Breaking News - C&A Changes/Enhancements

[foxgoodrich]

I guess we've just been lucky! During the past years that we've had access to both lounges, as D, D+ and suite guests, we've never encountered anyone who questioned anyone else's C&A level or their eligibility to use the lounge!

 

Another phenomenon I've seen reported here, but never experienced, is that suite cruisers are mostly first time cruisers. That's something else we've never seen. We sail in full suites about 1/3 of the time, and we've never met another suite passenger in the CL who was a first time cruiser. We've met lots and lots of D and D+ in suites, a couple of pinnacles in suites, some lower C&A levels, but never a first timer.

 

I am very thankful that our experiences have been so much better than some I've seen reported!:)

[CVU]

Indy is a great ship and you just got a poor mix in that Lounge. Happens, just ignore those people and move on.

 

There are LOTS better out there to meet.:) It isn't the ship or even the cruise line to blame here but the People on board. Some ships we find the most rude or pushiest and then others are the best mix. Avoid the those that disturb you and all is good.:)

 

The issue with children in the CL has been because they were not supervised and that has set off some people. Cake and food on upholstered chairs and little fingers into the plates of food set out...... Messes at the coffee station from making Hot Chocolate etc. etc. Think of your kitchen with children helping themselves........

 

That is the reason I think some are put off by children in the lounges. For the little ones that are supervised it is no problem. We have been in the CL for breakfast on Oasis Class and enjoyed chatting with the little ones and asking how they are enjoying Adventure Camp. It is the parents that are the examples for the children and we know where that is going.....:D

[heatherb1958]

Don't get too excited .... We've just come back from our first cruise as a Diamond member on INDI and the Conceige lounge was full every night from 5pm till 8.30pm and the diamond lounge was also full tho they extended that particular room by closing the Viking crown bar and making it a diamond and above only venue which made things a lot better...

My only worry for you is that you may experience similar hostile welcoming to what me and my family did over the past 14 nights when entering either the Conceige or diamond lounges , basically people who I'd imagine are either diamond plus or pinnacle were and obliviously know each other started pointing and questioning our status of drinking in these venues in which made me and my family feel very unwelcome and put a sour feeling to what would of been a very good holiday .....

 

My tips would be to enter either lounge before 5pm and get a seat enjoy the free drinks and just try to ignore what's going on around you !!

The drinks vouchers are only 3 per person when it's unlimited in both lounges ...

 

I am so sorry this happened to you.

I have to admit that as a regular cruiser more often than not there are guests onboard we know and if there are seats available will tend to congregate but I have never ever witnessed any of our frequent floater friends behave in this way nor have we.

To be honest we prefer it when seats aren't available so we get to meet new people who in turn become new friends . Please don't let your recent experience put you off , for every

( insert your own expletive) out there there are tenfold worthwhile people to connect with.

Cruise critic is a testament to that as we have so many friends made through the roll calls, private tours etc

Edited May 29, 2016 by heatherb1958

[Ocean Boy]

I am so sorry this happened to you.

I have to admit that as a regular cruiser more often than not there are guests onboard we know and if there are seats available will tend to congregate but I have never ever witnessed any of our frequent floater friends behave in this way nor have we.

To be honest we prefer it when seats aren't available so we get to meet new people who in turn become new friends . Please don't let your recent experience put you off , for every

( insert your own expletive) out there there are tenfold worthwhile people to connect with.

 

That has certainly been my experience in London's pubs. You Brits are awesome.:)

[MommaBear55]

I'm sure me and my family conducted ourselves in the right manner , we didn't barge in or be rude to anyone, we gave up our seats to older members so they could sit down instead of standing , actually a member of staff said that we were quite polite as they had suffered on the previous cruise from some passengers as they couldn't say a simple thank you after being served ....

 

I wasn't thinking of you being the rude people, but the ones staring at you or making comments certainly sound like they were! I don't understand people sometimes. I guess I feel a bit better that DH and I were just ignored.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

I can believe that people were rude. We've had experiences in the past with people commenting that we "must have inherited our status from mommy and daddy." We're in our early 30s, but look to be mid-20s. We earned our Diamonds on our own (my dad is only Gold and my mom is only Platinum). It's a shame that people have to behave so rudely. It gives everyone else, the nice people, a bad rap too!

[Ashland]

We just returned from doing a B2B on Adventure and unfortunately among us were two couples together doing the same (annoying and self entitled everywhere we saw them...couldn't seem to get away from them) especially in the DL & CL...and while we happened to be in a jewelry store in Aruba ... here they come into the store....very loudly shouting "Diamond Plus In The House"...really :eek:...Did they really think anyone in port cared :rolleyes:

[foxgoodrich]

I wasn't thinking of you being the rude people, but the ones staring at you or making comments certainly sound like they were! I don't understand people sometimes. I guess I feel a bit better that DH and I were just ignored.

 

Oh dear...:o...I'm probably guilty of ignoring! We tend to sit wherever seats are available, then talk to the people immediately across from or next to us. I have to admit that when I'm having a drink and talking to people, I kind of ignore anyone else who comes in. But please don't think it's personal!! I just get focused and don't pay attention, esp. if we're sitting next to the window as well.

