I know this is cruise critic but....

[JimAOk1945]

They won't go belly up, but will lose, if they haven't already, their standing in the industry.

 

"Like!!!"

[tomahawk246]

Keep drinking the Kool-Aid people. Don't get me wrong, I like Royal. If there is a better deal out there I will switch.

[legaljen1969]

Just make them all dry aged and charge the $57 right from the beginning.

 

I absolutely agree. Just make them the top price and if people want to pay it, they can. If not, it's okay. I have never found the food in the MDR to be inedible or not palatable. I have never considered it "less than." It's sometimes nice to dine in the more intimate settings.

 

I think Royal does a great job delivering a quality product for the rates they charge. That said, some itineraries cost a little more based on homeport. That may be part of the problem.

 

We tried a different line for awhile because the cabin price was a little less- supposedly cheaper. Well yes, for the cruise itself. But the costs to get to the embarkation port ended up making up the difference.

 

We live in South Carolina. Port Canaveral is a great easy day for us. We "could" get up early in the morning and drive to Port Canaveral to embark if we had to, but usually don't end up doing so- as the chances for problems are like flying in "day of." Yes, the rates for the general Eastern Caribbean or Western Caribbean itineraries are a slight bit higher than some of the ships leaving from Port Everglades or Miami.

 

If we leave from Port Everglades or Miami, we generally drive down the day before. The gas cost is more. We usually have to spend more on a hotel and dining than if it Port Canaveral. It all balances out.

 

There are some differences with other lines. We have tried another line in Royal's family. We found the experience a little more upscale, but we also found the general demographic a little older and more affluent. It was not the best fit for our family who generally takes a multigenerational cruise with my parents and my brother, SIL and nieces. So we have ages from 75 down to 4.

 

I just think Royal delivers a solid product for the price. I am not one to sweat not having towel animals, not having chocolates on my pillow, or a $4 price increase in a specialty restaurant. Like someone else said, prices increase on many different things.

 

I do agree that having a different opinion does not make one a "hater." However, it's not unrealistic to believe that the OP may well pay "any price" for what he believes to be a great experience. Unless he/she is asking any of you to pay for his/her cruise- who cares what the money gets spent on?

[COCKYMARK]

Oh yes they are going so bad they are building more ships.....tell me how if things are going bad that happens? do you understand how business works?

[legaljen1969]

So what I hear the OP saying is, "I don't care about the whole truth, I'm just going to talk about the part of the truth that I like."

 

Wonder if the OP is a politician or media personality. That philosophy tends to run rampant in those populations.

[COCKYMARK]

No I am not a politician....all I am saying is I like RCL...THAT IS ALL....I feel like the ships they have are better and should charge more. please tell me other than a little cheaper...what other lines have that are better?

[jayblue]

Oh yes they are going so bad they are building more ships.....tell me how if things are going bad that happens? do you understand how business works?

 

It's not all bad, just headed in the wrong direction.

 

They can build all the new ships they want, but if they alienate their repeat customers with higher prices to pay for these innovative ships, what will happen?

 

Don't get me wrong, I love RCCL! When I look to cruise, I always look at them first. But, the door to other cruise lines has been opened...

[legaljen1969]

Crew staff is underpaid on all ships....have talked to some on the three lines I have cruised with it is what it is!

 

You are absolutely right. Crew is underpaid drastically. I hope that MOST people end up tipping "over and above" even if they do prepaid gratuities.

The following assessment is based on a 7 day cruise.

 

If you figured up how much you would have to pay for any of your meals and other services "on land" and then figured an average tip of 20% to each and every person who served you (that you would ordinarily tip based upon American standards of gratuities, as I understand European's gratuity customs are a bit different)- I figure that the average cabin for 2 people should be paying closer to $220-250 per cabin in prepaid gratuities that should be spread around. $168 ($12 pp/per day x 7 days) for the week barely covers what my husband and I should be tipping the dining staff ALONE- not to mention bar staff and cabin steward staff.

