SailorMarg

May I ask if the internet was Starlink?  Did you find the internet speeds acceptable?

3 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

You feel it's worth it to claim Royal is intentionally lying to customers (which you're entitled to your opinion), but it's not worth it to let us know what TPTB response was to your claim?  I'm guessing the answer you got didn't support your narrative.  

Your guess would be wrong. Please read the *rest* of the post for your answer.

One (hopefully) last time for those that intentionally re-create the narrative of this original post, and for those that simply have poor reading comprehension…this post is about Royal’s intentional mislabeling of a product fleetwide…half and half when it’s milk, crab cake when it’s imitation Krab…hoping the customer doesn’t notice or doesn't care. My ability to obtain half and half while aboard is not the issue. What I may or may not have done as far as addressing this issue of mislabeling on this one specific cruise is a small minded view of the situation and not one I am choosing to share.  I can say that it has been verified over the past year of cruising, and aboard this Presient’s Cruise, that staff have been told to provide milk when half and half is requested.  It has also been verified that the Crab Cake in both the Main Dining Room and Chops contains no crab. I have no interest in what any of you do with this information on a individual basis.  I’m sharing it for those to whom such things, like honesty and integrity, matter.  Everyone will, and should, make their choices as they seem fit. 

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Hopefully, the cruise lines don't figure that out.

They already have.

Aboard Allure now, in a Crown Loft Suite.  My answer is specific to the Suite Lounge as that is what you asked.  You have access to the Lounge at all hours with your SeaPass Card.  There is a specialty coffee machine there available for you that will make cappuccinos and lattes in addition to coffee.  In the mornings they will have continental breakfast items available and in the evening from 5-8 they will have hors d’oeuvres available.  From 11-11 you can get soda, water bottles, beer, and wine at no additional cost from the bar that spans the area between the Suite Lounge and the suite restaurant, Coastal Kitchen.  From 5-8PM you can also get mixed drinks at no additional cost from this same bar, or from the drink servers who will take your drink orders during that time. One thing that surprised me because it is NOT the case on smaller ships’ Suite Lounge, they will not (can not?) make frozen drinks.  Hope that information helps.

27 minutes ago, SteadyBetty said:

Perhaps this was just an oversight on an employee's part. Perhaps this was just filling both containers with milk as half/half was not available at the time or at that location. 

 

The way to know for sure was to ASK.  

 

While this may have been an annoyance (at best) and I get it, but it could have been rectified in real time.  I remember preparing a bowl of delicious fruit and beside the offerings was a large container of what I thought was whipped cream - turned out it was sour cream.  I plopped on a huge portion over my fruit, sat down, took a bite of peaches and "cream" - GAH!  I simply returned to one of the attendants, let them know what was happening and they corrected the error.  

 

Calling it a lie, IMO, is an overreach.

If people would take a minute to read the comments, and replies, before posting they would see that this post is not about my not being able to access half and half.  It is about the historical and fleetwide intentional misleading of the customer as has been reported in these forums over and over.  My post is adding my anecdotal experience to that conversation

24 minutes ago, SteadyBetty said:

Perhaps this was just an oversight on an employee's part. Perhaps this was just filling both containers with milk as half/half was not available at the time or at that location. 

 

The way to know for sure was to ASK.  

 

While this may have been an annoyance (at best) and I get it, but it could have been rectified in real time.  I remember preparing a bowl of delicious fruit and beside the offerings was a large container of what I thought was whipped cream - turned out it was sour cream.  I plopped on a huge portion over my fruit, sat down, took a bite of peaches and "cream" - GAH!  I simply returned to one of the attendants, let them know what was happening and they corrected the error.  

 

Calling it a lie, IMO, is an overreach.

This post is not about my not being able to access half and half.  It is about the historical and fleetwide intentional misleading of the customer as has been reported in these forums over and over.  My post is adding my anecdotal experience to that conversation.

7 minutes ago, NHProud said:

Did you you go ask for the half and half and point out their mistake? Coming on here and accusing them of an intentional lie seems unjust until fully investigated.  

I am reporting my anecdotal experience on this forum where it has been discussed in the past and I am adding verification of the mislabeling that appears to be fleetwide.  This post is not about my inability to manage the situation while aboard, but adding my perspective to a conversation of what appears to be intestinal misleading as has been discussed repeatedly on this forum.  If you aren’t aware of the historical conversations then this might not be obvious to you.

27 minutes ago, Toddcan said:

What do the signs on the containers look like? Are they easily changeable?  What's behind my question is that they might need 2 containers to keep up with demand, but if they only have one marked "milk", they they simply reused the 2nd container.  However, I agree with you... there at least should be a small sign, even near the spigot saying "this container is milk".  

 

I'm not convinced though that this is done with intent. For sure a mistake, but I do not believe this was an active sin of deception - rather an oversight 

I would agree except this has been discussed on these forums and it appears this “half and half” mislabeling has been fleet wide and consistent in Cafe Promenade, Main Dining Room, and Windjammer.  Mine is not an isolated incident, but a verification of the situation as has been repeatedly reported.

