Have I "outgrown" cruising? Or am I just done with Royal Caribbean?

[rudeney]

2 minutes ago, bigeagle12 said:

Yes and if you saw the statement from Royal they were raising the prices of all the add ons so they could keep fares low.  I am not paying anymore for my cruises than I did 25 years ago, except for tips, specialty restaurants, etc.  

 

Looking back at our first RCCL cruise over 15 years ago on Freedom of the Seas, we paid just hundreds of dollars less for the same cabin (GS) on that ship as we are paying on Voyage this October.  Drink prices have more than doubled.  Gratuites have increased by 50%.  Food & beverage tips went from 15% to 18% (a 20% increase on top of the increased prices they are calculated against).  Chops was $25pp, now it's $59pp. 

 

A few months back, I checked the price of a solo inside GTY for this next cruise (our granddaughter thought about going along) and it was going to be right at $500 inclusive of taxes, fees and gratuities.  I mean, that is an absolute bargain.

[bigeagle12]

2 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

What other reason would you expect RCI to give for raising prices?

I am not arguing with you .. just stating the facts.  I prefer low fares and then I pick and choose where I spend my money. 

[Blauelini]

As soon as we hit D+ in 1st half of 2024, we are likely going to try Celebrity with status match. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by Blauelini

[bigeagle12]

5 minutes ago, Blauelini said:

As soon as we hit D+ in 1st half of 2024, we are likely going to try Celebrity with status match. 

Your status match will not change with D+
 

D, D* and Pinnacle all translate to Celebrity Elite. 
 

 

[Silverspringcruiser]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:10 PM, johnjen said:

Yes. The entertainment was HORRIFIC. A couple of the bands were really good though. But....JUGGLING? Come on. 

Is it the guy who juggles while singing "Defying Gravity"? He was on Enchantment too. I'd hate to think RC is so desperate for entertainment they hired two jugglers.

[mandyleighflies]

3 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

Hours long????  I can’t imagine that statement ever being true.  

 

We waited in line for nearly 2 hours the first night and gave up. The line for MDR on deck three went down the corridors almost to midship. 

[nferr]

2 hours ago, Silverspringcruiser said:

Is it the guy who juggles while singing "Defying Gravity"? He was on Enchantment too. I'd hate to think RC is so desperate for entertainment they hired two jugglers.

 I've always found the theater entertainment on cruise ships to be pretty horrendous except for the Broadway type shows. I avoid the jugglers, ventriloquists, magicians, comedians, washed up singers, etc. like the plague. Would much rather listen to the music in the clubs and bars. I'm sure others have a much different opinion but for me, no thanks. 

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, Blauelini said:

As soon as we hit D+ in 1st half of 2024, we are likely going to try Celebrity with status match. 

Celebrity only matches up to Diamond, so there is no additional benefit waiting until you are Diamond Plus (or Pinnacle for that matter). Celebrity is definitely a step up from RCI in my opinion, but it is a much more laid back atmosphere compared to RCI, which some people may not like. Personally I like both cruise lines and enjoy each one for different reasons. 

[loman]

1 hour ago, nferr said:

 I've always found the theater entertainment on cruise ships to be pretty horrendous except for the Broadway type shows. I avoid the jugglers, ventriloquists, magicians, comedians, washed up singers, etc. like the plague. Would much rather listen to the music in the clubs and bars. I'm sure others have a much different opinion but for me, no thanks. 

You forgot to mention the whip guy , He is one of worst . 😄

[billslowsky]

5 hours ago, bigeagle12 said:

Your status match will not change with D+
 

D, D* and Pinnacle all translate to Celebrity Elite. 
 

 

I think they want to get to D+ before going on Celebrity which won't accumulate more points.  Then their next royal cruise will be D+.

[LB_NJ]

On 7/29/2022 at 12:58 PM, CuseJeff44 said:

This is going to be a little bit of a random download / trip report so feel free to skip past it if that isn't of interest to you 🙂 It's also a LOT of complaining, so again, feel free to skip if that's not your cup of tea.

