Left feeling disappointed

[leeselee]

This was our fourth cruise with RCCL and our second on the Splendour.

 

We wanted to extend our holiday, as the cruise was for 7 nights, so we stayed in a beach resort near Venice for a week before the cruise.

 

We were very excited to cruise on Splendour as we liked it so much the last time and the itinerary was excellent.

 

To add to the excitement, we were keen to see the ship after the refit.

 

We cruise as a family of three, my husband and I and our teenage daughter. The best value for us is to stay in a GS, as my daughter’s cruise fare was very low. The GS is large enough for the three of us and my husband enjoyed staying on the balcony when the hairspray was out!!

 

We arrived at 11am and as suite guests, had a very short queue and were onboard in a matter of minutes.

 

The weather was lovely, so we sat by the pool. The pool side large screen was a new feature. But for me it’s one of those things that are there but I don’t really see the point of it. During the day you could hardly see it in the sunshine and at night I did not notice a lot of people watching the films being played. I much preferred live music by the pool which was superb.

 

As soon as we could we went to the MDR to change our MTD time as the RCCL website would only allow me to book a time for dinner that we didn’t want. We changed it with ease.

 

We grabbed a quick lunch in the Windjammer, which was the same as always.

 

OK, I have to say it – we were very disappointed with the suite. On our previous cruise on Splendour, we liked the position of suite 8008, so we chose it again. Apart from a carpet change, everything was the same and it was TIRED. The bath plug and the sinks were worn and pitted, everything in the bathroom looked like it needed to be replaced. Our suite attendant, Marian, cleaned as best as he could (apart from the whiff of urine in the bathroom), but you can’t change the fact that the GS did not show it self to be a luxury suite.

 

The plumbing was an issue that was a constant headache and we felt like we had a hotline to the maintenance department. I could almost feel them sighing everytime I called.

 

The shower handle was loose and wobbled, which meant no temperature could be set. You started off in a two minute shower ok, you then progressed to either boiling or freezing. We brought this up with our stateroom attendant, the maintenance department and finally Telma, our fabulous concierge. There was a lot of apologies and shoulder shrugging but NOTHING was done about it. I have been a home owner for about 25 years and I know what needing doing to fix it. It was a fix that could have taken place in a few hours whilst we were docked. The fact that it has not been fixed is not right. I pity the next person in there.

 

Also the toilet being constantly blocked and not flushing and even the toilet flush button needing replacing (thankfully, that WAS done) – was another thing to add to the list of disappointments with the suite.

 

It does not matter if this was a suite or an inside room on deck 2, this is unacceptable. I have a rule when booking holidays, if where I am staying is not considerably nicer than my own home, there is no point going. GS 8008 in it’s current form is nowhere near as nice as home……such a shame.

 

We have received compensation for our disappointment, I didn’t ask for it, it was offered by Telma. I think the fact that we expressed our disappointment, rather than shouting and screaming left everyone with a feeling that it just wasn’t good enough.

 

We enjoyed the food in the MDR. My daughter who is a fussy eater did go for pasta on a number of nights, but did not go hungry.

 

The MDR service was at it’s best. All of the staff were just fantastic (excluding the maintenance department that I will not go on about, but were not nearly as professional or friendly compared to the rest of the staff encountered).

 

We ate late, so we did not go to the theatre to see any shows. You can’t have it all. We sacrificed the shows for a late dinner and a relaxed quiet evening.

 

The itinerary was very enjoyable, although we did leave port early most days, but we got the best out of our days.

 

I am now in a situation where I do not know what to do for next year. A GS works out best financially as taking a JR suite or balcony plus another room is more expensive than a GS and the GS just wasn’t good enough. That is why we didn’t book on board for next year. Also, when I spoke to the RCCL telesales contact I book with – I was told there is no OBC being offered for next year.

 

If anyone has questions, I would be happy to answer if I can.

 

 

I have to say just two more things – I am not a hot dog person, but my DH is and he loved them.

