Diamond Lounge?

[Pooch]

On Harmony?  We’ll be Diamond by our May cruise so I’ve never paid attention to DLs before.  Is there one on Harmony & why might I want to go there?

[OCSC Mike]

26 minutes ago, Pooch said:

On Harmony?  We’ll be Diamond by our May cruise so I’ve never paid attention to DLs before.  Is there one on Harmony & why might I want to go there?

Yes, it's in "the basement" on deck 4.

You might want free cappuccino, espresso, lattes, etc. from the complementary coffee machine.

You might want to check out the snacks during the nightly 3 hour happy hour.

You might want to grab pastries and whatever else they put out during breakfast hours although you can find them elsewhere.

You might want to be in a room with no windows.

You might want to see the Diamond concierge about something.

There's nothing wrong with it; it's just in a crappy location compared to say Freedom class that still has the DL in the Viking Crown.

Edited August 7, 2022 by OCSC Mike

[twangster]

Most of the time the DL sits empty all day long so I can see why Royal wouldn't want prime real estate being consumed for an empty room.  Much of the year happy hour includes hours it's dark outside so I always fail to understand why people think a DL with panoramic views is so important.  Yep, it's dark outside and you can't sea anything.  

Oasis class doesn't have many places for a lounge with views to the sea.  The original Oasis class DL's overlooked the promenade but they were too small for the growing numbers so they closed those and moved the DL down to deck 4 near where the comedy club and entrance to Studio B is located.  The exception is Allure that still has a two level DL overlooking the boardwalk.  On Harmony that is where Wonderland is located.  Once Allure is amped it is anticipated her DL will move to the standard deck 4 location.  

[Pooch]

So sounds like I’m glad my 4 free drinks are on my card.

[OCSC Mike]

11 minutes ago, twangster said:

Much of the year happy hour includes hours it's dark outside so I always fail to understand why people think a DL with panoramic views is so important.  Yep, it's dark outside and you can't sea anything.  

I only cruise in the summer and it's plenty light out when happy hour starts and stays that way until after I leave. Maybe if I cruised in the winter I would feel differently.

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, Pooch said:

So sounds like I’m glad my 4 free drinks are on my card.

Yes, there's no alcohol-related reason to go there whatsoever.

[twangster]

If you are a social person then the DL can be a fun place to meet other cruisers you have sailed with before.  

Here is the original Oasis class DL:

 

The new Oasis DL on deck four was documented in this trip report:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/17015-an-amplified-agglomeration-of-oasis-pictures-post-amplification/&do=findComment&comment=176041

Very similar to other Oasis class deck 4 DL's.

[Pooch]

I dunno, you ran after 5 minutes!!!

[Pattycruise]

I believe it is Oasis that has a computer for passenger use in the DL (well, after you input your VOOM code. ).   
I enjoy the lounge to get some quiet time, yet it’s also an opportunity to meet people.

[Swar]

I like the Diamond lounges in general. I really like the views from the Freedom class ships in particular. Rarely went to the Wonder DL. Too small, too crowded, buried with no windows.

[PurdueFlyer]

I enjoy it for the morning light fare.  

otherwise, the Oasis diamond lounge was about as exciting as a conference room at an airport Hilton.  

[Jill]

We never use them, especially oasis class. No one is ever in there. We did use the one on Mariner (sectioned off portion of Viking crown) and actually enjoyed it. That was pre-Covid. Used the concierge for something I can’t remember, he was great! 
 

We’re on odyssey in October out of Rome. 1st time on a quantum class. I don’t even know where the DL is but we will go find it and check it out. May use that concierge to book iFly and maybe our specialty dining 

[CrznTxn]

The DL on early restart trips during the Fall and Spring sailings was fairly crowded as a lot of the folks on those cruises were loyal, higher tier cruisers. Lately, during the summer, the DL has been less crowded and on our cruises the last two months was pretty much a ghost town. We like to go there for pre-dinner snacks and morning coffee. I go during the day when I have to work as typically there are very few there and the view is much better than the stateroom.

[Ndfan89]

So I will be Diamond after my October cruise.  Do I get  5 drinks each day with Diamond status  or per trip?  Also, is the Diamond lounge complimentary drinks or do I have to use my  vouchers?

[AshleyDillo]

11 minutes ago, Ndfan89 said:

So I will be Diamond after my October cruise.  Do I get  5 drinks each day with Diamond status  or per trip?  Also, is the Diamond lounge complimentary drinks or do I have to use my  vouchers?

