What makes a "WOW" Cruise for You?

[Bookish Angel]

reading in the shade on deck with the ocean as the world's best backdrop. Leaving my books for others and finding some goood ones on the book swap shelves.

 

Using no phones or tablets.

 

Being away from my job for at least 10 days, even though I LOVE my job.

 

Having lots of alone time AND quality time with my husband.

 

No grocery shopping or household chores other than keeping our cabin picked up.

 

Knowing everything I really need is contained in one small ship's cabin.

[Paulette3028]

Knowing everything I really need is contained in one small ship's cabin.

 

No matter how big your house is at home -- Isn't this the TRUTH!!!

[BekkaW]

Having a beautiful ship as my hotel so that I can see a variety of ports without having to pack up and move in between

 

The staff, most of whom really go out of their way to make your trip enjoyable (we have only ever encountered one who was below par)

 

Time away from the stresses of daily life and work, so that hubby and I can relax

[Paulette3028]

On all of our cruising experiences it would come down to two events.

 

1. Being picked to be a judge for the belly flop contest (Freedom).

 

2. Enjoying dinner at the captains table. (Freedom).

 

That kinda sums it up.

 

Since then just being on a cruise and seeing the waves off the balcony.

 

Sea Ya

 

As the OP to this thread, what you posted caused me to think a little more about our individual cruises. We were on Her Majesty one time when we were picked as one of the couples to play Love & Marriage and we won. It will never happen again, because we will be 'kind enough' to leave that fun for others....and it WAS FUN. It was a WOW for that cruise for SURE.

[bigque]

Hearing that first "DING" when they insert my seapass card for the first time! I then know I'm set for the week! Just Bring It! :cool:

[mikechass]

As much as I have loved most aspects of cruising, the most WOW'd moments are when I see the staff interact with my kids.

My daughter thought that the staff calling her "Princess" (and when I say staff I mean EVERYONE on staff called her it) was amazing

She was 8 and was convinced that they all must have chatted and decided to call "only her" such a wonderful nickname. She never heard them say it to other kids so she felt beyond special.

They were amazing with both my children.

The kids felt like they had friends that they were leaving after just one week.

 

To me, that was the thing that made the most impact on me.

We have done 10+ cruises without the kids but the WOW I experienced with my whole family takes it over the top.

 

Chass

[Paulette3028]

As much as I have loved most aspects of cruising, the most WOW'd moments are when I see the staff interact with my kids.

My daughter thought that the staff calling her "Princess" (and when I say staff I mean EVERYONE on staff called her it) was amazing

She was 8 and was convinced that they all must have chatted and decided to call "only her" such a wonderful nickname. She never heard them say it to other kids so she felt beyond special.

They were amazing with both my children.

The kids felt like they had friends that they were leaving after just one week.

 

To me, that was the thing that made the most impact on me.

We have done 10+ cruises without the kids but the WOW I experienced with my whole family takes it over the top.

 

Chass

 

This is so good to hear. I have never cruised with children, although I have been accused of being a child many times.....so this is great to read.

[LaraTiara]

Great thread!!

 

I'd have to say a WOW cruise includes

 

- Time with my family (especially hubby)

- Time without technology whilst at sea

- Visiting Bucket List ports

- The floating 5-Star hotel food and service all week long

- the anticipation of future cruises that WOW as cruising is such a simple way to sea the world!

Edited December 10, 2014 by LaraTiara

[Paulette3028]

The activities on board and the head counselor and assistant aka Cruise Director and Activities Director, have a lot of impact on my cruise fun, that then can be converted into making it a WOW experience.

[SamFritz]

The three things that have made specific cruises stand out above the rest are:

1. Making great friendships that have lasted long after the cruise. Our western Mediterranean cruise on Navigator in 2010 set the standard for that.

 

2. Excellent dining room service. Our cruise on Legend in 2007 will be remembered for Henri, who was attentive, informative, and entertaining.

 

3. Great or fun evening shows. (Never a production show.) ABBAcadabara, good comedians, ice shows, aqua aria. Entertainment was the saving grace on Allure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Paulette3028]

The three things that have made specific cruises stand out above the rest are:

1. Making great friendships that have lasted long after the cruise. Our western Mediterranean cruise on Navigator in 2010 set the standard for that.

