Crown & Anchor Program Revisions - join the merged discussions here

[mohavemommy]

Royal Caribbean has a new target. The first time cruiser and families. All one has to do is take a look at the ships being built. They are going to leave Celebrity for the ones that want something a little more upscale with personalized attention. I think that the writing has been on the wall for a while now.

 

At one time Royal Caribbean was a more premium product when they had a smaller fleet of ships. Those days are gone and for anyone that expects them to return to those days, you are going to be sadly disappointed. Ships being built will continue to be very large with innovative features to attract potential consumers who had never thought of taking a cruise vacation over a land vacation. The perks that many are used to are going away. Royal Caribbean hired Vicki Freed away from Carnival to run this area and it looks as though she is the one spearheading those changes. I guess Royal Caribbean wants to be more like Carnival where the cruise experience is more bare bones and who better to do it than a person that was trained by the biggest cheapskate there was.... Bob Dickinson. The man could squeeze a buffalo nickel until it pooped.

 

People can complain all they want but nothing is going to change. We all have a choice. Deal with it or move on. Right now I am happy with my experiences and I will be on the Freedom again in a few months. It will be interesting to see if that mind set changes.

What they failed to take into account was that a portion of those first time cruisers are brought on the cruise or told about the cruise by the repeat cruisers. An example of this is that I currently have a cruise booked for October. I am bringing DH, DS and DD in our cabin. We have cruised multiple times. Last summer we took oldest DD and her family on their first cruise. They will be joining us on their second cruise this October. Then we have other DD plus 4 additional ones who will be on their first cruise in October. So, my 4 in the last year have brought 10 new cruisers into the RCI cruising world. If it wasn't for us, they would have gone straight to Carnival since they sail cheaper from the west coast. If that isn't loyalty for you... I don't know what is!

[mohavemommy]

I just got a phone call from someone at RCI in response to a complaint letter I sent. This woman claimed that people were misunderstanding their new policies and that there would be a separate room for Diamond members every night from 5-8:30 with wine, champagne and hors d'ouevres on all non-Freedom/Oasis-class ships. She said she would send this to me in writing.

 

Has anyone else had a call like this?

 

I won't hold my breath. I still have not received the original email. :(

[LindaAndBillTravel]

She probably said on all FREEDOM & OASIS class ships...

No, I explicitly asked and she said all ships. I don't believe her though. That's why I'm wondering if anyone else got this kind of call.

[Dirty Hobbit]

I just got a phone call from someone at RCI in response to a complaint letter I sent. This woman claimed that people were misunderstanding their new policies and that there would be a separate room for Diamond members every night from 5-8:30 with wine, champagne and hors d'ouevres on all non-Freedom/Oasis-class ships. She said she would send this to me in writing.

 

Has anyone else had a call like this?

 

:rolleyes:

[DavidM64Cruiser]

I actually placed links to several of these Cruise Critic threads in my complaint emails to RCI. The question is whether or not they clicked on the link and actually read it.

 

In doing a Google search, USA today does have a report on this situation, so it appears it's making national news.

[bhughey]

The "Nation of Why Not" really says it all... the commercial is very "fantasy-land" -- like a cartoon and touts ice-skating, rock climbing, flow-riding, etc -- they're all about the family/kids angle.

 

I also find it interesting that RCI sent the email about changes in the C&A program just a day or two before sending the email about an "exclusive reservation event" for the Allure. It was almost like they were hoping all the diamond members would be inclined to book the Allure because the lounge is now only available on the Mega-ships. Lounge or no lounge... I would most likely not sail on the larger ships simply because the concept does not fit my cruising style.

[cruzendude]

Would you please tell us why you think this is an excellent decision. Do you think this decision will increase RCL profits or limit their losses? If so, how? Perhaps you have some valid points some of us have not yet considered.

 

Bob :cool:

 

I would be glad to....I sail in suites and will now enjoy the CL with far fewer people crowding the drink lines and raising the noise level. I could care less about RCI's profits and losses and I don't drink any one cruise lines kool-aid as so many of the most vocal Diamonds here did as Sealord so graciousy posted.....

 

I believe that after all this settles down many of you will find that there are MANY other options out there that you will be pleasantly surprised to find you enjoy and mad you didn't find them previously only because you were "held hostage" to chocolate covered strawberries, a couple of free drinks and a CL that made many of you "Special"

[ws1965]

I just read the article in USA Today. I am glad to see this is going public.

