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Bean Counters vs Diamonds


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15 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Not the least bit surprising. The C&A program is a wildly massive success... retaining more and more loyal cruisers now and into the future for years to come.

 

John, is there any way to find out on your current President's sailing how many total PNs, D+ and D's there are at this time?

 

They were posted on another site earlier today.

 

883 Diamond

948 Diamond +

268 Pinnacle

 

Top 3

2651

4747

8358 Super Mario on his 799th cruise

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17 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Not the least bit surprising. The C&A program is a wildly massive success... retaining more and more loyal cruisers now and into the future for years to come.

 

John, is there any way to find out on your current President's sailing how many total PNs, D+ and D's there are at this time?

 

800+ Diamond 

900+ Diamond plus

268 Pinnacles 

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Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

Sorry, that never gets reported

 

 

Too bad, it would be fascinating to see.

I remember numbers being "quoted" (from what source I don't know)  a few years back on this forum... I'd bet Diamonds are x10 from those numbers in just a few short years.

Edited by Hoopster95
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I am not Diamond with RCCL, but I have been in quite a few executive lounges in hotels. While the travel word seems to revolve around included alcohol, there are pros and cons. I wouldn't be mad with an alternate solution of having to be there between 5-7, limited in alcohol selection, and packed with a bunch of people trying to suck down as much as possible and bringing everyone they know. Getting 3 drinks of what I would have otherwise bought, now that sounds much more attractive.

 

They do have a problem on their hands. Regardless of how many people think "it doesn't cost them much" or "they will lose so much loyalty" this is a LOT of money to give endless alcohol to hundreds of people. It is also a lot of potential sales lost in a hot sector. If it were me, I would limit the lounge to D+ just from the numbers game. I would keep vouchers for D. It's just not going to continue as is for long.

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My take (a bit tongue in cheek):

1) Everyone accrues and sails on their own points. 

2) Spouse and children under 18 sailing with a parent have 'guest' privileges with highest status in immediate family group for the duration of that cruise.  If a lower tier spouse or child sail without the higher tier family member, tough... That's what ya get for not including them in the fun.

3) 'Loyalty lounge' proposed by someone earlier would host D+ and P, and allow diamonds only if the numbers worked on a given cruise. Otherwise continue the drink vouchers at 3 (or more) beverages for outside bars and restaurants.

4) Offer legitimate discount on DP that on some level compensates for the unused free benefits of the DL and voucher program.  

  

My take helps ease the diamond crunch by dropping inherited, unearned status. Also keeps this unearned D status from being passed along to the diamond child's future spouse. As has been said, possible to have 2 diamonds (or more if there are kids) with one childhood cruise between them that they cannot even remember. That always seemed like an overly generous loophole to me. Who can say they actually deserve that perk level with a straight face?  Also keeps any ex-spouses without the points from continuing to use the higher status of the person they kicked to the curb. And it would help if you could take those cruisers like me back off the DP buying fence (is it worth getting a package since I already have some level of booze access from my incredibly lofty status?). If I can get better drink offerings at any bar or restaurant with a Drink Package, I will  gladly take my pool towel off my reserved DL chair. May pop in briefly for some munchies, but won't be much nuisance to the hard-core regulars.

 

Now if RCI will just see the sense in my ideas, it will be a far better world. But I don't think I am high on their list of trusted advisors...

 

Doug

 

(Not to Status Drop, but for reference, I am D, approaching D+. - like millions of others)

  

Edited by Doug S
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1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

800+ Diamond 

900+ Diamond plus

268 Pinnacles 

Just WOW..

those number blow my mind..

 

I believe that Suite Lounge should ONLY be for people in a suite!

 

Pinnacles have reached their status from previous cruises(internal/balcony/suites)

 

I am paying for a Suite for this current cruise.

 

Is it fair for a Pinnacle (not in a suite for this cruise) to have access to the SL?

 

fire away!