 

2. Excellent dining room service. Our cruise on Legend in 2007 will be remembered for Henri, who was attentive, informative, and entertaining.

 

3. Great or fun evening shows. (Never a production show.) ABBAcadabara, good comedians, ice shows, aqua aria. Entertainment was the saving grace on Allure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

We have usually found the entertainment wonderful, with the exception perhaps of when they have a juggler.

 

When you write above: "(Never a production show)" let me ask this -- Isn't ABBAcadabra a production show? What do you mean when you write this and why?

[SamFritz]

We have usually found the entertainment wonderful, with the exception perhaps of when they have a juggler.

 

 

 

When you write above: "(Never a production show)" let me ask this -- Isn't ABBAcadabra a production show? What do you mean when you write this and why?

 

 

ABBAcadabra was what I understand to be a headliner show, performers brought in just for that show. When I refer to production shows I mean those montages of random Broadway/pop songs performed by the RC Singers and Dancers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Paulette3028]

ABBAcadabra was what I understand to be a headliner show, performers brought in just for that show. When I refer to production shows I mean those montages of random Broadway/pop songs performed by the RC Singers and Dancers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Since the ABBA show you referred to was on the ship for weeks/months at a time, I thought it was a production show by RC Singers and Dancers.

[ryano]

I guess Im too easy to please too because the three of my RCI cruises have been wonderful for various reasons.

 

Im not one of those "as long as I dont have to cook it, clean up after it" people but I consider most of the food to be really good. Some is excellent. I have yet to receive anything other than excellent service from my cabin stewart, waiters etc.

 

I guess the truly WOW experience came the first time I rolled on to Freedom and witnessed the Royal Promenade and how gigantic that ship is in general. Monarch was a great cruise on a decent ship. Radiance was a very elegant and classy ship. Freedom truly brought out the jaw dropping "WOW" experience for me though.

 

Cant wait to be back on her in April :)

Edited December 12, 2014 by ryano

[Paulette3028]

I guess Im too easy to please too because the three of my RCI cruises have been wonderful for various reasons.

 

Im not one of those "as long as I dont have to cook it, clean up after it" people but I consider most of the food to be really good. Some is excellent. I have yet to receive anything other than excellent service from my cabin stewart, waiters etc.

 

I guess the truly WOW experience came the first time I rolled on to Freedom and witnessed the Royal Promenade and how gigantic that ship is in general. Monarch was a great cruise on a decent ship. Radiance was a very elegant and classy ship. Freedom truly brought out the jaw dropping "WOW" experience for me though.

 

Cant wait to be back on her in April :)

 

We are also easy to please people. We happen to be in the group of "as long as I don't have to cook it, clean up after it" group....but that only means they start out with good expectations and it is up to them to disappoint me. In the 16 cruises we have taken, all on Royal, they haven't. Have I chosen something from the menu that I did not like, sure. I did not like it, surely doesn't mean it was bad....so I ordered something else, and was happily served by the waiter -- with a smile. They even asked 'why' and the next night when I ordered something that they thought because of the night before's incident that I might not like, mentioned it to me. Service has always been good to great from the wait staff to the cabin staff. We have some simple requests from the cabin steward, that have always been met.

 

Cruising again in February.....if anyone is on the Valentine's Day (2/14/15) sailing of Indy, join our roll call and sign up for our Meet N Mingle.

[ryano]

..but that only means they start out with good expectations and it is up to them to disappoint me.

 

I totally agree :) The way some people put it though, they would be happy with pig slop as long as they don't have to cook it or clean it up :D My expectations are higher than that and have always been met! Just because I don't like something, doesn't mean its not good food. I'm actually one that really enjoys much of the "included" food on RCI ships and don't get all the fuss about it

[Paulette3028]

I totally agree :) The way some people put it though, they would be happy with pig slop as long as they don't have to cook it or clean it up :D My expectations are higher than that and have always been met! Just because I don't like something, doesn't mean its not good food. I'm actually one that really enjoys much of the "included" food on RCI ships and don't get all the fuss about it

 

I started this thread because it is important to have some positive threads among all the negative. The threads with questions are great, but then generally get filled with negativity quite a bit.