 

Yes, I understand there are many cabins, but if each cabin pays a "fair" tip- then these people would be doing much better and probably have better morale. And to say that the standard of living or cost of living in their home countries is less as a justification for tipping less- that's not really logical. Surely you don't ask folks at your local eatery where they live and then tip them accordingly. I mean, you don't tip the person who lives in subsidized housing less than the college kid who lives in the affluent section of town, when they provide the same level of service. (Yes, I have actually heard this argument that "they live in dirt shacks so they should be thankful for anything they get.") The way they get treated by some passengers, they should be given combat pay and a commendation for not "accidentally" dropping hot coffee in their laps.

 

Okay, I digress. Anyhow- management does need to get their act together and see how hard these folks work. They should be paid much more than they are.

[legaljen1969]

No I am not a politician....all I am saying is I like RCL...THAT IS ALL....I feel like the ships they have are better and should charge more. please tell me other than a little cheaper...what other lines have that are better?

 

Sorry Cockymark. What I meant was not at all what I said. I was meaning that the person who was accusing you of only "focusing on the truth you like" is probably a bit jaded. Unfortunately "truth" has little meaning anyone any more. Truth is truth is truth. "Truth" is not as subjective as some would like to believe. People often confuse opinions with truth now. You stated an opinion. It's yours. That's cool with me.

 

I think it's great that you are loyal to Royal. You have an optimistic attitude. As far as I am concerned, if people don't like Royal- there are plenty of other lines happy to take their money AND keep them out of our hair. LOL

 

I may cruise with different lines based on the time I have to go on my vacation and the price I am willing to pay for where I want to go. I am not completely devoted to Royal, but do find Royal to deliver a great experience.

[Langley Cruisers]

...please tell me other than a little cheaper...what other lines have that are better?

 

"Better" is completely subjective. That's why it's impossible to have this conversation with you. ;):p:rolleyes:

[COCKYMARK]

Hi Langley...ok I do not understand why we cant compare ships? I have cruised on one Norwegian ship and one carnival ship,and three different RCL ships....the smaller and older ships are very similar to each other...but the bigger and newer ships are just nicer. prettier. and far more amenities on RCL.

[DirtyDawg]

If you actually think RCL is going belly up in the future.....do take your medication....not gonna happen !

 

They won't go belly up, but will lose, if they haven't already, their standing in the industry.

 

They might not go belly up but if they alienate enough of their customers, revenues will decline and so will their cash flow (note I didn't say profit because, as my favorite Accounting Prof used to say; "If it doesn't jingle it doesn't count." i.e. the cash generated by a business is far more important than accounting profits it reports.). And do you know what Royal does with its cash flow? It pays for salaries, fuel, supplies, the interest on the $8 Billion in debt they have on their balance sheet, and they pay for those new ships. If their future cash flow declines due to loosing customers it will be harder to pay for those things which could mean even more cutbacks in service and/or higher prices and/or fewer fancy new ships. Don't worry though, if things get too bad they could always raise more debt or sell off one or two of those fancy ships you like to Carnival or NCL.:D

 

BTW most of us who disagree with you on this issue are not on medication (I can't speak for everyone;)) and a lot of us know a great deal about business.

[idamae3218]

Oh yes they are going so bad they are building more ships.....tell me how if things are going bad that happens? do you understand how business works?

 

I didn't realize expansion never led to negative results. Look at Target. Great company, but the expansion into Canada didn't work. Expansion is sometimes done hastily, while at the same time changing their sales model and some longstanding amenities. It may work in the long run, then again, it may not.

 

You can love Royal and still acknowledge it may not be making the best decisions for long term success. At least I can.

[John Reid]

No I am not a politician....all I am saying is I like RCL...THAT IS ALL....I feel like the ships they have are better and should charge more. please tell me other than a little cheaper...what other lines have that are better?

 

No, "All I am saying is I like RCL...THAT IS ALL" has not been all that you are saying. What you have consistently been saying in your posts is that RCL is the best line and anyone who disagrees is wrong. And, by the way, it is quite possible for someone to have the opinion that RCI is still a good line, still want to cruise that line, possibly be their favorite line, but feel it is not as good or as good a value as it was not too long ago - and even validly complain about that!

