Breaking News - C&A Changes/Enhancements

[Retired LEO]

So you are on the last two trips out of PC. When does the last one arrive back in PC? Do you know if they are leaving that afternoon for Miami.

 

The last one arrives back in PC on Monday May 2nd. I thought I read somewhere that it leaves for Miami on the 3rd. But I don't know for sure.

[molly361]

How is the free internet loyalty perk offered these days? Is it still 2 x 24 for D+?

 

Or $60 or $80 off a package depending on the ship

[John&LaLa]

The last one arrives back in PC on Monday May 2nd. I thought I read somewhere that it leaves for Miami on the 3rd. But I don't know for sure.

 

I see first Miami sailing on the 3rd, so it must leave Monday night to get there. Hope it's still daylight.

[Merion_Mom]

The 'card' mentioned is from Thanksgiving 2015

 

It certainly hasn't shown up anywhere else! (trust me, someone would have reported it)

 

Ugh.

 

And like the other poster, I was easily able to get two at a time on Anthem in February.

[John&LaLa]

It certainly hasn't shown up anywhere else! (trust me, someone would have reported it)

 

Ugh.

 

And like the other poster, I was easily able to get two at a time on Anthem in February.

 

I've had that card for 5 months and never read it. :eek:

 

Oh, and we'll talk when you get 6 at once. :D

Edited April 22, 2016 by John&LaLa

[Retired LEO]

I see first Miami sailing on the 3rd, so it must leave Monday night to get there. Hope it's still daylight.

 

Then that makes sense. I didn't know when the first sailing out of Miami was.

[URCRUZN]

We're packing for our first TA and I found this on the deck plans. Deck 14 has really been changed. RCL seems to have loyalty to their company and $ paid for suites in something of a conflict. $ won!!! I can't imagine how crowded the DL will be!!!

 

Diamond Club

Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club Crown & Anchor® Society members enjoy access to this lounge, created to serve these loyal guests with concierge access, complimentary continental breakfast, and evening drinks.

 

Suite Lounge

Guests staying in Grand Suite-level rooms and higher enjoy access to this lounge serving complimentary continental breakfast and evening drinks.

[John&LaLa]

We're packing for our first TA and I found this on the deck plans. Deck 14 has really been changed. RCL seems to have loyalty to their company and $ paid for suites in something of a conflict. $ won!!! I can't imagine how crowded the DL will be!!!

 

Diamond Club

Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club Crown & Anchor® Society members enjoy access to this lounge, created to serve these loyal guests with concierge access, complimentary continental breakfast, and evening drinks.

 

Suite Lounge

Guests staying in Grand Suite-level rooms and higher enjoy access to this lounge serving complimentary continental breakfast and evening drinks.

 

What ship are you on?

[tallcva3344]

We have not been limited either.

 

What is funny is when I go to the bar with both cards, they say just give me one, They then put both drinks on the same card. Allure. H

[tallcva3344]

How is the free internet loyalty perk offered these days? Is it still 2 x 24 for D+?

 

Yes, but they charge $15 per day with the number of days left on the cruise. So the $80 credit can pay for the last five days. If you use it earlier the 2 X 24 comes into play. With two in a room they will not give one the first five days and the other the last five days. Or both can get the last five days.

 

On a Sun to Sun cruise we both sign up for the last five days after 9:00pm on Tuesday. If B2B, they let it go until Sun at 9:00pm. This means we do not have service the second week from Sun at 9:00pm to Tue at 9:00pm. H

[beardedladies]

We're packing for our first TA and I found this on the deck plans. Deck 14 has really been changed. RCL seems to have loyalty to their company and $ paid for suites in something of a conflict. $ won!!! I can't imagine how crowded the DL will be!!!

 

Diamond Club

Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club Crown & Anchor® Society members enjoy access to this lounge, created to serve these loyal guests with concierge access, complimentary continental breakfast, and evening drinks.

 

Suite Lounge

Guests staying in Grand Suite-level rooms and higher enjoy access to this lounge serving complimentary continental breakfast and evening drinks.

 

Can you post a link to these deck plans please?

[marci22]

Yes, but they charge $15 per day with the number of days left on the cruise. So the $80 credit can pay for the last five days. If you use it earlier the 2 X 24 comes into play. With two in a room they will not give one the first five days and the other the last five days. Or both can get the last five days.

