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mjldvlks

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    Wichita, Kansas
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    So far -- The Med

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  1. Getting a little personal? I don’t think the Boeing analogy is off topic since it addresses the impact of the obvious reduction in quality of the Royal Caribbean product — which, at least as to food, is the stated topic of this thread. Anyway, I’m done. I’m tired of beating this dead horse.
  2. Unless you contend Royal never had two “cabin cleanups” a day. The second sentence above clearly contradicts the first. The fact you are OK with the reduction of service doesn’t make it any less a reduction. I and others have cited specific reductions in the quality of included food options. Again, you maybe OK with the reduced quality, the reductions are obvious and many. I could list many more. Please understand I am not blaming the staff — I agree they are, for the most part doing the best they can. I feel sorry for the room attendants and wait staff who are getting more and more pressure to get good ratings while getting more rooms to take care of or tables to serve. You maybe happy with the decline — you may even continue to contend there haven’t been any declines because things remain OK. I am not willing to settle for that low of a bar. I was loyal to Royal for years. 10 years ago I was avidly defending Royal from criticisms of curs and nickel and diming. But I feel like the present state of affairs is virtually a spit in the face for those who have been loyal. Personally, I’ve had enough — I’m done. I saw a video recently about Boeing’s current problems. The presenter argued that, after the Boeing merger with McDonnell Douglas in the late nineties, Boeing changed its corporate philosophy to one that emphasized share value above all else. As a result, corners began to be cut and safety compromised. Employees became afraid to point out problems. The company that was once known for quality and reliability is now having to explain why its planes are literally falling out of or coming apart in the sky. I don’t want to be overly dramatic, and as far as I know, none of the cuts of any cruise line have compromised passenger safety, so the comparison is not perfect. I mention this only as an example to point out compromising the product in order to maintain or increase profits is fraught with danger. Boeing (along with Airbus) is one of only two makers of large airliners. So Boeing will undoubtedly survive. But the controversies are starting to impact sales. Royal has no such security blanket. Destroy the product and I doubt the company will survive. Nobody has to take a cruise vacation.
  3. You again change the subject from the listed topic “Food in Decline?” to a discussion of price. Any discussion of supply and demand generally assumes the product remains the same. Even you seem to agree the product has diminished — at least as to service. Hack the product enough and it’s not marketable at any price. For me, Royal has reached that point. I simply am not interested in the product at any price.
  4. Raising prices is one thing — and a thing that is not the issue here. Gutting the product is the issue. So far post covid demand has been strong. But I read somewhere above that future demand is softening. As they continue to cut and otherwise diminish the product, I know they will continue to bleed long time, previously loyal customers. As a shareholder I would think you would be concerned with how they pay down debt while driving off longtime cruisers.
  5. As to other cruise lines, we have tried Norwegian once (food was actually OK but that was shortly before Covid) and Princess a couple of times. Far and away the absolutely worst food/service I have ever had on a cruise ship was on Island Princess in 2022. Just as an example, we ate in the Italian specialty restaurant (Sabatinis I think) and I ordered a triple sampler. The 3 dishes being sampled were almost unrecognizable. The lasagna sample was a pile of red goop with a white disc on top that, despite having the consistency of dried leather, I think was supposed to be pasta. Pretty sure it was not cheese. Just awful. As to cruise line profits, I read that Royal’s parent company had a $1 Billion profit in the third quarter last year. That was coupled with the comment that expenses were lower. Given that fuel prices and supplies are on a more or less inflationary trend, the only way I can conceive that being possible is by cutting the quality of the product delivered.
  6. Interesting that my first cruise on Royal was also aboard Splendour. Mine in 2007. On that cruise we had multiple bread options that aren’t around any more. The bread baskets were also kept filled. We had a midnight buffet. On the second formal night we had Baked Alaska for dessert flambéed in our presence in the MDR. The baked goods were always fresh and well prepared. We overall had more choice and better food and with decent portions. I know it wasn’t “fine dining” but it was good a plentiful. We also had a waiter and assistant waiter who only had 2 or 3 tables so could be more attentive to us. We also had a head waiter who actually introduced himself and got to know us. Told us jokes and did magic tricks. The entire staff seemed to enjoy their jobs — they weren’t constantly begging for high ratings out of fear for their jobs. That is not remotely comparable to the vastly inferior product we experienced on Odyssey last fall or Anthem last month. Again, no one has suggested that the MDR or Windjammer should be or ever were “fine dining.” But I still maintain I would find a more enjoyable meal experience at about any buffet or casual dining restaurant shoreside such as Golden Corral, Applebees or the like. You appear to agree that the food is worse than it used to be so maybe our disagreement is only a matter of degree. But in the last several years I have noticed a long and steep decline in the quality of the product. This goes beyond food. For example, cabin attendants now have many more rooms to take care of and can only tend to each one once a day. Despite agreeing there has been a decline, you say you don’t believe it’s intentional. I cannot agree with that. I think the pattern of nickel and diming has been clear since well before the pandemic. I for one am tired of the pandemic being used as an excuse. I think the decline started in earnest about the time they started adding specialty restaurants. For me it has reached the breaking point. The worst day of cruising used to be the last day — the day we had to leave. On our last two cruises I have been eager to get the heck off of the tub. The bean counters have taken control. For goodness sake the CEO of Royal’s parent company is an accountant with little or no operational experience. I am convinced these bean counters have persuaded themselves that cruise demand is a virtual bottomless pit that they can abuse to no end. Well not for me. I may cruise again. But unless things change, it will be a while — and then only if I am really interested in the itinerary. I no longer have any interest in cruising just for the ship life.
  7. Your original post suggests people who are not happy with the current state of food service on Royal are expecting fine dining which is not possible with the amount available for included food options. For as long as I have been on these boards (15 years or so) that has been a common accusation leveled at people unhappy with the food. I maintain that is not what people are expecting. For years I was perfectly happy with included food options. Now, however, I firmly believe Royal is engaged in a calculated effort to diminish included food service to the point dining packages are the only reasonable alternative. It amazes me that anyone who has cruised for more than a year or two can contend the quality of included food is anywhere near what it used to be. If you meant something different, please explain.
  8. Ridiculous. No one expects Michilen stars. But it’s getting to where I would much prefer Golden Corral to the average evening at the MDR or Windjammer.
  9. The difference here being that the changes in question are being imposed by the bosses including Jason Liberty who was promoted to President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group after being CFO. No matter how undercover he got, I don’t think these conditions would surprise him.
  10. Earlier in our cruising life, 10+ years ago, in discussions like this there almost inevitably be a comment from someone that the food on the ships was no better than “banquet food.” Frankly, I didn’t see that as substantial criticism. I have seen some pretty fine banquet food. The last two cruises I have been on, however (Odyssey TA last fall and Anthem a week ago) couldn’t meet even that level. With all due respect to the lunch ladies (who do remarkable things with meager resources) I don’t think the food on either of those ships was any better than school cafeteria quality. I firmly believe we are in the midst of an effort to eliminate complimentary food options.
  11. I note that several posts have referenced specialty restaurants as evidence of the quality of on-board food. That seems to me to be is a tacit admission good food is no longer included in the cruise fare.
  12. When I walk into the Windjammer on Anthem (last week by the way) and they serve a portion of dry cake approximately an inch and a half square, frosted with a little whipped cream (which I’m not sure had any sugar in it) with 1 half of one strawberry on top and call it “strawberry shortcake” — I don’t think it is subjective — the food has gone way downhill.
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