 

After far too many years away from cruising, and a cancelled COVID trip, we finally got to sail on the Adventure of the Seas this past week on a 5 night Bermuda cruise. This was our 6th cruise, and all of them have been on Royal. The first 5 we loved and always felt it was money well spent. This time, everything changed. 

 

Topline takeaway : I always felt that even though the cruise came along with upcharges and added costs, I still got the impression that the Cruise line cared that I had a good time in the end. I always felt appreciated and respected as a passenger, and a vacationer, and even though it wasn't an all-inclusive, I always felt that their number one goal was my happiness. Yes. I know their goal is to make money, but they used to be so much better at still leaving me feeling that I got value. 

 

I didn't feel that way at ALL this time around. 

 

First the food. I have LONG defended the food on this cruise line from those who said it wasn't good. It was never 5 star dining, but I always felt well-fed and well taken-care of. Not this time. The quality and quantity of the food in the dining room has declined to the point that I have to agree with the criticism. A shrimp appetizer had 3 small shrimp. That's it. More fun times at Johnny Rockets when we asked "are these starters per person or to share"? He said to share. Then he brings our onion rings. Four small onion rings for four people. *****? And...my wife's burger never came at all. 

 

I also need someone to explain to me. COVID is airborne. How does congregating large groups of people outside the Windjammer so they can wash hands make sense? Seems to be an increase in risk. It would seem that the quick hand sanitizing shots that they did outside the main dining room would make much more sense. I'm also curious why I can't make my own ice cream...sorry, frozen yogurt...cone outside on the pool deck? How is COVID more transmissible in that one spot as opposed to every other surface in the Windjammer? Or on the soda machine touch screens? On the Promenade coffee machine handles? Arbitrary and didnt make sense. 

 

$7.95 upcharge for breakfast room service if it's an egg, but free if its toast. I don't get it. 

 

$200 for a family of four for a premium restaurant now. Oof. 

 

And there used to be SO many more places to get food. Forget about the long gone away midnight buffets, what about even the burgers and dogs poolside? Now, the ONLY place I could find ANY food during non meal hours was the Promenade, and there was always a huge line because of it. 

 

Overcrowding 3,800 people onto a boat despite COVID....fine I can deal with that...but why are you closing half the pools on an AT SEA day? Insanity. People were pouring OUT of the hot tubs. 

 

The WiFi? I paid $400 for 4 devices with "streaming". It was AWFUL. Worked maybe 25% of the time, and not at a speed where anything was streamable. 

 

I could go on (I know this is a total *****-fest and I am sorry)...But It just felt like every possible opportunity to make things harder for passengers, RCI did that thing. And I NEVER felt this way before about RCI. I don't know if cruising just isn't for me any more, or if its just RCI. 

 

Sigh. 

 

I was on Adventure of the Seas recently.

 

Royal has seriously gone down in quality. We did Celebrity recently and it was much better.

 

Try a different cruise line.

[Jimbo]

@dani negreanu Are the air strikes there effecting you? Just how far are they from where you live?

[baelor]

I love that stating that you did not get food you ordered at a restaurant is now “complaining about everything.”

 

Maybe I should thank the waiter after he punches me in the face, too.  

 

People are unbelievable.  Get some self-respect and some standards, geez.  It makes me wonder how many people have actually experienced good service lol.

[Darkingnj]

I wouldn't recommend that you try a different cruise line but rather a different class of ship.  Based on your signature you've sailed on older ships in the past.  I recommend trying the newer classes of ships such as Oasis or Quantum, you may have a different experience.

 

[Ocean Boy]

55 minutes ago, Darkingnj said:

I wouldn't recommend that you try a different cruise line but rather a different class of ship.  Based on your signature you've sailed on older ships in the past.  I recommend trying the newer classes of ships such as Oasis or Quantum, you may have a different experience.

