No more cruising for a while.

Ok, so comparing a 350sf/70sf PH on Oceania to a 370sf GS on Harmony is not good enough for you? I sense your head is firmly stuck in the sand and absolutely refusing to look at this objectively.

 

Let's look at a simple interior then, shall we?

 

Oceania per diem on my sailing = $240 per person. This is exactly the price I booked at.

Now remember, this is inclusive of everything including alcohol, gratuities, free internet throughout the cruise, specialty dining, room service, you name it

 

So here's Harmony per diem of the exact same random sailing I picked in 2019 = $131

Comparing apples to apples add the drink package ($60/day), the ultimate dining package ($168/7), gratuities ($14/day), and voom ($10 per day)...

now it's $241.

 

You're wrong Paulette. If you "want it all" the luxury lines are totally a better value. If you want to pay for and buy absolutely nothing extra, then yes RCL is cheaper in an interior. You get to pick and choose what you want to pay for.

I tend to agree. Viking Star was as all inclusive as you can get. While expensive, you had to only pay for drinks. All restaurants were included, even the Chef's Table. Internet was included. I mean, pretty much everything. Even your refrigerator was stocked with beer, small bottles of wine, soft drinks, and bottled water which were restocked daily and included in the cost of your suite. I remember doing some comparisons of that vs getting a suite that was the equivalent of a balcony suite on the Viking Star on a I believe it was an NCL ship, and once you added up all of the additional costs for everything. The Star ended up being a far better value once you factored all of those in as well. Even so, on the Viking Star which was a cruise of the Baltic Sea, dress was business casual in the main dining room unless you had reservations to eat at the Chef's Table, or Manfredi's the Italian Restaurant which required a jacket and tie, a polo and slacks were just fine. Who wants to wear a tie all the time on vacation.

I agree with you, we were on Harmony a year ago. She is beautiful, lots to do, crew was great....but the dinning. Which has been in issue lately on all the ships we have been on. We started cruising 7 yrs ago on Serenade. The dinning was wonderful. But since (even on Princess) the lack of dressing up for dinner has suffered. If you don't want to dress up, go to the buffet. And something can be done about it if the cruise line would put rules in place and follow them.

Why should I have to go to the buffet to have a meal? I paid for MDR too. I'm neat and clean. So I don't have a tie on and a jacket. Big deal. Times change. We don't dress like the 1700's anymore either.

Royal Caribbean should be sued for calling it the Ultimate Dinning Package. I am a foodie and the food and service of the specialty restaurants falls much short of being called the UDP.

Well, it's "ultimate" for Royal - LOL!

Evil shareholders... I know on a daily basis at my job I think, thank goodness I'm not making more money, just as long as I'm delivering something special.

Yes the strange idea people have that a business is in business for any other reason than making money. I can't imagine even once thinking I will focus today's efforts in managing this business (not my own) to delivering something special rather than making money for the owners, and hopefully keeping myself and my colleagues in a job :D

I certainly don't go on a cruise to see what the pizza is like.

Everyone cruises for their own reasons. What one person is interested in may not interest me at all but I never feel the need to attempt to invalidate anyone else's reasons and interests.

To the OP... We had much the same experiences on Celebrity that you had on RCCL, so I wouldn't suggest trying it as an upgrade. If you go to the Celebrity board, you will see that lots of people are also complaining about the MDR food and the downgrades in pretty much everything, so it's not just us. Not surprising seeing as RCCL and Celebrity are the same company.

We haven't tried Viking yet, but have done Windstar. The small boat experience is quite different from the mega-boats. The MDR food is amazing, the service is wonderful, and the boat is beautiful. No kids. No yard sales. Small boats get to ports that the big ones can't and almost no waiting in line for anything including the tenders. Downsides can be not much happening after dinner, no 'Vegas' shows, climbing walls, bumper cars, ice rinks, etc.

Cheers!

We've been cruising for 20 years and all but 3 times have been with RCCL. To say the least, we've been very loyal and introduced many of our friends to RCCL. We sailed on January 27th on Harmony of the Seas and due to health issues, this was our first cruise in 3 years. The ship was beautiful and clean, the crew was friendly and helpful but the whole dining experience was very disappointing. Over the years we've noticed changes, of course, but what a difference 3 years has made! Back in the "good old days" the dining was elegant, food was delicious and presentation impeccable. Gone are the days when we would have a drink on our table when we arrived and the bar waiter would pass our table frequently. At the end of the meal, we would have the opportunity to have the after-dinner-drink of the day and who could pass these up in the pretty little glasses? The food served was so delicious there was no need to pay extra for eating in a special place on board. In fact, as I recall, there were no separate restaurants. On formal nights there was either a pianist or string quartet, and other nights as well. Our last night on the Harmony, I swear my selection was a frozen dinner! And don't even get me started of the lack of dress code. Are we the only ones objecting to this and should we just move on to another cruise line for older and stuffier cruisers?

