First cruise with RCI coming up - not at all impressed

[broadwaybaby123]

1.) You do know that COVID is EVERYWHERE, right? It's not just on ships! Someone in my family caught it ON LAND and tested positive 2 days before we were supposed to board this month.

 

2.) Like any other cruise line, RC allows you to check-in via the app and it's quite simple. You can also upload your COVID documents and shore excursions right there. How much easier do you want it?

 

3.) The fiasco with the Quantum ship was beyond anyone's control.

 

4.) Shore excursions and other refunds take time, no matter which line you choose. 

[BirdTravels]

44 minutes ago, caitlynambrai said:

I’m sailing with RCL for the first time. I haven’t done anything with paper for my July 23rd cruise- I’ve uploaded selfies, vaccine records, etc. And I’m glad we’re testing at 2 days out, instead of three. It’s a hassle but it’s safer. 
NCL cancelled the July 5th cruise for the NCL Sun  on July 4th- some things just suck and it doesn’t matter which cruise line  you’re with. When you’re dealing with unexpected issues, it takes some time to come up with a plan. If you need perfection, now might not be the time to cruise. 

Enjoy your first Royal cruise (no free beverage package or specialty dining). Are you still sailing to Alaska? We were just on the Quantum of the Seas to Alaska. But, since our cruise, the Quantum has suffered some mechanical problems (fire) and will be degrading a few of her future cruises while repairs are made. 

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, matj2000 said:

Welcome to RCCL.

 

And the friendly people who are loyalists..

 

Also

 

Reason 104 not to book throught the cruise line...

All Cheerleaders please pick up your uniforms at the entrance of the Windjammer .

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by Jimbo

[BirdTravels]

9 minutes ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

3.) The fiasco with the Quantum ship was beyond anyone's control.

There are options that RCCL won't do. Like to delay the "routine maintenance" of the second engine until the fire damaged engine is fixed. It is having two of the main engines offline that limits the ship's speed. I would imagine that if enough money changes hands, the engine refirb team could rearrange their schedules and delay the routine maintenance for a few months,,, and keep the Quantum at top speed. 

[TechDiva]

1 hour ago, cured said:

Squierjosh is not doing anything but enforcing the alleged reputation of the class of hard core Carnival cruisers.

 

@squierjoshnot sure what you mean when you say "which means a negative tests causes A LOT of preventable problems."  How can a negative covid test cause any problems?  Also, are you implying that you don't have to test for Carnival? It actually looks like Carnival's testing is stricter than RCL's requiring a PCR test. At least RCL will allow you to do a home proctored antigen test.

 

TESTING REQUIREMENTS

Guests age 2 and older must present a negative PCR COVID-19 test, taken within 72 and 24 hours prior to the sailing date at check-in. (For example, if the sailing is on Saturday, the test may be taken any time from Wednesday through Friday, but not on the morning of embarkation). Unvaccinated guests (age 2 and older) must also take an antigen test at embarkation. On cruises longer than 4 days, guests will be tested again within 24 hours of debarkation. Guests traveling on back to back cruises will need to be tested in between voyages.

• Irrespective of voyage length, antigen testing will be provided on a complimentary basis to children ages 2-4. Children ages 5-11 will be charged US$60 per person, and guests ages 12 and older will be charged US$150 per person on their onboard Sail & Sign account.
• Prior to traveling to the cruise terminal, guests should review their pre-cruise test results to ensure it includes their full legal name, date of birth, type of test, date and time sample was taken, test result stating “NEGATIVE” or “NOT DETECTED” and laboratory, testing site, and/or healthcare provider details. Handwritten test results are not acceptable.

Please refer to our COVID-19 FAQs for complete information on testing requirements and resources.

  I hope you have a good cruise, but I highly doubt you will because you are already pulling stuff out of your behind to be mad about.  

 

 

I just want to make a slight correction to this.  Carnival's website is a little confusing but only unvaccinated guests are required to have a PCR test.  Vaccinated guests can take an antigen test, whether it's at a pharmacy/doctor/etc. or through one of the proctored home tests.  The above quoted section is under a section titled "Unvaccinated Guests (Updated 6/22/22)". 

