Bean Counters vs Diamonds

[island lady]

3 hours ago, davekathy said:

Right on! United we stand, divided we fall. 😎 ✌️ Tell Bucky for me "welcome home brother" and enjoy Veterans day. 🍻✌️ I'm jumping on my HD with some other Vietnam vets (currently a sunny 40 degrees, yikes) later this morning and going to a ceremony at our scaled down Vietnam memorial wall. OK, now to stay on topic, the DL/CL is another good place to meet other veterans. 

 

Aww...thanks for your service as well.  🥰 I consider myself as one of the lucky ones, he came home to me.  Sadly so many were not able to.  Bucky is also very quick to tell other Vets "Thank you for serving".  🙂 

 

We are definitely a tad warmer down here...finishing up 3 weeks of staying in the Florida Keys. 86 degrees...and swamp humid!  😮  

 

Looking forward to boarding Harmony next month, will be checking out the DL on that ship for the first time.  Smallest DL on the largest ship...yikes!  

[island lady]

2 hours ago, squadron said:

I think this is a good solution.  I am tired of being unable to find a seat by 4:04 . Give more drinks on the card  instead of providing appetizers.  Also a special coffee or two.

 

From what I understand...the problem with extra drinks loaded onto cards...is drink sharing.  RCI naturally wants everyone to buy their own drink package.$$$    Pax in the lounges had to use sea pass card to get in, with concierge keeping tabs on sneak ins.  

[Retired LEO]

21 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Just for general information - at 4:04 you can find a seat at just about any bar on the ship.   They will be more than happy to serve you a drink using one of your FREE drink vouchers.

enjoy

 

 

Come on now. This makes too much sense.

[squadron]

1 hour ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Just for general information - at 4:04 you can find a seat at just about any bar on the ship.   They will be more than happy to serve you a drink using one of your FREE drink vouchers.

enjoy

 

 

I'm aware of this but this  might be a solution if RCI can't find a large enough venue when the numbers are very high  of eligible  members. This was the case for the Snowbird Migration cruise in Oct.

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, squadron said:

I think this is a good solution.  I am tired of being unable to find a seat by 4:04 . Give more drinks on the card  instead of providing appetizers.  Also a special coffee or two.

Show up before 4:00 PM. We walk into the DL about 5 minutes prior to 4:00 PM and always find a seat. But the largest class of ships we sail on are the Freedom class ships and smaller. We are out of there NLT 5:45 to head to the MDR. At least RC gives you options if the DL is to crowed when you decide to go. 

[island lady]

33 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Show up before 4:00 PM. We walk into the DL about 5 minutes prior to 4:00 PM and always find a seat. But the largest class of ships we sail on are the Freedom class ships and smaller. We are out of there NLT 5:45 to head to the MDR. At least RC gives you options if the DL is to crowed when you decide to go. 

 

Yup, yet another great plan!  🙂 

 

We stick to "magic hour"...walking in about 10-15 minutes after first seating has happened.  Can always find a seat then...most of them still warm...ewww!  😮   😄  

 

 

[xpcdoojk]

38 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Show up before 4:00 PM. We walk into the DL about 5 minutes prior to 4:00 PM and always find a seat. But the largest class of ships we sail on are the Freedom class ships and smaller. We are out of there NLT 5:45 to head to the MDR. At least RC gives you options if the DL is to crowed when you decide to go. 

 

We never show up before the DL happy 3-1/2 hours starts (except in the morning for coffee).  We usually eat MTD or specialty usually around 7PM.  So if the DL opens at 5:00 and first seating is 6PM we typically arrive around 5:30PM.  This way we get to see the first sitting people, then when they leave, we usually have our choice of seating.  It depends on the sailing whether we can find a seat early but we often do.  On the Symphony TA last year we never tried the diamond lounge in the evenings, but we had good luck in the smaller of the two over flow lounges.  On the Ovation TP, they had the overflow in the Music Lounge, we were able almost every night to find a spot.  We usually sat at the bar.  The DL staff on the Ovation (outside of the concierge) were outstanding, as were the servers on the Symphony.

