No more diamond access to diamond lounge on Royal Caribbean??

[Engineroom Snipe]

3 hours ago, latserrof said:

It's also amazing how many folks here misread info, and even after being corrected, continue to expound based on their erroneous understanding.

 

Or is it me?

 

Latserrof,

 

The problems are where you go to quote 'information' from. One would think that I go to a RCI webpage site and Frequently Answered Questions (RCI site also), the information should be playing off of the same page of music. It does not following just one of my queries.

 

I have seen over ten postings on CC RCI threads concerning the modification and cancellations of a Royal Up bid. Hundreds of postings respond with a sincere effort to help answer and clarify the question; "What is the latest time I can cancel or modify my Royal Up bid?"

 

The truth is, RCI provides completely contradictory statements on their company's websites.

 

On this webpage: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/can-i-modify-or-cancel-my-royalup-offer-after-i-submit-it

 

RCI clearly states the customer has two days prior to departure to modify or cancel their bid. A reasonable interpretation of this statement is that my ship departs Sunday at 4pm. The customer has up to 4pm the preceding Friday to cancel or modify their Royal Up bid. Some customers interpret this to be two days before the day of departure and think they must do it by 12am Friday.

 

RCI then states on another webpage that the customer has two hours before the departure date:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/terms-and-conditions/royalup-upgrade-program

 

This webpage states that the same customer can now modify up to two hours before the date of departure. The same passenger who is leaving at 4pm on Sunday has up to 10pm on Saturday to modify or cancel their bid.

 

That is ONE HUGE difference in time and customer rights.

 

Read these pages and give me YOUR interpretation of what they mean.

 

One poster reads one point of information and shares it. Another reads the second point of information and post it. They are both correct. I will give you hundreds of inconsistencies which abound on RCI's websites. Do not blame the customer for a company's clear lack of providing contradictory policies on multiple websites.a

 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

9 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Latserrof,

 

The problems are where you go to quote 'information' from. One would think that I go to a RCI webpage site and Frequently Answered Questions (RCI site also), the information should be playing off of the same page of music. It does not following just one of my queries.

 

I have seen over ten postings on CC RCI threads concerning the modification and cancellations of a Royal Up bid. Hundreds of postings respond with a sincere effort to help answer and clarify the question; "What is the latest time I can cancel or modify my Royal Up bid?"

 

The truth is, RCI provides completely contradictory statements on their company's websites.

 

On this webpage: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/can-i-modify-or-cancel-my-royalup-offer-after-i-submit-it

 

RCI clearly states the customer has two days prior to departure to modify or cancel their bid. A reasonable interpretation of this statement is that my ship departs Sunday at 4pm. The customer has up to 4pm the preceding Friday to cancel or modify their Royal Up bid. Some customers interpret this to be two days before the day of departure and think they must do it by 12am Friday.

 

RCI then states on another webpage that the customer has two hours before the departure date:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/terms-and-conditions/royalup-upgrade-program

 

This webpage states that the same customer can now modify up to two hours before the date of departure. The same passenger who is leaving at 4pm on Sunday has up to 10pm on Saturday to modify or cancel their bid.

 

That is ONE HUGE difference in time and customer rights.

 

Read these pages and give me YOUR interpretation of what they mean.

 

One poster reads one point of information and shares it. Another reads the second point of information and post it. They are both correct. I will give you hundreds of inconsistencies which abound on RCI's websites. Do not blame the customer for a company's clear lack of providing contradictory policies on multiple websites.a

 

 

Royal never released a statement, nor posted on their website, that Diamond  C&A members would be excluded from the Diamond lounge. This is what this thread is about; not Royal Up bids 

[Ret MP]

6 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Latserrof,

 

The problems are where you go to quote 'information' from. One would think that I go to a RCI webpage site and Frequently Answered Questions (RCI site also), the information should be playing off of the same page of music. It does not following just one of my queries.

 

I have seen over ten postings on CC RCI threads concerning the modification and cancellations of a Royal Up bid. Hundreds of postings respond with a sincere effort to help answer and clarify the question; "What is the latest time I can cancel or modify my Royal Up bid?"

 

The truth is, RCI provides completely contradictory statements on their company's websites.

 

On this webpage: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/can-i-modify-or-cancel-my-royalup-offer-after-i-submit-it

 

RCI clearly states the customer has two days prior to departure to modify or cancel their bid. A reasonable interpretation of this statement is that my ship departs Sunday at 4pm. The customer has up to 4pm the preceding Friday to cancel or modify their Royal Up bid. Some customers interpret this to be two days before the day of departure and think they must do it by 12am Friday.

