Royal Caribbean -- Please Bring Back...

[Aldeya]

* Less rushing in the dining room and more staff dancing/entertainment. Remember the flaming desserts on their heads or when the kids took over the dining room on Pirate night? The waiters run around like crazy now and seem very distracted. (I would pay more for a slower paced more relaxing/ entertaining dinner with the same waiter. I don't enjoy it anymore)

 

I would too agree to pay more. Now it is just a mad rush. I feel bad for the waiters and it took away the enjoyment of the dining BIG time.

[cruise wizard]

They still do this on Radiance as well as a chocolate buffet held late at night.

 

 

I was told many years ago by a CD that RCCL management made a decision to drop that skit fleet wide because someone wrote into headquarters that the skit was demeaning and rude.

 

The last performance I saw was on the Radiance and Gordon Whatman did the honors. I laughed my "rear" off...........it is so funny!!!!!

 

Radiance here we come!!!!

[rharvey999]

Kruze Komics.

 

Bravo on this idea. We thought the Kruze Komics were the funniest act ever. Saw them all over the ship, from the embarkation gangway, to the pool deck, to the pre-show in the theater. Great fun. Thanks for reminding me.

[IrishCC]

Here here !! I agree !

Me too! I have 100 shares of stock just sitting there!! . . . . . . please don't flame me .. . . .we bought low and I don't want to sell incase they bring back this perk!

[Jimnbigd]

What is the horse racing on the pool deck that several of you speak of?

[uncle John]

 

The costumes and the PARADE were fantastic. On time we had a big sales group onboard and these guys were betting BIG TIME as in side bets with 3-4 zeros. They had an owner, jockey, Trainer and stable hand all dressed up along with the horse really decked out. Wish I could find the video.

[bigbillfromchicago]

Vadalia Onion Tart

Escargot (only one night is OK)

Towel animals every day

Rib Eye in Chops

Hot, fresh breakfast items in MDR

 

But I have to admit there have been some nice new additions since we started cruising, so it's not all bad.:)

[Drunkard of the Seas]

horse racing sounds fun! definately would like to see:

RCCL in norfolk. i have friends in nc i like to cruise with and they do carnival out of charleston, sc and soon norfolk. they came to NJ in march and enjoyed the explorer but wouldnt be willing to come all the way up for a cruise everytime.

 

skeet shooting and golf ball driving. not likely to return but it sure is nice to dream.

 

scratch academy DJs fleetwide! they are just so much better then the regular ones.

-Roger

[ryano]

Dan Dan the Party Man had horse racing on Radiance in 2011. I had never heard of it........Everyone looked like they were having lots of fun.

[DHADEN]

Go back to the 14 & 15 Day Itineraries.

Now that I am retiring, I could do the 15-day to Hawaii & back from California.

 

Also when the Bigger Panama Canal opens - have Mariner/Voyager/Navigator do the 15-Day Transit.

 

These are previously mentioned that I second:

 

Seaview Cafe on Radiance class ships

Combinations of Shareholder OBC, Savings Certificates, Balcony Discount, and Next Cruise OBC.

How about horse races on the pool deck!

Our Pillow mints/ chocolates

the grand gala buffet

Midnight Chocolate Buffet

Guacamole Bowl and chips in Schooner Happy hour

Kruze Komics.

[fridaythe13th]

Boston to Bermuda cruises.

Buy a bottle of booze onboard and bring it back to your cabin.

[Hobiecat01]

How about horse races on the pool deck!

 

I second this one. I always thought the races were cheesy until I participated. It was a total hoot!!

[katrina915]

Seaview Cafe!!!!

[B-52]

When I first saw this post I thought for sure people would come up with some major issues RCI has changed over the years....

 

But I have to admit, aside from sailing from different homeports, the other issues seem very tame....

I quess they knew what they were doing when they alleviated some things.

[waf125]

I will second and third the following:

 

Partial transit thru Panama Canal.

Scallop Risotto.

Seaview Cafe.

Kruze Komics.

[SPARKLE10]

Hi:

 

Our first cruise was on RCCL about 25 years ago, and I remember free "pop" "soda" (depending on where you live); and all the theme nights in the dining room...I thought they were fun.

 

Then there were the outdoor grills by the pool, where you could get hot dogs, fries and cheeseburgers cooked right there....Also, I would get a half grapefruit, already cut up, with a cherry in the middle. I would get that every morning for breakfast in the WJ. I haven't seen that in a very long time.

 

We're D+ and still cruise several times a year; but these are some of the things I remembered and missed.

 

Also, does anyone else remember the RCCL deck of cards that were waiting for you in your cabin? And, it was so much fun to have the Cherries Jubilee and Banana Foster fixed right at your table. I think they did that with the Ceasar Salad also. I loved the parade of the Baked Alaska, where the waiters would bring them in the dining room on their heads.

 

I remember a lot of late night parties out on the deck and not just buffets and now it seems on a week long cruise, you only have one.

