Diamond members..are you aware of this policy?

[linedancer]

The part that I don't understand. If I am Diamond Plus, and my cabin mate is not, then only I can go into the lounge. If both of us are Diamond Plus we both get to go into the lounge.

But as two Diamond Plus members in the same cabin, we only get 1 Diamond Plus gift for the two of us. If it is per person, shouldn't we both get the gift?

So it is per cabin when they give us a gift, but per person to go into the lounges.

[waterbug123]

there were only around 10 people max 2 of the nights, and the last night, there were several tables and seats availalbe. AMAZING.

 

So, I am just wondering what your experiences have been with this. We were told by the hotel manager and the captain of the ship that this has ALWAYS been their policy, that ONLY diamond members and their spouses are allowed in the lounge.

 

I know for a fact that Celebrity DOES allow this, and not only allows it, but even prints a special card for your stateroom companion to avoid any embarassment or hassle.

 

Opinions/ experiences welcome.

 

As others have said, this has ALWAYS been the policy, although it is not always enforced. It is at the discretion of the concierge.

Yes, Celebrity specifically says "cabin mates" can join you, but it's a different cruise line. Different cruise line, different rules. That's life.

As for being shocked that they wouldn't let your friend in even though it wasn't crowded, consider this: How do you know that 20 other people had not already tried to enter with a non-diamond friend? Would have been awfully crowded with another 40 people, and you can't bend the rules for one and not the rest so all, including your friend, were turned away.

My personal opinion is that a free drink or two isn't worth separating yourself from a friend in this situation. So you can't take your friend in with you? Just go elsewhere WITH HER and skip the D lounge.

[ronandcarla]

When they told you your friend would not be permitted on the first night because of her status, why didn't you just leave and do without for the remaining days and have a wonderful time with all the other amenities.

[Paulxyz2004]

The part that I don't understand. If I am Diamond Plus, and my cabin mate is not, then only I can go into the lounge. If both of us are Diamond Plus we both get to go into the lounge.

But as two Diamond Plus members in the same cabin, we only get 1 Diamond Plus gift for the two of us. If it is per person, shouldn't we both get the gift?

So it is per cabin when they give us a gift, but per person to go into the lounges.

 

Yep some perks are per cabin, some are per member. Only the member gets a coupon book or the access to the lounge, then only one balcony credit per cabin, or one gift per cabin. It´s all spelled out.

[kc320]

The part that I don't understand. If I am Diamond Plus, and my cabin mate is not, then only I can go into the lounge. If both of us are Diamond Plus we both get to go into the lounge.

But as two Diamond Plus members in the same cabin, we only get 1 Diamond Plus gift for the two of us. If it is per person, shouldn't we both get the gift?

So it is per cabin when they give us a gift, but per person to go into the lounges.

 

If you are not talking about your husband/wife or family member then they should receive their own D+ amenity.. I traveled last year with a friend who was Diamond...I am D+..we each received the welcome back snack basket with the drink we had chosen prior to cruising...I also know friends who travel together who are both D+ and they each receive their own amenity...it is only when the cabin mates are Family that the gift is 1 per cabin...

[mikeblum]

i hear each and every one of you...and YES i agree the policy stinks...they will bend from ship to ship but over all it stinks but nothing you can do about it...we will go and each get 2 drinks and then take them back to our balcony cabin and visit with the rets of our friends who are not diamond members...NO ONE HAS EVER STOPPED US FROM TAKING THE DRINKS OUT...now i have probably put someone on alert to watch for drinks leaving the lounge...the food is nothing special...

[Paulxyz2004]

As others have said nothing new with this being the policy.

 

And, mind you, I only went in there 3 of the 5 nights, because I didn't want to ditch my friend,

 

This is the one you should be embarassed about IMO. :eek:

 

You didn´t want to ditch your friend, but actually did it 3 out of 5 nights- more than half of the nights.:eek:

 

A free drink would never be worth that to me.

[Paulxyz2004]

i hear each and every one of you...and YES i agree the policy stinks...they will bend from ship to ship but over all it stinks but nothing you can do about it...we will go and each get 2 drinks and then take them back to our balcony cabin and visit with the rets of our friends who are not diamond members...NO ONE HAS EVER STOPPED US FROM TAKING THE DRINKS OUT...now i have probably put someone on alert to watch for drinks leaving the lounge...the food is nothing special...

 

Be prepared to one day get to a Concierge stopping you, because yep that´s against their policy as well and yes I have seen them stopping people from taking drinks out more than just a few times.

[waterbug123]

If you are not talking about your husband/wife or family member then they should receive their own D+ amenity.. I traveled last year with a friend who was Diamond...I am D+..we each received the welcome back snack basket with the drink we had chosen prior to cruising...I also know friends who travel together who are both D+ and they each receive their own amenity...it is only when the cabin mates are Family that the gift is 1 per cabin...

