D+ kicked out of CONCIERGE Lounge while onboard

[SRF]

12 hours ago, Andy C said:

Premium paying passengers (I.e., first class, suites, etc...) are catered to above all - as it should be. RCI’s loyalty program as it relates to pinnacles cheats the suite paying passengers. They are operating under an old model. It’s good to see the wave of change coming. 

 

Loyalty is is important but it’s time for the airline model. Where you need to keep spending to stay in. This conferred status for life is a dead dog. The gravy train will soon be coming to a stop in favor of the big spenders. Au revoir!

 

Airline and hotel programs do have status for life. 

 

You have your annual achievement levels, then, in the airline model, when you reach one million miles flown, you get a lifetime status.  It is the same as one of the annual levels, but for life.  How high of a level you get depends on the airline and how they count the miles.

 

I am a Million Miler on two airlines.  One, I get lifetime Silver (first tier) status, on the other, lifetime Gold (second tier).  Both airlines bump up your lifetime status by one tier for each additional million miles you get.  So on the airline where I have Silver, I am about 300,000 short of my second million miles.  If I make that, I will get lifetime Gold.

 

And yes, benefits have eroded.  I have been an elite level FF since the early 90s.  And back then, it REALLY meant something.  Nowdays, not so much.  They tell you thanks for your loyalty, and that is about it.   And like the RCCL, the numbers are getting so high, that the chance of any perks is reduced.  Like have a lounge that only allows 20 people, and if you are not in the top money and status 20, you get nothing, not even the free drinks.

Edited December 31, 2018 by SRF

[SRF]

Based on comments people people on at least one of the ships in question, it seems that the change WAS communicated to passengers.  I saw comments from people cruising in November, that the change was communicated.

 

But that possibly some of them did not read the materials in the stateroom.

 

And due to a screwup, the card access was not changed.  So it is possible, a D+ used the lounge for several nights, before the concierge noticed.  And when they noticed, they properly informed them of the change.

 

I suspect, that this was done carefully and without rancor, but the D+ took it poorly.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[HBE4]

17 hours ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

And there is a lot more C & A passengers then there are suite passengers.

 

But the suite passengers are spending more.

[HBE4]

On 12/30/2018 at 12:08 AM, Milwaukee Eight said:

Your absolutely correct. If Royal pisses us off enough, we just take our money and go elsewhere or do something different. 

 

Because D+ now has access to only one lounge instead of two? How many people will flee and start over with another cruise line?

 

I bet not many, at least not enough to affect the bottom line.

[HBE4]

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

That applies to everyone.  And some of us cruise a whole lot every year. 

 

With every cruise, there is a whole bunch of people that move up from diamond to diamond plus.  So if someone that is already D+ vows to never sail Royal again b/c they lost access to one lounge, then you'll actually be helping them out.

 

The ships will continue to sail full.

[HBE4]

12 hours ago, robandana said:

These are all good reasons to keep cruising on Royal....not to mention the great conversations we have in the lounges with like minded cruisers.

 

I've found great conversations with like-minded cruises all over the ship, pool bar, hot tubs, MDR, Schooner bar, sitting in the theater (pre-show of course). 

 

Not sure why a special lounge is needed. Maybe daily meet-n-mingle would be a better solution.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

15 hours ago, Andy C said:

Premium paying passengers (I.e., first class, suites, etc...) are catered to above all - as it should be. RCI’s loyalty program as it relates to pinnacles cheats the suite paying passengers. They are operating under an old model. It’s good to see the wave of change coming. 

 

Loyalty is is important but it’s time for the airline model. Where you need to keep spending to stay in. This conferred status for life is a dead dog. The gravy train will soon be coming to a stop in favor of the big spenders. Au revoir!

You wanted to try other lines right.... why don't you move on? 🤔🙄

[Brit-Cruiser]

A lady on a social media group I belong to has contacted the Concierge on Serenade. He has emailed her back & states categorically that Serenade will NOT be following Rhapsody with this change. 

Seems a one ship thing at the moment. 

[Paulxyz2004]

The most funny thing in these type of threads is when the suite cruisers complain about the C&A members and their sense of entitlement when they themselves ome across as the most entitled ones.

[Milwaukee Eight]

18 hours ago, Andy C said:

Premium paying passengers (I.e., first class, suites, etc...) are catered to above all - as it should be. RCI’s loyalty program as it relates to pinnacles cheats the suite paying passengers. They are operating under an old model. It’s good to see the wave of change coming. 

 

Loyalty is is important but it’s time for the airline model. Where you need to keep spending to stay in. This conferred status for life is a dead dog. The gravy train will soon be coming to a stop in favor of the big spenders. Au revoir!

Glad you found your way here. 

 

I like Ike the new tagging function on CC. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

18 hours ago, grapau27 said:

The reason the number of D,D+ and Pinnacle are growing is because of the loyalty lounges.

Do away with them and you lose a very loyal high in number customer base.

Free booze. 

[Biker19]

19 hours ago, Biker19 said:

So, the Cliff Notes version: Rhapsody management turns the CL into an SL and actually enforces the rules, CC predictably erupts and 160+ posts later, things start to simmer down - have I got it right? 

So, 100 posts later, anything new?

[Milwaukee Eight]

18 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

I would argue strongly against that statement.  The lounges may be a part of the equation, but not the sole reason that members cruise RCI.  I suspect there are very, very few passengers that have ever said, "I'm going to take this Royal Caribbean Cruise so that some day I can get into the Diamond lounge!"  People continue to sale Royal Caribbean because they like the overall product.  Of all the things involved in a cruise, a tiny lounge is... well, a tiny portion of a cruise.  It's a nice perk, but people would certainly adjust if they simply had to gather in one of the MANY other lounges on any given ship.

 

I highly doubt that loyal RCI cruises would leave simply because the Diamond and Concierge lounges were done away with.  Sure some may leave out of spite or frustration, but my guess is that the number would be very low.  

 

I don't have ANY proof (or statistics) of these arguments (and neither do you), so we can go round and round about it but we'll never know until the lounges go away, which is my prediction.

 

Dan

I agree. It would have little impact on Royals bottom line. It had really no impact on the airlines and hotel chains when they tightened up their programs. Most programs are now geared to rewarding those based on $. Delta rewards those that fly in coach but also rewards based on $. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

18 hours ago, grapau27 said:

The reason the number of D,D+ and Pinnacle are growing is because of the loyalty lounges.

Do away with them and you lose a very loyal high in number customer base.

It’s too bad you feel this way. I was hoping to meet you some day on a Royal Cruise. 

[Iamcruzin]

18 hours ago, Andy C said:

Premium paying passengers (I.e., first class, suites, etc...) are catered to above all - as it should be. RCI’s loyalty program as it relates to pinnacles cheats the suite paying passengers. They are operating under an old model. It’s good to see the wave of change coming. 

 

Loyalty is is important but it’s time for the airline model. Where you need to keep spending to stay in. This conferred status for life is a dead dog. The gravy train will soon be coming to a stop in favor of the big spenders. Au revoir!

I have to agree that the model is old. The cruise line makes their profit margin with on board spending with beverages being one of the highest profit margins. Offering them free and unlimited to a growing population of cruisers is counter productive. The loyalty program should be based on ship spending. Catering to the experienced cruiser who only drink the free unlimited stuff book private excursions and don't purchase any of the other items offered on board cut down the profit margin.  I see these kind of threads on the other boards as well so it's an industry problem. If you are staying in a loyalty lounge for hours you are not spending money on the ship during that time period.  This isn't good for the bottom line.

Edited December 31, 2018 by Iamcruzin