New "crown lounge" rule

[TYMAN]

13 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

I feel like I've posted this a dozen times already. Some of us really enjoy the happy hour snacks there. It has nothing to do with drinks or the room for me (which is usually the windowless basement but will actually be the nice one on Allure next week). I never order drinks there.

 

I won't complain (they have the right to change rules so there's no point) but I will be disappointed if I can't pop in for the snacks next week on Allure. Will it ruin my cruise? Of course not. But I will miss going there for maybe 30 mins to have some hors d'oeuvres that I can't get elsewhere before dinner.

Mike, when you get on Allure, can you check casino for the “Hot Hits” slots? I know this has nothing to do with Crown Lounge, but Mike needs a chore. 😂 

[OCSC Mike]

17 minutes ago, island lady said:

I guess I don't think about the snacks much anymore, since we do early traditional dining now...OMG my age is showing!   Filling up on snacks at 4:30 to 5 and then going to dinner at 5-5:30 just doesn't work for us

 

Hey, we have early traditional dining and I'd like to think we're still young-ish, lol. We just don't like the MDR much, never have, so I don't mind filling up on snacks unless we have a specialty dinner planned. And of course I don't exactly "fill up" how I eat, lol. We eat early so we can eat more later before WJ closes... or sometimes just go to the WJ to begin with. And we prefer to have the rest of the night free for shows or activities.

Edited October 21, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[OCSC Mike]

13 minutes ago, TYMAN said:

Mike, when you get on Allure, can you check casino for the “Hot Hits” slots? I know this has nothing to do with Crown Lounge, but Mike needs a chore. 😂 

 

I hate saying no but I avoid the casino like the plague. My gambling days are behind me and I can't stand the smoke. We pop in to use our free play (now in the tiny non-smoking casino) and that's it. If you have any food-related chores, let me know. 😁

[TYMAN]

1 minute ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

I hate saying no but I avoid the casino like the plague. My gambling days are behind me and I can't stand the smoke. We pop in to use our free play (now in the tiny non-smoking casino) and that's it. If you have any food-related chores, let me know. 😁

No worries Mike. It is on the “non” smoking side near the cashier, but the non-smoking side is just by name. Ha! Have a great cruise, we’ll check when we board in Dec. 

[island lady]

22 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Hey, we have early traditional dining and I'd like to think we're still young-ish, lol. We just don't like the MDR much, never have, so I don't mind filling up on snacks unless we have a specialty dinner planned. And of course I don't exactly "fill up" how I eat, lol. We eat early so we can eat more later before WJ closes... or sometimes just go to the WJ to begin with. And we prefer to have the rest of the night free for shows or activities.

 

Makes sense to me!  Gosh I am happy we are all not alike.  Think of how depressing the world would be with only one flavor of ice cream (Vanilla) at Baskin Robbins.  😄 

[BND]

13 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Are there many D+ and Pinns onboard? Are they opening up the Vortex as an overflow if needed? Love the Vortex when they use that as the Pinn lounge.

 

A lot of d+ and pinns. Vortex is open as overflow. We're sitting in it right now as it's still roped off. We were able to find seats in overflow last night. We skipped top tier this morning.  Top 20 pinns are allowed in the SL.  

[BND]

13 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Almost there. Will it be next year? 👍🏼

 

I agree. If they are close enough to me I’ll ask if they just heard what the Captain was saying. Works every time. 

Actually right now it'll be spring 2025 based on what we have booked 

[BND]

16 hours ago, PompeySailor said:

Very quiet - 6 tables after 1-1/2hrs

Giovanni’s might be different tonight 

Food so far on Jewel has been much improved over even 6 months ago on Enchantment. And much better than Jewel last Nov.

Edited October 21, 2023 by BND

[BND]

19 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Everyone who orders a drink hands over their card.  Those with D+ or PC cards are served.  Those without are asked to leave.  Those who do not order drinks (and are not recognized as D+ or PC from prior interactions) could be carded.  Hanging around a lounge for long if you could not order a drink wouldn’t seem like much fun to me, so they might leave without being carded.  If “cheaters” are embarrassed by being asked to leave, they are not likely to repeat.  
 

Even if one’s card does not open the door, it does not seem difficult to follow someone else into the lounge after they swipe to open the door. So, if someone wants to sneak in, they probably can.  

They are checking cards as you enter the lounge. They have someone outside the door.

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

I feel like I've posted this a dozen times already. Some of us really enjoy the happy hour snacks there. It has nothing to do with drinks or the room for me (which is usually the windowless basement but will actually be the nice one on Allure next week). I never order drinks there.

 

I won't complain (they have the right to change rules so there's no point) but I will be disappointed if I can't pop in for the snacks next week on Allure. Will it ruin my cruise? Of course not. But I will miss going there for maybe 30 mins to have some hors d'oeuvres that I can't get elsewhere before dinner.

I agree, we eat late-ish, ideally around 7 to 7.30, though on med cruises late dinning can be 8.30. Often skip lunch or just have a something light,  so a few snacks in the DL with a couple of drinks hits the spot. The hor d'oeuvres are different to anything in the Windjammer and the other bars don't have snacks. 

Especially like ships where the DL is next to the Viking Crown lounge so plenty of seating if the DL is full.

Oh well if we're kicked out of the DL as lowly Diamonds we'll just have to suck it up.

Wonder if by the time we get to D+ it will be just a Pin lounge

Edited October 21, 2023 by sgmn

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, sgmn said:

The hor d'oeuvres are different to anything in the Windjammer and the other bars don't have snacks.

 

Definitely and can be very good at times. I care more about food than the average cruiser but glad someone else appreciates them.