 

It is fine that it is your unquestionable favorite, but why must everyone agree with you?

 

Personally, I think it is impossible to unequivocally say that one line is always the best. It is always a ship-to-ship, voyage to voyage comparison.

 

If I had to rank my favorites I have experienced. . .

1. Ruby Princess

2. Freedom of the Seas (RCI)

3. Freedom (Carnival)

4. Caribbean Princess

5. Explorer of the Seas

6. Golden Princess

7. Tie - RCI Enchantment (twice) / Carnival Pride (twice)

8. Eurodam (HAL)

9. Grandeur of the Seas (RCI)

 

And to emphasize that it is tough to make an across the board endorsement, though the Quantum has all the "innovations" RCI felt the public wanted, it has a dismal 46% approval rating in 249 CC reviews. RCI's oldest ship, Majesty, is 76%! Grandeur has been my least favorite; there are things I don't like about the ship. But there is enough I do like about it to have enjoyed the cruise and have booked it again for next January. I don't have to believe it is "the best" to still enjoy it.

 

I will never understand why I would have to be convinced that one line is always better than another.

[Big_G]

I for one love COCKYMARK's enthusiasm in taking on the doom and gloom crowd. While we don't exclusively sail Royal they're our go to cruise line. We still find reasonably priced cruises and enjoy their product. It's all about expectations and Royal meets our. Have at it COCKYMARK. You seem to have the stamina for it. ;):D

[DirtyDawg]

I for one love COCKYMARK's enthusiasm in taking on the doom and gloom crowd. While we don't exclusively sail Royal they're our go to cruise line. We still find reasonably priced cruises and enjoy their product. It's all about expectations and Royal meets our. Have at it COCKYMARK. You seem to have the stamina for it. ;):D

 

Doom and Gloom?

 

I prefer to call us:

The non-rose coloured glasses crowd; or

The head out of the sand crowd; or

Oh, I've seen these bone head management decisions before and it never ends well crowd.;)

[idamae3218]

Doom and Gloom?

 

I prefer to call us:

The non-rose coloured glasses crowd; or

The head out of the sand crowd; or

Oh, I've seen these bone head management decisions before and it never ends well crowd.;)

 

Like!

[Big_G]

Doom and Gloom?

 

I prefer to call us:

The non-rose coloured glasses crowd; or

The head out of the sand crowd; or

Oh, I've seen these bone head management decisions before and it never ends well crowd.;)

 

Awww Dawg, so complementary. By the way, Nokia and Blackberry declined because of the inflexibility of their products. Royal has yet to demonstrate inflexibility. They're the most innovative cruise line and as for GM, can you say worldwide financial crisis? Ford was the only US car maker that didn't take a bailout. Despite their amateurish management, I suspect if bookings start to decline, they will take steps. Until then, I'll enjoy my preferred cruise line. Happy sailing on whatever better cruise line you find.

[DirtyDawg]

Awww Dawg, so complementary. By the way, Nokia and Blackberry declined because of the inflexibility of their products. Royal has yet to demonstrate inflexibility. They're the most innovative cruise line and as for GM, can you say worldwide financial crisis? Ford was the only US car maker that didn't take a bailout. Despite their amateurish management, I suspect if bookings start to decline, they will take steps. Until then, I'll enjoy my preferred cruise line. Happy sailing on whatever better cruise line you find.

 

Hi Gregg, we'll have to discuss Blackberry's and Nokia's failures in more detail over a beer sometimes. Much too complicated for a cruise discussion board. As for GM, the financial crisis was just the straw that broke the camel's back. That company was a mess for a long time prior to the financial crisis. There you go, we'll have to have two beers together on my new cruise line.;)

Edited March 16, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[Big_G]

Hi Gregg, we'll have to discuss Blackberry's and Nokia's failures in more detail over a beer sometimes. Much too complicated for a cruise discussion board. As for GM, the financial crisis was just the straw that broke the camel's back. That company was a mess for a long time prior to the financial crisis. There you go, we'll have to have two beers together on my new cruise line.;)

 

First one is on me. Just let me know the details. ;)

Edited March 16, 2015 by Big_G

[A2Mich]

Awww Dawg, so complementary. By the way, Nokia and Blackberry declined because of the inflexibility of their products. Royal has yet to demonstrate inflexibility. They're the most innovative cruise line and as for GM, can you say worldwide financial crisis? Ford was the only US car maker that didn't take a bailout. Despite their amateurish management, I suspect if bookings start to decline, they will take steps. Until then, I'll enjoy my preferred cruise line. Happy sailing on whatever better cruise line you find.