😉

Craig

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5 hours ago, ILCTCRUISER said:

Though many of us have been on cruises with 1,000+ D, D+, and P, we've probably also been on cruises with small numbers.  On an Alaska cruise this past August (Radiance), there were 6 Ps and 66 D+ and I can't recall the number of D.  CL was never really full.   At almost any given time seats were open at the bar.  It's not a matter of creating a space large enough to accommodate everyone for cruises that draw large numbers of Ds, etc.  One doesn't plan capacity that way.  That's why RCL has used overflow areas:  to accommodate as many as it can when needed.  Frankly, they'll do what they want to do or what they calculate they can do w/o substantial pushback.  If it's not to one's liking, then one has options.

 

Of course the number of Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle is low on Alaskan Cruises as it would entail spending additional money. 

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8 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

No they want to squeeze into the lounge to receive unlimited drinks. 

NO, 'they' may enjoying the perk of a nice lounge, thinking Independence or Jewel. A few pre dinner snacks, and a couple of drinks before going into dinner. Plus sometimes enjoyable conversation with fellow passengers. We usually have two or at most three drinks, and then occasionally pick up a couple of bottles of water for our free 3 drinks. As someone else posted, earned one point at a time, one or two cruises a year. Its one of the reasons why we look at RC first, though we are also price and itinerary driven and obviously enjoy their product 

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14 minutes ago, NumnuT said:

Just WOW..

those number blow my mind..

 

I believe that Suite Lounge should ONLY be for people in a suite!

 

Pinnacles have reached their status from previous cruises(internal/balcony/suites)

 

I am paying for a Suite for this current cruise.

 

Is it fair for a Pinnacle (not in a suite for this cruise) to have access to the SL?

 

fire away!

😉

Craig

Not a Suite cruiser, but I could co-exist with the pineapples IF THEY COULD CO-EXIST WITH ME.  What would disturb me as a suite cruiser (having been sold on the suite benefits) would be feeling like the P's took over and dominated the lounge as a private group as has been reported. If I was made to feel like intruder in 'their' space I'd feel like my Suite value was diminished. Of course I'd love to sail in a suite and see first hand what the fuss is about... if only somebody would pay my way.

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7 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Graham 

 

I know your D+ and just how many points do you have?

 

Rory

Hi Rory.

Over 200 but we rarely go into the DL and use our 3 free drinks in 

Speciality Restaurants.

MTD.

VCL.

Champagne Bar etc.

We are Elite on Princess.

Mediterranean on P&O

so our 52 cruises have made us top and near top on other cruiselines.

The Free Drinks on RC are a massive USP against other lines.

Graham.

Edited by grapau27
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8 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

The concierge lounges were designed for suite passengers. At one point they opened to diamond plus (this was well before there was a pinnacle category). 
So when the concierge lounges are renamed a suite lounges it’s really no different from the initial concept. 

m

CL allowed Diamonds in originally.

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8 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

This should help... I think the Suite Lounge should just be that, the Suite Lounge. 
 

Make the CL the Pinnacle Lounge and everyone else 3 drinks on Sea Pass. 
 

In my opinion 

 

UNLESS the passenger has PAID to occupy a SUITE then they should have the choice between the Suite or Concierge lounges.

 

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I think most of you are overlooking the real story here

 

When numbers increase in each loyalty category, passengers suggest decreasing the benefits or altering scales, but the cruise line doesn't

 

There is a reason cruise lines have these loyalty programmes - THEY WORK

 

This whole thread proves they work

 

If I did not get Diamond Plus benefits I would go on other cruise lines, but I don't because I enjoy the benefits of my loyalty and so does the cruise line

 

 

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4 hours ago, crochetcruise said:

 

UNLESS the passenger has PAID to occupy a SUITE then they should have the choice between the Suite or Concierge lounges.

