Recent concierge lounge experience

[yolanda1]

There are all sorts of people in all sorts of places. The good, the bad and the ugly. Some of them are cruisers, some aren't.

 

Enjoy your cruise experience, and don't let the idiots take up space in your head. They are simply not worth another thought.

[beachnative]

To clarify... originally, many years ago, the CL was for suite guests.

 

That was then... today is today, and RCCL has said that the CL is EQUALLY for suite guests, Pinnacle and D+.

 

Bottom line: no one (gold card, Pinnacle, D+) is MORE entitled to lounge access than the other. All have equal access to it!

 

Yogimax's post should be inserted between every 4th reply on this tread.

It is the most realistic and solid post put forth.

[Big_G]

I might have to start going to the CL more often. If all this bizarre behavior is actually happening, the entertainment value might outweigh the lack of a good liquor selection. :D

[hairymelon]

I might have to start going to the CL more often. If all this bizarre behavior is actually happening, the entertainment value might outweigh the lack of a good liquor selection. :D

 

Couldn't agree with you more and will have fun watching out for it ;)

[grand isle joe]

Our only experience in the CL was last year when we sailed in a suite. Our kids were in GS, as well.

 

Our first night in the CL a couple of older D+ couples were sitting there giving our kids (22&24) accusatory looks, clearly because they were young. It was so obnoxious. They made a point on the way out of glancing at our Seapass.

 

I started to tell them I was embarrassed for them prancing around the ship with their diamond plus and diamonds in December pins the entire cruise like it was some sort of status symbol.

 

It just irritates me that the CL is designed for suite guests, we Diamonds and above have the DL, yet there are "those" D+ that seem to think they own it.

 

I much prefer the atmosphere of the DL. I always roll my eyes at the D+ that use the CL exclusively over the DL, especially on the Voyager and Freedom where the DL has gorgeous views and the CL is a closed in room. You know why those people are using the CL :rolleyes:.

 

Rant over.

 

:D....the only thing missing that could have come out of the mouths of the D+ was ......"HEY SONNY....GET OFF MY LAWN".........All that is left in some of those old crotchety lives is to pray for an easy death......:D:D

[Donut23]

It's not just the CL or DL it's every where!!!

Yes there are rude obnoxious people in every area of that ship! In fact rude and obnoxious people in ever area of our lives.

Ok pick any area of the ship and you'll have stories of rudeness.

I too am annoyed by those HOT SHOT NOBODIES who seem to hold court in the CL.........and you know who you are! We are D+ and have seen all kinds of shenanigans in the Cl and everywhere.

We still love to cruise and try to ignore the undeserving hot shots no mater what color their cabin card is.

 

 

 

AMEN!

 

We call them "the Entitled". You find them almost everywhere.

 

Bad episode at Disneyworld with a Disney Vacation Club woman screaming at a cashier at Boardwalk Bakery. "IS THIS WHAT $40,000 GETS? I AM AN OWNER. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS...yada yada yada". Hubster, as only a native New Yorker can do, finally said..... "Listen Honey, if I give you $40,000, will you shut up and leave?"

 

Little people with perceived importance....a little like 3-day old fish.

[onlyonetrevorfrancis]

AMEN!

 

We call them "the Entitled". You find them almost everywhere.

 

Bad episode at Disneyworld with a Disney Vacation Club woman screaming at a cashier at Boardwalk Bakery. "IS THIS WHAT $40,000 GETS? I AM AN OWNER. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS...yada yada yada". Hubster, as only a native New Yorker can do, finally said..... "Listen Honey, if I give you $40,000, will you shut up and leave?"

 

Little people with perceived importance....a little like 3-day old fish.

 

Love that :)

 

i actually had the misfortune to wonder into the Diamond Lounge on Liberty last year by mistake and got served a drink (door was open into Viking Lounge).

 

I was perhaps quite rightly challenged by one 'lady' and I explained I was fairly new to this and apologised. The barman came back with the drink and I explained the situation "no problem sir, please finish your drink' was the reply.

 

For the next 10 minutes all I had very loudly was "he should have taken the drink, he hasn't got the status etc etc etc".

 

It was an innocent mistake by a relative newbie to cruising in awe of the ship at every turn and this women literally wanted blood :eek:

 

I quickly finished my drink, thanked the barman with a tip and couldn't help but have a quiet word with the 'lady' on the way out.

 

Not a nice experience :mad:

[marci22]

Love that :)

 

i actually had the misfortune to wonder into the Diamond Lounge on Liberty last year by mistake and got served a drink (door was open into Viking Lounge).

 

I was perhaps quite rightly challenged by one 'lady' and I explained I was fairly new to this and apologised. The barman came back with the drink and I explained the situation "no problem sir, please finish your drink' was the reply.

