Absolutely appalling behavior from a Diamond member

[Don Pedro]

we are on the Harmony now and there is a person running around with her "pinnacle pin" very prominently displayed. I'm thinking that's interesting and I wonder exactly why it is being worn. Hoping that the staff will somehow treat them differently? that other passengers will be impressed? At the "top tier" recognition event earlier in the week the ship gave out the bubbly to the three passengers with the most points. this person ended up being in third place.

 

It really is unfortunate that folks feel the 'need' to berate others and I agree it has little to do with status which was inevitably PURCHASED and everything to do with self-esteem levels.

 

This thread started because of someone with anger management issues. A person who unfortunately announced their Crown & Anchor status in an attempt to influence a cruise line employee. A few posters, however, have turned this into reason to degrade pinnacle members.

 

While I guess your comment that Crown & Anchor status is ultimately a purchased commodity has some merit that doesn't change the fact that we all have the capacity to be buttholes. In the Crown & Anchor upper echelon there a pinnacles, painacles and pin pricks. Fortunately nearly all fall into the first category.

 

I, like you, cringe a little if I see pinnacle club members wearing their pins ashore or on their speedos, however wearing it aboard ship it is completely acceptable. Does it garner a little better treatment? Perhaps, but there are many other reasons it is worn.

 

First RCCL went to the trouble to individualize the pins of pinnacle club members and would not have done so if they expected it to end up in the bottom of a sock drawer. Next, although there are probably less than a thousand active pinnacles they do not all know each other. Nonetheless, they all have much in common and the pin allows members to introduce themselves to one other. And, finally, the crew likes pinnacle members to wear their pins. Many are not great remembering names but recognize the faces of passengers they have sailed with on numerous past occasions. The pin presents the name.

[cruzinlisa]

I do recall reading several DIS posters who thought they were the cat's meow for bringing aboard bags of candy for the crew, but those weren't in place of cash tips, they were in addition to the tips and for crew members like the youth counselors who weren't supposed to accept cash tips. I don't care if someone wants to bring some candy or trinkets onboard for the crew members, just the ones who act like it makes them a better person than the rest of the cruisers who are giving the crew cash tips and only cash tips.

 

I don't recall seeing anybody saying that they donate their used clothing to the crew. I would have remembered that one.

 

DCL gives you a lanyard to wear with your status on it. Of course you don't get much for status on DCL. I wonder if I'm supposed to wear a lower status one on purpose so it won't look like I'm bragging. I don't like lanyards anyway, but I'll lose my key card if I don't use one.

 

I remember reading about used clothing once. Not sure if it was on Dis or Carnival board. But someone was saying that basically they would bring things on the cruise that they did not want anymore, wear it for the cruise and then leave it for the crew. Hopefully a joke, but I am not so sure.

 

Don't forget about the people that give a framed photo of themselves. I am sure the crew would trade ALL of their cash tips in for that one. :)

 

Back to the original post- I work in a customer service type of field. And some people think you will get a different answer because you scream or ask to talk to a supervisor. What they don't get is some things can change no matter how much you stomp your feet (like the law for instance in my job). They get frustrated when they aren't getting anywhere so they get rude. Sometimes that does pay off for people though because they might get what they want (in our case their case done faster) because we want don't want to listen to them. But not always. Sometimes it backfires. This person probably ended up getting what he/she wanted. But if it had been up to me, my vote would have been an all expense visit to the brig before being the first escorted off the ship at the next port.

[KansasK]

We visited the Diamond Lounge once and it was crowded. There was a table with one lady at it and she had a Diamond Plus pin on. We asked of the chairs were taken and she smiled and said "they are - they're for you!" We sat down and had a nice visit with her. She was soon to become Pinnacle. People are people. There are lots of good one and a few bad ones at every level.

[grapau27]

This may be true, but in my own past experience, the only reason I would KNOW their status in the first place is because they FOUND a reason to point that fact out. And usually it has nothing at all to do with the conversation I'm having with them. I find that to be an immediate turn off from wanting to get to know that person further. I find many people lately looking for ways to tell me their status - and believe me, I NEVER ask, I don't care.

