How has RCCL changed since the 90's?

[rolloman]

 

Nevertheless, I am beyond the age of flow riders and such and find it disappointing that they have developed nothing for this age bracket.

 

 

They did develop something for your age bracket. They bought Celebrity.

[Lynnees]

They did develop something for your age bracket. They bought Celebrity.

 

Right - and as you can see I will be sailing Celebrity again.

 

You are rude, aren't you.

[Buccaneergirl]

Our first cruise was in '96 on Majesty and we loved it. The food was outstanding and the cruise was wonderful! Now, the food is o.k., but that is not what I sail for, so I have a great time and hope that the cruise I am on is as good as the next one!!:D :D

[lacruiser]

Hope you and Mr. Ski are doing well -- and that he's still winning at the tables! :D Tell him I still haven't figured out craps. I see you'll be on Serenade in December -- we're doing AOS this year (that will make us Diamond ;) .)

 

This has been an interesting thread. My first cruise was back in the mid-90's on a now-defunct little line out of New Orleans -- Commodore Cruise Line's "Enchanted Isle". She was a small ship, and one of the few things I really remember was that there was no pool band -- just a tape that played over and over and over.... I could sing that thing by heart by about the 3rd day. I had nothing to compare it with, though, and my mom and I had a blast.

 

Maybe one of these years I'll moan about how things aren't what they used to be, but now I'm thrilled every time I walk on board.

 

Nancy D

[ckrobyn]

What about bathroom amenities, have they changed much over the years?

[Lynnees]

What about bathroom amenities, have they changed much over the years?

 

 

Absolutely. There arn't any. There was really nice amenities when we first started sailing with RCL. They would even give you a little gift box with small containers of all the amenties to take home.

 

Now, you either have to be in a suite or a diamond/+ and quite often have to ask for what you are entitled.

[morgan1312]

One change I didn't see listed yet is you now have options to eat whenever you want (in addition to 24 hr room service). On our first cruise in 91, we counted 11 different opportunities to eat during the day (including a midnight buffet every night) but there were still times when we felt like a little something and the only option was room service which we didn't want to wait for (like when we'd get back to the ship around 5 and dinner wasn't till 8, we'd just missed afternoon tea and there was nothing else till dinner started in the windjammer).

 

On our last few cruises, there have been sandwich shops and pizza shops open anytime we went by them. Isn't it amazing how quickly you go from eating 3 squares a day to needing to eat every couple of hours when you're on a ship???

 

And in case someone from RCCL is reading this, I also miss the chocolate options for desert. To me there's no sense in eating the calories for desert if it's not something chocolate, just my opinion.

[tomko2]

Now let's look on the positive side. :)

The linens - duvets - pillows are wonderful -- like the Home Collection Hilton Hotels uses.

There are so many more balconies because the ships are larger so it has become attainable to many more of us.

My DH likes larger portions of meat; in the past he would ask for that and receive two full dinner plates (double potatoes, veggies, etc.); now they bring him a larger cut on his first plate or two chops etc. Much nicer.

The larger ships provide more space for design elements, e.g. artwork, which is such a treat to walk about and look at even in the stairwells.

The larger ships have more stability hence smoother sailing.

There is such a variety of places to grab a bite to eat, sit and have a drink or such sit quietly and enjoy the peace of cruising. Before there was very little opportunity to be outside to eat and drink except for the pool area now we have the lovely outdoor area of the Windjammer and the SeaView cafe. (We are on the Legend this summer and will miss the outdoor area adjacent to the buffet that is found on the Radiance class).

The menu was revamped twice between 1999 and 2006 fortunately the second revamp brought the food back to a higher standard and the old "flank" steak was banished.

Yes somethings are not as good but at lot of things are much better.

 

Now if we were to start talking about the airlines ..........

 

Kathy

[crusinmama06]

Absolutely. There arn't any. There was really nice amenities when we first started sailing with RCL. They would even give you a little gift box with small containers of all the amenties to take home.

 

Now, you either have to be in a suite or a diamond/+ and quite often have to ask for what you are entitled.

 

Yes I STILL have some of the old bottles from our first 2 cruises. :D

[CruiseKeeper]

Yes I STILL have some of the old bottles from our first 2 cruises. :D

 

The one's that I remember didn't come in bottles. First cruise was in 93. Shampoo and conditioner came in colorful red/blue paper (almost cardboard-like) packets that you had to tear open. I never stayed in a suite in the 90's, perhaps, as now, the amenities were better in suites.

