Phase out of Concierge Lounge

[cruisenfever]

Of course the next question is, how much did you spend with RCI to get to PC?

Don't even ask!!!:D Took us 16 years and a lot of $$$$.

[BArtisan]

So what is going to happen to the D+ that are between 175 and 350 who have access to the DL now. To solve the problem Royal need to close the loophole that allows people to inherit family and friends status do the nights at sea get the access to the lounges.

 

More than likely the same thing that happened to me when I was a Diamond, when Diamonds at one time had access to the C/L - the privilege was terminated; hence the diamond lounge.

[cruisenfever]

On our last Oasis cruise we had many Pinnacles and most were not old at all. IMHO the best perk Pinnacles are getting right now is not the Suite Lounge, is having access to Coastal Kitchen. I just hope RCCL adds Coastal to other ship classes, that will keep me booking suites. :D

IMHO, the best perk we are getting is complimentary internet for the duration of our cruise. And we can use up to 4 devices.

Edited January 22, 2016 by cruisenfever

[BArtisan]

Let me see if I understand your statements: You talk about "entitled C & A members" but what your saying is those "only" paying for an inside cabin should not be in a suite lounge--however, does that also hold true for suite guests who pay less than your 12-25K? Does the category of the cabin or the C&A level really mean all that much to you or is it that those who pay the most for whatever category are really the "entitled to the CL" ones? :confused: Should a specific seat be assigned to the guests according to how much they paid for their cabin--sort of like seating at a concert venue? hmmm Interesting concept!

 

Not at all. Believe it or not, the Concierge lounge was designed for suite guest, Diamond plus and Pinnacle at this point in time are afforded the privilege of using the C/L.

 

When quoting the figures of 12 - 25k, we were actually in a discussion about the quantum class ships, which actually would include the Oasis class ships which now is moot point, because on those classes of ship, there is no longer a concierge lounge for the Crown & Anchor society come May. Now in place of the C/L is a suite lounge that is strictly for Suite guest and Pinnacle members that have attained Gold status and privileges.

 

Ironically, in Jan. I sailed in a Royal Suite, brought some MDR dinning mates up to tour and they stated, that we should be entitled to chairs out on the pool deck with our names on them. Be careful what you say on these sights RCL is listening and now that just may possible happen. :eek:

[BArtisan]

What if that person in the inside cabins gets a free or low cost upgrade to a GS - are they supposed to be in the SL?:p

 

Biker, who spent about $12K to attain Diamond status.

 

Uhm, I think that you answered your own question there. If one is sailing in a Grand Suite they are afforded said privileges regardless of the road traveled.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Suite guest and Pinnacle members that have attained Gold status and privileges.

 

Ah, watch the wording, you'll confuse people. Not Gold Status per say, but Gold Card privileges. ;)

[cruisenfever]

Not at all. Believe it or not, the Concierge lounge was designed for suite guest, Diamond plus and Pinnacle at this point in time are afforded the privilege of using the C/L.

 

When quoting the figures of 12 - 25k, we were actually in a discussion about the quantum class ships, which actually would include the Oasis class ships which now is moot point, because on those classes of ship, there is no longer a concierge lounge for the Crown & Anchor society come May. Now in place of the C/L is a suite lounge that is strictly for Suite guest and Pinnacle members that have attained Gold status and privileges.

 

Ironically, in Jan. I sailed in a Royal Suite, brought some MDR dinning mates up to tour and they stated, that we should be entitled to chairs out on the pool deck with our names on them. Be careful what you say on these sights RCL is listening and now that just may possible happen. :eek:

Be careful with your wording as you will have Gold C&A Members wanting the same perks. It really is Gold Card status and privileges. You would be surprised at how many Gold Card Members push the limit on ships when they see "access by Gold Card Only" and it says "Gold" C&A Member on their card!!:D

[BArtisan]

On our last Oasis cruise we had many Pinnacles and most were not old at all. IMHO the best perk Pinnacles are getting right now is not the Suite Lounge, is having access to Coastal Kitchen. I just hope RCCL adds Coastal to other ship classes, that will keep me booking suites. :D

 

You are most correct there. The Coastal Kitchen is the best dining on the ships. I just through in a 12 day on the Anthem in March and booked a G/S over a J/S for that very reason. But, I can certainly and honestly state that I paid dearly for it.

 

Actually the Coastal Kitchen is in the works for other ships as we speak.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Actually the Coastal Kitchen is in the works for other ships as we speak.

 

And how do you know that?

 

I love CK. Right now I only find suites to be worth it on Oasis and Quantum classes. If they were to add CK to other classes, I would definitely consider booking suites on the smaller ships

[looking4info]

Seriously, many Pinnacles are leaving the ranks of frequent cruisers simply because of age or infirmity.

 

While I am sure there are folks dropping off at all C&A levels there is no way to know or verify this. Guess work and speculation.