 

Also, I know this for sure because I've taken 2 Carnival cruises since the restart, the latest being last month.

[squadron]

5 hours ago, Yankeegirl49 said:

I just booked my first RC cruise after 11 with Carnival and I agree 100% about the web site. Don't know about anything else, but Carnival's site (with all its glitches) is much more user friendly and much easier to navigate. 

It is the site you are used to - after using RCI site a few times it will be easy also.

[time4u2go]

22 minutes ago, squadron said:

It is the site you are used to - after using RCI site a few times it will be easy also.

When it works correctly. 

[BND]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

All Cheerleaders please pick up your uniforms at the entrance of the Windjammer .

 

And, everyone who hasn't cruised since 2019 at least, please raise their hands.  Someone has lots of opinions.

[Jimbo]

3 minutes ago, BND said:

And, everyone who hasn't cruised since 2019 at least, please raise their hands.  Someone has lots of opinions.

No one has go on a cruise to see who are the cheerleaders.  It's fine though if that is what people want to be. I rather look at things with eyes wide open.

[BND]

2 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

No one has go on a cruise to see who are the cheerleaders.  It's fine though if that is what people want to be. I rather look at things with eyes wide open.

Remind me again why you haven't cruised.  Is it fear or refusing to get the vaccine?  You are quick to criticize without any current experience.  Your posts are hardly helpful.

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by BND

[Jimbo]

1 minute ago, BND said:

Remind me again why you haven't cruised.  Is it fear or refusing to get the vaccine?  You are quick to criticize without any current experience.  Your posts are hardly helpful.

 

No fear, I have all the vaccines and one booster . Just don't think the value is there right now on the ships.

 

Cutbacks on provisions and service are still lacking. Reading to many complains on people's reviews when they get back from their cruises right now and ever since the start-up.

 

We can wait to cruise again, in the mean time land vacations.

[smokeybandit]

That's a new one. Someone hates their cruise and RC before they even board.

 

[PhoenixCruiser]

Sorry you are struggling 

[StephPS79]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Wow Carnival testing looks like a pain in the @$$.   And they charge for the kids 5 or older tests, royal does them for free.  

If you are vaccinated, you can take an antigen test.  The requirements posted are for unvaccinated guests.  I've cruise both rather recently, and honestly one wasn't any different than the other, except Carnival does actually give 3 days for vaccinated.

[rudeney]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

No fear, I have all the vaccines and one booster . Just don't think the value is there right now on the ships.

 

Cutbacks on provisions and service are still lacking. Reading to many complains on people's reviews when they get back from their cruises right now and ever since the start-up.

 

We can wait to cruise again, in the mean time land vacations.

 

I understand your concerns, but you are basing that on what others say.  Why not give it a try and experience things for yourself?  Remember that most people who go online to post their experiences are doing so because they are looking for solutions to problems, not just to say, "all was great."

[Pellaz]

14 hours ago, Yankeegirl49 said:

I just booked my first RC cruise after 11 with Carnival and I agree 100% about the web site. Don't know about anything else, but Carnival's site (with all its glitches) is much more user friendly and much easier to navigate. 

 

Wow.  Now THAT's kinda terrifying to contemplate.  

 

[ReneeFLL]

15 hours ago, squierjosh said:

I've been listening to the cork sniffers for years tell me how great RCI is, especially compared to Carnival. As fate would have it, my in-laws booked an Alaska cruise for us on RCI, and it has not been impressive.

 

The website is almost useless. You can't do much from it compared to Carnival. Find cruises, picking staterooms, etc, is so much easier. RCI doesn't use the Verifly app, preferring to do everything by paper, like we're in 15th century England. We can't test 3 days out, so coming to port a couple days early means we have to test there, which means a negative tests causes A LOT of preventable problems. Given how many covid outbreaks have been happening on RCI lately, does it even matter if we test?

 

Then this whole fiasco with the Quantum ship not going to all the destinations, and absolutely no communication about it, no updates on the (worthless) web site, etc. My itinerary still shows excursions I booked and paid for, yet they're on days listed as sea days, or they don't fit into the new port schedule. Seriously, it shouldn't take this long to fix something, and it absolutely floors me that for what you pay for an RCI cruise, the service is non-existent. 

