Time to Say Goodbye

[Studio472]

OP - I too enjoyed reading your thoughts and agree with most everything you said. I'm 34 and just finished my 7th RCL cruise, so I'm obviously still a baby compared to many of your cruising resumes.

 

I can't say I've noticed much decline in service or food in my short cruising experience. I do miss the midnight Chocolate Buffet, that was boss.

 

I can say I've noticed the nickel & diming on an almost exponential rate. I was surprised that even our MDR waiter gave us a talk about the drink packages. I suppose I'm going to see that when I go on my 1st NCL cruise in December, so it is what it is. I've cruised enough to know what to expect and how to handle the 'sales' side on-board.

 

I have several friends who no longer cruise RCI for various reasons, one is a common thread on the boards here, things that were once included are now at a premium. To him I must be one of the newer cruisers that doesn't know what I'm missing, and that's true. I can't miss something I haven't had!

 

I understand your sentiment that RCI is shifting their product away from you. There are times I feel that way and I'm surprised you've hung in there this long. Best wishes and I hope you find that ideal experience.

[Paulette3028]

I, too, appreciated your well written review. We have spent over 300 days cruising with the majority of those days on RCI. We always loved to sail RCI. However, last year we started to notice the decline. The high drink prices, lack of entertainment opportunities and a decline in the food quality led us to try Celebrity. We have taken 3 Celebrity cruises and have one planned for NYE. We like the atmosphere, the beverage package and the general feel of a Celebrity cruise. We are booked this Ocotober on Brillance of the Seas, but this cruise will be the last on RCI. We are already booked on Norwegian. Perhaps the problem is that we have sailed too many times with the same cruise. line.

 

Well, if Celebrity is more for you, that is wonderful.

 

I can well appreciate any complaint about the rise in drink prices. We are not big drinkers and as we are Diamonds we have use of the DL or the drink coupons. Considering how many nights you imply you have sailed on Royal, you are likely Diamond as well, so the DL or coupons could offset other drink costs.

 

When you mention the 'lack of entertainment opportunities' I have to wonder what you mean and what on a Celebrity sailing were more entertaining opportunities. My SIL and BIL were comparing our entertainment options (simply from reading a cruise compass we had) to the offerings on their recent Celebrity sailing and could not believe how much more their was to be entertained with on the Royal ship.

 

Food is a very subjective issue. Have I seen the changes sure....do I miss some of them, no. I don't miss the midnight buffet, nor do I have to have "French service". I have never found that I was unable to make a satisfactory choice from the MDR menu. We only go to Izumi (specialty restaurant), if it is available on a ship, because Japanese food is not on the MDR menu.

 

So again, if Celebrity is more to your taste, enjoy.

[jacketwatch]

There is a tinge of sadness when a local restaurant you have patronized for years changes its menu to offerings that are less appealing to you. Or when a favorite local clothing store is sold to a new owner who decides to pursue a different target market and changes out the inventory. Such is the sadness we feel after our most recent RCI cruise. RCI still offers a good product, but it no longer appeals to us as it once did.

 

We disembarked from Oasis of the Seas on August 29, having completed two weeks on Allure of the Seas and a week on Freedom of the Seas earlier this year. Last week we canceled three additional cruises on both Freedom- and Oasis-classes. As frequent, “mature” cruisers (not yet retirement age but closing in) we have seen a widening gap between RCI’s product and our cruise preferences. While our preferences have doubtless changed over time, it seems to us as if RCI is shifting their product away from us as well.

 

A pause to set some context: If all goes as planned we will attain our 365th night at sea in March of next year. 112 of those nights are on Royal Caribbean ships: 70 on Oasis-class, 35 on Freedom-class, and 7 on Radiance-class. Because you can only watch “Come Fly With Me” or Tony Tillman so many times (even over five years) we rely on live music to round out our cruise experience. Lounge music is an even bigger deal on the smaller ships where there are fewer “big show” options.

 

When we first cruised Oasis-class in 2010 we were over the moon. Beautiful ships and spaces, minimal crowding, many food options, and also – importantly – many entertainment selections, both large-scale events and live music. We went on to cruise this class nine additional times, the most recent being an Allure B2B in March and the Oasis cruise near the end of August.

 

The Allure cruise in March occurred shortly before her recent dry-dock and the cruise was close to our previous experiences. Food and entertainment were similar in quality and quantity to what we have seen in the past. My Time Dining was on Deck 5 and was comfortable. Overall our expectations were met and we were happy.