 

For what it is worth... Based on what I have read here, have seen on more recent cruises and discussed with other cruisers I would guess/speculate that there are more folks joining the Pinnacle ranks than there are dropping off.

 

Joining the ranks in May

Edited January 22, 2016 by looking4info

[Don Pedro]

I feel that there will be another level put in place around the 340/350 level, the platform has already been established, it just has not been named. Once that is accomplished, I think that there will be major changes to the Diamond level in the future to ease the over crowding issue(s). Just my thoughts.

 

I sure thought the same thing but am beginning to have doubts. I bet if RCCL had it to do over again they probably would put D at 175, D+ at 350, P at 1000 and another P level. Another P level might sound crazy but there is a surprising number of double and triple pinnacles (1400 & 2100 points).

[cruisenfever]

And how do you know that?

 

I love CK. Right now I only find suites to be worth it on Oasis and Quantum classes. If they were to add CK to other classes, I would definitely consider booking suites on the smaller ships

As far as I know, CK is only available on Quantum class and has been recently added to Oasis and Allure and will be included on Harmony.

 

Since Freedom was just recently in dry dock, and Liberty is currently in dry dock, there are no plans that I am aware of that says CK is being added.

 

I really don't see it being added to Vision/Radiance/Voyager class ships.

[BArtisan]

And how do you know that?

 

I love CK. Right now I only find suites to be worth it on Oasis and Quantum classes. If they were to add CK to other classes, I would definitely consider booking suites on the smaller ships

 

What I was referring to was the two new ships being built now in the Oasis and Quantum class.

 

If it goes well and is found to be a major enticement to draw suite guest, It could certainly go onto the Freedom class. But the consideration would be that the highest and lowest cost cabins normally sell out first. It more than likely will be gauged upon how successful the new suite program fares and possibly in the direct competition with the new Norwegian sailing enticements -the impetus for a majority of all improvements relates directly to the almighty dollar and RCL likes those. ;)

[cruisenfever]

I sure thought the same thing but am beginning to have doubts. I bet if RCCL had it to do over again they probably would put D at 175, D+ at 350, P at 1000 and another P level. Another P level might sound crazy but there is a surprising number of double and triple pinnacles (1400 & 2100 points).

When you consider the total number of PC Members, those with 1400+ points are really not that many when you compare PC Members to D and D+ totals.

 

Since the total number of PC Members seem to be Top Secret at C&A, I would venture a guess that there are approx. 1750-2000 PC Members.

[BArtisan]

I sure thought the same thing but am beginning to have doubts. I bet if RCCL had it to do over again they probably would put D at 175, D+ at 350, P at 1000 and another P level. Another P level might sound crazy but there is a surprising number of double and triple pinnacles (1400 & 2100 points).

 

Actually, as the story goes, the Emerald level was to have gone to the 340/350 level and someone taking the notes left off the zero and it was not noticed until after all the printing was done.

 

You have to remember prior to the days to using a day for a day which is actually Holland America's plan v/s when it was One point for each cruise taken plus 1 point for a G/S or above. The entire plan was not thought out very thoroughly, it was extremely myopic and just hastily thrown together with some clueless big shot signing off on all and now we are faced with corrections made every few years to keep things in check. Just watch, in another ten years it will be Pinnacle +.

[Cuizer2]

I sure thought the same thing but am beginning to have doubts. I bet if RCCL had it to do over again they probably would put D at 175, D+ at 350, P at 1000 and another P level. Another P level might sound crazy but there is a surprising number of double and triple pinnacles (1400 & 2100 points).

 

Royal Caribbean could have put Emerald in a better spot than they did. There was no big need for a new tier between platinum and diamond. Emerald should have been put between D+ and Pinnacle at 350 points.

[cruisenfever]

Actually, as the story goes, the Emerald level was to have gone to the 340/350 level and someone taking the notes left off the zero and it was not noticed until after all the printing was done.

 

You have to remember prior to the days to using a day for a day which is actually Holland America's plan v/s when it was One point for each cruise taken plus 1 point for a G/S or above. The entire plan was not thought out very thoroughly, it was extremely myopic and just hastily thrown together with some clueless big shot signing off on all and now we are faced with corrections made every few years to keep things in check. Just watch, in another ten years it will be Pinnacle +.

It was cruise credits back then. 1 credit for completing a sailing and then.....

 

1/1/2003 ~~ C&A extra credit for 12+ night cruise.

 

1/1/2004 ~~ C&A extra credit for booking a JS cabin or above.

 

so the maximum number of credits one could earn per cruise was 3.

 

January 21, 2011 they changed it to 1 cruise point per night and 1 extra point when booked in a JS or above.

 

When the conversion was made, many lost points and then many gained points.

 

At that time there were 164 C&A Members that had 100+ cruise credits which, when converted amounted to 700+ points.

Edited January 22, 2016 by cruisenfever

[Cuizer2]

Actually, as the story goes, the Emerald level was to have gone to the 340/350 level and someone taking the notes left off the zero and it was not noticed until after all the printing was done.

