Entice me to come back to RCCL

[Donsyb]

1 hour ago, HicksRA said:

I always have to laugh when people ask about two tops thinking they’ll be a private experience. There’s usually about 7 of them crammed so close together you bump elbows with the guy at the table next to you when you try to put food in your mouth and people trying to get by drag their butt in your green beans as they scoot sideways…

We’ve also never had a problem getting a 2 top on RC 🤷🏼‍♀️

[loman]

We only sail Oasis class and always get a two top without any problems .

I dont mind being close to other two top tables .

Dont care if i get different waiters every night either.

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, HicksRA said:

There’s usually about 7 of them crammed so close together

 

I've been in one of those rows (not my favorite but no biggie) but I've also been with only one other 2-top by a window and had a more private table along the railing on one of the higher decks.

 

It doesn't hurt to request a 2-top by a window or railing via e-mail to increase your chances of avoiding the long row if that's your preference.

[ChittyChittyBangBang]

2 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

I've been in one of those rows (not my favorite but no biggie) but I've also been with only one other 2-top by a window and had a more private table along the railing on one of the higher decks.

 

It doesn't hurt to request a 2-top by a window or railing via e-mail to increase your chances of avoiding the long row if that's your preference.

OK I don't know... So what is a 2 top in the MDR?

[OCSC Mike]

Just now, ChittyChittyBangBang said:

OK I don't know... So what is a 2 top in the MDR?

 

Table for 2 in the Main Dining Room.

[HicksRA]

8 minutes ago, ChittyChittyBangBang said:

OK I don't know... So what is a 2 top in the MDR?

It’s a table about the size of a tv tray turned sideways. 😉

[Gracie115]

We are long time Celebrity cruisers who just sailed on Royal's Allure of the seas, Oasis class.  We had a great time.  We ate dinners in Specialty restaurants and enjoyed all of them.  The ship was completely full, but we never waited in lines for anything.  The entertainment was good to great. It was only a 4 night cruise, but fun enough that we booked another one on the Utopia which is a sister ship that is brand new.  It's easy for us since Port Canaveral is only an hour away from home. 

 

We've been disappointed in Celebrity the last few cruises.  I don't think the food is any better for the most part.  The IV "balconies"  don't work for us.  Hate the idea that the Captain can, at any time, close the window.  One of the things we enjoy the most about cruising is the balcony.  Sitting on it sipping a glass of wine in the evening before dinner, or before retiring for the evening the IV just doesn't have the same or equal feel at all.  The entertainment is good in the theaters on Celebrity but not much otherwise....  they DO have a lot of trivia games though if that's what you enjoy.

 

I don't know if we will ever try the Icon class as it's even bigger and even more accented toward the pool and other amusement park type things, but we like the Oasis class. Have been on 3 of them now and always enjoyed what they have to offer. 

 

 

[orville99]

4 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

What can you all say/suggest to encourage us back?  How can we learn to embrace bigger ships.

We are Pinnacle, with more than 100 RCL cruises, and we are going the other way. IMHO, the bloom has been off the RCL rose ever since the restart, and they seem to have no plan to get it back. There is a wide world and a lot of other choices out there. 

[Mum2Mercury]

4 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

 

What can you all say/suggest to encourage us back?  How can we learn to embrace bigger ships.

Two thoughts: 

- If you want to go with Royal, but you don't want something big and oversized.  Consider the mid-sized ships ... Explorer, Liberty and Mariner come to mind.  Big enough to have plenty of amenities, small to find your way around and small enough that you don't have to walk forever.  

- Perhaps most importantly, I really don't care whether other people choose Royal ... or any other cruise line.  

[poncho1973]

2 hours ago, Donsyb said:

What was wrong with Oasis? We loved it.

You didn't see?  It was a DISASTER! In all caps.  The world ended that day.

 

 

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

We are Pinnacle, with more than 100 RCL cruises, and we are going the other way. IMHO, the bloom has been off the RCL rose ever since the restart, and they seem to have no plan to get it back. There is a wide world and a lot of other choices out there. 

 

 

I gotta say, I commend you for this level of dedication.  Get the Pinnacle and fly the coop.  That's serious.  I mean, it never hurts to have fewer Pinnacles on a ship for us D/D+ folks and we appreciate it, but this is in all seriousness a big statement to go another direction.

Edited May 13 by poncho1973

[poncho1973]

Dupe

Edited May 13 by poncho1973

[vjmatty]

2 hours ago, loman said:

We only sail Oasis class and always get a two top without any problems .