 

On a Sun to Sun cruise we both sign up for the last five days after 9:00pm on Tuesday. If B2B, they let it go until Sun at 9:00pm. This means we do not have service the second week from Sun at 9:00pm to Tue at 9:00pm. H

 

Or $60 or $80 off a package depending on the ship

 

 

In the past, the time period didn't start until you logged on with your information. So I would use my 2 days, then my husband would start his, then my kids, etc. Is it different now?

Edited April 22, 2016 by marci22

[suzyluvs2cruise]

We're packing for our first TA and I found this on the deck plans. Deck 14 has really been changed. RCL seems to have loyalty to their company and $ paid for suites in something of a conflict. $ won!!! I can't imagine how crowded the DL will be!!!

 

Diamond Club

Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club Crown & Anchor® Society members enjoy access to this lounge, created to serve these loyal guests with concierge access, complimentary continental breakfast, and evening drinks.

 

Suite Lounge

Guests staying in Grand Suite-level rooms and higher enjoy access to this lounge serving complimentary continental breakfast and evening drinks.

 

Aren't you sailing on the Independence TA? Looking at the deck plans there are no major changes to deck 14 and the Concierge Lounge is still on deck 10 with access for Diamond +, PC and Suite Guests. Liberty has had the changes you describe.

[steveru621]

In the past, the time period didn't start until you logged on with your information. So I would use my 2 days, then my husband would start his, then my kids, etc. Is it different now?

 

It hasn't changed.

[marci22]

It hasn't changed.

 

ok thanks

[SherriZ366]

Its my understanding the majority of the Concierge income comes from tips - they are guaranteed a small, minimum from RCI but without their tips there is very little compensation.

They cut the Concierge's salaries in half a few years ago.

[TigerLady]

If they make the Diamond Lounge "D+ and Pinnacle Only" then I think there will be a lot of angry cruisers.

 

Especially people like me who will just make Diamond only to have it snatched away immediately thereafter.

 

The drink vouchers are nice but we don't drink really, the perk it more about the people you meet in the lounge and the snacks in there. If they remove it ill be cancelling a lot of cruises I am in JS only in.

 

You posted LAST month, you were canceling because of a different issue.. I take it, you didn't. Have you thought of trying MSC Cruise Lines, their perks are pretty substantial, and they have reciprocity with RCCL..

[KatnBob]

We think it depends on the ship and its home port.

 

We recently completed two cruises on Oasis of the Seas sailing from Fort Lauderdale. Compared to most of our previous Royal cruises, this was like cruise heaven. We did our pre-dinner cocktails and night caps in the Suite

Lounge which was never crowded. There were two full fledged Concierges always available. The bar staff were great and remembered our favorites. Decor is modern with interesting after dark lighting effects.

 

We took all our meals in the Coastal Kitchen which is restricted to suite guests. Coastal Kitchen is actually an extension of the Suite Lounge so the bar service is continuous. The dining area is like an upscale restaurant and is well staffed. After our first dinner, we decided not to look any further and made a standing reservation.

 

The other suite perks were also enjoyable......reserved seating at the

theaters, visiting with the ships officers in the Suite Lounge and the little

goodies that turned up in our suite. Departure day was the fastest and easiest we have experienced. We were escorted off the ship by both

Concierges and our luggage was waiting at the entrance to Immigration.

On a large ship, this kind of service is golden.

 

The experience described above is vastly different from the cruises we took from Port Canaveral. Central Florida has a large population of retirees including a horde of Diamond+ and Pinnacles. They pretty much take over

the areas considered suite perks and has a tendency to de-value the suite

benefits due to the crowding of the facilities.

 

Hopefully, your $18,000 dollars is committed to a cruise on a ship that has

the type facilities we described above.

I am about to spend $18,000 USD on a cruise and actual wonder how much of the time of the concierge that should buy...

[hollykimalan]

We think it depends on the ship and its home port.

 

 

 

We recently completed two cruises on Oasis of the Seas sailing from Fort Lauderdale. Compared to most of our previous Royal cruises, this was like cruise heaven. We did our pre-dinner cocktails and night caps in the Suite

 

Lounge which was never crowded. There were two full fledged Concierges always available. The bar staff were great and remembered our favorites. Decor is modern with interesting after dark lighting effects.

 

 

 

We took all our meals in the Coastal Kitchen which is restricted to suite guests. Coastal Kitchen is actually an extension of the Suite Lounge so the bar service is continuous. The dining area is like an upscale restaurant and is well staffed. After our first dinner, we decided not to look any further and made a standing reservation.

