It's a shame how cruising has gone downhill

[uksimonusa]

We are in the process of booking Freedom of her Seas for a family cruise...we enjoy Royal Caribbean and have really loved our cruises on them, but usually cruise Princess or HAL, due to loyalty status.

 

The ONLY think that annoys me as cheap about RCL is the pool towel policy. I much prefer pool towels in the cabin, rather than having to stand in line both to check out towels and then return then. And I always worry that if I lay my towel down and then go in the pool or just sit on the edge, that if someone steals it I will be charged. I do not think of this as nickel and diming, which I completely understand and am OK with, but rather as an inconvenience for all guests.

Well you should be pleased to know that RCI has eliminated the charge for pool towels

[mm1251]

Sometimes, all of us are guilty of remembering the Good and not the Bad of "the way it was" . :o

 

LuLu

~~~~

That's a winner!

 

Can you imagine if the ships were the same after 20 or 30 years of cruising? Thank goodness they have evolved over the years.

 

We are so lucky to have been able to see and be a part of the changes in cruising since our first cruise on Sun Viking in 1989!

[Mapleleafforever]

Our first cruise was in 2010 so I can't speak for how it was back in the day but I feel like it's been consistent since then.

 

Apparently people used to wear suit and tie to sporting events, I can't imagine having to do that and probably wouldn't go. I like things a bit more casual personally.

[big al]

When we started cruising RCI it was a much classier experience. It was upscale, people dressed up, the food was high quality, and the service was impeccable.

 

It used to be looked upon as an expensive, luxury vacation.

 

Now, most of the people I know look at it like a bargain vacation along the lines of a Holiday Inn on the beach.

 

All of the cheap deals and bad press the cruise lines set themselves up for has really tarnished that prestigious image cruising used to have. I still think cruises are fun, but its a shame that it is nothing like it used to be anymore. Gone are the days of lavish meals and talkative crew. We have arrived in the days of cafeteria quality food and rushed and stressed out crew.

 

I wish I could go back to the 1990's cruises again :p.

 

Disagree mostly...first, I work every day in hot & humid South Florida and dress up...do you think I want to dress up on my vacation? Pretty stupid, IMO..that's like the postman on his day off, he takes a walk..no, on my cruise vacation, I want hawaiian shirts, sandals, and FEEL like I'm on vacation- not like I'm going to a business meeting...I don't cruise for the food...food is important, but also subjective, though I will agree that the MDR food could be much better...service I find is mostly terrific..we've cruised 29 times on all but Costa & MSC, with Disney in a class by itself ,IMO...on our 29 cruises, if I had a problem with service more than 5-6 times, that would be a lot..

 

But here is what you DIDN'T mention: ships today are bigger, have better stabilizers, more perqs, more dining options, more entertainment, adult pool areas, more cabin options, more ports of call, private islands ( very little in 90's) , many more bars & lounges, more to do for kids & families, and still a much better value for a vacation than a "Holiday Inn on the beach"...why don't you go price what it costs to fly to a tropical resort, get a room facing the beach, than add all your costs of food, transportation , and entertainment ( if there IS any entertainment- usually there's none at most resorts..) and figure that for a week, then compare that to a one week cruise on the Freedom or the Oasis...and BTW, I think it's GREAT that it's not so "upscale" now...now, an average income family can go on a cruise, even if it's Carnival, or cruise lines that tend to be less $$...recently my wife & I cruised on the Disney Dream ( fabulous), the Allure & last year the Liberty Of The Seas...all were fantastic...NO PROBLEMS WITH SERVICE, and shows on all three were dazzling! Only thing here I will concede is sometimes the MDR food can be bland or mediocre on RCI ( on Disney we thought it was good to VERY good)..and as others have said, there are other cruise lines that have more upscale options...along with upscale $$$...just my HO....

 

Big Al

[Mapleleafforever]

Disagree mostly...first, I work every day in hot & humid South Florida and dress up...do you think I want to dress up on my vacation? Pretty stupid, IMO..that's like the postman on his day off, he takes a walk..no, on my cruise vacation, I want hawaiian shirts, sandals, and FEEL like I'm on vacation- not like I'm going to a business meeting...I don't cruise for the food...food is important, but also subjective, though I will agree that the MDR food could be much better...service I find is mostly terrific..we've cruised 29 times on all but Costa & MSC, with Disney in a class by itself ,IMO...on our 29 cruises, if I had a problem with service more than 5-6 times, that would be a lot..

