Pinnacle travelling pattern (popular dates/itineraries) + Coastal Kitchen Q

[molly361]

 

5 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Those folks are the PITs.  

Pinnacles in Training

Edited November 23, 2018 by molly361

[island lady]

28 minutes ago, molly361 said:

While on the subject can someone tell me the best time to travel to avoid those pesky Diamond Plus members?👼😇

 

LOL!!  Yeah, it seems to be either Pinnacle bashing...or those pesky D+ taking up seats in the CL (on the ships that still have them). 😮😉 

 

There was one D+ basher who bragged that he only booked suites on these threads awhile ago.  Myself being D+ and booking a suite, I bet he would have been horrified to learn he was rubbing shoulders with a D+ in his precious SL!! 😄 

[island lady]

32 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You're out of luck on that one.  They are on every cruise, really messing things up for the Pinnacles.

 

LOL!!  Love it when you get all frisky like that Bob.  😉 

[davekathy]

9 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

LOL!!  Yeah, it seems to be either Pinnacle bashing...or those pesky D+ taking up seats in the CL (on the ships that still have them). 😮😉 

 

There was one D+ basher who bragged that he only booked suites on these threads awhile ago.  Myself being D+ and booking a suite, I bet he would have been horrified to learn he was rubbing shoulders with a D+ in his precious SL!! 😄 

Spoken as a true Royal DS. 

[cruisinghawg]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

I'm not sure I completely agree with that.  It's been acknowledged that policy is SL and CK access for pinnacles.

 

The issue is a few bad pineapples that use their gold badge to intimidate crew into demands that exceed the company policies.  Zenith members on Celebrity don't adorn a badge like a peacock showing off it's color. 

 

On Royal it's not a badge of honor but a badge of intimidation.  Showing your SeaPass card on request like everyone else does is all that's required to use the benefits of the program and should I ever make it to that level that's exactly what I plan to do.  Given the behavior of those bad pineapples, I'd be embarrassed to wear one.

Ah I see now, thanks for clearing that point up. By the way I have always known that pinnacles had this perk but is it not written down so that all suite folks would know this?

[Pratique]

3 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

Ah I see now, thanks for clearing that point up. By the way I have always known that pinnacles had this perk but is it not written down so that all suite folks would know this?

It's listed with the C&A benefits, separate from the suite benefits.

[twangster]

13 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

Ah I see now, thanks for clearing that point up. By the way I have always known that pinnacles had this perk but is it not written down so that all suite folks would know this?

 

This is what a Sky Class Suite guest can see:

 

 

It's not stated anywhere that dozens to hundreds of elite frequent floaters will have the same "exclusive" access and "priority" reservations as you.  

 

[TeeRick]

On 11/21/2018 at 9:55 PM, DJChick said:

Just had to get involved in this conversation. As a Pinnacle Member we earned the Suite Lounge/Coastal Kitchen benefit. Either way you look at it, it is our benefit. As a Suite guest, you also receive this same benefit by booking a Sky or Star Class suite. No argument there, that is your benefit.  So really we both have this same benefit equally. Andy C's position is that we Pinnacle Members cheapen or dilute the Suite Class benefit. You know what, we as Pinnacle Members could say the same thing about Suite guests.

 

We have all paid the price for this same benefit. To get to the loyalty level of Pinnacle, we booked  many cruises over many years and continue to book many more cruises each year for this benefit. Suite guests pay a very hefty price for a nice Suite to also receive this same benefit. This is also true.

 

In the end, both Pinnacle Members and Suite guests are equal and we each have the same right/benefit to use the Suite Lounge/Coastal Kitchen and both of our experiences can be affected by the other's behavior. Hopefully all of us that use these venues can appreciate the others that also use these same venues and keep an open mind on how each of our behavior habits affect others around us!

 

I don't really agree with some of your argument.  Suite guests pay a lot extra to use the suite amenities that are part of their purchase price and they are paying for a premium experience.  Pinnacle members get these amenities as a long term loyalty perk.  They do not pay extra for them on that specific cruise.  They surely spent  a lot of money over the years and have earned these perks collectively.  Many travel loyalty programs give the actual paying customers priority over their loyalty perk customers.  First Class seats or suites in hotels open up to high-level rewards members if they are available but there are a restricted number.  Perhaps RCI needs to limit the number of Pinnacles using CK and the Suite Lounge on a Pinnacle-heavy cruise by some fair system they could devise.  Perhaps cap the number of tables in CK or seats in the SL  for Pinnacles say on a President's cruise.  They would maybe have some rotational system or lottery system.  Who knows?  But something needs to change.  Pinnacles still have the very nice Diamond Lounge to fall back upon.  RCI could possibly comp Pinnacles that could not dine in a capped CK with specialty dining perks.  Food for thought?  Not trying to be a Pinnacle basher- just trying to find a solution.

[Big_G]

22 hours ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

Is this policy also for Zeinth in Michael's club?

No. Michael's Club doesn't have a limitation and is open all day.

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, Pratique said:

You're trying to make the hypothetical argument that this isn't a Pinnacle-specific problem. Maybe it isn't, but that doesn't change the fact that it happens from time to time.

 

Not hypotheticall, STAR definitely outranks Pinnacle 

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

I'm not sure I completely agree with that.  It's been acknowledged that policy is SL and CK access for pinnacles.