 

jc

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

Yup, yet another great plan!  🙂 

 

We stick to "magic hour"...walking in about 10-15 minutes after first seating has happened.  Can always find a seat then...most of them still warm...ewww!  😮   😄  

 

 

Agree, ya gotta have a plan especially when sharing a limited space with a lot of others. For us we learned real quick. No complaints from us even if we had to go to another lounge and have only our 3 C&A drinks and no snacks. It could happen (my Magic 8 ball say's, "cannot predict now")  to us D+, AKA DS if the numbers keep growing and us old farts don't die off anytime soon. My goal now in life is to live a very long time and torment others. 😉 

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Aww...thanks for your service as well.  🥰 I consider myself as one of the lucky ones, he came home to me.  Sadly so many were not able to.  Bucky is also very quick to tell other Vets "Thank you for serving".  🙂 

 

We are definitely a tad warmer down here...finishing up 3 weeks of staying in the Florida Keys. 86 degrees...and swamp humid!  😮  

 

Looking forward to boarding Harmony next month, will be checking out the DL on that ship for the first time.  Smallest DL on the largest ship...yikes!  

 

8 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Agree, ya gotta have a plan especially when sharing a limited space with a lot of others. For us we learned real quick. No complaints from us even if we had to go to another lounge and have only our 3 C&A drinks and no snacks. It could happen (my Magic 8 ball say's, "cannot predict now")  to us D+, AKA DS if the numbers keep growing and us old farts don't die off anytime soon. My goal now in life is to live a very long time and torment others. 😉 

Sounds like a great plan.

[pink845]

My husband and I have worked hard (ha ha) to achieve our Diamond Status level, cruising often and having a blast with or without our kids.   My son who is 22 will be cruising next month for the first time without us or his sibling and will be taking his girlfriend and he is thrilled to be a Diamond.  He can't wait to walk into the lounge and get something from the "limited drink menu" as he has been excluded forever because of his age on previous cruises.  He has no interest in sitting in the lounge.  He will simply order his drink and take it to his cabin and sit on the balcony and enjoy.  In fact, I do believe from my past experience, he can order a couple of drinks and walk out with them as I have done in the past.    No reason to stay in the lounge.  And, then he can use his three coupons at any of the bars as he heads to dinner with his girlfriend.  This will work out very well for him.  I am happy that we achieve our status while he and his siblings were teenagers through a combination of regular balcony cabins and suites.    I only wish coffee was unlimited with the Diamond status.  I think it is only one per day.

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, pink845 said:

My husband and I have worked hard (ha ha) to achieve our Diamond Status level, cruising often and having a blast with or without our kids.   My son who is 22 will be cruising next month for the first time without us or his sibling and will be taking his girlfriend and he is thrilled to be a Diamond.  He can't wait to walk into the lounge and get something from the "limited drink menu" as he has been excluded forever because of his age on previous cruises.  He has no interest in sitting in the lounge.  He will simply order his drink and take it to his cabin and sit on the balcony and enjoy.  In fact, I do believe from my past experience, he can order a couple of drinks and walk out with them as I have done in the past.    No reason to stay in the lounge.  And, then he can use his three coupons at any of the bars as he heads to dinner with his girlfriend.  This will work out very well for him.  I am happy that we achieve our status while he and his siblings were teenagers through a combination of regular balcony cabins and suites.    I only wish coffee was unlimited with the Diamond status.  I think it is only one per day.

The C&A HH drinks on the Sea Pass cards can also be used in the different dining venues and the theater as long as it is within the C&A HH. 

[NumnuT]

8 minutes ago, pink845 said:

.    I only wish coffee was unlimited with the Diamond status.  I think it is only one per day.

Coffee machine in the DL/SL

[pink845]

We have actually never gone to the Diamond Lounge in the morning on any of the ships. Thought lounges were only open during 4:30 pm to 8 pm for appetizers and drinks.    Good to know for future cruises one being Australia coming up.

[John&LaLa]

On 11/5/2019 at 7:24 AM, cruisegirl1 said:

 

It would also entail air travel for almost everyone. A lot of the Florida cruisers don’t even want to travel from Central Florida to South Florida.

 

Let me qualify that.