 

But here is what you DIDN'T mention: ships today are bigger, have better stabilizers, more perqs, more dining options, more entertainment, adult pool areas, more cabin options, more ports of call, private islands ( very little in 90's) , many more bars & lounges, more to do for kids & families, and still a much better value for a vacation than a "Holiday Inn on the beach"...why don't you go price what it costs to fly to a tropical resort, get a room facing the beach, than add all your costs of food, transportation , and entertainment ( if there IS any entertainment- usually there's none at most resorts..) and figure that for a week, then compare that to a one week cruise on the Freedom or the Oasis...and BTW, I think it's GREAT that it's not so "upscale" now...now, an average income family can go on a cruise, even if it's Carnival, or cruise lines that tend to be less $$...recently my wife & I cruised on the Disney Dream ( fabulous), the Allure & last year the Liberty Of The Seas...all were fantastic...NO PROBLEMS WITH SERVICE, and shows on all three were dazzling! Only thing here I will concede is sometimes the MDR food can be bland or mediocre on RCI ( on Disney we thought it was good to VERY good)..and as others have said, there are other cruise lines that have more upscale options...along with upscale $$$...just my HO....

 

Big Al

 

Well said Big Al!!

[Tapi]

It's interesting how frequent cruisers of every cruise line seem to complain about the "downhill" spiral of their cruise line of choice. This is a frequent topic on the Carnival board, it was also present on the Holland America board when we were researching our last cruise, and it is present here as we plan our next Royal Caribbean cruise. It's also present on the Princess board as we prepare to sail for the 1st time on them during the fall (over there I've read complaints as pitiful as the placement of the toilet paper roll on their newest ship.) :rolleyes:

 

IMHO, this type of complaint should be an indication for some that it is time for them to move on and try other cruise lines, and get a new, fresh experience.

 

As mentioned above, we read several threads about the decline of the Holland America product before we sailed on them for the 1st time, but for us, it was a wonderful experience. It was all new to us! That's why we are no longer loyal to one cruise line as we once were.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Tapi

[Paulette3028]

We cruised home from Bermuda back in 1957 with our parents and the ship then was more like the Titantic with tiny rooms, endless hallways and rooms leading off from them. Since that day and when my husband & I began to cruise in 2002, the ships have become more elegant. We aren't able to cruise in JS or suites and settle for the standard balcony, but haven't had a bad cruise yet.

 

On our first cruise back in 2004, we went on Navigator, with friends who had cruised many times. They described the cabin as small, and we had a balcony cabin. They had some pictures from previous cruises they had taken....and OK it seemed small. When we arrived on board....I realized sure it is small, but well layed out to give us enough room....and the balcony did make it feel less closed in. The bathroom did take a little getting used to, but how much time do I spend in the bathroom (LOL) -- if I am in there too much, there is a different problem (not LOL now)

 

I guess we probably could find a way to budget the extra cost of a JS, but why....I would rather use that extra money towards another cruise. As said by you....'we haven't had a bad cruise yet'!

 

Looking forward to cruise #15 on Allure in June 2014.

[Paulette3028]

Disagree mostly...first, I work every day in hot & humid South Florida and dress up...do you think I want to dress up on my vacation? Pretty stupid, IMO..that's like the postman on his day off, he takes a walk..no, on my cruise vacation, I want hawaiian shirts, sandals, and FEEL like I'm on vacation- not like I'm going to a business meeting...I don't cruise for the food...food is important, but also subjective, though I will agree that the MDR food could be much better...service I find is mostly terrific..we've cruised 29 times on all but Costa & MSC, with Disney in a class by itself ,IMO...on our 29 cruises, if I had a problem with service more than 5-6 times, that would be a lot..