I dont mind being close to other two top tables .

Dont care if i get different waiters every night either.

Same…we don’t need to exist in a vacuum in the dining room or anywhere else on a cruise. 

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, loman said:

We only sail Oasis class and always get a two top without any problems .

I dont mind being close to other two top tables .

Dont care if i get different waiters every night either.

I assume it is safe to say you cruise for the ship, not the ports. You would not like my cruise schedule. Right now I am on Freedom. Over the next two months I have cruises booked on Radiance, Independence, Grandeur and Enchantment. I do have two cruises on Utopia and three cruises on Allure booked late Summer/early Fall, which I assume you would like. 🙂

[Queen of Oakville]

This is my first visit back to these boards in about 5 years!!

 

thinking of getting back to cruising, after 2020, never thought I'd cruise again, ... and here we are 🙂

 

sad to read all the indecision because we previously loved Royal and Celebrity.

 

.. but I have to ask, what is infinite verandah?

[George C]

I really like navigator which I believe sails from California, not to big or small with good entertainment. If suites I prefer celebrity but entertainment is normally better and cruises are more reasonable on rccl, love the ice show. 

[Loracpin2]

4 hours ago, Donsyb said:

What was wrong with Oasis? We loved it.

Double occupancy on th Oasis is 5400. Add triple and quad and occupancy on our July 2023 sailing was 6800.

 

As much as the wait staff in the Windjammer did their best to handle the crowds, it was always chaotic and dirty. Food offerings and taste mediocre at best. Fortunately our group had early dining for dinner. That was the good part since we were seated upon arrival. As for the menu, the food offerings and taste were also mediocre as best.

 

Maximum capicity of 6800 passengers also impacted the inability to find seats for the pools, sign up for seats for the shows, and mostly everything else our group wanted to do.  

 

 

[The Fun Researcher]

Not to sound harsh, but just like anything else, I suggest some research.  Watch YouTube videos on prospective ships or cruise lines.  Weigh that versus your budget, itinerary, clientele, etc and come up with your own decision.

 

It’s not really our job to “entice” you

Edited May 14 by The Fun Researcher

[Donsyb]

4 hours ago, Loracpin2 said:

Double occupancy on th Oasis is 5400. Add triple and quad and occupancy on our July 2023 sailing was 6800.

 

As much as the wait staff in the Windjammer did their best to handle the crowds, it was always chaotic and dirty. Food offerings and taste mediocre at best. Fortunately our group had early dining for dinner. That was the good part since we were seated upon arrival. As for the menu, the food offerings and taste were also mediocre as best.

 

Maximum capicity of 6800 passengers also impacted the inability to find seats for the pools, sign up for seats for the shows, and mostly everything else our group wanted to do.  

 

 

I think you need to check the definition of DISASTER in the dictionary……

 

we don’t do the windjammer,  but had no issues on either of our oasis class sailings, both of which were at capacity

[Billy Baltic]

Please don’t come back to RC. Prices are high enough without additional returning customers. 

[lovesthebeach2]

12 hours ago, orville99 said:

We are Pinnacle, with more than 100 RCL cruises, and we are going the other way. IMHO, the bloom has been off the RCL rose ever since the restart, and they seem to have no plan to get it back. There is a wide world and a lot of other choices out there. 

It started to go downhill after Fain left ☹️ And now nit only is the bloom gone but the petals are beginning to fall off.

[orville99]

11 hours ago, poncho1973 said:

I gotta say, I commend you for this level of dedication.  Get the Pinnacle and fly the coop.  That's serious.  I mean, it never hurts to have fewer Pinnacles on a ship for us D/D+ folks and we appreciate it, but this is in all seriousness a big statement to go another direction.

Ironically, since we were already top tier on three other cruise lines, we never intended to sail on RCL to get to Pinnacle but shifted our cruise schedule to them because we were really impressed with their ships the first time we stepped on board Freedom of the Seas in 2010. Everything started to change after the restart in 2021 when leadership of the line changed. RCL is no longer the cruise line that we once enjoyed, and it is long past time to expand our range of choices for our 8-10 cruises a year. Will we still sail on RCL? Sure, but only when we find itineraries that break their current never changing rinse and repeat itinerary model.

 

[Biker19]

10 hours ago, Queen of Oakville said:

but I have to ask, what is infinite verandah?

