Diamond Plus

My last cruise was first as Diamond Plus. I was excited to have the option of the Concierge Lounge or Diamond Club. My ship had both, next to each other, both with nice views. Each time I went into the Concierge Lounge, the concierge asked to see my card, even though I was alone and obviously used the card to get in. He made no effort to talk to me or find out who I was.

I was under the impression that they would help with debarkation. I have had this service before when staying in a suite, and also see it listed as a D+ Perk. On more than one occasion the concierge has personally walked us off the ship at the desired time. I asked the concierge nicely when I could leave the ship. He pointed to the sheet of paper that we got in our rooms and said it had all the information on it. Of course I had already read the piece of paper and understand how the walk-off on your own system works since I have been on many cruises before. I thought he would have offered to help me out. He was more interested in sitting with other guests and chatting.

I'm trying not to be sensitive or be swayed by other posts I have seen about treatment of various people in the different lounges, but this concierge was not helpful in any way. Am I too young, look like I don't belong in there, shouldn't be by myself, even though I can't help that my friends this time around aren't D+ and we're not in a suite?

Am I looking too much into this, or should the concierge have been more helpful and tried to get to know me like concierges from other ships?

Welcome to D+. We agree that the choice between the two lounges is nice and we want to take advantage of it while we can.

On previous cruises, as D and D+ we went to a special Debarkation lounge but on our Aug cruise...this option was not available. We also followed the times listed on the paperwork. So, it could be a change in the benefits.

As for the treatment from the concierge...it would be hard for anyone to guess why that happened. So sorry but I would just chalk it up to experience. I am sure that your next time in the CL will be better.

Unfortunately we are hearing of, and sometimes encountering, Suite Concierges (that is what they are calling themselves now on some ships) who look down on and are turning their back on Crown & Anchor D+ and Pinnacles and giving their attention to completely to suite guests.

It has happened to us but the most recent example happened to two Pinnacle friends who were top cruisers who just returned from a cruise and had been treated this way.

Keep in mind that this IS NOT the way all suite concierges act, there are some out there who are fantastic and treat everyone in their lounge the same why.

FORTUNATELY, most of the Suite Concierges have treated us wonderfully even though we do not stay in Grand Suites or higher.

So, in reality, expect to be treated equally by some and shunned by others.

We speak if someones at desk. We don't expect conversion. has always been helpful when needed

Our experiences with both the CL and the DL Concierges have for the most part been very positive and they have been very helpful to us. But keep in mind that each one is an individual with different personalities who will also have good and bad days, which perhaps played into your experience. Hopefully your situation was isolated and will be different on your next cruise.

Unfortunately we are hearing of, and sometimes encountering, Suite Concierges (that is what they are calling themselves now on some ships) who look down on and are turning their back on Crown & Anchor D+ and Pinnacles and giving their attention to completely to suite guests.

 

It has happened to us but the most recent example happened to two Pinnacle friends who were top cruisers who just returned from a cruise and had been treated this way.

 

Keep in mind that this IS NOT the way all suite concierges act, there are some out there who are fantastic and treat everyone in their lounge the same why.

 

FORTUNATELY, most of the Suite Concierges have treated us wonderfully even though we do not stay in Grand Suites or higher.

 

So, in reality, expect to be treated equally by some and shunned by others.

Unfortunately, this can be flipped the other way too. I (and others I know) have experienced it where the suite concierge completely ignored (and in your words) looked down on those in suites and focused all his attention solely on the D+ and Pinnacle guests in the CL.

As far as I am concerned, it shouldn't matter what cabin you have or what level you are, everyone should be treated the same... Shame we don't live in an ideal world!

Unfortunately, this can be flipped the other way too. I (and others I know) have experienced it where the suite concierge completely ignored (and in your words) looked down on those in suites and focused all his attention solely on the D+ and Pinnacle guests in the CL.

 

As far as I am concerned, it shouldn't matter what cabin you have or what level you are, everyone should be treated the same... Shame we don't live in an ideal world!

I can confirm that fact, as diamond plus and always in a GS or higher, we have had a couple not so good experiences in the CL, luckily most have been excellent, but some have not, it all depends on the experience and professionalism of the Concierge!