 

I tend to agree with you here. Different classes of ship offer very different cruise experiences. At least that is true with RCI.

[George C]

28 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I tend to agree with you here. Different classes of ship offer very different cruise experiences. At least that is true with RCI.

We do suites and celebrity is way more consistent with perks than rccl , all celebrity classes have a great suite restaurant and a lounge where you can drink for free all day , not just beer and wine. 

[Ocean Boy]

59 minutes ago, George C said:

We do suites and celebrity is way more consistent with perks than rccl , all celebrity classes have a great suite restaurant and a lounge where you can drink for free all day , not just beer and wine. 

I did not know that. Thanks.

[Blauelini]

On 8/5/2022 at 1:06 PM, bigeagle12 said:

Your status match will not change with D+
 

D, D* and Pinnacle all translate to Celebrity Elite. 
 

 

Yes, yes, thank you I know. We want to attain D+ on RCL prior to trying Celebrity. Pinn is likely out of reach and we have no interest in attaining that. 

[jetta8300]

We just got back from the harmony and I would agree about the food somewhat.  We were surprised mores o at the lack of variety in the windjammer, and some of the food was just bad.  I mean, I've never seen a cruise buffet without cheese.  Some things were downright inedible.

 

However we were pleasantly surprised at the food in the MDR, although some things better than others.  But the upcharging for specialty restaurants just bothers me.  Because it's no longer an "upcharge", its a FULL charge like a restaurant on land.  Unacceptable.  The covid protocols make zero sense, same as on land.  I don't understand being able to eat free lobster and then charging me for a hamburger at Johnny Rockets.  Carnival has better free food with Guys Burgers and Blue Iguana, no cruise line should charge extra for burgers or BBQ food.

 

We have sailed Carnival and Norwegian and most of your other points apply to them though.  Norwegian food was worse than royal and drinks were awful.  Carnival has good poolside food.

[nferr]

On 8/5/2022 at 5:31 PM, loman said:

You forgot to mention the whip guy , He is one of worst . 😄

 

Thankfully I've somehow

missed seeing him all these years!

[Tree_skier]

On 8/6/2022 at 10:54 AM, George C said:

We do suites and celebrity is way more consistent with perks than rccl , all celebrity classes have a great suite restaurant and a lounge where you can drink for free all day , not just beer and wine. 

I thought Celebrity is all inclusive now. Wouldn’t you be able t9 drink in any lounge or bar for free now?

[PhillyFan33579]

4 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

I thought Celebrity is all inclusive now. Wouldn’t you be able t9 drink in any lounge or bar for free now?

Celebrity has quietly backpedaled on this concept from what I have seen. I have looked at dozens of cruises over the next year or so. The only cabins that are consistently listed as all inclusive are suites and Aqua cabins. All the other cabins are listed as not being all-inclusive, with the option to pay more for a cabin that is all-inclusive. I don’t know if that it their new policy across the board or if it just a weird coincidence that every cruise I have looked at has been this way. 

[Sirlancelot]

On 7/29/2022 at 2:58 PM, CuseJeff44 said:

 

This is sort of insulting and minimizing. I have been on 6 cruises. The first 5 I loved. I noticed some significant changes this time around and for the first time found my enjoyment significantly impacted, and was trying to get the perspective of other cruisers to see if others are seeing it? If so, is it only RCI? Or is it all cruise lines? 

 

Seriously I specifically invited anyone not interested to skip the post. 

Hi there CuseJeff44 (I always wonder where the names came from).

here is my ramble.  

I LOVED reading your post. I know I'm a couple of days late, but let me tell you our story. we cruised on Carnival until we got Diamond which was not worth anything, but that was 2007-2012 and the ships were great and we went everywhere in Europe and Carib. Loved it despite "problems". and takeaways like pineapple fresh at breakfast . Then RCI all the way up to pinnacle!! We went in Junior Suites because even then it was 152 sq ft of room and we couldn't handle a smaller room for the 2 of us. So it got to Pinnacle faster.

