Breaking News - C&A Changes/Enhancements

[RoamingRetirees]

It is odd when I look back to my first cruise on the old Nordic Prince in October, 1986 New York to Bermuda. We had the midnight buffet, tiny hors d'oeuvres on the bars and a book listing all the passengers by name and home towns. We thought it was great at the time and it was. And don't forget the one dining room for all three meals at the assigned table. Over the years the Nordic Prince has gone through growing pains and much competition and become a behemoth in both ship size and passenger levels. We have seen the perks slowly grow over the years to what they are now and the changes on the ship have been accepted. No more pillow chocolate, no more bar hors d'oeuvres, no more passenger manifests. But we still cruise because we love it. We will reach the D+ milestone on our next cruise in November. What lounge I have to go to at that time, or if I have one at all is of little concern. I am going to be on a beautiful ship, cruising with a couple thousand people that enjoy being at sea as much as I do and everything else is just frosting on the cake. Just my opinion.

 

Okay, stepping down from my soapbox now and happy cruising all.

 

Dave

 

Ah nostalgia. My first cruise was also on Nordic Prince, but in 1994 to Alaska. I still have that passenger manifest.

[Retired LEO]

Does anyone know how they've been giving the blocks on Freedom?

Is it at the top tier event? Do they leave on the bed? Or do they just throw it to you as your walking down the hall? :)

 

My next one is in a couple of months on Freedom and maybe I should bring a catchers mitt. :D

[Clarea]

Does anyone know how they've been giving the blocks on Freedom?

Is it at the top tier event? Do they leave on the bed? Or do they just throw it to you as your walking down the hall? :)

 

My next one is in a couple of months on Freedom and maybe I should bring a catchers mitt. :D

We always check with the LA early in the cruise and ask how they distribute the blocks. Several times they have given us the block right there on the spot. This also ensures they check that our name is on their milestone list.

Edited May 7, 2016 by clarea

[chandom]

Does anyone know how they've been giving the blocks on Freedom?

Is it at the top tier event? Do they leave on the bed? Or do they just throw it to you as your walking down the hall? :)

 

My next one is in a couple of months on Freedom and maybe I should bring a catchers mitt. :D

One I got was left in the room. Never got an invite for the top tier event. Only one was for the normal past guest party, didn't attend it.

 

The invite that was left could have been the wrong one.

Invite is one the last page of the PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sxui2lkxvp6xv7k/Diamond%20Stuff.pdf?dl=0

Edited May 7, 2016 by chandom

[yogimax]

On a Navigator TA a few years ago there were 110 blocks presented. Reba (LA) and Robert Taggart (HD) presented each one, with a photo, at a special ceremony.

 

The mathematical improbability of this is staggering!

[Tagsalong]

I got my Brilliance block this past November. Just a toss on the bed

 

Back in November, the HD was Joni, who is a minimalist. Johann has raised the bar by more than several notches. I'm surprised he's not doing a more special presentation during the crossing. We did 3 b2b in April and it was always done at the top tier party. No bed bowling.

[CptSticky]

The mathematical improbability of this is staggering!

I'm afraid that pure mathematics doesn't work on a TA. High level cruisers tend to concentrate on TA's. On our upcoming Harmony TA we reportedly have over 130 Pinnacles. What does that do to your odds?

[gaylemh]

Does anyone know how many pinacle and diamond plus there actually are?

[Ander026]

With all of the talk about the blocks I have to add my story.

 

I am Diamond Plus with a low count of 199 points thus far. I achieved my 140 block while on the Radiance in Australia but never received it. I found out about the blocks on these boards. I achieved the 140 point thresh hold while on Radiance in Nov 2014. Once I discovered that I did not receive it almost a year later I brought it up with the LA on Indy in Oct 2015. I did receive the block a few months later.

 

I will be cruising solo on Freedom in September of this year and with the points as a single I will surpass the 210 thresh hold of points for the block. Should I call C&A before the cruise starts or get with the LA once onboard to properly receive the next block.