 

Freedom came next, over Memorial Day [u.S.]. It had been several years since we were on Freedom-class, but it seemed to us as if there was less live music on the ship than there had been a few years back. Plus, with the exception of the pool band it seemed to start later; there were very few options prior to 9 PM. Finally, although we are far from music critics, the combo in Bolero’s was one of the worst we have ever heard – the lead vocalist could not hold a note to save her soul. The Diamond Club, Sabor (yum!), and our cabin (1400) saved that cruise. We had a decent week but left wishing there had been more (and better) live music.

 

It was last month’s Oasis cruise that was the real eye-opener. This was our first cruise on the class after the dry-dock and it was a disappointment overall, with one huge exception – “Cats.” Credit where credit is due – “Cats” was absolutely fantastic. It was the same full length show that played Broadway for many years, not at all like some of the heavily abridged musicals that cruise lines stage and market as “Broadway.” And the cast was wonderful. Some of the cast did a couple vocal sets in the Jazz Club and the quality of their voices blew away that of the cast members from “Hairspray” and “Chicago” that we heard in days of yore. Kudos to RCI for staging the full-length show with such a strong cast. If you love Broadway, this performance in and of itself is worth a cruise on Oasis. This is something I could not say of either “Hairspray” or “Chicago” which were significantly shortened and had competent, but not exceptional casts.

 

Unfortunately, “Cats” and the vocal sets performed by its cast members were the only bright spots in a very disappointing entertainment landscape. The other “big” shows seemed exactly the same as they have been since the ship launched. Tony Tillman was the Headliner and he certainly qualifies as an RCI regular; his show does not change much from cruise to cruise. So we were again looking to the live music as our primary evening entertainment. And this is where we were really let down.

 

Since the dry-dock, one musical group has been eliminated completely and the hours of other acts have been scaled back. The dropped combo used to perform in the late, lamented Viking Crown and typically performed pop, soft rock, and occasionally standards – all favorites of ours. Rather than finding a different venue for this act, RCI killed it off altogether.

 

Before the dry-dock there was usually cocktail hour/early evening music in one venue, especially on sea days. On this cruise there was nothing. Before the dry-dock, the band in Dazzles often started at 7:30 or 8:00 PM. This cruise, they only started before 9:00 on one night. Additionally, they took two (or maybe three) nights off completely, more time off than used to be the case. The only music that was consistently available between 7 PM and 9 PM was the classical duo. They were fine, but not really as up-tempo as were looking for. Also, their venue was Central Park. In August. In the Caribbean. Not exactly the most comfortable spot to listen to music, especially on formal nights.

 

In their defense, RCI did open the Jazz Club earlier than they used to on a couple of nights (but only a couple). And the piano player at the Schooner Bar was very good if you didn’t mind waiting until 9:15 or 9:30 for him to get started. For some of us crossing that 60-year line, though, 10:30 or 11:00 is about all we can manage before bed time. One set and we’re out.

 

There were a couple other issues with this cruise as well. My Time dining is now on Deck 3 which seems both noisier and more crowded than Deck 5 used to be. And Sabor on Oasis is not nearly the experience as Sabor on Freedom. The menu is considerably smaller and the food, except for the excellent guacamole, is less well-prepared. Food quality, IMO, remains one of RCI’s greatest challenges, but this is nothing new.

 

We fully understand that we are outside of RCI’s target demographic. And we also understand that our circumstances are somewhat unique. Even after almost six years there likely aren’t all that many folks who have completed ten cruises on Oasis-class. If you’ve not cruised this class before I can heartily recommend it, especially if you are travelling with children or teens. Still, one feels a certain sadness when one recognizes that an experience that one has long enjoyed is no longer as enjoyable. Nothing for it though but to move on down the road. Other than one upcoming cruise on Serenade on which we were able to get an insanely low price, we'll see you on NCL, Princess, or Carnival.

 

Rich

Thank you for this candid yet objective review. Too often personal preferences not being met give rise to revenge posts and it's so refreshing to see this one be so in perspective.

 

Next month we will be on the Oasis for the first time and I do believe that our initial experience will be as you have said.

 

I do hope someday we get a chance to meet somehow. First drink is on me. :)

 

Bon voyage.:)

 

Larry.

[impatientlywaiting]

What I find kind of sad is that there are those who celebrate that the smaller, more intimate ships such as we enjoy, are being retired or transferred out of service. A year and a half ago, we sailed Celebrity Century to Alaska, and this Saturday, Splendour of the Seas from Venice. We love the older experience of sailing. Its sad that all that seems to be getting built nowadays are floating cities featuring water slides.