 

RCI then states on another webpage that the customer has two hours before the departure date:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/terms-and-conditions/royalup-upgrade-program

 

This webpage states that the same customer can now modify up to two hours before the date of departure. The same passenger who is leaving at 4pm on Sunday has up to 10pm on Saturday to modify or cancel their bid.

 

That is ONE HUGE difference in time and customer rights.

 

Read these pages and give me YOUR interpretation of what they mean.

 

One poster reads one point of information and shares it. Another reads the second point of information and post it. They are both correct. I will give you hundreds of inconsistencies which abound on RCI's websites. Do not blame the customer for a company's clear lack of providing contradictory policies on multiple websites.a

 

 

One of the biggest frustrations I have with RCCL's FAQ and other ancillary, supposed, authoritative sites is that they don't date their responses/articles or whatever.  So, when you read one thing and then another separate thing that completely or partially contradicts each other, which is right, what came first, the chicken or the egg?  Often, who knows!  Keeping up with the changes as COVID was winding down was the biggest headache.  What a mess it was.  All they needed to do was date their stuff.  At least you'd know what was the freshest information.  

[Engineroom Snipe]

9 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

One of the biggest frustrations I have with RCCL's FAQ and other ancillary, supposed, authoritative sites is that they don't date their responses/articles or whatever.  So, when you read one thing and then another separate thing that completely or partially contradicts each other, which is right, what came first, the chicken or the egg?  Often, who knows!  Keeping up with the changes as COVID was winding down was the biggest headache.  What a mess it was.  All they needed to do was date their stuff.  At least you'd know what was the freshest information.  

 

You got my point. While my example is about Royal-Up, how many times do we chase our tails trying to decipher which answer and policy provided on their website it the official and correct one? That should not be our job as customers. Clearly RCI is lacking which happened first, the chicken or the egg?

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

You got my point. While my example is about Royal-Up, how many times do we chase our tails trying to decipher which answer and policy provided on their website it the official and correct one? That should not be our job as customers. Clearly RCI is lacking which happened first, the chicken or the egg?

Totally agree.

 

I can't tell you how many times I've been called, ignorant, a liar, stupid, whatever, in here but much more in other social cruise media sites for posting supposedly authoritative information.  But, what I don't say or advertise, I usually go to other, multiple, sites to try to verify what I posted and try to use common sense as to the time lines of information.  Fortunately, for the vastly most part, I've been correct.  Not 100%, no one is 100% correct 100% of the time, especially when trying to present information in a timely basis.  All I can do is keep up the fight and not turn the other cheek.  My intentions are always pure and no intention to miscommunicate anything.  Just my best foot forward.

 

Oh well, life goes on.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

[Engineroom Snipe]

19 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Totally agree.

 

I can't tell you how many times I've been called, ignorant, a liar, stupid, whatever, in here but much more in other social cruise media sites for posting supposedly authoritative information.  But, what I don't say or advertise, I usually go to other, multiple, sites to try to verify what I posted and try to use common sense as to the time lines of information.  Fortunately, for the vastly most part, I've been correct.  Not 100%, no one is 100% correct 100% of the time, especially when trying to present information in a timely basis.  All I can do is keep up the fight and not turn the other cheek.  My intentions are always pure and no intention to miscommunicate anything.  Just my best foot forward.

 

Oh well, life goes on.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

Almost ready to go into a Clark Griswold rant from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation about "Danny f...... Kay............".  Life does go on, Merry Christmas 🤣

[Ret MP]

5 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Almost ready to go into a Clark Griswold rant from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation about "Danny f...... Kay............".  Life does go on, Merry Christmas 🤣

U mean this:

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

5 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

U mean this:

 

 

Lightly edited for a PG audience.   😁 Thank you.

[Mick B]

Hi,

Sorry about that, yes the robes, I remember getting those early on - perhaps Platanium?

As for the 2 days internet, yes that is a good perk and very useful.

I think the half price chops at lunch on either day 1 or day 2 is actually buy one get one free, which makes it half price each only if there are 2 of you.

 

As for misinformation, or just multiple amounts of it...

