I wish RCL would stop harassing us during dinner!

[sellwingri]

I was on Freedom the week before  Christmas and ate in the MDR every evening and no one ever approached us.  I honestly don’t recall any sale pitches in the MDR on any of our cruises and we’re also Diamond Plus.  They do swarm everywhere in the Windjammer, especially on boarding day but I try to avoid  eating there as much as possible.   It really would be bothersome to me if they did try to sell in the MDR 

[A&L_Ont]

43 minutes ago, kidless said:

This drives me crazy! They always come as we are getting ready to eat.....or have a mouthful of food. Food comes out like warm at best they want us to stop and pose! Not to mention we stopped buying the over priced photos long ago! 

It’s like clock work.  The main meal comes out and boom, 30 seconds later they are at your table. 
 

We have taken to declining. We have never bought a photo from dinner, so they are just wasting their time.  

[TinkBellaMom]

On a recent cruise on the Indy, with MTD, a gentleman came over very night mid-dinner and asked if we wanted the same time and place next time.  He then gave us a card to come in, no waiting in line.  It was very nice because the lines were crazy long.

[Dancingnurse79]

11 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

It’s like clock work.  The main meal comes out and boom, 30 seconds later they are at your table. 
 

We have taken to declining. We have never bought a photo from dinner, so they are just wasting their time.  

I don’t think of mealtime as a photo op. I don’t want pictures of myself during dinner, nor am I taking Instagram photos of my meal. I don’t really understand the photographers. Everyone has cameras and camera phones these days. I’d only understand it if you decided to go low tech on the trip and didn’t carry a camera. 

[Dancingnurse79]

4 minutes ago, TinkBellaMom said:

On a recent cruise on the Indy, with MTD, a gentleman came over very night mid-dinner and asked if we wanted the same time and place next time.  He then gave us a card to come in, no waiting in line.  It was very nice because the lines were crazy long.

*That’s* how they should be selling specialty dining. Offering a discount on it and making it seem more convenient than waiting for the MDR. 

[NateUpNorth]

Just wait till you're having dinner an upsold dinner at Chops and they ask if you'd like to buy a spot at *insert other pay dining option here* for the following night.

You know they've already considered making it a part of the sales rotation..........

Edited December 31, 2019 by NateUpNorth

[swan1234]

I usually have my  camera with me. When  we are approached during dinner to take our picture, I will take the  camera out and tell them "only if I can take your picture first". They usually have a confused look on their face and move on to the next victim. 

[RitzBitz1]

1 hour ago, kidless said:

This drives me crazy! They always come as we are getting ready to eat.....or have a mouthful of food. Food comes out like warm at best they want us to stop and pose! Not to mention we stopped buying the over priced photos long ago! 

I so agree - and who wants a picture with all the dirty dishes and half eaten food.  And you are right, they charge far to much and the pictures aren't even that great.  We get much better shots on our own!

[LMaxwell]

22 hours ago, sandycruzr said:

Can’t we just enjoy a nice dinner in the dining room without being harassed?  

 

 

No.  You are a number in a database and year over year revenue growth must be obtained. 

[LMaxwell]

21 hours ago, kochleffel said:

he said he couldn't do anything about the volume, so high that it was painful to be in the room

 

That's because they crank up the amplifiers on what are otherwise public address speakers and they crack, pop, whiz, distort and basically sound awful.  They literally are just generating noise instead of being clear.  

 

It's almost as if people that design cruise ships never see how they are actually used.  

[Dancingnurse79]

1 minute ago, LMaxwell said:

 

No.  You are a number in a database and year over year revenue growth must be obtained. 

People say they love capitalism until they don’t. 😂 

[ssb]

21 hours ago, 3CatsInMA said:

That's why you don't see savory bites any more.  They could put an eye out. 

On the serious side 

you can special order savory bits 

[Colorado Babe]

WE have never been approached in the Dining room to purchase the dining package.  However, we have been approached at different venues around the ship (mostly Windjammer) to purchase the package. We just simply tell them that we purchased the package before going on the ship and then thank them.  My recommendation is that you share your concerns when you get the survey after the cruise.  I have found that the survey is one of the best way to get the attention of management.  

[lovemylab]

I also hate being interrupted during meals for a sales pitch or photo.   I hate it even more when a polite "no thank you" doesn't work.  

 

As far as leaving comments on the survey, I'm not convinced that RCI management cares when it comes to this behaviour. On our last RCI cruise, I left comments on both surveys (we received one on the ship and then another one by email) about a photographers obnoxious behaviour and specified that we'd like to be contacted (at that time there was a box to check if you wanted to be contacted) and never did receive a reply or acknowledgement of our feedback.

