Engineroom Snipe

No, Royal UP is a popular hot topic which triggers many responses because how many readers want to review old topics before they post? Your memory is very sharp as it is "Deja Vu" all over again.

But you will not because you love him. Life is full of those memories.

Understood. For many years I have only traveled on cruises with my wife. The few times we traveled with our children, we had connecting rooms because having two bathrooms is a VERY big deal at "rush hour." Enjoy your cruise!

The same for me. I have bid for many years on rooms I want as opposed to bidding on a room that is technically an upgrade but ends up being on a part of the ship which I would find less desirable than the room I have. It still come down to getting the cabin you want on your original purchase without wishing it was going to be another cabin. Will this affect your vacation in such a way that it ruins it? Royal Up will not fix that dilemma.

I have been put in my place. Please have a great day @Scottee25

Subject to getting a reservation for the meal, you can have any three meals at one restaurant or split them as you see fit. I read so many posts that like the three meal plan because trying to "get your money's worth" on the unlimited meal plan is similar in fashion to the unlimited dining plan. You end up eating more than you wanted on the unlimited dining plan or have to change your cruise timelines in order to accommodate what reservations are available. Three special meals on a seven day cruise seems to be a good balance. Enjoy.

I have been doing computer algorithms for over twenty years. The problem is that they tend to be bias towards the thinking of the "creator." Many programmers and developers tend to not create documentation in their programming. They leave the company and follow up teams try to add-on, modify, or delete code parts without knowing the intent of the programming that they modify. Just some examples of how "their is no rhyme or reason to the how the winning bid is won." @Scottee25 RCI's Royal Up Contractor is used for trains, planes and automobiles before RCI hired them for cruises. Variables: 1. Current cruise price advertised versus desired cruise price of RCI (is it higher or lower?). 2. What is the click-rate on website traffic on specific cruises and specific rooms on that specific cruise? 3. What is the projected vacancy rates of those rooms and how have they changed over time" 4. Check history of travel agencies' previous sales against current sales statistics. 5. Minimize discounts whenever possible during Royal Up processes. 6. Calculate current value of vacant room against all of the available programming points previously listed. 7. History of cancellations on a long and short term basis. 8. The COVID calculations completely upended previously used algorithms and a whole new process had to be implemented. 9. How does revenge travel affect the previous calculations and do we know even acknowledge or COVID programming parameters? I could waste my time listing over 100 more variables at a minimum. Without knowing the original and continuing goals of the programmers, I am wasting my time trying to figure out "their rhyme or reason." I could try and program an AI model to "learn" how the algorithm works but I would have to have unlimited access to data the cruise lines are never going to allow any consumer. Without sales data, inquiry data, units sold, desired profit margins combined with cruise operating costs, the AI model is just imitating our best guess with the same information that you and I can get on publicly provided information. Unless you know the intent of the developers to achieve the goal, there is no rhyme or reason. RCI is trying to maximize profits but I do not know how they are going about it in the Royal Up process. Imagine that. 😁

I get your point. The first time I received one of these offers I felt "special." This is a third party contractor hired by RCI to maximize profits should a vacancy occur at the last minute before boarding similar to arriving at an airport for an upgrade. There is no implied opening of any type with this offering.

Yes. Cabin availability has no affect on what you are offered on a Royal Up.

Thousands of posts on this issue. Impossible to predict how this affects your personal experience on a ship. Are you a light sleeper? Some will advise you to bring earplugs and a white noise device which I will not argue with because you can find yourself in any hotel in the world with rowdy neighbors who just happen to be on a college spring-break. Just hope they do not smoke (OOOOhhhh, that is a whole other hot button issue). The perfect room is always subject to the "Escape Clauses" which are similar to the "Santa Clauses". The best laid plans are thwarted by the little playful rascals that pound on your door at 1:25 am in the middle of a great night's sleep. Their terror knows no bounds as they careen throughout the ship on multiple deck levels in disregard to your elite cabin status. They steal your "Do not disturb sign" and replace it with "Room service required." At some time in their existence, they will experience the dreaded elevator Christmas Tree button push as adults, only to ponder upon their earlier follies. Yes, it did feel so much better when they were younger. Find the best room that you like for its location, desired type of view, motion movement, proximity of what you do the most or like the most, and roll the dice. Somewhat like going to the casino, you play the odds as best you can to win the jackpot but it is always a gamble on the outcome.

