Herded around like cattle

[BamaGuy44]

I've been on several large ships, and never really felt "herded", except maybe getting off the ship, but that's maybe an hour out of a week.

 

Not one to lounge around the pool, but the times I've wanted a chair I've always been able to find one. Maybe not 6 together or right next to the pool, but big deal a chair is a chair to me.

 

Is it an intimate, super personal experience? No but that is still available on the lines you mentioned.

 

I never cruised back in the "heyday" when the captain sat on your lap and fed you grapes and caviar, but correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't the price of cruising much higher (relatively) back then? It used to be considered an expensive, luxury vacation, right? So I'm not surprised it was a different experience.

 

Seems to me now there are 2 types of cruises: Mass market, relatively affordable cruise lines like RC where they count on economies of scale to keep the costs down, and luxury lines like Seabourne and Regent that have more of an old school, intimate feel, at a different price point. I can see the value of both types, and I would not expect to get Seabourne level service and ship size at RC prices.

[camofwilliamsburg]

You mentioned having to be out of the cabin too early and unheard of on a land vacation. In a hotel, the check in time is usually after 3 PM, where on a cruise people are embarking as early as 11:30 AM!

I think RCI herds you the most of any of the other lines we have sailed on. We are diamond but not loyal to one line. We are platinum on PCL and GOld on MSC. WE go with the best deal at the time. Each ship has something unique to offer us in terms of loyalty ammenities and type of environment on the cruise. We find RCI the most impersonal except for the diamond lounge crew there. But on the whole, the staff has little interaction with passengers.

[EmpressofPurple]

...I never cruised back in the "heyday" when the captain sat on your lap and fed you grapes and caviar, but correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't the price of cruising much higher (relatively) back then? It used to be considered an expensive, luxury vacation, right? So I'm not surprised it was a different experience.

 

Seems to me now there are 2 types of cruises: Mass market, relatively affordable cruise lines like RC where they count on economies of scale to keep the costs down, and luxury lines like Seabourne and Regent that have more of an old school, intimate feel, at a different price point. I can see the value of both types, and I would not expect to get Seabourne level service and ship size at RC prices.

 

... and yet, for many years, we did! (Well, the captain never fed me grapes and caviar, but it was still pretty fancy...)

 

It seemed that the increased volume (and hence profit) on the (then) "mega" ships allowed to extend that high-end service at a more mass-market price point.

 

Now it seems like all cruiselines are chasing the same dollar, of the mass of folks who say "I don't wanna dress for dinner... I don't wanna show up on time for meals or shows or events... it's my vacation and I paid for it and I wanna do what I wanna do when I wanna do it... in fact, the captain oughta dock at the port I say and when I say, the shore excursion should leave when I say, and I should wear whatever I want and talk however I want in that port regardless of the country's customs..."

 

Sigh.

 

I was never someone who dressed for dinner, or showed up for scheduled events, or joined in group activities, or put a tip directly into a server's hand with a thank you... I LEARNED about those things through my cruising experience! Now, alas, new cruisers will never get to be exposed to these traditions. I'm glad my children had the opportunity to experience a bit of the "old ways" before they entirely fall by the wayside...

 

... and no, we certainly never had the means to enjoy the top echelon of cruising, where people keep saying, "Oh, go to Cunard/Regent/Oceania if you want good food/good service/traditional cruising..." as I said at the top, we got to enjoy all of that on the mass market lines (indeed, even on my early cruises, on Carnival... haven't been on one in nearly 20 years, and I take it from reading these boards they've changed a lot... but they used to be great fun, and still have a lot of glitz and glamor).

[sarajean]

able seaman, i do many cruises on royal and i love them all. i see things are changing but they are still wonderfull. IMHO, if i felt the way you do, i would run from royal and never look back. there will alway be another dia+ member to fill your seat in the concierge lounge. happy cruisin---

 

Don't things change all the time...I am sure things are not like they used to be, but isn't everything. Didn't they sell gas for $.05 a gallon at one time. I imagine things have changed also because the cost of everything is so high. They are still a business.

I am fairly new to cruising campare to people here that have travelled for years. Of what I have heard I wish some things were more structured, like not letting people into the main dinning room that are not dressed properly. I love going on a cruise to do little things like that but the majority don't. Even when you go a restaurant that you think is "high class" and someone walk in with jeans and a tee shirt. But again they are catering to the majority and the majority are more casual these days and they don't want to lose the customer.

