Does RCI read these posts?

[ryano]

Who knows how much of what gets posted here gets back to Corporate or how serious Corporate takes this place. My guess is, no one.

 

The atmosphere has certainly changed around here though in the 7 years Ive been coming around. I remember a time when ANYTHING whatsoever was posted negative, the majority of the board would be out in full force pouncing on whoever it was that posted their concern. its still like that here to an extent but nowhere near as bad now as it use to be. Also, some of those back then that were "cheerleaders" of RC have now become some of RCs biggest detractors. Some of RCs long time cruisers are simply fed up.

 

In the grand scheme of things though, the regular and even not so regular posters on this board only likely make up .001% of RCs guests. I doubt they take this place too seriously

Edited June 30, 2015 by ryano

[JKHawaii]

I rarely post comments these days, but a few of the posts here are so silly that someone needs to speak up.

 

To state that the cruise lines don't care about customer input is a bit harsh. NCL reversing its recent policy change on bringing food to your cabin and the delayed Dynamic Dining programs are two recent policies/program changes due to customer input. Do people really think that the emphasis on filling out the surveys (especially when they were paper and everyone got them) is some kind of scam program to make cruisers feel good?

 

Also, to call the Crown & Anchor Program a "rag tag" effort that cost RCCL "pennies" is somewhat ridiculous as well. As a Diamond, I received a $225 balcony discount on my next cruise and will enjoy 3 free drinks every evening of that cruise. Hardly "pennies"!

 

I've cruised a lot over the years and yes, have noticed cutbacks. I'm sure RCCL would love to serve fllet minion and Maine lobster each night. But in today's reality of higher fuel, food, and labor costs, as has been pointed out, they are a business and have to balance pleasing their shareholders and customers.

[George C]

I complained on a shore excursion a couple of months ago and RCCL replied and offered some money back, so they do look

[cjdixon4]

Bob, I absolutely agree that RCI is a valid rep of the line, but he/she only has 81 posts in over a year.

 

I'm not sure that only posting 81 times is an indication of their interest in this message board. RCI may not be responding to everything, but if they've got good business sense they're taking note of the perspectives given in these threads.

[tlatrice]

I rarely post comments these days, but a few of the posts here are so silly that someone needs to speak up.

 

To state that the cruise lines don't care about customer input is a bit harsh. NCL reversing its recent policy change on bringing food to your cabin and the delayed Dynamic Dining programs are two recent policies/program changes due to customer input. Do people really think that the emphasis on filling out the surveys (especially when they were paper and everyone got them) is some kind of scam program to make cruisers feel good?

 

Also, to call the Crown & Anchor Program a "rag tag" effort that cost RCCL "pennies" is somewhat ridiculous as well. As a Diamond, I received a $225 balcony discount on my next cruise and will enjoy 3 free drinks every evening of that cruise. Hardly "pennies"!

 

I've cruised a lot over the years and yes, have noticed cutbacks. I'm sure RCCL would love to serve fllet minion and Maine lobster each night. But in today's reality of higher fuel, food, and labor costs, as has been pointed out, they are a business and have to balance pleasing their shareholders and customers.

 

I think you're overestimating the humanity of a corporation. ;)

 

The $225 discount is substantial to you. Trust me, it doesn't hurt RCI. If it did, they wouldn't do it. They've determined that this is the amount that they can afford to discount and it still not hurt the bottom line. Same for those 3 free drinks. It would cost you way more to purchase them than it costs RCI. From their standpoint, it's what they can afford. Basically, they're saying, we can give them a $225 discount and another $150 in free drinks for the week because they'll turn right around and spend 2 to 3 times that on their next cruise fare. Which they'll want to take because they feel special because we gave them a 'discount' and '3 free drinks'. Not to say that these perks aren't great. They're wonderful to the consumer's bottom line. $375 is way more substantial to me than it is to RCI.