 

/rant

I would take the fiasco with Quantum any day over the fires Carnival has had, or did you forget about them? Your other complaints are just background noise. Do your in-laws a favor and tell them that you have decided not to take the free cruise and they can have it back. I'm sure they would enjoy it much more. BTW when is your cruise?

 

11 hours ago, cured said:

Squierjosh is not doing anything but enforcing the alleged reputation of the class of hard core Carnival cruisers.

 

@squierjoshnot sure what you mean when you say "which means a negative tests causes A LOT of preventable problems."  How can a negative covid test cause any problems?  Also, are you implying that you don't have to test for Carnival? It actually looks like Carnival's testing is stricter than RCL's requiring a PCR test. At least RCL will allow you to do a home proctored antigen test.

 

TESTING REQUIREMENTS

Guests age 2 and older must present a negative PCR COVID-19 test, taken within 72 and 24 hours prior to the sailing date at check-in. (For example, if the sailing is on Saturday, the test may be taken any time from Wednesday through Friday, but not on the morning of embarkation). Unvaccinated guests (age 2 and older) must also take an antigen test at embarkation. On cruises longer than 4 days, guests will be tested again within 24 hours of debarkation. Guests traveling on back to back cruises will need to be tested in between voyages.

• Irrespective of voyage length, antigen testing will be provided on a complimentary basis to children ages 2-4. Children ages 5-11 will be charged US$60 per person, and guests ages 12 and older will be charged US$150 per person on their onboard Sail & Sign account.
• Prior to traveling to the cruise terminal, guests should review their pre-cruise test results to ensure it includes their full legal name, date of birth, type of test, date and time sample was taken, test result stating “NEGATIVE” or “NOT DETECTED” and laboratory, testing site, and/or healthcare provider details. Handwritten test results are not acceptable.

Please refer to our COVID-19 FAQs for complete information on testing requirements and resources.

  I hope you have a good cruise, but I highly doubt you will because you are already pulling stuff out of your behind to be mad about.  

 

Wow, I wonder why there's such a difference in price between the different age groups? 

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by ReneeFLL

[time4u2go]

10 hours ago, Jimbo said:

All Cheerleaders please pick up your uniforms at the entrance of the Windjammer .

 

Lol so true. 

[ReneeFLL]

On 3/9/2021 at 3:14 PM, squierjosh said:

Seriously people, if you don't think you'll have fun, don't go....

 

15 hours ago, squierjosh said:

 

Sometimes it's good to practice what we preach. Just saying. 😃

[ownedbypets]

Obviously we like RC as we have cruised with them almost exclusively for 20 years. Next month I'm cruising another cruise line that is very different than I am used to. It is also free. I know it will be different but I'm reading all I can, going with an open mind and I'm going to have a great time!

Edited July 7, 2022 by ownedbypets

[hotsauce126]

13 hours ago, squadron said:

It is the site you are used to - after using RCI site a few times it will be easy also.

Meh I prefer royal as a cruise line but their website truly is garbage. The fact that I have to call just to see what I paid for the cruise is enough to justify that

[BecciBoo]

Funny, I never have a problem finding anything on Cruise Planner and the app for iphone is a breeze.  I think you and others are just not used to a new interface.

 

I know one thing, I would never sail Carnival again if my life depended on it.  One time is enough, one of the most filthy ships I have ever boarded.  Have fun on Carni!

[chiguy67]

I had to google what is a “cork sniffer”. I found this very, very amusing, especially the first paragraph. According to Urban Dictionary:

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cork sniffer

 

[time4u2go]

43 minutes ago, hotsauce126 said:

Meh I prefer royal as a cruise line but their website truly is garbage. The fact that I have to call just to see what I paid for the cruise is enough to justify that

Agreed.  It is surprisingly unintuitive and difficult to navigate, and that's when it's actually working.

 

Even Cruise Critic agrees that Carnival's site is superior:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=4139

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by time4u2go

[HicksRA]

56 minutes ago, chiguy67 said:

I had to google what is a “cork sniffer”. I found this very, very amusing, especially the first paragraph. According to Urban Dictionary:

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cork sniffer

 

Based on the definition, Cork Sniffer appears to apply to the poster rather than his audience….