Cannot agree more with your first statement: "Quality also depends on ship/cooks....to some extent." Someone else stated that the Calamari was heavily breaded and was lost in the batter. That was my opinion also. I love fresh calamari and prepare it often at home. I do not need it perfect, just reasonable. I could not find the Calamari in a heavy batter from RCI. I stopped ordering it. The Coconut Shrimp and Garlic Tiger Shrimp were tasty. I just wish the shrimp in the Garlic Tiger Shrimp were a bit larger on the fork 😁. Everyone has a different interpretation of food because it is SO subjective. Cruise food reviews are a hot topic but I do appreciate people trying to express their opinions without being judged or disrespected. I might have to try the "Tofu and Avocado" on Caribbean Night just to open my taste buds to a new adventure. "Try it, you might like it!"

You know I do not like to make food recommendations in general anymore but I know your style from all of your postings. I trust you to take it with a grain of salt (pun intended). You are well aware things change cruise to cruise and ship to ship. We ate every night at the second seating of MDR for nine nights in November on the Jewel for our anniversary. We were at a table for two and arrived with our choice of wine in hand from the Schooner Bar. We enjoyed listening to piano or guitar and violin. Very relaxing. My wife's favorite has always been escargot and she enjoyed it every meal that it was offered. Warning, the sauce is extremely rich. What looks to be a small portion with one stick of bread can be very filling. I tried it once during the week and it was good but I would have no room for another appetizer after it. Shrimp cocktail is always consistent. If I want salad, I would go to the Windjammer. I eat many soups at home so I did not feel the urge to have them. I had great success with all of the cuts of beef that week. The New York Strip was a nice thickness, satisfying proportion, and cooked medium rare to medium. Warm when it arrived, no gristle, maybe the smallest vein of fat (all meat needs a bit of fat for flavor so I was not disappointed in seeing it). The beef tenderloin came in two slices, juicy, cooked rare to medium rare, tender, and more than enough portion to satisfy me. My wife and I had salmon both times it was offered because the first time was excellent. Moist, cooked but not overcooked to the point of falling about with a great sauce. The fillet itself was about 6 ounces after cooking so it was a satisfying size without being overwhelming. Second salmon was with an excellent curry spice sauce. We shared one additional appetizer of tiger shrimp which had a very nice sauce but the shrimp were a 28 to 38 per pound count and got lost in the sauce. I think a 19 to 28 per pound count would have been more visually appearing but it was good. We ate a big breakfast, light lunch, and one appetizer and one entree main meal with no desserts by our second day. We are not used to eating three meals each day. We are early risers so we were first into the Windjammer, our lunch snack was about 1pm to 2p, and the MDR at 8pm. The Windjammer was the best I have seen since the opening of the Pandemic. Good salad selections, the grilled tomatoes are back, and the breakfast smoked salmon station was the best in my last six cruises. I hope this helps you in some way.

This. (my underlining and bold print on your original wording). The cruise lines are marketing their food as "high-end cuisine." At one time it used to be THE focus of the cruise because they did not have theme parks and other activities to attract customers. I find "high-end cuisine" the exception on my cruises of the past three years. I had one great experience, one good experience, and five mediocre experiences (two of them almost on the edge of "great breakfasts" but I was not too enthusiastic for the lunches or dinners). I am of the variety that I do not waste anything on my plate. If I take a serving, I eat it because there were many times in my life I made do with what I had. Push comes to shove, I can become a billy-goat in order to survive. Maybe that is why I look forward to a well prepared, delicious, and hot meal onboard ship: I know how much effort and time goes into a well prepared meal. I am satisfied with all of my three year cruise meals because of the price points I paid, I will not recommend a cruise for the food offerings anymore. I will let everyone judge for themselves.

Great find. Amazing what information is available when you ask fellow cruisers.

Very interesting as many deck mappers show there is space but it seems like about four feet at best. Looking forward to your in person assessment. Thank you for helping us understand this unique situation. Great question as I would assume from the original description that there is no direct path.

Like many posters have stated, food expectations vary wildly from one cruiser to the next. I do not recommend cruises anymore now because the great experiences I really enjoy might not be the same experience on a different ship or the same ship with a different crew. I tell them why I like cruising but I do not mention the food except to say they will certainly not starve and in most cases, they will find it more than adequate. The first time cruiser who bought a cruise based on my recommendation might get the wildcard bad meal in the MDR on the first night which sets the tone for the rest of the week. Since reopening after the pandemic, I have cruised and the meals have been adequate for the prices I paid which have easily doubled since I bought them. My 9 night cruise on the Jewel of the Seas in November was a pleasant shock. The MDR experience and Windjammer experience were the first time my wife and I experienced food quality approaching what we considered "the good-ole days." The cuts of beef, salmon, and more were of very good quality and prepared extremely well. When we talked to fellow cruisers with experience, they marveled at "this should be the way it is on all RCI ships." The food experiences are hit or miss. I am now accustomed to this but I cannot recommend a cruise line to others until I experience more consistency. For now, we are taking a hiatus from RCI and maybe cruising in general to refresh our attitudes about other experiences with our vacation dollars. I am well aware that people who are happy with a service are much less likely to post about it but I see posters who love cruising trying to tell about their experiences and expectations.