 

As for the pins, I don't mind someone wearing their pin on their shirt, or lapel - but I got a big kick out of the woman on my last cruise wearing her pin on her bathing suit!

Try the suite lounge.We were inundated with peoples business cards,but we did get invited to Canada and Virginia so can't complain.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[Dixie1337]

As for Pinnacle pin wearers, I read that Royal has asked them to wear them around the ship.

 

what do the pins look like?

[grapau27]

I agree, I started a thread in the Diamond Group when I became Diamond titled, "Diamonds I've met" it discussed the first two Diamond people I met and the contrast between them. Both of those interactions that I talked about where very memorable to me. The point and conclusion of the thread was there are many more nice Diamonds than not.

My experience too although we did get caught by one bore who seemed to stalk us as everywhere we went he suddenly appeared.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[grapau27]

Ha ha ha:')This is classic!

Wish i knew where it was.lol

 

43 cruises and counting.

[Clarea]

what do the pins look like?

Gold colored rectangular name badge.

[grapau27]

I do recall reading several DIS posters who thought they were the cat's meow for bringing aboard bags of candy for the crew, but those weren't in place of cash tips, they were in addition to the tips and for crew members like the youth counselors who weren't supposed to accept cash tips. I don't care if someone wants to bring some candy or trinkets onboard for the crew members, just the ones who act like it makes them a better person than the rest of the cruisers who are giving the crew cash tips and only cash tips.

 

I don't recall seeing anybody saying that they donate their used clothing to the crew. I would have remembered that one.

 

DCL gives you a lanyard to wear with your status on it. Of course you don't get much for status on DCL. I wonder if I'm supposed to wear a lower status one on purpose so it won't look like I'm bragging. I don't like lanyards anyway, but I'll lose my key card if I don't use one.

I sell chocolate and sugar confectionery in the UK but i would never dream of bringing samples with me,i just give extra cash.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[grapau27]

I have "merely" Platinum status and will likely never reach Pinnacle status. That said, every person I have ever met who had Pinnacle status was very kind and helpful. I enjoyed hearing about their experiences to get to Pinnacle and some of the "insider" tips and tricks that only a truly veteran cruiser can share about the various ships.

 

I seldom know who is Diamond, Diamond Plus or Pinnacle unless it is brought to my attention in some way. I certainly don't ask others for their "status" or volunteer mine in a usual "getting to know you" conversation.

 

Rude people are rude people no matter how much money they have, or how many times they have cruised. Maybe some of those who have achieved Pinnacle status know better than to accept the "can't do anything about it" dismissive canned responses that are sometimes received. Maybe their persistence is perceived as rudeness. Or maybe they really are just rude people.

 

Loyalty status has nothing to do with attitude. If you are a miserable human being, you are going to be a miserable human being from first time cruiser right up through Pinnacle.

I often get asked what is my job or how many cruises we have done often by people who are quick to tell me what they do or cruise status but often find this line of questioning boring.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[TYMAN]

I'm one of the nice D+ members. If you don't believe me, ask me.....

[grapau27]

One of my favorites posts there was someone who invited the room service guy onto their veranda to see the view. They said he was so thankful because he never got to see the outside. Another poster said they brought fruit back from the buffet to give to their room steward.

Is it really not April fools day?

You couldn't make this up but i had a good laugh.Thanks

Graham

 

43 cruises and counting.

[grapau27]

Very well said!!! Pretty much exactly what I wanted to say! Worded much nicer than I probably would have been able. We have met some of the biggest jerks (who just happened to be Pinnacle). With that being said 99.99% of the Pinnacles we have met have been awesome! Some we knew were P because they were wearing their pins. (the crew had asked them to do so). We have met some of the nicest people around and then later found out they are P! Had no idea while we were speaking with them! We also have met some of the rudest, most annoying folks around to then only "hear" that they are Gold, Platinum, Emerald, etc! I agree tier level does not made you a bad, ugly, rude person!!!

It gets us some free drinks in the Diamond lounge and nice snacks thats the only place people know i am Diamond.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[grapau27]

Your post reminded me of a guy we had breakfast with one morning (and made sure to avoid the rest of the cruise!)... He introduced himself by saying "I'm Gary and I'm a diamond plus". Then he went on to talk talk talk all about himself, leaving no breaks in the conversation, and bragging about all of his perks. It was a super fun breakfast?

