When are loyalty points awarded?

[nhow]

When we were on a world cruise in 2016 we were awarded two levels mid-cruise, first gold, then platinum.  We are going to earn enough points for diamond level

about 10 days into our next world cruise in 2020.  I asked a World Club rep when exactly we would get our diamond leval and she said we would not be upgraded until

after the completion of the cruise.  This will make some difference as we were looking forward to a few of the perks of diamond level during our upcoming cruise.  Has Cunard's

policy changed since 2016 or were we just lucky on that occasion?  Thanks.

[exlondoner]

I believe you become diamonds at the beginning of your next cruise. On the world cruise it is done by sectors.

[North West Newbie]

It sounds like your diamond status will be achieved at the conclusion of the first sector after those 10 days. You should receive your Diamond pin in the early part of the next sector and you will be invited to enjoy the enhanced benefits that Diamond brings; most notably an extra 4 hours internet.

[North West Newbie]

Unless of course you are tempted onboard sooner and then you could be Diamond for the entire World Voyage depending on whether you are reaching the elevated status by the number of nights or voyages. 😁

[nhow]

Thanks for your replies.  The status will be based on the number of nights (150).  I was hoping we could have dinner at the Verandah Restaurant for either our anniversary or Valentines's Day.  But we may just miss both as the next segment starts on 15 Feb!  Oh well, lots and lots of wifi and possibly a more pleasant disembark back in Southampton.  Fingers crossed.

[Elephant1151]

Do not expect an easy disembarkation in Southampton.  There will be a great number of Diamond World Club members on a World Cruise and its sectors.  You will be in a long line to get off as we were last year.

[nhow]

Getting off at Southampton last January after a cruise to New York and the Caribbean was a total nightmare, supposedly

down to problems at the port, not Cunard.

 

BTW, I mistyped my original post.  We should become diamond level about 30 days into our next cruise, not 10 days.  It should be around mid-Feb.

[cruiseluvva]

We have disembarked twice at the end of the World Cruise. Both times we had priority due to both accommodation and World Club status. Both times were truly awful. It took forever and was utter chaos.

[nhow]

Just heard from Cunard that we will have Diamond status as of Feb 10 when we arrive in Rio.  Probably won't make a huge difference except more wifi and possibly a free dinner at the Verandah.  It does sound as if disembarking in Southampton will be horrendous whatever status we have.  

[nhow]

Oh well, just read the fine print....no freebies at the Verandah (it's now a $39 pp supplement).  Applies only to the alternate dining at the Lido.  Sigh....at least it's another option once in a while if we get tired of the Britannia.  

[david,Mississauga]

31 minutes ago, nhow said:

Oh well, just read the fine print....no freebies at the Verandah (it's now a $39 pp supplement).  Applies only to the alternate dining at the Lido.  Sigh....at least it's another option once in a while if we get tired of the Britannia.  

 

Diamond level members have received a free lunch at the Verandah. If this has been changed in the few weeks since our last voyage I'm not aware of that.  It is still showing on the Website as a perk for Diamond members.

[Scarlett W]

38 minutes ago, nhow said:

Oh well, just read the fine print....no freebies at the Verandah (it's now a $39 pp supplement).  Applies only to the alternate dining at the Lido.  Sigh....at least it's another option once in a while if we get tired of the Britannia.  

Sorry to question this but are you sure ? according to the WC page Diamond members are still entitled to a complimentary lunch in the Verandah/Steakhouse, if you prefer to eat there in the evening you can pay the difference between the lunch menu /dinner menu or at least that was the arrangement a few months ago has this now changed?

Edited August 28, 2019 by Scarlett W
punctuation

[BklynBoy8]

9 minutes ago, Scarlett W said:

Sorry to question this but are you sure ? according to the WC page Diamond members are still entitled to a complimentary lunch in the Verandah/Steakhouse, if you prefer to eat there in the evening you can pay the difference between the lunch menu /dinner menu or at least that was the arrangement a few months ago has this now changed?

Our understand from many past sailings and useage...

[Host Hattie]

2 hours ago, nhow said:

Oh well, just read the fine print....no freebies at the Verandah (it's now a $39 pp supplement).  Applies only to the alternate dining at the Lido.  Sigh....at least it's another option once in a while if we get tired of the Britannia.  

Where have you seen that ? This is on the Cunard website and hasn't changed as far as I know.