We cruise the very last cruise before Covid shut the ships down in march 2020. Everyone was nervouse. we felt like a family.

 

Now, we read about the protocols and see the masks and realize we hate crowds (the brainwashing of 6 ft kicked into the subconscious). And we are annoyed at having to pay for a test 3 days before a cruise when you and anyone else can "get it" in that time.

So we canceled a 9 day Grandeur this Nov and are "waiting" on a Dec 5 day to decide.

 

We hate all the problems you mentioned. But we did keep cruising on Royal just pivoting to what gave a good ration of GREAT to "would rather do without".

 

I will say, we have EATEN EVERY AVAILABLE MEAL IN THE MDR!! EVEN WHEN THEY SAID THEY CHANGED THE MENU IT WAS ONLY ONE OR 2 ITEMS. We now don't eat there any more. Takes too long. But if we did eat there, we remember you used to say I want a 2nd or 3rd serving of say that cheapo shrimp appetizer.or a 2nd entree.  If that is no longer the case wow. Also, we know the upsell is horrible. You know the upsell is horrible. So perhaps you can decide - is there something else other than food or dink that you cruise for. For us - we loved the orchestra and cheezy production shows and meeting people on the crew we'd seen before. I loved the espresso in the lounge and walking on the deck at sea. None of that required lines on the non-mega ships. So we stopped going on the mega ships where you have to reserve a seat. Also, all ships are different. We didn't like the Adventure when they changed captain and the orchestra leader Dave Moorhead retired. 

 

So final note. We started staying in hotels and doing land stuff and found we missed it. We don't even rent a car (no kids though). So do one of those and compare it to a ship perhaps. It's ok to complain. CHEERS! Florida person who loves Florida and may cruise again sometime. 

[Tatka]

On 8/5/2022 at 4:16 PM, nferr said:

 I've always found the theater entertainment on cruise ships to be pretty horrendous except for the Broadway type shows. I avoid the jugglers, ventriloquists, magicians, comedians, washed up singers, etc. like the plague. Would much rather listen to the music in the clubs and bars. I'm sure others have a much different opinion but for me, no thanks. 

 

   We used to only attend production shows, but last 5-6 years fell in love with smaller entertainment to. Of course not all performers are excellent, but majority are enjoyable.  Also they are way better than anything offered in All inclusive resorts.

[Airbear232]

On 8/4/2022 at 6:52 PM, Ret MP said:

To start out with total transparency, I haven't eaten in a MDR since about 2018, except once.  And I stopped going to the MDR because of other reasons (plethora of parents allowing their kids to run freely around and the noise level, not just once but routinely on just about every ship I was on) rather than the quality/taste of the food.  

 

Having said that, when I felt that the food was in a very good place of quality and taste, the specialty restaurants (the up charge venues) were doing very well.  I believe they can control the patronage in the specialty restaurants using price, not the quality of food in the MDR.  As someone else said, I believe, if the quality and taste of food has gone down hill in the MDRs, it's because of crew members, the seasoned/experienced upper tier crew members, not returning after COVID and possibly some supply chain issues.   

We just came off the Allure.  A few things in terms of quality.  On the breakfast menu, they have French toast listed as with whipped cream and maple syrup.  I've had it occasionally over the years and it wasn't bad.  This time, the "whipped cream" was like Cool Whip and the "maple syrup" was like Karo.  It was bad.  We had one chef who came to our table and offered to make us any dish we liked.  I think that's a very generous offer and much appreciated it.  We ordered Fettuccini Alfredo.  Big disappointment.  He used milk and not cream.  Used no Parmesan cheese and substituted linguini for fettuccini.  Again, I thought it was a generous offer but what we got was a liquidy mess.  I took him to task for it and he asked to redo for the following night.  It was much better.  I've also noticed that a lot of food is now processed and prepared off the ship.  For us, this is a shame as one of the attractions for cruising was the dining experience.