[Cruising89143]

RCI created a monster with the lounges. At some point that had to rip the band aid off. We usually avoid the lounges with the exception of the suite lounge last year on the Symphony. Due to the location and CK, it was great. The drink vouchers work great and we can choose the lounge of choice. 

[Tlbecker1]

3 hours ago, island lady said:

 

That's a shame that they complained about being excluded from the tiny lounge (which is like a closet in the bilge...IMHO).   It is such a big beautiful ship, with so many interesting lounges to explore using the vouchers (which you have to use in the DL now CL anyway).  

 

There are more lounges to enjoy happy hour at on the ship than days in the week on the 7 night cruise.  We make it a goal to explore them all.  😉 

I totally understand where you are coming from.  I am sure that if it was my very first Diamond cruise, I would feel different.

[Tlbecker1]

1 hour ago, BND said:

They are checking cards as you enter the lounge. They have someone outside the door.

Us too on the Anthem.

[island lady]

1 minute ago, Tlbecker1 said:

I totally understand where you are coming from.  I am sure that if it was my very first Diamond cruise, I would feel different.

 

I would agree with you years ago.   We adored turning Diamond, enjoying at first the "Diamond Event" after Diamonds were kicked out of the original Concierge Lounges...then the newly formed keyed entry DLs were introduced.  Loved it.  Freebie drinks, never crowded, great coffee machine, wonderful conversations with the "like minded" types.  😉 

 

Now...for us anyway...the politics, seat saving, over crowding...and attitudes towards Pinnacles...we stay away.  But I do love the lounges for early morning coffee.  

[nelblu]

16 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

We both always get the filet and a pasta (wife actually gets risotto but close enough). I would order the gnocchi if I didn't like carbonara so much. I can eat but double pasta plus a steak sandwiched between an app and dessert is a bit much, lol.

You don't go for the meat and cheese platter as an appetizer.  I do on both Giovanni and Jamie and always ask for extra Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and prosciutto.😁 

[firefly333]

3 hours ago, TYMAN said:

Mike, when you get on Allure, can you check casino for the “Hot Hits” slots? I know this has nothing to do with Crown Lounge, but Mike needs a chore. 😂 

First week did a favorite of someone and never lost so fast.

 

2nd week on allure I searched for Heidi. I won $13.65 off the free $6 promo. Free 9 games. 

 

Heidi is my favorite with all the beer mugs. Now I'm sticking with Heidi for a while. 

[OCSC Mike]

8 minutes ago, nelblu said:

You don't go for the meat and cheese platter as an appetizer.

 

I did get that the last couple times as my app. Good stuff. Even the pickled veggies on the side are good.

 

Years ago when calamari was only on the lunch menu, I asked for it and got it at dinner. Then I started getting a "sorry, we can't" so I switched to the meat & cheese, blessing in disguise. Now they have calamari on the dinner menu... so I think I'll have to get both. 😋

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:

RCI created a monster with the lounges. At some point that had to rip the band aid off. We usually avoid the lounges with the exception of the suite lounge last year on the Symphony. Due to the location and CK, it was great. The drink vouchers work great and we can choose the lounge of choice. 

I don't think the lounges are a monster at all. RCI fixed the problem with the vouchers. Now if there is room in there for you great. If there is no room so be it. It is no different than going to the Schooner Bar when it is packed. You get what you find. Now you get your 4, 5, or six drinks no matter what. During the day and after happy hour the lounge is there to use as you please.

[Cruising89143]

15 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I don't think the lounges are a monster at all. RCI fixed the problem with the vouchers. Now if there is room in there for you great. If there is no room so be it. It is no different than going to the Schooner Bar when it is packed. You get what you find. Now you get your 4, 5, or six drinks no matter what. During the day and after happy hour the lounge is there to use as you please.

I don’t see people complaining on Facebook about not being allowed in the Schooner Bar because it was full but I do see a lot of complaints about not being allowed in certain lounges with the recent changes. 

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

Now they have calamari on the dinner menu... so I think I'll have to get both

Did not see calamari on the Dinner menu on my recent Oasis sail.  However, the minestrone soup went very well with the antipasti plate.  I haven't had the opportunity to eat at the other Giovanni's.

[OCSC Mike]

6 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Did not see calamari on the Dinner menu on my recent Oasis sail.  However, the minestrone soup went very well with the antipasti plate.  I haven't had the opportunity to eat at the other Giovanni's.

 

I'm just going by the app menu. It could easily be wrong. Haven't tried Kitchen yet either. We're 7 points away from D+ (2 after next week). We'll likely try it with a BOGO on Wonder this summer after we get there.

[doghog]

1 hour ago, cruisingator2 said:

I don’t see people complaining on Facebook about not being allowed in the Schooner Bar because it was full but I do see a lot of complaints about not being allowed in certain lounges with the recent changes. 

Of course no one is complaining because they aren't denied. I'd complain if we were denied entrance in the evening to the DL(CL). This is a perk/benefit we paid for. 

[toad455]

as long as I can get my afternoon cappuccino, this really doesn't matter to me.

[Jetdriver787]

“Of course no one is complaining because they aren't denied. I'd complain if we were denied entrance in the evening to the DL(CL). This is a perk/benefit we paid for.”

 

 

Unfortunately you haven’t.

 

Under the general terms and conditions of the programme, they can withdraw in whole or in part any or all of the benefits or facilities with or without notice. They can also vary, solely at their discretion, any of the benefits or terms of the programme whenever they wish.

 

The programme is free to sign up to. It is a concession that is entirely in their gift. 🤷‍♂️

Edited October 21, 2023 by Jetdriver787