Zenith access to Retreat Lounge

[TrueCruiseaholic]

7 minutes ago, swjumbo said:

I seriously don’t get it. There are so many lovely bars and restaurants throughout the ship why clamour to get into The Retreat?

 

Yes the staff are lovely; but they’re lovely everywhere else too.

 

The Captain, Hotel Director and the rest of the officers are very visible around the ship and equally approachable. Why is it necessary to meet them in Michael’s Club or The Retreat?

 

On our last cruise we were lucky enough to be invited to the Senior Officers’ party because of our CC status. We only got this status because of double points and some suite cruises during Covid.

 

Whilst it was nice to see a few familiar faces, we also know that these officers have a ship to run and can’t spend all their time speaking to us.

 

We realise that we’re not the only VIP’s on the ship. Every passenger is an VIP. Guests should be content with the amenities and areas they have paid for.

 

 

 

When Michael's Club was made into a Suite and Zenith lounge, Zeniths had access before Sky Suites. That access was taken away during COVID. This would be restoring a benefit that was removed.

 

I'm sure there are loyalty benefits that cruisers receive that if they were removed, cruisers would be upset at the loss. If those removed benefits were reinstated, cruisers would be happy.

Edited September 24, 2023 by TrueCruiseaholic

[tfred]

5 minutes ago, swjumbo said:

I seriously don’t get it. There are so many lovely bars and restaurants throughout the ship why clamour to get into The Retreat?

 

Yes the staff are lovely; but they’re lovely everywhere else too.

 

The Captain, Hotel Director and the rest of the officers are very visible around the ship and equally approachable. Why is it necessary to meet them in Michael’s Club or The Retreat?

 

On our last cruise we were lucky enough to be invited to the Senior Officers’ party because of our CC status. We only got this status because of double points and some suite cruises during Covid.

 

Whilst it was nice to see a few familiar faces, we also know that these officers have a ship to run and can’t spend all their time speaking to us.

 

We realise that we’re not the only VIP’s on the ship. Every passenger is an VIP. Guests should be content with the amenities and areas they have paid for.

 

 

 

almost every large chain hotel has a private /executive lounge that is available to long time, high status level customers. Look at any Marriott in London (or any full service Marriott anywhere ) and they have have executive lounge with all sorts of free goodies - food, booze, tea etc). 

 

airlines are different   You get whet youpay for with some occasional upgrades in US domestic first class.  An international free first class upgrade is almost impossible 

[goofysmom99]

As I think about this, the only increase would be from the additional zeniths who aren't already traveling in suites.  On my last TA, there were only four that I know of.

[LMHSRN]

9 minutes ago, TrueCruiseaholic said:

When Michael's Club was made into a Suite and Zenith lounge, Zeniths had access before Sky Suites. That access was taken away during COVID. This would be restoring a benefit that was removed.

 

I'm sure there are loyalty benefits that cruisers receive that if they were removed, cruisers would be upset at the loss. If those removed benefits were reinstated, cruisers would be happy.

You mean like MAYBE restoring the Butlers to SS suites?  That was a big take-away that passengers actually paid for - not earned like Zenith and we still lost it.

[TrueCruiseaholic]

3 minutes ago, LMHSRN said:

You mean like MAYBE restoring the Butlers to SS suites?  That was a big take-away that passengers actually paid for - not earned like Zenith and we still lost it.

Yes. Obviously, it would be a good thing to restore the butlers that were taken away.

 

The rumor, though, is the restoration of Retreat Lounge access will be followed by the removal of some benefit or benefits some time afterward. I have no idea what the grand plan is, but time will tell. I don't think the future is completely rosy for Zenith members.

[doghog]

23 minutes ago, LMHSRN said:

You mean like MAYBE restoring the Butlers to SS suites?  That was a big take-away that passengers actually paid for - not earned like Zenith and we still lost it.

Zenith or any other CC tier level, we didn't earn that tier level, we paid for that specific tier level. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by doghog

[Lastdance]

9 minutes ago, doghog said:

Zenith or any other CC tier level didn't earn that tier level, they paid for that specific tier level. 

Now we(Sky Suites) actually pay more for what was taken away; maybe suites will no

longer be able to visit the Retreat areas except with a punchcard limiting their access!😜

Personally, I am always anxious to read whatever is happening with the revolving door concept of giving and taking, especially after you have already booked!  Surprise, surprise...

 

 

I will say that Zeniths are very nice people, especially Double Zeniths!

Edited September 24, 2023 by Lastdance

[doghog]

19 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

Now we(Sky Suites) actually pay more for what was taken away; maybe suites will no longer be able to visit the Retreat areas except with a punchcard limiting their access!😜

What you have lost is not the same issue. You still have the Retreat. Disagree as one cruise in a sky suite v how many paid cruises to get to Zenith or Elite or Elite+ tier level. Give us (top 3 tier levels) our own lounge and let suite cruisers have their own lounge. Works on RC. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by doghog

[doghog]

20 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

I will say that Zeniths are very nice people, especially Double Zeniths!

We feel that way about any tier levels even though almost always tier levels are never part of our conversations. Hear more about tier levels on CC than onboard the ships. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by doghog

[Lastdance]

32 minutes ago, doghog said:

What you have lost is not the same issue. You still have the Retreat. Disagree as one cruise in a sky suite v how many paid cruises to get to Zenith or Elite or Elite+ tier level. Give us (top 3 tier levels) our own lounge and let suite cruisers have their own lounge. Works on RC. 

I am not saying that it is the same issue at all, but with all the changes, anything is possible.  You pay for a cruise without actually knowing what you may or may not get; that goes for all cabins/suites/tiers etc.  Losing a butler does not matter to me at all, but it does to many and rightly so.  I haven’t been on RC for decades, so have no idea what works and what does not.  

