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Time to Say Goodbye

RLM77

By RLM77,
in Royal Caribbean International

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yogimax

yogimax

Posted
Posted

As someone who has enjoyed Royal over the years, I heartily disagree with those who say RCCL is abandoning its loyal cruisers in a effort to lure new ones.

 

We are D+ and the benefits we receive on every cruise just seem to be getting better. No other cruise line that I know does more for its loyal followers. I could make a list with everything from free drinks to free laundry, but it would be too long.

 

We enjoy every cruise for what it is. Sure, I miss the Rosario Strings, but that is certainly not going to stop us from cruising.

 

Everyone is different and has different priorities. I could care less about the piano bar and the comedians. For others, that may be important.

 

Just as the OP has made a decision which is best for him/her, so we have made the decision which is best for us.....

 

....... and that is to continue enjoying the product that RCCL offers!

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Big_G

Big_G

Posted
Posted
I guess Kumbaya is over. It was only a matter of time. Surprised it lasted this long. Time for some popcorn

 

Apologies for tarnishing a rare civil discussion. :o

 

As someone who has enjoyed Royal over the years, I heartily disagree with those who say RCCL is abandoning its loyal cruisers in a effort to lure new ones.

 

We are D+ and the benefits we receive on every cruise just seem to be getting better. No other cruise line that I know does more for its loyal followers. I could make a list with everything from free drinks to free laundry, but it would be too long.

 

We enjoy every cruise for what it is. Sure, I miss the Rosario Strings, but that is certainly not going to stop us from cruising.

 

Everyone is different and has different priorities. I could care less about the piano bar and the comedians. For others, that may be important.

 

Just as the OP has made a decision which is best for him/her, so we have made the decision which is best for us.....

 

....... and that is to continue enjoying the product that RCCL offers!

 

I agree with you. I was just listing some of the reasons that have been bandied about here on CC. I guess I wasn't clear enough. :o

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ryano

ryano

Posted
Posted
Just having fun. The civility was getting just a little to much

 

I was wondering who it was going to be that derailed this one. The person that did was definitely in my top 3 of guesses :D:o

 

To the OP, I appreciate your well thought out and well written review. I encourage you to copy and paste it and send it to the CEO's office. If anything ever deserved to reach his desk, its this.

 

I have less than 10% of the nights you have on board BUT I was three years removed from cruising before this past cruise in April. Things were lacking in many different areas as compared to the same ship in 2012.

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
Posted
There is a tinge of sadness when a local restaurant you have patronized for years changes its menu to offerings that are less appealing to you. Or when a favorite local clothing store is sold to a new owner who decides to pursue a different target market and changes out the inventory. Such is the sadness we feel after our most recent RCI cruise. RCI still offers a good product, but it no longer appeals to us as it once did.

 

We disembarked from Oasis of the Seas on August 29, having completed two weeks on Allure of the Seas and a week on Freedom of the Seas earlier this year. Last week we canceled three additional cruises on both Freedom- and Oasis-classes. As frequent, “mature” cruisers (not yet retirement age but closing in) we have seen a widening gap between RCI’s product and our cruise preferences. While our preferences have doubtless changed over time, it seems to us as if RCI is shifting their product away from us as well.

 

A pause to set some context: If all goes as planned we will attain our 365th night at sea in March of next year. 112 of those nights are on Royal Caribbean ships: 70 on Oasis-class, 35 on Freedom-class, and 7 on Radiance-class. Because you can only watch “Come Fly With Me” or Tony Tillman so many times (even over five years) we rely on live music to round out our cruise experience. Lounge music is an even bigger deal on the smaller ships where there are fewer “big show” options.

 

When we first cruised Oasis-class in 2010 we were over the moon. Beautiful ships and spaces, minimal crowding, many food options, and also – importantly – many entertainment selections, both large-scale events and live music. We went on to cruise this class nine additional times, the most recent being an Allure B2B in March and the Oasis cruise near the end of August.

 

The Allure cruise in March occurred shortly before her recent dry-dock and the cruise was close to our previous experiences. Food and entertainment were similar in quality and quantity to what we have seen in the past. My Time Dining was on Deck 5 and was comfortable. Overall our expectations were met and we were happy.

 

Freedom came next, over Memorial Day [u.S.]. It had been several years since we were on Freedom-class, but it seemed to us as if there was less live music on the ship than there had been a few years back. Plus, with the exception of the pool band it seemed to start later; there were very few options prior to 9 PM. Finally, although we are far from music critics, the combo in Bolero’s was one of the worst we have ever heard – the lead vocalist could not hold a note to save her soul. The Diamond Club, Sabor (yum!), and our cabin (1400) saved that cruise. We had a decent week but left wishing there had been more (and better) live music.

