RCCL New Selling approach

I have read some disturbing information about Royal Caribbean's new policy to 'sell, sell, sell' on board their ships in order to increase revenue. Have you found this to be true?

Yes.

On a recent cruise on Independence, it was not too bad. Mostly just day one. I've never had an issue with it on any Royal Caribbean Ship. To be honest, I thought it was worse on the Disney Wonder on my last sailing then it has ever been on Royal.

I have read some disturbing information about Royal Caribbean's new policy to 'sell, sell, sell' on board their ships in order to increase revenue. Have you found this to be true?

True? Yes. I wouldn't call it disturbing, just a little annoying.

Maybe if they did not keep raising the prices of their specialty restaurants they would not have so much trouble trying to "sell" them to folks.

I have found this to be true on ALL of the mass market lines on which we have sailed (Royal, Celebrity, Carnival and NCL) in the past 13 years. It is how they remain profitable while keeping fares low.

Maybe if they did not keep raising the prices of their specialty restaurants they would not have so much trouble trying to "sell" them to folks.

Amen.

Yes, I have noticed this too. As I mentioned on another thread, on our recent sailing on Freedom even the Captain got in on the act hawking sales during his noontime talk as well as at the Captain's Corner talk. I found that most annoying as I like to listen to the Captain's noontime sailing and weather updates. At least when other people are doing the selling announcements I can just stick my earbuds back in and go back to listening to my music.

Last cruise is was annoying in the Windjammer to have an advertisement announced.

It was definitely much worse on our Serenade cruise in December 2016 vs. 2015. Having displays set up and having people standing at tables on day 1 I think is fine, but it was just annoying as the advertisement kept going throughout the cruise. Every single "activity" felt like an infomercial for the goods and services on the ship (casino, spa, bar, specialty restaurants, shore excursions, next cruise, shops, etc.) in the guise of a game or gameshow. Before every movie they played the next cruise advertisement, there were signs everywhere for specialty restaurants and drink packages, crew walking around trying to sell things, etc. Any of these things taken on their own doesn't really seem like a big deal, but the combination of all of them together was too much. I don't mind some advertisement, but this last cruise it just seemed way more over the top and intrusive than it did before. Don't get me wrong, we had a wonderful cruise, but it was definitely annoying at times.

I have read some disturbing information about Royal Caribbean's new policy to 'sell, sell, sell' on board their ships in order to increase revenue. Have you found this to be true?

This has been going on for the last 5 years. However, nobody is twisting anybody arms to buy their services. It seems more pronounced on embarkation day.

Yes. It was very noticeable on our Freedom cruise. We sailed with Celebrity the following week and the lack of pushy salespeople on that cruise was nice after the constant Hawking on Royal.

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I have read some disturbing information about Royal Caribbean's new policy to 'sell, sell, sell' on board their ships in order to increase revenue. Have you found this to be true?

Forward a link to the story you read about this...

Forward a link to the story you read about this...

Matt, I believe that the OP is referring to a few recent threads here. 😊

Matt, I believe that the OP is referring to a few recent threads here.

Gotcha.

I thought they found some sort of article in a business magazine or something.

As for more selling, it is not that bad. Maybe the 1st day.

But they have more to offer & sell in very recent years so they have to push it........

On a recent cruise on Independence, it was not too bad. Mostly just day one. I've never had an issue with it on any Royal Caribbean Ship. To be honest, I thought it was worse on the Disney Wonder on my last sailing then it has ever been on Royal.

So even with the exorbitant price on a Disney cruise they are busy on board selling and selling anyway.

25+ cruises the "selling" has gotten more and more as time has gone on but agree with one of the replies that it's annoying but nothing more. I go to the spa each cruise and some cruises are worse than others were the spa attendants try to sell you products, this last cruise on the Carnival Dream was the worse hard-sell I got from a pedicure tech - wouldn't let me out of the chair. Had to say no several times. Otherwise hasn't been to bad.