 

"Love to serve filet mignon and Maine lobster every night"...? Huh? You think they're wringing their hands and saying "it'd be great if we could serve filet mignon every night but the fuel prices...*sigh* they'll just have to settle for ____. But I sure wish I could do more." ;)

 

Besides, the corporation has a line that offers that type of experience. And those cruisers pay a premium for it. :D

[rusty nut]

I'd really like to believe that RCCI truly does care but let's be honest; With every ship in their fleet sailing full, or nearly full, why would they? If they have more customer complaints than they can handle or they take feedback of a consistent problem, what motivates them to change? If they have more business than they can handle, the answer is simple, they don't, unless it saves them money.

[merlindog22]

Hi Lawgirl, thanks for your question. We are constantly monitoring feedback from our guests coming in through multiple channels, and sharing it with our leadership teams. We understand that a lot of changes are being made, and appreciate the honest feedback we receive from our guests.

 

Well RCCI if you are constantly monitoring feedback, why do you not act upon what is being said. I have just come off a cruise on the Explorer of the Seas, and although the food in the main dining venue and the windjammer is cooked well, why it is that there are hardly any ordinary vegatables, and the dishes cooked are nearly the same thing every day. The food in the Shapphire as stated is cooked nicely, however the food is very repetitive, and now if you want a steak, lobster you now have to pay extra. The food in the windjammer I don't think changed all week, well if it did not by much. The cost of oil has gone down quite a lot however the cost of the cruises has gone up and up, grats up, drinks up, everything up. It also used to be that the benefits given by the Crown and Anchor were worth something, now to be quite honest they are rubbish. They would not keep me as a RCC customer. I have been on nurmous RCC cruises however I am seriously looking at something different for next year. Another thing also is that it is obvious that all efforts have been put into the shows on the the Quantum class ships, as the 3 shows I have just seen were not the best, they were all the same sort of music, ballads, 1930. 40;s boring. Even some of the outside entertainers were not that great.

[Paul65]

I have been a CC member for many years, and noted that for each cruise line, including RCI, most comments and reviews in the past are largely positive. While I enjoy varying points of view, I noticed that in past years if I or someone else posts a negative report about RCI, it is met with strong reactions in favor of RCI. Loyal to Royal so to speak.

 

You're merely the latest of a long line of people who reach the same false conclusion. When people start off with some sort of ridiculous complaint or claim that every bit of food was inedible, or every crew member was miserable, etc., they get met with a combination of skepticism and others relating opposite experiences.

 

On the other hand, there are lots of comments that get posted here that involve reasonable complaints and/or suggestions for improvement. These do not get a strong reaction. In my opinion, those that get a strong reaction generally deserve it, at least to a degree, and the people complaining about overly "loyal Royals" or "cheerleaders" misrepresent the true tone of this board.

 

Many people have legitimate issues and problems, and there are plenty of people here who will offer suggestions of how to get problems resolved, who to contact, how to avoid similar things in the future, and on and on.

Edited June 30, 2015 by Paul65

[cjdixon4]

You're merely the latest of a long line of people who reach the same false conclusion. When people start off with some sort of ridiculous complaint or claim that every bit of food was inedible, or every crew member was miserable, etc., they get met with a combination of skepticism and others relating opposite experiences.

 

On the other hand, there are lots of comments that get posted here that involve reasonable complaints and/or suggestions for improvement. These do not get a strong reaction. In my opinion, those that get a strong reaction generally deserve it, at least to a degree, and the people complaining about overly "loyal Royals" or "cheerleaders" misrepresent the true tone of this board.

 

Many people have legitimate issues and problems, and there are plenty of people here who will offer suggestions of how to get problems resolved, who to contact, how to avoid similar things in the future, and on and on.

I agree with your take on it, Paul65. Couldn't have said it better.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Just off Freedom. 4000 passengers and only 1400 C&A. Most of them were gold

 

On my Oasis cruise (got off about a month ago), I think there were over 4000 people who were not C&A members.

[Sitzmark]

On my Oasis cruise (got off about a month ago), I think there were over 4000 people who were not C&A members.

 

I'm not a C&A member, probably never will be. I'm sure RCI monitors this as well as any source of feedback from message boards to news articles. A related question would be, how much weight does it have in the decisions made by the company.

