On Oasis..Surprise price increases

I am currently sailing the Oasis of the Seas and our family of four found out on our 2nd evening that though we had pre paid for Izumi hibachi online at $30 per person we were informed we would have to pay $5 more to get chicken or a few other entrees or $10 more if we wanted something like steak. In effect the manager told me that nothing on the menu was $30 any more and we would have to pay more to eat there. I was pretty irritated since Royal Caribbean has had my money for 2 months only to tell me when I get on board I now owe more if I want to eat anything at the restaurant I prepaid for and am now sitting at. Another couple at our table was also pretty upset and stated they would not be cruising Royal Caribbean again. It was only after we made a pretty big stink about it that the manager agreed to accept our prepaid amount of $30 per person in order for us to stay and eat. When we first boarded I bought the five restaurant specialty dining package for $120. I was mistakenly charged for an extra person and had to have that charge removed as well. I was also overcharged for a drink in the comedy club although the menu said $10 the drinks are actually ringing at $10.95. Tonight we ate in Central Park 150 and my husband has the premium beverage package so he was offered the specialty martini and told it would be $3 more which was fine but when we actually got the bill he was charged $4 more (not including tip) It's not that the amounts are large it's the principle that all of the costs are being misstated. Our waiter told us that all of the specialty dining prices have been increased this week. Two days before I left I printed out all the prices and menus for specialty dining. Just a heads up that the menus online and the prices were wrong two days before sailing. Here are the current and new prices for specialty dining on oasis :

Chops was $39 now $45

CP150 was $40 now $45

Izumi Hibachi was $30 now $35

Giovanni's was $25 now $30

Solarium Bistro was $20 now $25

We had made a reservation for the Chef's Table but cancelled once we found out that the chefs table has been moved to deck 17 in an alcove between the Coastal Kitchen and suite lounge facing the bar. It is no longer in a private area and when I went up to look at it there was a baby crying in the lounge at 9 p.m. not a place I want to enjoy a $95 dinner and wine pairing.

In answer to the people who inevitably will blame me for being irritated about these issues, yes, I am enjoying my cruise. I always enjoy my cruises but I definitely am rethinking the reservation I made for Harmony next year. I just think that Royal Caribbean's corporate office makes too many changes too fast and no one really knows what's going on. I've seen it a lot on the ship this week. With the money I spend on suite accommodations, specialty dining and bar packages I might be better served to take a regular balcony cabin on a higher class of ship. I'm not saying that I will never sail on Royal again but I'm definitely going to think more carefully about other cruise lines than I have in the past. There have been too many changes for me and most of them are not good nor benefiting guests. I definitely got that feeling from a lot of the Diamond and Diamond Plus guests on board and their discussions with me in the lounge.

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I'm loyal to Royal but these issues you're having would not sit well with me at all.

If I book something and prices are quoted for the ship, you best believe I'll be reminding them that they're sticking to the program promised me.

There's nothing worse than being promised one price and then have it change. I understand why prices go up, but at the same time there is no reason you have to put up a stink -- management should fix $3 or $5 issues without wasting anyone's time.

OP, thanks for the updates. No blasting from me. That Izumi manager should have NEVER given you a hassle to start with. You were prepaid. Whatever they change it to onboard shouldn't impact you one bit. He was totally wrong.

LOL @ Royal $45 for Chops. Are they kidding?

I'm loyal to Royal but these issues you're having would not sit well with me at all.

 

If I book something and prices are quoted for the ship, you best believe I'll be reminding them that they're sticking to the program promised me.

 

There's nothing worse than being promised one price and then have it change. I understand why prices go up, but at the same time there is no reason you have to put up a stink -- management should fix $3 or $5 issues without wasting anyone's time.

I agree 100%

OP, that's a bunch of BS on the part of RCI!

Glad to hear that it isn't getting you too down. Have a GREAT cruise!

Problem is, I don't know what to tell you. Seems like RCI has steeply (and I mean STEEPLY) raised prices for almost anything onboard in the last year. (drinks, food, etc...)

I've already been contemplating trying other cruise lines, and RCI is pushing me that way. Drink and Specialty Restaurant prices were reasonable just 2-3 years ago. Not anymore. (for us)

Dan

Thank you all for understanding. I have always been Loyal to Royal but all these "little" changes are starting to add up. I feel bad for the crew members who really give it their all while corporate policies drive away loyal customers.

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Yep. I prepaid Izumi for $30 pp for my dec 7th sailing and was charged 35 at the end. I was pretty irritated but I guess I didn't raise enough hell to have that charge taken off. I otherwise had a great cruise and just got done booking Harmony for next year. Oh and there drink prices are outrageous, If they lower it a little bit I would drink like hell, but instead, I enjoyed my 2 bottles of wine we brought onboard.

On the Quantum subforum is a thread over 18 months long about RCI charging for room service items. That's one area that I know personally that they've lost customers -- ones who always book a balcony and always like breakfast served on it.

Price inflation is acceptable to me -- eggs and meat aren't getting cheaper.

But to force a price hike on someone who booked and paid for meals well in advance? That's shady.

