Has anyone else stopped recommending RCI to people?

[Topo Gigio]

Since I'm flexible with both time and cabin choices (hey I'm on a ship) I always wait till a couple of weeks before the cruise to buy my cruise, and I usually get excellent prices.If the cruise I want to go on is still expensive I have a look at the competition. Btw I usually cruise from September to December.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Topo Gigio

[A2Mich]

Wow. I'm glad I decided to read this thread. We're set to sail on our first RCI cruise in a few weeks, having previously sailed on Carnival, and once on Princess. Thankfully, when we booked this cruise in Feb 2014, the price was about $1000 more than Carnival, and we're second guessing our choice. Back in August, we were able to get our rates reduced with the KSF promo (we have 3 kids, BTW), a lower first and second pax rate, and ended up getting a small ($100) OBC. Overall, that brought us down to roughly what Carnival was asking at the time. A few weeks later, Carnival's rate skyrocketed about $1000 higher than what we were booked at on RCI. We're also booked in a FP cabin on FOTS, which gives us quite a bit more square footage than the standard 4 person OV cabin on Carnival. Not to mention that we would have needed a rollaway on Carny, giving us even less floor space, but an ocean view. So, we compromised the view to get a larger cabin, and a bathtub.

 

After reading some of the comments here, I'm getting a bit anxious again and hoping we still made a good choice. It sounds like Carnival and RCI have both made noticeable cutbacks, while NCL has been trying to improve, assumably to entice passengers away from Royal and Carny. I do wish that NCL had more options for families of 5, as we might be more willing to try them next time. Also sounds like NCL's free drink package is helping to convince some to switch over as well. We'll keep our fingers crossed that Royal doesn't disappoint us.

[bilyclub]

I am on the ledge about this. I have always pushed Royal. If my upcoming voyage is so-so with huge drink prices I will be jumping ship.

[kruzerci]

I am definitely no longer a Royal Caribbean cheerleader. We haven't recommended them in a couple of years now. Sometimes RC's cruises work out well for us and we do a couple a year, in addition to other vacations, but their cruises are no longer anything special and it's pretty clear the quality has plummeted, the nickel and diming has gotten out of cotrol, and the overall experience has slipped in recent years.

 

When friends ask for opinions on vacations, I lean towards upscale resorts/all inclusives at this point and if they ask about cruises, I advise them look into Celebrity or another slightly more upscale line.

 

We love cruising solely because we love being out at sea, in the sun, and quite literally disconnecting. But the atmosphere of Royal Caribbean has totally changed and IMHO, not for the better.

 

So, no, I no longer recommend Royal Caribbean unless it's an explicit question as to whether or not we prefer RC or Carnival.

[kruzerci]

Wow. I'm glad I decided to read this thread. We're set to sail on our first RCI cruise in a few weeks, having previously sailed on Carnival, and once on Princess. Thankfully, when we booked this cruise in Feb 2014, the price was about $1000 more than Carnival, and we're second guessing our choice. Back in August, we were able to get our rates reduced with the KSF promo (we have 3 kids, BTW), a lower first and second pax rate, and ended up getting a small ($100) OBC. Overall, that brought us down to roughly what Carnival was asking at the time. A few weeks later, Carnival's rate skyrocketed about $1000 higher than what we were booked at on RCI. We're also booked in a FP cabin on FOTS, which gives us quite a bit more square footage than the standard 4 person OV cabin on Carnival. Not to mention that we would have needed a rollaway on Carny, giving us even less floor space, but an ocean view. So, we compromised the view to get a larger cabin, and a bathtub.

 

After reading some of the comments here, I'm getting a bit anxious again and hoping we still made a good choice. It sounds like Carnival and RCI have both made noticeable cutbacks, while NCL has been trying to improve, assumably to entice passengers away from Royal and Carny. I do wish that NCL had more options for families of 5, as we might be more willing to try them next time. Also sounds like NCL's free drink package is helping to convince some to switch over as well. We'll keep our fingers crossed that Royal doesn't disappoint us.

