Diamond to Pinnacle: Drink vouchers time change 5am to 4:59am

[Biker19]

10 minutes ago, Florida Fan said:

Is this true, even without a Drink Package?

Think of the perk as a 5 drink drink package except you can't use it at Bionic bar (and maybe the Rising Tide bar) - anything you can get with a drink package you can get with your perk package.

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

2 hours ago, MedalDog said:

We used to be able to have a good night drinking -- four drinks before midnight, four drinks after midnight.  Then we would probably not drink too much the next day.  Rinse and repeat.

 

Now a good drinking night will be limited to four free drinks.  

 

Less than cool.

 

1 hour ago, dada2199cc said:

 

I'm Diamond Plus + Prime so the drink package works really well for me -- but I think offering a credit to D/D+/P towards a package actually makes sense, for those who want it.

 

Would be bad for me since 5 drinks per day doesn't work and I'm not in the casino that much at all -- a premium 'decaf' product in the morning and a premium 'decaf' product at dinner are 2 already, plus a cocktail at the beach/pool and one cocktail at dinner and perhaps a cocktail after dinner = 5.  The Prime free booze only matters if/when I'm in the casino which is rare since I only aim for prime once a year and that's about it.

I normally buy the soda package to back up my 5 D+ drinks and buy an odd extra drink.

 

I agree...I wish tbey would either give us a discount from a package ($13 x 5 = $65) or offer the 10 drinks card permantly

[BND]

17 minutes ago, Florida Fan said:

I'm Diamond+, but haven't sailed for a few years. Always used the vouchers for drinks, but it sounds like I can use them for a cappuccino, water, or juice too. Is this true, even without a Drink Package?  Since the Lounge is off-limits to me now, this seems only fair.

Why is the lounge off-limits to you?  You still have the DL to use but you have to use vouchers (in the CL had to use vouchers also).  Yes, you can use your free drink vouchers for anything up to $14.

[Florida Fan]

I got confused about the Concierge Lounge being closed to D+. I thought all Lounges were being closed, but now I see the Diamond Lounge will still be open to us. Thanks everyone for the helpful info.

[dada2199cc]

24 minutes ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

 

I normally buy the soda package to back up my 5 D+ drinks and buy an odd extra drink.

 

I agree...I wish tbey would either give us a discount from a package ($13 x 5 = $65) or offer the 10 drinks card permantly

I would buy a 10 drink card for sure, if it was always available.

 

And that’s me with 5 D+ drinks plus free Prime casino drinks.  So they’re losing cash by not offering it.

I can’t imagine ever buying a drink package, tho. 
 

[MrMarc]

Actually you loose vouchers for the first and last day.  I understand the need for cutbacks, but don't try to convince me you are doing me a favor.

[dada2199cc]

7 minutes ago, MrMarc said:

Actually you loose vouchers for the first and last day.  I understand the need for cutbacks, but don't try to convince me you are doing me a favor.

I’ve run a bunch of permutations and combinations in a spreadsheet and it’s definitely true but it’s edge participants who are affected. 
 

I would guess that 90% of voucher users won’t see more than 1 drink lost per person over any length of cruise, and 10% are likely losing one day worth of drinks, maximum.

 

There’s no math (that I could estimate) where a person loses more than 1 day count of vouchers.

 

It’s still better than the old DL “drink as much as you can in 3 hours” nonsense.  I detested those people.

[nelblu]

40 minutes ago, Florida Fan said:

I got confused about the Concierge Lounge being closed to D+. I thought all Lounges were being closed, but now I see the Diamond Lounge will still be open to us. Thanks everyone for the helpful info.

I got my infusion of decaf cappuccino in the DL daily.  don't waste a coupon on coffee😄

[nolimits]

So 5 coupons for D+ and Prime in casino 

for info if prime and not gambling you can still get drinks. I grab one while walking through at times. Also if my 5 ran out and it was late not gambling We just sit at Casino bar, After first night bartenders know that I tip and spend enough time there when gambling 

 

[Eastern flygirl]

Yes, but the last day, the DL coffee machine is closed for cleaning.  If you want a special coffee, you need to use a voucher that is not available the last day. I don’t abuse the program, only two or three drinks a day, but I do want my coffee before leaving the ship.  I was not happy this morning on Mariner when I was not able to use a voucher without notice.

 

[nelblu]

23 minutes ago, MrMarc said:

Actually you loose vouchers for the first and last day.  I understand the need for cutbacks, but don't try to convince me you are doing me a favor.

Your math escapes me.  If I understand it correctly, you still get either 4-6 drinks over a 24-hour period.  The last day, when the new system was introduced, I was advised that it did not include the partial day of debarkation.  Now you have till 5 AM which is a slight improvement.

Edited December 15, 2022 by nelblu

[meadowlander]

11 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Your math escapes me.  If I understand it correctly, you still get either 4-6 drinks over a 24-hour period.  The last day, when the new system was introduced, I was advised that it did not include the partial day of debarkation.  Now you have till 5 AM which is a slight improvement.