I'm curious to know which ship this occurred on. Fortunately, I've never encountered an "attitude" with the CL staff.

This topic his been discussed a few times, with similar comments. Some feel there is a difference in treatment for D+ (or P) and suite guests in the CL and some don't .

Most of the time we have had lovely treatment in either lounge and don't see any marked difference in the way the concierge treats one passenger over another. (I can't say if he/she is treating suite quest differently as I have no way to know about a person's accommodations. )

I've had a few limited experiences to support the differences in treatment. The most blatant was a few years ago on the Freedom when we went to the CL the first night and the concierge said to us "Your room for D+ is upstairs. This is the room for suite guests" . Imagine how we felt! Never went back to that CL (especially on "tip" night)

M

We had an invisible concierge on the Radiance in 2012 for a Hawaii/Vancouver cruise. All the simple requests we made were ignored. I asked the Bartender in the Concierge Lounge where the Concierge was many nights between the hours of 5 & 8 p.m. as he wasn't at the desk. We finally talked to the Head Purser and were told he was to be demoted at the end of the cruise back to the Front Desk. I was shocked by the poor level of service on that one cruise.

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I'm curious too. We have never had less than English Butler quality service on a cruise. On one we opted to take our rollaways and disembark early for a 11 AM flight. The crew went out of their way to see that we were up on time, left the ship with a ride there for us and treated us like they wanted us back. That was on a Princess ship but it was of a level I did not expect after hearing the whiners. My wife only has one person who doesn't like her, my ex wife and I try to set an example by her. The worst thing that ever happened on a cruise was my bed wasn't made at 1 PM. Big deal, we made it ourselves.

If you see something listed as a D+ perk, and you want to make use of it, ask the concierge directly. No sense in waiting for an invite.

I have had various experiences with concierges. Some are very good and professional, others are not. As with all things RC, ymmv.

Adjust your tips accordingly.

We usually cruise in a GS and while on Allure, the concierge never spoke to us and we spent considerable time in the CL for breakfast and afternoon coffee. We were on the Eastern cruise and never really needed any help from him so it didn't bother us to be ignored. On the other hand on both the Enchantment and Freedom we had a great experience with both the Diamond concierge and CL concierge. They went out of their way to be helpful and it made for great cruises. So I guess it just depends on their personality ! Either way, we have had great cruises and don't let these minor things bother us !

I admit I haven't been on every ship. But every suite departure lounge available through the CL was for suite guests only. Not for D+ or PC. Yes, I and others have sometimes been invited quietly from time to time into the suite departure lounge in Chops or Giovanni's on the ships I've been on.

The departure lounge that I've always been aware of for crown and anchor members from platinum through PC has always been in another more crowded location.

It wasn't until this past cruise from which we disembarked today that PC was added to the suite lounge as a specific written benefit. And it has only been in the past few weeks that PC has gotten specific benefits different from D+ in obvious ways such as now having 2 hours of free internet time per passenger. D+ still has 45 minutes from what I have been told.

Which ship ever allowed D+ to use the suite departure lounge as a written benefit? I think OP needed to go see the loyalty ambassador about the C&A departure lounge if assistance was needed. The concierge should have directed OP in that direction but maybe thought they knew it and were just trying to get a suite lounge invitation. Probably thinking this was a wrong assumption of the part of the concierge.

Gina

Here is my take on this topic. Most concierges have been very nice, warm and helpful. But there are certain benefits that they will do for suite guests and will NOT do for C&A D+. Disembarkation is one of them, no early escorts off, no escorts to tenders, etc. For suite guests, YES. For D+, we've just been told for example to go down and get on early tender. Just go down to the front of the line and show your D+ card. HA!! that's a suicide mission in Europe. But we did it, got dirty looks, but we lived.