 

 

Sorry, but the bit about Ford isn't completely accurate. While they didn't take money from the same $80B bailout fund, they did borrow $6B in 2009 for retooling some of their production plants so aren't completely innocent but did manage to ride out the fallout on their own, but bottom line is that they did in fact borrow a lot of government funding. Ford was smart enough to sell off lower performing/less profitable brands, while GM wanted to remain the fat cat. Chrysler was simply a mess, no thanks in part to Daimler, who effectively drained the Chrysler division of its funds and dumped them.

[CptSticky]

Doom and Gloom?

 

I prefer to call us:

The non-rose coloured glasses crowd; or

The head out of the sand crowd; or

Oh, I've seen these bone head management decisions before and it never ends well crowd.;)

Or in my case "the, I've always been a major cheerleader for Royal" and don't know when or how I seem to Have ended up on the other side of the fence.

Come on Royal. Let's kiss and make up. I'll do my part and try not to say anything bad and you do your part and bring me back a ship on the West Coast.:o

[Big_G]

Sorry, but the bit about Ford isn't completely accurate. While they didn't take money from the same $80B bailout fund, they did borrow $6B in 2009 for retooling some of their production plants so aren't completely innocent but did manage to ride out the fallout on their own, but bottom line is that they did in fact borrow a lot of government funding. Ford was smart enough to sell off lower performing/less profitable brands, while GM wanted to remain the fat cat. Chrysler was simply a mess, no thanks in part to Daimler, who effectively drained the Chrysler division of its funds and dumped them.

 

In full disclosure, that was Obama green money to retool for hybrid cars. Nissan, Tesla Motors, Fisker Automotive, and the Vehicle Production Group also took funds to develop electric and hybrid cars. That said, Ford Motor Credit along with GMAC and the financing arms BMW, Chrysler, and Toyota all took federal loans to keep the credit flowing to buyers. Those loans were also separate and apart from the bailout money. Only GM and Chrysler filed for bankruptcy.

[kruzerci]

Doom and Gloom?

 

I prefer to call us:

The non-rose coloured glasses crowd; or

The head out of the sand crowd; or

Oh, I've seen these bone head management decisions before and it never ends well crowd.;)

 

Love it :p!

[xpcdoojk]

The MDR waitstaff are covering more tables. Dinner now regularly takes significantly longer to serve with waits of 15-20 minutes between finishing one course and the arrival of the next. When the food finally does arrive it is sometimes lukewarm by the time it gets to your table. On our last cruise we asked for coffee with dessert: on four of the seven nights the coffee either never came or arrived as we were getting up to leave. They are being asked to do too much and things are falling through the cracks. The Stateroom Attendants take care of more rooms. Fewer towel animals, morning room make up sometimes not done until 11:00. On one sea day our room wasn't made up until 1:00pm. One of the things we value about cruising has been the stepped up level of service, but it feels more and more like dinner at Outback and a night at a Holiday Inn Express. Then of course there are the increased charges that are far outpacing inflation. $40 pp EXTRA for Chops! $10 for a scotch and soda.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I call BS on the meals take longer, we are just back from the Oasis and Liberty, we eat at a table for two, most nights dinner in the MDR was about an hour plus or minus 10 minutes. I think those at a table for 10 or 8 have a different experience, but if you eat at a table for two it is very fast, and you have companions, and the change some nights. We had the same waiters most of the time. Lets say 8 dinners in 12 nights in the MDR and we had the same waiters 6 nights. Each cruise one night a new waiter and assistant. I remember back in the day, that 1 hour 45 minutes was fast for dinner at a big table.

 

jc