 

The issue is a few bad pineapples that use their gold badge to intimidate crew into demands that exceed the company policies.  Zenith members on Celebrity don't adorn a badge like a peacock showing off it's color. 

 

On Royal it's not a badge of honor but a badge of intimidation.  Showing your SeaPass card on request like everyone else does is all that's required to use the benefits of the program and should I ever make it to that level that's exactly what I plan to do.  Given the behavior of those bad pineapples, I'd be embarrassed to wear one.

 

The staff knows who the Pinnacles are without their badges.  I'd imagine that's true of Zenith as well.  Might be a little more difficult with 50+, but I really cant say.

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, Pratique said:

Perhaps you haven't met some of them? Again, as repeatedly stated, it's not all of them but enough. Yes, it is the RC policy where suite guests get an inconsistent product based on a variable and somewhat unpredictable number of Ps using SL/CK on any given sailing. RC advertises it as an exclusive suite benefit and fails to mention that "exclusive" also extends to certain non-suite guests.

 

I also know that complaining on CC isn't going to change anything, but the advice to simply switch cruise lines is not particularly helpful either.

 

I still think the number of suite guests can be variable.  

Edited November 23, 2018 by John&LaLa

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

This is what a Sky Class Suite guest can see:

 

 

It's not stated anywhere that dozens to hundreds of elite frequent floaters will have the same "exclusive" access and "priority" reservations as you.  

 

 

Doesn't mention a window seat. 😉

[twangster]

4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Doesn't mention a window seat. 😉

 

My 1st Oasis Sky Class experience and I couldn't get a table period.  No reservations for the next 3 nights. 

 

"You can come on day 6 at 8pm".

[John&LaLa]

26 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

My 1st Oasis Sky Class experience and I couldn't get a table period.  No reservations for the next 3 nights. 

 

"You can come on day 6 at 8pm".

 

Was that Symphony TA?

Did you get email from Concierge prior to sailing?

Did you stop by CK when you first boarded ship.

 

All those things can impact dinner availability 

 

FWIW, we rarely do dinner up there more than three times a week anymore.  

 

Did you go there for breakfast and lunch?

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by John&LaLa

[Pratique]

55 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Not hypotheticall, STAR definitely outranks Pinnacle 

It's hypothetical that guests would be moved from a table at the request of a Genie.

[Pratique]

42 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I still think the number of suite guests can be variable.  

What difference would that make?

[John&LaLa]

Just now, Pratique said:

It's hypothetical that guests would be moved from a table at the request of a Genie.

 

I've witnessed a Genie cut the standby line at the comedy Club.  

 

FWIW, the story of the Pinnacle table stealing is second hand information.   😉

 

I'm not saying it didn't happen, but it's still unsubstantiated 

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, Pratique said:

What difference would that make?

 

We are discussing availability of seats in CK, I contend some sailings could have an excess amount of suite guests making reservations difficult.  

[Pratique]

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I've witnessed a Genie cut the standby line at the comedy Club.  

 

FWIW, the story of the Pinnacle table stealing is second hand information.   😉

 

I'm not saying it didn't happen, but it's still unsubstantiated 

Line cutting is not the same thing and you know that. And I have witnessed firsthand a table held for Pinnacles in the CK, as we were denied an unoccupied table that was occupied 10 minutes later by Ps who sat at that same table every night we were there. Strange coincidence. But you just like to play devil's advocate.

[twangster]

10 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Was that Symphony TA?

Did you get email from Concierge prior to sailing?

Did you stop by CK when you first boarded ship.

 

 

First Royal cruise with zero status other than Sky Class.  

 

The email from the concierge didn't expressly state to "Reply now and make CK reservation so you can beat all the Pinnacles to it".  I learned that tactic on that cruise and used it on my next Sky Class sailing (as a gold member)

 

No one in the CK suggested making reservation on day one for the rest of the cruise.  Why would I need to?  I was supposed to get "Priority" reservations!

[twangster]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We are discussing availability of seats in CK, I contend some sailings could have an excess amount of suite guests making reservations difficult.  

 

Well then if the number of suite guests alone can oversubscribe the CK availability, Royal has really screwed up by dumping a bunch of pineapples into the contest for inadequate seating.

[Pratique]

2 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

First Royal cruise with zero status other than Sky Class.  

 

The email from the concierge didn't expressly state to "Reply now and make CK reservation so you can beat all the Pinnacles to it".  I learned that tactic on that cruise and used it on my next Sky Class sailing (as a gold member)

 

No one in the CK suggested making reservation on day one for the rest of the cruise.  Why would I need to?  I was supposed to get "Priority" reservations!

Exactly, it is a secret trick to make the reservations with the concierge before the cruise, a lesson we all learn the hard way.

[twangster]

21 minutes ago, Pratique said:

It's hypothetical that guests would be moved from a table at the request of a Genie.

 

The hostess specifically stated  "We have some Pinnacles that need this table." 

 

They were new, they didn't know what a Pinnacle was. It was a memorable moment for them.  

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by twangster

[twangster]

9 minutes ago, Pratique said:

Exactly, it is a secret trick to make the reservations with the concierge before the cruise, a lesson we all learn the hard way.

 

Thank you for confirming it is a problem.  Too many guests with the combined Pinnacle and Suite Guests population vying for too few seats.  Word is out, hence why OP started this thread.  It's definitely a problem.