Anyone Else Leaving or Considering Leaving RCL Over Prices?

[lovesthebeach2]

23 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Sometimes the influx of cash isn't worth the unwanted consequences.

The paper here is already stating the restrictions and security that’s needed for the anticipated storm of breakers

[ILCTCRUISER]

19 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I have 5 Viking cruises booked.  Pricey...but oh so worth it.   And ditto to no kids.  😉  

Unruly, out of control kids!  What could be worse?  Oh, maybe, the reason why they’re that way.  They have parents who are unruly and out of control or parents who have relinquished all duties and responsibilities of being a parent.

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, ILCTCRUISER said:

Unruly, out of control kids!  What could be worse?  Oh, maybe, the reason why they’re that way.  They have parents who are unruly and out of control or parents who have relinquished all duties and responsibilities of being a parent.

 

Agree.....LOL...those are not parents...they are breeders.   The real parents have children that are behaved and are learning their manners to grow up to become responsible adults.  

[crazyfrazee]

Reading through these post I see comments about everything has gone up so we should expect Royal's prices to be high as well. Other cruiselines  have the same overhead as Royal. If Carnival can put you in a suite for $3000 for 7N, why can't Royal? Royal has cut back on services, entertainment, food quality, almost every aspect of cruising as I'm sure all of them have. I think I've seen the answer in these post, greed. Push out the old loyal customers, draw in the new. 

I'm also seeing so many people looking away from Royal. I'm one.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, crazyfrazee said:

Reading through these post I see comments about everything has gone up so we should expect Royal's prices to be high as well. Other cruiselines  have the same overhead as Royal. If Carnival can put you in a suite for $3000 for 7N, why can't Royal? Royal has cut back on services, entertainment, food quality, almost every aspect of cruising as I'm sure all of them have. I think I've seen the answer in these post, greed. Push out the old loyal customers, draw in the new. 

I'm also seeing so many people looking away from Royal. I'm one.

I have seen some JS on older ship not much over 3k. There is a huge difference in what carnival offers with a suite and what royal offers. Carnival on the new class offers bubbles. That's it. The only perk. Rcl has a suite lounge and drinks and wifi and other perks. Nothing is free. If you prefer a no perks suite on carnival go for it. 

[SUgwoz]

2 hours ago, crazyfrazee said:

Reading through these post I see comments about everything has gone up so we should expect Royal's prices to be high as well. Other cruiselines  have the same overhead as Royal. If Carnival can put you in a suite for $3000 for 7N, why can't Royal? Royal has cut back on services, entertainment, food quality, almost every aspect of cruising as I'm sure all of them have. I think I've seen the answer in these post, greed. Push out the old loyal customers, draw in the new. 

I'm also seeing so many people looking away from Royal. I'm one.

MSC is even cheaper. If all three products are exactly the same, then Royal will struggle to fill the ships.  Carnival markets heavily like Royal and has celebrity ambassadors, if Carnival is offering the same product at a reduced price, then we will see MSC/Carnival become the dominant brand.

 

Might not hurt that Carnival capacity on their biggest ships is the same as Oasis Class, while being closer to Quantum class size.  More cabins less public space has its benefits for the cruise line.

[snaefell]

7 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Agree.....LOL...those are not parents...they are breeders.   The real parents have children that are behaved and are learning their manners to grow up to become responsible adults.  

Last year we cruised on P&O's Arcadia,loved the ship,more like a proper ship instead of a floating hotel AND adults only,wonderful BUT there were quite a few rude passengers & on a small ship it is difficult to get away from them,at the end of nearly 3 weeks we just couldn't wait to get away from them!😎😎

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, SUgwoz said:

MSC is even cheaper. If all three products are exactly the same, then Royal will struggle to fill the ships.  Carnival markets heavily like Royal and has celebrity ambassadors, if Carnival is offering the same product at a reduced price, then we will see MSC/Carnival become the dominant brand.

 

Might not hurt that Carnival capacity on their biggest ships is the same as Oasis Class, while being closer to Quantum class size.  More cabins less public space has its benefits for the cruise line.

But the products are FAR from being the same

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, SUgwoz said:

 

Might not hurt that Carnival capacity on their biggest ships is the same as Oasis Class, while being closer to Quantum class size.  More cabins less public space has its benefits for the cruise line.

Actually it does hurt, there are many complaints about Mardi Gras class ships and the passenger to square foot ratio

[JoieNsk]

On 3/9/2024 at 12:07 PM, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

That is the twist to changing 7 day cruises into three day and four day cruises.

I can chime in here.

 

Like I mentioned before - as I work, and far away from retirement, I would try to book not more than 4 or 5 days - if doing "beach type" cruise in the Caribbean's, Bahamas or etc. I would save my PTO for something more exciting.

 

So if Royal is aiming for younger crowd (and families with kids for example are going to be a younger crowd) - working people might prefer shorter 4-5 cruises to longer ones. As there is only so many days off people can get at work.

 

3-day is too short. But a week feels too long for me - for this type of the itinerary.

