Just off back2back on Liberty

[ladytaekwondo]

DH and I just got off LOS from 2... 7-day b2b cruises (Sept 5-17). I will post a comprehensive review this weekend but I just wanted to say briefly that we could not believe the difference from one week to another on LOS. It was like night and day and we are not talking about ports of call. Eastern vs. Western Carribean was not the issue...it was the actual difference in service and nickle and diming to death.

 

You would think that things would be similiar if you were on the same cruise ship for two weeks in a row, same Captain, same cruise director, same hotel director, same Head Chef, etc. but it wasn't---the only consistent thing was that we know you probably shouldn't cruise close to the end of the fiscal year...as the trimming away of the extras was noticeable so that the ship could make budget for the year.

 

Labadee was missing simple things like condiments (mustard and relish) for the hotdogs on week 2....wild! Also, no barbeque sauce on the ribs for week 2....???

 

Drinks were watered down on week 2 consistently--arghh. Usually our bartenders on RCI are some of the best we have.

 

No C & A gifts as the ship had run out for good during the last week of July.

 

Food in the windjammer was not as diverse as it was on week 1...canapes at all events have turned from classy ones (shrimp, etc) to fried fish tenders and meatballs....and the special events for return guests changed from champagne to rum punch on week 2.

 

Coupon books were not identical...some variations from week 1 to week 2 or perhaps we just got ones that should have been pulled due to editing errors....i.e. missing coupons.

 

Orange juice was really watered down in the WJ and got progressively worse on week 2 as it tasted like orange water.....

 

The staff seemed "cranky" on week 2..maybe because it was because the Captain was changing and the RCI execs were on board all week shaking down the ship for the command changeover.

 

We had a good time, but we were really shocked at how different one week could be to the next.

 

Delivery of paperwork to the cabin was even inconsisent...its like week 2 everyone was there to please the RCI execs and not the guests...and lets see what else we can "cut back" to make budget.....

 

Its getting harder to stay loyal to Royal---:confused:

[corbettgirl21]

DH and I just got off LOS from 2... 7-day b2b cruises (Sept 5-17). I will post a comprehensive review this weekend but I just wanted to say briefly that we could not believe the difference from one week to another on LOS. It was like night and day and we are not talking about ports of call. Eastern vs. Western Carribean was not the issue...it was the actual difference in service and nickle and diming to death.

 

You would think that things would be similiar if you were on the same cruise ship for two weeks in a row, same Captain, same cruise director, same hotel director, same Head Chef, etc. but it wasn't---the only consistent thing was that we know you probably shouldn't cruise close to the end of the fiscal year...as the trimming away of the extras was noticeable so that the ship could make budget for the year.

 

Labadee was missing simple things like condiments (mustard and relish) for the hotdogs on week 2....wild! Also, no barbeque sauce on the ribs for week 2....???

 

Drinks were watered down on week 2 consistently--arghh. Usually our bartenders on RCI are some of the best we have.

 

No C & A gifts as the ship had run out for good during the last week of July.

 

Food in the windjammer was not as diverse as it was on week 1...canapes at all events have turned from classy ones (shrimp, etc) to fried fish tenders and meatballs....and the special events for return guests changed from champagne to rum punch on week 2.

 

Coupon books were not identical...some variations from week 1 to week 2 or perhaps we just got ones that should have been pulled due to editing errors....i.e. missing coupons.

 

Orange juice was really watered down in the WJ and got progressively worse on week 2 as it tasted like orange water.....

 

The staff seemed "cranky" on week 2..maybe because it was because the Captain was changing and the RCI execs were on board all week shaking down the ship for the command changeover.

 

We had a good time, but we were really shocked at how different one week could be to the next.

 

Delivery of paperwork to the cabin was even inconsisent...its like week 2 everyone was there to please the RCI execs and not the guests...and lets see what else we can "cut back" to make budget.....

 

Its getting harder to stay loyal to Royal---:confused:

I had no problems with the bartenders on board. I was on board on your second week. All my drinks were very good, in fact some of them were almost pure liquor and just a splash of what was being mixed with it. I did notice how our room steward was not as timely as the one I had in the past and as others in my group had remebered from other crusies they have taken. I find hard to believe that the coupon books could have been differnt unless you changed your status from one week to the next(like gold to platnium). As far as the canapes I had ones with shrimp , I also had the meatballs you speak of. I also had champange at the special event for return guests, I also had rum punch which I enjoyed more. The staff seemed far from cranky to me and my fellow cruisers. I dont know you seem to have alot of complaints. The biggest thing I noticed was all the people that were from other countries on board. I found them to be rude. I read on another thread you made that you couldnt believe how many people were rude on your cruise, well that was due to so many forgien people, most do not know how americans are to one another. I did find it annoying that even I was being pushed around by them so dont feel it they were ignoring your cane, cause it was far more than that as I am in my mid 20s and am no small person yet they pushed me around. I was told that if I dont want to cruise with so many rude forgein people to not book durring certain months.