 

It was last month’s Oasis cruise that was the real eye-opener. This was our first cruise on the class after the dry-dock and it was a disappointment overall, with one huge exception – “Cats.” Credit where credit is due – “Cats” was absolutely fantastic. It was the same full length show that played Broadway for many years, not at all like some of the heavily abridged musicals that cruise lines stage and market as “Broadway.” And the cast was wonderful. Some of the cast did a couple vocal sets in the Jazz Club and the quality of their voices blew away that of the cast members from “Hairspray” and “Chicago” that we heard in days of yore. Kudos to RCI for staging the full-length show with such a strong cast. If you love Broadway, this performance in and of itself is worth a cruise on Oasis. This is something I could not say of either “Hairspray” or “Chicago” which were significantly shortened and had competent, but not exceptional casts.

 

Unfortunately, “Cats” and the vocal sets performed by its cast members were the only bright spots in a very disappointing entertainment landscape. The other “big” shows seemed exactly the same as they have been since the ship launched. Tony Tillman was the Headliner and he certainly qualifies as an RCI regular; his show does not change much from cruise to cruise. So we were again looking to the live music as our primary evening entertainment. And this is where we were really let down.

 

Since the dry-dock, one musical group has been eliminated completely and the hours of other acts have been scaled back. The dropped combo used to perform in the late, lamented Viking Crown and typically performed pop, soft rock, and occasionally standards – all favorites of ours. Rather than finding a different venue for this act, RCI killed it off altogether.

 

Before the dry-dock there was usually cocktail hour/early evening music in one venue, especially on sea days. On this cruise there was nothing. Before the dry-dock, the band in Dazzles often started at 7:30 or 8:00 PM. This cruise, they only started before 9:00 on one night. Additionally, they took two (or maybe three) nights off completely, more time off than used to be the case. The only music that was consistently available between 7 PM and 9 PM was the classical duo. They were fine, but not really as up-tempo as were looking for. Also, their venue was Central Park. In August. In the Caribbean. Not exactly the most comfortable spot to listen to music, especially on formal nights.

 

In their defense, RCI did open the Jazz Club earlier than they used to on a couple of nights (but only a couple). And the piano player at the Schooner Bar was very good if you didn’t mind waiting until 9:15 or 9:30 for him to get started. For some of us crossing that 60-year line, though, 10:30 or 11:00 is about all we can manage before bed time. One set and we’re out.

 

There were a couple other issues with this cruise as well. My Time dining is now on Deck 3 which seems both noisier and more crowded than Deck 5 used to be. And Sabor on Oasis is not nearly the experience as Sabor on Freedom. The menu is considerably smaller and the food, except for the excellent guacamole, is less well-prepared. Food quality, IMO, remains one of RCI’s greatest challenges, but this is nothing new.

 

We fully understand that we are outside of RCI’s target demographic. And we also understand that our circumstances are somewhat unique. Even after almost six years there likely aren’t all that many folks who have completed ten cruises on Oasis-class. If you’ve not cruised this class before I can heartily recommend it, especially if you are travelling with children or teens. Still, one feels a certain sadness when one recognizes that an experience that one has long enjoyed is no longer as enjoyable. Nothing for it though but to move on down the road. Other than one upcoming cruise on Serenade on which we were able to get an insanely low price, we'll see you on NCL, Princess, or Carnival.

 

Rich

 

If Royal no longer appeals to you because you feel it doesn't cater to what you desire....so be it. As someone close to retirement age, at this writing I am 64, how Royal is changing it ships, only adds more enjoyment for me. Luckily, I am fully capable of enjoying Flowrider or the new Waterslides that are being added. Amazingly, at home we barely can stay in the family room much past 10pm, but on the ship find all kinds of things to do until after midnight. Karaoke or a club....sometimes the music is too loud, so we just don't sit in the front row -- but alas we have a great time, almost needing a vacation after our cruise -- but for us that is all we could ask.

 

I don't want a quiet ship; I don't want to feel like I am in a nursing home, with rows of people in lounge chairs with blankets covering their feet looking out over the water.

 

Glad to hear that at least you did enjoy Cats and their cast. Many people say the show is just too long for a cruise ship....I have not been on Oasis to see it, but if it overlapped other things we wanted to do, we probably would feel it was just too long and a 'Readers Digest' version would better to have.

 

There are plenty of choices of cruise lines for all different types of cruisers. Why should the cruise line 'stay the way it was in the past'? In my opinion, it shouldn't. You as a cruiser want the cruise line to continually offer what you want, but that may mean that they miss our on attracting new cruisers.

 

Do I believe they need a blend of offerings? Absolutely. Even the Royal corporation has other lines to choose from.

 

What I do wish the line would do, is keep more of the things that made it the line it is today -- that is the overall challenge of all businesses, keeping enough of what made it great and being innovative at the same time.

 

But if Royal is not for you any longer, the cabin you will not be cruising in WILL be occupied by someone else.

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cjdixon4

cjdixon4

Posted
Posted

 

But if Royal is not for you any longer, the cabin you will not be cruising in WILL be occupied by someone else.