[jayblue]

I rode inner city public transportation for 17 years. That's herding. There is no comparison.

 

The only time I've ever really felt anything close was when I waited for the MDR to open and at disembarkation. I learned to avoid the MDR wait by leaving my cabin 5 minutes after it opens. The latter is unavoidable.

 

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Forums mobile app

[Folk Singer]

The only time I feel herded is when you get off in a port and the stairs and elevators are crammed trying to get off the ship. That and the final disembarkation. The rest of the time, I have enough cruises under my belt to find my own space and my own time. The DW and I have gotten to where we usually dine alone together, and since we dine out regularly at fancy restaurants at home, don't really need to pomp of special dining room moments, that and the fact we have done about 1/2 specialty restaurants means that the MDR experience means less to us today than it did 18 years ago on our first cruise.

 

jc

 

 

we have never felt like cattle. And once muster is over it never feels crowded.

[sarajean]

We love the big ships, such as Oasis and Allure. Looking forward to the Quantum. To us, the bigger- the better. There's more to do and see than a smaller ship. Love to stroll the promenade after dinner. Never feel crowded or herded, other when a show/parade takes place at the Promenade. We haven't gone to the Captain's reception in some 10 cruises as it is old news and we don't need the cheap champagne.

 

Someone mentioned the Home Lines--Yeah we cruised the Oceanic, a wonderful ship for its times. But it was small and there were upsides and downsides. The upsides was better variety and quality of food. Midnight buffet with all of the trimmings. Friendlier staff and a large cabin for an interior. The downside was paying for your reserved pool chair, no casino other than horseracing on pool deck and bingo, lack of activities as the entertainment was provided by the staff. MDR doors would be closed by 6:30 and you were out of luck, if late.

 

Me too...Love Oasis and Allure...would go again anytime...but need to exploy other places

[Able Seaman H]

I think a lot of your Royal Caribbean experience depends on when you cruise. During the quieter times outside school holidays when the ships aren't running at 100% plus capacity they can cope. The problem we have is that we have to travel outside term time and so that means 100% plus capacity and ironically we have to pay the highest price for the privilege.

 

Where I think cruising on RC works is if you get the cheapest cabin on the ship. That way you do keep saying to yourself it's great value and so you put up with the downsides particularly if you can make use of the loyalty programme which is excellent. Being able to use the Concierge or Diamond lounges gives you a bit of peace and quiet away from the herds.

 

The problem comes when you want to sit outside and enjoy that quiet moment with a book, it ain't happing I afraid !!

 

Where things don't work is when you look at suites. On Oasis this Christmas RC are doing 2 cruises, one departs Dec 20th the other Dec 27th.

 

A Junior Suite (270sq ft) costs £8,338 and £13,258 for each week respectively £21,596 in total.

 

A Grand Suite (360sq ft) costs £11,678 and £ 20,878, a staggering £33,274

 

Even a standard balcony (180sq ft) costs £3,978 and £4,978, £8,956

 

Compare that to a 300sq ft plus 65sq ft balcony standard Seabourn Veranda suite at £4,995 per person (guaranteed suite minimum V1 grade) for 14 nights around South Africa and it all seems crazy.

 

Don't get me wrong the thought of all those activities on Oasis is great, but you know as well as I do the length of the queue on the flow rider and the service on Seabourn really does amaze you. Never once did we fight for a sun bed, if you needed it someone brought a basket of sun tan lotion over to you, they even had little sunglass cleaners !!

 

I'm not knocking Royal Caribbean - well I suppose I am a bit, but I just think they've turned the revenue return button up a bit too far. They need more space per passenger.

 

Seen another way something like a Radiance class ship is around 90,000 tonnes with 2,500 passengers. Sojourn is 30,000 tonnes but instead of 850 passengers (1/3 the size, 1/3 the passengers) there are just 450.

 

How long before people cast their net a bit further and look for alternatives. Will it all come crashing down or are people happy to squash themselves in and stand in line? My biggest complaint checking onto Seabourn Sojourn was that I wasn't in the embarkation lounge long enough to enjoy a glass of champagne. How much of a first world problem is that :)

 

I am aware of Celebrity, we had a very quick cruise on Eclipse a couple of years ago and it was noticeably different to RC. The Murano restaurant was superb and the pre-dinner drinks for Elite club members a welcome bonus but the main restaurant was atrocious in terms of service.

