Who is "higher" up ... Bar manager or Loyalty Ambassador ?

[bobbie0253]

Who is higher up the bar manager or the loyalty ambassador? Or are they equal?

 

On a recent cruise we had an issue with our three free drinks( diamond members) being loaded to our seapass account. In trying to get it resolved the loyalty ambassador said it would be taken care of but when checking with guest services they said the bar manager declined it. ( it was a little past the 8:30 cut off because we were told they did away with the free drinks)

[cruisenfever]

Who is higher up the bar manager or the loyalty ambassador? Or are they equal?

 

On a recent cruise we had an issue with our three free drinks( diamond members) being loaded to our seapass account. In trying to get it resolved the loyalty ambassador said it would be taken care of but when checking with guest services they said the bar manager declined it. ( it was a little past the 8:30 cut off because we were told they did away with the free drinks)

The cut off time at the bars is exactly the same as when the CL/DL stops serving alcohol. If it's past 8:00/ 8:30, the bar will not serve you. It's actually programmed into their system when they swipe your card.

[bouhunter]

You wanted the drinks after the cut-off time?

[bobbie0253]

I should have been clearer... Sorry.

 

We know the rules of the program and will follow the rules and not expect anything different. In this case though we ordered our first set of drinks in the proper time frame in a proper venue and were told by a bar server that the perk was no longer. After the show we went to a bar and ordered a second drink. It was after 8:30 because we didn't feel like we had to order right away because the perk was gone. I asked to have that set of drinks removed also. The LA said it would be taken care of. The bar manager said no.

[bobbie0253]

You wanted the drinks after the cut-off time?

 

Yes because we were told they did away with them. When I went to ask the LA when that happened she informed me it was never done away with. I wasn't very happy. She checked our sea pass and we were listed correctly in the system. She had no answer as to why we were misinformed and charged for those drinks. I asked to have the drinks outside of the time frame taken off too because IF we had known we would have grabbed a drink before leaving two70. Not a few minutes later at Schooner.

[TravelerThom]

I'm pretty sure that the LA reports to the Guest Services Manager who reports to the Hotel Director. The Bar Manager reports to the Food & Beverage Manager who reports to the Hotel Director. I THINK the LA is probably a "two stripe" officer and the Bar Manager has 2.5 or 3 stripes, but neither controls the other.

 

It sounds like a bar server incorrectly told you no C&A drinks even though you were at an approved place and time, but those drinks were eventually removed from your bill (correct?). Yes, you would have gotten a second one before 8:30 if you thought it included, but thinking not you waited and the second ones were not comped. In a perfect world that might have happened, but I'm not surprised it didn't. I can understand your frustration.

 

ADD: Is Two70 an approved location? Not having been on Q class I don't know. If it is not approved then that may be the source of confusion.

Edited March 11, 2016 by TravelerThom

[cruisenfever]

Yes because we were told they did away with them. When I went to ask the LA when that happened she informed me it was never done away with. I wasn't very happy. She checked our sea pass and we were listed correctly in the system. She had no answer as to why we were misinformed and charged for those drinks. I asked to have the drinks outside of the time frame taken off too because IF we had known we would have grabbed a drink before leaving two70. Not a few minutes later at Schooner.

Which ship was this?

[reallyitsmema]

Is Two70 actually a venue you can get your free diamond drinks on Anthem? I know in the past you couldn't get the free drinks in the theatre or the MDR. What are the restricted venues on Anthem?

[cruisinfanatic]

what drinks were ordered that were to be free?

[SheehanDJ]

As stated above I don't think either one is above or below the other. However the LA probably has a bit more "juice" on whether you get charged for those drinks or not.

 

Mainly because to the bar manager you are just another customer and another issue he/she needs to deal with. To the LA you are his/her job. I'd go back to the LA and sit there while they make the call to get your bill fixed. I wouldn't leave though until it was, meaning don't accept "I'll take care of it for" as an answer or you will just be going back the next day.

[bobbie0253]

Oh I'm not going back. Lol We got off the ship Monday. I am not the type to sit there and demand it's taken care of then. The LA said it would be so I trusted her that it would. When it wasn't we went to guest services and were told the bar manager declined it. I was under the assumption that if the LA said it would be taken care of it would. I had no reason to not trust that. I was just curious who was higher than the other in ranking and how this happened.

