Birthday on the cruise...anything special from RCL?

[Heyitsrick]

My wife's milestone birthday (that will go unreported here!) is coming up during our cruise. When we reserved the cruise, there was a generic question about "will someone be celebrating a birthday during the cruise" or some such. But is there any specific process whereby you notify them in advance that someone's having a birthday? Do they do anything differently for that person, other than clapping hands and singing? Just wondering if it's even worth mentioning to RCL.

 

Mind you, I don't expect that they will go out of their way to do anything extradordinary for a birthday person, seeing as there's probably tons of them each cruise. Just wondering if they do anything at all.

[ondeckatsea]

Usually you mention it to the travel agent and on your wife's big day she will be serenaded by the wait staff (embarassed as well) and will receive a small cake. Being on a cruise sure is a nice way to celebrate!

[codlips]

the size of the cake has shrunk with the quality of service,perhaps a good indicator?:rolleyes:

[madforcruising]

They don´t do the small birthday cake anymore. It´s gone away now for way over a year. If you want a birthday cake for dinner now you have to order it and pay for it.

 

I´ve been on a cruise during my birthday last year and there was nothing done than a little card on the bed saying Happy Birthday (Nice gesture but it was about a week too early:D ).

Nothing was done in the dining room and to be honest I was glad they did nothing:) .

[codlips]

We were on the brilliance march 2005 my wife had a cake and the serenade,the cake was embarassingly small especially for a large table,we did,nt pay for the cup cake,my wifes birthday is on st patricks day, our tablemates would have baked the cake themselves if they did,nt,still a pathetic offering though.

[madforcruising]

From RCCL´s website:

 

 

 

Do you offer Special Occasion Cakes?

Royal Caribbean offers Birthday, Anniversary and Special Occasion Cakes fleet wide for a nominal fee of $7.95 USD.

 

There are two types of cakes available: Chocolate sponge cake with chocolate butter cream or Vanilla sponge cake with vanilla butter cream, both are decorated with flowers on the left side of the cake. These cakes are 6" round and serve 2-10 people. The name (or names) will be written on the cake with a candle placed on top. A minimum of 6 hours advance notice is required. All cakes that are ordered by 12 noon will be served that evening in the main dining room.

 

The cake will be charged to your Seapass card or credit card upon request at time of ordering the cake onboard the ship.

 

If you do not wish to purchase a cake, inform your waiter of the special occasion and a "slice of cake" will be provided for the birthday, anniversary or special event. This slice of cake, provided in our main dining room, will be based on the daily cake offerings for that evening. This will serve one person and there is no additional charge. There will be a "happy birthday" or "happy anniversary" placquered on top of the slice of cake.

[3redheads]

My DD will have her 13th birthday falls while we are on our cruise. You can order decorations and a cake on the RCCL website. You have to sign in with your reservation number and go to "Cruise Enhancements" and click on "Gifts and Gear".

 

Kim

[ruskatab]

I was on the Sovereign last October for my birthday and got sang to and got a piece of cake on the formal night. The girls traveling with me told the waiter.

[island lady]

Embarkation day on my upcoming Mariner cruise is "the big one" for me. :eek: :eek:

 

I am bringing my own "birthday treat" for sailaway on our balcony. I will take champagne over cake any day!! :D

 

Cheers!

[Toto2Kansas]

We recently celebrated a birthday on an RCI ship. We had a choice of paying for a small cake or just having them write HAPPY BIRTHDAY on the dessert that evening. There were no decorations on the door for him to wake up to or anything, I was highly disappointed.

[Linda/Ohio]

We just celebrated a birthday on a cruise. We made sure our waiter was aware--they brought a slice of cake with a candle and sang to my cousin. We snuck into her cabin (her sister gave us the key) and blew up 30 balloons and added streamers. It cost me about $6.00 to bring the balloons and streamers and a bit of hot air!!!

 

Since my cousin was not expecting it--she was delighted with the whole event.

 

Linda/Ohio

[MonaCK]

If you have a really good travel agent, he or she might pick up the cost for something like a cake for a birthday.

[beachchick]

I realize that it might be a disappoinment not to get a cake and decorations for a birthday, but think about it: there are so many people onboard celebrating so many birthdays, weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, etc. that they would be doing it for everyone. I know it's special for the person and family involved, but it's up to the family to do (or pay) for something extra.

 

One of the main reasons they stopped the free full size cake is that there were, literally, hundreds of people (many of whom weren't exactly, shall we say, truthful) celebrating some big event. (Personally, I can't imagine lying about a birthday or anything else just to get a little cake on a cruise ship--as if there's not enough food or cake as it is!)

 

Anyway, I'm certainly not saying anyone here is lying, but many pax were. So RCI said, "no more free cakes; just a decorated dessert of the night." Another reason may be that it's another way for RCI to save money, so that my cruise fare isn't any higher than it already is--no offense, but I don't want to pay for someone else's celebration; I don't expect anyone to pay for mine.

 

beachchick

[swinelobell]

:confused: :confused:

I realize that it might be a disappoinment not to get a cake and decorations for a birthday, but think about it: there are so many people onboard celebrating so many birthdays, weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, etc. that they would be doing it for everyone. I know it's special for the person and family involved, but it's up to the family to do (or pay) for something extra.

 

One of the main reasons they stopped the free full size cake is that there were, literally, hundreds of people (many of whom weren't exactly, shall we say, truthful) celebrating some big event. (Personally, I can't imagine lying about a birthday or anything else just to get a little cake on a cruise ship--as if there's not enough food or cake as it is!)

