Diamond status - confusion on vouchers regarding bottles of wine

[BrendaJ]

We are Diamond status due to reciprocity with Celebrity and are currently on the Harmony. The Crown and Anchor benefits sheet in our cabin stated that we can use a drink voucher for 40% off a bottle of wine in the dining room under $100, and 20% off bottles over $100. Last night in the dining room, I told the sommelier I would like to use one of my vouchers for our bottle of wine and selected the Malbec. He said fine and headed off. Then he came back and said the Malbec was not available until we were 12 miles from Texas, so I selected a Washington cabernet sauvignon. We enjoyed the cab and when our bus boy brought us the bill, we were charged full price for the wine. I told him we were applying one of our vouchers towards the wine and he said the vouchers could only be used for glasses of wine. That is not what it stated on the page in our cabin, but I shrugged and paid and figured I’d deal with it later.

 

Back in our cabin, I called guest relations and explained the situation. She wasn’t really sure what was up, but said she’d take care of it. She called back and said they would deal with it. This morning I checked our account and we were charged for the Malbec we didn’t even get, as well as the cab, with no discount. I spoke to the concierge in the Crown lounge this morning and she pulled out a benefits sheet different than what ours was, and she said she had been off for a while and would check. I went back later and she said she would take care of it, but there was confusion on just what the deal is with the vouchers regarding bottles of wine. One suggestion was that I would have to use all four of my vouchers to get 40% off so it really wouldn’t make much sense to use the vouchers in that way for a wine worth less than $100.

 

I was wondering if anyone had any experience in trying to use the vouchers for bottles of wine. It’s not really a big deal, but my paperwork clearly states that I could use one voucher for a 40% discount, and if that is not the case, they need to update their flyers.

[Chiliburn]

You might be better going to a bar next time. I have used a voucher 

[sgmn]

I've used a voucher a couple of times in specialty restaurants.  One vouchers for 40% off a bottle (under $100). 

It's been available for around a year so they should be aware of it by now. 

[leaveitallbehind]

I would continue to work with the Concierge on this.  The should be in the best position to resolve it.  For your reference here is the verbiage from the C & A benefits descriptor regarding the discounts for the bottles of wine by way of your vouchers:

 

6_Each day of the cruise, Diamond members receive four (4) complimentary drink vouchers, Diamond Plus members receive five (5) complimentary drink vouchers, and Pinnacle Club members receive six (6) complimentary vouchers up to $14 in value ($13 on Singapore sailings and $15 on Australia sailings). These vouchers can be used at any time and at any bar onboard or onshore at our private destinations. Drink vouchers may also be used toward a discount off the purchase of any bottle of wine — 20% off bottles over $100 and 40% off bottles under $100. Every time a drink voucher is redeemed, a zero-dollar ($0) receipt will be provided and must be signed.

 

Is it possible that you did not have any available vouchers left at the time of your purchase? If that were the case I would think they would adjust the charge to the next day.

Edited March 18 by leaveitallbehind

[BrendaJ]

22 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Is it possible that you did not have any available vouchers left at the time of your purchase? If that were the case I would think they would adjust the charge to the next day.

Nope. We had only used two vouchers that day.

[paross4]

We have used a diamond voucher for the 40% off a bottle under $100 as well.  No issues.  We did it at a bar though.  

[leaveitallbehind]

5 minutes ago, BrendaJ said:

Nope. We had only used two vouchers that day.

Then keep working with the Concierge.  In our experience they are usually the best shot with these things.  Hope you get it worked out.

[Sianli]

Diamond or Loyalty will help get this corrected. We have had to educate MDR staff before too. Specialty restaurants are used to this discount.

[nelblu]

You should have gone straight to the Loyalty Ambassador as they are responsible for the documentation in your cabin regarding any C&A on board benefits.

[island lady]

Could be a confusion in the wording.  I would have asked to have my Diamond "discount" on a bottle of wine applied.  The crewmembers term vouchers as such for drinks.  

 

[BrendaJ]

I’m glad to report all has been taken care of. I assume the Loyalty Ambassador worked her magic. We ordered another bottle of wine last night and there was no issue, so I suspect our waiter or assistant wasn’t aware the bottles could be used for wine, and then Guest Relations was confused about what I was requesting.

 

All is well. Thanks for your assistance, everyone.

[BrendaJ]

Oops, I mean, our assistant waiter wasn’t aware the vouchers could be used for 40% off a bottle of wine. All in all, that turned out to be a great use of our vouchers.

