Does Royal Caribbean go through "aussification"?

[Esilef]

While cruising in the Australian waters does Royal Caribbean adjust their cruise ships to tailor to the Australian market? Ie like carnival spirits aussification?

 

Do they serve australian/ New Zealand wines & beers? Is the dining menu altered to the Australian tastes?

 

Can you buy Australian products on board ie cigarets?

 

Or are the royal Caribbean ships in Australia still very much tailored to the American market?

[fishtaco]

I have only been on Voyager but there was no Aussification at all.

 

They are visiting American ships, Carnival Spirit is now an Australian ship.

[Royalty X]

No, there is no Aussiefication with RCI or Celebrity ships. And I'm happy about that. I think it's exciting being able to experience something different.

[fishtaco]

No, there is no Aussiefication with RCI or Celebrity ships. And I'm happy about that. I think it's exciting being able to experience something different.

 

 

Ditto.

[Brossy]

Actually yes, there are a few things they do to look after us Aussies. I noticed it a lot more on Radiance ad Rhapsody than Voyager ( maybe because Voyager was new to Aus).

*Aussie cereals available like weetbix, cornflakes and rice bubbles not just American sugary cereals.

*English bacon as well as the dried up American bacon.

*Bingo played the Aussie way not the US way ( I think they use a different type of card).

*on Radiance we had a BBQ on deck every 2nd day. On Voyager we had a Massive Australia Day party up in deck (in the promenade they replaces all the banners that were usually there with Australia Day ones - a nice touch I thought).

I can't think of anything else off the top of my head but if I think of anymore I'll let you know.

[The_Big_M]

Agreed, there are some slight differences. A couple of the differences are also that they have an AU/NZ wine selection added, and that they change the drinks prices to be tips inclusive.

 

However, to answer the menu question, it stays the same.

[gbenjo]

We did the repositioning cruise on the Rhapsody from Sydney to Hawaii a couple of years ago and I can remember them having a "sale" on cans of Aussie beers to "get rid of them" (the beers.....not the Aussies :D) but not much else.

[Sydney32203]

Do they have Vegemite available for breakfast?

[keagle]

Do they have Vegemite available for breakfast?

Yes, they have the little packets that cover a small amount of toast. Well, they did last time I was on the Rhapsody.

 

The have some Oz beers on board as well.

[Esilef]

A BBQ on deck sounds great! We are off to Fiji on the voyager so hope to get great pool & BBQ weather.

 

Hope voyager does a BBQ. Let's face it is there anything better than a snag in some bread with some onion and tomato sauce. Add a beer for hubby & everyone is happy.

 

Make all the hubbies happy & let them take over the BBQ. Arguing over when the best time to turn a steak is.

 

Us ladies can look after the salads as the male species never can understand that you cannot just have a plate if meat for lunch!

 

Empty out a couple of rubbish bins and add ice, beer and no name soft drink cans. Aussification completed.

 

Oh sorry forgot not cruising P&O!!

[rkmw]

A BBQ on deck sounds great! We are off to Fiji on the voyager so hope to get great pool & BBQ weather.

 

Hope voyager does a BBQ. Let's face it is there anything better than a snag in some bread with some onion and tomato sauce. Add a beer for hubby & everyone is happy.

 

Make all the hubbies happy & let them take over the BBQ. Arguing over when the best time to turn a steak is.

 

Us ladies can look after the salads as the male species never can understand that you cannot just have a plate if meat for lunch!

 

Empty out a couple of rubbish bins and add ice, beer and no name soft drink cans. Aussification completed.

 

Oh sorry forgot not cruising P&O!!

 

p&o have lots of BBQ also, on my last cruise on the Jewel it was nearly every night

[Esilef]

A BBQ on the pool deck every night sounds like heaps of fun!

[springaussie]

A BBQ on the pool deck every night sounds like heaps of fun!

The BBQs are usually lunch time on pool deck.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Can you buy Australian products on board ie cigarets?

 

When I was a smoker , I made sure I took enough from home , as at that stage , they only sold American Cigs on board.....and boy oh boy were they strong and usually all toasted...YUK.

 

With the drop in smoking numbers and the abolition of duty free smokes , I dont think they are very keen to sell any on board these days.

 

 

 

[bazzaw]

UNFORTUNATELY - some aspects of Radiance have been "Aussiefied" . For example , the draught (on-tap) beer is (unfortunately) Australian lagers. BUT - they do carry a reasonably wide range of foreign beers (some of which are very good and not readily available here) . These "foreign" beers also sell much cheaper than what they are bought for here.

 

3 beers I enjoyed were all bottled --

 

La Find du Monde - ("The End of the Earth" -- a Belgian style wheat beer from Quebec) - 9.5%

 

Samuel Adams Boston Lager - ( a dark and strongly flavoured lager , unlike any lager brewed here ) -- 4.9%

 

Samuel Adams Imperial White - (a very potent wheat beer - strictly for sipping only ) - 10.4%

 

There were many others - but these were those which I had tried before on our travels and liked, so I kept to them.