 

Corbettgirl21

[LLM]

I'm getting a little concerned about our upcoming cruise on Liberty after reading of so many people commenting on the rude passangers. :(

 

Lisa

[irish colleen]

I'm "foreign" and I'll be on Liberty in 4 weeks so steer clear fellow passengers

It sometime amazes me how narrow minded you "non foreigners" can be. Anywhere that dosent have a US postal code is outer space. Do you even know where their home countries are on the map? And of course they are ALL rude. Not to mention the $$$ we leave in your country that we spend on vacation there.

Geez you should hear what us foreigners say about ye natives:D

[camofwilliamsburg]

We did MSC Orchestra( LOVED IT) but had to apologize for being American. It was the Americans that were embarrassing to us. We had to tell the staff we are American but not with that group! What Americans perceive as rudeness is not being able to understand the other people.... a smile works!

As far as bashing the OP for an observation over differences...she was on both cruises and you were not. I am sure relatively speaking you had no complaints. She saw major differences, why question her?

[Yo Eleven]

Yep! I was on your second leg of your Liberty Cruise.

 

AKA: RIFF RAFF CRUISE

 

There were a bunch of BUMS and LOSERS on this sailing. I see you saw the same thing. Here is my review.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1062402

[Yo Eleven]

. The biggest thing I noticed was all the people that were from other countries on board. I found them to be rude. I read on another thread you made that you couldnt believe how many people were rude on your cruise, well that was due to so many forgien people, most do not know how americans are to one another. I did find it annoying that even I was being pushed around by them so dont feel it they were ignoring your cane, cause it was far more than that as I am in my mid 20s and am no small person yet they pushed me around. I was told that if I dont want to cruise with so many rude forgein people to not book durring certain months.

Corbettgirl21

Oh man! I wouldn't have said all the rude people were foreign. That is gonna open up a can of worms. Even some of the natives were jerks.

I'm "foreign" and I'll be on Liberty in 4 weeks so steer clear fellow passengers

It sometime amazes me how narrow minded you "non foreigners" can be. Anywhere that dosent have a US postal code is outer space. Do you even know where their home countries are on the map? And of course they are ALL rude. Not to mention the $$$ we leave in your country that we spend on vacation there.

Geez you should hear what us foreigners say about ye natives:D

Can of worms opened. LOL! :D

[caribbeanboy]

I'm "foreign" and I'll be on Liberty in 4 weeks so steer clear fellow passengers

It sometime amazes me how narrow minded you "non foreigners" can be. Anywhere that dosent have a US postal code is outer space. Do you even know where their home countries are on the map? And of course they are ALL rude. Not to mention the $$$ we leave in your country that we spend on vacation there.

Geez you should hear what us foreigners say about ye natives:D

 

I know and what they say in europe is not cute at all !

[Yo Eleven]

I know and what they say in europe is not cute at all !

What do they say about us there? :confused:

[irish colleen]

P.S. I am soooo jealous of people who can afford a BTB - money and timewise

Still cant wait for our cruise regardless of reviews!

Will def put on a stone in weight - that's 14lb to you natives:D

[mjm1204]

I'm "foreign" and I'll be on Liberty in 4 weeks so steer clear fellow passengers

It sometime amazes me how narrow minded you "non foreigners" can be. Anywhere that dosent have a US postal code is outer space. Do you even know where their home countries are on the map? And of course they are ALL rude. Not to mention the $$$ we leave in your country that we spend on vacation there.

Geez you should hear what us foreigners say about ye natives:D

 

 

 

Ok, I take offense to what you said.

 

I was on the cruise they're talking about and I'm American. And I consider myself to be one of the A-holes on board that ship.

 

Please give credit where it's due.

 

Thank you.

[Butch Snider]

P.S. I am soooo jealous of people who can afford a BTB - money and timewise

 

Since I traveled on the same B2B as the OP -- which worked out well since she's my wife -- we got a lot of jealous feedback over going on two consecutive cruises. In case you're wondering how we can afford it, we were in an interior cabin, which cost half the price of a balcony cabin. The airfare cost was the same. So an interior B2B costs about the same as a 1-week balcony.

 

And as far as the time goes, the B2B coincided with a U.S. holiday (Labor Day), which gave us an extra 4 days off work. Therefore the extra week cruise only cost us an extra 3 days off work.

 

DW and I also met a lovely British family on our cruise who was also on the B2B who said it was impractical for them to fly across the Atlantic for only one week given the flight cost.

[amybeth4]

Ok, I take offense to what you said.

 

I was on the cruise they're talking about and I'm American. And I consider myself to be one of the A-holes on board that ship.

 

Please give credit where it's due.

 

Thank you.

 

L-o-freakin-l.