Royal Caribbean passengers angry over key loyalty change todayheadline

Royal Caribbean arguably has the best loyalty program, at least at the higher levels, of any mainstream cruise line. Crown and Anchor Society members can earn very meaningful perks as they work their way up the system.

You become a member as soon as you board your first cruise. Passengers earn one point for every night they sail, two if they sail solo or in a suite, and three if they’re lucky enough to be sailing alone in a suite. 

Related: Royal Caribbean makes splash with return of popular activity pass

All American and Canadian cruisers are enrolled in the program automatically. It takes three points to reach Gold status, so nearly every passenger hits that level after a single cruise (there are very occasionally two-night cruises).

As a Gold member, you get some modest beverage discounts, but the perks keep improving as you move up status levels. Platinum members (30 points) add some coffee discounts and benefits, while the real perks kick in at Diamond (80 points).

Once you hit Diamond, you get four free drink coupons a day that can be used anywhere on the ship or at any Royal Caribbean private destination. Diamond members also get access to the Crown Lounge, a dedicated space on every Royal Caribbean ship just for top-tier loyalty program members.

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Royal Caribbean free drinks happened for a reason   

Before it began offering the free drink vouchers (they’re electronic and not actually physical coupons), the cruise line used to hold a Happy Hour in what was then called the Diamond Lounge (now the Crown Lounge) each night.

During that Happy Hour, drinks were unlimited for a couple of hours (usually 5-7 p.m.). The drink menu was bottom shelf, but it included beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Many Diamond-level and higher members would crowd the lounge to make sure they maximized the value of the Happy Hour period. 

When Covid hit and the cruise lines finally returned to operations, gathering a large group of people in a small space seemed like a bad idea. So, instead of holding an all-you-can-drink Happy Hour each night, the drink voucher system was created.

Many prefer this because they can use the drinks at any time of day in any bar on the ship (except for Starbucks kiosks). Non-drinkers can use them for fancy coffee drinks, milkshakes, or fresh juice.

The pandemic, however, also created another problem. Extra points and double points promotions increased the number of Diamond-level and higher Crown and Anchor Society members. That has sometimes forced Royal Caribbean to do something many Diamond-level Crown and Anchor members are not happy about.

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Royal Caribbean restricts Crown Lounge access

On select sailings, Royal Caribbean has notified Diamond-level members that their access to the Crown Lounge will be limited. They get a letter in their cabin that reads something like this:

“On sailings with a high number of top-tier members, the Crown Lounge will be reserved for Diamond Plus & Pinnacle Club members during the evening, with beverage service from 5 – 8 p.m. However, the lounge and its services will remain fully accessible to all Diamond and above members at all other times. This includes continental breakfast in the morning, snacks throughout the day, and entry during dedicated concierge service hours,” shared Royal Caribbean Blog, which is not affiliated with the cruise line.

This only happens on very limited sailings, but when it does, Facebook and Reddit groups devoted to the cruise line are flooded with angry comments from members who believe they should not be barred during the Happy Hour period.

The cruise line, of course, has done this to avoid crowding. It generally only happens on sailings like transatlantic voyages or others longer than a week, which tend to attract more older (and higher-level) passengers. 

This is a situation Royal Caribbean would like to avoid, and it’s testing an option by moving the Crown Lounge on the newly renovated Allure of the Seas to a larger space on a higher level. That move also allowed the existing lounge to become added space for the non-smoking casino.

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