 

In also reading other posts on this board here is what I think should happen on RCCL for the future of Lounges.

1. Freedom Class - Current DL would turn into the D+/P Lounge. Current CL would turn into D lounge. Current card room opposite of current D Lounge would turn into SL.

2. Voyager Class - Same as Freedom Class

3. Radiance Class - D Lounge in current spot. CL on deck 14 would become D+/P lounge. The back lounge on deck 6 would become the SL. That way D+ thru Suites Lounge would have an actual working bar for the staff.

4. No Change in the other classes

 

Those are just my thoughts of course. Happy Sailing to everyone

[Biker19]

Should I call C&A before the cruise starts or get with the LA once onboard to properly receive the next block.

 

Talk to the LA on board.

[Bobal]

Will be interested to hear if anyone has had a block from Allure recently. I'm still waiting for mine from last October and have chased several times. Latest excuse is that there is a supply backlog

[Thetrail]

The mathematical improbability of this is staggering!

Just saying......:confused:

[celly]

Will be interested to hear if anyone has had a block from Allure recently. I'm still waiting for mine from last October and have chased several times. Latest excuse is that there is a supply backlog

 

We are also still waiting for our Allure block october 2015 transatlantic, they were supposed to mail the blocks as they did not have enough during the sailing. Contacted them to no avail.........

Edited May 7, 2016 by celly

[Royal2464]

Does anyone know how they've been giving the blocks on Freedom?

Is it at the top tier event? Do they leave on the bed? Or do they just throw it to you as your walking down the hall? :)

 

My next one is in a couple of months on Freedom and maybe I should bring a catchers mitt. :D

 

I received my 980 block last week on the Freedom. It was left on the bed. We had a Pinnacle lunch on the Freedom yesterday. It was hosted by the Captain and Hotel Director. Held in Sabor with many of the senior officers attending. The food was outstanding and more than you could eat. WELL DONE FREEDOM!

[vickiw0318]

Okay, benefit historians. I never received a 140 block. I think I remember that the award level for the blocks somehow shifted about the time that the point system changed and the first eligible level became lower (down to 140). I got my first one on the Voyager in 2010 and was just barely Diamond Plus at the time.

 

Anyone else remember this?

[sjb317]

Okay, benefit historians. I never received a 140 block. I think I remember that the award level for the blocks somehow shifted about the time that the point system changed and the first eligible level became lower (down to 140). I got my first one on the Voyager in 2010 and was just barely Diamond Plus at the time.

 

Anyone else remember this?

 

We did not get the first block either as awarding the blocks began after we had reached that point level and were not given retroactively.

 

Sherri:)

[golfpccc]

Because we did so many Vision cruises the last two years, we got to know Sanjay very well. He would greet us in the terminal and send a bottle of wine to our cabin on almost every cruise. His ship had the highest ratings of all ships in 2015. This is based on customer satisfaction evaluations and health & safety inspections.

 

He's not as generous with his budget as Johann and JD but did do some really nice lunches for the meal with an officer, always in a specialty restaurant.

 

Many think he is being sent to Freedom & Liberty to find out (and possibly fix) the bad ratings that these ships were receiving, especially from D, D+ and PCMs. He is not actually a floater but will be assigned one of the new ship. His skills are more towards the detailed management of the Hotel, but he does engage the passengers without being overly friendly. You will see him every night in the DL and Suite Lounge talking to the quests.

 

Thank you, looking forward to meeting Sanjay - sounds like the kind of HD the Liberty needs. However, when Sanjay leaves and the permanent HD returns afraid things will revert back, but time will tell.

[golfpccc]

Pinnacle Lunch with the Officers yesterday on Liberty in Giovani's with the SC, HD and another officer. Menu was Giovani's lunch menu.

[Clarea]

We did not get the first block either as awarding the blocks began after we had reached that point level and were not given retroactively.