 

I'm posting to share my thoughts more than anything. What prompted posting was that feeling of guilt as we walked off Adventure of the Seas at 9.25am. How well have Royal Caribbean got me trained that I should think that ?

 

Henry :)

Edited September 12, 2014 by Able Seaman H

[thegima]

The only time I feel herded is during the muster drill. Worst part of a cruise for me!

 

Those commenting saying that it's not the same as it was in the 80's.. obviously. The population has increased by over 2 billion, we have to accommodate more people wanting to do more things now.

 

The cruise line doesn't have many options. They could raise prices and put cruising out of reach for 75% of the population while keeping their target market very concentrated. This would likely mean smaller ships, less rock walls, flow riders, arcades, ice skating, and a number of other added value things RC puts on their ships. In turn it would bring a higher crew to passenger number, better food, less people, and probably a more quality overall "Royal" experience.

 

Sadly though, if done they'll miss out on 75% of the people who can't afford that experience or it simply doesn't appeal to them. That's a lot of missed revenue that will go to whatever cruise line offers the next best thing. Too much of that and the cruise line will go under!

 

I don't know, I think RCI is doing an OKAY job combining the two and appealing to both markets. They offer a number of ships from smaller to huge with varying amenities for the ages. You just have to find one that best suits your needs and wants.

 

I personally like the mid-larger ships with more things to do. Were able to find good rates and focus that saved money on actually seeings things in other countries, taking excursions, and doing things we wouldn't normally do. If we were forced to spend an exorbitant price for a high quality cruise alone we would miss out on a lot of other things while on that cruise.

[Able Seaman H]

You mentioned having to be out of the cabin too early and unheard of on a land vacation. In a hotel, the check in time is usually after 3 PM, where on a cruise people are embarking as early as 11:30 AM!

 

I fully understand why they need to dump last weeks punters off as quickly as possible but that's purely a financial decision. If they wanted they could allow a leisurely departure, greet new guests in the afternoon and delay departure, possibly even until the next day but they don't want to because they want lower port charges, they want to get the on board revenue streams open as soon as possible (once suitably far enough offshore) and they want to run at slower speeds to optimise fuel consumption.

 

It's all down to money.

 

Henry :)

[rjrpar]

Since RCCl has to fill about 20 ships every week, they must keep the prices low. As they add more capacity, it puts even more pressure on prices. We all need to remember that a cruise is a low priced, high value vacation for most people onboard; you are not on a luxury vacation like 30 years ago.

I do feel for many of the suite passengers, who are paying for a more upscale vacation but for most of everyday, share the same overcrowded facilities as all the other passengers.

[Able Seaman H]

The only time I feel herded is during the muster drill. Worst part of a cruise for me!

 

Those commenting saying that it's not the same as it was in the 80's.. obviously. The population has increased by over 2 billion, we have to accommodate more people wanting to do more things now.

 

The cruise line doesn't have many options. They could raise prices and put cruising out of reach for 75% of the population while keeping their target market very concentrated. This would likely mean smaller ships, less rock walls, flow riders, arcades, ice skating, and a number of other added value things RC puts on their ships. In turn it would bring a higher crew to passenger number, better food, less people, and probably a more quality overall "Royal" experience.

 

Sadly though, if done they'll miss out on 75% of the people who can't afford that experience or it simply doesn't appeal to them. That's a lot of missed revenue that will go to whatever cruise line offers the next best thing. Too much of that and the cruise line will go under!

 

I don't know, I think RCI is doing an OKAY job combining the two and appealing to both markets. They offer a number of ships from smaller to huge with varying amenities for the ages. You just have to find one that best suits your needs and wants.

 

I personally like the mid-larger ships with more things to do. Were able to find good rates and focus that saved money on actually seeings things in other countries, taking excursions, and doing things we wouldn't normally do. If we were forced to spend an exorbitant price for a high quality cruise alone we would miss out on a lot of other things while on that cruise.

 

You raise a really interesting point. How much should a cruise cost ?

 

A very quick search and I came up with a 7 night cruise on Jewel of the seas for £80 per person per day. Would Royal Caribbean be better off losing some capacity and putting the prices up?

