What will RCCL charge for next?

Remember cruising when you paid your fare and taxes and gratuities and that was IT? Now cruise lines, especially RCCL, are charging for basically everything- better food, room service, fancy coffee, yoga classes. My question is: What will they charge for next? How far does their nickel and diming go? Here’s my guesses:

Theater and show tickets

All food and drink (except tap water)

Flowrider, zipline, rock climbing wall, carousel

Public bathrooms

Hot tubs

Meet ups with dreamworks characters

Kids programs

Gym usage

What do you think? Where’s your line in the proverbial sand?

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Who is forcing you to partake in things you do not like or want to pay??

I think its a great question.

I think there will always be some type of free food, but the buffet quality heading down and a greater push for speciality restaurants.

I can also easily see that the character meals and special shows would potentially be an extra cost at some point.

Public bathrooms and hot tubs? Come on! You seem to enjoy stirring the pot. This "nickel and diming" you speak of is decried on all of the major cruise line forums, not just RCCL. Cruising has changed and morphed over the years to fit hat the customers want and what they are willing to pay for. If the lines start charging for things like shows and all food venues become pay venues then there will be a lot less cruisers. Even with higher prices or additional charges cruising is still cheaper for my family that renting a house at the closest beach and furnishing our own entertainment and food. None of the things that are extra charges are things that you have to do. The cruise lines are not forcing you to buy drink packages or eat in the pay venues.

It IS a good question. I dont think ALL food will have a charge but I do seriously think there will come a day where the only included food option you have is the buffet. The MDR will either go away totally or there will be a charge. All it will take is one cruise line to take a leap and all others will likely follow.

Even with higher prices or additional charges cruising is still cheaper for my family that renting a house at the closest beach and furnishing our own entertainment and food.

Very true but from what Im seeing lately, AI resorts, that include everything, are very competitive in pricing to cruising. Especially once you count everything you get like airfare, food and drink, entertainment, excursions, no tipping etc. The only reason I havent ventured out to one is because I like being on the ocean and waking up in a different place every day. Staying a week at a resort would likely bore me to tears by the third day.

Remember cruising when you paid your fare and taxes and gratuities and that was IT? Now cruise lines, especially RCCL, are charging for basically everything- better food, room service, fancy coffee, yoga classes. My question is: What will they charge for next? How far does their nickel and diming go?

I've never used room service; I don't drink coffee or interested in yoga classes. I have no problems not subsidising these with my base cruise fare.

I would rather have them charge for whatever they want if it keeps the fare down. Then I can decide for myself what I want to pay extra for.I don't drink specialty coffees for instance, and if it was no charge they would add it to the cruise fare, so I'd be paying for nothing. I believe the theory of charging for some of the things the OP is talking about is ridiculous.

Very true but from what Im seeing lately, AI resorts, that include everything, are very competitive in pricing to cruising. Especially once you count everything you get like airfare, food and drink, entertainment, excursions, no tipping etc. The only reason I havent ventured out to one is because I like being on the ocean and waking up in a different place every day. Staying a week at a resort would likely bore me to tears by the third day.

That was my main issue with an AI (and a very nice pricey one at that). After dinner I was bored senseless.

Who is forcing you to partake in things you do not like or want to pay??

More to the point, who is forcing OP (or anyone) to stay loyal to a company they're clearly getting frustrated with? Loyalty has very little benefit to the consumer in reality. I'm a frequent flier and used to fly ONLY one airline (or its partners), even going out of my way to spend a bit more or take an out-of-the-way connection, but said airline started doing things to frustrate me and I began using whomever was most convenient for me. I am much happier now. Sounds like perhaps OP should start looking at doing the same and exploring other vacation options.

I think its a great question.

 

I think there will always be some type of free food, but the buffet quality heading down and a greater push for speciality restaurants.

 

I can also easily see that the character meals and special shows would potentially be an extra cost at some point.

They are already charging for character meals. $10 per person for the dreamworks breakfast on our oasis cruise in January.

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It is a good question, when will it stop? And it's not necessarily charging for better food, sometimes certain kinds. Remember when you could get some sushi at the windjammer, now with Izumi, that's not an option. Or chips/guac as a snack no more, you have to pay at Sabor or Rita's Cantina.

I've have had similar, when will it stop, questions about open space for cruisers to use, like on Adventure, turning the crown lounge into mostly private areas and now the sports bar into Izumi, that just means more crowds elsewhere on the ship. When will it stop and hopefully Royal doesn't go too far.

Let me be clear. I like Royal. But I think their product is going downhill. They should try to stop making their customers feel like they are in a shopping mall.

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MSC has the "tier" system where you pay a base fare and a supplement depending on what you want included in the experience. For example.. included in your basic fare is of course food, entertainment and stateroom location in certain decks. with the upgraded tiers (two different ones) you get spa treatments, X drinks per day and premium locations for staterooms and the ultimate one, which is suites and above are unlimited drink included, preference location, reserved area at the entertainment venue and such... I am not a fan of this, but I understand where they are going with this... specially when you dont partake lets say in drinking... so you have the option of getting a lower fare and not pay for what you dont use...

Let me be clear. I like Royal. But I think their product is going downhill. They should try to stop making their customers feel like they are in a shopping mall.

