While Carnival Cruise Line angers loyal guests regularly with the removal of high-level benefits from popular sailings, Royal Caribbean guests aren’t immune to similar capacity limitations.

Loyal-to-Royal guests boarding Oasis of the Seas on Sunday, January 18, 2026 for the ship’s 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary to Nassau, San Juan, and Puerto Plata have just learned one of their most exclusive benefits is being restricted.

“We’re expecting a high number of top-tier Crown & Anchor members onboard,” the email explained. “To ensure everyone has access, the Crown Lounge will be reserved for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. each night.”

Onboard Oasis of the Seas, the Crown Lounge is found on Deck 4, forward of Studio B on the ship’s starboard side.

Unlike some Carnival sailings that remove multiple benefits due to high numbers of Diamond and Platinum guests, this particular Oasis of the Seas cruise is preserving other benefits.

“The lounge and its services are fully accessible to you at all other times,” the email confirmed. “And don’t forget – your complimentary drink vouchers can be used at most bars and lounges throughout the day.”

The now-restricted hours are due to the extreme popularity of the Crown Lounge for pre-dinner or pre-show cocktails and nibbles as guests socialize before those evening events.

This is not an unusual occurrence and in fact the Crown Lounge is regularly restricted on high-interest sailings when there may be many Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members onboard.

In fact, the restriction is written into the benefits explanation for the Crown and Anchor Society as follows:

“Royal Caribbean may limit or remove access to the lounge as needed to accommodate sailings with higher than usual member counts including, but not limited to: charters, crossings, repositionings, inaugurals, trade events, and President’s Cruises.”

To be fair, many experienced Royal Caribbean guests don’t necessarily care for the lounge’s location on Oasis of the Seas, as there are no windows in the space.

“Last time I was on an Oasis class, I think I spent a grand total of an hour in the ‘Crown’ Lounge down in the basement over the course of a week,” one guest noted.

“Don’t think I have ever used it since I made Diamond. I’d much rather be out on deck enjoying a cocktail and the weather,” another added.

Because Oasis of the Seas remains one of the world’s largest cruise ships with a capacity of 5,606 at double occupancy, it’s not surprising that the lounge could fill up on different sailings.

How High is High-Level Loyalty?

In Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society, guests must accrue 175 points to be Diamond Plus and at least 700 points to rise to the Pinnacle Club level.

Read Also: What Is Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society?

Guests earn points for every night they’ve sailed with the cruise line. Extra points can be earned on select sailings depending on the stateroom category booked, though reduced fares and some promotional offers are not eligible for extra points.

The smoke-free Crown Lounge, formerly called the Diamond Lounge but renamed fleetwide in 2023, is exclusive to the top three tiers, which includes Diamond members (80 points).

When so many high-level travelers are expected onboard, however, eliminating the Diamond tier from the most popular evening hours helps ensure that everyone has time and space to enjoy the lounge.

Diamond members will still be able to visit and relax in the Crown Lounge at other times.

Other Benefits Still Available

Despite removing the happy hour access to the Crown Lounge for this one Oasis of the Seas sailing, the remainder of the loyalty benefits remain intact for Diamond members.

This includes drink discounts, one free day of Surf & Stream internet access, priority wait lists for dining room, spa, and shore tour reservations, an exclusive Backstage Tour, free jackpot cards with the purchase of a bingo package, and more.

Guests onboard Oasis of the Seas will also want to investigate Royal Caribbean’s new Points Choice plan in case they no longer care for the loyalty benefits from the cruise line.

Under the new program, guests can choose which cruise line in the Royal Caribbean Group they would like their points applied to, helping them earn exactly the loyalty they most prefer with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, or Silversea.

Royal Caribbean Limits a Popular Space on One Highly Booked Sailing