 

We always have late dining and usually come into the lounge around 7:15ish. We look around for seats, and if we see some empty ones (without purses, sweaters, or fresh drinks) we'll ask the others at the table if we can join them. Rarely we've been the only two at a table for four or six, in which case we always invite others to join us. We've always been fortunate and we've met lots of really neat people over the years.

 

I hope your next experience will be better!

Judy

[sea shepherd]

I'm glad I don't go to the DL or CL or SL. Sounds like to much drama. The drink package kind of took the fun out of the lounge.

[LMaxwell]

Were your children with you in the Diamond Club? Under 18 aren't allowed in the DC during the Cocktail Hour.

 

I did a post last year asking about that and the results were a very mixed bag; seemed to vary ship to ship and sometimes sailing to sailing. A concierge has discretion and knows what the makeup of pax is before boarding.

[CptSticky]

I did a post last year asking about that and the results were a very mixed bag; seemed to vary ship to ship and sometimes sailing to sailing. A concierge has discretion and knows what the makeup of pax is before boarding.

 

We have been on ships where the DL concierge specifically allows children in the DL in writing in the welcome letter. Others don't mention them and others specifically exclude them. So, like so many things Royal, consistently inconsistent.

[John&LaLa]

We have been on ships where the DL concierge specifically allows children in the DL in writing in the welcome letter. Others don't mention them and others specifically exclude them. So, like so many things Royal, consistently inconsistent.

 

I have always had the concierge in DL state in welcome letter that under 18 not allowed during cocktail hours

[JohnSnowGOT]

I'm glad I don't go to the DL or CL or SL. Sounds like to much drama. The drink package kind of took the fun out of the lounge.

 

Sadly a lot of the negative things folk are saying about the lounges are true,

We used spend time in the CL every day and have met some great people. Used to really enjoy the CL. Watched it change over the years..............there are some real freaks in there too no doubt.

Now we just add the cost of the drink package to our cruise price and enjoy our own CL in any bar/lounge on the ship. We have met just as many fun people outside the CL now,

Edited May 30, 2016 by JohnSnowGOT

[JohnnyRocketsUK]

I can believe that people were rude. We've had experiences in the past with people commenting that we "must have inherited our status from mommy and daddy." We're in our early 30s, but look to be mid-20s. We earned our Diamonds on our own (my dad is only Gold and my mom is only Platinum). It's a shame that people have to behave so rudely. It gives everyone else, the nice people, a bad rap too!

 

We are pretty much at the same stage of C&A as you , we have been crusining for the past 11 years and earnt our Diamond membership by ourselves . My daughter is only 9 and she is Emereld so by the time she is 20 she may well be Diamond plus or even Pinnacle but that depends on if we keep cruising..! 🤔

[MommaBear55]

Oh dear...:o...I'm probably guilty of ignoring! We tend to sit wherever seats are available, then talk to the people immediately across from or next to us. I have to admit that when I'm having a drink and talking to people, I kind of ignore anyone else who comes in. But please don't think it's personal!! I just get focused and don't pay attention, esp. if we're sitting next to the window as well.

 

We always have late dining and usually come into the lounge around 7:15ish. We look around for seats, and if we see some empty ones (without purses, sweaters, or fresh drinks) we'll ask the others at the table if we can join them. Rarely we've been the only two at a table for four or six, in which case we always invite others to join us. We've always been fortunate and we've met lots of really neat people over the years.

 

I hope your next experience will be better!

Judy

 

Thanks, Judy. Had there been open seats at group tables we would have asked to sit with others, but there were so many in the lounge that it was not conducive to mingling. I will be a little less shy next time. It was still a good experience.

[Ocean Boy]

Oh dear...:o...I'm probably guilty of ignoring! We tend to sit wherever seats are available, then talk to the people immediately across from or next to us. I have to admit that when I'm having a drink and talking to people, I kind of ignore anyone else who comes in. But please don't think it's personal!! I just get focused and don't pay attention, esp. if we're sitting next to the window as well.

 

We always have late dining and usually come into the lounge around 7:15ish. We look around for seats, and if we see some empty ones (without purses, sweaters, or fresh drinks) we'll ask the others at the table if we can join them. Rarely we've been the only two at a table for four or six, in which case we always invite others to join us. We've always been fortunate and we've met lots of really neat people over the years.

 

I hope your next experience will be better!

Judy

I don't see anything wrong with that. You are not expected to be the official greeter like the guy in Walmart. There is a big difference between being preoccupied with your own business and making snide comments about the folks who are walking in.

 

There are times in the hospital when I am thinking about a case that I have going on and will walk right by someone I know and not even acknowledge them. It was nothing to do with being aloof or rude and everything to do with preoccupation. And like you, if I am sitting by a window in the DL my body may be there but my mind might be a million miles away. I understand exactly what you are saying.