[Christine Frances]

Bonnie MacLaird (Azamara) and Celebrity Cruises both are very visable and active on their respective boards. Both of them have stepped in to rebut rumours and to assist cruisers in getting correct contact info to sort out issues. We do know that they can't change policy but they both tell us that any major issues have been forwarded to the correct department for review. I am glad to see that Royal is also trying to help people on this board and I hope that they are appreciated as much as Bonnie and Celebrity Cruises are:)

[mrobstad]

Bottom line is, if you like the product you buy it. If not, you don't. I've been away for 2-3 years, but I'm looking at the new ships that finally have decent solo cabins without raping you on the price. I also like the multi-drink packages; however, the failure to address the single supplement has allowed me to try a competitor which I also like. That's how the free marketplace works.

[lawgirl]

You're merely the latest of a long line of people who reach the same false conclusion. When people start off with some sort of ridiculous complaint or claim that every bit of food was inedible, or every crew member was miserable, etc., they get met with a combination of skepticism and others relating opposite experiences.

 

On the other hand, there are lots of comments that get posted here that involve reasonable complaints and/or suggestions for improvement. These do not get a strong reaction. In my opinion, those that get a strong reaction generally deserve it, at least to a degree, and the people complaining about overly "loyal Royals" or "cheerleaders" misrepresent the true tone of this board.

 

Many people have legitimate issues and problems, and there are plenty of people here who will offer suggestions of how to get problems resolved, who to contact, how to avoid similar things in the future, and on and on.

 

I am certainly not a cc expert, so I will take your word. Just a general feeling I get (including personal experience) that at least in years past, I have seen people ask legitimate questions and while some responses are helpful, some are harsh. I recently asked what I thought was an fairly basic tender ticket question and got slammed by a few folks. I can tell you I VERY often hesitate to comment or post because of the number of times I have gotten slammed and gotten my feelings hurt. Stupid I know to have your feelings hurt by strangers.

 

As you can see from the cruises I have been on, I have been a fan of Royal, but I am more open to other lines now due to changes. So, the point of the thread was just out of curiosity to see if RCI cares about comments of passengers (on cc or elsewhere). It seems the consensus is no, as their bottom line is healthy and therefore they are not worried about complaints.

[mrobstad]

I agree....hate the occasional nasty poster.

[Viv0828]

I am sure that Royal has not seen anything here on CC that they have not already read on comment cards or heard at customer service or received in a letter or email.

Edited July 1, 2015 by Viv0828

[grandgeezer]

I am certainly not a cc expert, so I will take your word. Just a general feeling I get (including personal experience) that at least in years past, I have seen people ask legitimate questions and while some responses are helpful, some are harsh. I recently asked what I thought was an fairly basic tender ticket question and got slammed by a few folks. I can tell you I VERY often hesitate to comment or post because of the number of times I have gotten slammed and gotten my feelings hurt. Stupid I know to have your feelings hurt by strangers.

 

As you can see from the cruises I have been on, I have been a fan of Royal, but I am more open to other lines now due to changes. So, the point of the thread was just out of curiosity to see if RCI cares about comments of passengers (on cc or elsewhere). It seems the consensus is no, as their bottom line is healthy and therefore they are not worried about complaints.

 

I totally agree with everything you said in your post. It's a shame people can't voice their own opinion, good or bad, without being labeled either a cheerleader or complainer.

The cruise lines probably read these posts as a place for entertainment. With bookings and profits way up, why would they care what people write?

[Ashland]

I totally agree with everything you said in your post. It's a shame people can't voice their own opinion, good or bad, without being labeled either a cheerleader or complainer.

The cruise lines probably read these posts as a place for entertainment. With bookings and profits way up, why would they care what people write?

Agree with you...however...I think RCI does actually care because too much bad publicity would decrease their postion in the $$$ market.

[Paul65]

So, the point of the thread was just out of curiosity to see if RCI cares about comments of passengers (on cc or elsewhere). It seems the consensus is no, as their bottom line is healthy and therefore they are not worried about complaints.

 

A couple people have expressed that, but I suspect it's a long way from being a consensus.

[Paul65]

I recently asked what I thought was an fairly basic tender ticket question and got slammed by a few folks. I can tell you I VERY often hesitate to comment or post because of the number of times I have gotten slammed and gotten my feelings hurt. Stupid I know to have your feelings hurt by strangers.