 

That sounds like an urban myth to me. Emerald is reached after 55 points, not 35. So if someone wrote down 350 and left off the zero it would be 35, not 55.

[BArtisan]

It was cruise credits back then. 1 credit for completing a sailing and then.....

 

1/1/2003 ~~ C&A extra credit for 12+ night cruise.

 

1/1/2004 ~~ C&A extra credit for booking a JS cabin or above.

 

so the maximum number of credits one could earn per cruise was 3.

 

January 21, 2011 they changed it to 1 cruise point per night and 1 extra point when booked in a JS or above.

 

When the conversion was made, many lost points and then many gained points.

 

At that time there were 164 C&A Members that had 100+ cruise credits which, when converted amounted to 700+ points.

 

Yes, you are correct. I was not looking to be so technical. But, the people who made out huge were the people that had numerous 3-4 day sailings and received the full credit for a seven day cruise during said conversion.

 

Personally, I did not find that fair to everyone else, but then there are some Pinnacles out there that physically reside on the ships as well. i.e. Super Mario with over 5000 cruise days. When I just sailed on the Anthem 11/30 the top Pinnacle was at slightly over 1,400 cruise days with # 2 coming in at around 1200+. Either way you look at though, that is still quite a bit of sailing and nothing that I would ever see in my life...unless I moved to FL. The Air Fare bites in at times and then also, being coupled with work constraints are major contributors that affect most peoples ability to sail away at leisure.

[BArtisan]

That sounds like an urban myth to me. Emerald is reached after 55 points, not 35. So if someone wrote down 350 and left off the zero it would be 35, not 55.

 

Really?

 

I think I started the conversation "As I was told"

 

My point being, the Emerald was placed at the wrong point in the tier system for whatever reason.

Edited January 22, 2016 by BArtisan

[cruisenfever]

Yes, you are correct. I was not looking to be so technical. But, the people who made out huge were the people that had numerous 3-4 day sailings and received the full credit for a seven day cruise during said conversion.

 

Personally, I did not find that fair to everyone else, but then there are some Pinnacles out there that physically reside on the ships as well. i.e. Super Mario with over 5000 cruise days. When I just sailed on the Anthem 11/30 the top Pinnacle was at slightly over 1,400 cruise days with # 2 coming in at around 1200+. Either way you look at though, that is still quite a bit of sailing and nothing that I would ever see in my life...unless I moved to FL. The Air Fare bites in at times and then also, being coupled with work constraints are major contributors that affect most peoples ability to sail away at leisure.

Dana, you keep using "days" when you should really be saying "points". In reality, if a PC Member had 1400 cruise days, they could really have more cruise points due to the cabin type they had booked in.:D

[BArtisan]

Dana, you keep using "days" when you should really be saying "points". In reality, if a PC Member had 1400 cruise days, they could really have more cruise points due to the cabin type they had booked in.:D

 

My mouth was running faster than my brain. It's all part of my dyslexia. But, you are correct, none the less. I stand corrected and will elect to make the conscience decision to utilize the word points in lieu of days in my verbiage from this point forward in all of my communications.

 

On another note, why would you not want to dine at the Chef's Table? I am on the same cruise in March as you and I will go in your stead if you so desire. ;) Dana

[Don Pedro]

When you consider the total number of PC Members, those with 1400+ points are really not that many when you compare PC Members to D and D+ totals.

 

Since the total number of PC Members seem to be Top Secret at C&A, I would venture a guess that there are approx. 1750-2000 PC Members.

 

I agree with your pinnacle club estimate but imagine there are quite a few inactive ones. I also agree that there are not a lot of 1400+ cruisers. Perhaps it is an anomaly but I have encountered a double pinnacle on several of my last sailings and I find that surprising. Most C & A members consider it a Herculean task just to reach 700 points.

[John&LaLa]

Of course the next question is, how much did you spend with RCI to get to PC?

 

Probably between 100 and 105. Won't know until fall 2017 is booked.

[BArtisan]

I agree with your pinnacle club estimate but imagine there are quite a few inactive ones. I also agree that there are not a lot of 1400+ cruisers. Perhaps it is an anomaly but I have encountered a double pinnacle on several of my last sailings and I find that surprising. Most C & A members consider it a Herculean task just to reach 700 points.

 

 

Unless one lives very near a port terminal, In reality it is extremely difficult to attain 700 cruise points. For ten years now I have sailed in G/S or above and thrown in a 4 solo cruises only to amass 349 points. People do other things for vacations aside from cruising. The normal person with present vacation plans from work, can attain about 28 days a year give or take a few days. What I have noted, is that people upon retirement will do 9 -12 week consecutive cruises to play catch up.

 

I have turned down comp'd cruises offered by Club Royal frequently, because on normal offerings of 3-4 day cruises it does not warrant the cost of the airfare and other than a 5 day cruise to Bermuda, I will do no cruise less than 7 days - blink and it's over.