 

She told us two70 would have qualified for the drinks.

[bobbie0253]

what drinks were ordered that were to be free?

 

A Cosmo and a Jack and coke.

[marci22]

A Cosmo and a Jack and coke.

 

I don't think Cosmos are on 'the list'. Some DL servers/bartenders will make them but it's not guaranteed throughout the ship. I wouldn't expect them to refund a drink that was purchased outside of CL hours, even if you were mistakenly told the 3 seapass drinks were no longer in effect.

[njmomof2]

I don't think Cosmos are on 'the list'. Some DL servers/bartenders will make them but it's not guaranteed throughout the ship. I wouldn't expect them to refund a drink that was purchased outside of CL hours, even if you were mistakenly told the 3 seapass drinks were no longer in effect.

 

And yet, you can get a cosmo or a margarita in the DL but they give you a hard time at the other bars. I was under the impression that anything they would serve during the open hours in the DL you could get with the 3 coupons. I had less trouble on Anthem than I had on Freedom with this.

[cruisinfanatic]

A Cosmo and a Jack and coke.

Jack and Coke should have been free during hours, but not a cosmo

Edited March 11, 2016 by SeaUs

[marci22]

And yet, you can get a cosmo or a margarita in the DL but they give you a hard time at the other bars. I was under the impression that anything they would serve during the open hours in the DL you could get with the 3 coupons. I had less trouble on Anthem than I had on Freedom with this.

 

Cosmos are usually made with Cointreau or Triple Sec in addition to the vodka. I have seen the DL servers use Rose's Lime juice. So they might be serving fake cosmos in the DL. (I may have seen triple sec in the DL but I don't think I have ever seen Cointreau)

 

Can't really argue with the bartenders as martinis are not on the drinks list. If you complain, the DL servers will just stop making them.

Edited March 11, 2016 by marci22

[bobbie0253]

LA said both drinks should have been included and our drinks from the night in question would be taken off our sea pass. The last night they allowed cosmos too. If a bar tender or the LA told me otherwise I would have chosen another drink.

 

The question wasn't about wether a drink was covered or not. The question was basically can the bar manager override the LA's decision?

[Don Pedro]

LA said both drinks should have been included and our drinks from the night in question would be taken off our sea pass. The last night they allowed cosmos too. If a bar tender or the LA told me otherwise I would have chosen another drink.

 

The question wasn't about wether a drink was covered or not. The question was basically can the bar manager override the LA's decision?

 

Evidently he can and did.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Don Pedro

[Tagsalong]

Cosmos are usually made with Cointreau or Triple Sec in addition to the vodka. I have seen the DL servers use Rose's Lime juice. So they might be serving fake cosmos in the DL. (I may have seen triple sec in the DL but I don't think I have ever seen Cointreau)

 

Can't really argue with the bartenders as martinis are not on the drinks list. If you complain, the DL servers will just stop making them.

 

Triple Sec is on the approved list on the Vision of the Seas. Maybe not on the other ships?? It was recently added to allow Cosmos and Margaritas to be made at bars and DL/CL without hassle. It was printed on the approved list at all bars in January.

 

It (Triple Sec) was definitely not on the list on the Freedom in September. DW had problems getting Margaritas at some bars but got them at others - using her vouchers.

[bobbie0253]

I think I need to not be so nice when stuff like this happens and stand there demanding that what someone says is followed through on the spot.

 

Oh well it's only $25 but also a wasted 45 minutes of vacation standing in the never ending guest services line :/

[Don Pedro]

I think I need to not be so nice when stuff like this happens and stand there demanding that what someone says is followed through on the spot.

 

Oh well it's only $25 but also a wasted 45 minutes of vacation standing in the never ending guest services line :/

 

You are right that $25 should not ruin a vacation. Good attitude. But I wonder if there is not some problem brewing between the Loyalty Ambassador and the Bar Manager.. It seems to me that normally a Bar Manager would, right or wrong, honor what the Loyalty Ambassador told you that she would do. Especially since it was only $25.

[IsanTom]

Enjoy your cruise! No drinks after 8:30PM! There free, follow the rules. I am a C+ and I

follow the rules!