 

But here is what you DIDN'T mention: ships today are bigger, have better stabilizers, more perqs, more dining options, more entertainment, adult pool areas, more cabin options, more ports of call, private islands ( very little in 90's) , many more bars & lounges, more to do for kids & families, and still a much better value for a vacation than a "Holiday Inn on the beach"...why don't you go price what it costs to fly to a tropical resort, get a room facing the beach, than add all your costs of food, transportation , and entertainment ( if there IS any entertainment- usually there's none at most resorts..) and figure that for a week, then compare that to a one week cruise on the Freedom or the Oasis...and BTW, I think it's GREAT that it's not so "upscale" now...now, an average income family can go on a cruise, even if it's Carnival, or cruise lines that tend to be less $$...recently my wife & I cruised on the Disney Dream ( fabulous), the Allure & last year the Liberty Of The Seas...all were fantastic...NO PROBLEMS WITH SERVICE, and shows on all three were dazzling! Only thing here I will concede is sometimes the MDR food can be bland or mediocre on RCI ( on Disney we thought it was good to VERY good)..and as others have said, there are other cruise lines that have more upscale options...along with upscale $$$...just my HO....

 

Big Al

 

Great that you have pointed out what the OP did not.....and my husband would firmly agree with you, since he also has to dress up for work and we live in S. Florida as well....so on vacation.....it is not very likely to happen much!!!!

[macruisefan]

While I suspect the OP is simply being negative, he or she does not entirely lack validity. Cruising has become mass market, hence the exponential increase in both the number of ships and the size. And while that has undoubtedly been the best business model, it undeniably comes with some give and take.

 

I cruise Royal Caribbean because I love the ships. But the service is good, not great. It's Marriott, not Ritz-Carlton. Nothing's wrong with that, it's just the reality. However, if I say I prefer Ritz-Carlton, then people are quick to point out the luxury lines. Three problems with that for me: 1. The ships don't compare. They are smaller (and while that is more intimate, it offers less), and just don't offer the "wow" factor of the RCI ships. 2. I'm an almost 40 year old solo cruiser. The luxury lines tend to cater to more senior travelers. 3. The itineraries are more challenging. I can easily take a week off and travel. But twelve or more days becomes a real stunt. More often the majority of the appealing high end options are too long for my current lifestyle. So that leaves me with Royal.

 

What would really put Royal back over the top for me? Well, this might irritate some people around here. I would love to have a "grills" type option a-la-Cunard. Give me back the true premium dining experience, with a dining venue with a table for me whenever I choose to dine. Give me world class cuisine that I can order via room service. Give me an honor bar in my room and the ability to order a bar setup. Give me the grills lounge with exclusive, high end service. Basically, put a small Ritz-Carlton inside that Marriott. That would be perfect.

 

It seems NCL has done this in part with The Haven. I am intrigued to try that, but I would love to see a more cohesive dining component.

 

I wonder if in due time we will see just this. RCI has a mastery of offering "something for everyone". I wonder if at some point they're going to take a look at this niche market and see if they can better fill it.

[lovetocruise75]

disagree mostly...first, i work every day in hot & humid south florida and dress up...do you think i want to dress up on my vacation? Pretty stupid, imo..that's like the postman on his day off, he takes a walk..no, on my cruise vacation, i want hawaiian shirts, sandals, and feel like i'm on vacation- not like i'm going to a business meeting...i don't cruise for the food...food is important, but also subjective, though i will agree that the mdr food could be much better...service i find is mostly terrific..we've cruised 29 times on all but costa & msc, with disney in a class by itself ,imo...on our 29 cruises, if i had a problem with service more than 5-6 times, that would be a lot..

 

But here is what you didn't mention: Ships today are bigger, have better stabilizers, more perqs, more dining options, more entertainment, adult pool areas, more cabin options, more ports of call, private islands ( very little in 90's) , many more bars & lounges, more to do for kids & families, and still a much better value for a vacation than a "holiday inn on the beach"...why don't you go price what it costs to fly to a tropical resort, get a room facing the beach, than add all your costs of food, transportation , and entertainment ( if there is any entertainment- usually there's none at most resorts..) and figure that for a week, then compare that to a one week cruise on the freedom or the oasis...and btw, i think it's great that it's not so "upscale" now...now, an average income family can go on a cruise, even if it's carnival, or cruise lines that tend to be less $$...recently my wife & i cruised on the disney dream ( fabulous), the allure & last year the liberty of the seas...all were fantastic...no problems with service, and shows on all three were dazzling! Only thing here i will concede is sometimes the mdr food can be bland or mediocre on rci ( on disney we thought it was good to very good)..and as others have said, there are other cruise lines that have more upscale options...along with upscale $$$...just my ho....