 

Of course a P in a full suite should have access to the Suite Lounge and of course any other lounge they would normally have access too. In my plan, that would be the renamed DL/CL, Pinnacle Lounge. 
 

In my opinion 

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6 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

 

Of course the number of Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle is low on Alaskan Cruises as it would entail spending additional money. 


 

It would also entail air travel for almost everyone. A lot of the Florida cruisers don’t even want to travel from Central Florida to South Florida.
 

We have sailed a longer Canada/New England cruise  , the Caribbean over spring break and summer (more expensive)  and have therefore enjoyed  cruises with relatively low numbers of loyalty passengers. On one cruise there were eight pinnacle members on another there were 12. You are right about Alaska, however we sailed Alaska in the early 2000,s well before the crown and anchor explosion.

M

 

 

 

 

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14 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

The concierge lounges were designed for suite passengers. At one point they opened to diamond plus (this was well before there was a pinnacle category). 
So when the concierge lounges are renamed a suite lounges it’s really no different from the initial concept. 

m

No, as Diamond we had Concierge Suite, over 20yrs ago. This before there was a Diamond Plus or Pinnacle. As Diamond Plus/Pinnacle I'm still able attend Concierge Lounge, as have for Decades and I'm in right now. Until they retire these ships I'll still use it

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1 hour ago, compman9 said:

I think most of you are overlooking the real story here

 

When numbers increase in each loyalty category, passengers suggest decreasing the benefits or altering scales, but the cruise line doesn't

 

There is a reason cruise lines have these loyalty programmes - THEY WORK

 

This whole thread proves they work

 

If I did not get Diamond Plus benefits I would go on other cruise lines, but I don't because I enjoy the benefits of my loyalty and so does the cruise line

 

 

Got that right. As Diamond Plus, always Cruising Solo I save thousands a yr. Lately been getting 1/3 cruises offering Military Discount, which use to be rare site... I Cruise now for less then half on a 10-12nite Cruise Balcony then what I paid 30+ yrs ago. In 1988 was $3800(total for 2) for a Deck 2 tiny Port Hole cabin on Sovereign. And that ship didnt have a single Balcony, even in the Suites

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1 hour ago, cruisegirl1 said:


 

It would also entail air travel for almost everyone. A lot of the Florida cruisers don’t even want to travel from Central Florida to South Florida.
 

We have sailed a longer Canada/New England cruise  , the Caribbean over spring break and summer (more expensive)  and have therefore enjoyed  cruises with relatively low numbers of loyalty passengers. On one cruise there were eight pinnacle members on another there were 12. You are right about Alaska, however we sailed Alaska in the early 2000,s well before the crown and anchor explosion.

M

 

 

 

 

20yrs ago there was at most 6-10 Diamonds on a Popular sailing on a new Ship. Wasn't any such thing as Diamond Plus or Pinnacle yet. Show's how Popular C&A and Cruising has become. Cost is factor also as cheaper Cruise now then yrs before. Also Royal was never a Family Cruise Line, didnt offer many 3/4 cabins, if they did most time cost was more for passenger #3 & #4. 

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RC is going to keep Crown and Anchor the way it currently is for 2020, per John (and Michael Bailey).  Royal doesn’t lose money on every passenger in the lounges.  I typically have one can of soda per night and a few apps.  I think Royal is wise to try to keep a passenger like me who sails 9 - 10 times per year by not “demoting” benefits that have already been granted.  
 

My experience only:  Sure there have been times that the lounges are crowded.  But, IMHO, Royal handles these situations well.  Katherine

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18 hours ago, bucknwanda said:

This is very interesting. On our last cruise this month the Diamond Lounge held 40 people on the Grandeur and there were over 800 Diamond, Diamond plus and Pinnacle members on board! I think the "get there first" response is unrealistic, How about you?

Bucknwanda

 

I always wait for "magic hour".   About 15 minutes after first seating traditional dining begins.  Seats clear out pretty well then.  😉 

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