 

[firefly333]

12 hours ago, poncho1973 said:

I gotta say, I commend you for this level of dedication.  Get the Pinnacle and fly the coop.  That's serious.  I mean, it never hurts to have fewer Pinnacles on a ship for us D/D+ folks and we appreciate it, but this is in all seriousness a big statement to go another direction.

I can see this. Get there and lock in the current perks. That's my plan. I want to lock in the free wifi before they decide to revamp the loyalty program. But I dont feel any forever loyalty to royal. I'm not a high end cruiser, I'm the one who also likes carnival and locked in their highest loyalty level in January on a 14 day journey cruise to unusual ports and love their journey cruises. I love fast food though I dont treat myself at home that much. A stark difference was no waiting for elevators like on royal. Quite a few no shows, it was a bad weather weekend and passports were required and some didnt know soon enough. Lovely to have such a quiet ship. Liked the bands better, more good ole country and 2 stepping. If carnival would give solo a discount like royal I'd book more carnival. Just wouldnt pay extra for them and those journey cruises are a bit pricey imo.

 

I've never been loyal to royal though but right  now for me prices are good enough to book. 

[firefly333]

16 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Ironically, since we were already top tier on three other cruise lines, we never intended to sail on RCL to get to Pinnacle but shifted our cruise schedule to them because we were really impressed with their ships the first time we stepped on board Freedom of the Seas in 2010. Everything started to change after the restart in 2021 when leadership of the line changed. RCL is no longer the cruise line that we once enjoyed, and it is long past time to expand our range of choices for our 8-10 cruises a year. Will we still sail on RCL? Sure, but only when we find itineraries that break their current never changing rinse and repeat itinerary model.

 

Royal this past time they dropped itineraries never included a Bermuda cruise. I'd have to book another line to get there. They shifted to coco cay and more coco cay. I'm not looking for a beach so their itineraries didnt have a single new port other than a TA which I did book. Planning a stay in rome next year new to me but not one othe ne port. 

 

I saw someone posted back to me they dont cruise for free fast food. I dont like their free hamburgers. I dont eat hot dogs ever unless from a outside grill then I might have one. So their free hot dog place, I dont touch it. I'm now paying for pay restaurants to make royal work for me. I do cruise for the food and would like better choice of ports. People out of texas screaming for new ports so what did royal do, dropped some longer jewel cruises and only 1 of them has anything but the same old smal old. Same old western ports I've done 75 times.

 

To me it's like royal said the ship is the vacation let's not bother with interesting ports. Moving to florida soon I hope. I'd already booked adventure eastern and ABC and this last drop was exactly more of what I'd already booked but not yet done. A poster here, forget their name put together a group on celebrity to do Bermuda. Maybe cruising is losing its allure for me. Fewer choices of ports, and higher prices, and same exact cruises I have booked already out of PC. I'm not one who cares about slides or beaches. I'm just not wanting to book more royal. 

[lovesthebeach2]

28 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Royal this past time they dropped itineraries never included a Bermuda cruise. I'd have to book another line to get there. They shifted to coco cay and more coco cay. I'm not looking for a beach so their itineraries didnt have a single new port other than a TA which I did book. Planning a stay in rome next year new to me but not one othe ne port. 

 

I saw someone posted back to me they dont cruise for free fast food. I dont like their free hamburgers. I dont eat hot dogs ever unless from a outside grill then I might have one. So their free hot dog place, I dont touch it. I'm now paying for pay restaurants to make royal work for me. I do cruise for the food and would like better choice of ports. People out of texas screaming for new ports so what did royal do, dropped some longer jewel cruises and only 1 of them has anything but the same old smal old. Same old western ports I've done 75 times.

 

To me it's like royal said the ship is the vacation let's not bother with interesting ports. Moving to florida soon I hope. I'd already booked adventure eastern and ABC and this last drop was exactly more of what I'd already booked but not yet done. A poster here, forget their name put together a group on celebrity to do Bermuda. Maybe cruising is losing its allure for me. Fewer choices of ports, and higher prices, and same exact cruises I have booked already out of PC. I'm not one who cares about slides or beaches. I'm just not wanting to book more royal. 

i get what you’re saying, but in our case cruising out of a Florida to us is mostly about just enjoying the ocean. Yes, we get off for an hour or two at CC, but only to put my toes in the sand. So we have some Florida cruises still booked, but they’re on large ships which will be full of younger people, who I’m hoping get off at the ports so we have a quieter ship.

 

We prefer cruises to interesting / new places which is usually in Europe, then it’s not just about only the ocean