Crown & Anchor Diamond Plus cutbacks continue!

[Baron Barracuda]

Believe dl serves as sales tool for Royal.  Keeps envious lower level c&a's loyal to Royal as they accumulate points to become part of perceived exclusive group.   

 

Perc also keeps current d's coming back.  When uncertain of which cruise line to choose for an itinerary we often book Royal because of loyalty rewards, including dl (and we're not heavy drinkers) 

 

As Royal continues to grow their fleet they will have many more berths to fill.  If they're smart they will continue to take good care of their most loyal and frequent customers.

 

 

[mugtech]

27 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

We  don't really go to the lounge.  We just use our drink coupons at other bars.  Personally I would rather they close the lounges and give D, D+, and P a credit to spend as we want.  Assume between drinks and internet it saves us $35 per day per person.  Giving us the credit would let everyone spend it as they wish (not everyone drinks) and RC would save a lot of $$ they spend on the lounge.   

As a nondrinker I have hoped some such system would be employed.  For me loyalty percs are way down the list when considering which cruise and cruiseline to book.

[TravelerThom]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

Is the Capt's Club menu the same as the menu on Royal?

Alcohols not the same, but similar. The biggest differences are 1) only 2 hours in the evening and 2) bloody Mary’s, screwdrivers etc available for 2 hours in the morning at the Elite breakfast. 

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, rimmit said:

 

I thought the Dress Code was the most controversial. Lol.

Don't short change the tipping threads.

[davekathy]

4 hours ago, akcruz said:

 

From the January Captains Club newsletter

 

Thank you for posting the updated news letter. I will make note of this for future reference. Not sure why I didn't receive this as I receive all the other junk Celebrity sends out. 

Edited February 21, 2019 by davekathy

[xpcdoojk]

I still say, that this topic is complete BS....  when they offered the 3 free drinks and you can get them in the dining rooms, that is way better than being able to go to the concierge lounge as a diamond plus.  How many lounges do you really need?  The free drinks means you can go anywhere you actually want to go.  You can treat a friend to a glass, can’t get them into the DL, if you meet someone you like on the cruise you can meet them for drinks and yours are free.  

 

Then I hear there are too many diamonds, and too many pinnacles, what are we going to do... O My.  I think that proves that what they are doing is working to get repeat business, why would they throw away the secret to their success.  It takes on average over a dozen cruises for a typical cruiser to make Diamond.  Sure there are those who sail in suites, who make it in 6 or 7, but they are paying a massive premium.  So we give them realistically, assuming they have 3 drinks in the lounge and 3 glasses of wine while having dinner, if they can manage all of that in the free drinks window, what might cost them $20, I think we can safely say they would happily give $20 a day to make $300, without adding in the drinks in the day time or excursions.  

 

All I have to say is if the benefits are declining, I love the way they declined on the Symphony TA this last fall.  If they are going to treat me as a diamond plus so badly, I could easily take all my vacations with them.

 

jc

[island lady]

15 hours ago, nelblu said:

 

You are right, forgot about the dress code.

 

And the smoking issues.  😉 

[island lady]

14 hours ago, Seville2Cabo said:

We  don't really go to the lounge.  We just use our drink coupons at other bars.  Personally I would rather they close the lounges and give D, D+, and P a credit to spend as we want.  Assume between drinks and internet it saves us $35 per day per person.  Giving us the credit would let everyone spend it as they wish (not everyone drinks) and RC would save a lot of $$ they spend on the lounge.  

This is happening everywhere.  It used to be on American Air, as Exec Platinum I could board with first class.  Now they added a group before first class (concierge class), and make exec plt wait and now we board as group 3.  And when group 3 is called, have the plane boards. Used to get auto upgrades.  No more.  At least on American, you have to earn it every year.  RC's problem is you keep your points forever.  

 

Thanks for freeing up the seats in the lounge for those that want them! 🙂  The lounge is only an option...choice is there.  Use the lounge...or not.  