I recently did a TA from Southampton to Bayonne on the Anthem. I needed to take a Covid test via a health professional at my own cost to board, even though I am fully vaccinated, and my travel agent told me that this was because it called into Halifax, Canada and they required the test for entry. Fair enough!, However on 1st October Canada dropped this requirement, so I emailed RCL to ask if I still needed a test as we were not going until 2 more weeks.

I actually got several separate replies back over the course of the following week from various RCL employees varying from...

 

You need to take the RAT/PCR test 2 days before.

You need to take the RAT/PCR test 3 days before

You no longer need a test

You can now do your own test from any European port including an at home unsupervised test.

 

Luckily, I had already factored in my rapid antigen test at Southampton and it was un-refundable anyway.

In the end this was the test all adults needed.

 

Phew! Hopefully that was the last cruise where I needed a test.

I have booked two 7 day Europe cruises next year just to be sure!

 

Anyone else get contradicting info like this?

 

regards,

Mick.

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Mick B

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Mick B said:

Anyone else get contradicting info like this?

Yes, that is the norm with RCI, especially with COVID related issues.

Edited December 20, 2022 by Biker19

[island lady]

7 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, that is the norm with RCI, especially with COVID related issues.

 

RCI:  Really Consistently Inconsistent.  😉 

[latserrof]

It's certainly not just RCI.  With 70+ cruises, we have learned to not automatically believe anything the cruse lines tell us.  Out approach is to ask four staff and then divide by five. 🤗

[Mick B]

I know this thread was originally about Diamond members and the Diamond lounge, but...

 

With regards to the Royal Up program, here's what happened to me the other month.

 

I had a TA cruise booked on the Anthem via my travel agent and she had booked us into a Virtual Balcony room on the 11th floor not far from the aft lifts as she advised this was one of the best cabins for this ship during a TA as it can get rough. Fair enough!

 

A few weeks before the cruise RCL offered us the chance to bid on an upgrade.

I suspected this would be for a balcony and not a junior suite, so I offered $100 each.

I was told my bid was received and I should be notified either before boarding or by 1pm on the day. Fair enough again.

 

On boarding the ship I overhead crew talking about the ship only being half full, so knew there should be plenty of rooms available for an upgrade, but by 2pm I had heard nothing, so went to Guest Services who didn't like the fact that I knew about the half full ship. They said we should know by 4pm.

The room we had booked had now opened and my wife took one look and said she liked it so really didn't want to move.

I went back to Guest Services and explained that if our cases arrive at the room before they give us an upgrade then I will keep my money and the current room and cancel the upgrade. They made no attempt to find me a balcony and clearly didn't seem to care. So a ship running half full with rooms to spare, and they can't be bothered to find me a upgrade. The cases arrived early on so we cancelled the Royal Up. Its only $200 dollars they lost, but who else as had enough of this situation?

Anyway, there was no-one in the room next door so we had a really peaceful time. Best room we had and it did get rough, so maybe we were right to stay where we were.

 

To be fair on this class of ship, the only good perk from getting an upgrade is if you can get a junior suite as then you get access to the coastal kitchen at night as long as you book in advance.

I wonder how long it will be before that gets changed?

 

The big issue with the Royal Up program is that you CANNOT choose your upgraded room nor cancel out of it once you have moved. Your new room may be bigger but may be right at the front or back where walking becomes an issue or right next to noisy things like under the Theatre or Dinning room or above the pub or below the running track where there is always someone wanting a jog at 6am.

I normally research my room on the class of ship carefully and make sure it just far away from the lift so people drunk at 2am don't wake you when they fall out of the lift, but close enough to the lift for easy access.

 

I think a better way would be for the cruise line to inform guests that there are several rooms that are now available (for whatever reason) and to inform the guests what type of rooms they are and exactly where on the ship they are and then let the guests put in a bid for that room. If you really want it, then you know what to do and you would know in advance what you are going to get as surely that is very important to a well enjoyed cruise.

 

Mick.

 

Mick.

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Mick B

[island lady]

2 hours ago, Mick B said:

I know this thread was originally about Diamond members and the Diamond lounge, but...

 

With regards to the Royal Up program, here's what happened to me the other month.

 

I had a TA cruise booked on the Anthem via my travel agent and she had booked us into a Virtual Balcony room on the 11th floor not far from the aft lifts as she advised this was one of the best cabins for this ship during a TA as it can get rough. Fair enough!

 

A few weeks before the cruise RCL offered us the chance to bid on an upgrade.