 

I am not just upset over the CL. I am also upset over the $4.95 fee for Johnny Rockets ( up from $3.95) and the $15.00 fee for "late night" room service ( up from free). We spend alot of money on these cruises and I am mad that while onboard, we are nickel and dimed for insignificant things.

 

I dont get RC. We were looking at a 2 week South American cruise costing us approx $6000. They wouldnt give us the stockholder credit, the Pre-cruise credit and the balcony credit. OK....I am going to give you $6000 in exchange for a $500 credit. Does this make sense? If someone came up to me and said I will give you $6000 and you give me $500 back....I would start writing that check immediately!! Who is running this company????? Well we decided not to book the cruise and I hope RC knows that they lost $5500 in revenue.

[bhughey]

I would be glad to....I sail in suites and will now enjoy the CL with far fewer people crowding the drink lines and raising the noise level. I could care less about RCI's profits and losses and I don't drink any one cruise lines kool-aid as so many of the most vocal Diamonds here did as Sealord so graciousy posted.....

 

I believe that after all this settles down many of you will find that there are MANY other options out there that you will be pleasantly surprised to find you enjoy and mad you didn't find them previously only because you were "held hostage" to chocolate covered strawberries, a couple of free drinks and a CL that made many of you "Special"

 

Perhaps it's an excellent decision for YOU.

[TRadle]

I just got a phone call from someone at RCI in response to a complaint letter I sent. This woman claimed that people were misunderstanding their new policies and that there would be a separate room for Diamond members every night from 5-8:30 with wine, champagne and hors d'ouevres on all non-Freedom/Oasis-class ships. She said she would send this to me in writing.

 

Has anyone else had a call like this?

 

This is stated in the email I received which is why I am so puzzled by the outrage here. Did anyone actually read the entire email? :rolleyes:

[GaryfmCol]

Oh, you would rather not make anything at all, so you could pay no taxes?? That makes a lot of sense. I guess you would rather pay less taxes, than have more $$ to spend.

Sorry, even after taxes, I still have more than I started with, no matter how it it's taxed.

 

No..No..No....

I am very glad for you...

I was just making a comment since everyone, including me, HATES to pay taxes..ANY KIND...

 

I am very HAPPY for you Curley.

Good going ;)

[mohavemommy]

This is stated in the email I received which is why I am so puzzled by the outrage here. Did anyone actually read the entire email? :rolleyes:

 

I will most certainly read it in its entirety when I receive it. :eek:

[cruzendude]

Perhaps it's an excellent decision for YOU.

 

That is EXACTLY what I posted when I was asked to tell someone "why" I thought is was an excellent decision.....Sorry if I don't take YOUR comfort into my cruising decisions but until you kick in at least half of my costs, my cruising decisions will be ALL about ME! :p

[cruzendude]

This is stated in the email I received which is why I am so puzzled by the outrage here. Did anyone actually read the entire email? :rolleyes:

 

This would be SO PERFECT if all of this "OUTRAGE" was because people here can't read an email correctly! :p Though it may decrease my entertainment value of this thread! :eek:

[LindaAndBillTravel]

This is stated in the email I received which is why I am so puzzled by the outrage here. Did anyone actually read the entire email? :rolleyes:

The e-mail I received said there would be a party once during the cruise for ships other than Freedom/Oasis-class. I went back and looked at my e-mail again after the call since the lady had said folks were misunderstanding. It very clearly says "once" though, as does the C&A website.

 

I would be curious to see the e-mail you got. Can you post it here?

[bhughey]

This is the email in its entirety - I cut and pasted it:

 

 

With 20 ships currently in service around the globe and two magnificent ships under construction, Royal Caribbean International® has always regarded the optimum enjoyment of all our guests worldwide as a top priority. We consistently review valuable guest feedback to ensure that we are able to continuously improve our services while keeping the base price of a Royal Caribbean International cruise essentially the same for nearly a decade. In that process, we constantly measure and evaluate the satisfaction of our guests.

 

To enhance the onboard experience, Royal Caribbean International has recently initiated a variety of programs including:

 

* MyTime DiningSM, which allows guests more flexibility to dine according to their own schedule, and My Family Time DiningSM, which provides young children an expedited 40 minute dinner experience and an escorted return to the Adventure Ocean youth programming facility so that parents can continue to enjoy dinner at a leisurely pace.

* Pre-cruise booking of shore excursions and beverage packages and advance reservations for specialty restaurants.

