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Food service issues on the Empress

ZoeyVictoria
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LMaxwell Great Review Rare

LMaxwell

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Posted
I do not understand how the officers on this ship can arbitrarily decide to not honor one of the benefits that is part of the program.

 

 

I don't think it is the officers who made this decision...

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travelwide

travelwide

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If that is true, then the C&A supervisors should have been informed that this ship is the "exception" to the fleet and I feel the passengers should also have been advised. They surely has enough time during the 13 cancelled cruises to get their s--- together

 

We love meeting new people at these nightly events and enjoy hearing their travel stores. I quess we will have to troll all the lounges to meet someone as nice as you!! Hopefully, we will get lucky.

 

I am still optimistic that this issue will be resolved to the members betterment.

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WinksCruises

WinksCruises

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Posted (edited)

When we reserved our upcoming Empress cruise a few months back we were assured by Royal's script-reading customer-service booking tron that yes, "absolutely" there would be a Concierge Lounge on Empress for suite guests. No question.

 

A glance at the deck plans and reading a couple of posts here on CC put that dream to rest. Sigh...

 

How could we know Royal's programs and amenities better than their home office or customer services reps? It's embarrassing already!

Edited by WinksCruises
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Scotty G

Scotty G

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There are photos on Instagram showing the standard MDR lobster tail from the shakedown cruise (not the larger for pay lobster). So that would seem to indicate the included lobster tails are available on this ship. Maybe that was just for the shakedown??

 

Probably because the RCI Front Office was on board?

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LMaxwell Great Review Rare

LMaxwell

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Probably because the RCI Front Office was on board?

 

Maybe; this is the lobster that is supposed to be on cruises 5 days and longer. Empress is currently on a 5 night so I'd imagine this would be offered at some point.

 

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pstone1

pstone1

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We are also on the Empress. It is a beautiful ship! The public areas are bright with lots of Windows and seating areas. We were among the first onboard and thought the food in the WJ was excellent! We have an OV cabin on Deck 7 and find it fine for us. There are 6 drawers and a medium size closet with enough space for our clothes to fit comfortably. The bathroom is also fine with shelves that fit all of our things and then some. Good water pressure, nice hot water, and good drainage/flushing. Our cabin steward is the worst we have ever had. I'm at the point where I don't even want to see her again. It has been a struggle just to get a bucket of ice. We have been told by her that it is not her job to get us ice and that we should call guest services or room service. When we call them, they tell us it's her job. Perhaps a 1st world problem, but we like, use, and would like ice. Last night, we finally had an ice bucket delivered by room service - we'll see if that keeps up!

 

Again, the ship is beautiful! The food service is inexcusably horrible. We have Late Seating in the MDR and night one when we arrived at 8:30, the Early Seating was still eating. The line was ridiculous and weren't even seated till after 9pm. Our waiter was great, the food was just OK. As mentioned, the menu is very limited with just a few choices. After asking several times, coffee was finally served about 20 minutes after we received dessert.

 

I will post more later or tomorrow as there is a lot to say. :eek:

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Citymom92

Citymom92

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Posted

Could someone post the menus for the MDR? I thought all RCL ships used the same basic MDR menus. Are they using the Mojo, Saffron, etc. MDR menus or something different altogether? It sounds like the Empress isn't following a lot of the usual RCL ship standards, and it's confusing to me.

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Laney219

Laney219

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Maybe; this is the lobster that is supposed to be on cruises 5 days and longer. Empress is currently on a 5 night so I'd imagine this would be offered at some point.

 

 

People keep mentioning 5 nights or longer cruises for the MDR (free) lobster. Is that just for caribbean sailings? 5 night to Bermuda did not have lobster.

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
Could someone post the menus for the MDR? I thought all RCL ships used the same basic MDR menus. Are they using the Mojo, Saffron, etc. MDR menus or something different altogether? It sounds like the Empress isn't following a lot of the usual RCL ship standards, and it's confusing to me.

http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/download-press-kit/7/

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Bob, what she and others have said is that the Empress has "shorter" menus, so they may not be using the standard menus that you link to in your post.

 

Someone currently on board needs to take pictures and post them so that we can see if this is true, or if the posters are unfamiliar with what the "usual" menus look like.