@perfect match. Ditto. Thank you @Rubyfisch.for taking your time to share with us.

Sir, Those types of questions are secret-squirrel stuff. When you figure-out this paradox. please elucidate me. Nice to know I am not alone in the wilderness. 😉

61 posts in less than thirteen hours with hundreds upon hundreds of reactions. Even more before I finish this post. Qualifies as a proverbial hot topic right next to gratuities. I must admit, I am looking for the best vacation experience for the cheapest price. I want a good sausage for the best price available. I do not care how they make it or what ingredients are in it. If the sausage gets to be too expensive. I look for a cheaper alternative. Maybe stuffed chicken? You get my point. How many cruisers are willing to put their money where their "concerns" are when they search for the cheapest cabin with double occupancy per night cost?

Your pictures and commentary are fabulous. Thank you for taking us with you on your journey.

Transparency is just so difficult in the cruise price anymore. I visit a large travel agency site specializing in cruises. Wow, a great per person price advertised that I call them about. Only for guaranteed room which is expected. Port taxes and taxes are extra and not listed on their site, anywhere on their website (why not, other agencies display the taxes?). The port taxes and taxes are listed at a much higher price because they have to pay the higher price listed at the time of original block purchase from the cruise line (sounds suspicious but not unusual or plausible). This can be hundreds of dollars. Then the agent pushes their agencies' travel insurance similar to a car dealership pushing their bank for financing. At the booking, there is no mention of expected automatic gratuities which now, at $18 per person, regardless of age adds up. RCI advertises Kids Sale for Free but the taxes and gratuities per child on a seven day cruise can be about $160 of taxes and now $126 of gratuities. Now add in the cost of a cabin that can handle more than 2 people which in most cruise cases is at least $400. The Kids Sale Free program is costing two parents about $600 more. That is not sailing free in my mind. Now, when one boards, they are expected to tip ahead of time in the anticipation of good service. I do not mind the expectation but I will never prepay my gratuities again. I would rather pay $2 additional per person per day with the option of changing the tip. I have never done so in all of the time I have been cruising but at least I have the option of doing so if service is extremely bad. This is kind of a moot point. I have one cruise left this year with RCI. I have one cruise reserved for next year. None for 2025. My time with them is coming to an end in 2024. I think it is time to move on to other vacation experiences. This topic of gratuities has been long and productive. I would like to say how "inconsiderate or unappreciative" non-tipping customers are but they bring up valid points which should be respected. Good by all. This is my last post on CC. I have been warned once too many times, I do not want to be banned and I would like to leave on my own terms. 😁

Because we do not eat out anymore because the rascals expect a tip from us! 🤣😉

I have been exposed to this type of service fee only once at a restaurant (surprised too that it was not an automatic gratuity). As we left, I got the generic how was your meal by the person at the entrance who books and sends people to their tables. I said the meal was great, the service was great, but where was the 20% fee going? There was a bit of dancing words to the answer. The fee represented increased food costs and compensated for reduced business hours because help was harder to find (they were not getting people to apply for extremely low hourly wages depending upon tips to make it up). I asked why not raise prices of the actual meals? The answer, "We might lose customers." What the ???????????? So we add 20% to the existing menus and try and sneak a larger bill instead of being up front and raise the meal prices? They just lost two more customers. 😕

Ok. That was about the about the period of the My Time Dining test bed. If you picked an early or late standard MDR, there were no prepaid gratuities. Standard MDR practices were that the gratuities were presented on the last MDR night. I would only guess if one paid their gratuity prior to that, the waiters would be very happy. Royal would not allow My Time Dining unless you prepaid gratuities because you might not have the same wait staff each night and they would split the pre-paid gratuity on a per meal basis. RCI toyed with Dynamic Dining which still required sharing tips as again your wait staff was not always the same. Again, my reasoning is that no wait staff should be dour, unhappy, or disappointed if they felt properly appreciated. If a table tipped earlier, they should be dancing about as they have a free night if guests do not show on the last night, not mope or grumble.

Cannot resist: Thor hammered his gratuities to a flat $0. 🤣