* Upgraded suite services and amenities including preferred seating and reservations, exclusive in-stateroom culinary treats, concierge lounge access, upgraded furniture and more.

* An enhanced departure process which provides a quicker and more seamless experience for guests at the conclusion of the cruise, while extending access to their staterooms on the morning of departure.

* New programming for kids and families, such as Crayola® Beginnings art, Sitters at Sea, Babies 2 Go!, Fisher Price® toy lending, Stroll & Roll, and more.

* Pool-side towel service which eliminates the need for a guest to remember to bring towels from their stateroom.

 

Starting July 1st there will be some changes to our Crown & Anchor® Society benefits based on member feedback and our recent enhancements. Crown & Anchor® Society members will continue to receive their most valued benefits such as discounts on cruises, savings certificates and priority embarkation and debarkation. Our Platinum and Diamond members also will continue to receive discounts on suite category staterooms including the recently introduced upgraded services and amenities for suite guests.

 

Keeping your feedback and cruise experience in mind, some of the changes that will occur include:

 

* A new Ultimate Value Booklet with coupons for various onboard amenities.

* An upgraded wine tasting event at a special price.

* A new special event, hosted by our ship officers, for Diamond and above members to meet and mingle with other fellow members, and featuring complimentary wine, champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

 

Due to limited capacity, the Concierge Lounge has not been able to accommodate our growing membership, challenging our ability to provide the optimum experience for our guests. Therefore the Concierge Lounge will now be accessible to our suite and Diamond Plus guests only. Diamond Members cruising on Freedom class, Oasis of the SeasSM, and Allure of the SeasSM will continue to be able to experience exclusive access to a dedicated Diamond Lounge on these ships, which feature a complimentary 'happy hour' from 5:00-8:30pm daily.

 

The chart below outlines the new Crown & Anchor Society benefits, starting July 1st. You may also visit the Crown & Anchor benefits section of our website to view the updated list of benefits.

 

Thank you for your ongoing loyalty to Royal Caribbean International. We hope to see you onboard very soon.

 

As you can see -- the CL is only available to DIAMOND members on FREEDOM CLASS, OASIS and ALLURE - which means NO LONGER available on Radiance class (4 ships), Voyager class (5 ships), & the Enchantment.

[jbond]

Thought this might amuse some of you. Just received my cruise docs. Guess what? I am Diamond - no Plus!!

Just got our documents for our next cruise. They also say Diamond, not D+. We have been D+ for some time and have the ice cubes to prove it. It's just the way RCI does the docs. If you want to check your status go to the RCI webpage and look at your booking. Ours shows the correct number of credits.

[xpcdoojk]

I would be glad to....I sail in suites and will now enjoy the CL with far fewer people crowding the drink lines and raising the noise level. I could care less about RCI's profits and losses and I don't drink any one cruise lines kool-aid as so many of the most vocal Diamonds here did as Sealord so graciousy posted.....

 

I believe that after all this settles down many of you will find that there are MANY other options out there that you will be pleasantly surprised to find you enjoy and mad you didn't find them previously only because you were "held hostage" to chocolate covered strawberries, a couple of free drinks and a CL that made many of you "Special"

 

Not to mention, those that say they don't cruise RCI for rock walls and skating rinks, seriously? That is what this particular cruise line is. It is a sailing resort. Yes, it has traditional cruise line amenities as well, but it is no longer a traditional cruiseline. RCI has ships that are completely different from every other cruise line. They clearly are moving in the direction of a floating resort. This is appealing to me for unique sailings like the recent around the horn trip of the Mariner, or my upcoming TA where I can use these wonderful youthful activities without sharing them with hundreds of children lined up continuously to go on the flowrider. I cruise with the destination in mind far more than wanting to have a floating resort, where I can dump the kids at Adventure Ocean, and I go sit by the pool all day. I sail for the itinerary, and will avoid the Oasis of the Seas doing 7 day eastern/western Caribbean trips like the plague. So, for me those ships doing those short cruises will never be of interest to me, until I retire to somewhere that I can sail from the home port for a long weekend or whatever.

