Guest in Lounges

[Ret MP]

8 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

And we can see how old that part of the website is.  RC is very very very slow to update.  There hasn't been an "exclusive nightly diamond event" in years, and every ship in the fleet has a Diamond Lounge.

 

That is their current policy.  I don't know if EVERY ship has a diamond lounge or not, I just don't know and don't care.  I won't argue the efficiency of Royal's IT, it's bad.  However, if one event doesn't apply, it doesn't apply, it doesn't necessarily effect anything else.  The challenge is for you to find where Royal has changed the policy that I copied and pasted.  Can "Friends or Family" be an invited guest into the Diamond Lounge or not, that is the question.  Based upon what I've been able to find, they can't.  If you can find a more recent update to the policy that I pasted, I'd be happy and appreciative to see it.

 

What I do care about is that I believe that a person should earn a benefit in order to use the benefit that I earned.  

[Ret MP]

6 minutes ago, cured said:

Interesting photo.  The letter's grammar is atrocious with no letterhead or any kind of company markings, just a piece of paper from a typewriter.

Or date!  Looks like it is from the 1940s.  😁

[topnole]

1 hour ago, yogimax said:

Exceptions???

 

On what basis?

The concierge’s discretion.  The concierges as well as other workers make exceptions on all kinds of things on every cruise.  I’ve read lots of posts about diamond bogo being used under conditions beyond what is printed (ex bogo specialty restaurant on day 1 or 2 being used on day 5).  
 

Surprised this is a big deal now anyhow.  With the free drink vouchers the lounges are empty compared to the unlimited happy hour days.  

[topnole]

20 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Or date!  Looks like it is from the 1940s.  😁

Like a WW2 top secret letter.  

[Merion_Mom]

35 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

That is their current policy.  I don't know if EVERY ship has a diamond lounge or not, I just don't know and don't care.  I won't argue the efficiency of Royal's IT, it's bad.  However, if one event doesn't apply, it doesn't apply, it doesn't necessarily effect anything else.  The challenge is for you to find where Royal has changed the policy that I copied and pasted.  Can "Friends or Family" be an invited guest into the Diamond Lounge or not, that is the question.  Based upon what I've been able to find, they can't.  If you can find a more recent update to the policy that I pasted, I'd be happy and appreciative to see it.

 

What I do care about is that I believe that a person should earn a benefit in order to use the benefit that I earned.  

 

Well, I *do* know, that's the reason that I posted.  🙂 

 

The truly important/applicable thing is the letter that we get in our cabins.  ALL of those letters state "no guests."

[Ret MP]

Okay, so we agree.  What are we discussing here.  I posted that it is against the policy and you have some type of objection about it and now you state what I copied and pasted is correct.  I just don't understand!  Unless your only point is that the document is old and not 100% up to date.  Fine, we agree there too.  But, the policy that is in question in this thread and posted in the outdated document is still correct.

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

Okay, so we agree.  What are we discussing here.  I posted that it is against the policy and you have some type of objection about it and now you state what I copied and pasted is correct.  I just don't understand!  Unless your only point is that the document is old and not 100% up to date.  Fine, we agree there too.  But, the policy that is in question in this thread and posted in the outdated document is still correct.

 

I was merely taking the opportunity to point out RC's usual stellar IT performance.  🙂 

[Ret MP]

6 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I was merely taking the opportunity to point out RC's usual stellar IT performance.  🙂 

Well then, we are on the same sheet of music!

[wolfcathorse]

5 hours ago, orville99 said:

True, you are only allowed one SO in the relationship, 

not unless you hang a pineapple upside down on your door

[SRF]

18 hours ago, lazydayz said:

I thought it was more than sharing an address, like you had to be married, a significant other, parent or guardian of a minor, in order to share status.   

 

How can they tell?  Do you have a significant other card??? 😄

 

This is a huge hole in the system.  We are cruising shortly with a couple that has never cruised before.  We COULD have unlinked my GF and and linked to each others partner and made them Diamond.

[SRF]

15 hours ago, cured said:

Interesting photo.  The letter's grammar is atrocious with no letterhead or any kind of company markings, just a piece of paper from a typewriter.

 

Remember, the Concierges are crew, and many crew are not native English speakers.

[Another_Critic]

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

This is a huge hole in the system.  We are cruising shortly with a couple that has never cruised before.  We COULD have unlinked my GF and and linked to each others partner and made them Diamond.

IIRC, once you unlink, your status is supposed to drop to your point level (other than kids that inherited their status from parent(s)).  Otherwise, you could "transfer" your status to a different SO every month.

[Another_Critic]

19 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

Diamond is an "earned" status, based on number of nights on a ship.  Guests wanting to share a Diamond benefit needs to book lots of cruises.  

But it's not always earned.  SOs and kids don't necessarily earn the status but get the status/benefits.

 

I know that's the rules, but is an inherited status any more "legit" than a cabin mate sharing your status for the sailing?