[Ocean Boy]

We just returned from doing a B2B on Adventure and unfortunately among us were two couples together doing the same (annoying and self entitled everywhere we saw them...couldn't seem to get away from them) especially in the DL & CL...and while we happened to be in a jewelry store in Aruba ... here they come into the store....very loudly shouting "Diamond Plus In The House"...really :eek:...Did they really think anyone in port cared :rolleyes:

 

Their announcement would have been well deserving of eyerolls...:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[LMaxwell]

Don't get too excited .... We've just come back from our first cruise as a Diamond member on INDI and the Conceige lounge was full every night from 5pm till 8.30pm and the diamond lounge was also full tho they extended that particular room by closing the Viking crown bar and making it a diamond and above only venue which made things a lot better...

My only worry for you is that you may experience similar hostile welcoming to what me and my family did over the past 14 nights when entering either the Conceige or diamond lounges , basically people who I'd imagine are either diamond plus or pinnacle were and obliviously know each other started pointing and questioning our status of drinking in these venues in which made me and my family feel very unwelcome and put a sour feeling to what would of been a very good holiday .....

 

My tips would be to enter either lounge before 5pm and get a seat enjoy the free drinks and just try to ignore what's going on around you !!

The drinks vouchers are only 3 per person when it's unlimited in both lounges ...

 

Anyone that is going to directly comment or question if I am allowed to be somewhere I'd engage and have some fun with them; maybe something along the lines of "Oh, good, you work here, we need some vodka tonics here; doubles." ;) It's not really stooping to their level of pettiness or mean spiritedness, but it should quiet them down from then on.

[xxHadleyxx]

I have always had the concierge in DL state in welcome letter that under 18 not allowed during cocktail hours

Now I wish i had thought to save (or photograph) our letter from Serenade two weeks ago.

It specified that diamonds under 18 needed to be accompanied by an adult during cocktail hour and would not be served alcohol, only soda--IDs might be checked.

 

I didn't notice any kids the couple of times we went in for cocktail hour and I doubt anyone really thought about if our 17 year old was or was not under 18--but we were within the rules anyway, so I don't think it would matter if they did.

[island lady]

As many times mentioned, inconsistency is common from one ship to another with

the rules in the DL. Some highlight and enforce the no minors in the lounge during

happy hour rule, and some let them in with adult in attendance. I wish they would

all follow the same rules, makes it too confusing.

[JohnSnowGOT]

Anyone that is going to directly comment or question if I am allowed to be somewhere I'd engage and have some fun with them; maybe something along the lines of "Oh, good, you work here, we need some vodka tonics here; doubles." ;) It's not really stooping to their level of pettiness or mean spiritedness, but it should quiet them down from then on.

 

Ha ha ha.. Right on. Perfect

 

I have been snubbed by hot shot nobodies in the Cl lounge many times. Its just part of the deal. I have been sitting in first class on an international flight wearing my short pants and enjoying my pre flight cocktail and was asked by another passenger if I was "upgraded to first class?" I just smiled and pretended that I did not understand the question. She repeated the question and she looked even more like a bully the second time. I again pretended that I did not understand what she was asking....:)

So this stuff is every where.

[LMaxwell]

As many times mentioned, inconsistency is common from one ship to another with

the rules in the DL. Some highlight and enforce the no minors in the lounge during

happy hour rule, and some let them in with adult in attendance. I wish they would

all follow the same rules, makes it too confusing.

 

The Royal Caribbean Diamond Lounge website does not say under 18 not allowed in the DL. It seems each ship makes up its own rules.

[LMaxwell]

Ha ha ha.. Right on. Perfect

 

I have been snubbed by hot shot nobodies in the Cl lounge many times. Its just part of the deal. I have been sitting in first class on an international flight wearing my short pants and enjoying my pre flight cocktail and was asked by another passenger if I was "upgraded to first class?" I just smiled and pretended that I did not understand the question. She repeated the question and she looked even more like a bully the second time. I again pretended that I did not understand what she was asking....:)

So this stuff is every where.

 

"I only take surveys that come in the mail with a crisp dollar bill included" :D:D:D

[booze brothers]

Don't get too excited .... We've just come back from our first cruise as a Diamond member on INDI and the Conceige lounge was full every night from 5pm till 8.30pm and the diamond lounge was also full tho they extended that particular room by closing the Viking crown bar and making it a diamond and above only venue which made things a lot better...

My only worry for you is that you may experience similar hostile welcoming to what me and my family did over the past 14 nights when entering either the Conceige or diamond lounges , basically people who I'd imagine are either diamond plus or pinnacle were and obliviously know each other started pointing and questioning our status of drinking in these venues in which made me and my family feel very unwelcome and put a sour feeling to what would of been a very good holiday .....

 

My tips would be to enter either lounge before 5pm and get a seat enjoy the free drinks and just try to ignore what's going on around you !!

The drinks vouchers are only 3 per person when it's unlimited in both lounges ...

 

 

 

 

 

Problem solved. Just go mingle with the people that are making you feel uncomfortable. Breaks the ice every time I have tried it.

 

 

[/b]

[Yorkvillain]

Anyone that is going to directly comment or question if I am allowed to be somewhere I'd engage and have some fun with them; maybe something along the lines of "Oh, good, you work here, we need some vodka tonics here; doubles." ;) It's not really stooping to their level of pettiness or mean spiritedness, but it should quiet them down from then on.

 

 

 

Love it!