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25+ cruises the "selling" has gotten more and more as time has gone on but agree with one of the replies that it's annoying but nothing more. I go to the spa each cruise and some cruises are worse than others were the spa attendants try to sell you products, this last cruise on the Carnival Dream was the worse hard-sell I got from a pedicure tech - wouldn't let me out of the chair. Had to say no several times. Otherwise hasn't been to bad.

 

 

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I firmly know how to say the word 'no'....so it isn't a problem for me.

But I just have to ask this of anyone.....pedicure's/manicure's are overpriced on the cruise and if you do them on a regular basis wouldn't you want it done at home by your regular technician?

For me the occasional massage would be a treat, so on a cruise it is fine to overspend a little....not that I would buy the products they are pushing anyway.

Yes!!! It was much worse on Navigator earlier this month than on our earlier cruise. As I mentioned previously, a worker from Sabor came up to us while sitting at the Cafe Promenade and talked with us for a good five minutes before trying to sell us on Sabor.

Also, before every show in the main theater, there was a commercial for Next Cruise. It was so annoying to have the lights be dimmed and everyone is all excited, to be shown a commercial.

Also the amount of people selling the specialty dining in the Windjammer during the whole cruise was crazy. There was a table set up every day as well as a stand just outside the Windjammer advertising spa treatments.

I also really hated when workers at the Promenade kiosks approached you when you were walking down the Promenade. Like, if I wanted that I'll just walk around the Nassau port area.

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I have read some disturbing information about Royal Caribbean's new policy to 'sell, sell, sell' on board their ships in order to increase revenue. Have you found this to be true?

I have seen this, but it is nothing different from what all the lines are doing, in my opinion.

I've noticed but it doesn't annoy me in the least....I just walk on by and I don't even have any earbuds in!:cool: Don't even stop to say yay or nay, just ignore it, they finally get the picture.

And believe me, they are monitoring these threads too.

I've noticed but it doesn't annoy me in the least....I just walk on by and I don't even have any earbuds in!:cool: Don't even stop to say yay or nay, just ignore it, they finally get the picture.

 

 

 

And believe me, they are monitoring these threads too.

This is what I do as well. Only if I am truly interested will I stop. It helps not to make eye contact. This approach works equally well on shore with mall kiosk hawkers who I honestly just pretend aren't there. I'm not quite that aloof onboard ship.

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This is what I do as well. Only if I am truly interested will I stop. It helps not to make eye contact. This approach works equally well on shore with mall kiosk hawkers who I honestly just pretend aren't there. I'm not quite that aloof onboard ship.

I think most people who complain don't really mind the tables/booths, it's being approached at the Wind Jammer, or on the pool deck, or wherever constantly. If it was just on day 1 it wouldn't be an issue, but it's not. Add the to the incessant advertising in print, at shows/activities, before movies, etc. in addition to the normal expected advertising and that's what people have a problem with. I noted this as an annoyance on my post-cruise survey, but other than that the only other thing you can do is vote with your wallet. I haven't experienced other lines yet to know how it compares, but I have an NCL cruise this December so it will be interesting to compare a number of things.

But I've never had anyone approach me if I keep on walking and pay no attention, even in the WJ entrance or promenade. I've done this with the photogs for years, they speak, but I don't ever, just keep on walking...

I don't consider this rude either....I consider them rude if they push it...:mad:

I firmly know how to say the word 'no'....so it isn't a problem for me.

 

But I just have to ask this of anyone.....pedicure's/manicure's are overpriced on the cruise and if you do them on a regular basis wouldn't you want it done at home by your regular technician?

 

For me the occasional massage would be a treat, so on a cruise it is fine to overspend a little....not that I would buy the products they are pushing anyway.

I do get a mani/pedi before leaving home but on cruises longer than one week, I usually get a polish change on my fingers. Don't want to listen to a sales pitch and in all fairness, the nail techs usually don't push it.

On the other hand, I get monthly massages locally and would never spend the outrageous $ onboard for a subpar massage.

To each is own.