 

We refuse to cruise on those bigger ships. Radiance & Vision class ships are the best! We don't cruise for water slides or rock climbing walls, etc. We cruise to be on the water and relax. Those bigger ships are of no interest to us. The families can have all that nonsense!

[rodenboy]

OP: A well written post. It's refreshing on here to see a balanced view rather than a review plagued with imbalanced criticism.

 

I do have one question, although I ask having not read all responses so far:

 

Is it the fact that there are less music options or the fact that the music options available are later than usual that is your biggest bug bear with RCCL? You mention both interchangeably but i wasn't clear as to which was the straw that broke the camels back!

[nyroadrunner]

We have always cruised Royal, but in recent years we switched over to Carnival due to budget issues. While many on here believe "Carnival is beneath them," we have found Carnival to be exactly like Royal Caribbean used to be. Very much about the guest experience, without the "nickel and diming" that Royal has become. Everyone is obviously entitled to their own opinions, but if you are into live music, Carnival is for you! Some nights, we go from lounge to lounge listening to band after band. It is very enjoyable. (Hope I don't get murdered for this opinion!!)

[internetwhiz]

We refuse to cruise on those bigger ships. Radiance & Vision class ships are the best! We don't cruise for water slides or rock climbing walls, etc. We cruise to be on the water and relax. Those bigger ships are of no interest to us. The families can have all that nonsense!

 

 

Oceanaria is nonsense? Cats or Mamma Mia is nonsense? A good ice show? Just hubby and I, no kiddos, but not nonsense.

 

 

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[champagne123]

Oceanaria is nonsense? Cats or Mamma Mia is nonsense? A good ice show? Just hubby and I, no kiddos, but not nonsense.

 

 

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100 percent agree. We are no spring chickens....kids all grown. Love everything about the mega ships. I always find it strange when someone "hates" or "you would never catch me on a mega ship" have never been on one. The OP's review was honest, but he was on the Oasis numerous times. I would be bored or tired of the sames ship over and over again also. Variety is the spice of life.:)

Cannot wait for the Anthem and the Harmony. :):):)

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

We refuse to cruise on those bigger ships. Radiance & Vision class ships are the best! We don't cruise for water slides or rock climbing walls, etc. We cruise to be on the water and relax. Those bigger ships are of no interest to us. The families can have all that nonsense!

 

You may not enjoy the large ships and no one is telling you that you have to, but the onboard activities/venues are definitely not nonsense. That's a poor way to describe them. Broadway and high-diving shows are not nonsense, nor are the flowriders and rock walls, or the specialty restaurants and entertainment venues. You might not enjoy them, but plenty of others do.

 

Have you ever even tried the Oasis Class? I went on the Oasis for the first time in May. The largest RCI ship I had been on previously was the Explorer, and I've also enjoyed my cruises on Radiance Class ships. Don't knock the big ships until you try them. I wasn't sure how much I'd like the Oasis, but check out my future cruises in my signature...2 more cruises on that class!

 

:)

[jewopaho]

Ye pays yer money and ye takes yer cherce. Sure, it's possible to outgrow anything ... or more precisely, grow to dislike the product currently being offered.

 

I'm certain that RCI's target demographic has undergone a shift, largely on those "Monsters of the Seas." They've got to sail full, and with folks willing to max out their credit cards ... friends on Oasis heard a passenger complain about his $1100 bar tab (music to CI's ears). We frankly haven't noticed much of a difference over the years, largely sailing Vision-, Voyager- and Freedom-Class ships, although the passengers on our longer cruises are somewhat older ... stands to reason, given the length of the length of the voyages. We enjoy Royal Caribbean, especially the bang for the buck as D+ C&A members, and have no plans to actively seek other vacation options ... but never say never.

 

We've also cruised with Princess, and have noticed the effects of the Cahill regime. Having Elite status, our expectations are a bit above the less-traveled passengers ... free laundry alone doesn't cut it. There has been a significant (to us) decline in the level of service and overall experience ... it's not quite the same cruise line as it was under the Arison administration.

 

Our two Carnival cruises validated our original contention that it's not for us ... nothing specific, just the ambiance (or lack thereof). We sailed with NCL once ... not bad, but we found the dinner situation (poor quality in the complimentary restaurants, impossible to make reservations in the specialty ones) something we'd just rather not encounter.

