Diamond drinks on departure day

[PWP-001]

On 5/28/2023 at 7:51 AM, Threedrones said:

Thank you. I didn’t think it addressed the issue, but had already deleted my email. Again, it’s RCL’s poor (intentional?) language that is causing the problem.

Is it RCL's poor language or it it RCL's greedy guests asking for too much?

 

 

REMEMBER, those vouchers are in lieu of the Happy Hour Guzzlefest which were held each evening.  There's NEVER  been Happy Hour with free drinks the day of your disembarkation.

 

 

 

 

[Threedrones]

8 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

Is it RCL's poor language or it it RCL's greedy guests asking for too much?

 

 

REMEMBER, those vouchers are in lieu of the Happy Hour Guzzlefest which were held each evening.  There's NEVER  been Happy Hour with free drinks the day of your disembarkation.

 

 

 

 

I think most of us on this topic don’t think debarkation vouchers are necessary. But I’ll ask again….how hard would it be for RCL to simply say “ Drink vouchers will not renew on debarkation day”. See, I was able to clarify it in eight words.

[PWP-001]

3 minutes ago, Threedrones said:

I think most of us on this topic don’t think debarkation vouchers are necessary. But I’ll ask again….how hard would it be for RCL to simply say “ Drink vouchers will not renew on debarkation day”. See, I was able to clarify it in eight words.

So is this what the thread is about?  RCI not being so crystal clear that passengers trying to chisel another set of free drinks think they've found a loophole?

 

Let me print out this entire four pages so I can include it in my file of other Cruise Critic postings which support how trivial and insignificant these forums have become.

 

Step back, reread this drivel and ask yourself if you worked for RCI and were struggling with keeping the cruise line solvent, if you'd waste anytime clearing the confusion for Royal's "highly valued Cruise Critic customers"  (Heavy sarcasm intended.)

[Threedrones]

3 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

So is this what the thread is about?  RCI not being so crystal clear that passengers trying to chisel another set of free drinks think they've found a loophole?

 

Let me print out this entire four pages so I can include it in my file of other Cruise Critic postings which support how trivial and insignificant these forums have become.

 

Step back, reread this drivel and ask yourself if you worked for RCI and were struggling with keeping the cruise line solvent, if you'd waste anytime clearing the confusion for Royal's "highly valued Cruise Critic customers"  (Heavy sarcasm intended.)

What’s more mind boggling…the drivel or the person reading the drivel and then calling it drivel?

[PWP-001]

6 minutes ago, Threedrones said:

What’s more mind boggling…the drivel or the person reading the drivel and then calling it drivel?

Actually, it's the people creating it and making comments such as your response.  Some of us come on the board seeking information and sharing information.  We don't come for time-wasting posts.

 

 

[topnole]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

It was sarcasm.

 

If people are arguing that things being different on a particular cruise day is a precondition for the diamond beverage being disqualified from use and you are stating that embarkation day is also different than other days. The extension of that argument is that no diamond drinks on embarkation day as well.

 

Of course that is a preposterous argument. However, that is the logical extension of the "things are different so they are not qualified" argument. If people want to argue that something isn't available on a particular day, a day recognized by the cruise line by its inclusion as a day in their app and online sales promotions, they are going to have to pick a better argument.

 

I agree that Royal should make a simple, declarative state indicating whether they are or are not included and establish a policy fleet-wide.  In the absence of that I will assume diamond drinks are available on debarkation morning until told otherwise as they have been on the seven cruises I have taken since the voucher program has been established.

 

 

It’s not a preposterous argument.  Do they call a seven night cruise an 8 day cruise?   No they don’t.  I’m sure it would be a truth in marketing legal issue.  Heck, they don’t even call it a 7 day cruise because you don’t even get 7 consecutive 24 hour periods.   So you can say of course it is preposterous,  it that doesn’t make it so.  It isn’t an 8 day cruise if it is a 7 night cruise.  Their is no cruise compass laying out the days activities for day 8 on a 7 night cruise.  

 

You mention day 1 being different and that is true too.  Celebrity doesn’t give out their happy hour drinks on day one as I understand it.  I assume that is due to the difficultly of turn around day and it being expensive.  Royal always had diamond hour on day 1 which was great.  Then the three vouchers during happy hour plus open happy hour in the lounge came about.  Now the vouchers for any time during the day.  It just doesn’t make sense that Royal intended to give out an extra day of drinks (via a full days worth of free drinks just for the morning you get off).  Not arguing it doesn’t happen.  But I’m sure this isn’t what they expected and I’m guessing some ships allow it so as not to deal with customers ripping them on the surveys due to a negative experience right at the end.  But is certainly Royals fault they aren’t clear about it. I’m sure at some point they will rein this in via official policy or decide to officially allow it.  
 