 

Barry

[stephiems]

*Aussie cereals available like weetbix, cornflakes and rice bubbles not just American sugary cereals.

 

Cornflakes and rice krispies (known as rice bubbles in Australia) are actually by Kellogg's, which is an American company and are American cereals that just happen to be available in Australia as well.

 

*English bacon as well as the dried up American bacon.

 

Oh great, as long as they have kept the crispy American bacon I will be happy. So sick of the hopeless bacon here and both me and my Aussie partner are looking forward to the American bacon. He is forever trying to get breakfast places here to do crispy bacon, but they really just burn it. I think it is a specific cut of bacon, and that's why it can be crispy. Obviously I disagree with the 'dried up' part, but thanks for the info. :)

 

Personally we are both hoping there is as little 'Aussification' as possible on the Radiance.

 

The only thing I think I wish was much more Aussiefied is the coffee. After being here for over 10 years, I don't know how I'm going to get through 10 days without a decent latte in the morning.

 

Steph

[marquisite]

The main dining room menu does get adjusted for Australian cruises. How much, I don't know - It may just be the terminology. As in Entrees & Main Courses instead of Starters & Main Courses. In one of the corners (bottom right I think) it says AU Australian.

 

Going by previous experience of two RCI cruises, the headliner showtime (guest entertainers) would b more Australian-based than say a Caribbean cruise.

[bazzaw]

The main dining room menu does get adjusted for Australian cruises. How much, I don't know - It may just be the terminology. As in Entrees & Main Courses instead of Starters & Main Courses. In one of the corners (bottom right I think) it says AU Australian.

 

 

 

On both our Voyager and recent Radiance cruises, the MDR menu shows "Starters" and "Entree's -- Entrees being the main course!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entr%C3%A9e

 

Barry

[fishtaco]

On both our Voyager and recent Radiance cruises, the MDR menu shows "Starters" and "Entree's -- Entrees being the main course!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entr%C3%A9e

 

Barry

 

Same for us but waiters couldnt explain. Glad you looked it up.

 

It was the same on Carnival USA I kept asking where are the Mains:confused:

[fishtaco]

Actually yes, there are a few things they do to look after us Aussies. I noticed it a lot more on Radiance ad Rhapsody than Voyager ( maybe because Voyager was new to Aus).

*Aussie cereals available like weetbix, cornflakes and rice bubbles not just American sugary cereals.

*English bacon as well as the dried up American bacon.

*Bingo played the Aussie way not the US way ( I think they use a different type of card).

*on Radiance we had a BBQ on deck every 2nd day. On Voyager we had a Massive Australia Day party up in deck (in the promenade they replaces all the banners that were usually there with Australia Day ones - a nice touch I thought).

I can't think of anything else off the top of my head but if I think of anymore I'll let you know.

 

Lol had to laugh about the cereals and you thinking they were australian:D:D:D

 

And am sure North americans were BBQing way before us :)

[Brossy]

Lol had to laugh about the cereals and you thinking they were australian:D:D:D

 

And am sure North americans were BBQing way before us :)

 

Actually that is not what I meant. I know Kellogs is an American company. What I meant to say was that on Voyager all you could get were the sugar coated junk like fruit loops, frosties, lucky charms etc. you could not get the normal cereals that are available in Australia that are not so laden in sugar such as rice bubbles, cornflakes, weetbix etc.

 

Ummm yep I know all about BBQs as well ( what's with the attack on me fish taco!) jeez.

 

I was just trying to help out. Perhaps next time ill just keep my opinions to myself!!

[marquisite]

On both our Voyager and recent Radiance cruises, the MDR menu shows "Starters" and "Entree's -- Entrees being the main course!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entr%C3%A9e

 

Barry

 

Wow, really? What month/year was this?

 

I just looked back at a photo of a MDR menu for March 2013 and it is Starters and Main Courses. This was on Voyager of the Seas. Unless the terminology is different for My Time and Traditional - surely not? :confused:

 

Anyway course names aside, there are 'Australia' MDR menus - what is actually changed on them I'm not exactly sure (having only only departed from Australia on cruises). :D

 

From memory Radiance of the Seas had an 'Aussie bar' at least on the 2012 cruise to Tasmania - again having only sailed out of Australia I'm not sure if this bar changes depending on region :)

[bazzaw]

Wow, really? What month/year was this?

 

 

For Voyager, it was Feb this year in the MDR, fixed dining.

 

For Radiance, it was last week!! :)

 

Barry

[Pushka]

The use of the word "entree" to describe the main course - I don't think I will ever get my head around that. :o

[bazzaw]

Apparently, it is a long standing practice in the US.

 

Barry