 

What I really miss is the first time we stopped at Labadee, and it was just a beautiful beach stop, with not much there at all. Just the beautiful water, sand, and of course the lunch they brought from the ship.

 

At dinner the first night, the waiter would ask your name and write it down, so he would know who you were and it was nice they called you by your name each evening. And, when you had a birthday or anniversary, they always brought you a cake and sang to you, and you didn't have to pay extra for it.

 

I also miss the Ship Shape Dollars and the Horse Racing. I can see why they don't have the skeet shooting and the golf balls off the end of the deck, but it was sure fun to watch. Also, does anyone else remember flying kites off the ship?

 

And it was so nice to be able to pick up your towel out on deck and not have to wait in line to check one out. Also, I'm one who misses the luggage tags and real docs you used to get.

 

Happy Cruising.....Sparkle 10 (Anita)

[UCF_Knight]

At dinner the first night, the waiter would ask your name and write it down, so he would know who you were and it was nice they called you by your name each evening.

 

Maybe I've just gotten lucky with waiters, but every one of my recent waiters still does this.

[croosieloosie]

Vidalia Onion Tart

 

Partial Panama Canal itineraries

 

That program they used to have that would give prizes for participating in fitness activities. I can't remember what it was called. :confused:

 

ShipShape :)

 

Things I miss:

Horse Races

KruzeKomics (loved them)

Price Drops after final/Combining Discounts

Pool Towels in cabin

 

Does anyone remember how they use to bring the meat cart to you in Chops to show the available cuts? And the service was unbelievable. There's a few things that are gone from Chops I miss.

 

Ditto on the Baked Alaska Parade :)

[croosieloosie]

Song Of Norway was my first cruise forever ago, wow, things have changed a bit.

We were actually the main entertainment on one of the nights, lol. it was in the main "theatre" which was smaller than the small venues like the Cleopatra's Needle. We were given a skit to put on, wearing 1800's bathing suites stuffed with balloons in all the right places, and danced to the song "By the sea, by the beautiful sea..." Don't remember the proper name of the song. Had pool type games in there as night time entertainment as well. It was probably my favorite cruise, lol.

Not all changes are for the worse, but, there are many things I really miss.

I agree as well, with those that want dinner to be like it used to be. Not as enjoyable when the waiters are so rushed, even though it still takes almost two hours to get in and out.

Still, nothing like a cruise!

[garden girl]

Funny thing we have just returned from our last cruise and many of these thoughts came up in conversation as we shared the "good old days" with our newly cruising friends.

 

Shipshape dollars - we always participated

turndown with chocolates and nightgown on the pillow - it was such a little touch but looked impressive

"newspaper"

THE FINAL SKIT - it was hilarious!!

dining room parades - I know some think they are hokey but that was part of the cruise experience (they did one last week but had to finish dessert service to everyone first so many diners had already left - we returned so our friends could see it)

 

Remember when your cabin attendant actually came in and coiled your flat irons or hair dryer cords back to their original neat state and changed out towels after a mid day shower? Definitely not needed but we sure were impressed.

 

Steel drum music instead of the DJ and video stuff. That means we are really cruising!

[cruzeluvr]

Funny thing we have just returned from our last cruise and many of these thoughts came up in conversation as we shared the "good old days" with our newly cruising friends. . .

We also just returned from a cruise (Explorer) and we had a discussion with some first time cruisers who were curious about some of the things we mentioned that we missed from the past.

- Champagne upon stepping on board

- A crew member to escort you to your cabin

- Horseracing on deck

- Shipshape program

- Happy hour (with hors d'ouvres) in the Viking Crown

- Pillow chocolates

- No specialty restaurants, every meal was extravagant!

- The farewell skit, "If I were not upon the sea . . ."

- Small ships able to dock in both Hamilton & St. George, Bermuda

- Pool/beach towels delivered to your room

- Baked Alaska parade in the dining room

- Cherries Jubilee prepared tableside in the dining room

[fungirl76]

Please refer to your master message board list for Cruise Critic.

 

<------- Crystal, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas are that way

Seabourn, Silversea, and Windstar are that way ---------->

 

 

Bye.

 

Yea!

[fungirl76]

For what it's worth, I recently read a Jewel review by a Carnival cruiser who indicated that pool towels are NOT handled using check out/check in system on that cruise line. Are Royal cruisers more prone to theft???

 

I am sadly admitting that I cruised on Carnival this year:-( (NEVER AGAIN) There were 2 pool towels in our stateroom. You had to exchange them at the pool, if you needed extra you had to sign them out at the pool using your sign and sail.

[fungirl76]

Cruise Docs and Luggage tags

onion tart

chocolate buffet

blue cheese tortellini

Horse Racing

pool towels in room

[JasonTehGreat]

Yes, we did the Nordic Empress for our first cruise! We were also very wowed! We need one of those going out of Galveston year around. It would be awesome to do some little weekend getaways.

 

 

Navigator will be in Galveston year-round now!