Also last year I saw the Concierge getting ready to hand deliver passports back to guests and asked if he had mine. Nope. Only suite guests. I wasn't upset; I love Mario, but there if definitely a fine line and I don't believe its always up to the concierge what they can and can't do for C&A elites; I believe they've been told by higher up this is how its done. It is what it is. Next cruise, I beat them at their game. I'm a D+ and in a suite!!!!! So go get me my damn passport!!!!!:rolleyes:

Here is my take on this topic. Most concierges have been very nice, warm and helpful. But there are certain benefits that they will do for suite guests and will NOT do for C&A D+. Disembarkation is one of them, no early escorts off, no escorts to tenders, etc. For suite guests, YES. For D+, we've just been told for example to go down and get on early tender. Just go down to the front of the line and show your D+ card. HA!! that's a suicide mission in Europe. But we did it, got dirty looks, but we lived.

 

 

 

Also last year I saw the Concierge getting ready to hand deliver passports back to guests and asked if he had mine. Nope. Only suite guests. I wasn't upset; I love Mario, but there if definitely a fine line and I don't believe its always up to the concierge what they can and can't do for C&A elites; I believe they've been told by higher up this is how its done. It is what it is. Next cruise, I beat them at their game. I'm a D+ and in a suite!!!!! So go get me my damn passport!!!!!:rolleyes:

Found that depends on concierge

Most have helped me for a lot of these things if I desired

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We were not allowed in the departure lounge when we stayed in cow sweet. No biggie we sat in the chairs outside

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What does OP stand for? I have seen it used a lot.

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What does OP stand for? I have seen it used a lot.

 

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I think original poster

Original Poster is the correct answer.........you wonder what other acronyms are ??

Here ya go.......there's a test on this Friday at 3:00.....you'll need at least 90% to continue being able to post on CC :D

Good Luck......I'll give ya a hint....the test is not easy (and it's not open book)

Exactly the same experience. Not that we ask much of a concierge, as we are capable of making reservations etc. 2 different ships in the Med in the same year, 1 DL concierge the best ever, so friendly, on another ship, 1 of the worst, sat behind her desk all week, moaning how busy she was, yet the CL concierge would come into the DL and speak to everyone and crack jokes.

Fast forward to 2014, same ship, 2 cruises, one of them in a suite on a TA. CL Concierge just so so, didn't even do what she said she had, downright lied to some suite guests, but fussing over you on the last night, mmm I wonder why? DL concierge moaning about staff cuts. 4 months later, same ship, new DL concierge brilliant, so friendly and helpful, CL concierge never cracked a smile.

Let's see what happens in just over 5 weeks:)

Here is my take on this topic. Most concierges have been very nice, warm and helpful. But there are certain benefits that they will do for suite guests and will NOT do for C&A D+. Disembarkation is one of them, no early escorts off, no escorts to tenders, etc. For suite guests, YES. For D+, we've just been told for example to go down and get on early tender. Just go down to the front of the line and show your D+ card. HA!! that's a suicide mission in Europe. But we did it, got dirty looks, but we lived.

 

Also last year I saw the Concierge getting ready to hand deliver passports back to guests and asked if he had mine. Nope. Only suite guests. I wasn't upset; I love Mario, but there if definitely a fine line and I don't believe its always up to the concierge what they can and can't do for C&A elites; I believe they've been told by higher up this is how its done. It is what it is. Next cruise, I beat them at their game. I'm a D+ and in a suite!!!!! So go get me my damn passport!!!!!:rolleyes:

3 out of my 4 cruises have been in a GS and not once have I been 'escorted' anywhere.

This doesn't bother me at all, I'm capable of taking myself places but it does show the varied service across the fleet.

Just a quick question, if you don't mind... why did they have people's passports? I've never experienced this - is it only on certain types of cruise?

Thanks :)

On both TAs we've done our passports have been taken and we've had to collect from officials during the cruise. I have heard of cruises in the Mediterranean where ships calling at non-EU ports (eg Turkey) where non-EU nationals passports have been retained.

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On both TAs we've done our passports have been taken and we've had to collect from officials during the cruise. I have heard of cruises in the Mediterranean where ships calling at non-EU ports (eg Turkey) where non-EU nationals passports have been retained.

 

 

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Thanks for the quick reply. I'm doing a TA in November so guess that might happen then. As I am im a suite, hopefully I will get it back from the concierge. Not sure I like the idea of anyone else having my passport though....

Jo :)

I don't worry about it and we still had to wait in line to get it back even though we were in a suite. It's the officials who have them, not the concierge.

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