 

I'm merely asking the question. Have Royal Caribbean made a rod for their own back by lowering prices to a point where everyone feels they can go on a cruise ?

 

They have incredible buying power. Less than $12 per passenger to cover all that food - I wish they could teach Mrs Able Seaman H to shop :)

 

What Seabourn do is use that same buying power (remember they are ultimately owned by Carnival) but aim to over deliver at a higher standard. You will never be able to get aboard for £80 a day, although I did see one cruise for just over £160 per day!

 

Henry :)

[xpcdoojk]

 

It's all down to money.

 

Henry :)

 

You say that as if it is a bad thing?:confused:

 

When in a previous post the gist of what you posted was the pricing of the cruises that you are forced to take.

 

Seems like it is all about the money to you and to a lot of other people.

 

I think the world being what the world is that money matters and that is a good thing. It means that in order to have things we have to produce things which others in society value, and the more they value our work intellectual or physical the more we are able to afford those things that we want or need. Plus, we are encouraged to produce more or better work to earn even more value, and thus be able to select even better things we want. :D

 

jc

[Travalerie]

I like personal attention as well, but so far the higher end cruise lines do not fit our budget. We also always cruise with our daughters. No other type of vacation do we have built in activities for the kids. We get to enjoy time alone, work out, get a nap, etc. while they have a fun time at the kids clubs. I have no experience with it, but I wonder if the premium cruise lines do as much for the kids as the mass market lines do. We are getting a suite for the next cruise and I am hoping that the suite experience brings a higher level of attention and more exclusivity. Do you find that even with suite perks, you don't get the special experience you are looking for?

[Able Seaman H]

You do get perks (grand suite and above) and they certainly help, as does having the extra space. A standard cabin with more than 2 people is tiny.

 

As has been said already the rest of the ship is geared around that lowest fare. Things like not queuing for shows is good and the concierge in the lounge can do everything the front desk, explorations desk and dining room manager can only without the wait and you deal with a real person.

 

We used to chase suites, then we enjoyed the value of a balcony cabin, this last time we wanted more space and so bit the bullet.

 

Ultimately when we want the job doing properly we go somewhere like Seabourn but that does come at the price of no children's facilities and a much older demographic. We can live with that, our daughter doesn't really like the kids club because it's all a bit busy and frantic. The older demographic worried me but we actually met some really interesting people last year and made new friends.

 

There is no one size fits all.

 

The increasing number of beds RC has to fill is entirely of their own doing. They could chose to have fewer ships and fewer beds, they don't because their calculator says if you're making money then keep adding beds. They choose to play the numbers game rather than use buying power to offer a more exclusive, but still good value experience.

 

Henry :)

[nelblu]

I rode inner city public transportation for 17 years. That's herding. There is no comparison.

 

The only time I've ever really felt anything close was when I waited for the MDR to open and at disembarkation. I learned to avoid the MDR wait by leaving my cabin 5 minutes after it opens. The latter is unavoidable.

 

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Forums mobile app

 

Couldn't say it better. Talking about herding, the daily trek from Newark Penn Station to the World Trade Center was to say the least a nightmare during the rush hour.

[time4u2go]

OP, if you are willing to pay the same amount for a cruise that you did "back in the day" (adjusted for inflation of course), you would most likely be cruising on a smaller and more luxurious ship, with little or no "herding".

[Familygoboston]

I wonder how long people will accept being herded around like cattle on Royal Caribbean ships ?

 

Back in the day it was all a bit of a novelty. Amazing ship, waiter, assistant waiter, sommelier, head waiter and bar staff running around during dinner making you feel special, loads of activities, huge shows and so on.

 

These days the dining room is stripped down to the bare bones with staff doing everything in their power just to ensure meals are delivered in time. The ships are getting ever bigger but so are the numbers. Gone is the captain's welcome aboard drinks party replaced by a scrum in the promenade where you stand shoulder to shoulder in an attempt to catch a glimpse of someone in a uniform.

 

As we left our ship a couple of weeks ago at 9.30am we felt guilt for being the last people to collect our luggage. When did it become the norm to get turfed out of bed at 7.00am by someone checking the in suite mini bar! How would you react if a land based resort said you had to be out of your room by 8.00am ?