 

I think the other poster was referring to the special amenity offered only to D+ guests, i.e. bottle of wine, beach towel, etc. This choice is in addition to the snack box and beverage. Although exceptions have been reported, the rule for the "special amenity" seems to be one per cabin, even if there are 2 or more D+ pax in the cabin

[Debde]

we will go and each get 2 drinks and then take them back to our balcony cabin and visit with the rets of our friends who are not diamond members...NO ONE HAS EVER STOPPED US FROM TAKING THE DRINKS OUT...now i have probably put someone on alert to watch for drinks leaving the lounge.

 

They sure will in the concierge lounge.

[karena1]

It really depends on the concierge. I have had my sisters on 2 different cruises on Liberty and both times they were able to get in the Diamond Lounge with me w/o any problems at all.

[sn2792]

We went on Liberty with our two adult daughters who were 24 and 22 at the time. They did allow them in the DL with us. I guess it depends on the Concierge.

[cruisenfever]

To answer your question of "Diamond members..are you aware of this policy"? Yes and it is not a new policy at all and should be enforced.

 

The problem is that RCI is not consistent among ships in their fleet and what one Diamond Concierge will allow, another will not.:(

 

[grand isle joe]

That's why we have never been in the Diamond Lounge, we always travel with non diamonds,no big deal, we just buy our booze instead

 

 

 

.......You are my new HERO!!!!.......(plus the booze is the cheap low shelf crap anyways, even though it is free it is still crap).......;)

[Ashland]

They DO place something in the cabins. In the Diamond/Diamond Plus welcome letter, it clearly states that the lounge is for Diamond guests only, and to please refrain from bringing others to the event, due to space constraints. Why get mad at the cruise line when the passenger hasn't earned the perk that the rest of us in there have earned?

And they also leave a welcome message on the cabin phone that basically says the same thing as the letter...

[beachnative]

.......You are my new HERO!!!!.......(plus the booze is the cheap low shelf crap anyways, even though it is free it is still crap).......;)

 

Wow, Joe, you are the first person I've heard call Jack Daniels and Courvoisier crap.:cool:

[Oneluckywoman]

Thank you for the information! Hope you had a nice cruise!:)

 

I have been on the Monarch 2 times as a diamond member, once with my Mother and once with this same friend in my cabin. Both times we went into the diamond lounge and were not questioned. Of course, I was under the impression that I wasn't breaking any rules.

As for the comments that I made about ditching my friend, I did not go into the lounge for more than 30 minutes, and it was while she was getting a shower or doing something else that didn't require my presence. But you can make rude comments if you wish. I am simply asking for others' experiences, not rudeness.

 

It doesn't make sense to me that if there are plenty of chairs available in the lounge, that we cannot purchase a drink for her to enjoy while I am enjoying my free one that I have earned. That is unbelieveable to me. RCCL says that they go out of their way to make people happy....I didn't see it, or feel the love. Kind of felt that way about a lot of the staff on the Liberty, not all by any means, but in general many of the staff were not up to the standards that I am used to in terms of friendliness.

 

I am a very social person and I do enjoy meeting other people, and we have met many nice people in the diamond lounge. We are cruising again on the Liberty for a TA in less than a month with 6 other couples. 6 of us are diamond, and one couple is not...we will not be asking for any special priveleges for them and they understand that they are not allowed to join us.

 

Someone asked how we knew there weren't 20 other people who asked to come into the lounge. I mentioned in my post that there were 7 people who were traveling with diamond members...the concierge is the one who offered that information, I didn't ask. 7 more people would not have been an issue...and we met some of them who were also very upset. She also told me that there will be more than 600 diamond members on the transatlantic cruise...hmmmm wonder how they'll accomodate all of us?

I think it would help if RCCL either enforced this rule always, or not have the rule. That would lessen the confusion. I think I stated that my confusion came in because I've traveled Celebrity with stateroom companions 4 times in the last year or two, and they DO state in writing that their policy is that the Elite member and their companions traveling in the same stateroom are welcome in Michael's lounge (which is their diamond lounge equivelent.)

Since Celebrity is owned by RCCL, I guess I made the mistake of thinking that their policies would be one in the same. Along that train of thought, I feel that Celebrity is several notches above RCCL both in service and food, and their Elite lounge and privileges for their Elite guests. Apparently someone there realizes that it makes sense for them to offer the stateroom companion the "elite" lounge, since it would be uncomfortable and awkward for the elite member to have to go there alone, especially as a woman. What does it cost them? A couple of free drinks a night? Wouldn't it be to their advantage to encourage people to be loyal to them so that they could become diamond?