I feel sorry for you,we have been caught like that before and not wanting (did really) to be rude put up with it until we could plan our escape.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[grapau27]

Gold colored rectangular name badge.

My wife has one of those for work in her British government department.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[Don Pedro]

Gold colored rectangular name badge.

 

Really, I thought they were solid gold. Are you sure?

[Clarea]

Really, I thought they were solid gold. Are you sure?

Not sure Pete, never seen one up close.;)

[Don Pedro]

Not sure Pete, never seen one up close.;)

 

Good golly Bob if you don't know I don't know who would.

[drdestructo]

First, I don't see anything wrong with someone acknowledging their C&A status, in passing, but not for things like this. I am (finally) a diamond and do enjoy some of the misc perks that come with it (lounge, balcony discounts, etc..). With that said, I do NOT feel I am entitled to any preferential treatment or am better than any other passenger on the ship. ALL the crew work hard and need to be respected. They are who make our wonderful vacations possible .

 

Obviously the individual that the OP is referring to seemed to forget all those lessons we needed to know about life that we learned in kindergarten. Either way, kudos to the OP and the other passengers for (hopefully) setting the rude guest straight.

 

Erika

(y)(y)(y)(y)(y)(y)

[ramja96]

And how many times has that actually happened?

 

I'm 100% sure that I've met more Pinnacles that haven't told me than have. I found out later at another reception who they were.

 

More importantly, how many of the people you have met have tried to use status as a "weapon".

 

We hear about the one person who is dominating the concierge's time, or that is checking that people are ok to be in a lounge (neither of which, I've ever seen), but that's one person out of the entire lounge. And it's also one person out of the entire ship who can be in the lounge- since there's many who can go to the lounge, but don't.

 

Again, one person does not define a group. It defines themselves.

I never said they were representative of the entire group. Just that those type of people are a big turn off for me, and I find them quite boring.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Forums mobile app

[vickiw0318]

Can't help smiling to myself that it is too bad that there wasn't a Pinnacle or D+ member (with a sense of humor, not a sense of self) around to say to the OP's complaining diamond woman (not lady) "Is that all?" Seems like the perfect way to shut her up. (Okay, sometimes I don't think very nice thoughts.)

 

Thank goodness that the OP and company did take her to task.

[BillOh]

I often get asked what is my job or how many cruises we have done often by people who are quick to tell me what they do or cruise status but often find this line of questioning boring.

 

43 cruises and counting.

 

 

I usually tell people, I work 51 weeks a year so I can cruise the other week. My job is very uninteresting to most people and I work for a World Wide Fortune 50 company that I don't want to say in fear something I say about those soulless leaders might get back to.

[perditax]

I missed AH's post with this, but love the reply. Being Diamond I was just a little offended by this post and you know you can't offend anyone anymore without consequences! ;), and in a totally unrelated note, I am thinking of titling my future trip reports - BLUE COLLAR DIAMOND CRUISING sails on........

 

 

Sadly these employees see this frequently and our use to it. The worst I have ever seen was in Belize, We had a snorkeling excursion. We waited at the pier for almost 2 hours for the boat to show up. There was an Explorations person there keeping us updated. Finally the excursion was canceled and the guy told us to go to the Explorations desk for a 125% refund of the excursion price. I was in line at that desk when a fellow, status/ nationality/ sexual preference unknown, launched into the worst tirade I had ever seen using all the stereotypical threats. The German lady just stood emotionless until he left and turned to me and said, "Next". I explained what I was told, she credited me with the amount stated and I moved on, but not after feeling like I had to apologize for my fellow passenger's tirade.

 

I have absolutely apologized, on more than one occasion, to the guest services person who just got screamed at by the person in front of me.

[naughtybuoy]

I also feel bad for the people in the call centers; imagine how much THEY probably get yelled at.

[LisaAtlCruiser]

This type of bad behavior has nothing to do with ones "status". Someone that acts like this, acted like this before they had any status at all. I do think having "status" adds fuel to the already burning fire though.