 

Big al

 

agreed!!!

[JohnSnowGOT]

I am sure cruise lines such as Silversea is what your looking for.

I have been cruising since the 1990's too. I love the new ships and several choices we now have. I remember the small boring ships with their tiny little cabins with a small port hole, if your were lucky enough to be able to afford window cabin. Balconies were so expensive and very limited. Cruisers were primarily older wealthy folk. There are so many choices now. If you want the "old days" of pomp and circumstance, you can still have it with a 6 star cruise line. Of course you'll pay like the old days too.

But it is available, not at RC prices.

Edited January 11, 2014 by JohnSnowGOT

[orville99]

I didn't say that. I said Royal Caribbean used to provide those. Now they do not. I miss when they did.

 

 

While I miss the quality of the "old" days, I certainly don't miss the cost. In constant $$, if you took what it cost us for a 7-night OV in 1991, we could do three-four 7-night cruises in a balcony today:eek:

[dfishner]

I would agree that cruising in years past was more elegant but times have changed. I know for ourselves we no longer bring formal wear, avoid formal nights love MTD, enjoy the specialty restaurants, the shows as well as the activities. Our society has changed and the cruise lines have changed with the times. Even some of the luxury lines have moved away from formal evening dress to more relaxed dress code. We have become less formal as a society and that is neither good or bad it just depends upon who you ask.

 

We have been cruising RCL off and on since 2006 and when we first started cruising on them there was so many posts on here on how bad the food was that we almost did not go. Some things never seem to change LOL. Is the food great no but we have never left hungry on any of our cruises. We are paying less now for our cruises then when we first started to cruise and for us it is still a great value and we enjoy the on board experience.

 

There are cruise lines out there like Cunard that offer the experience you are describing maybe you should give them a try. I actually enjoy what cruising is today. I still believe the cruise lines offer a great way to vacation.

Edited January 11, 2014 by dfishner

[connes1]

When we started cruising RCI it was a much classier experience. It was upscale, people dressed up, the food was high quality, and the service was impeccable.

 

It used to be looked upon as an expensive, luxury vacation.

 

Now, most of the people I know look at it like a bargain vacation along the lines of a Holiday Inn on the beach.

 

All of the cheap deals and bad press the cruise lines set themselves up for has really tarnished that prestigious image cruising used to have. I still think cruises are fun, but its a shame that it is nothing like it used to be anymore. Gone are the days of lavish meals and talkative crew. We have arrived in the days of cafeteria quality food and rushed and stressed out crew.

 

I wish I could go back to the 1990's cruises again :p.

Totally agree.

 

 

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

[connes1]

Where is everybody getting cruising is an inexpensive vacation. The only time I see inexpensive cruises is in August and September. After you add up the cruise fare, gratuities, taxes, fees, drinks (1 or 2 per day) your average cruise fair is 4000 for 2. That price does not include airfare. That is $575 per day. Its not super expensive but its not cheap

 

 

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[LoneStarJeffe]

The math is pretty simple. There are more cabins to sell. Therefore you have to attract as wide an audience of potential buyers as possible. Cruise ships require huge investments and have high fixed costs to operate. They have to sell cabins and make incremental revenue while passengers are on board. Cruise lines have adjusted their offerings to attract more people and generate more revenue. Of course there are changes from the service and experience RCL used to deliver. The fact is people are filling their ships sufficiently to order new ones. So the experience they are offering is filling the cabins. If they instead switched to more formal wear and higher quality experience would they still fill the cabins? Probably not. I realize the OP is not complaining but just noting the change and expressing a personal opinion that something was lost with the expansion to mass market. I do not disagree. But that same mass market makes cruising more affordable and support more people experiencing cruising. I like the age mix on board. I am glad RCL is no longer just for the "recently wed and nearly dead". I cruise to relax and enjoy having as much or as little to do each day as I like. So what they offer, I like.

Edited January 11, 2014 by LoneStarJeffe

[meatloafsfan]

When visiting my great aunt when I was young (say 30 years ago - in the 80's), she used to do her hair, put on lipstick and a "nice dress" to go grocery shopping. Now you see people walking around the grocery store wearing pajama pants, and the "I just rolled out of bed look". Society changed.