 

:)

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Clarea

Clarea

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Posted
Bob, what she and others have said is that the Empress has "shorter" menus, so they may not be using the standard menus that you link to in your post.

 

Someone currently on board needs to take pictures and post them so that we can see if this is true, or if the posters are unfamiliar with what the "usual" menus look like.

 

:)

Thanks Carol, I mistakenly thought the poster wanted to compare the Empress menus with the standard fleetwide menus.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Posted
Thanks Carol, I mistakenly thought the poster wanted to compare the Empress menus with the standard fleetwide menus.

 

She does. It's just that no one has posted the Empress menus, despite repeated requests on this and the other "live" thread. ;) :D

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Citymom92

Citymom92

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Posted
She does. It's just that no one has posted the Empress menus, despite repeated requests on this and the other "live" thread. ;) :D

 

Yes, thank you both. I should have been more clear. I do have the typical MDR menus printed out already, but it sounds like the Empress has a different menu. Much shorter and more limited as others have noted. I just would like to see the Empress menu to see what we are going to have offered.

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Giosmom

Giosmom

Posted
Posted
You actually had someone come to your room to fix AC? I've tried twice now. What's the secret?

 

 

Call, complain, call, complain, call, complain, repeat!!!!

It is a simple fix, it only took the man 2 minutes.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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Giosmom

Giosmom

Posted
Posted
This is sad about the food snafu......

 

 

 

But tell me, are the drinks (alcoholic) plentiful????

 

 

 

 

 

Or is this issue slim pickens also.

 

 

 

Hope it gets better for those sailing.

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck

 

 

Actually it has been difficult to get drinks (that I want anyway)

During sail away I asked for a piñata colada from the pool bar and was told they couldn't make it. The bar in the casino can't make a Bay breeze, sea breeze, or Malibu punch. I have just been getting rum and coke.

There isn't many people coming around for drinks. The only way I have been getting them is by going up to the bar.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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Giosmom

Giosmom

Posted
Posted
This issue is being looked into by the corporate office as we speak.

 

L Maxwell is correct, every ship, whether is has a dedicated lounge or not, is offering a nightly event for those eligible levels, i.e. Majesty with no lounge. The Majesty sets up an area in the VCL. I do not understand how the officers on this ship can arbitrarily decide to not honor one of the benefits that is part of the program.

 

Hopefully, this will be rectified for those on this cruise and before we cruise on June 11th.

 

I find it hard to believe that no D, D+ or Pinnacle members on board the ship now have not made a point of dealing with this issue.

 

It was mentioned that Suite guests ( and how many suites are on this ship, 6 maybe) have an area in Boleros set up for them.

 

L Maxwell.....you are so right about not being on one of the first to sail new, before or after drydock.

 

i am shocked to hear of the issues on this ship. If I didn't know better, I would think it is being run by all new employees - which is not true.

 

Keep the info coming.

 

 

Actually there is over 50% new employees from Pullmantur Cruise lines, including the head chef, from what I have been told by employees.

Also the galley was still not ready and they are having equipment problems, which is slowing down the food.

As I said before the staff has been very nice, and I feel very bad for them because everyone is complaining.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
4a6ce71bee02b7b72ed571afb8843b66.jpg

This is the room service menu.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

That's pathetic. Even the Anthem had more free options than that. :(

 

Actually it has been difficult to get drinks (that I want anyway)

During sail away I asked for a piñata colada from the pool bar and was told they couldn't make it. The bar in the casino can't make a Bay breeze, sea breeze, or Malibu punch. I have just been getting rum and coke.

There isn't many people coming around for drinks. The only way I have been getting them is by going up to the bar.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Now THAT is beyond pathetic. Can't make a piña colada ON A CRUISE SHIP?!?!?!? Can't make a bay breeze, sea breeze or malibu punch?

 

CRIMINAL!

 

:eek:

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
Posted
Actually there is over 50% new employees from Pullmantur Cruise lines, including the head chef, from what I have been told by employees.

Also the galley was still not ready and they are having equipment problems, which is slowing down the food.

As I said before the staff has been very nice, and I feel very bad for them because everyone is complaining.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

This highlighted item is very confusing....since the primary reason given for the second set of cancellations was specific needs that needed to be done to the galley and it was a priority.

 

With the additional time being taken they had plenty of opportunity to ready employees coming from Pullmantr.

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