 

Loud hailers are the norm as you queue to get on board - actually Southampton were superb mainly because they concentrated on getting the job done rather than earning tips and security isn't measured by the length of the queue. Lets face it you are just one of 50,000 people being pushed through the system that week.

 

We are loyal to Royal. As diamond plus cruisers we keep coming back and last time brought 19 people on board. But the magic does wear off. Prices seem to be moving ever higher during periods where those with children can travel to the point where last year we went totally the other way and booked a Seabourn cruise for Christmas & the new Year.

 

This year we have done the same. Greeted by name as we went in for breakfast on the first morning, dining when ever you want and with whoever you choose, everything all found onboard and I do mean everything. Champagne (not fizzy wine) and caviar included! No fighting for sun loungers, drinks brought to you when you wanted. Truly living the dream.

 

This Christmas we looked around and would you believe it Seabourn was actually cheaper then Royal Caribbean when we priced up a suite. The standard cabin on Seabourn Sojourn is somewhere between a Junior and a Grand Suite.

 

I'm not looking to stoke up an argument or troll for responses but genuinely asking the question, how do others feel about being herded around like cattle and fighting for sun loungers ?

 

Henry :)

 

By George, you've got it, Henry...spend more, get more;)

[roysmith99]

We too are D+ and have 20 cruises under our belts - I have to say that neither of us recognise the OP's description of their experience. Of course how you feel about any experience is personal and we accept that a ours is different.

 

We do feel herded like sheep however on most cruise lien shore excursions - I frequently get verbally abused by my DW for wandering around saying baaaaa as we see the tour guide wave their umbrella or numbered paddle.

Edited September 12, 2014 by roysmith99

[Moondawgie]

Well, the only thing that comes to mind is that I am paying roughly the same for an international flight as I am for a cabin on my next cruise with RCI - and guess which one will be more enjoyable?

 

Compare going through awful security, paying for checked baggage, paying for every morsal of food, being cramped with no space to move around, long uncomfortable flight ...

 

Or ... 7 or more days on a beautiful ship with meals, cabin service, entertainment, transportation, lovely ports, smiling staff, comfortable bedding, music, drinks, lovely company, leisure time, optional spa and beauty treatments, lounges, room service, TV with choices, places to store/hang up your things, purser's desk for questions/issues (try that on the airlines!:rolleyes:) and many more optional things like shopping, bingo, etc.

 

For my money I'll take what you call cattle herding any day. :D

[Able Seaman H]

By George, you've got it, Henry...spend more, get more;)

 

But in this case we're actually spending a lot less.

 

Henry :)

[Able Seaman H]

I frequently get verbally abused by my DW for wandering around saying baaaaa as we see the tour guide wave their umbrella or numbered paddle.

 

 

Now that's my kind of ambassador for their country. Walking round making sheep noises to let Johnny Foreigner know who's boss :)

 

 

 

I think the recent cruise on Adventure of the Sea just had all the wrong elements coming together. Over 100% occupancy, loads of youth littering the corridors, hot tubs, lifts (elevators) - they even took to lounging on the floor in the panoramic ones, some random staff member coming into the suite at 7.00am to check the mini bar, not a single sun bed (the suite ones are OK but no shade), queuing 3 deep to get a drink from the pool bar and having to fight for something to drink in the main dining room. Credit where due the head waiter pulled out all the stops so by day 3 things were running much more smoothly.

 

I think the constant badgering to buy this or that package also influences my feelings. Yes we've always had bar staff wandering round trying to sell "mango tangos" - this time they couldn't move round the pool decks for bodies, but now it starts before you even get on board.

 

You either need a degree in astrophysics to work out which royal replenish, select, premium, ultimate, wine & dine, bottled juice, bottled water or royal refreshment package is best or you just hand over your money like a lemming and don't worry if it's actually any cheaper or not. Hey, don't think of it as getting your moneys worth, think of it as not having the hassle of having to sign every time ;)

 

You just feel like a cash cow being milked every step of the way. Get them to buy stuff in advance then by the time they board they will have forgotten all about it and be up for loading up the sea pass card.

 

Is herded around the right phrase? I don't know, possibly taken for granted would be better.

 

Henry :)

[smoosh21]

 

We are loyal to Royal. As diamond plus cruisers we keep coming back and last time brought 19 people on board. But the magic does wear off. Prices seem to be moving ever higher during periods where those with children can travel to the point where last year we went totally the other way and booked a Seabourn cruise for Christmas & the new Year.