 

 

 

The other suite perks were also enjoyable......reserved seating at the

 

theaters, visiting with the ships officers in the Suite Lounge and the little

 

goodies that turned up in our suite. Departure day was the fastest and easiest we have experienced. We were escorted off the ship by both

 

Concierges and our luggage was waiting at the entrance to Immigration.

 

On a large ship, this kind of service is golden.

 

 

 

The experience described above is vastly different from the cruises we took from Port Canaveral. Central Florida has a large population of retirees including a horde of Diamond+ and Pinnacles. They pretty much take over

 

the areas considered suite perks and has a tendency to de-value the suite

 

benefits due to the crowding of the facilities.

 

 

 

Hopefully, your $18,000 dollars is committed to a cruise on a ship that has

 

the type facilities we described above.

 

 

This is very informative, thank you. We are in an RFS on the Explorer next January and we've booked the Ovation for the Christmas 2017 cruise in a RFS. These both leave from Sydney Australia maybe less chance of having Central Florida Issue down here...

Is there a CK on the Ovation? I should really google that....

[joand452]

We tried to make it as early as possible to the DL on Anthem during our recent 12-day cruise. We could get in, but never got a seat, and only once did a server come by. Even the Music Hall bar was overcrowded with no where to sit. There were over 400 D & D+, but only 4 Pinnacles. I thought we hadn't gotten an invitation to a Welcome Back party, but I guess there was none; there was a top tier party late in the cruise, held in Two70º.

 

Well, I hope D+ gets some enhancements. It's finally within sight -- only 35 points away! If not, it'll be no big deal if we don't make it at this point.

 

But, alas, no cruises booked for the time being. :(

[Coralc]

The experience described above is vastly different from the cruises we took from Port Canaveral. Central Florida has a large population of retirees including a horde of Diamond+ and Pinnacles. They pretty much take over

the areas considered suite perks and has a tendency to de-value the suite

benefits due to the crowding of the facilities.

 

Hopefully, your $18,000 dollars is committed to a cruise on a ship that has

the type facilities we described above.

 

But those inside cabin Florida retiree Pinnacles are on a lot of cruises, not just those from Central Florida. They receive the same suite benefits that you do as a suite guest. We have encountered them on many cruises.

 

They can dine at Coastal Kitchen, and enjoy the same benefits that you do. So I don't really understand the difference, other than the fact that you didn't encounter them on your particular cruise.

Edited April 23, 2016 by Coralc

[John&LaLa]

We think it depends on the ship and its home port.

 

We recently completed two cruises on Oasis of the Seas sailing from Fort Lauderdale. Compared to most of our previous Royal cruises, this was like cruise heaven. We did our pre-dinner cocktails and night caps in the Suite

Lounge which was never crowded. There were two full fledged Concierges always available. The bar staff were great and remembered our favorites. Decor is modern with interesting after dark lighting effects.

 

We took all our meals in the Coastal Kitchen which is restricted to suite guests. Coastal Kitchen is actually an extension of the Suite Lounge so the bar service is continuous. The dining area is like an upscale restaurant and is well staffed. After our first dinner, we decided not to look any further and made a standing reservation.

 

The other suite perks were also enjoyable......reserved seating at the

theaters, visiting with the ships officers in the Suite Lounge and the little

goodies that turned up in our suite. Departure day was the fastest and easiest we have experienced. We were escorted off the ship by both

Concierges and our luggage was waiting at the entrance to Immigration.

On a large ship, this kind of service is golden.

 

The experience described above is vastly different from the cruises we took from Port Canaveral. Central Florida has a large population of retirees including a horde of Diamond+ and Pinnacles. They pretty much take over

the areas considered suite perks and has a tendency to de-value the suite

benefits due to the crowding of the facilities.

 

Hopefully, your $18,000 dollars is committed to a cruise on a ship that has

the type facilities we described above.

 

What a load of rubbish. :rolleyes:

 

And you better get used to the lowly JS passengers horning in on CK next month. :eek:

[hollykimalan]

I don't think I am a snob. I object to those who have 'earned' their C&A points that they try to vicariously demonstrate their own sense of social, intellectual and/or economic superiority over those who can actually afford a suite by bragging about their status. Nothing lowly about the attitude of those people.

[Coralc]

Never mind.

Edited April 23, 2016 by Coralc

[hollykimalan]

I love the way English can stratify the writer and the reader.