[mscinmia]

20 hours ago, brillohead said:

This looks like it was from a decade ago (written on a typewriter, not a computer printer?)!

I'm on Oasis right now and the letter from the Diamond Concierge explicitly states that people who are not Diamond are NOT allowed in the lounge.  On Symphony last week, the letter said the same exact thing.  And on Explorer the week before that, the letter said the same exact thing.

All of those extra keys are for minors.  Adult keys do not have the "family" in the backround.

[beachnag]

again this is earned, that being said my cruise in October had one person was diamond and he had 6 other people with him,  if one of them left he would give them his pass to  get back in. when other diamond members  and above came in  no where to sit!!!

[island lady]

22 hours ago, orville99 said:

Under what circumstances? It looks from the letter from the concierge that there was some significant underlying reason. A bit of clarification would help, otherwise your experience may have no bearing on the OP's question.

 

This is the game show..."Who can spot the fake"?  😉 

[orville99]

10 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

This is the game show..."Who can spot the fake"?  😉 

It was too easy...I just left it alone for someone else to figure it out...

[Ret MP]

3 hours ago, SRF said:

 

Remember, the Concierges are crew, and many crew are not native English speakers.

Very true.  However, I would think that Royal's policy would be that any written communications between any level of crew and guests has to be within a certain level of proficiency.  This letter doesn't seem to be above the 4th or 5th grade level or minimal competency in the English language.  I vote that it is a complete fake or unauthorized! 

 

I speak a little of 3 or 4 languages!  In no way would I try to communicate in writing in any of those languages, officially or not.  Hell, I have enough of a problem with English.  I never, pre-retirement, released a written communication without it being reviewed by a very competent secretary or other trusted and proficient writer.  

Edited November 10, 2022 by Ret MP

[Ret MP]

21 hours ago, Ret MP said:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/crown-and-anchor-society-benefit-grid.pdf

 

4 Diamond Lounge is an exclusive benefit for only Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members and cannot be extended to include friends and family. On ships where a Diamond Lounge is available there will be no Exclusive Nightly Diamond Event or complimentary Specialty coffees available in the dining room. The Diamond Lounge is designated as a smoke-free area. We respectfully request that guests observe a Smart Casual dress code when visiting the Lounge (no swim or pool attire is allowed, footwear is required at all times). Guests younger than 21 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Guests and friends of Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members are not allowed into the Diamond Lounge.

I did not highlight the last sentence in the first cut and paste.

[Ret MP]

JUST and FYI:

 

I've tried to do a deep dive into this subject and I found that the Australian Royal Caribbean Website does say that Crown & Anchor status is shared with SO and Children.  But, that has nothing to do with U.S. based sailings.

 

Also, another cruise blog/social media site unequivocally states that Crown & Anchor status is shared with "Family Members".  However, no link to an official source and it's not the first time the administrator or his surrogates has been wrong, but that's not to say, for sure, that he/they are/were wrong with this, I just can't find official documentation that backs him up. 

 

U.S. Royal Caribbean based website, that I have found, so far, all state that Friends and Family can not enter the lounge if they haven't earned the benefit (exceptions apply, I guess).  

 

Disclaimer:  I'm only voicing/writing the results of official sources that I have found.  There may be exceptions or more updated official sources.  But, I haven't found them, YET.  

 

P.S. I earned Diamond Status on November 3rd and it officially showed up in the Crown & Anchor Site this morning.

[lazydayz]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

How can they tell?  Do you have a significant other card??? 😄

 

This is a huge hole in the system.  We are cruising shortly with a couple that has never cruised before.  We COULD have unlinked my GF and and linked to each others partner and made them Diamond.

I agree, and wish it were like Carnival in this instance.  On Carnival, you have to earn your own points, period.  No sharing.  

[Ret MP]

Just now, lazydayz said:

I agree, and wish it were like Carnival in this instance.  On Carnival, you have to earn your own points, period.  No sharing.  

And that's what it is on Royal, too.  At least on their official documentation.  Which I like!

[orville99]

23 hours ago, lazydayz said:

 

My husband is my SO so I don't think I can add anyone else.  

You could always trade up...😇

[Joseph2017China]

2 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

But it's not always earned.  SOs and kids don't necessarily earn the status but get the status/benefits.

 

I know that's the rules, but is an inherited status any more "legit" than a cabin mate sharing your status for the sailing?

Yes it is earned if you are a child of the parent.  Once they get 18, they are no longer attached.  So, they have their own number of nights, and they must get their own nights until they reach next tier.  Same thing with a spouse.  They are together (married). 

 

The poster clearly is talking about guests, friends, which are not related.  Someone going with them to have fun.  Those people need to earn the right to Diamond and above.  I earned the right and I never ask or try to bring guests.  That goes the same for any other item that I earned with loyalty.  

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

Yes it is earned if you are a child of the parent.   

 

Same thing with a spouse.  They are together (married). 

This is not a challenge!!!!  Just a request for Official Documentation that states so.