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Can the Diamond Lounge on Harmony Really Handle All the Diamonds and Diamond Plus?

yogimax

By yogimax,
in Royal Caribbean International

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
You forget that P and D+ passengers all have an expiration date. So, I think it is an interesting social science experiment. Might last longer than people think. Of course it all depends on the economy... if the economy picks up then you are probably right, if the world keeps on the current path... then who knows.

 

JC

If they took away the benefits i for one would go to another cruise line.

 

UK D+ member.

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mac_tlc "Live from...." Rare

mac_tlc

Posted
Posted
You forget that P and D+ passengers all have an expiration date. So, I think it is an interesting social science experiment. Might last longer than people think. Of course it all depends on the economy... if the economy picks up then you are probably right, if the world keeps on the current path... then who knows.

 

JC

 

True, but the ranks of Gold, Emerald & Platinum are growing quickly, I believe, as RCCL targets new cruisers. My opinion is that there will be many new D, D+ and P's to replace those who reach their expiration date. Overall number of cruise passengers is up, up, up .... enough to replenish the upper tiers.

 

mac_tlc

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ptf2009

ptf2009

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I don't understand why diamond & above want to go to the crowded diamond lounge when you can get your comp cocktails at most bars??? Just curious....

 

Totally agree. The DL room was so crowded on Harmony last week that my DH just got his drink and we walked to another venue where we could sit down before we walked to dinner. With food available in so many places, we have no need to eat anything in the DL right before dinner. I've tried to talk my DH into just going to a bar for his drink so that we could have more time by the pool or resting before dinner, so I will be fine if the D's only have access to 3 or 4 drinks by using their card. I don't blame the D+'s who have earned over 175 pts. for complaining. It takes a long time and a lot of money spent to earn D+ status! We aren't retired and only get to cruise 2x/yr. so it took us a while to earn our 120 pts. so far.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
Totally agree. The DL room was so crowded on Harmony last week that my DH just got his drink and we walked to another venue where we could sit down before we walked to dinner. With food available in so many places, we have no need to eat anything in the DL right before dinner. I've tried to talk my DH into just going to a bar for his drink so that we could have more time by the pool or resting before dinner, so I will be fine if the D's only have access to 3 or 4 drinks by using their card. I don't blame the D+'s who have earned over 175 pts. for complaining. It takes a long time and a lot of money spent to earn D+ status! We aren't retired and only get to cruise 2x/yr. so it took us a while to earn our 120 pts. so far.

At home we are on call 24 hours a day with Paulines mams(95 year old) illness so cannot drink alcohol.

In the DL i give $1 tip per drink and have several glasses of champagne so the drinks voucher's alone are no good for us.

 

UK D+ member.

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ptf2009

ptf2009

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At home we are on call 24 hours a day with Paulines mams(95 year old) illness so cannot drink alcohol.

In the DL i give $1 tip per drink and have several glasses of champagne so the drinks voucher's alone are no good for us.

 

UK D+ member.

 

Ahhh...understand your thoughts. I personally am not able to drink (medical reason) and the snacks in the DL do nothing for me, but I walk in with my DH because he likes to get his gin and tonic, and then I get his wine and carry it to dinner for him. It's all about what the DL means to each person. But it was just way too crowded last week on Harmony! It is much nicer on the Freedom and Voyager ships when you can go outside and sit at a table or even sit in the Viking lounge and look at the beautiful water:)

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ptf2009

ptf2009

Posted
Posted
You forget that P and D+ passengers all have an expiration date. So, I think it is an interesting social science experiment. Might last longer than people think. Of course it all depends on the economy... if the economy picks up then you are probably right, if the world keeps on the current path... then who knows.

 

JC

 

I didn't know there was an "expiration date" on the levels. Please fill me in....Thanks!

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
I didn't know there was an "expiration date" on the levels. Please fill me in....Thanks!

There is no expiration of C&A levels. I believe the poster was referring to the eventual expiration of the human body.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
Ahhh...understand your thoughts. I personally am not able to drink (medical reason) and the snacks in the DL do nothing for me, but I walk in with my DH because he likes to get his gin and tonic, and then I get his wine and carry it to dinner for him. It's all about what the DL means to each person. But it was just way too crowded last week on Harmony! It is much nicer on the Freedom and Voyager ships when you can go outside and sit at a table or even sit in the Viking lounge and look at the beautiful water:)

I totally agree with you.

We were on Harmony 3 times last year.We went in the DL around 5pm for snacks and a couple of glasses of champagne and stayed about 30 minutes.

We didn't like the DL so after we got ready for dinner we sat in Central Park and the barman exchanged my vouchers for a bottle of champagne and we loved it.

 

UK D+ member.

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actuarian

actuarian

Posted
Posted

 

Remember that Diamond includes those with points between 80 and 175 while Diamond Plus includes those between 175 and 700. It's clear to me that D+ deserve their own lounge. How do you justify someone with 650 points not having a seat when it is occupied by someone with 85 points?

 

RCCL needs to figure this out!

