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Diamond Plus Experience


KKMurphy2
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We were on the Liberty last week and since we can no longer go to a concierge lounge, we went to the Diamond Lounge. Disappointed! We arrived at 5 and there was not a place to sit. There was no service. You had to stand in a line, sometimes out the door to get a drink. This clogged up the area where the snacks were served.

 

I realize I will get lip from some of you about "head out to a lounge and get my drinks". But being able to enjoy the Diamond Lounge has been one of my most favorite experiences on a cruise ship. We meet some couples the first night or two and enjoy the lounge and other activities the rest of the cruise. I have stayed in touch with many couples from our past experiences. When going to the Schooner or another location, it is not as easy to make those friendships.

 

We have been on the Freedom class numerous times, but this time I felt the crowds in the Windjammer and the public areas. Is it because of the additional rooms (and therefore people) after dry dock?

 

Cruising is one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life! I am all for change, but frustrated with some of the progression that Royal has made in the past 5 years.

 

You may agree or disagree, and these boards are for great debate and discussion - so let's discuss and not belittle. I am not an entitled individual - I work 60 hours a week to be able to enjoy the play time. I am just truly disappointed in my experience. We had a Celebrity cruise in April and it was still fantastic!!!!

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We were on the Liberty last week and since we can no longer go to a concierge lounge, we went to the Diamond Lounge. Disappointed! We arrived at 5 and there was not a place to sit. There was no service. You had to stand in a line, sometimes out the door to get a drink. This clogged up the area where the snacks were served.

 

 

 

I realize I will get lip from some of you about "head out to a lounge and get my drinks". But being able to enjoy the Diamond Lounge has been one of my most favorite experiences on a cruise ship. We meet some couples the first night or two and enjoy the lounge and other activities the rest of the cruise. I have stayed in touch with many couples from our past experiences. When going to the Schooner or another location, it is not as easy to make those friendships.

 

 

 

We have been on the Freedom class numerous times, but this time I felt the crowds in the Windjammer and the public areas. Is it because of the additional rooms (and therefore people) after dry dock?

 

 

 

Cruising is one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life! I am all for change, but frustrated with some of the progression that Royal has made in the past 5 years.

 

 

 

You may agree or disagree, and these boards are for great debate and discussion - so let's discuss and not belittle. I am not an entitled individual - I work 60 hours a week to be able to enjoy the play time. I am just truly disappointed in my experience. We had a Celebrity cruise in April and it was still fantastic!!!!

 

 

 

I certainly agree that would be disappointing. I’m just becoming a diamond member so I don’t know all the rules. Why can’t you go to the concierge lounge anymore?

 

 

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I certainly agree that would be disappointing. I’m just becoming a diamond member so I don’t know all the rules. Why can’t you go to the concierge lounge anymore?

 

 

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Because there isn't one.

 

It has been converted to a Suite Lounge.

 

 

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Cruising is one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life! I am all for change, but frustrated with some of the progression that Royal has made in the past 5 years.

 

 

We had a Celebrity cruise in April and it was still fantastic!!!!

 

Royal has been and continues to change who they are marketing the cruises to. If you want the quiet more laid back cruises that are more about the ports you need to cruise on Radience class and below. The larger newer ships are all about the ships and are geared towards families.

 

Going forward as the older, smaller classes get sold off you will need to accept the changes or sail another line.

 

Roayl has positioned Celebrity to be that line that's offering more of the traditional experience.

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Welcome to the world of the "Diamond Lounge"......

 

I use to enjoy going there....not anymore...you are correct.....you can never get a seat. IMO - there are some Diamonds and above that are inconsiderate and feel that once they SECURE a seat...it is theirs for the evening...Just off of the Allure and we got a seat (for2) ONCE in 7 days...Went in a couple of times a night and had to walk back out....No seats for us....funny but we noticed the same people in the same seats night after night....

 

I am glad Royal put the drinks on the card...at least I am not frustrated anymore...

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It is indeed frustrating that we lost our choice of a CL and a DL on some ships that have now installed the new SL. This SL was created as a new lounge concept to handle the large numbers that came with the additional suites that were added on those ships. With the creation of so many new suites on Oasis class for example, they needed that lounge IMHO.

 

However, why oh why eliminate the CL with so many D and D+ gaining in numbers? :( Wouldn't it have made more sense to just add that new SL lounge, not take away the existing CL?

 

And of course you are right, now the D's and D+ have just the one lounge to use, making it like a sardine party. :eek: Unless they are also booked into a GS and above, that is the only private lounge available to upper tier C&A members now.