 

Mass market cruise lines cater to the mass market (shocker!). As society embraced casual Fridays, "no shoes, no shirts, no service" rules, and looking for cheap, disposable consumer goods, cruiselines followed where the market lead. A more casual experience - cheaper, faster, and easier - the buzz words of the 21st century so far.

[Cruising89143]

I don't think cruising has gone downhill. It's evolved and continues to do so. As has been said what the OP is looking for is still out there but it will cost more.

 

RCI made the decision when they started building the Voyager class ships to head in a new direction. Contemporary Mass Market. They made a decision to go after families in a big way. Richard Fain stated that RCI was going after the land based Disney, Vegas and Hawaii vacation customer. They have been successful.

 

I never want cruising to go back to where it was when I started cruising almost thirty years ago. There were no balcony cabins. Our standard outside cabin was 110 square feet. The bathroom was so small that you could do everything standing in the same spot. Three meals a day served a set time in the MDR. If you were fifteen minutes late, no meal. Also no such thing as room service or a buffet. Three set meals and a midnight buffet. Entertainment was a joke. All of this for $3000.00 for two on a seven night cruise.

 

So for me cruising has changed but in a good way. More options to choose from. One just has to expect to pay for those options. It's all good to me.:)

[toxicfairy]

How sad that one can not express their own opinion in an open forum on a cruise blog with out being trashed by others that do not share your opinion. Yes even I may say something now and again that probably was a bit not so nice, usually with later regret. As far as this thread ...to the OP I did not start cruising until my wedding cruise in 2006 and will take my 6th cruise in August (this year). I had always dreamed of going on a cruise and enjoyed everyone, although I have seen a decrease in " atmosphere". While we still dress up for dinner every evening and I still wear a full length formal gown for the formal nights, I see many who wear jeans,shorts flip flips,is it wrong...who am I to say and my opinion is just that, but it does take way for me. I wish they had an area or floor of the MDR for those who wished to dress up and be in that atmosphere. That way I could have the princess for the week experience and not take away from the relaxed atmosphere that others are looking for. DISCLAIMER: the above is MHO and should be repected as such...amen. :-)

[rjrpar]

The price to cruise is relatively cheap on Royal. A lot cheaper than in the past, IMHO :)

 

That's right, with the number of cabins that need to be filled each week, they are priced to sell. But remember, you get what you pay for. As someone else said, if you want the cruise experience if 25 years ago, go with a luxury line.

[Gama C]

We took our first cruise in 1979, on the Sitmar Line, which was an Italian registered ship. Formal night was EVERY night, tuxs, suits, evening dresses for women. I mean to the floor evening dresses. Midnight buffet every night with the ice sculptures, flower arrangements the whole nine yards. We were by far the youngest people on the ship. There was very little to do and the shows were few and far between. We started cruising again in the 1990's when our children were old enough to go. I will take how things are now any day of the week. We are Diamond members on RCI and love to cruise. I'm on vacation, I was to relax and have fun. I love to see all the families that can now enjoy a cruise. It use to be a rich persons vacation now it is much more accessible for everyone. As others have said there are many choices, it is hard to listen to people complain when they have other options. Try them and maybe you will find exactly what you are looking for. I already have.

[pcur]

When we started cruising RCI it was a much classier experience. It was upscale, people dressed up, the food was high quality, and the service was impeccable.

 

It used to be looked upon as an expensive, luxury vacation.

 

Now, most of the people I know look at it like a bargain vacation along the lines of a Holiday Inn on the beach.

 

All of the cheap deals and bad press the cruise lines set themselves up for has really tarnished that prestigious image cruising used to have. I still think cruises are fun, but its a shame that it is nothing like it used to be anymore. Gone are the days of lavish meals and talkative crew. We have arrived in the days of cafeteria quality food and rushed and stressed out crew.

 

I wish I could go back to the 1990's cruises again :p.

 

Sorry, but I don't agree. Having experienced RCCL and other cruise lines for over 40 years, I think things have improved in many areas.