I suspected this would be for a balcony and not a junior suite, so I offered $100 each.

I was told my bid was received and I should be notified either before boarding or by 1pm on the day. Fair enough again.

 

On boarding the ship I overhead crew talking about the ship only being half full, so knew there should be plenty of rooms available for an upgrade, but by 2pm I had heard nothing, so went to Guest Services who didn't like the fact that I knew about the half full ship. They said we should know by 4pm.

The room we had booked had now opened and my wife took one look and said she liked it so really didn't want to move.

I went back to Guest Services and explained that if our cases arrive at the room before they give us an upgrade then I will keep my money and the current room and cancel the upgrade. They made no attempt to find me a balcony and clearly didn't seem to care. So a ship running half full with rooms to spare, and they can't be bothered to find me a upgrade. The cases arrived early on so we cancelled the Royal Up. Its only $200 dollars they lost, but who else as had enough of this situation?

Anyway, there was no-one in the room next door so we had a really peaceful time. Best room we had and it did get rough, so maybe we were right to stay where we were.

 

To be fair on this class of ship, the only good perk from getting an upgrade is if you can get a junior suite as then you get access to the coastal kitchen at night as long as you book in advance.

I wonder how long it will be before that gets changed?

 

The big issue with the Royal Up program is that you CANNOT choose your upgraded room nor cancel out of it once you have moved. Your new room may be bigger but may be right at the front or back where walking becomes an issue or right next to noisy things like under the Theatre or Dinning room or above the pub or below the running track where there is always someone wanting a jog at 6am.

I normally research my room on the class of ship carefully and make sure it just far away from the lift so people drunk at 2am don't wake you when they fall out of the lift, but close enough to the lift for easy access.

 

I think a better way would be for the cruise line to inform guests that there are several rooms that are now available (for whatever reason) and to inform the guests what type of rooms they are and exactly where on the ship they are and then let the guests put in a bid for that room. If you really want it, then you know what to do and you would know in advance what you are going to get as surely that is very important to a well enjoyed cruise.

 

Mick.

 

Mick.

 

 

Agree...this is really not the thread you should post this on.  Especially being such a long post. 

 

Perhaps you could have started a new one with the more relevant topic?  

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Mick B said:

I normally research my room on the class of ship carefully and make sure it just far away from the lift so people drunk at 2am don't wake you when they fall out of the lift, but close enough to the lift for easy access.

Like a GTY booking, it sounds like Royal Up is not for you.

[Ret MP]

I've only been on one cruise that I didn't have kids knocking on my cabin door and run.  That was my Ovation cruise last May.  We were in the Star Loft Suite at the vary aft of the ship in a closed off (a glass door, not locked in any way, in fact propped open most of the time.  Just a psychological barrier) suite section.  I don't know if that really had anything to do with it or if there just wasn't many kids on the cruise.  Maybe a little of both.  

 

BTW, I did catch a young girl (maybe 10 - 12 years old and I just happened to be leaving the cabin when she knocked, poor timing on her part) and see looked very very worried.  I just laughed and told her to run farther and faster next time.  Boy O Boy, she looked happy and amused. As a young kid, I used to do the same in hotels.  

[island lady]

5 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

 

BTW, I did catch a young girl (maybe 10 - 12 years old and I just happened to be leaving the cabin when she knocked, poor timing on her part) and see looked very very worried.  I just laughed and told her to run farther and faster next time.  Boy O Boy, she looked happy and amused. As a young kid, I used to do the same in hotels.  

 

 

Oh...you a bad boy!  😉 

[davekathy]

8 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I've only been on one cruise that I didn't have kids knocking on my cabin door and run.  That was my Ovation cruise last May.  We were in the Star Loft Suite at the vary aft of the ship in a closed off (a glass door, not locked in any way, in fact propped open most of the time.  Just a psychological barrier) suite section.  I don't know if that really had anything to do with it or if there just wasn't many kids on the cruise.  Maybe a little of both.  

 

BTW, I did catch a young girl (maybe 10 - 12 years old and I just happened to be leaving the cabin when she knocked, poor timing on her part) and see looked very very worried.  I just laughed and told her to run farther and faster next time.  Boy O Boy, she looked happy and amused. As a young kid, I used to do the same in hotels.  

We've never experienced that.  Maybe the fake ring door bell discourages it. 😂 I know of someone that had the cabin attendant disable the doorbell for their suite. 

Edited December 21, 2022 by davekathy