 

[Tree_skier]

10 minutes ago, topnole said:

It’s not a preposterous argument.  Do they call a seven night cruise an 8 day cruise?   No they don’t.  I’m sure it would be a truth in marketing legal issue.  Heck, they don’t even call it a 7 day cruise because you don’t even get 7 consecutive 24 hour periods.   So you can say of course it is preposterous,  it that doesn’t make it so.  It isn’t an 8 day cruise if it is a 7 night cruise.  Their is no cruise compass laying out the days activities for day 8 on a 7 night cruise.  

 

You mention day 1 being different and that is true too.  Celebrity doesn’t give out their happy hour drinks on day one as I understand it.  I assume that is due to the difficultly of turn around day and it being expensive.  Royal always had diamond hour on day 1 which was great.  Then the three vouchers during happy hour plus open happy hour in the lounge came about.  Now the vouchers for any time during the day.  It just doesn’t make sense that Royal intended to give out an extra day of drinks (via a full days worth of free drinks just for the morning you get off).  Not arguing it doesn’t happen.  But I’m sure this isn’t what they expected and I’m guessing some ships allow it so as not to deal with customers ripping them on the surveys due to a negative experience right at the end.  But is certainly Royals fault they aren’t clear about it. I’m sure at some point they will rein this in via official policy or decide to officially allow it.  
 

 

I'm not sure why this is the hill you want to die on but go ahead and fill your boots.  This'll be my last response because this subject has become boring.  The reality is, except for few noted exceptions, the majority of reports here on Cruise Critic indicate that diamond vouchers have been available to use on debarkation day. There has been no indication from Royal since the implementation of this program that they ever intended for the vouchers not to be available on debarkation day.   As a matter fact the preponderance of use over the last 23 month indicates it was their intention to make them available on that day.

 

If that changes, so be it. However, a few anecdotes of refusals does not indicate a change in policy or practice. It more likely indicates a staff misunderstanding which is something that is much more common than a refusal of service.

 

Should there be increased incidence of refusals on debarkation day I will consider that notice to not expect to take advantage of this benefit on that day. Until that time, I'm planning on a fresh squeezed OJ and a Latte on debarkation day.  As long as that is Ok with you?  

Edited May 30, 2023 by Tree_skier

[topnole]

20 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm not sure why this is the hill you want to die on but go ahead and fill your boots.  This'll be my last response because this subject has become boring.  The reality is, except for few noted exceptions, the majority of reports here on Cruise Critic indicate that diamond vouchers have been available to use on debarkation day. There has been no indication from Royal since the implementation of this program that they ever intended for the vouchers not to be available on debarkation day.   As a matter fact the preponderance of use over the last 23 month indicates it was their intention to make them available on that day.

 

If that changes, so be it. However, a few anecdotes of refusals does not indicate a change in policy or practice. It more likely indicates a staff misunderstanding which is something that is much more common than a refusal of service.

 

Should there be increased incidence of refusals on debarkation day I will consider that notice to not expect to take advantage of this benefit on that day. Until that time, I'm planning on a fresh squeezed OJ and a Latte on debarkation day.  As long as that is Ok with you?  

I’m not dying on any hill.  I have zero skin in the game either way and don’t care with way.  I’m simple point out what I believe to be the case.   
 

You have quite the dramatic flair with your comments.  Preposterous.  Dying on a hill.  Hyperbole much?

[topnole]

4 hours ago, marci22 said:

I'm pretty sure the coffee machine/DL is unavailable the last morning.

It’s available the last day in my experience.  

[marci22]

Just now, topnole said:

It’s available the last day in my experience.  

I'm wondering if it varies by ship. The Liberty flyer listed MDR, WJ, and Promenade cafe as having breakfast. All were closed between 8 and 9am. D concierge never mentioned to us on the last night that we could have breakfast there. 

[topnole]

On 5/27/2023 at 5:52 PM, OCSC Mike said:

 

I don't think most do either. I only tried it once after reading about it b/c we were on a B2B. The morning of turnaround day I got a couple iced coffees and my wife got a couple water bottles from Cafe Promenade.

 

My comments were just for discussion's sake. It's somewhat ambiguous, IMO. If RC would just add a line to the Diamond and up benefits letter that says "you do not receive vouchers on disembarkation day" then there would be no need for any of this discussion, but that makes too much sense.

My comments are for discussions sake as well.  One thing is sure, they are ambiguous in their communication, but what’s new for Royal in that regard.   