 

Me, I wait and go in at 6 pm, just after first seating for dinner. Lots of seats open up then...but that does not work for everyone of course.

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We were on the Liberty last week and since we can no longer go to a concierge lounge, we went to the Diamond Lounge. Disappointed! We arrived at 5 and there was not a place to sit. There was no service. You had to stand in a line, sometimes out the door to get a drink. This clogged up the area where the snacks were served.

 

I realize I will get lip from some of you about "head out to a lounge and get my drinks". But being able to enjoy the Diamond Lounge has been one of my most favorite experiences on a cruise ship. We meet some couples the first night or two and enjoy the lounge and other activities the rest of the cruise. I have stayed in touch with many couples from our past experiences. When going to the Schooner or another location, it is not as easy to make those friendships.

 

We have been on the Freedom class numerous times, but this time I felt the crowds in the Windjammer and the public areas. Is it because of the additional rooms (and therefore people) after dry dock?

 

Cruising is one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life! I am all for change, but frustrated with some of the progression that Royal has made in the past 5 years.

 

You may agree or disagree, and these boards are for great debate and discussion - so let's discuss and not belittle. I am not an entitled individual - I work 60 hours a week to be able to enjoy the play time. I am just truly disappointed in my experience. We had a Celebrity cruise in April and it was still fantastic!!!!

 

I completely understand how you feel and if I were D+ I would be frustrated when seats were not available in the Diamond lounge especially on ships that do not have a Concierge Lounge.

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Thanks for the tip. We will be on the Oasis next week, and I was wondering what it might be like. Will wait till 6pm.

 

Works on all ships for us. We tried going in at 5 pm on our last cruise, contrary to what we knew would not be a good idea...and sure enough...it was packed!

 

I call going in at 6 pm "magic hour". ;) Won't try it again at 5 pm, that's for sure! :o

Edited by island lady
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We have experienced that most Diamond Lounges are very crowded across the RCL fleet if you go at 5PM. Not unique to Liberty.

 

But on most ships Liberty size and smaller there is a concierge lounge that allows diamond plus, on the other hand 1st time in a suite on RCCL in 2014 we were very disappointed that we could not find a seat in concierge lounge most likely due to diamond plus. Will be diamond plus in a couple of weeks so I see both sides

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We were on the Liberty last week and since we can no longer go to a concierge lounge, we went to the Diamond Lounge. Disappointed! We arrived at 5 and there was not a place to sit. There was no service. You had to stand in a line, sometimes out the door to get a drink. This clogged up the area where the snacks were served.

 

I realize I will get lip from some of you about "head out to a lounge and get my drinks". But being able to enjoy the Diamond Lounge has been one of my most favorite experiences on a cruise ship. We meet some couples the first night or two and enjoy the lounge and other activities the rest of the cruise. I have stayed in touch with many couples from our past experiences. When going to the Schooner or another location, it is not as easy to make those friendships.

 

We have been on the Freedom class numerous times, but this time I felt the crowds in the Windjammer and the public areas. Is it because of the additional rooms (and therefore people) after dry dock?

 

Cruising is one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life! I am all for change, but frustrated with some of the progression that Royal has made in the past 5 years.

 

You may agree or disagree, and these boards are for great debate and discussion - so let's discuss and not belittle. I am not an entitled individual - I work 60 hours a week to be able to enjoy the play time. I am just truly disappointed in my experience. We had a Celebrity cruise in April and it was still fantastic!!!!

 

 

No overflow. On Navigator & Brilliance the overflow was to the Viking Crown Lounge.

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Arriving at 5 PM on Liberty was an error. The cocktail "hour" on LB begins at 4:30, as noted on the info in your cabin. Also, many D and D+ on LB take their drinks out into the Viking Crown. We meet our D and D+ friends there often on LB. That said, I agree that all the D lounges I have been in the past several years are quite over-crowded. Something definitely needs to be done about this situation. I favor making it the D+ lounge and giving D's unlimited drinks of the same kind and same time at any bar on board.

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We were on Liberty last month. Yes the D lounge is very crowded at 5pm but pretty much no problem from 6-8. We always wait for the early dining folks to leave before going to the lounge and normally have no problem finding a seat. Even on those nights no seats were available, we just sat in the Viking Crown just outside. There was no issue with getting your drink or plate of munchies and taking them out. Many people were.

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We were on the Liberty last week and since we can no longer go to a concierge lounge, we went to the Diamond Lounge. Disappointed! We arrived at 5 and there was not a place to sit. There was no service. You had to stand in a line, sometimes out the door to get a drink. This clogged up the area where the snacks were served.