[skiiergirl]

Hope you and Mr. Ski are doing well -- and that he's still winning at the tables! :D Tell him I still haven't figured out craps. I see you'll be on Serenade in December -- we're doing AOS this year (that will make us Diamond ;) .)

 

This has been an interesting thread. My first cruise was back in the mid-90's on a now-defunct little line out of New Orleans -- Commodore Cruise Line's "Enchanted Isle". She was a small ship, and one of the few things I really remember was that there was no pool band -- just a tape that played over and over and over.... I could sing that thing by heart by about the 3rd day. I had nothing to compare it with, though, and my mom and I had a blast.

 

Maybe one of these years I'll moan about how things aren't what they used to be, but now I'm thrilled every time I walk on board.

 

Nancy D

 

Hey Nancy...y'all will have a great time on AOS but too bad you aren't on SR w/ us. Mr. Ski would be happy to give you another craps lesson.

[ckrobyn]

It does sound as if many things have changed over the years, some for the better, some not.

 

I think the cruise lines really need to focus on the whole loyalty thing. Sometimes it's those little things.....like small bottles of shampoo and body lotions that set a cruise line apart from the competition. Then on the other hand, if the competition isn't doing it either - why bother?? I'm sure most people will not base their decision to cruise on one line or the other based on toiletries.....but like I said, it's those "little" touches that set them apart.

[crusinmama06]

The one's that I remember didn't come in bottles. First cruise was in 93. Shampoo and conditioner came in colorful red/blue paper (almost cardboard-like) packets that you had to tear open. I never stayed in a suite in the 90's, perhaps, as now, the amenities were better in suites.

 

YES YOU'RE RIGHT! They ARE in cardboard I just checked. And I must say they are getting a little sticky after all of these years...lol.

[CruiseKeeper]

YES YOU'RE RIGHT! They ARE in cardboard I just checked. And I must say they are getting a little sticky after all of these years...lol.

 

Live a little! Use one.:D

[MrCruzdoggie]

Right - and as you can see I will be sailing Celebrity again.

 

You are rude, aren't you.

 

 

I agree Rollo's post are somewhat rude, I'll stay away from his sailings......

[sail2day]

When I started this thread I had no idea I would generate such interest. The reason I started the thread was that I was thinking back to my first Royal Caribbean cruise on the Sun Viking. That cruise set the standard (back in the 80's) for what Royal Caribbean was all about. I then had the opportunity to cruise on the Sovereign in the 90's and that was my last Royal Caribbean experience. Yes, I gather things have changed. Cruising for that matter has changed as a whole since the 90's. We now have balcony staterooms, Royal Promenades and ice skating rinks. Maybe the food quality is not what it used to be, but we have many more choices for dinning venues. We also have pricing that is lower than it was in the 80's (taking inflation into account).

 

I am just being nostalgic I suppose in remembering the "good old days".

 

My memories of cruising go back even further to the Sunward II, Skyward and the Boheme. But that is for another thread.....

 

Thank you all for your comments...

[MaryEBS]

I love this thread...brought back a lot of great memories!

So many changes since my first cruise on the Majesty of the Seas when she was brand new and the largest cruise ship in the world! The most obvious to me is the workloads the crew carry...It seems as though the cabin stewards take care of twice the number of cabins as in years past. The staff in the dining room is smaller as well...used to be there were wine somaliers...now it's the waiter's responsibility. Coke used to be free, the quality of the food in the dining room has most definitely deteriorated, not that it is 'bad' now...just not nearly as good. The portion size had decreased too (not necessarily a bad thing). The variety is not what it used to be...there were at one time 6 entrees every evening, including a specialty vegetarian meal, and a ship shape meal. The head waiters were know to cook special dishes upon request too! Anyone else remember flaming babaloo? or the head waiters preparing cherries jubilee with flames and all in the dining room? There used to be a midnight buffet every night... and since I love the caribbean bands... I notice that they used to be playing steel drum music much more often in the past as it is now.

 

In order to keep this balanced, the price of cruising has declined as well. What I paid for an outside cabin with a tiny porthole in 1992 now gets me a balcony cabin some 15 years later.

 

Crusinmama06 - I am so glad to know that I am not the only one still holding on to the little carboard containers of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel! Do you remember how wonderful the shampoo smelled? I think I'm going to go find one of 'my stash' to use.