 

My daughter and I raved over the salads in the Park Café in the solarium. The only problem was for most people it was too late for lunch as it opened most days at 2.30 (great for us as we had dinner booked for 9pm) – also, some people thought that as it was served to you, you would have to pay, which you do not.

[Dharma517]

I am sorry you were disappointed by the state of your stateroom. RCCL is not a luxury line and unless you are sailing on a new ship things are going to look tired. That is why it is very important...IMO that you do not overpay. The toilet issue/shower issue however is unacceptable. If you read some of the luxury line message boards that seems to occasionally be a problem there as well. You are on a ship after all. Sometimes you just get unlucky with your room.

 

When I cruise on RCCL or even X for that matter.. I realize it is a mass market...main stream cruise and I will only pay for a glorified camping experience. (not talking about the food...obviously the food is much better than than camping).

 

Have you considered Disney? Its more (much more) but things have a nicer look to them. Still you might have some plumbing issues though. The customer service is out of control good.

[steamboats]

I do understand the OP. The refit of the Splendour sounded like all cabins were completely redone. In the standard cabins carpets, curtains, drapes were redone but not the wooden parts (meaning the shelves, vanity area, drawers...). Those areas are actually more than shabby with lots of scratches and more. The bathroom has been redone partially: Shower stall and toilet are still the same (including the shower curtain). The area around the sink has been totally remodeled similar to the Solstice class ships of Celebrity. But the round sink bowl in addition to the short faucet is a joke. It looks stylish but the water is only milimeters away from the sink. No way to get your hands under it. They also equipped all faucets with devices to save water so there´s not much water coming out which adds to the problem... it´s easier to wash your hands in the shower. No way to fill the sink for washing clothes (I wanted to wash my sports stuff - did that in the shower too). I´m speaking about a balcony on deck 7.

 

The rest of the ship was great! They are trying out some more (local Med) food in the Windjammer with theme nights (seafood, Asian...) and great antipasti (so it wasn´t just the same food you get in the MDR). I saw a lot of people watching movies at the pool (blankets were provided). Nice service initative: we were asked twice in the Windjammer during breakfast whether we do have any kind of problems. Food was great although we were on the first week with the new menu and obviously some of the new ingredients didn´t make it in time (orechiette pasta is no penne pasta...). We also did the Chef´s Dining Package which is great (includes Chef´s Table, Chops and Izumi). I do like the Park Café but was also disappointed about the opening hours (as it would have been my first option for a light lunch). The staff also had problems preparing the roast beef sandwich correctly (but the corporate executive chef was onboard because of the introduction of the new menu and we spoke to him about those minor glitches).

 

All in all the new positive aspects did impress us and made the disappointment about the not really totally refurbished cabin forgotten.

 

steamboats

[CathyCanada]

Thanks for your review, my husband and I will be sailing her in October. Looking forward to seeing the changes. Other than your stateroom issues and the big screen, what did you think of the new and improved ship?

 

I hope that you utilized the Guest Comment card to express your concerns. Shoreside really does read and make changes according to the comments.

 

As for the toilet flushing issues...it's likely that you have a neighbour to thank. A Hotel Director told us that it only takes one person flushing something that they are not supposed to, to take out about 50 toilets in the area until the situation is rectified.

[leeselee]

Thanks for your review, my husband and I will be sailing her in October. Looking forward to seeing the changes. Other than your stateroom issues and the big screen, what did you think of the new and improved ship?

 

I hope that you utilized the Guest Comment card to express your concerns. Shoreside really does read and make changes according to the comments.

 

As for the toilet flushing issues...it's likely that you have a neighbour to thank. A Hotel Director told us that it only takes one person flushing something that they are not supposed to, to take out about 50 toilets in the area until the situation is rectified.

 

I love the Splendour, the size and ratio of staff / guests is just right.

 

We did not take advantage of the speciality restaurants as we only sailed for 7 nights and loved the MDR food (we had prime rib twice, which was fabulous).