Hi, Margarita Cruisequeen!

As many or most have stated here times have changed. Mainstream cruise lines are now just something for everyone... Ask any of those teens or young families aboard contemporary mega ships and you'll find the exact answer for what I am talking about... This is the trend, and nothing will stop it this way at this point... But of course that comes at a price. All of us, whom have started on the current mainstream lines some 15 to 20 years ago or even more and whom are generally on our 45-65 years old, are being "expelled" from the cruise industry... we are a relatively small crowd compared to all those young families whom want to enter this wonderful world that cruising is... And we have just few opportunities because few to no one will care for our demands... The premium to luxury lines of the day have their ships filled with all those fortunate enough retires whom are paying for them... And the suite programmes on mainstream lines are just little bit upgraded services up to the regular offering... Nothing really significant for those ones whom just want the "plain vanilla" experience of yesterday on contemporary ships...

Well: At least I can find a nice compromise on the industry. It's called the MSC Yacht Club!... Google it or find here in CC on the MSC forum!... It won't be absolutely kids free, but it is a "ship inside the ship" concept. You'll have your own dedicated restaurant, a dedicated lounge and bar, a small "gourmet" buffet, and a pool grill; butler service and a concierge service guests exclusive for the 200 passengers or such in the "enclave" and regarding drinks it is all inclusive around the ship!... And at the moment in the Caribbean they are selling this at just a little bit more than a regular RCI Oasis class regular balcony!... Indeed, personally I can't call it luxury service. Cabins are roughly the same size as regular cabins and definitely the smallest of the so called suites at see... But its service reminds more likely the "plain vanilla" experience of yesterdays ships!...

Maybe you can find that as a compromising solution. Don't give up on this wonderful world of cruising!...

have a nice day!... :)

Why should I have to go to the buffet to have a meal? I paid for MDR too. I'm neat and clean. So I don't have a tie on and a jacket. Big deal. Times change. We don't dress like the 1700's anymore either.

You don't want the people who do dress up to judge you, and yet you accuse them of being in the 1700's. Throughout this entire thread, those who wish to dress up are calling those who don't "lazy," and those who don't are calling those who do "stuffy." (With both using additional descriptive names.) Seriously? You're ALL saying you don't want to be judged for what you wear. Then, in the next sentence, you say something judgemental about those who do things differently than you do.

You don't want the people who do dress up to judge you, and yet you accuse them of being in the 1700's. Throughout this entire thread, those who wish to dress up are calling those who don't "lazy," and those who don't are calling those who do "stuffy." (With both using additional descriptive names.) Seriously? You're ALL saying you don't want to be judged for what you wear. Then, in the next sentence, you say something judgemental about those who do things differently than you do.

I'm sorry. But my 1700s comment is meant to illustrate that times change, "Elegant" and "proper" and "refined" dress has also changed. What is "correct" dress attire now is not what it was 100 or 200 years ago. Times change. Now more people have decided that knotting a piece of cloth around their neck is pointless and some women have decided that they don't need a gown to be feminine.

I totally agree about the dining changes. I loved the old traditional multi level dining rooms with with the beautiful chandeliers, and I especially loved dining on formal nights. Now I don’t bother bringing

formal wear. It’s just not the same.

It’s a shame RCCL followed the NCL dining concept. However, for some reason it seems to work for me on NCL.

I totally agree about the dining changes. I loved the old traditional multi level dining rooms with with the beautiful chandeliers, and I especially loved dining on formal nights. Now I don’t bother bringing

formal wear. It’s just not the same.

 

It’s a shame RCCL followed the NCL dining concept. However, for some reason it seems to work for me on NCL.

Oasis, Freedom, Voyager, Radiance, and Vision class all have multiple levels in MDR. MJ is old and does not. Don't remember Empress and never sailed Quantum class.

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I was on the same Jan. 27 Harmony of the Seas cruise. I agree about the dining room. The sirloin steak was tough, as was the steak Diane and the pork chop. In fairness, the beef tenderloin was very good, as was the pork loin. The assistant waiter used to bring around a tray of rolls and you picked one and he/she came around later to offer the rolls again. Now there is a bowl of rolls on the table, counted out to the number of chairs at the table. On the third night, our table mates were not there yet, and a man sat down, introduced himself and ate several of our rolls. His wife showed up and told him he was at the wrong table. Later we tried to get more rolls, and the waiter had to get permission. We did get more rolls. We were never offered a second roll on any night, though. The side dishes were sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes too much of the time. Some of this is due to preparing food for over 6,000 people, but I feel they can do better.

We did start to have the soft drinks we ordered each night at the table when we arrived after a night or two.

The food in the Windjammer was actually good for breakfast and lunch, but the Windjammer was crowded on this full ship.

We enjoyed the cruise, anyway.

