Why Defend RCCL

On Apr 3, 12:21*pm, "Tom K" wrote:


But what if the Concierge was the person who had access to booking golf Tee
Times at the Private Courses in Bermdua? *If I lose that... not sure if the
regular registration desk can do the same thing... While it may not be a
reason to dump a cruise, it was a significant perk that made me happy on an
ininerary that sucked (2 days at the Wharf) because it enabled me to make
the best use of my time in Bermuda.


Well that then would be a big difference ... So maybe that perk would
be important enough for you ... I think that's a special case though
as 90-99 % or more of those cruising wouldn't use that ...

On Apr 3, 12:37*pm, D Ball wrote:
It's not reasonable for "almost Diamond" or "almost
Platinum" frequent cruisers to expect to receive perks they haven't
yet earned.

Indeed. Let's say the concierge had allowed George's almost-Diamond
in. And let's
say that the concierge did the same for a few others, and now the
lounge is full.

Now, along comes Joe Shmoe and his wife who are actually entitled to
the lounge.

Concierge to Joe: "I'm terribly sorry, but the lounge is filled to
capacity."

Joe Shmoe: "But I'm Diamond-Plus"

Concierge: "Yes, but it's a bit overcrowed. Perhaps you can return in
half an hour?"

Was it reasonable to Joe that the "almost Diamonds" were allowed in?


Warren

On Apr 3, 2:37�pm, Warren wrote:
On Apr 3, 12:37�pm, D Ball wrote:

It's not reasonable for "almost Diamond" or "almost
Platinum" frequent cruisers to expect to receive perks they haven't
yet earned.

Indeed. Let's say the concierge had allowed George's almost-Diamond
in. And let's
say that the concierge did the same for a few others, and now the
lounge is full.

Now, along comes Joe Shmoe and his wife who are actually entitled to
the lounge.

Concierge to Joe: "I'm terribly sorry, but the lounge is filled to
capacity."

Joe Shmoe: "But I'm Diamond-Plus"

Concierge: "Yes, but it's a bit overcrowed. Perhaps you can return in
half an hour?"

Was it reasonable to Joe that the "almost Diamonds" were allowed in?

Warren

EXACTLY
No other cruise line had this nice perk .... but really it was so
crowded I could not stand going there any more...

In article
,
Susette wrote:

EXACTLY
No other cruise line had this nice perk .... but really it was so
crowded I could not stand going there any more...

It was not crowded on the Explorer of the Seas five day sailing out of
Bayonne. I heard though they had to open an overflow lounge on the many
Explorer nine day sailings. I think though the problem was they made it
too easy to become a member. Some could take a bunch of cheap three day
sailings and others can get three credits for one sailing.

--
Charles

We have taken several RCCL 10 night and 11 night cruises B2B with a total of
2 C&A points credits for 3 weeks cruise time .
Now that we have reached diamond (a couple of cruises ago) and thoroughly
enjoyed the concierge lounge they are taking that 'priviledge' away.
How fair is it to give diamond plus priviledges to a family group of 20 or
so when only 1 or 2 members have 'earned' it?
We now have an October cruise planned, paid the deposit and were willing to
pay more per day for the use of the lounge than on less expensive cruise
lines.
This will likely be our last RCCL cruise unless the powers that be
reconsider their position.


"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article
,
Susette wrote:

EXACTLY
No other cruise line had this nice perk .... but really it was so
crowded I could not stand going there any more...

It was not crowded on the Explorer of the Seas five day sailing out of
Bayonne. I heard though they had to open an overflow lounge on the many
Explorer nine day sailings. I think though the problem was they made it
too easy to become a member. Some could take a bunch of cheap three day
sailings and others can get three credits for one sailing.

--
Charles

In article , Tom K
wrote:

But what if the Concierge was the person who had access to booking golf Tee
Times at the Private Courses in Bermdua? If I lose that... not sure if the
regular registration desk can do the same thing... While it may not be a
reason to dump a cruise, it was a significant perk that made me happy on an
ininerary that sucked (2 days at the Wharf) because it enabled me to make
the best use of my time in Bermuda.

I would guess that the shore excursion desk or the pursers can do it.
Or they call the concierge and have them do it. I doubt a passenger has
to have access to the concierge lounge to book the private golf courses
through the ship.

--
Charles

I called the RCCL Crown and Anchor number today. The person I spoke to said
they thought that the response to taking away Concierge lounge access to
Diamond level members might be unpopular, but then had no idea that it would
be THIS unpopular.

She recommended everyone write to the Crown and Anchor e-mail address and
voice your feelings:

She said that e-mailing is better than calling, and that:

a) they're listening to all the complaints.

but also...

b) they're listening to all the suggestions. And they've had some very good
ones, including dropping the Diamond+ to something like 15-17 sailings, and
building additional lounges on the ships.

I relayed to her a story about a pharmaceutical drug that I worked on a
number of years ago.. it was a drug that nobody in the company really ever
believed in, they never thought it would work, or get approved, so
management never wanted to spend any money on it. All of a sudden it showed
really good efficacy, and got approved... and since we never spent any money
on it, we had no place to make it. An executive with a big consulting
company we were using at the time stood up and said to the CEO "You guys pay
the R&D people a lot of money to be successful... What did you think would
happen if they were?"

It's the same thing here with RCI... they created a program to be
successful... What did they think would happen if it WAS successful? To me
the answer to the problem is simple. Build more lounges. Add a diamond
lounge to each ship. Every ship I've ever been on has had wasted space,
whether it was a conference center or something like that. Convert one of
those areas.

So e-mail them. Let them know your feelings. And give them suggestions.
Offer solutions. One of us might come up with a better solution than they
would on their own.

--Tom

"Tom K" wrote

It's the same thing here with RCI... they created a program to be
successful... What did they think would happen if it WAS successful? To
me the answer to the problem is simple. Build more lounges.

The answer is simpler than that. Just don't allow anyone but Diamond of
Diamond Plus members into the lounge. No guests, friends or family, no
exceptions. Put a greeter at the door with a card reader and if you don't
have a card, you don't get in. Period.

How could anyone complain about that? You are either entitled to the
benefit... or you are not.


--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com

Cruise Specials Weblog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/

May 10, 2009 ALASKA http://www.cruisemaster.com/moagc4.htm
January 10, 2009 Southern Caribbean
http://www.cruisemaster.com/caribprin.htm
October 16, 2010 OASIS http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com

"George Leppla" wrote in message
...

"Tom K" wrote

It's the same thing here with RCI... they created a program to be
successful... What did they think would happen if it WAS successful? To
me the answer to the problem is simple. Build more lounges.

The answer is simpler than that. Just don't allow anyone but Diamond of
Diamond Plus members into the lounge. No guests, friends or family, no
exceptions. Put a greeter at the door with a card reader and if you don't
have a card, you don't get in. Period.

How could anyone complain about that? You are either entitled to the
benefit... or you are not.



So if husband is diamond, but wife is not... she shouldn't be allowed in
with her husband?

Both options obviously work.

Then the question is... Do you design the plan to be restrictive, or do you
design the plan to have more people participate... recognizing the objective
is to grow the business?

--Tom

On Apr 4, 1:01*pm, "Tom K" wrote:


Then the question is... Do you design the plan to be restrictive, or do you
design the plan to have more people participate... recognizing the objective
is to grow the business?


The answer obviously is both ... make it exclusive ... so it has
value ... but then as you expand those entitled ... increase the
availability ... but add something additional to higher levels ...