 

I did fill in my comment card and I always praise first, which I did.

 

I think the fact that we were offered a future cruise discount on our third day kind of says it all.

 

I do not think that this is a luxury cruise line, but it does advertise better than three stars, which is all I would honestly give out of five for our cabin.

 

Maybe we were overly fussy but the cabin looked better last year!

[Sherri914]

I am sorry you were disappointed by the state of your stateroom. RCCL is not a luxury line and unless you are sailing on a new ship things are going to look tired. That is why it is very important...IMO that you do not overpay. The toilet issue/shower issue however is unacceptable. If you read some of the luxury line message boards that seems to occasionally be a problem there as well. You are on a ship after all. Sometimes you just get unlucky with your room.

 

When I cruise on RCCL or even X for that matter.. I realize it is a mass market...main stream cruise and I will only pay for a glorified camping experience. (not talking about the food...obviously the food is much better than than camping).

 

Have you considered Disney? Its more (much more) but things have a nicer look to them. Still you might have some plumbing issues though. The customer service is out of control good.

 

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this. A "glorified camping experience"? Really? So you're saying that you're okay paying THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS for what you consider a "glorified camping experience"? And if you were to walk into your grand suite, for which you had paid several thousand dollars, you'd be perfectly happy finding worn out and tired accommodations. I'm throwing the BS card on that one. While I realize that RC isn't a luxury line, it's also FAR from a "glorified camping experience". Following your logic, any stay at a hotel that isn't a five-star resort would also be akin to camping, and one should have very low expectations. I'm sorry, but that's simply absurd. If I pay for a vacation, be it a Holiday Inn Express, a Carnival Cruise, or your beloved Disney Cruise line, I expect to get what I pay for. And if that means spending SEVERAL thousand dollars for one week, I think that entitles me to a reasonably high expectation of comfortable surroundings - much higher than glorified camping - especially when said company advertises that they "bring on the WOW", and typically does deliver said WOW in relatively good fashion.

[seaofwonder]

I agree Sherri. If I pay money for any accommodation I have the expectation that it will be in working order and will also look good. I don't pay Motel 6 prices for my cruise (or other hotels).

 

I would be disappointed as well OP. Definitely write in to corporate and let them know your concerns. That is the only way they know how people feel.

 

Glorified camping experience...lmao. That's what Royal is trying to sell us. Glad you have such low expectations about things.

[leeselee]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this. A "glorified camping experience"? Really? So you're saying that you're okay paying THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS for what you consider a "glorified camping experience"? And if you were to walk into your grand suite, for which you had paid several thousand dollars, you'd be perfectly happy finding worn out and tired accommodations. I'm throwing the BS card on that one. While I realize that RC isn't a luxury line, it's also FAR from a "glorified camping experience". Following your logic, any stay at a hotel that isn't a five-star resort would also be akin to camping, and one should have very low expectations. I'm sorry, but that's simply absurd. If I pay for a vacation, be it a Holiday Inn Express, a Carnival Cruise, or your beloved Disney Cruise line, I expect to get what I pay for. And if that means spending SEVERAL thousand dollars for one week, I think that entitles me to a reasonably high expectation of comfortable surroundings - much higher than glorified camping - especially when said company advertises that they "bring on the WOW", and typically does deliver said WOW in relatively good fashion.

 

You put that far more succinctly than I - couldn't agree with you more.

[Sherri914]

I still believe Royal, if given the opportunity, will make it right. I believe OP said they did, in fact, offer credit. But unfortunately that did little to help while they were on holiday. This isn't to downplay any other cruise line. I'm sure Disney has a perfectly wonderful offering as well, but there are plenty of folks who complain about what Disney offeres as well for the high price paid. All in all, I believe Royal does a great job. And from what was described, it sounds as if this suite may be in need of a makeover and the OP is very much entitled to expect more than what was apparently received for the price they paid for a (not so) "grand" suite.

