Diamond Lounge now Crown Lounge
Updated: Feb 8
Royal Caribbean recently announced that the Diamond Lounge we know and love is to be renamed. Here is everything that you need to know.
What Is New
There are some changes happening, and some of them are a little bit controversial! Let's take a look at what Royal Caribbean has announced regarding the updates.
Here are a few things first:
The Diamond Lounge is being retitled; Now the Crown Lounge
Not to be confused with the Viking Crown Lounge on the older ships!
The focus of the shift is geared towards overcrowding issues, an attempt to control when there are large numbers of guests onboard
This can be amended from sailing to sailing in order to accommodate the supply and demand
Diamond guests will have restricted access to the Crown Lounge, with no access during the cocktail hours we know and love. That means, no access from 5pm to 8pm in the evenings. Any other time is fair game! This timeslot is now reserved only for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle guests.
Only the top 30 Pinnacle bookings are allowed what is considered "full-time" access in the Suite Lounge, as well as Coastal Kitchen for ships that this applies to. Of course, suite guests keep their perk as long as they qualify for the suite lounge. So if you are a Pinnacle in a suite, you are all set!
However, Non-top 30 Pinnacle members will have access to the Suite Deck and the Crown Lounge. This is definitely an interesting change to the say the least as these are the most loyal members of the cruise line, so to limit their access is quite controversial.
However, they try to make it up! All Pinnacle guests (not just the top 30 sailors) can use Chops Grille Restaurant to enjoy their exclusive Pinnacle Breakfast. The times for this range from 8:00am to 9:30am. Perfect! You can still grab your morning quick bites or meal and coffee.
Photo Credit: The Life of a Cruiser
The loyalty program is celebrating its 25th anniversary, so it may seem like a fitting marketing shift for the new era.
Here's the original message if you want to read it word-for-word. Thanks Courtney, Director of Crown & Anchor Society!
I’m thrilled to announce that over the next few weeks, the Diamond Lounge — beloved by our Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members — is being specially renamed as the Crown Lounge across our fleet*. This is more than just a new name — it’s a tribute to the legacy of the Royal Caribbean maritime heritage. It’s a nod to our roots, and a symbol of our dedication to our loyal guests.
Don’t worry — access requirements aren’t changing. All members who have enjoyed the Diamond Lounge will continue to enjoy the exclusivity and comfort of your private space with delicious treats and top-notch service. Thank you for being part of the Royal Caribbean family. We look forward to welcoming you to the Crown Lounge on a future adventure.
I think it is interesting that they mentioned access requirements not being a factor changed. While technically this is true, limiting usage of the venues for Pinnacle and Diamond members is proving to be slightly controversial to some. Surprisingly, us Diamond Plus members get out unscathed.
So, Why is this Happening?
It has been reported that Royal Caribbean has been struggling with overcrowding these amenities with the influx of Diamond members. With more Diamond members (and of course, existing members being promoted to Diamond Plus and Pinnacle), the venues for the most loyal guests onboard have simply become over-demanded and can't seem to keep up. The last cruise I went on with Royal Caribbean was Radiance of the Seas. This ship has a tiny Diamond lounge! I think that an even better solution would be retrofitting and planning new ships out with stronger venues to withstand the demand.
What do you think about this? Do you think this is a fair change to allow the tip-top sailors the best accommodations? Are you Diamond status and sad to hear you will be missing out on cocktail hour? I feel bad for Pinnacle members the most personally because if you are 31st, you are a bit out of luck unfortunately.
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