 

I wouldn't be concerned. Freedom is one of the best ships out there. The product is a watered down version of what it was, but I will say that their ships are still unparalleled in terms of beauty and design.

[Debde]

I do wish that NCL had more options for families of 5, as we might be more willing to try them next time. Also sounds like NCL's free drink package is helping to convince some to switch over as well. We'll keep our fingers crossed that Royal doesn't disappoint us.

 

I travel with 5 sometimes 6 and have noticed, outside of suites, seems NCL has you go for more connecting then what Royal does offer for families non-suite. Royal does offer more choices for families.

I don't think Freedom will disappoint at all. Have fun!!!

I just think when you look for your next cruise-that's where Royal may sticker shock you!!:(

[Langley Cruisers]

I took a 2-night sampler on NCL back in January as a way to get hyped for my upcoming summer cruise and I have to say the service/food was much better, the entertainment was great, and the ship was great. There were certain things I missed having, but all in all I found it to be a better value....

 

Interesting. Thanks for this. We have recently booked a Celebrity cruise and have cruised other lines, but seem to always come back to Royal because for us, "it feels like home". You (and others) have me thinking about NCL now. :)

 

.

[mrobstad]

Yikes! I thought it was just me, but it's nearly impossible to find a good solo price, so I've been cruising Norwegian. I'm not a fan of freestyle dining, but NCLs new ships are beautiful. I do have a future cruise deposit, and I'll be a Diamond after my next trip, but RCL has to price more competitively!

[karena1]

We've dabbled in a few different cruise lines and keep coming back to RCI or Celebrity. They suit our needs and we think they are a good choice for most people. They would still be our number one recommendation to anyone who asked.

 

NCL almost caused us to stop cruising it was so horrible, can't imagine cruising with them again, nor would I recommend NCL to anyone. We cruised with them early in our cruising history and we almost didn't go back to try cruising again.

 

Carnival is fine, nothing special, food was good, wouldn't refuse a booking with Carnival if we were invited to cruise with family or friends who prefer Carnival. I wouldn't discourage anyone from a Carnival cruise.

 

I wouldn't cruise on Princess again if it was the last cruise line on Earth. We had a run in with Princess that was never resolved and I will, and do, speak badly about Princess whenever I have a chance. They lied, cheated, keep the truth about something serious from us until just after we made final payment and they gave us the worse cruise of our lives. I feel they stole from me and my family. Never, ever, would I recommend Princess.

 

So funny how people have different opinions about different lines. We LOVE Princess, had the best time on Ruby in Dec. Ship was decorated the best of any ship we have ever been on, staff was amazing, entertainment was awesome.

 

We won't even try Carnival, just have no desire to do so. We are trying NCL but only b/c the price was the same on a 3 night as Royal but NCL is throwing in the bev pkg so for us, that is a no brainer.

 

We love Celebrity also and looking forward to Silhouette. But by far, we cruise Royal, just right now, really tired of their crazy prices.

[jayblue]

I am sailing Navigator in November and taking my nephew. I was showing my coworker the brochure I got. While I recommended RCCL, I did let her know that there are decent, more affordable options out there.

 

RCCL has opened the door to other lines because people are able to get a better deal elsewhere. I mention them first, but tell my audience to shop around.

Edited March 14, 2015 by jayblue

[micmacmissy]

You've got a better alternative, lets here it.

 

Celebrity.

[GonnaSailtoo]

Interesting question. I had no consciously thought about it, but yes I have been steering people to other lines lately. I have been on 20+ cruises and friends ask me about them frequently. If they are a family with young kids, I tell them to save up for Disney. If they are wanting a romantic/couples type cruise, I tell them Celebrity to Alaska is the way to go these days. If they are a family of older kids, I tell them Norwegian has been getting the highest reviews lately. The RCCL product has not decreased in my honest opinion. It is the same ships, same itineraries, same pretty much everything as it has been for years. What has changed is the price has gone up and the service has gone down which makes the entire experience less pleasant overall. I dont even think that last statement is even debatable. Simply look at the recent cruise critic awards that came out. RCCL ships were nowhere to be seen in the award lists. My family is sailing on the Independence in 75 days on a cruise booked a very long time ago and that is fully paid for. We are eagerly looking forward to the trip, but I fully expect it will be out last RCCL cruise for many years to come. There are just better values out there these days.

