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Crown & Anchor Diamond Plus cutbacks continue!

MichaelinME

By MichaelinME,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
Posted
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.

The DL during non happy hours is not crowded at all.  The ships that have windows in the DL to me offer a pleasant time to sit and enjoy coffee and do some reading....the DL's that are interior to the ship are less inviting to me.  

 

When a ship needs to use an overflow lounge for the happy hours it is restricted to those who are eligible for the DL lounge....during other hours of the day, it would be open as usual.   Royal does as good a job as possible policing it....some concierges are better than others.

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

 

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

I have never had the experience you had on Symphony and that would have made me unhappy.  But that was a unique experience on Symphony's first TA.  On Symphony 2 weeks ago, they needed one overflow lounge (used the one immediatly adjoining) during happy hours on several nights but not all of them.  During the day it was not busy at all.

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xpcdoojk "Live from...." Rare

xpcdoojk

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The coffee line was my only complaint.  I heard rumors that you might be able to get specialty coffees elsewhere, but I am not a complainer, I just sucked it up and waited in line longer.  Cost me breakfast a morning or two, fortunately the flowriders were very helpful to allow people to grab a snack and not miss a turn.  I even succumbed to the “free” coffee at Sorrentos one morning.  I then remembered why I hate cruise ship coffee, and sucked it up after that (the standing in line not the “free” horrible coffee).

 

jc

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, davekathy said:

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

 

LOL....I think you are right. 🥂 At the next upper tier I am going to stand up, stomp my feet, and demand our DS lounges be built right away.  😆🤩

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

The coffee line was my only complaint.  I heard rumors that you might be able to get specialty coffees elsewhere, but I am not a complainer, I just sucked it up and waited in line longer.  Cost me breakfast a morning or two, fortunately the flowriders were very helpful to allow people to grab a snack and not miss a turn.  I even succumbed to the “free” coffee at Sorrentos one morning.  I then remembered why I hate cruise ship coffee, and sucked it up after that (the standing in line not the “free” horrible coffee).

 

jc

 

The morning line to the coffee machine in the DL on Oasis is awful.  And of course with so much use, it breaks down (or runs of our coffee beans) quite often.  

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davekathy

davekathy

Posted
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4 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

LOL....I think you are right. 🥂 At the next upper tier I am going to stand up, stomp my feet, and demand our DS lounges be built right away.  😆🤩

Give 'em hell for me also. 🤬 Take a sticky and write DS on it and put it over DL. 😈 

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rimmit Great Review Rare

rimmit

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

The morning line to the coffee machine in the DL on Oasis is awful.  And of course with so much use, it breaks down (or runs of our coffee beans) quite often.  

The Feb 10 sailing must have been an anomaly.   There was never a line in the DL for the machine when I stopped by.   Strange.   What time does everyone typically get coffee?

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

Posted
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3 minutes ago, rimmit said:

The Feb 10 sailing must have been an anomaly.   There was never a line in the DL for the machine when I stopped by.   Strange.   What time does everyone typically get coffee?

 

I usually go in around 7 am.  That is when I find the line in there.  Was like that in December, January, and will find out again on Sunday.  

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nelblu

nelblu

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Paulette3028 said:

I have never had the experience you had on Symphony and that would have made me unhappy.  But that was a unique experience on Symphony's first TA.  On Symphony 2 weeks ago, they needed one overflow lounge (used the one immediatly adjoining) during happy hours on several nights but not all of them.  During the day it was not busy at all.

 

The overflow on Symphony Feb 2 was Jazz on 4.

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Mikew0805

Mikew0805

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I usually go in around 7 am.  That is when I find the line in there.  Was like that in December, January, and will find out again on Sunday.  

I went in about 9-930 on Harmony. Only twice was there one person that was making coffee, that I waited for.  Maybe sleeping in is the trick to avoid the lines. :classic_biggrin:

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HBE4

HBE4

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Paulette3028 said:

The DL during non happy hours is not crowded at all.  The ships that have windows in the DL to me offer a pleasant time to sit and enjoy coffee and do some reading....the DL's that are interior to the ship are less inviting to me.  

 

 

That's kind of what I was wondering. I'd see myself using the DL in the morning or to escape the mid-day crowds but not during Happy Hour.  Obviously, if there is a view, the better.

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

Posted
Posted
Just now, davekathy said:

Now that's funny. :classic_biggrin: BTW, have a fantabulous cruise. 🍷🍷

 

Thanks!!  Already looking forward to it again.  Will probably be our last time on Oasis, since she is leaving us in April.  Have booked replacement sister Harmony starting with cruise season next year.  Will be good to see the new shows.  Have not been going to the shows on Oasis any longer, repeat..repeat.  😮 

 

Shame to see the DL location in the bilge on that one though.  😞 

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Thanks!!  Already looking forward to it again.  Will probably be our last time on Oasis, since she is leaving us in April.  Have booked replacement sister Harmony starting with cruise season next year.  Will be good to see the new shows.  Have not been going to the shows on Oasis any longer, repeat..repeat.  😮 

 

Shame to see the DL location in the bilge on that one though.  😞 

Hope you have a fantastic Cruise on Oasis.

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nelblu

nelblu

Posted
Posted
26 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

That's kind of what I was wondering. I'd see myself using the DL in the morning or to escape the mid-day crowds but not during Happy Hour.  Obviously, if there is a view, the better.

 

Depending on the ship.  On the Quantum class the area to enjoy some quiet and get a great view is 2X70.

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rimmit Great Review Rare

rimmit

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

I usually go in around 7 am.  That is when I find the line in there.  Was like that in December, January, and will find out again on Sunday.  

That’s why.  I normally stop by between 8-10.   No line then.

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