[goodycruising]

This is another case of the issue I am finding really frustrating on RCI and that is the fact that we often have to argue to get what THEY HAVE OFFERED. They came up with the three drinks scheme when they found their loyalty program was going past what the capacity of the DL could handle. It is a great idea, and many of us like that THEY OFFERED IT.

 

The bar staff would know that a Diamond member gets the three drinks, and most of the time lately we have had good service at other bars, not like when it first came into the system of the three drinks loaded on your card each night.

 

So when the mistake is politely pointed out, the LA offers to fix it. But as so often seems to be happening, your polite question seems to have to become an ongoing battle. In this case, a ridiculous situation of the bar manager over riding what the LA had requested. What a load of crap, the LA offered to remove that charge as you have been incorrectly informed that you had to pay for your drinks the first time.

 

That those drinks may not have usually been on the offered list, but if the OP had been treated properly the first bar person could have informed them of the complimentary drink list. Then as stated, the LA said that they would have been available at two70, and it would have just been so much simpler.

 

Maybe a list of venues and drinks available in our room with the diamond welcome would be handy?

 

The point here is not to go into minute detail and start making out like the OP was standing at a bar after 8.30 demanding a free drink. They we told the drink charge would be removed as an apology for the original mistake. Such a simple thing to have done, and as we are finding more and more, it gets turned into a silly circus where the guest that has not received what RCI were originally offering is made to feel like they were asking for extra.

 

Flame me all you like, between RCI staff and CC posters, this is becoming an annoying pattern.

Edited March 12, 2016 by goodycruising

[marci22]

This is another case of the issue I am finding really frustrating on RCI and that is the fact that we often have to argue to get what THEY HAVE OFFERED. ....

 

That those drinks may not have usually been on the offered list, but if the OP had been treated properly the first bar person could have informed them of the complimentary drink list. Then as stated, the LA said that they would have been available at two70, and it would have just been so much simpler.....

 

The point here is not to go into minute detail and start making out like the OP was standing at a bar after 8.30 demanding a free drink. They we told the drink charge would be removed as an apology for the original mistake. Such a simple thing to have done, and as we are finding more and more, it gets turned into a silly circus where the guest that has not received what RCI were originally offering is made to feel like they were asking for extra.

 

Flame me all you like, between RCI staff and CC posters, this is becoming an annoying pattern.

 

 

Sorry for being annoying but I have not sailed since January and previously cosmos were not an "allowed" drink. I also know that they will not give you a free drink even one minute after 8:30.

 

I was commenting on her chances of getting a credit after the fact in view if these two things. Doesn't mean I thought her treatment onboard was acceptable.

Edited March 12, 2016 by marci22

[TravelerThom]

Am I the only person that thinks much of this stemmed from communications problems? After seven posts by the OP I’m still not clear on what happened.

 

I get that OP tried to get a comped C&A Diamond Cosmo and a Jack & Coke before 8:30 in Two70. Jack is officially on the C&A list; a Cosmo is not officially there but is often allowed. OP said they “were told by a bar server that the perk was no longer”; given that the server’s first language may not be English, did this mean no drinks at all or did it mean that the Cosmo was not covered? I ASSUME (it is not clear to me) that one or both drinks were charged to OP’s account. It is again not clear to me if that one or two drink charges were reversed. Given that the OP seems to have eventually been charged $25, it doesn’t sound like OP paid for these at the end (I don’t think you can get four drinks plus gratuities for $25 on Anthem).

 

I also get that OP thinking that there were no C&A Diamond drinks, didn’t try to get a second round until after 8:30 (whereas if they thought there were “free” drinks, they would have beat the time deadline). Obviously these were charged, both initially and still charged at the end of the cruise.

 

OP says “the loyalty ambassador said it would be taken care of but when checking with guest services they said the bar manager declined it.” What is “it”? Clearly OP thought “it” was that all four drinks would be comped, but is that what the LA meant? I’m guessing that the LA meant that they would take care of the drinks before 8:30, but that got lost in translation to OP, who assumed that meant all drinks. It is not a question of the Bar Manager overruling the LA; the LA has no direct control over bar charges, but can merely negotiate to with the Bar Manager to reverse charges – it appears to me that in fact some charges were reversed (but given lack of clear statements that is uncertain).

 

I understand reasons for the OP to feel frustrated, but if I, a native English speaker, am not entirely sure what happened after seven posts, I’m not surprised that things fell through the cracks.