 

 

[nhow]

Indeed you are correct about lunch at the Verandah.  We were mainly interested in perks for dinner.  Does anybody know what the 'taster menu' consists of in the Lido alternative restaurants?

[nhow]

1 hour ago, Scarlett W said:

Sorry to question this but are you sure ? according to the WC page Diamond members are still entitled to a complimentary lunch in the Verandah/Steakhouse, if you prefer to eat there in the evening you can pay the difference between the lunch menu /dinner menu or at least that was the arrangement a few months ago has this now changed?

OK, I'm a bit confused.  If you eat at the Verandah at dinner what do you mean by 'you can pay the difference between the lunch/dinner menu?'  And I'm assuming the $39 cover pp also applies.  Thanks for clarifying.

[Host Hattie]

41 minutes ago, nhow said:

Indeed you are correct about lunch at the Verandah.  We were mainly interested in perks for dinner.  Does anybody know what the 'taster menu' consists of in the Lido alternative restaurants?

There are links to the menus in the Welcome sticky at the top of this board.

[Scarlett W]

1 hour ago, nhow said:

OK, I'm a bit confused.  If you eat at the Verandah at dinner what do you mean by 'you can pay the difference between the lunch/dinner menu?'  And I'm assuming the $39 cover pp also applies.  Thanks for clarifying.

 

You pay the difference between the set price lunch menu and the set price dinner menu, sorry I don't know how much that is as we have always chosen to go in the evening any side dishes would also be charged as an extra. 

[bluemarble]

If this helps, here is the actual wording taken from the voucher I received on our July 7, 2019  eastbound crossing crossing on QM2.

 

CUNARD WORLD CLUB LUNCH

 

As a Diamond member of the Cunard World Club, we are delighted to invite you for lunch in our exclusive restaurant Steakhouse at The Verandah located on Deck 8. Alternatively you may prefer to have dinner in one of our specialty dining venues in the Kings Court on Deck 7. This voucher is valid until 13 July 2019.

 

Early booking is highly recommended, please call 25400 to make your reservations for Steakhouse at The Verandah or for the Kings Court. Please present this voucher to the restaurant staff. Cunard will pay your 15% gratuity, and other charges will be charged to your account.

 

==========

 

For the record, here are the regular prices for the various extra-cost dining venues on QM2.

 

Lunch at Steakhouse at The Verandah: $25.00

Dinner at Steakhouse at The Verandah: $39.00

Dinner at Kings Court Alternative Dining: $19.50

There is often an embarkation day special offering dinner at the Kings Court Alternative Dining venue for a reduced price of $14.50 that evening.

 

As far as I know, the "taster menu" concept is a thing of the past and that wording may be old verbiage that hasn't been updated. Note there is no mention of taster menus in the wording on the voucher itself. There are "Tasting Platters" mentioned in some of the Alternative Dining menus, but those are essentially appetizers. If you choose to use the voucher for dinner in the Alternative Dining venue, I think you are entitled to the entire menu and not just those tasting platters. But I've only used the voucher for the Verandah lunch, so I can't say that for certain.

[nhow]

3 hours ago, Scarlett W said:

 

You pay the difference between the set price lunch menu and the set price dinner menu, sorry I don't know how much that is as we have always chosen to go in the evening any side dishes would also be charged as an extra. 

That makes sense.  Thanks.

[nhow]

3 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

There are links to the menus in the Welcome sticky at the top of this board.

Thanks.  I've downloaded them.

[nhow]

1 hour ago, bluemarble said:

If this helps, here is the actual wording taken from the voucher I received on our July 7, 2019  eastbound crossing crossing on QM2.

 

CUNARD WORLD CLUB LUNCH

 

As a Diamond member of the Cunard World Club, we are delighted to invite you for lunch in our exclusive restaurant Steakhouse at The Verandah located on Deck 8. Alternatively you may prefer to have dinner in one of our specialty dining venues in the Kings Court on Deck 7. This voucher is valid until 13 July 2019.

 

Early booking is highly recommended, please call 25400 to make your reservations for Steakhouse at The Verandah or for the Kings Court. Please present this voucher to the restaurant staff. Cunard will pay your 15% gratuity, and other charges will be charged to your account.

 

==========

 

For the record, here are the regular prices for the various extra-cost dining venues on QM2.