I do appreciate the responses from those people who weren't rude. I truly did want to find out what the experiences of others have been, and that has been accomplished. Now that I know the policy, I will respect it, and cruise Celebrity, unless I am cruising with my husband. He enjoys the flow rider.

[Debde]

And you wonder why overcrowding is an issue.......................:eek:

Just let everybody in. Cabin mates, my mom who is next door to me, my bff down the hall.

When the loyalty program changes again-remember this thread!!:p

[swedish1]

When I go into an airline club I can bring in family and friends who are not members and it is never a problem. RC needs to be a little more flexible and use some common sense when the situation warants it. Customer service does not mean "rules are rules."!

[Oneluckywoman]

Oh, and by the way, my "diamond welcome gift" was not in my cabin. I had to ask for it on the 3rd day. It came promptly after that.

[Oneluckywoman]

When I go into an airline club I can bring in family and friends who are not members and it is never a problem. RC needs to be a little more flexible and use some common sense when the situation warants it. Customer service does not mean "rules are rules."!

AMEN to that! :)

[Phillies14]

Hello all,

 

I just returned from a 5 night cruise on the Liberty of the Seas. This was a girl's trip...to celebrate my friend's birthday. I am a diamond member, she is a platinum member. On every cruise since I've been diamond, if I was traveling with a friend or family member IN MY STATEROOM, they have ALWAYS been allowed to go with me into the diamond lounge and enjoy a few cocktails. We were shocked (and embarassed) to be told (in front of the 4 other people in the diamond lounge the first night) that I was welcome to stay, but my friend would have to leave. So, for the remainder of the cruise, if I wanted to go into the diamond lounge and have a drink, I had to go BY MYSELF while my friend waited outside. AND not only that, but they would not allow us to BUY her drinks so that she could sit with me, or allow me to take my drink out to the bar where she was. And, mind you, I only went in there 3 of the 5 nights, because I didn't want to ditch my friend, but there were only around 10 people max 2 of the nights, and the last night, there were several tables and seats availalbe. AMAZING.

 

So, I am just wondering what your experiences have been with this. We were told by the hotel manager and the captain of the ship that this has ALWAYS been their policy, that ONLY diamond members and their spouses are allowed in the lounge. I knew and have never tried to get someone other that the person I am traveling with in my stateroom in, and I could have sworn it was their written policy to allow only those traveling in your stateroom with the diamond member in.

 

I know for a fact that Celebrity DOES allow this, and not only allows it, but even prints a special card for your stateroom companion to avoid any embarassment or hassle.

 

Opinions/ experiences welcome. I will write a long review of the LOS in the coming days....

 

Thanks.

This has always been the rule, which you have found out the hard way. Because the rule was enforced you say AMAZING? Then you say I HAD TO DRINK BY MYSELF. Really that was your choice. So you tell your friends I'll go have a few free drinks and meet up with you later. All your choice. So your sour apple routine falls on deaf ears from this C and A member, sorry.....K.O. near Philly:rolleyes:

[cruisenfever]

I have been on the Monarch 2 times as a diamond member, once with my Mother and once with this same friend in my cabin. Both times we went into the diamond lounge and were not questioned. Of course, I was under the impression that I wasn't breaking any rules.

Monarch does not have a dedicated Diamond Lounge. You and your mom attended the Diamond Event that was most probably held in Bolero's.

[Oneluckywoman]

And you wonder why overcrowding is an issue.......................:eek:

Just let everybody in. Cabin mates, my mom who is next door to me, my bff down the hall.

When the loyalty program changes again-remember this thread!!:p

 

This is the kind of comment that irks me. I do not agree with letting friends who are not in the same stateroom in. That would be taking advantage.

THE POINT IS......and please GET this....that two people who are traveling together in the same stateroom should recieve the same privileges, in my opinion. NOT my BFF down the hall, next door neighbor, reuinion group, wedding party, etc.

[OGCFreddie]

I have been on the Monarch 2 times as a diamond member, once with my Mother and once with this same friend in my cabin. Both times we went into the diamond lounge and were not questioned. Of course, I was under the impression that I wasn't breaking any rules.

 

 

 

 

You're comparing apples to oranges, my friend. The Monarch does not have a Diamond Lounge. They have a Diamond Event which is held in a public lounge. Generally, people are still allowed in the lounge during the Diamond Event but they just aren't allowed in the roped off private area where the Diamond Event is taking place (sometimes, of course, they do make exceptions).

 

The Liberty, which this thread is about, has a dedicated Diamond Lounge and only Diamonds or above are allowed to enter. Perhaps that is what has caused your confusion.