 

The variety of food has increased immensely. In the 1970's and 1980's there were far fewer choices. The specialty restaurants, international choices in the Windjammer, and new menus in the MDR are a great improvement in my opinion.

 

The ships can't compare. I don't care is someone states they prefer the smaller, more intimate ships, I'll take the amenities over that.

 

Itinerary choices: maybe RCCL doesn't offer it all, but between them, Princess, Celebrity, and HAL you can pretty much go anywhere you want for similar pricing.

 

Entertainment back in the day was laughable, and we thought it was pretty much a joke back then. Think one of the lounges on today's ships, like Cleopatra's Needle. Add a full band, add a full song and dance show with about 10 performers, take out the ship's stabilizers, add columns all over the room to block your view, and that's pretty much the entertainment. No comparison.

 

I guess we just adjusted as things changed, and felt the things that were taken away were substituted with equal additions. And, IT'S STILL A CRUISE; who can really complain????

[houstoncruisers2001]

Sure, let's bring the 1990s back. I had hair in the 1990s. I was also as poor as a church mouse.

 

Oh, you're talking about cruising.

 

It's all about economics. The price I paid for my first cruise in 2001 for a inside cabin is what I more or less pay for a balcony today, 13 years later. Something has to give.

 

Like some have said, quality of the service is down, but the quality of the ship is up. I don't have a problem with that.

 

It was noted, society has changed, not just cruising. Bingo.

[Tapi]

Entertainment back in the day was laughable, and we thought it was pretty much a joke back then. Think one of the lounges on today's ships, like Cleopatra's Needle. Add a full band, add a full song and dance show with about 10 performers, take out the ship's stabilizers, add columns all over the room to block your view, and that's pretty much the entertainment. No comparison.

 

I always wonder, when people complain about entertainment, if they used to cruise when the highlight of the day was the wooden horse race, and the main lounge was so small and poorly designed that the dancer's costumes would rub against the low claustrophobic ceilings, and their feathers would constantly slap audience members in the first row every time they turned. :rolleyes:

 

Some people need a reality check. They don't know how good they have it these days.

[Don Pedro]

When we started cruising RCI it was a much classier experience. It was upscale, people dressed up, the food was high quality, and the service was impeccable.

 

It used to be looked upon as an expensive, luxury vacation.

 

Now, most of the people I know look at it like a bargain vacation along the lines of a Holiday Inn on the beach.

 

All of the cheap deals and bad press the cruise lines set themselves up for has really tarnished that prestigious image cruising used to have. I still think cruises are fun, but its a shame that it is nothing like it used to be anymore. Gone are the days of lavish meals and talkative crew. We have arrived in the days of cafeteria quality food and rushed and stressed out crew.

 

I wish I could go back to the 1990's cruises again :p.

 

You have some valid points but I think much of what you perceive of as decline is more likely the cruise lines adapting to a changing demographic. In today's world dressing up is rarely required or expected. I remember when people dressed up when they took an airline flight but today jeans, shorts, sandals, t-shirts are the norm. Rarely do you see a man in a suit. Even Sunday church services, funerals, weddings, or graduations don't inspire a suit and tie. Even doctors, dentists, bankers and other professionals dress much more casually.

 

Many of us are accustomed to a fast food routine. We want our food served quickly, we no longer have the patience to wait 30 minutes for it appear on the table. Land based restaurants and the cruise lines have adapted to our desires.

 

On the upside, modern cruise ships offer many more and better activities, entertainment, and dining options than those of the nineties. More balcony cabins are available and prices are much more affordable. The larger ships are much more stable in the water and they are more suited for families. I, not too fondly, remember the old cruise ship mattresses and like many were delighted when they were upgraded. So, there is good list of things that have improved since the nineties.

 

Nevertheless, there are many of us who would love to see a bit of past resurrected. I'd like to have a real formal night. Tuxedos and gowns not suits and ties. Make it a pay event, perhaps $75 a person. Hold it in a private venue, hosted by some of the ship's senior officers, with a cocktail hour, hors d oeuvres and upscale menu.

 

Sans this event you can still treat yourself to a touch of luxury. Book a full suite, enjoy the concierge lounge and dine in the specialty restaurants. While some things are not as good as one remembers them from the nineties a lot of things are much better.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Don Pedro