 

I don't want to travel to South Florida but I do. 😉

 

@Milwaukee Eight

Just got back Saturday, headed back in December, January,  and March. Flying to Texas in April. Rome and Dubai in November and December. Sydney and Singapore in March 2021. 

 

Pt Canaveral is just the fill in when we want to get away. Only 10% of our currently booked cruises. 

 

However, it was the opposite pre Pinnacle 

[John&LaLa]

On 11/5/2019 at 10:22 AM, Tulsacoker said:

then maybe institute a minimum time between drink orders 😱

 

Umm, no.

I only go up to SL for 30-40 minutes during happy hour.  I like the current unregulated system.  Don't punish me to catch someone else

Edited November 12, 2019 by John&LaLa

[John&LaLa]

On 11/5/2019 at 12:39 PM, The Fun Researcher said:

 

Absolutely.  There is better food and more variety offered in the Windjammer during that time, so yes, it's absolutely the alcohol, which I totally understand by the way.  🙂

 

When basic drink prices on-board are $10 or more, three nightly drinks (or unlimited if you are in the lounge) is a huge perk.  One that I'm very much looking forward to.

 

Dan

 

Jammer isn't open at 4:30😉

 

But it is all about alcohol 

[The Fun Researcher]

4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Jammer isn't open at 4:30😉

 

But it is all about alcohol 

 

 I must be missing something.  (It wouldn’t be the first time 😊 ).  Isn’t Diamond happy hour from 5 PM to 8:30 PM?  The windjammer is open that entire period correct? 

 

Dan

 

[John&LaLa]

On 11/5/2019 at 1:32 PM, cruisegirl1 said:

 

sometimes the whole cruise goes by and we have not been in the lounge during cocktail hours.

 

M

 

Then how do you know how crowded it is?😉🤣

 

I/we tend to stop by the DL right before shutdown for a Bailey's and espresso prior to a show.

 

I like to see how the party atmosphere is. Usually close to full. Stop by around 9pm and its a ghost town

[John&LaLa]

On 11/5/2019 at 10:15 PM, The Fun Researcher said:

 

 Sometimes it is fun to air your grievances and offer suggestions. 

 

Dan

 

Do you celebrate Festivus?

[HBE4]

6 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

 I must be missing something.  (It wouldn’t be the first time 😊 ).  Isn’t Diamond happy hour from 5 PM to 8:30 PM?  The windjammer is open that entire period correct? 

 

Dan

 

 

I think on some sailings,  the happy hour is from 4:30 - 8:00. 

 

I've seen some post here from people claiming they can't find a seat at 4:05....not sure if that means HH started at 4:00 or people are reserving their seats 25 minutes early.

Edited November 12, 2019 by HBE4

[The Fun Researcher]

18 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Do you celebrate Festivus?

 

Not every year but it has happened a time or two, mainly to celebrate Seinfeld while it was still on air (first run).  😋😄

 Plus, it doesn’t take much of an excuse for us to get together with friends and have a few drinks 😊

 

Dan

Edited November 12, 2019 by The Fun Researcher

[John&LaLa]

On 11/10/2019 at 12:43 AM, LMaxwell said:

 

I've mentioned this for years.  I do think it is a valid issue.  Over the past few years some of the best areas, panoramic views, signature lounges/features that were available to all have been eroded.  Without capacity to regularly service all guests, more public spaces run risk of being closed off to all in lieu of some.  

 

Theyve never been big enough to service all guests. Probably no more than 5% at a time.

 

Maybe we can schedule 2 hours a sailing on the app😉

[John&LaLa]

32 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

 I must be missing something.  (It wouldn’t be the first time 😊 ).  Isn’t Diamond happy hour from 5 PM to 8:30 PM?  The windjammer is open that entire period correct? 

 

Dan

 

 

It varies by ship, but Symphony was 4:30 - 8:00

Jammer opened at 5:30

[John&LaLa]

31 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

I think on some sailings,  the happy hour is from 4:30 - 8:00. 

 

I've seen some post here from people claiming they can't find a seat at 4:05....not sure if that means HH started at 4:00 or people are reserving their seats 25 minutes early.

 

I saw folks arriving in SL well before 4pm.

We were up playing cards one afternoon.  We rarely went up before 5pm