RCCL taking cues from the Airlines!

[househunter]

I have noticed that no matter what a member may complain about on these boards, they are attacked for being fools who just don't understand anything and made to feel embarrassed for even posting their views.

For me, I believe that the more "pay for food" venues they have, the worse the quality will be in the MDR and the WJ. In order to seduce you into paying for good food, they have to offer inferior food in the free venues. There ya go, now "attack!!!"

 

 

No attack but would you really want them to raise the basic cruise fare so that they can provide really good food in the MDR? Because they would have to. Costs have gone up over the last 20 years but cruise fares have gone down. The only way they could possibly do that is lower their costs in order to remain profitable.

The majority of cruisers think that the food in the MDR is just fine so adding restaurants with higher quality food for those who want it is the best way for the cruiseline and the average passenger who only cares about getting the cheapest price.

 

I personally like the low fares and then I can add on what I want.

[Cigar King]

I haven't seen, or read much about this, but, I have to say, my initial impression is this is a wonderful idea. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

[believer33323]

I dont' think The problem will ever be like the airlines as long as they don't get infiltrated by the unions.

[SwimnwFishes]

I saw this last night somewhere, and there was a link to the tapas menu. It seemed really reasonable to me. If memory serves, there was a ceaser salad for $3.50 (for example)...which doesn't seem too bad. I suppose the proof is in the pudding...and if it's a salad served in a tea cup, then the price may be high. ;)

[Phillies14]

Why up the price for everyone? This is logistically the best way for them to do business. If they up the prices they won't be as competitive - if you choose to pay extra for a special venue you are free to do so. But if someone else doesn't want to then why should they be forced to pay for it?

Who is being forced to pay for anything???:rolleyes::confused::rolleyes:

[Phillies14]

I have noticed that no matter what a member may complain about on these boards, they are attacked for being fools who just don't understand anything and made to feel embarrassed for even posting their views.

For me, I believe that the more "pay for food" venues they have, the worse the quality will be in the MDR and the WJ. In order to seduce you into paying for good food, they have to offer inferior food in the free venues. There ya go, now "attack!!!"

But your wrong and so is your premise about the food being worse in the MDR and the WJ because they have more specialty restaurants:rolleyes:...Happy cruising

[hawkfish]

Who is being forced to pay for anything???:rolleyes::confused::rolleyes:

 

 

Stags was referring to the poster who suggested doing away with the for-fee activities onboard and just blanketly raising prices across the board for everyone. In that example, you might be 'forced' to pay for things you would use. Unless you decide just to not cruise altogether, which is also your prerogative.

 

I think it's like most travel these days - there's no such thing as a truly ALL-inclusive. Every all-inclusive offers some add-on for extra, and it's up to you decide whether you want to spend the money. Apparently it works, because that's the model that most resorts and cruises have gone to.

[bajathree]

It is the very discounted rates the CL's have had to resort to in order to get bodies to fill these ships that are the main reason they had to look into new areas for revenue. Those low rates resulted in major cost cutting efforts....the biggest being food cost....that is what has caused the decline in no-fee dining....not some conspiracy theory to give people poor food in order to "make" them pay for specialty dining. There is no one to blame other than the economy and the people who price shop to death the cheapest rates they can find. For all those complaining about the extra fee's....I am sure you would be very unhappy if the CL's raised their rates and did away with them.....bottom line....you can't have your cake and eat it to.

[negc]

I have noticed that no matter what a member may complain about on these boards, they are attacked for being fools who just don't understand anything and made to feel embarrassed for even posting their views.

For me, I believe that the more "pay for food" venues they have, the worse the quality will be in the MDR and the WJ. In order to seduce you into paying for good food, they have to offer inferior food in the free venues. There ya go, now "attack!!!"

 

Will you consider it an attack if I post that I don't consider the food in the MDR or the Windjammer to be inferior? It should be possible to disagree with someone's position or point out the possible flaws in their logic without being accused of "attacking" that person.