 

Lunch at Steakhouse at The Verandah: $25.00

Dinner at Steakhouse at The Verandah: $39.00

Dinner at Kings Court Alternative Dining: $19.50

There is often an embarkation day special offering dinner at the Kings Court Alternative Dining venue for a reduced price of $14.50 that evening.

 

As far as I know, the "taster menu" concept is a thing of the past and that wording may be old verbiage that hasn't been updated. Note there is no mention of taster menus in the wording on the voucher itself. There are "Tasting Platters" mentioned in some of the Alternative Dining menus, but those are essentially appetizers. If you choose to use the voucher for dinner in the Alternative Dining venue, I think you are entitled to the entire menu and not just those tasting platters. But I've only used the voucher for the Verandah lunch, so I can't say that for certain.

I understand a lot better now.  So I guess one gets a voucher for the alternate restaurant of one's choice rather than simply being able to go whenever you want.  Makes sense.  Many thanks for all the info.  I think we have a lot to learn.  :-)

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, nhow said:

I understand a lot better now.  So I guess one gets a voucher for the alternate restaurant of one's choice rather than simply being able to go whenever you want.  Makes sense.  Many thanks for all the info.  I think we have a lot to learn.  :-)

 

Yes, once you are diamond status, Cunard World Club Lunch vouchers should be delivered to your cabin at the start of your voyage. Can't say how well that will work in practice for promotions to diamond status that occur during your world voyage though. Hopefully they have that process worked out and it will go smoothly for you.

 

Essentially each voucher is good for the $25 cover charge for lunch at the Verandah or the $19.50 cover charge for dinner at the Alternative Dining venue at the Lido/Kings Court. I was not aware you could use the voucher for dinner at the Verandah for an up-charge, but based on what Scarlett W has reported, that up-charge for dinner at the Verandah ought to be $39 minus $25 = $14.

Edited August 28, 2019 by bluemarble

[nhow]

13 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

 

Yes, once you are diamond status, Cunard World Club Lunch vouchers should be delivered to your cabin at the start of your voyage. Can't say how well that will work in practice for promotions to diamond status that occur during your world voyage though. Hopefully they have that process worked out and it will go smoothly for you.

 

Essentially each voucher is good for the $25 cover charge for lunch at the Verandah or the $19.50 cover charge for dinner at the Alternative Dining venue at the Lido/Kings Court. I was not aware you could use the voucher for dinner at the Verandah for an up-charge, but based on what Scarlett W has reported, that up-charge for dinner at the Verandah ought to be $39 minus $25 = $14.

Sounds like a good deal.  But who knows when/if we'll get a voucher.  Probably not in time for Valentine's Day (we'll get Diamond 4 days before).  Still, many thanks for all the very helpful info.  Looking forward to our cruise perks or no perks.  Hope the rain forest is still there.

 

[tv24]

11 hours ago, bluemarble said:

If this helps, here is the actual wording taken from the voucher I received on our July 7, 2019  eastbound crossing crossing on QM2.

 

CUNARD WORLD CLUB LUNCH

 

As a Diamond member of the Cunard World Club, we are delighted to invite you for lunch in our exclusive restaurant Steakhouse at The Verandah located on Deck 8. Alternatively you may prefer to have dinner in one of our specialty dining venues in the Kings Court on Deck 7. This voucher is valid until 13 July 2019.

 

Early booking is highly recommended, please call 25400 to make your reservations for Steakhouse at The Verandah or for the Kings Court. Please present this voucher to the restaurant staff. Cunard will pay your 15% gratuity, and other charges will be charged to your account.

 

==========

 

For the record, here are the regular prices for the various extra-cost dining venues on QM2.

 

Lunch at Steakhouse at The Verandah: $25.00

Dinner at Steakhouse at The Verandah: $39.00

Dinner at Kings Court Alternative Dining: $19.50

There is often an embarkation day special offering dinner at the Kings Court Alternative Dining venue for a reduced price of $14.50 that evening.

 

As far as I know, the "taster menu" concept is a thing of the past and that wording may be old verbiage that hasn't been updated. Note there is no mention of taster menus in the wording on the voucher itself. There are "Tasting Platters" mentioned in some of the Alternative Dining menus, but those are essentially appetizers. If you choose to use the voucher for dinner in the Alternative Dining venue, I think you are entitled to the entire menu and not just those tasting platters. But I've only used the voucher for the Verandah lunch, so I can't say that for certain.

Thanks Bluemarble!  Useful info for our crossing in just a couple of weeks!