Boarding day, vouchers cannot be used until 5 pm as opposed to pre noon. Departure day, I was able to use my voucher for coffee while waiting for my tag to be called.  Still get 4-6 drinks within 24 hours, that has not changed just the begin & end time which is not an enhancement of the benefit.

[Eastern flygirl]

5AM won’t cut it.  Speciality coffee is not available until at least 6PM

[Ocean Boy]

4 hours ago, asilde said:

Not great change...I often wait until  midnight for my next day vouchers...I share sometimes...lol. What bar is open at 5:00 am

I agree. Especially on the last night of the cruise you could use up your vouchers and at midnight you got another set to use. Now on the last night when you use up your vouchers you are done.

 

I don't see this as a positive change at all.

[Cigar King]

2 hours ago, Florida Fan said:

Always used the vouchers for drinks, but it sounds like I can use them for a cappuccino, water, or juice too. Is this true, even without a Drink Package?

This has always been the case.

[Tatka]

1 hour ago, meadowlander said:

Boarding day, vouchers cannot be used until 5 pm as opposed to pre noon. Departure day, I was able to use my voucher for coffee while waiting for my tag to be called.  Still get 4-6 drinks within 24 hours, that has not changed just the begin & end time which is not an enhancement of the benefit.

 

This is not true. Day starts at 5 AM and ends at 4:59AM next day.

Where did 5 PM came from?

[Tatka]

1 hour ago, MrMarc said:

Actually you loose vouchers for the first and last day.  I understand the need for cutbacks, but don't try to convince me you are doing me a favor.

 

You do not loose anything for the first day.

[Ocean Boy]

4 hours ago, dada2199cc said:

 

 

Either way, it only affects 1 night.

No, it also affects the last night. At midnight you don't get another set of vouchers. Whether or not you will get them at 5AM the last morning before getting off the ship remains to be seen but that is hardly prime drinking time.

[Ocean Boy]

4 hours ago, mo&fran said:

If you are on a 7 day  cruise, you get 7 days of vouchers.  Boarding day is day 1, so the last day is day 7, which ends at midnight.  If  the voucher resets at midnight, and you get more drinks, then you are getting 8 days of drinks.

 This ends that.

 

Yes, it does end that. So how is this an improvement? RCI really thinks its customers are intellectually on par with their IT employees.

[Wineaux007]

4 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

No, it also affects the last night. At midnight you don't get another set of vouchers. Whether or not you will get them at 5AM the last morning before getting off the ship remains to be seen but that is hardly prime drinking time.

As Shakespeare would say, this is all "much ado about nothing" for 99% of those using the vouchers.

[Ocean Boy]

10 minutes ago, Wineaux007 said:

As Shakespeare would say, this is all "much ado about nothing" for 99% of those using the vouchers.

And I probably wouldn't even care if RCI didn't try to make every cutback or new charge or increase charge out to be an enhancement of our cruise experience.

[taglovestocruise]

5 hours ago, little britain said:

Just trying to work out if you still can get away with them being valid on disembarking day or if you’re b2b ( when you can double up on the day)?   I don’t think so? 
 

 

However, I did have an issue on my last cruise when 5 people around the bar agreed with me that it was 11.55p when the barman’s till insisted it was gone midnight therefore it was new voucher allowance time!  
So many iPhones 📱 with the wrong time! Who knew 🤷‍♀️

It happened to us twice last month on a Quantum 10 night cruise. Headed to the pub after the late night comedy show. got there a few minutes before 12 and ordered drinks, after getting back to the cabin we saw we had been dinged for the drinks after 12pm. Went to GS both times and they were erased and had a new blank slate with 5 available.   

[taglovestocruise]

5 hours ago, mo&fran said:

If you are on a 7 day  cruise, you get 7 days of vouchers.  Boarding day is day 1, so the last day is day 7, which ends at midnight.  If  the voucher resets at midnight, and you get more drinks, then you are getting 8 days of drinks.

 This ends that.

Wife always gets her OJ last morning and I have never had a problem getting a Bloody Mary in the Windjammer the last morning.  That is day eight and that ends that. 

Now with the new system the 5am reset will probably not happen on debarkation morning. 

Edited December 16, 2022 by taglovestocruise

[Morecruisesplz]

Tip your fav bartender generously and go back to him/her each you get a drink. On our cruise a week or so ago we rarely got a receipt printed unless a supervisor was present. Place cash tip on bar to be seen as you order. Bartenders are hurting since the 18% auto has been removed. But this was our practice for years. Friendly bartenders are easy to find. 

[Morecruisesplz]

46 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

And I probably wouldn't even care if RCI didn't try to make every cutback or new charge or increase charge out to be an enhancement of our cruise experience.

Where have you been, Doc. Cruising?