grapau27 Posted March 31, 2018 #3751 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Totally agree. One step forward...two steps back. Sad indeed. What good is having a loyalty program...if RCI does not really care about their loyal customers any longer? :(:oWhy bother even trying to attain the D+ level? "Welcome aboard Loyal cruisers! We now would like you to share just the one lounge, as we would like to experiment to see if we can fit 10 pounds of olives in a 5 pound jar!" :o :o Great discrimination. Our last 2 cruises as Diamond members i booked JS for double points to get to D+ and had CL access on our Freedom cruise in June 2017. We have 2 cruises booked on Independence after the march refit and they are reported to have a SL put in and CL taken out which we were unaware of when we booked these cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted March 31, 2018 #3752 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Great discrimination.Our last 2 cruises as Diamond members i booked JS for double points to get to D+ and had CL access on our Freedom cruise in June 2017. We have 2 cruises booked on Independence after the march refit and they are reported to have a SL put in and CL taken out which we were unaware of when we booked these cruises. I meant Great Description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtazz17 Posted March 31, 2018 #3753 Share Posted March 31, 2018 I'll be emerald after upcoming cruise and have been hell bent on getting to Diamond. But the more I think about it, really.. whats the point? The drinks are a great benefit but I always buy the drink package so that negates any benefit there. I once ducked a rope (on accident?) and boarded with the Diamond +'s and that was pretty sweet. Still I think we boarded after the suite guests. So I don't mean this in a negative way, I do want to get to Diamond, but what makes this level so special for people? From what I see priority boarding and free drinks. But if you're boarding after Suite guests and buying the drink package, is it just a status thing? More pull at guest services? Really just curious.. We are emerald and its still many many many many mire cruises till diamond. It used to take you half the days at sea to get to diamond but just like the whole crown and anchor program every year it becomes less and less of a reason to stay loyal to rccl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatka Posted April 1, 2018 #3754 Share Posted April 1, 2018 We are emerald and its still many many many many mire cruises till diamond. It used to take you half the days at sea to get to diamond but just like the whole crown and anchor program every year it becomes less and less of a reason to stay loyal to rccl. If you took 3-5 dayers then yes... you could've sailed 30 days. Not everyone was that lucky to get 3dayers converted to 1 credit.We lost at least 7 points with this conversion as almost all our cruises were 9-10 days. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted April 1, 2018 #3755 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Except for the Yacht Club. Limited number of rooms. Huge area with private pool, hot tubs, lounge and restaurant.;)Tiny cabins Sent from my SM-G965U using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagunny Posted April 1, 2018 #3756 Share Posted April 1, 2018 We are emerald and its still many many many many mire cruises till diamond. It used to take you half the days at sea to get to diamond but just like the whole crown and anchor program every year it becomes less and less of a reason to stay loyal to rccl. Technically, Emerald is 55 points. Take one 15 day cruise in a suite for double points and you are Diamond. 55+30=85. Diamond is 80 points. D+ is 175. Unless that has changed or the Cabernet has affected my math:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milwaukee Eight Posted April 1, 2018 #3757 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Technically, Emerald is 55 points. Take one 15 day cruise in a suite for double points and you are Diamond. 55+30=85. Diamond is 80 points. D+ is 175. Unless that has changed or the Cabernet has affected my math:D Or a 4 day and 11 night cruise in a Suite as we did to fly through Emerald. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted April 1, 2018 #3758 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Emerald didn't exist when we were Platinum. Went straight to Diamond Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired LEO Posted April 1, 2018 #3759 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Emerald didn't exist when we were Platinum. Went straight to Diamond Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app Same here platinum to diamond. I was also one of those that didn't get the 1st block. I went from 19 credits to 146 points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagunny Posted April 1, 2018 #3760 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Emerald didn't exist when we were Platinum. Went straight to Diamond Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app Same here - 10 cruises and then 25 for D+ if I remember correctly. Since there are getting to be so many high-rollers - they need more ships to even it out. They could raise the number of points but they would have to keep doing it every so often. More ships is the answer. Especially as the