[Cruising89143]

Sorry that you had issues with your stateroom. We cruised on the Splendour in June and had the GS next to you (8010). We could see a little wear and tear but overall our stateroom was in good shape. We had a few instances where the toilet didn't flush but it was due to someone trying to flush something that clogged the system in one of the staterooms close by. The only negative was the noise from the deck above. It was noisy.

[Dharma517]

You are correct that I do have low expectations and I also pay for what I expect. I always have a wonderful time. I think Royal is just fine (do I think they deliver WOW.....no way) and will continue to cruise her...even after being on a cruise on fire...lol.

 

 

 

I agree Sherri. If I pay money for any accommodation I have the expectation that it will be in working order and will also look good. I don't pay Motel 6 prices for my cruise (or other hotels).

 

I would be disappointed as well OP. Definitely write in to corporate and let them know your concerns. That is the only way they know how people feel.

 

Glorified camping experience...lmao. That's what Royal is trying to sell us. Glad you have such low expectations about things.

[yolanda1]

This was our fourth cruise with RCCL and our second on the Splendour.

 

We wanted to extend our holiday, as the cruise was for 7 nights, so we stayed in a beach resort near Venice for a week before the cruise.

 

We were very excited to cruise on Splendour as we liked it so much the last time and the itinerary was excellent.

 

To add to the excitement, we were keen to see the ship after the refit.

 

We cruise as a family of three, my husband and I and our teenage daughter. The best value for us is to stay in a GS, as my daughter’s cruise fare was very low. The GS is large enough for the three of us and my husband enjoyed staying on the balcony when the hairspray was out!!

 

We arrived at 11am and as suite guests, had a very short queue and were onboard in a matter of minutes.

 

The weather was lovely, so we sat by the pool. The pool side large screen was a new feature. But for me it’s one of those things that are there but I don’t really see the point of it. During the day you could hardly see it in the sunshine and at night I did not notice a lot of people watching the films being played. I much preferred live music by the pool which was superb.

 

As soon as we could we went to the MDR to change our MTD time as the RCCL website would only allow me to book a time for dinner that we didn’t want. We changed it with ease.

 

We grabbed a quick lunch in the Windjammer, which was the same as always.

 

OK, I have to say it – we were very disappointed with the suite. On our previous cruise on Splendour, we liked the position of suite 8008, so we chose it again. Apart from a carpet change, everything was the same and it was TIRED. The bath plug and the sinks were worn and pitted, everything in the bathroom looked like it needed to be replaced. Our suite attendant, Marian, cleaned as best as he could (apart from the whiff of urine in the bathroom), but you can’t change the fact that the GS did not show it self to be a luxury suite.

 

The plumbing was an issue that was a constant headache and we felt like we had a hotline to the maintenance department. I could almost feel them sighing everytime I called.

 

The shower handle was loose and wobbled, which meant no temperature could be set. You started off in a two minute shower ok, you then progressed to either boiling or freezing. We brought this up with our stateroom attendant, the maintenance department and finally Telma, our fabulous concierge. There was a lot of apologies and shoulder shrugging but NOTHING was done about it. I have been a home owner for about 25 years and I know what needing doing to fix it. It was a fix that could have taken place in a few hours whilst we were docked. The fact that it has not been fixed is not right. I pity the next person in there.

 

Also the toilet being constantly blocked and not flushing and even the toilet flush button needing replacing (thankfully, that WAS done) – was another thing to add to the list of disappointments with the suite.

 

It does not matter if this was a suite or an inside room on deck 2, this is unacceptable. I have a rule when booking holidays, if where I am staying is not considerably nicer than my own home, there is no point going. GS 8008 in it’s current form is nowhere near as nice as home……such a shame.

 

We have received compensation for our disappointment, I didn’t ask for it, it was offered by Telma. I think the fact that we expressed our disappointment, rather than shouting and screaming left everyone with a feeling that it just wasn’t good enough.