 

For the next 10 minutes all I had very loudly was "he should have taken the drink, he hasn't got the status etc etc etc".

 

It was an innocent mistake by a relative newbie to cruising in awe of the ship at every turn and this women literally wanted blood :eek:

 

I quickly finished my drink, thanked the barman with a tip and couldn't help but have a quiet word with the 'lady' on the way out.

 

Not a nice experience :mad:

 

Aww. Don't worry about the dummies. There are too many of them to fight against.

[alexpress]

We are Diamond+ and had nice times and met nice people in the CL. We have had balcony, junior suite, grand suite and owner's suites but I believe that junior suites are not now classed as a suite for the CL

Edited April 9, 2014 by alexpress

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Just ask the bartend to crank up the tunes, order a couple of shots, carry one to the cranky old bat, shoot'em and then politley ask her to dance. :D Then work the room.

 

When the mood serves up lemons, make lemonade and relax! It's all how you handle things...as it is with everything else in life.

[gerif]

We are Diamond+ and had nice times and met nice people in the CL. We have had balcony, junior suite, grand suite and owner's suites but I believe that junior suites are not now classed as a suite for the CL

 

I don't believe the JSs were ever classed for CL privileges.

[onlyonetrevorfrancis]

Just ask the bartend to crank up the tunes, order a couple of shots, carry one to the cranky old bat, shoot'em and then politley ask her to dance. :D Then work the room.

 

 

 

When the mood serves up lemons, make lemonade and relax! It's all how you handle things...as it is with everything else in life.

 

 

It's early afternoon here in the UK and I'm at work and that's just made me laugh out loud!

 

 

 

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[RCI_FADM_76]

On our last cruise on Explorer, we stayed in a GS for the first time. We were also D+ for the first time...however, the fact we're in our 30's with a 10 month old meant than many of the self-appointed CL sheriffs assumed that we had no business being in there. We got all kinds of odd looks. There was one woman who was particularly ardent, yet coy, in her search for our Seapass cards. It was rather obvious. I took our 3 Seapass cards, neatly displayed them on our table. I then proceeded to coax DD into saying "ta-da" (she's really good at repeating sounds). All of the associated repetition really drove the point home. Said sheriff promptly returned to her seat on the other side of the lounge. DW was somewhat mortified. :D I then stood up and said, "Let's go get some sun. That's really what we paid for" and left.

On our Ex sailing, they had the CL, nightly diamond event (in Maharaja's), a nightly D+ event (in Cloud Nine or Seven of Hearts - we never went), and a suite guest event (19th hole). With all those venues, come 5:30, I could not wrap my head around the ensuing CL frenzy. We typically opted for the 19th hole and it was routinely empty.

[alexpress]

I don't believe the JSs were ever classed for CL privileges.

 

Hi Geri I may be wrong but it's a very long time since I was in a JS for me to argue the point:)

 

Just now I am thinking of booking Liberty in May. we had her booked for last October but had to cancel on the day before our flight due to Sue contracting labyrinthitis. We did however manage to do Jewel Caribbean in February so now time for another.:D

 

Happy days

[yogimax]

Yogimax's post should be inserted between every 4th reply on this tread.

It is the most realistic and solid post put forth.

 

Thank you beachnative!

 

People keep perpetuating the MYTH that the CL is for guests in suites, and Pinnacles and D+ are the second class citizens. That is pure drivel.

 

I'm not going to mention that P & D+ have spent thousands and thousands of dollars over the course of years and have helped to fill cabins that otherwise might go empty. In response, RCCL has opened the doors of the CL to P & D+ on an EQUAL footing with suite guests.

 

Having said that, it is rude behavior that is inexcusable. RCCL has also opened the doors of the CL to children of suite guests. I have absolutely no problem with that. Once again, the qualifying condition is rude behavior. I have NEVER seen children misbehave in the CL. Maybe I am lucky. If they do misbehave, my sense would be that it is the parents who are acting rudely by allowing their children to do so.

 

Bottom Line - It's all about the individual, not whether they gained access by status or suite. And by far, the vast, vast majority of individuals using the CL are darn good people!

[galavant3]

however, the fact we're in our 30's with a 10 month old meant than many of the self-appointed CL sheriffs assumed that we had no business being in there. We got all kinds of odd looks.

 

There are going to be more and more younger people in the D and CL lounges. All the children of these frequent cruisers have inherited their status. My son was Diamond when he turned 18. On his next cruise, he'll be 21 and I'm guessing he'll be a frequent visitor to the DL...

 

So, age really has nothing to do with status any more.

Edited April 9, 2014 by galavant3

[kruzerci]

Yogimax's post should be inserted between every 4th reply on this tread.

It is the most realistic and solid post put forth.