 

That 525 point range for D+ is a fundamental problem with the whole C&A program. There really needs to be a level between 175 and 700. Of course, there are a few additional perks added at 340 but it is not the same as a new level (Jr. Pinnacle?). The majority of D+ members will never reach 700 or will be octogenarians when they do so they have little incentive to continue accumulating points.

 

I suggest that members at the 340+ level should be offered the opportunity the purchase Pinnacle benefits for an extra charge when they book a cruise. This would make the new level revenue-generating and the number of such purchases for each cruise could be limited so that it would create one more incentive to book early and so that suite lounges would not be over-crowded.

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

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Posted
That 525 point range for D+ is a fundamental problem with the whole C&A program. There really needs to be a level between 175 and 700. Of course, there are a few additional perks added at 340 but it is not the same as a new level (Jr. Pinnacle?). The majority of D+ members will never reach 700 or will be octogenarians when they do so they have little incentive to continue accumulating points.

 

I suggest that members at the 340+ level should be offered the opportunity the purchase Pinnacle benefits for an extra charge when they book a cruise. This would make the new level revenue-generating and the number of such purchases for each cruise could be limited so that it would create one more incentive to book early and so that suite lounges would not be over-crowded.

Can you imagine the uproar that would cause.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
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That 525 point range for D+ is a fundamental problem with the whole C&A program. There really needs to be a level between 175 and 700. Of course, there are a few additional perks added at 340 but it is not the same as a new level (Jr. Pinnacle?). The majority of D+ members will never reach 700 or will be octogenarians when they do so they have little incentive to continue accumulating points.

 

I suggest that members at the 340+ level should be offered the opportunity the purchase Pinnacle benefits for an extra charge when they book a cruise. This would make the new level revenue-generating and the number of such purchases for each cruise could be limited so that it would create one more incentive to book early and so that suite lounges would not be over-crowded.

Great idea and something i have advocated in the past.

 

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actuarian

actuarian

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Posted
Can you imagine the uproar that would cause.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

I think it would cause very little uproar. It would simply be an acknowledgement that cruising is becoming more and more like flying; there are different classes of service and higher status in the frequent traveler program makes service upgrades more available. At United Airlines, the highest tier (Global Services) are almost always upgraded as are Pinnacles at Royal Caribbean. However, the tiers just below Global Services also often have the opportunity to upgrade, sometimes for a charge.

 

When I first started cruising about 20 years ago, the most expensive suite on a ship generally costed about 4 times as much as an inside cabin. In those days, the difference in price was just for a nicer room; everyone was treated the same when outside of their rooms. I recently checked the prices on a 4-night cruise on Royal's sister line Celebrity and saw that the least expensive cabin was $249 per person and the most expensive was $5,299. That is a factor of 21.3 so a class system is unavoidable. The $249 is considerably less than any 1997 price adjusted for inflation and the $5,299 is considerably more. So the cruise line is catering to a more economically diverse customer base.

 

However, very few people would be willing to pay $5,299 and then be satisfied with the quality of service that can be bought for $249, whenever they stepped out of their rooms. That is why there are genies and butlers and Coastal Kitchen and Luminae and Suite Lounges and Michael's Club. I am just suggesting that there should be a way for people who are not quite up to Pinnacle / Zenith should be able to purchase those services without having to purchase a room that is much larger than they need or want.

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

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Many of the newest D+ are actually infants/toddlers/kids...we have a few.

Just hypothetical, let's say these kids turn 18 with 70 points. Yep, they're D+, but now have a 630 point gap to Pinnacle. And if they turn 18 in say 15 years, do you think the program will still be the same?

 

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LMaxwell Great Review Rare

LMaxwell

Posted
Posted
Just hypothetical, let's say these kids turn 18 with 70 points. Yep, they're D+, but now have a 630 point gap to Pinnacle. And if they turn 18 in say 15 years, do you think the program will still be the same?

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

It doesn't matter if the program is the same. If they are like me they look at the cost differential between RCI and other lines, and factor in the value of perks they receive. For many, RCI's Diamond and above perks are often enough to sway people who are comparing, or enough to keep people from straying.

 

It's not about how easy or hard it will be for them to attain Pinnacle, it is about that generally offspring of successful people are successful themselves. Who cares what they do when they are 18? What matters is what they start doing when they are 25 or 30 and get a spouse and family. Where are they going to spend their discretionary vacation dollars? Get them "in" now...

 

I agree on your other point earlier about more levels or selling perks. Get to 340 points for the opportunity to purchase perks on a per cruise basis? lol. I could not envision a bigger slap in the face, people would be ballistic

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LMaxwell Great Review Rare

LMaxwell

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Max, do kids get points in the kids sail free promos? I hear that Pinnacles don't on their free cruise if they don't pay anything. Same with free Visa cruise if you keep it under the max.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

Not sure, I see nothing in terms and conditions to preclude it. KSF is a marketing promotion, Pinnacle and Visa free cruise without points are actual terms of rewards.

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beachnative

beachnative

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The Pinnacles would get points if they upgrade to a JS, or any stateroom over $1200 pp not including tax.

 

Most Pinnacles don't care about points.

 

 

These two Pinnacles don't and those who are our friends don't either.

 

There is a certain type of Pinnacle that obsess about their points and whether they will be top cruisers...but most couldn't care less.

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