allure is doing this yet.

 

Thank you Bob, might give it a shot next week. Have been off the boards for amost a year, my travel was restricted due to some health issues but back on the mend and got the green light to cruise once again.

 

We're just lonely D+ and so will miss the old Concierge club made to order breakfast and lunch. That was one perk we really liked on Oasis class ships.

 

Thank you also to the other posters who provided info as well.

[condorfan]

I hope that RCI reads this thread......

 

In Australia and New Zealand we don't have the problem of over-crowding in the DL and CL. We haven't had the benefit of the Royal ships for as long as the US and cruising has only become really popular in the last few years. The statistics are rising but there are not as many diamond and above C&A members here in Australia. Royal only comes here for half of the year - Carnival and P&O have a few ships all year round so RCI is missing out and they are becoming very popular. When they first arrived in I think 2008 they couldn't fill the ships.

 

SO, changing the C&A levels worldwide would create unnecessary negative press for RCI. On a recent cruise on Explorer there were 800 C&A members out of the 3200 passengers and only a handful were above Diamond level, of which 1 was pinnacle.

 

Suite guests and diamond and above C&A members were given access to both lounges, mainly because the CL is on deck 9 in the middle of nowhere with NO windows and very daggy furniture despite Explorer's recent $100m revitalisation.

itotally agree my dw and i have done the hawaii to sydney cruise 4 times doing it again this sept :) and hardly anyone in the cl one cruise they even invited us to the capts table :O (had to decline did not have a tux. could not disrepect the capt) which by the way was capt. klaus (anthem ots) now yikes great capt. anyway got sidetracked. so if you want the perks with no crowds come on downunder.

[cruise47]

Thanks for sharing all these insights. I think!!

[steveru621]

Maybe it's just the business manager in me, but why is RCI so quiet?

 

I would think that with less than 90 days left before suite class begins, much more would have leaked out about C & A program modifications. Outside of the Suite Lounge/Club(s) built on the large ships, not really much has changed from RCI.

 

Radiance and Jewel are about to go through drydock, but both future sets of deck plans still map a Diamond and Concierge Clubs on both ships. Perhaps we have already seen all of the changes for this year?

 

It's fun to debate the rumors, but that is all they seem to be at this moment.

[John&LaLa]

Maybe it's just the business manager in me, but why is RCI so quiet?

 

I would think that with less than 90 days left before suite class begins, much more would have leaked out about C & A program modifications. Outside of the Suite Lounge/Club(s) built on the large ships, not really much has changed from RCI.

 

Radiance and Jewel are about to go through drydock, but both future sets of deck plans still map a Diamond and Concierge Clubs on both ships. Perhaps we have already seen all of the changes for this year?

 

It's fun to debate the rumors, but that is all they seem to be at this moment.

 

Maybe nothing is changing. ;)

[island lady]

Like!!!

 

Hi Ian!! You funny boy!! :D

[island lady]

Sorry, I can't afford it.:)

 

Not sure why you posted such a snarky response when all I did was ask a reasonable question based on the numbers.

 

Really? I was simply posting an honest account of the D, D+, and Pinnacle numbers on our small Radiance class ship sailing. Why were you questioning my posting of the high numbers on my sailing in the first place? Please return to your response of my accounting, re-read it, and then tell me why you insisted on remarking "your numbers do not add up". Did you think I was making it up, or what???

Edited February 15, 2016 by island lady

[island lady]

Nope, my take was that you were accusing ILady of just thowing numbers around.

Since you took the time to check the capacity of Serenade, should have checked what type of itinerary she is on right now.

Those upper tier numbers are right in line with the same length cruise we did on Serenade a few months back.

 

Thank you, PSCruiser! :) And right you are on those longer cruises!

Edited February 15, 2016 by island lady

[Merion_Mom]

(referring to drinks loaded on Seapass cards)

This perk for Ds, D+s, but not suites, started a couple of years back on cruises that were very heavy on upper tiers (like TAs) to help with DL crowding. Its use seems to have spread, but I don't know if it is universal on all cruises or not.

Basically, 3 drink vouchers are loaded electronically on your Seapass each day, good for the same drinks available in the lounges, and only during the times when you can get drinks in the lounges. The vouchers do not carry over day to day. They can be used in most, but not all, bars, a list is provided in your stateroom.

Celebrity uses a similar system, except with paper vouchers.

 

If I recall correctly, they began to trial the vouchers in March 2014, and all ships had them by September 2014.

 

:)

[Cuizer2]

Obviously my hard earnt Pound is not as good as his Dollar.

 

I'll bet it weight more.

[MattInFLL]

The leap from D to D+ was not as hard as I thought it might be, but I do cruise solo (most of the time) and I did do a number of JS's. Getting the crystal block for my favorite ship along the way was also nice.

 

But I don't imagine I will see Pinnacle in my lifetime, or I will be too old to enjoy it :)

 

Maybe they will finally name the tier with no name that starts at 340 (or 50?) points and gets you some D++ benefits. That one I could get to. :)

[John&LaLa]

The leap from D to D+ was not as hard as I thought it might be, but I do cruise solo (most of the time) and I did do a number of JS's. Getting the crystal block for my favorite ship along the way was also nice.

 

But I don't imagine I will see Pinnacle in my lifetime, or I will be too old to enjoy it :)

 

Maybe they will finally name the tier with no name that starts at 340 (or 50?) points and gets you some D++ benefits. That one I could get to. :)

 

They'll probably rename the 700 point level as The Tier Previously Know as Pinnacle ;)

[yogimax]

Really? I was simply posting an honest account of the D, D+, and Pinnacle numbers on our small Radiance class ship sailing.

 

I'm sorry you took offense. In the same way, I took offense at your "know it all" comment.

 

Look back and you will see you originally stated no source for the numbers you gave. Without a source, there was no verification. On your next response, you quoted the source, namely the concierge. That gives credence to your comment and was all that was necessary.

 

In any case, the past is the past and I hope we can both enter into positive

dialogue in the future.:)

Edited February 16, 2016 by yogimax

[astera]

Going from 175 points to 700 points will take some time though. Maybe even a whole life time for some of us.

 

Hopefully the stick holding the carrot in front of us won't be extended in the meantime. :)

 

I think the main issue is lounge access for D status-holders, and this will remain the main source of overcrowding. Nor really sure what's better/worse if they do decide they have to scale down: limiting perks or raising status thresholds to make them harder to achieve.

[hcat]

Just to clarify, but September 1, 2009 was the effective date that Diamonds could no longer use the Concierge Lounge.

 

Yup, way back then, we were so excited to be Diamond, having hit Elite on Celebrity .Shortly thereafter, the Diamonds were effectively demoted & we were no longer eligible to use the Concierge. Lounge, ...We were able to enjoy the evening and morning Diamond get togethers on our Oasis cruise----very nice perk!

 

I think we still need a few points to get to Diamond on Royal's current point system, but we are now E + with X which matches to Diamond on Royal , really not much benefit unless we see a cruise that we like and will give us those few points to Diamond.....