[Mim Lloyd]

We had a great cruise on Explorer last September .... except for trying to use our Diamond vouchers in the MDR. We also got charged full price for a bottle of wine despite saying twice that we wanted a voucher using. And every night without fail for the first 4 nights we'd order a drink each specifying that we wanted to use our Diamond benefits, and each time we found we'd been charged when we checked our onboard account. Every time the Diamond concierge sorted the refunds but it was annoying having to do it multiple times. After the fourth time we just got our Diamond drinks at a bar before going in to the MDR. I don't understand why the MDR is such a problem!

[link99]

This happened to us on Harmony last November on boarding day in Giovanni’s for lunch The waiter said I could not do it, I politely insisted he was wrong and asked for the Manager. The issue was taken care of by him

 

On Explorer last week In Dining room ordered a bottle with voucher. To his credit the Assistant Waiter said I need to check on this. He came back with our bottle and said all was good.

 

Not sure why it’s not more widely known by staff. 

 

 

[island lady]

11 hours ago, link99 said:

This happened to us on Harmony last November on boarding day in Giovanni’s for lunch The waiter said I could not do it, I politely insisted he was wrong and asked for the Manager. The issue was taken care of by him

 

On Explorer last week In Dining room ordered a bottle with voucher. To his credit the Assistant Waiter said I need to check on this. He came back with our bottle and said all was good.

 

Not sure why it’s not more widely known by staff. 

 

 

 

The confusion for the staff, as I mentioned before...is in the wording.  

 

If pax explain they are getting a C&A percentage discount on the bottle of wine, they can understand that.   But asking for a bottle of wine using your voucher...is where the problem is.  

 

Vouchers are individual for individual drinks.  Tier levels at 4 (D) 5 (D+) 6 (Pinnacle) per person per day.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27 by island lady

[link99]

This was in our room last week. It lists the most commonly used benefits. At the bottom is a QR code to take you to a list of ALL benefits. The bottle of Wine discount is not prominently displayed or widely advertised. Page two in section 6 shows the additional discount. You have to know about it or go look for it. I have yet to have one staff person tell me about its availability.

 

I find this benefit just as valuable as the individual drink vouchers. It lowers your cost of a bottle of wine to what you might pay for in a land-based restaurant.

Edited March 27 by link99
Changed Upload to picture from PDF

[Another_Critic]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

Vouchers are individual for individual drinks.  

Except when they're used toward a bottle of wine.  😄

[George C]

There are weird rules sailing from Galveston, but rccl allows you to bring on two bottles of wine so that solves the problem of ordering within 12 miles. We bring on two bottles for first two nights then buy wine at 40 percent off the other 5 , at diamond plus no coupons are needed.

[Another_Critic]

6 minutes ago, George C said:

There are weird rules sailing from Galveston, but rccl allows you to bring on two bottles of wine ...

To clarify:  One bottle per person of drinking age.

[Another_Critic]

7 minutes ago, George C said:

... then buy wine at 40 percent off the other 5 , at diamond plus no coupons are needed.

To clarify:  Vouchers are needed unless you have the Dining Package.

[George C]

7 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

To clarify:  Vouchers are needed unless you have the Dining Package.

No vouchers if you are diamond plus.

[Another_Critic]

8 minutes ago, George C said:

No vouchers if you are diamond plus.

Not arguing, but you are the exception to the rule.  I thought I've read that you always buy a dining package.

 

Drink vouchers may also be used toward a discount off the purchase of any bottle of wine — 20% off bottles over $100 and 40% off bottles under $100.

[little britain]

1 hour ago, George C said:

No vouchers if you are diamond plus.

Yes of course you need vouchers, as you “redeem” one of the vouchers to get the discount off the bottle of wine! 
An Emerald member, with no vouchers, couldn’t do this! 

[island lady]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Except when they're used toward a bottle of wine.  😄

 

Shhhh...don't tell anyone.  😉   

 

On Odyssey, the bartender at Giovanni's wine bar taught me that trick, but he swore me to secrecy, due to not really being allowed to do that.  He charged me 5 vouchers for a bottle of Kim Crawford SB that they normally get the usual 5 servings out of.  🤭  He knew I wanted to have an extra bottle in the cabin.  

[little britain]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

Shhhh...don't tell anyone.  😉   

 

On Odyssey, the bartender at Giovanni's wine bar taught me that trick, but he swore me to secrecy, due to not really being allowed to do that.  He charged me 5 vouchers for a bottle of Kim Crawford SB that they normally get the usual 5 servings out of.  🤭  He knew I wanted to have an extra bottle in the cabin.  

The bartenders at Vintages on Brilliance did the same 🤫🤐