 

We enjoyed the food in the MDR. My daughter who is a fussy eater did go for pasta on a number of nights, but did not go hungry.

 

The MDR service was at it’s best. All of the staff were just fantastic (excluding the maintenance department that I will not go on about, but were not nearly as professional or friendly compared to the rest of the staff encountered).

 

We ate late, so we did not go to the theatre to see any shows. You can’t have it all. We sacrificed the shows for a late dinner and a relaxed quiet evening.

 

The itinerary was very enjoyable, although we did leave port early most days, but we got the best out of our days.

 

I am now in a situation where I do not know what to do for next year. A GS works out best financially as taking a JR suite or balcony plus another room is more expensive than a GS and the GS just wasn’t good enough. That is why we didn’t book on board for next year. Also, when I spoke to the RCCL telesales contact I book with – I was told there is no OBC being offered for next year.

 

If anyone has questions, I would be happy to answer if I can.

 

 

I have to say just two more things – I am not a hot dog person, but my DH is and he loved them.

 

My daughter and I raved over the salads in the Park Café in the solarium. The only problem was for most people it was too late for lunch as it opened most days at 2.30 (great for us as we had dinner booked for 9pm) – also, some people thought that as it was served to you, you would have to pay, which you do not.

 

 

 

I'm really sorry to hear that your suite didn't come up to standard. What a shame........ :(

We will be in a GS on Splendour soon too (not 8008, thankfully!) and I know that if we have problems like you did, we will be extremely disappointed!

I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind......

I read that there is a music system in the suite. Could you tell me what kind it is please (ie does it play CDs, or can you connect an iPod to it)? Also, what kind of toiletries are provided? I hope to bring only necessary items and if the toiletries provided are decent and plentiful, we won't bring our own.

Did you use the CL much, and if so what was your experience of it?

What was the best thing about the suite in your opinion (although I do appreciate that some things were pretty poor!) ?

 

Sorry to bombard you with lots of questions, but there isn't much info specifically about Splendour suites as far as I can see. I haven't been on her for a couple of years, and we were in a JS on that trip.

 

Many thanks for any info you can give :)

[Cruising89143]

I'm really sorry to hear that your suite didn't come up to standard. What a shame........ :(

We will be in a GS on Splendour soon too (not 8008, thankfully!) and I know that if we have problems like you did, we will be extremely disappointed!

I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind......

I read that there is a music system in the suite. Could you tell me what kind it is please (ie does it play CDs, or can you connect an iPod to it)? Also, what kind of toiletries are provided? I hope to bring only necessary items and if the toiletries provided are decent and plentiful, we won't bring our own.

Did you use the CL much, and if so what was your experience of it?

What was the best thing about the suite in your opinion (although I do appreciate that some things were pretty poor!) ?

 

Sorry to bombard you with lots of questions, but there isn't much info specifically about Splendour suites as far as I can see. I haven't been on her for a couple of years, and we were in a JS on that trip.

 

Many thanks for any info you can give :)

 

I have photos in my link below of the GS that we had.

 

I'm sure that the OP will answer your questions but we loved the CL on this ship. Very quiet. There were never more than eight to ten in the CL at any given time. We really liked Telma who was the Concierge. She took care of all requests with a smile.

 

The toiletries are Gilchrist and Soames. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. Bar soap is the standard Vitality bar soap.

[Jason12]

I know how you feel..and

 

We are on the splendour in November, and after our horror cabin last month which had to be refurbished while we were in it, I do hope we get a nice one this time otherwise it will be our last RC cruise..

 

Jason

[yolanda1]

I have photos in my link below of the GS that we had.

 

I'm sure that the OP will answer your questions but we loved the CL on this ship. Very quiet. There were never more than eight to ten in the CL at any given time. We really liked Telma who was the Concierge. She took care of all requests with a smile.

 

The toiletries are Gilchrist and Soames. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. Bar soap is the standard Vitality bar soap.