 

When people reflect how much they love the R ships, and then sigh that RCI doesn't provide that experience anymore. I wonder, have you been asleep the last decade. That experience is not RCI. It is maybe X or certainly Azmara, but it is not RCI. I am young enough to appreciate RCI's ships for what they are, and to appreciate the oppurtunities presented by the smaller ships for the itinerary. I may continue to book RCI or not, not because of the loss of C&A privileges (notice they are not rights despite the tone of this thread), but because they appear to be moving to more and more itineraries that don't appeal to my particular taste. In other words, in the old NOOTS discussion, I couldn't quite agree I was a NOOTS, and some "internet friends" suggested I was a COOTS or POOTS. I would never book the Oasis for a regular cruise, but I would consider the Oasis, if it was a sailing a transatlantic or even better transpacific (not in my lifetime probably).

 

For those of you who are so upset the corporation RCL has a very tempting offer. As a Diamond you automatically are an elite X sailor! So, you get the traditional cruiseline experience, and the respect from the hotel manager that many seem to crave so greatly. You may not get the free cocktail hour, for that you need to sail with RCI to Diamond Plus (that might not still exist when you get there) or sail the ships that RCI has determined are RCI type ships. Oasis, Allure, Freedom, Indepenence and Liberty of the Seas. I think it is just a matter of years and a turn around of the business cycle from RCI being one kind of product that is unrecognizeable to those who sailed the Song of America or whatever the grand old RCI ship was called (before my cruising time).

 

From all other aspects of this thread I get the feeling that you are p*ssing in the wind, and the wind is blowing in your face. JMHO and YMSNV.

 

jc

[aurelius180]

From their website:

 

Member Benefits Changes effective July 1, 2009

Starting July 1st there will be some changes to our Crown & Anchor Society benefits. Crown & Anchor members will continue to receive their most valued benefits such as discounts on cruises, savings certificates and priority embarkation and debarkation. Our Platinum and Diamond members also will continue to receive discounts on suite category staterooms including the recently introduced upgraded services and amenities for suite guests.

 

The changes include:

 

A new Ultimate Value Booklet with coupons for various onboard amenities.An upgraded wine tasting event at a special priceA new special event, hosted by our ship officers for Diamond and above members to meet and mingle with other fellow members, will feature complimentary wine, champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

 

Due to limited capacity, the Concierge Lounge has not been able to accommodate our growing membership, challenging our ability to provide the optimum experience for our guests. Therefore the Concierge Lounge will now be accessible to our guests staying in Grand Suites and above and Diamond Plus guests only. Diamond Members cruising on Freedom Class ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will continue to be able to experience exclusive access to a dedicated Diamond Lounge on these ships, which feature a complimentary 'happy hour' from 5-8:30pm daily.

 

Thank you for your continued loyalty to Royal Caribbean. For the convenience of all our Crown &Anchor members, the following chart outlines all benefits, starting July 1. If you are cruising between now and July 1 and have questions about your benefits please contact the Crown & Anchor Society at 1-800-526-9723 or e-mail then at crownandanchor@rccl.com.

 

:D

[ws1965]

What does YMSNV mean?

[beachbuzzard]

I just got a phone call from someone at RCI in response to a complaint letter I sent. This woman claimed that people were misunderstanding their new policies and that there would be a separate room for Diamond members every night from 5-8:30 with wine, champagne and hors d'ouevres on all non-Freedom/Oasis-class ships. She said she would send this to me in writing.

 

Has anyone else had a call like this?

 

That works for me, even though I'm not a big wine drinker. Especially wine I'm sure isn't the best in the world. But that's ok. A glass or two and some nice conversation before dinner will work. Maybe they'll even throw in some cheap beer. In all honesty, it has always been about the feel for us. Some of like to feel special, what can I say. See, I'm a cheap date! :D

 

If that's what they meant in their original email, they most certainly didn't say that. The backpedaling post/picture is spot on. I think there might be some second thoughts going on, and some wine and champagne every evening might be the corporate compromise. IF this is true. And I'm certainly not counting on this... just speculating IF it is true. I realize it might just be a false alarm.

[xpcdoojk]

What does YMSNV mean?

 

It is a joke on the old YMMV (your mileage may vary) this one means your mileage should not vary. IE I am right in my opinion. :D

[jbond]

I can't find my status on my SetSail pass anywhere. Wonder if it is because I am only Diamond. ;)

It's at the top of the pass in the center and also in the name boxes on page 1. You have to have the new set sail.

[aurelius180]

this is the email in its entirety - i cut and pasted it:

 

 

With 20 ships currently in service around the globe and two magnificent ships under construction, royal caribbean international® has always regarded the optimum enjoyment of all our guests worldwide as a top priority. We consistently review valuable guest feedback to ensure that we are able to continuously improve our services while keeping the base price of a royal caribbean international cruise essentially the same for nearly a decade. In that process, we constantly measure and evaluate the satisfaction of our guests.