baby-boomers retire and use their 401's/IRA's for travel. I know I am. They need to make some new smaller ones that can get up the Chesapeake to Baltimore and into Tampa and retire some of the older ones. Put the Coastal Kitchen and SL/PL/DL on them. Make higher end ships and do South America again so there is a desire to cruise on them. If the smaller ships had larger lounges with a larger bar - something like the Martini Bar on Celebrity - and more perks, it would alleviate the over-crowding as well and distribute revenue. If the perks are there, I would book more cruises on that type of ship. Celebrity does Galapagos - why can't Royal do something similar? Antarctica? Africa? World? One would say Azamara, but why not Royal so we get to keep our perks? I equate the Crown and Anchor program to a retirement pension - work long enough and you get your just rewards. Cruise long enough and you should be rewarded. You paid your dues. Darn near $250k for a couple. By reducing the lounge sizes and perks, they will just drive people away to other lines and other ships and lose a revenue stream that could have been prevented with a little fore thinking. Bad press from disgruntled cruisers will deter new cruisers into selecting other lines, diminishing the revenue flow. My $.02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted April 1, 2018 #3761 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Same here - 10 cruises and then 25 for D+ if I remember correctly. Since there are getting to be so many high-rollers - they need more ships to even it out. They could raise the number of points but they would have to keep doing it every so often. More ships is the answer. Especially as the baby-boomers retire and use their 401's/IRA's for travel. I know I am. They need to make some new smaller ones that can get up the Chesapeake to Baltimore and into Tampa and retire some of the older ones. Put the Coastal Kitchen and SL/PL/DL on them. Make higher end ships and do South America again so there is a desire to cruise on them. If the smaller ships had larger lounges with a larger bar - something like the Martini Bar on Celebrity - and more perks, it would alleviate the over-crowding as well and distribute revenue. If the perks are there, I would book more cruises on that type of ship. Celebrity does Galapagos - why can't Royal do something similar? Antarctica? Africa? World? One would say Azamara, but why not Royal so we get to keep our perks? I equate the Crown and Anchor program to a retirement pension - work long enough and you get your just rewards. Cruise long enough and you should be rewarded. You paid your dues. Darn near $250k for a couple. By reducing the lounge sizes and perks, they will just drive people away to other lines and other ships and lose a revenue stream that could have been prevented with a little fore thinking. Bad press from disgruntled cruisers will deter new cruisers into selecting other lines, diminishing the revenue flow. My $.02. Appears that Royals investments are in ships and port stops that resemble amusement parks to draw in families for vacations. It seems that are careful not to move too strongly into the 10-14 day unique itinerary market w new ships so as to not crowd Celebrity in their biggest markets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank808 Posted April 1, 2018 #3762 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Great discrimination.Our last 2 cruises as Diamond members i booked JS for double points to get to D+ and had CL access on our Freedom cruise in June 2017. We have 2 cruises booked on Independence after the march refit and they are reported to have a SL put in and CL taken out which we were unaware of when we booked these cruises. Cl on freedom is a small room with no windows. Didnt spend anytime there last month on 8 night sailing except to grab a cup of orange juice in morning. Way nicer scenery and digs up in dl. But it is good to have a choice instead of it being taken away. Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted April 1, 2018 #3763 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Cl on freedom is a small room with no windows. Didnt spend anytime there last month on 8 night sailing except to grab a cup of orange juice in morning. Way nicer scenery and digs up in dl. But it is good to have a choice instead of it being taken away. Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk That was our experience too in June,the DL was our go to lounge because of the views but it was rarely even half full. On some ships the CL is better located than the DL and the choice of both was an incentive for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milwaukee Eight Posted April 1, 2018 #3764 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Cl on freedom is a small room with no windows. Didnt spend anytime there last month on 8 night sailing except to grab a cup of orange juice in morning. Way nicer scenery and digs up in dl. But it is good to have a choice instead of it being taken away. Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk Yes, CL on Freedom offers no views and is small. But OMG, I bet a few will have an uproar when it’s shut down and a SL is opened , likely in the Viking Crown. Lol. I have been kicked out and banned from the CL. The Sky is falling. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JessyCruises Posted April 1, 2018 #3765 Share Posted April 1, 2018 We are emerald and its still many many many many mire cruises till diamond. It used to take you half the days at sea to get to diamond but just like the whole crown and anchor program every year it becomes less and less of a reason to stay loyal to rccl. You might be surprised. We were only emerald for a year. We only took 3 more cruises to get there Freedom - 03/03/2018 + 8 = 81 = DIAMOND Freedom - 11/25/2017 + 8 = 73 Allure - 4/30/2017 + 7 = 65 Anthem - 3/05/2017 + 7 = 58 EMERALD Freedom - 11/26/2016 + 8 = 51 Liberty - 8/28/2016 + 7 = 43 Oasis - 4/9/2016 + 7 = 36 PLATINUM Oasis - 11/28/2015 + 7 = 29 Freedom - 3/08/2015 + 7 = 22 Independence - 2/28/2015 + 8 = 15 Oasis - 11/29/2014 +7 = 7 GOLD Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icsys Posted April 1, 2018 #3766 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I thought I was losing my mind for a minute there when the last several posts disappeared It was the right thing to do. Moving on.... The Mariner next week is likely to have hundreds of D and above onboard. ( over one hundred P's by all accounts) it will be interesting to see if there is an overflow in operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted April 1, 2018 #3767 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I thought I was losing my mind for a minute there when the last several posts disappearedIt was the right thing to do. Moving on.... The Mariner next week is likely to have hundreds of D and above onboard. ( over one hundred P's by all accounts) it will be interesting to see if there is an overflow in operation. Please let us know if there is a DL overflow and i hope you have a fantastic cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blizzard54 Posted April 1, 2018 #3768 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Yes, CL on Freedom offers no views and is small. But OMG, I bet a few will have an uproar when it’s shut down and a SL is opened , likely in the Viking Crown. Lol. I have been kicked out and banned from the CL. The Sky is falling. Sent from my iPhone using Forums How can you be banned from something that does not exist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blizzard54 Posted April 1, 2018 #3769 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I thought I was losing my mind for a minute there when the last several posts disappearedIt was the right thing to do. Moving on.... The Mariner next week is likely to have hundreds of D and above onboard. ( over one hundred P's by all accounts) it will be interesting to see if there is an overflow in operation. We have heard that on TA's and long repos the ship still has the option to have an overflow. I can not imagine it would not have it on the Odyssey. I expect they will use the Lotus Lounge and not have evening drinks in the CL or DL. That is what the Explorer has done on the TP's. I expect there to be at least 1000 D and above In case you have not followed the other place... There is a gathering scheduled the 2nd day in the Lotus Lounge at 8:30 am. I expect the Meet and Mingle will be right after at 9:30. Both may be standing room only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare island lady Posted April 1, 2018 #3770 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I meant Great Description. But then again...that fits also for D+. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare island lady Posted April 1, 2018 #3771 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Emerald didn't exist when we were Platinum. Went straight to Diamond Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app So did we..."the change" happened during the same week that we were on one 10 night going from Platinum to Diamond...skipping right over Emerald. It's such a strange level anyway. Not worth much as far as I can tell, and not sure why RCI even introduced that one. Was on the elevator not too long ago when an obviously very proud Emerald spoke up and bragged that she had made Emerald. I congratulated her and told her we never made it there. She beamed a big smile and told us "Oh..you might make it there one day" as she departed the elevator. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted April 1, 2018 #3772 Share Posted April 1, 2018 But then again...that fits also for D+. ;) Totally agree. Hows your foot? I hope it is healing and you have the boot off now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare island lady Posted April 1, 2018 #3773 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Totally agree.Hows your foot? I hope it is healing and you have the boot off now. Thanks...sans boot for a few weeks now, but man o man...it still hurts. And I have this just really "lovely" limp. Sigh....:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milwaukee Eight Posted April 1, 2018 #3774 Share Posted April 1, 2018 How can you be banned from something that does not exist? I get it Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted April 1, 2018 #3775 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Thanks...sans boot for a few weeks now, but man o man...it still hurts. And I have this just really "lovely" limp. Sigh....:o Sorry to hear it is still painful but hopefully it will be okay soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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