 

 

 

Thank you for this info - and the photos are great!! :)

[steamboats]

Cathy,

 

I also did make use of my comment card. When we first opened the drawers - let´s say I found stuff I didn´t want to see - it´s been the first time on an RCI ship that the cabin wasn´t really cleaned up. The drawers were filthy in a way that I didn´t want to put my clothes in. We told our cabin steward and she immediately did take care of this.

 

steamboats

[ticktoneer]

I am sorry you were disappointed by the state of your stateroom. RCCL is not a luxury line and unless you are sailing on a new ship things are going to look tired. That is why it is very important...IMO that you do not overpay. The toilet issue/shower issue however is unacceptable. If you read some of the luxury line message boards that seems to occasionally be a problem there as well. You are on a ship after all. Sometimes you just get unlucky with your room.

 

When I cruise on RCCL or even X for that matter.. I realize it is a mass market...main stream cruise and I will only pay for a glorified camping experience. (not talking about the food...obviously the food is much better than than camping).

 

Have you considered Disney? Its more (much more) but things have a nicer look to them. Still you might have some plumbing issues though. The customer service is out of control good.

A glorified camping trip - that's ridiculous

[leeselee]

I still believe Royal, if given the opportunity, will make it right. I believe OP said they did, in fact, offer credit. But unfortunately that did little to help while they were on holiday. This isn't to downplay any other cruise line. I'm sure Disney has a perfectly wonderful offering as well, but there are plenty of folks who complain about what Disney offeres as well for the high price paid. All in all, I believe Royal does a great job. And from what was described, it sounds as if this suite may be in need of a makeover and the OP is very much entitled to expect more than what was apparently received for the price they paid for a (not so) "grand" suite.

 

 

My main issue is what to do next - I am loyal to Royal and I love the brand. If I am to book for next year, what cabin do I book? I do not need, nor do I want to spend more than we paid for a GS.

 

The suite perks do not mean that much to me, although Telma was a delight and I would miss our daily chats (as I think she will still be on Splendour next summer).

 

I remember a few years ago on a rainy day in Italy, we spent the entire day (as there was nothing else to do) looking at hotels in the area and looking at rooms to find another hotel for the next year - Should I have spent a morning looking at other suites on Splendour to see which one looked less tired?? :rolleyes:

[Jason12]

A glorified camping trip - that's ridiculous

 

Dib dib dob...some people hey.. :)

[leeselee]

I'm really sorry to hear that your suite didn't come up to standard. What a shame........ :(

We will be in a GS on Splendour soon too (not 8008, thankfully!) and I know that if we have problems like you did, we will be extremely disappointed!

I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind......

I read that there is a music system in the suite. Could you tell me what kind it is please (ie does it play CDs, or can you connect an iPod to it)? Also, what kind of toiletries are provided? I hope to bring only necessary items and if the toiletries provided are decent and plentiful, we won't bring our own.

Did you use the CL much, and if so what was your experience of it?

What was the best thing about the suite in your opinion (although I do appreciate that some things were pretty poor!) ?

 

Sorry to bombard you with lots of questions, but there isn't much info specifically about Splendour suites as far as I can see. I haven't been on her for a couple of years, and we were in a JS on that trip.

 

Many thanks for any info you can give :)

 

Hello,

 

I think the music system was a small Bose - but the first thing I did was unplug it and placed it next to the coffee maker as I had a bluetooth speaker and we played the music from my daughters iphone.

 

There was a Playstation and I saw some kids asking Telma for games - we didn't use that either.

 

I would say to bring your own toiletries - They have tiny bottles of Gilchrist & Soames shower gel, etc, but we prefer our own.

 

Also, there is a container of 'mystery liquid' in the shower. I have used it many times to wash hair (when run out of shampoo), body (ran out of shower gel) and swimwear (you guessed it, ran out of handwash) - It doesn't have much smell, but it does foam up and clean!!

 

We used the CL every night. My daughter loved the bite sized foods and my husband and I liked the idea of a drink or two before dinner.