 

YEP. I feel exactly the same. Loyal to Royal for years - up to Diamond Plus...but leaving after my upcoming April cruise. Next hubs and I will try NCL!

[GonnaSailtoo]

Crazy pricing! I found an April 12 (next month) cruise for one in a balcony stateroom for $1235...not great, but not terrible, so I booked it. The NEXT MORNING, that same type stateroom was priced at $1641! Holy crap! This will be my LAST RCI cruise, as something strange is happening to the prices of the cruises themselves, the drink prices, the food quality - even the service. It's really sad, because I have been an RCI loyalist for many, many years.:(

Edited March 14, 2015 by GonnaSailtoo

[Stateroom_Sailor]

I would just cherry pick when prices and itineraries are attractive, otherwise reward someone else and don't look back. If Royal fans hesitate, the ships will under book, sending these prices back down. ;)

[roquejo]

I am both upper mid tier for RCCL and NCL. And have sailed HAL as well.

 

For me, I rather put loyalty points on RCCL first, as I am earning status for 3 cruise lines (RCCL, Celebrity, and Azamara).. like killing 3 birds with one stone.

 

So when the sailing dates come out, I have 3 cruise lines to choose from where I have elite status.

 

It still has the best loyalty program by far....

[bobmacliberty]

Interesting thread. Many threads like this are laced with anger (they raised the drink prices...let's get the pitchforks!). This thread however has more of a tone of sadness and acceptance. People would prefer to still be loyal but just can't anymore. If Royal reads these boards, they can probably write off many of the threads as being a small group of complainers that won't really affect their bottom line. If I was them and was reading this, I'd be worried.

 

For the record, we will probably continue to sail Royal so long as we can find a cruise with an acceptable price. I have not price shopped cruises in a while...I have only been comparing Royal against itself. Based on lots of recent comments, I'm going to at least give NCL a look for our next cruise.

[lovemylab]

I used to always recommend RCI; however, that is no longer the case.

 

Our last cruise with them was a disappointment. Mediocre food, photographers constantly in your face demanding to take a picture and rude security staff when re-boarding the ship at the ports. We would have water and sunscreen in our bags and they would assume the bottles were alcohol. When you did buy alcohol in a port they assumed you would try to sneak it to your cabin. The security staff treated everyone like children. As a result of this experience, we have not returned and no longer recommend them to others.

 

Our last few cruises have been with Celebrity and we are also considering trying NCL in the future.

Edited March 14, 2015 by lovemylab

[pstone1]

I am no longer an RCI cheerleader either. Except for a couple of Celebrity cruises, we have cruised Royal exclusively for the past 15 years and recommended Royal to everyone who would listen. We still have 4 cruises booked with Royal, (down from 7 a few months ago) but all were booked almost two years in advance.

 

It makes me very sad to see how much the product I loved so much has declined over the past several years. Although I agree that prices are ridiculous and the BOGO "sale" is insult to my intelligence, what bothers me most is upper Management's blatant ignorance toward the increasing lack of customer service. The consistently incompetent website is also very frustrating and can be ver time-consuming. IMHO, great value and stellar customer service are what produce success and sustainable profits. It seems that right now, Royal is lacking both.

 

We still love the ships and many of the crew but will be shopping around for our future cruise/vacation choices. :(

[Stags14]

Never had anything but great experiences on RCI. I've had some pathetic Carnival Cruises and wouldn't do a carnival ship over RCI if it had the exact same itinerary and was substantially less expensive.