The specialty restaurants pretty much offer foods and service that were never available in a cruise ship's "free" venues. As much as we might want to believe that things were so much better in the good old days, the reality is that when you are serving hundreds of guests at each meal, the best you are going to be able to offer is what we would describe as "banquet" food, and the passenger/staff ratio has not diminished very measurably as the size of the ships has increased exponentially.

There are many who would agree with your proposition but many of us don't buy it. If you consider this an attack, so be it.;)

[PattyG12]

I think it's a great idea!!

[Mark_K]

I have noticed that no matter what a member may complain about on these boards, they are attacked for being fools who just don't understand anything and made to feel embarrassed for even posting their views.

For me, I believe that the more "pay for food" venues they have, the worse the quality will be in the MDR and the WJ. In order to seduce you into paying for good food, they have to offer inferior food in the free venues. There ya go, now "attack!!!"

I have noticed that some people must use a different definition of the word attack than the one I learned. For me, at least, attack is not a synonym for disagree with.

[sr5242]

I just had a vision of cruising becoming like the Titanic, the first class passengers up top enjoying costly perks, and those of us paying the minimum down in steerage with the rats!

[stuball]

That Mean RCCL again. How dare they offer this. Now they went to far.

 

Royal Caribbean International today announced seven new dining packages for guests to enjoy the variety of speciality restaurants available onboard Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas. Guests can take advantage of the new speciality dining packages, which range from $50 to $120 per guest, and save at least 25 per cent compared to the sum of the individual restaurants’ cover charges.

 

How dare they make it more affordable. (LOL)

 

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/new-royal-caribbean-dining-packages-offer-speciality-restaurant-variety/

 

This is not the deal you think. If you read the fine print, you must eat at the highest end venue on embarkation night. And you can't make reservations for other venues until onboard meaning you will be stuck with 530 or 945 reservations. Basically a way to fill empty seats but from what I have read on boards a lot of people are misled about when you can eat.

[mommabean]

I agree. Ships have to offer low booking fees to remain competitive and then hopefully get you to spend the $$ once on board.But it's your money and your choice.

 

More specialty restaurants the better, turn the MDR into a memory of what it once was, and have you pay for decent food and dress codes.

 

I think they should start charging for room service like hotels do, and perhaps charge for the shows in the theater to help keep the fares down and attract more passengers. :rolleyes:

 

I'm not agreeing with the OP, but be careful! Airlines used to offer hot meals on all their flights, and now your lucky to get peanuts! It's all about cutting costs, and somewhere there is a whole room of bean counters with MBA's dreaming of different ways.

 

I understand what you are saying but it's not likely to ever go the way of the airlines. The airlines are simply transportation from point A to point B. They pretty much have us trapped unless we want to take a train or drive our own car. They know that's not going to happen 99% of the time.

 

But a cruise is a vacation. There are a whole lot of other vacation options. They aren't going to go so far as to drive us all away by not feeding us.

 

If more people paid for the alternate dining venues, maybe the MDR food quality could actually be improved. If they could fill those other venues on Radiance, there would be fewer people to cook for in the MDR and maybe that would lead to better quality. I don't know from experience, but I've heard the food quality was better when the ships were smaller with less passengers. As it is now, it has to be assembly line quality for thousands at a time. I think they are doing quite well considering the quantity of meals prepared.

 

I've been reading so much around here about how bad the desserts are becoming. :eek: DH and I have been thinking just the opposite lately. We think the dessert variety and sugar free options have been improving and we are quite thankful the portion size is being kept down to a reasonable size.

 

If those new dining packages are still available the next time we go on Radiance, you can bet we will be booking them.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

Will you consider it an attack if I post that I don't consider the food in the MDR or the Windjammer to be inferior? It should be possible to disagree with someone's position or point out the possible flaws in their logic without being accused of "attacking" that person.

The specialty restaurants pretty much offer foods and service that were never available in a cruise ship's "free" venues. As much as we might want to believe that things were so much better in the good old days, the reality is that when you are serving hundreds of guests at each meal, the best you are going to be able to offer is what we would describe as "banquet" food, and the passenger/staff ratio has not diminished very measurably as the size of the ships has increased exponentially.