 

We do indeed understand the age factor (I'm 73, my wife is 70), but choose not to cruise exclusively with our contemporaries. I guess that's why the industry offers something for everyone, even for folks older than us. One of the onboard comedians summed it up rather succinctly on a Princess cruise ... "You older folks sail with Princess; your parents are on Holland America."

 

No question that different folks see things differently ... the OP's remarks about "Cats" are hardly unanimous (several threads about the "awful" performance). So ... ye pays yer money and ye takes yer cherce.

 

Al

[ladylemondrop]

As others suggested, perhaps try Celebrity, for an upscale, contemporary cruise experience, but, I dont think the entertainment would offer what you are seeking, have you tried Anthem or Quantum? They reminded me very much of Celebrity class ships in terms of elegance and style, and size, but I was blown away by the entertainment offered, both in 270, (cirque de soleil style shows) and in the Music Hall, (variety of music and live singers) then they had We will rock you, which was outstanding.

[berriecream]

Will Tony Tilman be proforming on the Harmony Cruise ship any time in July?

[Biker19]

[berriecream]

Do any one know of the last ship Tony Tillman preform on

[xpcdoojk]

Wow....

 

I guess it is possible a search for this person, might lead to this thread, but wow.....

 

JC:eek:

[setsail]

Do any one know of the last ship Tony Tillman preform on

 

Google reveals this

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52900545

[Thetrail]

There is a tinge of sadness when a local restaurant you have patronized for years changes its menu to offerings that are less appealing to you. Or when a favorite local clothing store is sold to a new owner who decides to pursue a different target market and changes out the inventory. Such is the sadness we feel after our most recent RCI cruise. RCI still offers a good product, but it no longer appeals to us as it once did.

 

We disembarked from Oasis of the Seas on August 29, having completed two weeks on Allure of the Seas and a week on Freedom of the Seas earlier this year. Last week we canceled three additional cruises on both Freedom- and Oasis-classes. As frequent, “mature” cruisers (not yet retirement age but closing in) we have seen a widening gap between RCI’s product and our cruise preferences. While our preferences have doubtless changed over time, it seems to us as if RCI is shifting their product away from us as well.

 

A pause to set some context: If all goes as planned we will attain our 365th night at sea in March of next year. 112 of those nights are on Royal Caribbean ships: 70 on Oasis-class, 35 on Freedom-class, and 7 on Radiance-class. Because you can only watch “Come Fly With Me” or Tony Tillman so many times (even over five years) we rely on live music to round out our cruise experience. Lounge music is an even bigger deal on the smaller ships where there are fewer “big show” options.

 

When we first cruised Oasis-class in 2010 we were over the moon. Beautiful ships and spaces, minimal crowding, many food options, and also – importantly – many entertainment selections, both large-scale events and live music. We went on to cruise this class nine additional times, the most recent being an Allure B2B in March and the Oasis cruise near the end of August.

 

The Allure cruise in March occurred shortly before her recent dry-dock and the cruise was close to our previous experiences. Food and entertainment were similar in quality and quantity to what we have seen in the past. My Time Dining was on Deck 5 and was comfortable. Overall our expectations were met and we were happy.

 

Freedom came next, over Memorial Day [u.S.]. It had been several years since we were on Freedom-class, but it seemed to us as if there was less live music on the ship than there had been a few years back. Plus, with the exception of the pool band it seemed to start later; there were very few options prior to 9 PM. Finally, although we are far from music critics, the combo in Bolero’s was one of the worst we have ever heard – the lead vocalist could not hold a note to save her soul. The Diamond Club, Sabor (yum!), and our cabin (1400) saved that cruise. We had a decent week but left wishing there had been more (and better) live music.

 

It was last month’s Oasis cruise that was the real eye-opener. This was our first cruise on the class after the dry-dock and it was a disappointment overall, with one huge exception – “Cats.” Credit where credit is due – “Cats” was absolutely fantastic. It was the same full length show that played Broadway for many years, not at all like some of the heavily abridged musicals that cruise lines stage and market as “Broadway.” And the cast was wonderful. Some of the cast did a couple vocal sets in the Jazz Club and the quality of their voices blew away that of the cast members from “Hairspray” and “Chicago” that we heard in days of yore. Kudos to RCI for staging the full-length show with such a strong cast. If you love Broadway, this performance in and of itself is worth a cruise on Oasis. This is something I could not say of either “Hairspray” or “Chicago” which were significantly shortened and had competent, but not exceptional casts.