 

WOW -- means different things to different people. Like you, I have expectations that are above a 'Howard Johnsons" or "Motel 6", yet may not be the Ritz Carlton....but still very high. But I am not, unrealistic either.

 

It took us until cruise #15 to try a specialty restaurant. That was on Allure last summer, when we had dinner at Izumi. It was very good. We enjoy Japanese food at home, and decided to try it on the ship -- and we were not disappointed. However, I expect the MDR food to be good to very good and like you don't seem to understand all the fuss.

 

Just because I am on vacation, doesn't mean I have different expectations for the dining than what I have when I am at home, going out to eat. I get the feeling, some people do. JMO from what I read.

[DavyJoneses]

Fair Seas, Blue Water, White Sand and the warmth of the sun. Oh , I also like the Food!!

 

That about covers it!:D

[bigque]

I totally agree :) The way some people put it though, they would be happy with pig slop as long as they don't have to cook it or clean it up :D My expectations are higher than that and have always been met! Just because I don't like something, doesn't mean its not good food. I'm actually one that really enjoys much of the "included" food on RCI ships and don't get all the fuss about it

 

Have you ever seen anybody getting carted off the ship at the end of the cruise because they were suffering from malnutricion..Not having ate all week???? :cool:

[Paulette3028]

Have you ever seen anybody getting carted off the ship at the end of the cruise because they were suffering from malnutricion..Not having ate all week???? :cool:

 

LOL....great.

[molsonschooner]

From what I have read here, a lot of people are wowed by good food, meeting new people, having a clean cabin, view of the ocean, etc. If that is what it takes to wow someone, I think you can get that on almost any cruiseline,even the dreaded CCL(lol). I think what wows me on Royal ships is like Ryano said, walking onto the ship to see the Royal Promenade or things like the flow rider, things you don't see on other ships

[George C]

Entertainment is my biggest key and RCCL normally meets that, some more than others

Food both MDR and specialty, this can bit a little hit and miss on RCCL

Elegance of the ship

Service

Extra perks such as diamond club

Very happy to finally get invited to captains table on last cruise

[Paulette3028]

From what I have read here, a lot of people are wowed by good food, meeting new people, having a clean cabin, view of the ocean, etc. If that is what it takes to wow someone, I think you can get that on almost any cruiseline,even the dreaded CCL(lol). I think what wows me on Royal ships is like Ryano said, walking onto the ship to see the Royal Promenade or things like the flow rider, things you don't see on other ships

 

As the OP on this thread, I did ask in the opening post:

 

Is it more than just the 'impressive walk onto the ship"?

Is it more than fantastic entertainment -- and on some ships, the entertainment isn't Broadways shows, so then what?

 

and people have responded in many ways.

 

There is a type of WOW factor, for the initial feeling you get when coming on board. I don't think I will forget that first cruise (it was on Navigator in 2004) and walking into that Promenade setting. I am not sure if they were using WOW in their marketing campaigns back then. We did not even book the cruise, friends of our did everything for us, since they had been cruising many times. I can say this, I hardly remember anything else from the cruise specifically -- too much sensory overload; so we are going on Navigator in Nov 2015 to see her again....but she will be much different because in her drydock they made major changes -- and they added Flowrider, which I love.

 

Entertainment is usually very good....not perfect. We did not even go to the Saturday night show when we were on Her Majesty, because a juggler, just doesn't cut it for us....and there were other things to do on board of more interest. We even missed the Farewell show, "Boogie Wonderland" because we were at the only specialty dining offer that Her Majesty has, and it conflicted with the show. Since we have been on Her Majesty many times, we know that show is outstanding...but so was the Taste of Tuscany dinner.

 

WOW is different for everyone and very often it can be a different WOW for every cruise.

 

Her Majesty WOWWED us with the Taste of Tuscany this past cruise!

[cruiselife4me]

EVERY cruise has been a WOW for me as well. I don't expect a cruise to be absolutely perfect and therefore I'm never disappointed.

 

I am uber-excited to board and want to cry when I leave. If that's how you feel, too, it's a totally WOW cruise...and I mean WOW!!! :)

[C2174]

Friendly interactive staff makes me feel special on a cruise. I like the staff to actually look like they are enjoying what they do. I'm looking for a personal experience. :-)