 

Just because this information keeps being regurgitated does not make it any more true. Since D+ will inevitably kicked from the CL lounge it's pretty obvious CL is primarily for suite guests, like concierges have told us onboard. Why would they offer a choice of two lounges that offer identical services for D+?

 

We will be D+ by the end of this year, so I'm not knocking any D+ perks, I'm just saying, suites should get priority in then CL when D+ have two nearly identical options.

[onlyonetrevorfrancis]

Thank you beachnative!

 

People keep perpetuating the MYTH that the CL is for guests in suites, and Pinnacles and D+ are the second class citizens. That is pure drivel.

 

I'm not sure everyone is saying that, however there is no stories retold on this thread of any suite guest in the CL asking D+ or Pinnacles for proof of status, questioning eligiabilty and status etc etc. There are however quite a few stories the other way round.

 

Seems to me that the suite guests are just pleased to be there, the others not so happy with their lounge guests.

 

I'm in a suite in June and I'm going to have great time anyway :D

[JaxieWaxie]

Greatest thing about my sailing on the Independence last week was that I no longer had to visit the Dreaded Den of Obnoxious Entitlement, aka the Lounge, to get a complimentary drink.

 

During the same hours, we could grab a free glass of wine or beer or whatever from other bars around the ship. It was fantastic. No more having to hold my tongue while those around me tried to out-do each other with their self-aggrandizement and puffery.

[onlyonetrevorfrancis]

Dreaded Den of Obnoxious Entitlement, aka the Lounge

 

JaxieWaxie, your not really selling this to me and I'm guessing it's not what RCI had in mind for their fun loyalty programme :(

[nolesrule]

I quite enjoy having the mix of suite guests and D+/Pinnacle in the CL.

 

On our last cruise, we met some really friendly D+ and Pinnacle cruisers in the CL, including several who participated in our CC Roll Call thread, and had some great conversations every single night.

 

Alas, we don't book a suite with CL privileges on every cruise (I wish I could, but I need to be able to justify the price difference in my own mind), and it's going to be many years before we get to D+.

[Ocean View]

There are going to be more and more younger people in the D and CL lounges. All the children of these frequent cruisers have inherited their status. My son was Diamond when he turned 18. On his next cruise, he'll be 21 and I'm guessing he'll be a frequent visitor to the DL...

 

So, age really has nothing to do with status any more.

 

 

I agree my DD did a back to back in her early 20's for her honeymoon but cruising for years prior w us she was already a diamond member she said she got looks to kill in the DL and she looks young for her age she just smiled and did their thing.

 

 

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[critterchick]

AMEN!

 

We call them "the Entitled". You find them almost everywhere.

 

Bad episode at Disneyworld with a Disney Vacation Club woman screaming at a cashier at Boardwalk Bakery. "IS THIS WHAT $40,000 GETS? I AM AN OWNER. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS...yada yada yada". Hubster, as only a native New Yorker can do, finally said..... "Listen Honey, if I give you $40,000, will you shut up and leave?"

 

Little people with perceived importance....a little like 3-day old fish.

 

What if she'd said yes?:D

 

Just because this information keeps being regurgitated does not make it any more true. Since D+ will inevitably kicked from the CL lounge it's pretty obvious CL is primarily for suite guests, like concierges have told us onboard. Why would they offer a choice of two lounges that offer identical services for D+?

 

We will be D+ by the end of this year, so I'm not knocking any D+ perks, I'm just saying, suites should get priority in then CL when D+ have two nearly identical options.

 

And I don't think that regurgitating that the CL is primarily for suite guests make it any more true, either, so we will have to agree to disagree. The right to vote used to be exclusively male, and I've never heard it suggested that men have priority over women at the polls (after all, we could mail in our ballots). OK, that was an imperfect analogy, but I hope you get my point, which is that times and policies change and pointing to the past as the way it's "supposed" to be isn't really constructive.

 

And Concierges who say that need further training, IMO. If one has access to the CL, one is entitled to all of the services of the Concierge working there. I know that Concierges will only email full suite guests prior to their cruises and that those who leave daily voicemails only leave them for their full suite guests. Because it seems to be a fleetwide practice (at least it's been that way for the ships we've been on), I have to think that there is an internal policy memo somewhere that allows them to make some distinction between "classes" of guests.

 

But if I ask a Concierge to do something that is within his or her job description (e.g., make a reservation or troubleshoot something for me), I expect it to be done without any resistance whether I am in a full suite or not.

[betmust]

OP here. I have enjoyed reading all the responses and stories here.

I will really have to keep some of them in mind for the next suite I book.

As rude as it was, I kept my cool and was very nice. I would not lower myself to behave like she was.

I may reconsider if the occasion arises again.....

[alexpress]

I just booked our 17th cruise with RCL on Liberty, cabin 7708. I'm sure that must warrant the odd G & T in the CL.

Edited April 9, 2014 by alexpress