 

When we go to Europe - that's totally different animal. There we prefer 10-14 days. Long flights, jet leg - all that jazz.

 

Edited March 11 by JoieNsk

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, SUgwoz said:

MSC is even cheaper. If all three products are exactly the same, then Royal will struggle to fill the ships.  Carnival markets heavily like Royal and has celebrity ambassadors, if Carnival is offering the same product at a reduced price, then we will see MSC/Carnival become the dominant brand.

 

Might not hurt that Carnival capacity on their biggest ships is the same as Oasis Class, while being closer to Quantum class size.  More cabins less public space has its benefits for the cruise line.

RCI is not struggling to fill ships now and for the forseeable future, based on looking at and booking cruises up to 18 months in the future. I highly doubt RCI will have any issues filling ships in the future, but I think you will see the demographics of their passengers change. I don’t disagree with people who are not happy with the price increases, but as you and countless others have posted, there are other cruise lines out there that are cheaper. Even though I still plan to mainly cruise on RCI and Celebrity, even I won’t pay what people are paying to book cruises on Icon right now. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

I think most of the cruisers posting here do live in the current reality. There is high demand now. Royal is moving its customer base to a younger family demographic.

 

I always weigh the vacation experience against the price point and in their own different style, I see that in every post.

 

Sometimes reality sucks.

 

😑

[island lady]

2 hours ago, snaefell said:

Last year we cruised on P&O's Arcadia,loved the ship,more like a proper ship instead of a floating hotel AND adults only,wonderful BUT there were quite a few rude passengers & on a small ship it is difficult to get away from them,at the end of nearly 3 weeks we just couldn't wait to get away from them!😎😎

 

Welcome to the real world.   Those rude people seem to be everywhere now.   Look at the ones behind and in front of you in line at the grocery store...the ones cutting you off in traffic...the ones 

that have that "me first" attitude...and the heck with you.   Sigh...makes me want to curl up in bed at home and not come out.   

 

Although...we still meet some wonderful souls that negate that feeling...and bless their hearts...makes my world better.  😉 

[HicksRA]

11 hours ago, island lady said:

   Gee thanks for the compliment.  

 

 

I guess I should have made it clear that I was referring to Royal’s perspective of dead weight. 
I’m one of those “dead weight” cruisers I was referencing. 😉

[island lady]

13 hours ago, HicksRA said:

I guess I should have made it clear that I was referring to Royal’s perspective of dead weight. 
I’m one of those “dead weight” cruisers I was referencing. 😉

 

OK...thanks for the clarification.   

 

We "dead weights" talk with our wallet.  I am now booking most of my cruises with a company that cares...though more pricey yes, but we are now back to what cruising used to be for us...with Viking.  Funny thing is with so many of us doing that...RCI may look back and say "Hey, what happened to our sure thing?" (the loyalists).   

 

And this dead weight books suites...which takes a bit more out of their pocket to lose us.  😉 

[steveru621]

18 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

I think most of the cruisers posting here do live in the current reality. There is high demand now. Royal is moving its customer base to a younger family demographic.

 

I always weigh the vacation experience against the price point and in their own different style, I see that in every post.

 

Sometimes reality sucks.

 

😑

 

RCI is expanding its customer base, not trying to focus on one demographic, cruise length, or country, over another.

 

Posters always ignore the fact that RCI is moving to new world embark ports, and most kids are in school 8 months of the year. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

10 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

RCI is expanding its customer base, not trying to focus on one demographic, cruise length, or country, over another.

 

Posters always ignore the fact that RCI is moving to new world embark ports, and most kids are in school 8 months of the year. 

 

I am not so optimistic considering the size of their recently completed ships and those on order.

 

Historically, Royal has only built larger ships as time goes by.

 

I am not ignoring where Royal is putting their major investments and I am not aware of any mid-size or smaller size ships being in the pipe line.

[NateUpNorth]

46 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

RCI is expanding its customer base, not trying to focus on one demographic, cruise length, or country, over another.

 

Posters always ignore the fact that RCI is moving to new world embark ports, and most kids are in school 8 months of the year. 

Biggest gripes consistently in the RCL threads:
1) pricing
2) kids
3) food

I'm not sure the school year is a giant factor for many families booking vacations.
(yes, there are exceptions where families get "punished" for taking kids out, or simply cannot, but it seems more than offset by those that can)

[Engineroom Snipe]

3 minutes ago, NateUpNorth said:

Biggest gripes consistently in the RCL threads:
1) pricing
2) kids
3) food

I'm not sure the school year is a giant factor for many families booking vacations.
(yes, there are exceptions where families get "punished" for taking kids out, or simply cannot, but it seems more than offset by those that can)

 

The Vision is one of the smaller ships with about 2,400 passenger maximum capacity.

 

I looked fleetingly at an August 8, 2024 out of Baltimore.

 

Decisions not to book for me were obvious. Summer cruises almost always sail full and Royal is advertising the "Kids Sail Free" program for that cruise (this was before the current all ships today).

 

The Vision has only one pool and four hot tubs in the non-solarium area. There is a rock climbing wall and not much else. Just not many activities if the ship sails with a large quantity of children. They will have nothing better to do than run in the passageways if they are bored.