[marci22]

I would never guess that D vouchers would be available on debarkation day. I'm going to try that on my next cruise and see what happens.

Edited May 30, 2023 by marci22

[topnole]

Just now, marci22 said:

I'm wondering if it varies by ship. The Liberty flyer listed MDR, WJ, and Promenade cafe as having breakfast. All were closed between 8 and 9am. D concierge never mentioned to us on the last night that we could have breakfast there. 

I don’t think they do breakfast (maybe just donuts and muffins, etc) there on the last morning on Liberty, but it’s been some years since I was on that ship. I believe you can still grab coffee regardless.  

[marci22]

On 5/27/2023 at 10:42 AM, HicksRA said:

This probably came about because of people trying to grab 5 unopened beers to carry off the ship. 

Are bars even open on departure morning?

[topnole]

13 minutes ago, marci22 said:

I'm wondering if it varies by ship. The Liberty flyer listed MDR, WJ, and Promenade cafe as having breakfast. All were closed between 8 and 9am. D concierge never mentioned to us on the last night that we could have breakfast there. 

Probably pretty similar across the fleet.  Honestly been in suites mostly the last several years so we mainly use the suite lounge versus the diamond lounge (and always SL on the last morning).  But my recollection was I would always grab a couple DL espressos the last morning for my wife and I before we started doing suites regularly.  

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, marci22 said:

Are bars even open on departure morning?

I didn’t think so, I drink my fair share on a cruise, but that ends at a reasonable hour the last night.  Never in my life have I even tried to buy any type of drink the last morning.  

[Threedrones]

2 hours ago, PWP-001 said:

Actually, it's the people creating it and making comments such as your response.  Some of us come on the board seeking information and sharing information.  We don't come for time-wasting posts.

 

 

Signing off….can’t reason with hate. Goodbye.

[Ocean Boy]

On 5/27/2023 at 10:42 AM, HicksRA said:

This probably came about because of people trying to grab 5 unopened beers to carry off the ship. 

Where do you find an open bar on departure morning to get beer? I've never seen it.

[Anton]

1 hour ago, marci22 said:

Are bars even open on departure morning?

No bars, but there is bar service in the MDR and suite/pinnacle breakfast.  I never paid attention in the Windjammer.  I've sat with people who were denied diamond drinks at the final breakfast in the MDR (within the last several months) but those with drink packages received their screwdrivers, mimosas, bloody mary's.

[Wineaux007]

23 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Where do you find an open bar on departure morning to get beer? I've never seen it.

On Freedom at the Windjammer and on Harmony at the Windjammer. 

 

On Harmony I got a Bloody Mary on the last morning using my vouchers, but that was back in Oct 2021.  May have changed policy since then.

[Joelster123]

The bar in the Windjammer on Ovation & Quantum was open for breakfast on departure day in Australia a few months ago, and I had no problems using my Diamond Vouchers then, I think one of the bars by the pools was also open and I used one or two there as well.

[firefly333]

7 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm not sure why this is the hill you want to die on but go ahead and fill your boots.  This'll be my last response because this subject has become boring.  The reality is, except for few noted exceptions, the majority of reports here on Cruise Critic indicate that diamond vouchers have been available to use on debarkation day. There has been no indication from Royal since the implementation of this program that they ever intended for the vouchers not to be available on debarkation day.   As a matter fact the preponderance of use over the last 23 month indicates it was their intention to make them available on that day.

 

If that changes, so be it. However, a few anecdotes of refusals does not indicate a change in policy or practice. It more likely indicates a staff misunderstanding which is something that is much more common than a refusal of service.

 

Should there be increased incidence of refusals on debarkation day I will consider that notice to not expect to take advantage of this benefit on that day. Until that time, I'm planning on a fresh squeezed OJ and a Latte on debarkation day.  As long as that is Ok with you?  

Lol I had no idea this was such a issue with people. .. if I can get a voucher paid premium coffee or not the last morning. The last morning I'm just concentrated on getting a bite to eat too early in the morning for me and getting off the ship and on the road. 

 

I really think rcl posters must argue and complain more than others.

[Biker19]

9 hours ago, PWP-001 said:

We don't come for time-wasting posts.

Oh, if only it would be that simple..........

[Ocean Boy]

15 hours ago, marci22 said:

I'm pretty sure the coffee machine/DL is unavailable the last morning.

I have experienced it both ways. It seems to be ship dependent.  It was available on Odyssey when I was aboard. I've also found it available 24 hrs a day on some ships while it is closed down at a certain hour at night on other ships.

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 

I really think rcl posters must argue and complain more than others.

I doubt it.