 

I realize I will get lip from some of you about "head out to a lounge and get my drinks". But being able to enjoy the Diamond Lounge has been one of my most favorite experiences on a cruise ship. We meet some couples the first night or two and enjoy the lounge and other activities the rest of the cruise. I have stayed in touch with many couples from our past experiences. When going to the Schooner or another location, it is not as easy to make those friendships.

 

 

Bit of a contradiction there, being able to enjoy the diamond lounge. But you were not able to go the concierge lounge. Sound as though the Diamond lounge is only good for when your unable to flaunt your status, have you posted in this thread yet https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2561567 :halo:

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Bit of a contradiction there, being able to enjoy the diamond lounge. But you were not able to go the concierge lounge. Sound as though the Diamond lounge is only good for when your unable to flaunt your status, have you posted in this thread yet https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2561567 :halo:

 

We have been cruising in suites but also diamond, concierge is normally much nicer since its less crowded and no problem getting a waiter, I doubt status is a issue , food and drink in same in both, I think problem was so many diamond plus just sit in lounge all 3 hours , we always get drink package and stop for about a hour a day

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Crowded Diamond lounge has been a problem for a while. One reason why I don't believe chasing points and reaching Diamond is a big deal anymore. If it is crowded, I avoid it.

 

I do like the Diamond lounge during the day when it is quiet. Great place to enjoy a coffee.

 

My sister is D+ and enjoys the option to choose between Diamond and Concierge lounges. Like many D+, she is worried about the overcrowding and losing the choice. C'est la vie.

 

My view on all of this is that chasing points to achieve the magical D or D+ benefits will probably lead to disappointment as the perceived perks get eroded.

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I'm always surprised when I see people struggle to strike up and make conversations in venues other than the status lounges. I'm not sure what we do differently that this goes so differently for us.

 

Hands down, our favourite things about cruising is the other peopel we meet. Even on less status popular cruises where the lounge is a calm and inviting place, we find we meet far more people who are friendly and wanting to chat in other venues---we were just on the Freedom TA (which did set up overflow lounges for both D+ and D). We went into the lounge twice, on one of those occasions we chatted for a short while with a couple, but theys quickly headed out to dinner. Meanwhile, we met MANY wonderful people (of all status levels, but lots of D and above since that was a kanjority of the ship) while dining at Chops and Sabor, at Trivia, waiting in lines for ice shows, etc----easy peasy to strike up conversations and then plan onm etting up nightly at Schooner, etc.

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Bit of a contradiction there, being able to enjoy the diamond lounge. But you were not able to go the concierge lounge. Sound as though the Diamond lounge is only good for when your unable to flaunt your status, have you posted in this thread yet https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2561567 :halo:

 

I am not flaunting my status. I do not wear my pin, I don't have a sign. I have cruised multiple times and enjoy the experience. I don't care what lounge I am in; I just want the relaxing experience that the list of perks said I receive. I don't know what your problem is, but my comments were straight forward and not belittling. Don't introduce your mean self to me anytime soon. Thanks. :cool:

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I'm always surprised when I see people struggle to strike up and make conversations in venues other than the status lounges. I'm not sure what we do differently that this goes so differently for us.

 

Hands down, our favourite things about cruising is the other peopel we meet. Even on less status popular cruises where the lounge is a calm and inviting place, we find we meet far more people who are friendly and wanting to chat in other venues---we were just on the Freedom TA (which did set up overflow lounges for both D+ and D). We went into the lounge twice, on one of those occasions we chatted for a short while with a couple, but theys quickly headed out to dinner. Meanwhile, we met MANY wonderful people (of all status levels, but lots of D and above since that was a kanjority of the ship) while dining at Chops and Sabor, at Trivia, waiting in lines for ice shows, etc----easy peasy to strike up conversations and then plan onm etting up nightly at Schooner, etc.

 

I strike up conversations everywhere and meet great people at trivia for example, but I think it is the consistency of the "same time" and "same place" situation that the Diamond lounge provides that makes it easier.

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We have been cruising in suites but also diamond, concierge is normally much nicer since its less crowded and no problem getting a waiter, I doubt status is a issue , food and drink in same in both, I think problem was so many diamond plus just sit in lounge all 3 hours , we always get drink package and stop for about a hour a day

FWIW, I found the DL on Oasis much easier to get a drink than the SL. Twice as many passengers in DL but 3 times as many waiters.

 

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