 

Unfortunately, “Cats” and the vocal sets performed by its cast members were the only bright spots in a very disappointing entertainment landscape. The other “big” shows seemed exactly the same as they have been since the ship launched. Tony Tillman was the Headliner and he certainly qualifies as an RCI regular; his show does not change much from cruise to cruise. So we were again looking to the live music as our primary evening entertainment. And this is where we were really let down.

 

Since the dry-dock, one musical group has been eliminated completely and the hours of other acts have been scaled back. The dropped combo used to perform in the late, lamented Viking Crown and typically performed pop, soft rock, and occasionally standards – all favorites of ours. Rather than finding a different venue for this act, RCI killed it off altogether.

 

Before the dry-dock there was usually cocktail hour/early evening music in one venue, especially on sea days. On this cruise there was nothing. Before the dry-dock, the band in Dazzles often started at 7:30 or 8:00 PM. This cruise, they only started before 9:00 on one night. Additionally, they took two (or maybe three) nights off completely, more time off than used to be the case. The only music that was consistently available between 7 PM and 9 PM was the classical duo. They were fine, but not really as up-tempo as were looking for. Also, their venue was Central Park. In August. In the Caribbean. Not exactly the most comfortable spot to listen to music, especially on formal nights.

 

In their defense, RCI did open the Jazz Club earlier than they used to on a couple of nights (but only a couple). And the piano player at the Schooner Bar was very good if you didn’t mind waiting until 9:15 or 9:30 for him to get started. For some of us crossing that 60-year line, though, 10:30 or 11:00 is about all we can manage before bed time. One set and we’re out.

 

There were a couple other issues with this cruise as well. My Time dining is now on Deck 3 which seems both noisier and more crowded than Deck 5 used to be. And Sabor on Oasis is not nearly the experience as Sabor on Freedom. The menu is considerably smaller and the food, except for the excellent guacamole, is less well-prepared. Food quality, IMO, remains one of RCI’s greatest challenges, but this is nothing new.

 

We fully understand that we are outside of RCI’s target demographic. And we also understand that our circumstances are somewhat unique. Even after almost six years there likely aren’t all that many folks who have completed ten cruises on Oasis-class. If you’ve not cruised this class before I can heartily recommend it, especially if you are travelling with children or teens. Still, one feels a certain sadness when one recognizes that an experience that one has long enjoyed is no longer as enjoyable. Nothing for it though but to move on down the road. Other than one upcoming cruise on Serenade on which we were able to get an insanely low price, we'll see you on NCL, Princess, or Carnival.

 

Rich

Sorry to hear although personally I feel that the shows, music and variety acts are the best that RCL has ever put out there. As for NCL, Princess or Carnival, no you won't see me there. For the record 8 times on Allure, 6 on Oasis, and soon to be 4 on Harmony......:D

[marci22]

Wth

[Langley Cruisers]

Wow.... I guess it is possible a search for this person, might lead to this thread, but wow.....

 

That is exactly what happened. The member who bumped this thread did what he was supposed to do in running a search, and then inadvertently posted in a two-year old thread. I found five threads here when I searched using the entertainer's incorrectly spelled last name, and SIX pages spelling it correctly.

.

[lakemurraykid]

I understand completely. We were so disappointed in our last RCI Adventure of the Seas cruise. The food was terrible and the bands by the pool were awful. There was some piano music in the Schooner lounge and that was pretty good, but they used that lounge for all of the trivia.

I've wanted to try Celebrity, but my husband is concerned that Celebrity caters to snobs. I've always heard such wonderful things about that line. If anyone knows the age demographic for Celebrity, please tell me what it is so I can tell him.

We've only cruised Princess once, but it was wonderful. The food was great and the specialty dining outdid RCI. I'm anxious to see how they do with their Caribbean cruises.

[Biker19]

I've wanted to try Celebrity, but my husband is concerned that Celebrity caters to snobs. I've always heard such wonderful things about that line. If anyone knows the age demographic for Celebrity, please tell me what it is so I can tell him.

About 60+, but it won't matter. If you go by CC threads, all lines, including Celebrity, have terrible food and service.

[Beachammo]

Time to say Goodbye....

 

Great Tune....

 

 

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[CRUISEBOY305]

everyone's fully aware this is a almost 2 year old thread, right? :o

[Beachammo]

everyone's fully aware this is a almost 2 year old thread, right? :o

Yep....

 

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[Biker19]

everyone's fully aware this is a almost 2 year old thread, right? :o

I try to make it obvious in these kind of threads with.....