Another example of this same misleading practice from Royal is that they insist on keeping the “Crab Cake” on their menu when it has been Imitation Krab for quite some time.  Call it what it is, a seafood cake.  To call it a Crab Cake is purposely misleading and another example of decreasing value and product while trying to maintain the appearance of an elevated product that you no longer provide.  In less wordy terms, it is a lie.

17 minutes ago, Scottdalfonso said:

I highly doubt this is something they are doing on purpose. The staff probably don't realize its a big deal, and just fill them both with Milk.  I'm fine with negative opinions, I just think that assuming a large company is going to hide the fact that the half and half is actually milk just seems a little far fetched

I would agree except that this has been discussed in the past and it does, in fact, appear to be a fleet wide practice that is deceptive at best.  In Cafe Promenade, in the Main Dining Room, in the Windjammer.  Many have commented that what is marked as half and half is, in fact, milk.  An isolated incident would speak to what you say, but a fleet wide and consistent practice speaks more to intentional misleading.

Please know that I realize the “lie” within this post might seem trivial, but I am making the post anyway.  Mostly because at some point I begin to feel like Royal Caribbean, as a company, has developed a culture of creating an illusion of good intent and good value when what they are actually doing is making cut after cut without being honest and up front about it. They are decreasing the value while trying to hide the decrease from their customers. So, my example may seem trivial, but it is a clear example of my point…Royal Caribbean putting a shiny cheap cover up over a degrading product.  Case in point… I am currently on the President’s Cruise and went to get a cup of coffee at Cafe Promenade last night.  There were two containers at the coffee prep area one marked milk and one marked half and half. Knowing this subject is one of interest I tested both for what they contained.  They contained an identical product, milk.  I have read this same thing from others who has found the same thing over the past year.  So I do not believe this to be an isolated incident. Royal Caribbean, if you’re only going to provide milk and not half and half then do not lie to your customers about offering half and half as an option.  It is insulting and speaks to lack of honesty and integrity.  It makes one question what else you are not being honest about.  What other short cuts are you taking and purposely misleading your customers about?  Whereas I can accept changes and cuts as Royal tries to turn around a bad financial situation, I can not accept being lied to along the way.  If you’re going to remove a product, remove the product.  But don’t lie about it and intentionally mislead your customers.  Again, I know the “lie” might seem trivial.  My post is to speak to the greater idea that once a dog kills a chicken, it can not be trusted around chickens.  Once I am purposely misled, I then question everything.

On 6/25/2023 at 4:28 PM, PG_Cruiser said:

That’s the recipe I have too.

Just got the full sugar Passionfruit Syrup and made a Passion Spritz.  Nailed it!!!!!  It is so so good.

11 minutes ago, PG_Cruiser said:

That’s the recipe I have too.

I did use a sugar free Passion Fruit syrup, that’s probably the problem.  I’m gonna try again with the real stuff.  Just ordered on Amazon.  Headed to the President’s Cruise in a few weeks.  Wanna pregame. 🙂  

2 hours ago, Pratique said:

That seems fair since one of those days is a turnaround day and not a "real" cruise day. Does that include port fees?

Yes, the prices I gave are “all in” cruise costs. The cost for the B2B Grand Suite I reserved aboard Utopia has gone up about $450 since the first day it was available for me to reserve, June 22nd.

1 hour ago, PG_Cruiser said:

 

Did you come up with your own recipe?

Used this recipe found online, https://attractionsmagazine.com/interview-royal-caribbean-director-of-beverage-operations-plus-drink-recipe-to-make-at-home/

On 6/23/2023 at 11:19 AM, dunrobbin said:

Alaska cruise in May. Coffee station outside the  Buffet had  2 jugs. Cream and Milk.  After arguing with the staff that there was milk in both several times and proving it, I realized it was a **** change again.  At least say Milk if its milk!

 

This is a problem for sure.  Don’t say cream if it’s milk.  Don’t bring milk if cream or half and half is requested, unless you let the passenger know.  What they are doing is wasting a bunch of milk because the gray brown swill that coffee turns into once milk is added gets thrown away.  It is undrinkable to those that use cream or half and half.  Don’t lie to the consumer!  I can understand change, but never being lied to.

On 6/22/2023 at 2:36 PM, chazzinator8 said:

 

That's precisely what I was told by the waitstaff in the MDR. At least on the Ovation, they claimed that milk was served in place of half and half for all of the venues that had free, regular coffee.

This is exactly as we found it.  Ask for half and half or cream with your coffee in the MDR and get low fat milk.  They literally had nothing else to offer when questioned.