There are many who would agree with your proposition but many of us don't buy it. If you consider this an attack, so be it.;)

 

I absolutely agree with you.

 

I think they are doing a great job overall in the MDR. There may be an off item on any particular night but it's so easy to just order a replacement meal. I've even had an off waiter in the past, but most of them are "excellent", too. :)

 

I never cruised in the good old days so I have nothing to compare I suppose.

 

Gina

[Ocean Boy]

I absolutely agree with you.

 

I think they are doing a great job overall in the MDR. There may be an off item on any particular night but it's so easy to just order a replacement meal. I've even had an off waiter in the past, but most of them are "excellent", too. :)

 

I never cruised in the good old days so I have nothing to compare I suppose.

 

Gina

 

I never managed to cruise in the "good old days" either but I was able to tour the old Pacific Princess (Love Boat) when it was in its prime. Comparing that ship to present day RCI ships, I hardly consider those the good old days of cruising. I don't remember seeing much to do for physical activity. The cabins were tiny. I don't remember seeing much in dining options and the MDR was far from impressive. Food, and the MDR, are just not that important to me. Though I like ship food just fine and have never gone to bed hungry while on a cruise, it is the rest of the ship around the MDR that I care about. I think these are the good old days of cruising and I suspect that they may just get better. When I first sailed on a Voyager class ship I remember thinking that there wasn't much more that they could come up with. Now we have Oasis. And again I find myself asking what else could they possibly think up? I think that the last 10-15 years have been very exciting times to be cruising. The evolution in ship design has kept things from getting stale.

 

The good old days..... I think we have both lived, and are living, them.

[bajathree]

I just had a vision of cruising becoming like the Titanic, the first class passengers up top enjoying costly perks, and those of us paying the minimum down in steerage with the rats!

 

I think that hits on what angers folks the most about extra cost venues being offered by the CL's....not that they are necessarily taking away from folks that choose not to pay specialty dining fees...but that there are other folks that are happy the venues exist and are willing to pay for them.

[mommabean]

I think that hits on what angers folks the most about extra cost venues being offered by the CL's....not that they are necessarily taking away from folks that choose not to pay specialty dining fees...but that there are other folks that are happy the venues exist and are willing to pay for them.

 

In other words...you mean they are jealous? :eek:

 

Gina

[bajathree]

In other words...you mean they are jealous? :eek:

 

Gina

 

Well I don't know that I would call it jealous...maybe more human nature....let's face facts...most people don't like having things thrown in their face.....it just doesn't make them feel special when they don't participate in some of the extras that others may choose to.... if the choice doesn't exist in the first place then there isn't anything that they feel intimidated by....it keeps things on an even playing field.

[temple1]

Well I don't know that I would call it jealous...maybe more human nature....let's face facts...most people don't like having things thrown in their face.....it just doesn't make them feel special when they don't participate in some of the extras that others may choose to.... if the choice doesn't exist in the first place then there isn't anything that they feel intimidated by....it keeps things on an even playing field.

 

What an odd reason not to have specialty venues onboard the ship. To follow your logic to avoid hurt feelings:

 

Doing away with CL lounge for suite guests;

no more priortiy boarding for frequent cruisers;

no more special breakfasts for Diamonds and Diamond+;

no more jewelry stores - I am not comfortable spending a lot of money on board for jewelry and to see others do so might make me feel less than;

no more priority tendering for suites and diamond+;

no more welcome back party for return cruisers;

no more Diamond lounges; and

OMG there are members of AA on board and they can't drink!

 

I'm sure there are plenty of other things going on on board that is hurting somene's sensibilities. :cool:

[bajathree]

What an odd reason not to have specialty venues onboard the ship. To follow your logic to avoid hurt feelings:

 

Doing away with CL lounge for suite guests;

no more priortiy boarding for frequent cruisers;

no more special breakfasts for Diamonds and Diamond+;

no more jewelry stores - I am not comfortable spending a lot of money on board for jewelry and to see others do so might make me feel less than;

no more priority tendering for suites and diamond+;

no more welcome back party for return cruisers;

no more Diamond lounges; and

OMG there are members of AA on board and they can't drink!