Edited December 31, 2019 by lovemylab

[johnjen]

On 12/30/2019 at 12:24 PM, kochleffel said:

I didn't experience that on the Serenade this summer, but what made me miserable were the musical interludes in the MDR - at very high volume and with repeated demands to demonstrate how much you like the ship, etc. When I spoke with an assistant dining manager about them, he said he couldn't do anything about the volume, so high that it was painful to be in the room, but since I had MyTime dining I could avoid them by coming to dinner 15 minutes later.

That indeed, was a noted annoyance on our last cruise this summer in the med. We had a great table from Australia, we'd be talking, then suddenly EVERY SINGLE NIGHT we would hear "can we please have your attention" and there'd be singing or some announcement. We KNEW at that point - no ability to talk at our table thanks to these rude interludes at dinner.

[PCHENG]

Didn't experience any specialty dining sales pitch on my Thanksgiving cruise on Anthem of the Seas, but was asked every time I visit the MDR if I want to do the special brunch with galley tour.  It is quite irritating.

 

[grapau27]

6 hours ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I don’t think of mealtime as a photo op. I don’t want pictures of myself during dinner, nor am I taking Instagram photos of my meal. I don’t really understand the photographers. Everyone has cameras and camera phones these days. I’d only understand it if you decided to go low tech on the trip and didn’t carry a camera. 

We don't mind getting a few photos taken of us because as D+ we get 2 photos FOC.

[Dancingnurse79]

17 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We don't mind getting a few photos taken of us because as D+ we get 2 photos FOC.

I don’t like the thought of them having my photos in their database. Perhaps it’s the Gen X in me. 

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I don’t like the thought of them having my photos in their database. Perhaps it’s the Gen X in me. 

They have your photo in their database already when your photo is taken at check in for your sea pass card.

We have numerous photos from our cruises and they are a reminder of that particular wonderful cruise.

[Dancingnurse79]

Just now, grapau27 said:

They have your photo in their database already when your photo is taken at check in for your sea pass card.

We have numerous photos from our cruises and they are a reminder of that particular wonderful cruise.

I’ve only been on one previous cruise so far and that was Majesty in 2018. I honestly don’t remember them taking my photo then. Guess I should get over it now, as I’ll be cruising again in May. 😂 

[grapau27]

14 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I’ve only been on one previous cruise so far and that was Majesty in 2018. I honestly don’t remember them taking my photo then. Guess I should get over it now, as I’ll be cruising again in May. 😂 

Every time security scan your card your photo shows on their screen so they know who you are.

Hope you have a fantastic cruise in May.

Cruising is addictive.

Edited December 31, 2019 by grapau27

[cruisegirl1]

25 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I don’t like the thought of them having my photos in their database. Perhaps it’s the Gen X in me. 

Your photo is already in their database when you checked in. 
 

And in the ports that have facial recognition at customs, you look into a camera and the facial recognition matches you up with your passport picture
 

 

m

 

edit-grapau beat me too it. Thx. While I’m at it, we also have pictures taken as we get a couple of free ones every cruise. And, a simple polite “no thank you“  always works for us 

m

Edited December 31, 2019 by cruisegirl1

[davelinde]

We were also on 4 cruises this year and although I have a vague memory of being pitched specialty dining, in the WJ and perhaps MDR I just cut off the pitch mid first sentence with "not interested, thank you" and  that was that.

 

What I HAVE found increasingly annoying are the "please excuse your waiters for a special" whatever...  when they go to sing or dance.  Fine if we are maybe just waiting for desert but we had our wait staff to off to sing before they had gotten us our main course.

[Dancingnurse79]

17 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Every time security scan your card your photo shows on their screen so they know who you are.

Hope you have a fantastic cruise in May.

Cruising is addictive.

I’ve had my retinas scanned at an airport before but Majesty was just a 3 night getaway. I really don’t remember them even taking a photo. I’m sure they do now, as it seems standard.

 

I’m doing the same cruise in May but on Mariner. My husband is an introvert and being stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a bunch of drunken extroverts is his idea of true hell. I doubt I’ll ever be able to go on anything more than a 5 night with my girl friends. But I’ll enjoy what I can get. 😁

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I’ve had my retinas scanned at an airport before but Majesty was just a 3 night getaway. I really don’t remember them even taking a photo. I’m sure they do now, as it seems standard.

 

I’m doing the same cruise in May but on Mariner. My husband is an introvert and being stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a bunch of drunken extroverts is his idea of true hell. I doubt I’ll ever be able to go on anything more than a 5 night with my girl friends. But I’ll enjoy what I can get. 😁

The short cruises tend to be party cruises and a bit boisterous but longer 7 night plus cruises are more relaxed.

You can request tables for 2 in the restaurants and the speciality restaurants are quiet and intimate.

There are plenty of places on board where you can have a quiet time together.

It's nice that you also have a group of friends you can cruise with if your husband doesn't want to cruise.