 

Sorry, but I checked out your thread on the tender question, and I don't think you really got "slammed by a few folks." I did see one post that seemed like a little bit of a ribbing, but I think it was done jokingly. You seemed to (in my opinion) over-react to that one poster.

 

I admit, though, that it's possible there were some other posts that actually "slammed" you, that were subsequently deleted.

Edited July 1, 2015 by Paul65

[lawgirl]

Sorry, but I checked out your thread on the tender question, and I don't think you really got "slammed by a few folks." I did see one post that seemed like a little bit of a ribbing, but I think it was done jokingly. You seemed to (in my opinion) over-react to that one poster.

 

I admit, though, that it's possible there were some other posts that actually "slammed" you, that were subsequently deleted.

 

They were deleted

[lawgirl]

Sorry, but I checked out your thread on the tender question, and I don't think you really got "slammed by a few folks." I did see one post that seemed like a little bit of a ribbing, but I think it was done jokingly. You seemed to (in my opinion) over-react to that one poster.

 

I admit, though, that it's possible there were some other posts that actually "slammed" you, that were subsequently deleted.

 

And I should add this wasn't really my point..... People can slam people or attack strangers for expressing opinions. I don't think it's nice, but no one on CC can say it doesn't happen..... The posts in that tender thread were quite rude, but were deleted. And I could give you other examples of rude comments in response to my posts and others posts (I get tired of people attacking my profession for no reason, as an example, and maybe that is a touchy point to me, because I think it's personal and not related to cruising or questions, etc...).

 

Having said that, the slamming people was decidedly not the point of the thread. I was, honestly, curious whether cc members thought RCI listened to suggestions, criticism, etc on this Board, comment cards, letters. RCI always talks about wanting feedback and comments, but I wondered if suggestions mattered.

 

Thanks for joining the conversation.

[grandgeezer]

Agree with you...however...I think RCI does actually care because too much bad publicity would decrease their postion in the $$$ market.

 

Maybe not caring was too strong. What I probably should have said is that they will do nothing that will cut into their profits as long as their profit stays high and bookings stay strong.

[Merion_Mom]

I rarely post comments these days, but a few of the posts here are so silly that someone needs to speak up.

 

To state that the cruise lines don't care about customer input is a bit harsh. NCL reversing its recent policy change on bringing food to your cabin and the delayed Dynamic Dining programs are two recent policies/program changes due to customer input. Do people really think that the emphasis on filling out the surveys (especially when they were paper and everyone got them) is some kind of scam program to make cruisers feel good?

 

Also, to call the Crown & Anchor Program a "rag tag" effort that cost RCCL "pennies" is somewhat ridiculous as well. As a Diamond, I received a $225 balcony discount on my next cruise and will enjoy 3 free drinks every evening of that cruise. Hardly "pennies"!

 

I've cruised a lot over the years and yes, have noticed cutbacks. I'm sure RCCL would love to serve fllet minion and Maine lobster each night. But in today's reality of higher fuel, food, and labor costs, as has been pointed out, they are a business and have to balance pleasing their shareholders and customers.

 

I don't complain about many things, but if Royal Caribbean started serving this, I would be VERY upset! :eek:

 

[Paul65]

Having said that, the slamming people was decidedly not the point of the thread. I was, honestly, curious whether cc members thought RCI listened to suggestions, criticism, etc on this Board, comment cards, letters. RCI always talks about wanting feedback and comments, but I wondered if suggestions mattered.

 

And you saw a couple responses that reinforced what you want to believe, so you concluded that it was a "consensus" that they don't really care about customer feedback; only about profit. That's pretty common, not just on this forum, but others as well, that some people just look for reinforcement of what they already want to believe. And, there are always the people who get their feelings hurt and then want to exaggerate how mean the forum is.

 

Regardless of the forum, you'll pretty much always find people to agree with you. You'll always find people who are nice. You'll always find people who are a bit snarky or rude. You'll always find people who take a little joke as being snarky or rude. You'll find all kinds of people. That was my point.