 

I'm sure there are plenty of other things going on on board that is hurting somene's sensibilities. :cool:

 

 

Didn't say it should be a reason NOT to have them....I am totally for them....please re-read my post....I do still believe it's part of the reason it upsets some folks so much.

 

I think that hits on what angers folks the most about extra cost venues being offered by the CL's....not that they are necessarily taking away from folks that choose not to pay specialty dining fees...but that there are other folks that are happy the venues exist and are willing to pay for them.

[Finbar127]

I never managed to cruise in the "good old days" either but I was able to tour the old Pacific Princess (Love Boat) when it was in its prime. Comparing that ship to present day RCI ships, I hardly consider those the good old days of cruising. I don't remember seeing much to do for physical activity. The cabins were tiny. I don't remember seeing much in dining options and the MDR was far from impressive. Food, and the MDR, are just not that important to me. Though I like ship food just fine and have never gone to bed hungry while on a cruise, it is the rest of the ship around the MDR that I care about. I think these are the good old days of cruising and I suspect that they may just get better. When I first sailed on a Voyager class ship I remember thinking that there wasn't much more that they could come up with. Now we have Oasis. And again I find myself asking what else could they possibly think up? I think that the last 10-15 years have been very exciting times to be cruising. The evolution in ship design has kept things from getting stale.

 

The good old days..... I think we have both lived, and are living, them.

 

I hear what you are saying. The amenities on modern cruise ships completely blow away those offered on ships of the past. However, for me, the cruise experience itself is the main attraction. The Flowriders, rock walls, restaurants and lounges, and kid facilities are great but I'm just as happy sitting on the Promenade deck or my balcony watching the sea roll by. Sitting on the pool deck listening to a Caribbean band (with a cold drink or two) is another favorite pastime.

 

In the past, the lack of all the bells and whistles was compensated for by a very high level of service and attention to detail. That is what I liked best about yesterday's cruise ship. For me, all the additional fee venues/activities do is make the whole experience similar to a land based resort.

[publius]

They haven't taken away anything, just added more options which no one is forcing you to take.

 

The problem with saying they haven't taken anything away is that space on a cruise ship is generally a zero-sum game. If they're gonna cut the ship in half and add more space like they did with Enchantment of the Seas a few years ago then sure, it's a win-win and no one should feel put out by new dining options. But short of that, chances are that fee restaurants will added by eliminating free public areas.

[Brad1185]

If you are against fees for food you will get get much support here. CC people love fees.

 

When I first cruised all food was included. I still believe that all food should be included but can handle the high end speciality restaurants

 

Charging for JR, room service, tapas, anything in the mdr (steaks), Sea food shack, Rita's I'm against, especially a la carte pricing.

 

I don't like to walk around a ship with my cruise card always in my right hand.

 

The more food options that they can include the better cruise experience for me. I'd rather pay more so the cruise line can make a nice profit.

 

I don't pay extra for food but am tempted.

 

Adding a hot dog stand is not good either. So unhealthy would never even be a option or temptation.

 

The Radiance added the sandwich/salad place which is good But took away the sea view cafe for a pay restaurant which is bad.

 

The quality and offerings in the mdr is a joke and as deteriated to such a low point that the windjammer is about the only dining option that's included. It's noisy, crowded but you used to get good food it was worth going to, now you go put up with all that, get dressed up and sit there for a couple of hours to get a really bad meal.

 

The tapas would be a nice touch, if it was included. Would rather it not be offered than to offer it for a fee.

 

I can't drink alcohol, sodas, tea, or juice extra charges does not bother me on drinks and drinks have pretty much always been extra except for water and tea

 

Carnival is Adding a Mexican restaurant and burger restaurant for no charge, I don't like their product but at least they are trying to give some food options for no extra charge.

 

Princess finally quit charging for ice cream and food items at intl so that's positive as well.

[mommabean]

Brad, it sounds like RCI is not for you.

 

 

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