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Diamond Lounge Disaster - A Voyager Class Sob Story

Crism

By Crism,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Sailed Freedom 15+ times in PC.  Never wanted to go to the outside area.  To hot , to windy, to humid. Service was an afterthought. 

 

Also wasn't a fan of being inside when the automatic doors opened up and messed with the micro climate inside. 

 

I guess that's why we're different 

So now I should be happy about the change? What is your point?

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

So now I should be happy about the change? What is your point?

 

Maybe not everyone was a fan.

 

I'm pretty sure I pointed that out. 😉

 

I might have enjoyed it in shorts and a t shirt.

 

I also recall several folks asking Bertie if they could disable the automatic doors.  Every time you walked by the appetizers,  they opened. It was nice when they were closed for scrubber installation 

Edited by John&LaLa
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Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 hours ago, Ashland said:

So very sad at how all this downgrading has progressed for the D & D+...Loyalty means nothing to RCI.

How do you figure down grade?  Isn’t the real problem too many D’s and above?  Let’s make the entire ship the DL. 

Edited by Milwaukee Eight
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jdg623

jdg623

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

this is where the 3 drinks on your seapass card come in handy.  Spend the first hour at a bar and let the crowd thin out then head to the lounge.

 

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Shhh..and I thought we were the only two that did that. 😉

Great minds think alike!  That's our usual strategy as well. 👍

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Ashland

Ashland

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

How do you figure down grade?  Isn’t the real problem too many D’s and above?  Let’s make the entire ship the DL. 

And just how do you think the many D & D+'s can be eliminated? I guess those of us that have made D+ after many years of loyalty should now mean nothing to the brand.

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Maybe not everyone was a fan.

 

I might have enjoyed it in shorts and a t shirt.

 

 

Well, that is typically what I am wearing when I'm out there. It is where I like my morning or afternoon coffee. They could  have just disabled the doors during the evening happy hour if it is such a big problem.

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waterbug123

waterbug123

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

This is very similar to the other current first world problem D lounge thread. If the lounge is crowded use the free drink on your card or buy a drink package. Why do people insist on complaining about the D Lounge? I cannot see the logic of standing in line for a free drink k when you can get the same free drink somewhere else on the ship. 

 

 

Because if they go elsewhere to get their free drinks, no one will know they are special. 😉

We haven't bothered with the DL in ages.  Too many other places to get a drink to worry about focusing on one particular lounge that is usually either overly crowded, devoid of atmosphere, inconveniently located or whatever.  We focus on enjoying our cruise, rather than whether the perks we have earned have changed or not.  YMMV

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Redrobo

Redrobo

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Well, that is typically what I am wearing when I'm out there. It is where I like my morning or afternoon coffee. They could  have just disabled the doors during the evening happy hour if it is such a big problem.

 

You are still able to sit outside the DL on Adventure, there are tables and chairs however you have to get there via the stairs, and share with those waiting to use the Rock wall.

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

. Why do people insist on complaining about the D Lounge?  

 

Look at it this way, if someone will complain about RCI offering a private outdoor sitting area adjacent to the lounge then how can any complaint around here surprise you?

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Redrobo

Redrobo

Posted
Posted (edited)
18 hours ago, Crism said:

Currently on Adventure. The last time we were onboard her, pre-dry dock 2015, we had an absolute BLAST! Bar inside the lounge, outdoor seating, great service...

 

Flash forward to 2018/2019....I've attached a photo of the 5pm drink line. Outdoor seating? ELIMINATED. They've frosted over the beautiful glass doors and replaced it with rock wall sign ups, which was closed! What's on the other side of Deck 14? AN EMPTY SUITE LOUNGE. There's not a soul in the "redesignated" outdoor seating. Diamond Lounge door has a rope in front of it so you can't get out. This cuts the size of the lounge in half and there's NO OVERFLOW lounge. There's ONE (rude) DL server and 2 (fantastic) bartenders who are working their TAILS off! We're tipping well! We feel bad!

 

Unfortunately, Mariner is the same way! (Even worse...no bar setup in the DL!) Navigator's dry dock will move her DL into the Deck 5 Dungeon. RIP Navi's DL. Can't vouch for Voyager or Explorer, but I'm sure everything's going this way. Which one will they mess up next?

 

So Royal...why not give your most loyal cruisers back the outdoor space? I'm even OK with rock wall sign ups there... but have some outside seating set up during the cocktail hour and close the rock wall? The Suite side is EMPTY. Talk about a wasted outdoor space! Can your Diamonds please have it back?

 

Signed,

 

A Sad Diamond-Plus-Member-After-This-Cruise

20181208_165848.jpg

 

 

I have no idea of when this photograph was taken. The Viking lounge served as an overflow and it appeared that a large number of people used the bar in the viking lounge rather than lining up in the DL.

On our recent cruise the Blue Moon had been booked for a private function, I saw top tier members pushing aside barriers and walking past signs to avail themselves of the seats.

Most moved when spoken to by the ships staff except one obnoxious person who proceeded to berate the ships staff quite loudly and rudely and just sat.

I later spoke to the officer , who said that this was the last sailing the Blue Moon would be available for exclusive use.

The SL was in use by what I can only presume were Suite guests. The configuration of the SL to the Viking lounge would make the use of that lounge as a DL difficult whne any overflow was required.

With over a million crown and Anchor members the situation will only get worse before it gets better.

Edited by Redrobo
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Joseph2017China

Joseph2017China

Posted
Posted

It's just me, but if they "solved" the problem by giving you 3 free drinks at any bar, than why is it so important to go through a long line to get a drink instead of relaxing someplace else?  Is the overcrowded club that important?  Or is it just a "status" thing?

 

I go on many International cruises, and the Diamond Lounge is not this busy but in the Caribbean it is.  You are not going to get me to wait in that line, to get something I can get anyplace on the ship.

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andertim1

andertim1

Posted
Posted

I’m leaving on my first RCI cruise in 5 days. I’ve sailed a lot in the past with other cruise lines. This post reminds me of why I would never do princess again. There were too many snootie people on that cruise always making comments about their status on looking down on people trying a new cruise line. I’m sure there are a ton of wonderful diamond and pentacle members, but it only takes a few rotten apples to spoil someone’s experience. Maybe I’ll count how many wonderful people I’ll meet on the Harmony vs other. Glass half full (or in my case with deluxe package) always full versus half empty/ can’t get a free drink because there’s a small wait. 

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, PerferWarmWeather said:

Just got off Adventure and every night the big overflow area outside the Diamond Lounge door was open (forget the new name?).  Sure it was crowded in the Diamond lounge, but plenty of seats in the overflow area, plus two bartenders also available.  

 

 

Sounds like they opened it up to the entire Viking Crown area.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, The Sunset Glow said:

So sad to see this. We'll be on Adventure in May and was looking forward to the DL on this ship mainly because of the outdoor space. We'll just use our 3 drinks elsewhere (which is what RCI wants, I'm sure). The only way to get anything special on RCI now is to sail as Suite guests or Pinnacles.

There is an outside seating area for the DL on Independence.

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