 

Sherri:)

True, many people missed their blocks when they switched from credits to points. Because of the way the conversion was done, they jumped right past 140 points.

[travelgoddess1]

I thought CL would become Wonderland in the original plans

 

It was. The signage is still onboard, causing confusion. :rolleyes:

 

Okay, benefit historians. I never received a 140 block. I think I remember that the award level for the blocks somehow shifted about the time that the point system changed and the first eligible level became lower (down to 140). I got my first one on the Voyager in 2010 and was just barely Diamond Plus at the time.

 

Anyone else remember this?

 

Yes, and we also missed our 140 block, as were past that stage when they moved the goalpost backwards. :eek: And, as mentioned, no retroactivity.

[NanciRDH]

Just curious, and not trying to start any arguments, but at one point did P level start after 350 points? I had it in my brain that it was, and I was keeping count in my head as to how many cruises I needed, with and without suites and longer nights (cruise math lol!) And then I recently checked to make sure proper points had been awarded, and discovered I needed many more cruises to reach that magic level lol. Maybe I was just counting to the halfway mark, but I don't remember why 350 was on my mind.

[Paulxyz2004]

Just curious, and not trying to start any arguments, but at one point did P level start after 350 points? I had it in my brain that it was, and I was keeping count in my head as to how many cruises I needed, with and without suites and longer nights (cruise math lol!) And then I recently checked to make sure proper points had been awarded, and discovered I needed many more cruises to reach that magic level lol. Maybe I was just counting to the halfway mark, but I don't remember why 350 was on my mind.

 

AFAIK it was never at 350. I think it used to be 100 under the old Point System.

[travelgoddess1]

Just curious, and not trying to start any arguments, but at one point did P level start after 350 points? I had it in my brain that it was, and I was keeping count in my head as to how many cruises I needed, with and without suites and longer nights (cruise math lol!) And then I recently checked to make sure proper points had been awarded, and discovered I needed many more cruises to reach that magic level lol. Maybe I was just counting to the halfway mark, but I don't remember why 350 was on my mind.

 

AFAIK it was never at 350. I think it used to be 100 under the old Point System.

 

Pinnacle Club was created in 2011, when cruise credits reverted to points. There was no tier level for those with 100+ cruise credits prior to that -- everyone was Diamond Plus.

 

Pinnacle Club has always been 700 points.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

The last few pages of this thread have brought up so many thoughts in my mind I don't know where to start!!

 

It appears to me, and maybe because I frequent these boards more than others, that Royal has the largest number of people chasing their higher tiers. My MIL is Elite on Princess and she does two TAs a year plus two other cruises (usually 14 days each) during other parts of the year. I have never heard her even mention "special" things like Crystal Blocks or special breakfast/lunch/dinner. Of course I am not as familiar with Captains Circle as I am with Crown and Anchor. It truly gets me wondering if the other cruise lines have this same type of thing going on within their Loyalty program.

 

Something else that I have noticed/thought about. I am newly Diamond, only about a year and a half in. But I have noticed that cruises with a high number of Diamond and above members really messes with the LA. For example- in October I was on one of the Jewel California Coastal cruises. This was our first official Diamond cruise. We received NOTHING in our room. No welcome basket/drink selection. No Diamond pin. Not even a flyer with the coupons listed. My dad, in the next room, is Gold and didnt receive any C&A notices either. Not sure if the LA was slacking or what.

 

I know there were a large number of D, D+, and P onboard. We never received invites to events onboard either. I am not saying that upper tier members don't deserve the recognition, but it's definitely a strain on the resources at times!

Edited May 7, 2016 by Sunkissed Mommy

[ChipLondon]

Err surely Upper tier members, as well as first time cruisers are the resources that provide the payments for all provisions within a cruise, be that food, drink, crew or even the ship itself. I would hate to be considered as a strain on something that would not exist if as cruisers we decided not to support a cruise line.

 

....................... I am not saying that upper tier members don't deserve the recognition, but it's definitely a strain on the resources at times!