Diamond is 4 drinks per day. A day is midnight to midnight. You have to use your vouchers in the Diamond Lounge.

[Adriana]

On 8/14/2022 at 11:45 AM, AshleyDillo said:

Diamond is 4 drinks per day. A day is midnight to midnight. You have to use your vouchers in the Diamond Lounge.

The vouchers can now be used anywhere, not just DL. 

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, Adriana said:

The vouchers can now be used anywhere, not just DL. 

Ashley meant if you're in the DL and you order drinks, they will count towards your vouchers. The poster was asking if there were still complementary drinks during happy hour in the DL outside of the vouchers... which of course there are not.

[Templecruiser]

On 8/8/2022 at 12:28 PM, Jill said:
 

We’re on odyssey in October out of Rome. 1st time on a quantum class. I don’t even know where the DL is but we will go find it and check it out. May use that concierge to book iFly and maybe our specialty dining 

We were on Odyssey in March and the DL was dead. Maybe saw 2 people in it. I believe 5 deck no windows. Unless to use the concierge, not much to visit imho. But we got to say we did visit it.

[asquared17]

i remember being on oasis in the early days when the DL overlooked the promenade. it was kind of cool, but we had a hard time locating it tucked beyond the eaves of the elevators almost.

imagine us, on the promenade, looking up at the shutters from the DL, going: yes, yes, i see it. but how do we get there??

[twangster]

20 minutes ago, Templecruiser said:

We were on Odyssey in March and the DL was dead. Maybe saw 2 people in it. I believe 5 deck no windows. Unless to use the concierge, not much to visit imho. But we got to say we did visit it.

Odyssey's DL is on deck 4 which does have windows.  They are not floor to ceiling but there are windows in the DL.  

Odyssey DL in 360

[Done]

On 8/7/2022 at 12:22 PM, Pooch said:

On Harmony?  We’ll be Diamond by our May cruise so I’ve never paid attention to DLs before.  Is there one on Harmony & why might I want to go there?

On Ovation the Diamond lounge was on deck 4 forward and starboard just before entrance to the theater.  It was empty to be sure.  We ate a continental breakfast there and I did appreciate the toaster for english muffins and regular toast.  There were "portholes" to see outside and we did get some good lower level views of the Alaskan Inside Passage. 

[Templecruiser]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

Odyssey's DL is on deck 4 which does have windows.  They are not floor to ceiling but there are windows in the DL.  

Odyssey DL in 360

Whoops wrong deck. Trying to go off memory. I knew it was low. Don’t remember the windows as it was dark  just like the picture you linked. And almost as empty.

[twangster]

3 hours ago, Templecruiser said:

Whoops wrong deck. Trying to go off memory. I knew it was low. Don’t remember the windows as it was dark  just like the picture you linked. And almost as empty.

I make a point of taking pictures with no one in them.  Sometimes that means getting up at 4am.  

Although you raise a good point.  The "crowded Diamond Lounge" complaint we have heard over and over was largely driven by the unlimited drinks of years gone by.  Most of the time the DL is empty.  

[YOLO]

Yes, DL unlimited drinks ~(4:30PM - 8PM) would draw a crowd.  It was nice.  And for a year or so there was both DL unlimited drinks and vouchers to be used during the evenings until midnight.  That was the bomb!

[mac66]

My only experience in the DL was before we made diamond and were invited in by a couple we met who were diamonds. This was before vouchers and no one checked to see if we were actually diamonds. We had unlimited drinks with our friends the whole cruise in the DL during happy hour. It's one of the reasons why we went for diamond so it wasn't exactly a free ride.

Been on 4 cruises since we made diamond, never used the DL during the day and it was usually so crowded during happy hour that we went somewhere else.  Our next Royal cruise is in Feb '23 so we'll see what happens.

[asquared17]

30 minutes ago, YOLO said:

Yes, DL unlimited drinks ~(4:30PM - 8PM) would draw a crowd.  It was nice.  And for a year or so there was both DL unlimited drinks and vouchers to be used during the evenings until midnight.  That was the bomb!

omg yes i remember this

what a TIME to be alive!!!

(i say, as someone who has never used their vouchers in full on one day, ever )

[CruisingwithCandM]

Fairly recent diamond here and currently on Explorer of the Seas. Really enjoying the outside portion of the D-lounge here as a quiet alternative to most of the packed topside areas.  Love the back stairs access from deck 13. Also a nice place to bring up food from the Windjammer when it's packed.  

[karl_nj]

On Wonder the DL has the 'virtual balcony' type TV's to show you what is going on outside