 

Anyway, I'm certainly not saying anyone here is lying, but many pax were. So RCI said, "no more free cakes; just a decorated dessert of the night." Another reason may be that it's another way for RCI to save money, so that my cruise fare isn't any higher than it already is--no offense, but I don't want to pay for someone else's celebration; I don't expect anyone to pay for mine.

 

beachchick

[swinelobell]

It seems that more and more people are celebrating something. That's why many are turning to cruises. It wouldn't hurt RCI to help observe that celebration. They make enough on the booze alone. A cruise is a party in all senses of the word. Let's celebrate as such. Cruisin LoBell

[beachchick]

I don't think it's a matter of how much they make on booze. I don't want my cruise fares to be raised any more then they already are to pay for the multitudes of pax celebrating a special event. Do we party? Of course, but I don't expect you to pay for my party; I don't expect to have to pay for yours. Cruising is travel and vacation. If all it is to you is a party to celebrate, that's fine, but it's up to you to take care of the extras.

 

My point was and is that RCI decided that so many pax were (or were simply claiming to be) celebrating some special event that they would no longer pay for any special items.

 

I don't mean to sound rude, but you've paid for a cruise vacation, not to have RCI give you an individual celebratory party.

 

This doesn't mean that I don't think it would be nice to have goodies for everyone celebrating something. However, that ends up being pretty much everyone on board sometimes.

 

Also, I don't follow your logic that more and more people are celebrating something and that's why they are cruising. People have always celebrated special times; cruise lines are marketing themselves as a form of vacation. I don't see the two as inter-related.

 

beachchick

[madforcruising]

I realize that it might be a disappoinment not to get a cake and decorations for a birthday, but think about it: there are so many people onboard celebrating so many birthdays, weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, etc. that they would be doing it for everyone. I know it's special for the person and family involved, but it's up to the family to do (or pay) for something extra.

 

One of the main reasons they stopped the free full size cake is that there were, literally, hundreds of people (many of whom weren't exactly, shall we say, truthful) celebrating some big event. (Personally, I can't imagine lying about a birthday or anything else just to get a little cake on a cruise ship--as if there's not enough food or cake as it is!)

 

Anyway, I'm certainly not saying anyone here is lying, but many pax were. So RCI said, "no more free cakes; just a decorated dessert of the night." Another reason may be that it's another way for RCI to save money, so that my cruise fare isn't any higher than it already is--no offense, but I don't want to pay for someone else's celebration; I don't expect anyone to pay for mine.

 

beachchick

 

 

Absolutely true and I feel the same way.

 

I know for sure that people have been lying about celebrations just to get the singing waiters and the cake (btw I never cared for it as I always thought it was not that good). I experienced it several times that people at my dinner table said they were celebrating something and it was not so. Of course the waiters knew too and I remember one time when the waiters came with the cake to the person it had written on it "Happy no reason". And of course theycame to sing exactly this. I had tears in my eyes from laughing because of the sense of humor the crew had.

Since they got rid of the cake there´s much less singing in the dining room and that´s not a bad thing in my eyes.

[madforcruising]

beachchick,

 

right on the spot again.

 

 

 

And let me add, you can still celebrate. Tell them your event and they will put a candle on your regular ordered dessert and write Happy ..... on it.

 

You just won´t get a free cake. But hey there´s plenty of free (I know included) cake available. Order cake from the menu for the whole table and it will be there. Where is the difference???

 

BTW they did never anything else then the cake for free. Room and door decorations have always been to pay for extras.

[bjlabby]

I booked our cruise directly with RCI. The Guest Vacation Specialist who took care of my reservation, told me that he ordered a complementary B'day cake for my wife, who will be celebrating a birthday during our cruise next year. Didn't even have to ask... I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[madforcruising]

I booked our cruise directly with RCI. The Guest Vacation Specialist who took care of my reservation, told me that he ordered a complementary B'day cake for my wife, who will be celebrating a birthday during our cruise next year. Didn't even have to ask... I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

Just be careful that they don´t present you the bill for it at the end of the cruise.;)

[island lady]

I am glad I don't like cake!! What a hassle! :rolleyes:

 

Maybe a little candle in my shrimp cocktail would be nice!! :D

 

Champagne toast on our balcony during sailaway is how I am celebrating my half century mark! :eek:

 

Cheers!

[Shanafan]

Usually you mention it to the travel agent and on your wife's big day she will be serenaded by the wait staff (embarassed as well) and will receive a small cake. Being on a cruise sure is a nice way to celebrate!

We were on the Jewel for my hubby's birthday. The small cake was actually a slice of cake with a candle on it. You can purchase a small cake for 8 bucks or so.

[Former Goalie]

We've ordered the room decorations twice, the second time the b-day cake came with it. It was a very nice way to sart the cruise, not ridiculously over priced.

IMHO with the mainstream, mass market lines (RCI being one), can't say as I disagree with the cruise line. Catering to 3000+ pax (on Voyager class) with all the various "special occasions", real or almost real, would keep the pastry chef on overtime.

Let's face it, it is also a modest profit center. Seabourn, Crystal, etc., you'd probably expect the special treatment. For that luxury, you're paying a lot more.

[KKeeganS]

My birthday will fall on our cruise this September - I don't want a cake, DEFINITELY don't want to be sung to, am quite happy just being on vacation!

[3redheads]

We are paying for the cake and decorations. The cake will be sent to our room. DD would be so embarrassed to have people sing to her in the dining room.

 

 

Since she is turning 13, it is a big deal to us and her and we appreciate the fact that they can help us make her birthday a bit more special.

 

Kim