 

I went on an Oasis Cruise out of Bayonne in September, 2023, thinking most children would be in school.

 

If I did not check my calendar, I would have thought it was July with it being heavily booked with children. The time of the month is not predictable anymore like you stated.

 

[steveru621]

55 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

I am not so optimistic considering the size of their recently completed ships and those on order.

 

Historically, Royal has only built larger ships as time goes by.

 

I am not ignoring where Royal is putting their major investments and I am not aware of any mid-size or smaller size ships being in the pipe line.

 

New larger ships do not take away anything I, as an older cruiser prefer.  New ships have all of the same venues as the smaller ships and they have adult(solarium) areas (The Hideaway neighborhood will become the adults-only area for guests 18 years old or older.).  All of the smaller ships have family/kids pools and Adventure Ocean.  Smaller ships have the same percentage of kids during the year.

 

We only disagree on terminology.  RCI is expanding its base and not excluding anyone.

[mac66]

 A little perspective concerning prices. Prior to 2020 RCIs debt load was $10 billion but that was mostly new ship orders. During covid the debt rose to $22 billion.  I think at the end of 2023 it was somewhere around $17B.  So RCI is making money and still building and ordering ships but their debt is massive and has to be made up somehow i.e, higher prices, lower expenses.   Prices on everything has gone up due to inflation and govt policies.

 

If/when the cruise lines stop getting passengers (supply larger than demand) prices will fall.  I don't see that happening except during the traditional lag times during the year (between Thanksgiving and Christmas and late Jan-early Feb). There may be other times during the year when prices fall but that's when we cruise.

[SUgwoz]

13 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

New larger ships do not take away anything I, as an older cruiser prefer.  New ships have all of the same venues as the smaller ships and they have adult(solarium) areas (The Hideaway neighborhood will become the adults-only area for guests 18 years old or older.).  All of the smaller ships have family/kids pools and Adventure Ocean.  Smaller ships have the same percentage of kids during the year.

 

We only disagree on terminology.  RCI is expanding its base and not excluding anyone.

I think many on here don't want them to expand and would prefer to exclude.  If anything, on this forum I would bet there would be an overwhelming positive response if Royal chose to be an adult only line and mimic Viking/Virgin.  

 

Ultimately, Royal is pulling in a demographic that has less options.  While I can see why someone who is loyal to Royal would want them to focus solely on them, it's a business, one in which they already have a cruise line that caters more closely to an adult demographic (Celebrity).  

 

I can foresee when loyal cruisers depart, the smaller ships/longer cruises start declining in passengers and being retired.  At this point I think Royal understands that must happen, to eventually have Royal be the megaship family brand, and Celebrity to be the smaller ship adult brand.  There is just a lengthy transition process that started with the Oasis Class/Cococay build.

 

Consistency across the fleet is key, Viking has it, Disney has it, ect.  Royal is in the process.

 

 

[island lady]

2 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

I am not so optimistic considering the size of their recently completed ships and those on order.

 

Historically, Royal has only built larger ships as time goes by.

 

I am not ignoring where Royal is putting their major investments and I am not aware of any mid-size or smaller size ships being in the pipe line.

 

Exactly my thought.   The age of the relaxing smaller ships is gone.  Only the monster theme park ships geared to families are being built now.  RCI letting their small ships fall apart and then either junking them or selling them off.  

 

They know full well that the older generation is not into that type of thing...so it kind of tells the story by itself.  

 

If they were expanding their target base...they would have a  few of the more adventurous smaller ships on order to replace the aged ones that are leaving...of whom can go into places other than the usual Labadee, Nassau, Coco Cay etc. ports.  

But then again...RCI owns Silversea.   Time to give them a look over.  

[Engineroom Snipe]

2 hours ago, steveru621 said:

 

New larger ships do not take away anything I, as an older cruiser prefer.  New ships have all of the same venues as the smaller ships and they have adult(solarium) areas (The Hideaway neighborhood will become the adults-only area for guests 18 years old or older.).  All of the smaller ships have family/kids pools and Adventure Ocean.  Smaller ships have the same percentage of kids during the year.

 

We only disagree on terminology.  RCI is expanding its base and not excluding anyone.

Agree to disagree in a polite discussion which I DO appreciate.

 

You will not change my mind nor I will change yours.

 

But we can discuss and present reasonable thoughts without attacking each other personally.

 

I like that.

[steveru621]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Exactly my thought.   The age of the relaxing smaller ships is gone.  Only the monster theme park ships geared to families are being built now.  RCI letting their small ships fall apart and then either junking them or selling them off.  

 

They know full well that the older generation is not into that type of thing...so it kind of tells the story by itself.  

 

If they were expanding their target base...they would have a  few of the more adventurous smaller ships on order to replace the aged ones that are leaving...of whom can go into places other than the usual Labadee, Nassau, Coco Cay etc. ports.  

But then again...RCI owns Silversea.   Time to give them a look over.  

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/discovery-class-smaller-cruise-ship