 

For me, (and many others) it's more about the comradery of birds of a feather.  Frequent cruisers have much in common, (a love of cruising and we cruise quite often).  We share information, stories and ideas about various places and ships.  Having the drinks available and a quiet place for my morning coffee and to relax in the afternoon is a bonus perk I enjoy.  This is opinion only, but it is MY choice.  And I am not alone.  🙂 

[Paulette3028]

44 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

For me, (and many others) it's more about the comradery of birds of a feather.  Frequent cruisers have much in common, (a love of cruising and we cruise quite often).  We share information, stories and ideas about various places and ships.  Having the drinks available and a quiet place for my morning coffee and to relax in the afternoon is a bonus perk I enjoy.  This is opinion only, but it is MY choice.  And I am not alone.  🙂 

I do enjoy the ability to meet a few more people in the lounge nightly.  It is the same reason that we ask to be seated in the MDR with others, just a way to chat with other people and learn about how they spent the day.  It doesn't have to be 'life altering' conversations, just pleasant ones....and sometimes you meet people again on a cruise....it just is fun (to me at least). 

 

I do enjoy the coffee machine all day long and an opportunity to get out of the sun and relax for a little while on 'my time'.  

[island lady]

10 minutes ago, Paulette3028 said:

I do enjoy the ability to meet a few more people in the lounge nightly.  It is the same reason that we ask to be seated in the MDR with others, just a way to chat with other people and learn about how they spent the day.  It doesn't have to be 'life altering' conversations, just pleasant ones....and sometimes you meet people again on a cruise....it just is fun (to me at least). 

 

I do enjoy the coffee machine all day long and an opportunity to get out of the sun and relax for a little while on 'my time'.  

 

Agree.  We have met many good people, many of whom we see over and over again on cruises, and have become friends.  

[John&LaLa]

18 hours ago, Scotty G said:

 

John, what does this have to do with Diamond Plus cutbacks?

 

Last word of the opening paragraph is Pinnacles. 😉

[robandana]

I think this has been Royals best marketing scheme ever....people are always racing to get to the next level...before they change something and you don't get in or get booted out. I know people that sailed solo leaving husband or wife at home just to reach the next level....paying thousands of dollars more....

 

Its funny how every so often there will be a rumor that the levels are changing and the race begins....

 

The lounges are awesome, its a great place to meet and mingle with like minded cruisers and it nice to be able to have a couple of drinks on the house. Take away the lounges and I think many will reconsider who they sail with. I think Royal know exactly what they created....

[tinkr2]

On 2/17/2019 at 1:05 PM, cruisegirl1 said:

This  definitely has a huge impact on numbers of crown and anchor members.   Every day on Cruise critic someone asks about their cabin mate/boyfriend/ girlfriend /significant other etc. etc. and are always told to  call RCCL and they  will have the same status. Then I guess if there was a break up, that person still retains that unearned status and then can forward it to their new mate.  

 

 I will be disclosing and say that  members of my own family have benefited by this current and acceptable process. 

M

 

 

The shared status should be connected, only while they are connected. If they are cruising without the true D<D+, they should be on their own status.

 

On 2/17/2019 at 2:46 PM, cello56 said:

One thing that I think should be pointed out, and I am not trying to be mean or petty about it. People keep lumping Diamond and Diamond Plus in together as if they are almost the same. Keep in mind that Diamond starts at 80 points - probably only 11 cruises or so. Diamond Plus stretches from 175 points all the way up to 699! Very big difference there between 80-174 and 175-699! I too see the writing on the wall for the Diamonds. I see them being limited to their three drinks each evening at bars throughout the ship. I honestly think that that would be fair and equitable given the number of nights of loyalty and the number of Diamonds on each cruise. 

 

We too have seen the problem with certain cruisers taking over lounges late in the afternoon and not leaving until late dinner starts. They always seem to be the heavy drinkers too! Perhaps this behavior is going to see us being limited in how many drinks they will serve us in the Diamond Lounge/Concierge Lounge? 

 

I completely agree with you. I am a low point diamond because I am not loyal. I jump lines and have points allover the place. Diamond plus are truly loyal and have shown it by the high level of points.

 

On 2/17/2019 at 2:52 PM, cementhands said:

I thought it was heaven when we finally got to diamond. Just got off the Grandeur and enjoyed the diamond lounge nightly. Never used all 3 drinks separately. Not big drinkers. But it feels great getting back a benefit. Similar experience on Visions transatlantic October 2018. Not overly crowded but enjoyable. Lots of waitstaff.