7 hours ago, PG_Cruiser said:

Hi all!  I've been making cocktails from Royal Caribbean's drink menus and I wanted to share them here.  They're from the new/revised menus that came out in April 2021.  The recipes are the ones bartenders use on the ships, including the brands, quantities, garnish, and glasses used. Some may vary based on the ship's supplies.  I'll make a note on any substitutions that I make.  Please note that I am not a mixologist or bartender by any stretch of the imagination, just a copycat who enjoys recreating the Royal Caribbean experience at home.  My presentation style is like jotting down the recipe on the menus themselves.

Let's all have fun making (and drinking) these cocktails.

I’ve tried to make my all time favorite, the Passion Spritz, but have failed miserably in recreating anything even close to the original.  Guess I’ll have to just keep on cruising to get my fix.

5 hours ago, orville99 said:

Did a mock booking for a B2B on Utopia, and the cost for a basic balcony cabin was higher than the cost of a 7-night cruise on her sister ship Wonder in the same cabin leaving the previous day.

Just checked.  My B2B on Utopia in August 2024, Grand Suite is around $8800 vs Wonder 7 night leaving 2 days later is around $10,000.  We aren't sailing these ships for the itinerary but to experience the ships so for us the B2B on Utopia makes sense.

13 hours ago, PWP-001 said:

Here's why there's no more Half & Half for your coffee!

 

From the Financials, Form 10-Q released 05/04/23 presenting quarterly results through 03/31/23.

 

Quote #1-Page 30 

Our future capital commitments consist primarily of new ship orders. As of March 31, 2023, the aggregate expected cost of our ships on order presented in the table above, excluding any ships on order by our Partner Brands, was $10.2 billion, of which we had deposited $0.9 billion.

 

Quote #2-Page 32

As of March 31, 2023, we had $7.8 billion of committed financing for our ships on order.

 

Quote #3-Page 30

As of March 31, 2023, we anticipate overall full year capital expenditures, based on our existing ships on order, will be approximately $4.2 billion for 2023.

 

Quote #4-Page 32

As of March 31, 2023, our obligations due through March 31, 2024 primarily consisted of $2.1 billion related to debt maturities, $1.3 billion related to interest on debt and $2.7 billion related to progress payments on our ship orders and, based on the expected delivery date, the final installment payable due upon the delivery of Silver Nova, Icon of the Seas, and Celebrity Ascent.

 

Quote #5-Page 32

As of March 31, 2023, we had liquidity of $3.9 billion, including cash and cash equivalents of $1.2 billion, and $2.6 billion of undrawn revolving credit facility capacity.

 

-New ship orders represent a capital commitment of $10.2 billion (Quote#1) while secured financing is $7.8 billion (Quote #2).

 

-As of 3/31/23 obligations (bills to pay, if you will) over the next 12 months are expected to be $6.1 billion (Quote#4) while there's only $1.2 billion in cash (or like-cash) with another $2.6 billion available through borrowing, leaving a difference of $2.2 billion to be presumably acquired through operating income.  (In simple terms that's what's left over from what passengers spend after paying all the bills associated with getting those passengers to spend their money.)  

 

I probably shouldn't have singled out Icon, but not that the financials indicate that they do not have financing in place for all of their ship orders.  

 

Keeping this on topic, the financials point to an ongoing need to increase operating income.  With first quarter ship occupancy listed at 102.1% (triple/quad occ. in a cabin helps raise it above 100%) cutting costs and services to reduce expenses seems to be the route they are taking to drive higher operating income.  

 

Thanks for the breakdown.  Sure makes it easy to see why Royal continues to go cheaper and cheaper with what they are providing their passengers.  I wonder when they will run out of new cruisers who don’t know any better and are currently responsible for well over half of the passenger counts filling the ships.

7 hours ago, footzz said:

Been a while since I've touched base on this board and it sure looks like RCL's trajectory of higher prices and diminishing amenities is still in full swing. At this rate, it probably won't be too long before they start matching status with Carnival.

This is exactly what we are seeing.  Cruise after cruise, we are paying much more and getting much less.  Pretty much at the point now where we no longer see value in the brand.

9 hours ago, Rogueperson said:

Ooooh, whipped cream.  Good idea!!!  I don't normally have this at home, but the few times I did, and coincided with my 1/2 and 1/2 going bad, I used this and it worked great in a pinch.

Yum!  And I thought my half and half was decadent 😊

21 minutes ago, Cheesepleese said:

On one cruise years ago, in the mdr when they told us they were out of half and half , I asked for a bowl of vanilla ice cream and would take a good spoonful and melt it in my coffee. Not quite like half and half, but a  good substitute. 

Years ago ice cream aboard may have actually had some cream it it. 😉

30 minutes ago, scottnkim said:

After readiing all the responses- seems "1/2 and 1/2" is appropriately named.  1/2 seem to have no problem getting it, and 1/2 can't no matter what.  🙂

 

Best answer to my inquiry yet!  And as with most things Royal, it will likely be the ultimate answer. Thank you scottnkim for the laugh. 😂 But what I think might be happening is that many are not answering the specific question…specifically *half and half* in specifically the *Main Dining Room* or *Coastal Kitchen*.  But all (most?) has been good information.