 

To enhance the onboard experience, royal caribbean international has recently initiated a variety of programs including:

 

* mytime diningsm, which allows guests more flexibility to dine according to their own schedule, and my family time diningsm, which provides young children an expedited 40 minute dinner experience and an escorted return to the adventure ocean youth programming facility so that parents can continue to enjoy dinner at a leisurely pace.

* pre-cruise booking of shore excursions and beverage packages and advance reservations for specialty restaurants.

* upgraded suite services and amenities including preferred seating and reservations, exclusive in-stateroom culinary treats, concierge lounge access, upgraded furniture and more.

* an enhanced departure process which provides a quicker and more seamless experience for guests at the conclusion of the cruise, while extending access to their staterooms on the morning of departure.

* new programming for kids and families, such as crayola® beginnings art, sitters at sea, babies 2 go!, fisher price® toy lending, stroll & roll, and more.

* pool-side towel service which eliminates the need for a guest to remember to bring towels from their stateroom.

 

Starting july 1st there will be some changes to our crown & anchor® society benefits based on member feedback and our recent enhancements. Crown & anchor® society members will continue to receive their most valued benefits such as discounts on cruises, savings certificates and priority embarkation and debarkation. Our platinum and diamond members also will continue to receive discounts on suite category staterooms including the recently introduced upgraded services and amenities for suite guests.

 

Keeping your feedback and cruise experience in mind, some of the changes that will occur include:

 

* a new ultimate value booklet with coupons for various onboard amenities.

* an upgraded wine tasting event at a special price.

* a new special event, hosted by our ship officers, for diamond and above members to meet and mingle with other fellow members, and featuring complimentary wine, champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

 

due to limited capacity, the concierge lounge has not been able to accommodate our growing membership, challenging our ability to provide the optimum experience for our guests. Therefore the concierge lounge will now be accessible to our suite and diamond plus guests only. Diamond members cruising on freedom class, oasis of the seassm, and allure of the seassm will continue to be able to experience exclusive access to a dedicated diamond lounge on these ships, which feature a complimentary 'happy hour' from 5:00-8:30pm daily.

 

The chart below outlines the new crown & anchor society benefits, starting july 1st. You may also visit the crown & anchor benefits section of our website to view the updated list of benefits.

 

Thank you for your ongoing loyalty to royal caribbean international. We hope to see you onboard very soon.

 

As you can see -- the cl is only available to diamond members on freedom class, oasis and allure - which means no longer available on radiance class (4 ships), voyager class (5 ships), & the enchantment.

 

Apparently they did say what the Diamond perk would be replaced with. The same as before but not in the CL.

[ws1965]

From their website:

 

Member Benefits Changes effective July 1, 2009

Starting July 1st there will be some changes to our Crown & Anchor Society benefits. Crown & Anchor members will continue to receive their most valued benefits such as discounts on cruises, savings certificates and priority embarkation and debarkation. Our Platinum and Diamond members also will continue to receive discounts on suite category staterooms including the recently introduced upgraded services and amenities for suite guests.

 

The changes include:

 

A new Ultimate Value Booklet with coupons for various onboard amenities.An upgraded wine tasting event at a special priceA new special event, hosted by our ship officers for Diamond and above members to meet and mingle with other fellow members, will feature complimentary wine, champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

 

Due to limited capacity, the Concierge Lounge has not been able to accommodate our growing membership, challenging our ability to provide the optimum experience for our guests. Therefore the Concierge Lounge will now be accessible to our guests staying in Grand Suites and above and Diamond Plus guests only. Diamond Members cruising on Freedom Class ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will continue to be able to experience exclusive access to a dedicated Diamond Lounge on these ships, which feature a complimentary 'happy hour' from 5-8:30pm daily.

 

Thank you for your continued loyalty to Royal Caribbean. For the convenience of all our Crown &Anchor members, the following chart outlines all benefits, starting July 1. If you are cruising between now and July 1 and have questions about your benefits please contact the Crown & Anchor Society at 1-800-526-9723 or e-mail then at crownandanchor@rccl.com.

 

 

:D

 

OK so basically this means that if you dont sail on the Oasis, Allure,or the Freedom class, there is no CL for you!! I am hoping that at least the other ships will open up a lounge/bar and have something for the D members.