We are on our way to diamond plus. Hopefully RCL continue to cater to the loyal customers. We’ve enjoyed many different cruise lines but RCL has really the best loyalty program. On Celebrity we’re elite separately. I loved the free laundry and dry cleaning.

I only hope RCL provides more Zumba and stretch classes in centrum. My wife might want to go back to Princess as they cater to a more active fun crowd. It’s hit or miss on RCL.

On Visions transatlantic we felt the pain from so much dancing with Talita Leone. A good pain. So we could eat more. Grandeur had great food but not the activities of former Grandeur cruise or Anthem and Visions. We lost weight on those.

 

This tickled me greatly. Princess may include an occasional Zumba but RCCL has a flowerier , a rock wall, slides, ice skating, all considerably more active activities. My husband won't set foot on princess bc of lack of active items.

 

On 2/17/2019 at 3:43 PM, SRF said:

 

Why not?

 

Airlines and hotels treat guests that are paying more.  

 

You get treated better on an airline if you are in business class versus a million miler in economy.   Also, as I mentioned, they are now giving status based on mileage (how much you travel with them) as well as how much you spend with them.  Do a lot of cheap flights, and you will NOT make high level status.

 

And hotels are also doing this.  They have executive floors, where people paying more for their room get treated better.  And some have started with a top level that is both how many nights, but also overall spending.

 

Also, Royal is doing this already, by changing Concierge Lounges to Suite Lounges.

 

These are all BUSINESSES.  They are about making money.  And someone who pays $7000 for a cruise makes them more money that someone who takes 5x $1000 cruises.

I disagree with your analysis of how they make money. A suite cruiser that spends all their time in the suites lounge and Coastal Kitchen is probably equivalent to someone buying drinks, eating specialty and gambling. The gambling factor is a huge differential which is why they're so often comped.

[Ocean Boy]

How do some people know that there are people camping out in the lounges for hours, and are heavy drinks too, if they are not camped out there themselves?

[rimmit]

12 minutes ago, robandana said:

 

The lounges are awesome, its a great place to meet and mingle with like minded cruisers and it nice to be able to have a couple of drinks on the house. Take away the lounges and I think many will reconsider who they sail with. I think Royal know exactly what they created....

 

The lounges are an great way to meet people.  We love the lounge for that reason.  It’s not just about the alcohol.  We recently did a TA on NCL Breakaway in Oct and while we did not have free alcohol,  we  did buy bottles of grey goose from the bar for consumption on board.  (It is 135 dollars for a 1L bottle of grey goose gratuities included.). Much cheaper than buying by the drink.   At the price while not free it did allow us to drink as much as wanted for a reasonable price on board.

 

I will not get into all the details why we did not enjoy that cruise as much as RCI,  but one thing me and the DW discusses was the lack of a Diamond lounge.  We have no status in NCL,  but even if we did there is no upper tier lounge.  We loved making friends and talking to people in the DL and we noticed it was definitely harder to find like minded people without it.   

 

The DL isn’t just free drinks.  It’s a place to socialize with fellow like minded cruisers.

[rimmit]

4 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

How do some people know that there are people camping out in the lounges for hours, and are heavy drinks too, if they are not camped out there themselves?

 

We often stop in the DL 2-3 times a night.  There are often some people who have never moved from their seats.

 

Plus after several nights esp on 9 night or longer cruise, you spot them fast as you likely have talked to them at some point.

[HBE4]

Just out of curiosity, as I'll be Diamond in 1-2 cruises (depending if I book JS), how crowded is the DL during non-happy hours?

 

And when there is an overflow lounge, say into VCL or Blaze or Music Hall, is it strictly for Diamonds or are you mingled in with everyone else?

 

And finally, if the DL was eliminated, or restricted to Pinnacles, how many people would stop sailing RCI? 

 

I'm not trying to provoke an argument, I'm honestly curious.  I'm actually looking forward to a better balcony discount than the DL when I finally do make diamond.

[island lady]

22 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

How do some people know that there are people camping out in the lounges for hours, and are heavy drinks too, if they are not camped out there themselves?

 

LOL...  😄 😄   Glad the "like" button is back.  😉 

[davekathy]

14 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

Just out of curiosity, as I'll be Diamond in 1-2 cruises (depending if I book JS), how crowded is the DL during non-happy hours?