 

This year we have done the same. Greeted by name as we went in for breakfast on the first morning, dining when ever you want and with whoever you choose, everything all found onboard and I do mean everything. Champagne (not fizzy wine) and caviar included! No fighting for sun loungers, drinks brought to you when you wanted. Truly living the dream.

 

 

Henry :)

 

I think that sounds about right. For most of the year Royal is going to be quite a bit cheaper than Seabourne because you are getting so much less. It is no different than the lack of service at a Wal-Mart or a Target versus shopping at a Neiman-Marcus. If you want to really good service, you are going to need to pay for it.

 

Royal now caters to a customer that prefers things like zip lines and flow-riders over customers who just want to lay in a lounger and have drinks brought to them

[Moltar]

I wonder how long people will accept being herded around like cattle on Royal Caribbean ships ?

 

Back in the day it was all a bit of a novelty. Amazing ship, waiter, assistant waiter, sommelier, head waiter and bar staff running around during dinner making you feel special, loads of activities, huge shows and so on.

 

These days the dining room is stripped down to the bare bones with staff doing everything in their power just to ensure meals are delivered in time. The ships are getting ever bigger but so are the numbers. Gone is the captain's welcome aboard drinks party replaced by a scrum in the promenade where you stand shoulder to shoulder in an attempt to catch a glimpse of someone in a uniform.

 

As we left our ship a couple of weeks ago at 9.30am we felt guilt for being the last people to collect our luggage. When did it become the norm to get turfed out of bed at 7.00am by someone checking the in suite mini bar! How would you react if a land based resort said you had to be out of your room by 8.00am ?

 

Loud hailers are the norm as you queue to get on board - actually Southampton were superb mainly because they concentrated on getting the job done rather than earning tips and security isn't measured by the length of the queue. Lets face it you are just one of 50,000 people being pushed through the system that week.

 

We are loyal to Royal. As diamond plus cruisers we keep coming back and last time brought 19 people on board. But the magic does wear off. Prices seem to be moving ever higher during periods where those with children can travel to the point where last year we went totally the other way and booked a Seabourn cruise for Christmas & the new Year.

 

This year we have done the same. Greeted by name as we went in for breakfast on the first morning, dining when ever you want and with whoever you choose, everything all found onboard and I do mean everything. Champagne (not fizzy wine) and caviar included! No fighting for sun loungers, drinks brought to you when you wanted. Truly living the dream.

 

This Christmas we looked around and would you believe it Seabourn was actually cheaper then Royal Caribbean when we priced up a suite. The standard cabin on Seabourn Sojourn is somewhere between a Junior and a Grand Suite.

 

I'm not looking to stoke up an argument or troll for responses but genuinely asking the question, how do others feel about being herded around like cattle and fighting for sun loungers ?

 

Henry :)

 

 

Azamara Club.

[gw2fll]

We started cruising in the mid 1980's and have seen many changes, both from the cruise line and from the customer base. Cruising was a luxury vacation, not for everyone. Now, for better or worse, it is mass market and many are able to enjoy a cruise vacation. Many mass market cruise lines have adjusted their formula. As an example, those who cruised in early days recall that dinner was served in the dining room. There was a place to get sandwiches if you didn't want a standard dinner, but the extensive buffet was a change to accommodate a new mix if passengers.

 

There are numerous examples, but the OP compared a mass market line to a premium/luxury line. Again - I am glad we have choices.

 

M

 

I agree, back in the 1980's cruises were a luxury vacation whereas today it is more of a mass market vacation. If you look at the cruise fare in relation to our income levels, it was a large investment in the 1980's compared to today. I remember paying ~$500pp for an Inside Cabin for a 3-night cruise. That was a huge expense that we saved well over a year for that weekend.

 

I have to give the cruise lines credit for keeping the cost relatively in check while everything else cost a lot more than it use to. Of course, their ability to do that comes with the sacrifice of needing to carry more passengers.

 

Just my opinion - but I do see how the "herding effect" has become a part of cruising, especially the larger ships. To me it is really evident when you try to grab an elevator or find a seat for a show or (I could go on). But I love it, I love being on a ship, sailing the waters, so I will go with the flow and keep on cruising because to me it is one of the best vacations out there.