 

I'd rather pay more and enjoy myself/get what I paid for than go for the less expensive alternative and feel dissatisfied. I still recommend RCI to everyone who asks about a cruise.

[klove613]

My hairdresser started cruising because my daughter and I would tell her about our trips. She started with Carnival because it was more affordable and loved it. She has been on 3 Carnival cruises now, but when I saw her last she was telling us how she really wants to try out Royal and how much better she knows it would be. I almost said to her...don't bother, if you are happy at Carnival and the price is good to you, stay there. I haven't been on a Royal ship in a few years though, so I want to see for myself. Going on Oasis next month and really interested to see how it compares to my first cruise on her. I am already displeased about the drink price increase because I am one of those foo-foo drink girls and I like to have maybe 2 per day, so not enough to justify the package and the individual pricing is like:eek: to me.

Edited March 14, 2015 by klove613

[NeuroQueen]

For years I have told those who ask that RCI was the greatest. A couple of cruises shy of D+ had me looking infrequently at other cruise lines. Isn't it funny how one cruise can change all of that???

 

I went on the Brilliance last month for my 60th cruise on my 60th birthday with 10 of my friends. Granted, it was only four days, but we went on the Jewel two years ago out of Tampa for a friend's milestone birthday, we are getting old fast, and it was a great cruise. I am still having a hard time trying to figure out what wasn't great. I think it was just a combination of things. The drink service at almost every bar was abysmal. The Specialty restaurants weren't up to the standard I am used to and the MDR was a cluster. I read trip reports all of the time and when folks aren't happy with the service I wonder what ship they are on. This time I was on that ship and it just wasn't the cruise experience I was used to. Maybe the cutbacks have finally affected my trip. I always thought I was a go with the flow type of cruiser and that as long as I was on a ship that didn't sink, I was happy.

 

Well, When friends on that cruise booked their next cruise it was with Carnival due to the price and the variety of ports. I bit the bullet and will join them next month. I haven't been on CCL for 6 years. When friends ask me to help them and join them for a three day we picked NCL due solely to the free drink package.

 

I guess variety is the spice of life and I think this fall we will try princess or NCL. It really is funny how one cruise can change one's perspective.

Edited March 14, 2015 by NeuroQueen

[Stags14]

I just compared cruises from NYC in September 2016 just to see what I'd do if I were actually booking.

 

The Carnival Vista has me wondering if I'd give the line another shot. Never thought I'd say that but the price is so incredibly better it's worth an attempt. The ship looks beautiful and they've finally adopted the open concept so RCI may have a run for their money.

[LMaxwell]

When people ask I still tell them Royal Caribbean is my go-to cruise line but I suggest other cruise lines as well depending on what they are looking for, their budget, entertainment desires, crowd demographics, etc.

 

I am now very careful about making a recommendation for one line specifically because they all seem to change their terms and conditions and the offers so frequently and I don't want to be the one to look like a bad guy

[jellyfish39]

I agree totally with the OP, we are Diamond on RCL, but sailed on Princess last month and had a great time, service and food was superior to our most recent Royal experience. We have a cruise booked on RCL for September, but have booked a Celebrity cruise for next spring that is comparable in price, plus offered the free drinks package.

 

We haven't sailed with Carnival since our first cruise with them 12 years ago, vowed never to go back, but think we just sailed at a bad time. spring break.

We are also considering trying NCL.

 

A couple of years ago we would have definitely recommended RCL, now like others I think I would suggest finding a itinerary at a good price and worry less about sailing with a particular cruise line

[The Sunset Glow]

Wow, the really thought I would get more opposition than this! So many of you agree with how I feel - That's comforting and sad at the same time. bobmacliberty mentioned how the overall tone of most posts was sadness and I agree.:(

 

RCI is still my favorite but it's no longer my automatic choice and I never thought that would happen.

 

I wonder whether so many loyal Royal cruisers no longer recommending RCI as the only way to go will affect future bookings? Is RCI shooting themselves in the foot by turning so many loyalist in other directions? Only time will tell I guess.