 

And when there is an overflow lounge, say into VCL or Blaze or Music Hall, is it strictly for Diamonds or are you mingled in with everyone else?

 

And finally, if the DL was eliminated, or restricted to Pinnacles, how many people would stop sailing RCI? 

 

I'm not trying to provoke an argument, I'm honestly curious.  I'm actually looking forward to a better balcony discount than the DL when I finally do make diamond.

Having a dedicated DL for upper tier levels (which we really like) is nice but would it not stop us from cruising with RC if eliminated.  We still would have our 3 C&A drinks loaded on our Sea Pass cards each evening plus all our other C&A perks. Maybe RC will follow Celebrity's lead and give us all (no matter your tier level) unlimited drinks on our Sea Pass cards to enjoy at any bar/lounge. Of course this is only my opinion. 

Edited February 21, 2019 by davekathy

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Having a dedicated DL for upper tier levels (which we really like) is nice but would it not stop us from cruising with RC if eliminated.  We still would have our 3 C&A drinks loaded on our Sea Pass cards each evening plus all our other C&A perks. Maybe RC will follow Celebrity's lead and give us all (no matter your tier level) unlimited drinks on our Sea Pass cards to enjoy at any bar/lounge. Of course this is only my opinion. 

 

I am still looking for the DS lounge...that would be the place to be.  🥂🍷🤗😍

[grapau27]

56 minutes ago, robandana said:

I think this has been Royals best marketing scheme ever....people are always racing to get to the next level...before they change something and you don't get in or get booted out. I know people that sailed solo leaving husband or wife at home just to reach the next level....paying thousands of dollars more....

 

Its funny how every so often there will be a rumor that the levels are changing and the race begins....

 

The lounges are awesome, its a great place to meet and mingle with like minded cruisers and it nice to be able to have a couple of drinks on the house. Take away the lounges and I think many will reconsider who they sail with. I think Royal know exactly what they created....

We sailed JS on 2 cruises before Diamond to make Diamond and did the same to make Diamond+.

Edited February 21, 2019 by grapau27

[grapau27]

39 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

How do some people know that there are people camping out in the lounges for hours, and are heavy drinks too, if they are not camped out there themselves?

Exactly, excellent observation.

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I am still looking for the DS lounge...that would be the place to be.  🥂🍷🤗😍

I would think with all the RC cruises (a lot) you do you should have some DS clout to make that happen. 

Edited February 21, 2019 by davekathy

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I am still looking for the DS lounge...that would be the place to be.  🥂🍷🤗😍

Gets my vote too.

DS friend.

[xpcdoojk]

1 hour ago, HBE4 said:

Just out of curiosity, as I'll be Diamond in 1-2 cruises (depending if I book JS), how crowded is the DL during non-happy hours?

 

And when there is an overflow lounge, say into VCL or Blaze or Music Hall, is it strictly for Diamonds or are you mingled in with everyone else?

 

And finally, if the DL was eliminated, or restricted to Pinnacles, how many people would stop sailing RCI? 

 

I'm not trying to provoke an argument, I'm honestly curious.  I'm actually looking forward to a better balcony discount than the DL when I finally do make diamond.

 

Depends on the ship and sailing.  On my last two sailings the lounges could not have been more differently occupied.  First cruise was on the Radiance of the Seas last fall, the DL is fairly small and the first night it was crowded, we visited the CL next door and it was not as crowded during the happy hours in the evening.  In the morning, I could go in either lounge and I would be the only person in the lounge.  The second sailing was the Symphony TA, and the diamond lounge was in overflow lounges on deck 4, 3 different venues and at the beginning of the evening there was no seating in any of them.  In the morning the line for the coffee machine was literally 10 to 20 people lined up and about half the seats occupied.

 

So, sometimes the DL is over crowded, the CL usually less crowded, the SL I have no knowledge, as the only time I sailed in a full suite was before there were any such thing as a DL, etc.  That said, it just depends and it is pretty easy to predict.  

 

If they discontinued the DL and the free drinks and free coffee, I would be very sad.  However, as long as they have a flowrider, I would always prefer RCI to any cruise line that doesn’t.

 

jc