 

 

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And, to be honest, the best way to get them to hear your frustrations is to not give them more money. Either they will realize they need to change, or it will continue to get worse as you find a product you enjoy more. Just my personal opinion, but if I saw my preferred product (be in anything) starting to go downhill, without any sign of correcting, I would jump off.

Let me be clear. I like Royal. But I think their product is going downhill. They should try to stop making their customers feel like they are in a shopping mall.

 

 

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I never really feel like I am in a shopping mall on a RCCL ship. It is usually a very good experience overall. You can sail without paying extra for specialty dining or anything else that you do not personally want to buy. For others, they enjoy the choices offered and pay for some of them if it pleases them to do so. What is the issue with that?

Let me be clear. I like Royal. But I think their product is going downhill.

The thing is, this very same thing can be read on every single mass market cruising forum here.

I never really feel like I am in a shopping mall on a RCCL ship. It is usually a very good experience overall. You can sail without paying extra for specialty dining or anything else that you do not personally want to buy. For others, they enjoy the choices offered and pay for some of them if it pleases them to do so. What is the issue with that?

The problem is they focus so much on what makes them money that they don’t care anymore about what doesn’t. For example, food. In the MDR the food used to be delicious. Now, with the addition of all this $pecialty dining bs, it’s meh. You want good food, you pay for it. What’s wrong with wanting good free food?

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I also think it is an excellent question. My guess would be theatre/show tickets and gym usage.

My wife and I have developed a list of potential vacations (3) we are considering for the coming years...I always compare price differences...and another cruise didn't even make the list before we narrowed to three. Personally, I think if cruise lines started stepping up their game with food/service for a year or two they could raise cruise fares, the prices for things that are already extra charge items and add a couple of new extra charge items.

Food, even though it is subjective, is a perfect example. We have dined at the specialty restaurants, in the MDR and at the buffet. In our opinion the buffet is on par with Golden Corral. The MDR food quality is on par with an average chain restaurant...they just try to make it "feel" elegant with linens, multiple servers and "fancy" plate presentations. The specialty restaurants (we have eaten at Chops, Izumi and Giovanni's) are no better than the nicer chains in our area. Maybe we are spoiled with the quality of steak houses in the area, but I would rate Chops 3 stars on quality of food and 1 1/2 - 2 on service.

Almost everyone I know, and speak with, are very willing to pay for quality. I just refuse to pay extra to get something that is not as good as it was a few years ago when it was free (included). That is why we are going to an AI this year for our primary vacation. We are not "high maintenance" people and don't have to be entertained most of the time. In fact, what makes vacations attractive to us is the ability to get away from the world and do whatever we want...even if that means absolutely nothing but hang out by the pool or enjoying the quiet of out patio/balcony.

Remember cruising when you paid your fare and taxes and gratuities and that was IT? Now cruise lines, especially RCCL, are charging for basically everything- better food, room service, fancy coffee, yoga classes. My question is: What will they charge for next? How far does their nickel and diming go? Here’s my guesses:

 

Theater and show tickets

All food and drink (except tap water)

Flowrider, zipline, rock climbing wall, carousel

Public bathrooms

Hot tubs

Meet ups with dreamworks characters

Kids programs

Gym usage

 

What do you think? Where’s your line in the proverbial sand?

 

 

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You’re wrong. Royal doesn’t charge for extras any more than other cruise lines. You need to look at the overall cost of the cruise before criticizing the “pay for what you want” pricing strategy used by mass market companies. In some cases, today’s cruise prices are so cheap that adding specialty dining every night is still cheaper than cruising 15 years ago

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The thing is, this very same thing can be read on every single mass market cruising forum here.

This

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You’re wrong. Royal doesn’t charge for extras any more than other cruise lines. You need to look at the overall cost of the cruise before criticizing the “pay for what you want” pricing strategy used by mass market companies. In some cases, today’s cruise prices are so cheap that adding specialty dining every night is still cheaper than cruising 15 years ago

 

 

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This doesn't surprise me, as it's the same with flights. People complain about flying and the extra add ons, but it's often perfectly feasible to fly an airline like Spirit and not pay a penny more than the fare itself. It may not work for everyone, but it is possible, I've seen me do it. And, while folks lament the downgrade in flight comfort and quality, it's cheaper and, at the same time, safer than a few decades ago.

They are already charging for character meals. $10 per person for the dreamworks breakfast on our oasis cruise in January.

 

 

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They do now charge for the breakfast but they do not charge for the character meet and greets or picture opportunities around the ship and at the parades.

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Very true but from what Im seeing lately, AI resorts, that include everything, are very competitive in pricing to cruising. Especially once you count everything you get like airfare, food and drink, entertainment, excursions, no tipping etc. The only reason I havent ventured out to one is because I like being on the ocean and waking up in a different place every day. Staying a week at a resort would likely bore me to tears by the third day.

We tried and AI resort about 7 years ago and it was nice but I was bored to death and in bed by 9pm at the latest every night. It was much more expensive than the cruise we took the next year on Oasis (I think it was 2012 on Oasis, May have been 2013). Our airfare was not included and added another $888 to the tab. What AI’s give you free airfare, or included airfare? I would be interested in taking a look.

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This

 

 

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Yes I took the question to be broader about major cruise lines in general, not just Royal.