Our upcoming might be our last on Royal. We've cruised with them 8 or so times in the past. But when Hurricane Irma hit Cuba just before our cruise there, our opinion of RCCL changed. They allowed us to cancel our trip (to where?), refunded our prepaids, but banked our cruise fare money. Now that was okay, except when we went to use it. Because it was a buy one, get one 50% on the canceled cruise, all of the banked money didn't go in the same "pot." We ended up spending an additional $350 out of pocket and left $350 of the banked money in RCCL's pocket. They said they had to use the money for each of us individually, and couldn't just split it evenly. Hubby is now ready to call it quits with them. Oh, and, yes we agree it would be nice to have some type of dress code at the formal dinners again.

Try Cunard or Seaborne. They will offer the experience you are looking for.

Perhaps "lazy" was a poor choice of words. Probably "lack of class" would have been more appropriate.

 

If you received a wedding invitation, or any invitation and the instructions were to wear "formal attire," you would adhere to the request, out of respect, right? I sure would hope so.

 

A cruise is no different. Formal attire is instructed for MDR on formal night. That's the whole purpose of said formal night. Don't like it, go to the buffet.

 

I'm aware my statements will cause a backlash, but if you don't like formal nights, perhaps Carnival is more your cup of tea.

I'm just trying to imagine how one goes through life letting what others are wearing affect their ability to enjoy themselves. No backlash here, just a bit of pity.

Why should I have to go to the buffet to have a meal? I paid for MDR too. I'm neat and clean. So I don't have a tie on and a jacket. Big deal. Times change. We don't dress like the 1700's anymore either.

Exactly. I just don't understand how people dress changes the taste of someone else's steak.

I'm very much in favor of being lazy and not caring how I dress while I'm on my vacation; and I pay thousands of dollars to do so.

That being said, I have no problem with people who want to dress formally and block the stairways for overpriced pictures on what is essentially a night for the cruise ship to make money on these photographs.

And people who choose to dress formally should be allowed to eat in the MDR with us lazy and classless passengers.

Aren’t you wonderful.

 

The poster ranting on about Pizza had never sailed on an RCI cruise but felt free to share her views on the standard of pizza on a few other cruise lines. On an RCI cruise line section.

I’m just stating. I never go on a cruise to critique the pizza.

 

Nothing more, pull your big boy (or girl) panties up and move along.

 

 

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Just about what I would have expected. And don't worry, I won't be leaving.

Exactly. I just don't understand how people dress changes the taste of someone else's steak.

 

I'm very much in favor of being lazy and not caring how I dress while I'm on my vacation; and I pay thousands of dollars to do so.

 

That being said, I have no problem with people who want to dress formally and block the stairways for overpriced pictures on what is essentially a night for the cruise ship to make money on these photographs.

 

And people who choose to dress formally should be allowed to eat in the MDR with us lazy and classless passengers.

You do realize the stuffy old people posing don't pay for that picture. Diamond benefit. 1 free picture, 2 for a couple

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You do realize the stuffy old people posing don't pay for that picture. Diamond benefit. 1 free picture, 2 for a couple

 

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I didn't think about that. However, that still doesn't change my opinion that they shouldn't be forced to eat at the buffet just because they are formally dressed and not lazy and classless.

Further, I have no problem with the formally dressed blocking stairways, corridors and other venues for their free pictures as long as they stay away from the casino entrance when posting.

You do realize the stuffy old people posing don't pay for that picture. Diamond benefit. 1 free picture, 2 for a couple

 

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You really think a lot of Diamonds are still doing the picture taking thing?

As I am sure you realise that not all of us that are entitled to the benefit are old or even stuffy, and we have certainly paid for it in many ways. Like yourself as a Pinnacle member i know that I could have brought a very nice house with the money spent with Royal.

Over the years I have spent Tens of Thousands of Pounds ( and Dollars ) on Cruising and other fun activities involving Wine, Women and Song, the rest of my hard earned money I have just wasted. :D

You do realize the stuffy old people posing don't pay for that picture. Diamond benefit. 1 free picture, 2 for a couple

 

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You really think a lot of Diamonds are still doing the picture taking thing?

My guess is if they are hellbent on making the rest of us on vacation wear uniforms and march in straight lines then they are probably blocking the stairways for pictures.

My guess is if they are hellbent on making the rest of us on vacation wear uniforms and march in straight lines then they are probably blocking the stairways for pictures.

You won't find me in a uniform, marching, or blocking the stairways.;)

It would be nice if everyone were a bit more care free, like the more recent posts here. Why can't people have fun, do their own thing and not worry about how others are enjoying themselves?

Still laughing at ChipLondon's post.

It would be nice if everyone were a bit more care free, like the more recent posts here. Why can't people have fun, do their own thing and not worry about how others are enjoying themselves?

 

Still laughing at ChipLondon's post.

Sadly and unfairly (in my opinion), the classless and the lazy are ostracized.

Hath not a classless and lazy passenger eyes? Hath not a classless and lazy passenger hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a formal dresser is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?