That would piss me off. I'm totally okay with prices going up, but if you booked with a price they need to honor that. I'm pretty 'go with the flow' when it comes to this stuff, but it's just not fair. The reason I'm still loyal to Royal is because their ship board experience is great IMO, and so far, their poor corporate policies and decisions have not put me over the edge.

I think that is outrageous! They can raise the price until people won't pay it, but it is ridiculous that you as a pre-paid customer should be asked for more money. :mad: I would have been furious.

On the Quantum subforum is a thread over 18 months long about RCI charging for room service items. That's one area that I know personally that they've lost customers -- ones who always book a balcony and always like breakfast served on it.

 

Price inflation is acceptable to me -- eggs and meat aren't getting cheaper.

 

But to force a price hike on someone who booked and paid for meals well in advance? That's shady.

Room service breakfast on 2 days was over an hour outside the one hour window scheduled and the reconstituted scrambled eggs are so gross. Johnny Rockets has a good breakfast but be sure to get eggs cooked to order not scrambled mush.

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Blitzac: their ala carte drink prices are high to convince people to get a drink package.

Since my average number of drinks is 1 per entire cruise, the higher prices don't bug me -- but there is no possible way I'd get a package.

Since people are paying the prices in record number, there's no likelihood of anything going back. But I don't price shop based on booking prices, I price shop based on actual costs to cruise.

Might be time for a blog post compare actual cruising costs between the competitors.

That is totally outrageous. What's next? Telling passengers at check in that they owe another $1,000.00 because the price went up. Pay us more if you want to cruise.

Please be sure to put as much into the survey when you get home.

Also it would be a good idea to compose a letter and send it to the Corporate office. Just be concise and to the point. They need to know these things from their guests. Include a contact number when you write to them and you will receive a call within a few weeks from someone in Corporate.

Send your letter to this address:

1050 Caribbean Way

Miami, FL 33132

Wow. Thanks for the update Tricia.

I think we are officially done with Chops. That's too bad since we had two very good meals there on our last cruise.

We just got off allure

Giovanni's was 25pp

Chops- 39pp

Samba grill- 30pp

No surprises

We just got off allure

 

Giovanni's was 25pp

Chops- 39pp

Samba grill- 30pp

 

No surprises

I was told that the prices increased with the Oasis sailing of December 12th. They did not say if Allure was raised as well.

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We have pre paid for 11 people for Chops on Indy on NYE. Will I be asked to pay more per person?

I do not like thte fact thhst you prepaod and still asking for more money.

That is totally outrageous. What's next? Telling passengers at check in that they owe another $1,000.00 because the price went up. Pay us more if you want to cruise.

 

Please be sure to put as much into the survey when you get home.

 

Also it would be a good idea to compose a letter and send it to the Corporate office. Just be concise and to the point. They need to know these things from their guests. Include a contact number when you write to them and you will receive a call within a few weeks from someone in Corporate.

 

Send your letter to this address:

 

1050 Caribbean Way

Miami, FL 33132

Thank you for the address. I will be writing on my survey and a letter. I have debated speaking with the food and beverage manager on board but don't really want to take away any more time from my vacation.

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We have pre paid for 11 people for Chops on Indy on NYE. Will I be asked to pay more per person?

 

I do not like thte fact thhst you prepaod and still asking for more money.

I would call RCCL or Crown and Anchor before you board and get it in writing. I really had to pitch a fit over the 5 dollars in Izumi and they seemed to think they were doing me a huge favor to take it off. The manager called a supervisor and they argued over it!

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I find this quite interesting. We're sailing soon on the Oasis and have several specialty dinner reservations already paid for - not to mention a 25 person reservation at Chops. I find it unacceptable to expect someone to pay an additional fee for dinners already reserved and paid for - especially times 25 people.

Why not notify us prior to the cruise that the prices have increased? Wouldn't that be the right thing to do?

It looks like you paid $120 for the dinning package so it doesn't look like those increased? Are all the restaurants except Chefs Table still accepted in the package? If so then its a really good deal, $80 for 3, Chops $45, 150 Central park $45 and Izumi Hibachi Grill $35. That would be $125 if bought separately.

Maybe they increased the prices to entice the package, kinda like the drink packages :eek:

Whoops, never mind, my planner says the 5 dinner package is $110 so it looks like those went up too. Did you happen to see what the 3 dinner package was going for?

Whoops, never mind, my planner says the 5 dinner package is $110 so it looks like those went up too. Did you happen to see what the 3 dinner package was going for?

I don't remember because what the 3 day was. We saw the prices on the first day. Yes the $120 is a good deal especially with the new price increases (with the new prices our restaurants would have been $180 individually), but I had made one reservation before we got on board because the hibachi is usually fully booked. If I was someone who only did specialty dining one or two nights then the prices would definitely stop me from doing that.

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Loyal to Royal and just disgusted with hearing this as well! We are booked next month on Oasis with reservations at Chops and Izumi. Guess I'll be calling C&A to get something in writing so we're not charged more on board. Worst case, we'll cancel in a heartbeat...I think a grandfathering approach would have brought much less negative attention to their price raise.

I thought with the dinner package you received a $30 credit at Izumi - not a prepaid meal. That's what I read when I booked it