 

Telma, our concierge is a truly wonderful lady. she is on holiday for the next few months, but her colleague (I am afraid I forgot her name) is just lovely.

 

Not many people were ever in the CL which meant we always had a good chat with Telma and her colleagues.

 

On our last morning, we had breakfast in there too. It's a lovely lounge.

 

The suite had lots of positives - mainly the amount of storage space, we have cruised on Splendour for 7 nights and 12 twelve nights in a GS and both times we had plenty of storage space left over. No crushed clothes or shoes. The bathroom also has a huge amount of storage space.

 

The TV is great, it has an enormous balcony. The bed and the sofa bed are super comfy.

 

Unlike a lot of other posters, we had not experienced noise issues in the suite.

 

Beautiful views in every port and the best vantage point when sailing out of Venice.

 

My tip (apart from sailaway on your balcony is a must) - have breakfast on the balcony. Even with three of us, it was spacious and rather delightful.

 

If not for the 'tired' look and feel of the bathroom especially, we love the Splendour GS

 

Have a wonderful cruise

 

I am happy to answer any other questions, if I can

[leeselee]

I know how you feel..and

 

We are on the splendour in November, and after our horror cabin last month which had to be refurbished while we were in it, I do hope we get a nice one this time otherwise it will be our last RC cruise..

 

Jason

 

Uch - that didn't sound good.

 

I think after three cruises with Royal I became complacent and did not think that after the refurb the suite would look worse than before

[dreamer976]

I'm sorry, but that "glorified camping experience" statement was ridiculous! Yes, Royal is not a "luxury" cruise line, but I really expect that ANY stateroom category should be presented in top shape. I have been in staterooms where carpets had more than one or two stains, couch cushions were totally worn down and sometimes dirty as well. I have also been assigned staterooms where everything was clean and in good working condition and for me, that happens to be very important. I live in a clean tidy house where everything is in good working order and expect no less of any stateroom on any ship that charges the prices paid to RCI.

 

The fact that a GS, no less, was presented in a shoddy manner is more than just disappointing to me. There was a time when you could "cruise" on a freighter and see the world - that is where I would expect to find a less than stellar stateroom, although I would still expect it to be spotlessly clean.

[leeselee]

I'm sorry, but that "glorified camping experience" statement was ridiculous! Yes, Royal is not a "luxury" cruise line, but I really expect that ANY stateroom category should be presented in top shape. I have been in staterooms where carpets had more than one or two stains, couch cushions were totally worn down and sometimes dirty as well. I have also been assigned staterooms where everything was clean and in good working condition and for me, that happens to be very important. I live in a clean tidy house where everything is in good working order and expect no less of any stateroom on any ship that charges the prices paid to RCI.

 

The fact that a GS, no less, was presented in a shoddy manner is more than just disappointing to me. There was a time when you could "cruise" on a freighter and see the world - that is where I would expect to find a less than stellar stateroom, although I would still expect it to be spotlessly clean.

 

I couldn't agree more.

[Linda in MI]

We are sailing on the Splendour in February. Do they have reserved seating in the theater and on the pool deck for suite guests on this ship?

 

Thanks for any info!

[leeselee]

We are sailing on the Splendour in February. Do they have reserved seating in the theater and on the pool deck for suite guests on this ship?

 

Thanks for any info!

 

Funny you should ask - the last time we were on Splendour, two years ago, we were in the theatre every night and there was reserved seating for suite guests (we are Emerald, so I do not know if the reserved seats were for Diamond & Diamond Plus) - the only time we went into the theatre (briefly) we did not notice anyone sitting in the reserved seats, so we wondered whether they were still reserving seats.

 

No, the ship is too small for reserved seating around the pool.

 

On both cruises on Splendour we had no problems getting three seats around the pool on days at port. On sea days we have always been lucky (although this year we got a delicious breakfast from the Park Cafe and ate it by the pool - no real hardship!!!)