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by Lastdance

[doghog]

10 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

I am not saying that it is the same issue at all, but with all the changes, anything is possible.  You pay for a cruise without actually knowing what you may or may not get; that goes for all cabins/suites/tiers etc.  Losing a butler does not matter to me at all, but it does to many and rightly so. 

Good. Thanks for agreeing with me. My only point is, give the CC top three tier levels their own dedicated lounge and let those that pay more for a suite have their own lounge. That's what they have paid for no matter how many cruises they have been on. Until that happens the CC concierge knowing how may Zeniths and suite passengers on that cruise will determine if Zenith members will have access to the Retreat Lounge and all perks. If suite passengers don't like it, to bad.  When I book our cruises, I know exactly what we're getting for that category of stateroom. Not sure what losing a butler has to do with access to the RL.  

Edited September 24, 2023 by doghog

[Lastdance]

6 minutes ago, doghog said:

. Not sure what losing a butler has to do with access to the RL.  

Now you are making me bang my head against the wall...figure of speech!😃

[doghog]

3 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

Now you are making me bang my head against the wall...figure of speech!😃

Sorry. 😉

[Mark_K]

1 hour ago, swjumbo said:

I seriously don’t get it. There are so many lovely bars and restaurants throughout the ship why clamour to get into The Retreat?

 

Yes the staff are lovely; but they’re lovely everywhere else too.

Not many bars around the ship where you can get hors d'oeuvres along with your drink.

[Cruising89143]

On 9/23/2023 at 2:07 PM, zitsky said:

And then the complaints from Zenith that it’s too crowded and why do they let people from suites in?  Can’t they at least throw out the Sky Suite passengers?  😂

Heard this exact comment from a Pinnie on RCI last year. He loudly stated that he was Pinnacle and if RCI could not accommodate Pinnacles in the suite lounge on a particular sailing then they should allowed to cancel at the last minute and then he loudly proclaimed that Pinnacles should have priority over suite guests in the suite lounge. The looks from the other guests and the two suite concierge was amusing. 

[doghog]

1 minute ago, Mark_K said:

Not many bars around the ship where you can get hors d'oeuvres along with your drink.

Currently only the Retreat Lounge does, fleetwide. No bars serve hors d'oeuvres. Other than a possible one off special event held in one of the lounges for Elite and above.

[Mark_K]

2 minutes ago, doghog said:

Currently only the Retreat Lounge does, fleetwide. No bars serve hors d'oeuvres. Other than a possible one off special event held in one of the lounges for Elite and above.

Exactly, and I don’t know about clamoring, but it my view it’s a good reason to prefer the Retreat Lounge. Especially around 5:30 when you’re not planning on dinner for three hours or so.

[doghog]

2 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

Heard this exact comment from a Pinnie on RCI last year. He loudly stated that he was Pinnacle and if RCI could not accommodate Pinnacles in the suite lounge on a particular sailing then they should allowed to cancel at the last minute and then he loudly proclaimed that Pinnacles should have priority over suite guests in the suite lounge. The looks from the other guests and the two suite concierge was amusing. 

The guy sound like an arrogant fool. SL's are for those that are in full suites and have paid for that perk. Only the CAS LA can decide based on Pinnacle numbers if Pinnacles will be allowed in the SL for that specific cruise. If not they have the option of the DL or in some cases the CAS LA will set up an area in another lounge for them. 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, LMHSRN said:

You mean like MAYBE restoring the Butlers to SS suites?  That was a big take-away that passengers actually paid for - not earned like Zenith and we still lost it.

Butlers for Sky Suites have nothing to do with loyalty benefits.  You are correct we paid for that service and it was removed.  But comparing the two is apples to oranges.

[swjumbo]

32 minutes ago, Mark_K said:

Not many bars around the ship where you can get hors d'oeuvres along with your drink.

Yes. We really need some extra food on board!

[Cruising89143]

27 minutes ago, doghog said:

The guy sound like an arrogant fool.

He was and thankfully he ended up talking to himself most of the time as everyone tried to ignore him. 

[phoenix_dream]

22 hours ago, hcat said:

initially it was a cigar bar, then a piano style lounge, then for Cap Club Elites.. Many have had a turn at being in and out..!

Agree. I should have specified that when it was turned into a suite lounge it was only upper suites.

[phoenix_dream]

48 minutes ago, Mark_K said:

Not many bars around the ship where you can get hors d'oeuvres along with your drink.

So true. You usually can't even get the small servings of that snack mix they used to provide at bars. Of all the cruises I've been on since restart I think we only had it on one ship.

[Northern Aurora]

I believe that the number of folks who  have reached the Zenith level of the Captain's Club has doubled since we became Zenith in 2016.  And there is a significant number of double Zeniths now too.  So I will be interested in the "space available" determination.

 

The highest number of Zeniths on a particular sailing I have experienced was 19.  More than once there have been 17 fellow Zeniths on a sailing.

[phoenix_dream]

21 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

Will be interesting to see what "space available" means. Does it mean that the senior officer night Zeniths are not allowed because there are too many suite guests present? Will Zeniths already in the lounge be ejected to allow space for entering suite guest? Does it mean that on TA cruises with 30+ Zeniths none have access the entire cruise ???

Exactly.  The space available idea is rife with issues of all kinds.  And who decides these things? Is it based on a certain number of suite passengers or Zeniths? Or will it be at someone's whim, like it is for lunches or dinners? I'm also wondering if they plan to add this access then take away all the lunches or dinners. With all emphasis these days on bringing in newer, younger passengers I just can't see them bending over backwards for Zeniths. I hope I'm wrong.