 

Well, that was really positive...:rolleyes:

The OP was actually quite diplomatic and thorough in their personal assessment. Did you somehow miss it?

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
Posted
Well, that was really positive...:rolleyes:

The OP was actually quite diplomatic and thorough in their personal assessment. Did you somehow miss it?

 

It was a very personal assessment as are all reviews of a particular cruise or the cruise line itself. As was my reply.

 

In his opening he made what I thought was an interesting comparison to restaurants that change menus due to various potential reasons....well the cruise line changes for various reasons as well. Sometimes loses customers just like the restaurant in hopes of picking up new customers.

 

That restaurant doesn't lose sleep over the lost customers, unless they are not replaced by new ones, and it is their hope 'more new customers'.

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cjdixon4

cjdixon4

Posted
Posted
It was a very personal assessment as are all reviews of a particular cruise or the cruise line itself. As was my reply.

 

In his opening he made what I thought was an interesting comparison to restaurants that change menus due to various potential reasons....well the cruise line changes for various reasons as well. Sometimes loses customers just like the restaurant in hopes of picking up new customers.

 

That restaurant doesn't lose sleep over the lost customers, unless they are not replaced by new ones, and it is their hope 'more new customers'.

 

Your opinion was not what I was questioning, it was the tone. But ok.

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
Posted
Your opinion was not what I was questioning, it was the tone. But ok.

 

You can't 'hear' tone in a printed word.....tone needs vocalization. Even if you subscribe to the idea that capitals signify screaming, I only capitalized one word, 'will' to emphasize that the cabin they won't be using, won't be empty.

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cjdixon4

cjdixon4

Posted
Posted
You can't 'hear' tone in a printed word.....tone needs vocalization. Even if you subscribe to the idea that capitals signify screaming, I only capitalized one word, 'will' to emphasize that the cabin they won't be using, won't be empty.

 

I never mentioned CAPS. That was another poster. But I maintain what I said about the tone of your response. Again, it's ok. We can move on.

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xpcdoojk "Live from...." Rare

xpcdoojk

Posted
Posted
Just having fun. The civility was getting just a little to much

 

Ok, giggled a bit at the exchange myself. Prefer giggling to deep thinking on threads like this.:D

 

OP, hope you find your new favorite way to vacation. There are lots of choices out there. I love the Oasis, two flowriders, what is not to love? That said my DW, doesn't flowride and she gets tired really quick of going to the same ports and doing the same things over and over. So, I convinced her to go to Norway.... on a ship with a flowrider. :eek:Desperate times require desperate acts. In November we are going to do a river cruise, our second, from Prague to Paris. After a river cruise, the entertainment on a cruise ship like the Oasis will seem like Las Vegas in a Hangover movie in comparison. :D

 

jc

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted (edited)
Ok, giggled a bit at the exchange myself. Prefer giggling to deep thinking on threads like this.:D

 

OP, hope you find your new favorite way to vacation. There are lots of choices out there. I love the Oasis, two flowriders, what is not to love? That said my DW, doesn't flowride and she gets tired really quick of going to the same ports and doing the same things over and over. So, I convinced her to go to Norway.... on a ship with a flowrider. :eek:Desperate times require desperate acts. In November we are going to do a river cruise, our second, from Prague to Paris. After a river cruise, the entertainment on a cruise ship like the Oasis will seem like Las Vegas in a Hangover movie in comparison. :D

 

jc

 

I was actually going to look at the entertainment schedules from a spring Oasis and a summer Freedom. But I've lost interest, I've moved on to self serve beer on Freedom. That might make the OP reconsider. Moving to Oasis next I hear

Edited by John&LaLa
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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
Never heard of self-serve beer, but if they add self serve champagne and self server Bourdeaux or Cabernet Sauvingnon, I may overlook the lack of a flowrider.

 

jc

 

Vintages has self serve wine. If you got off the surf rider and explore ship you'd know that. ;)

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xpcdoojk "Live from...." Rare

xpcdoojk

Posted
Posted
Vintages has self serve wine. If you got off the surf rider and explore ship you'd know that. ;)

 

You say that as if a wine bar was the equal to a flowrider....:eek: I have wandered by the Vintages on several ships, and haven't really seen the need to figure it out. I can only handle so much alcohol in a day, and RCI cruises for me are about the flowrider (mostly), so 2 to 4 hours in the morning on single flowrider ships, maybe a couple in the afternoon on Oasis (depends on how successfully I booked the cruise with out school age kids). Pretend like I have missed my DW of 34-1/2 years by doing whatever she wants then going to the diamond lounge drinking the swill, and hanging with the celebrities, then dinner. Then maybe a show or comedy club then bed... Gotta get up early for advanced stand-up before going to St Thomas to look at jewelry or St. Maarten to fight the mob to get a cab to go to Marigot to look at clothing....

 

jc

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
You say that as if a wine bar was the equal to a flowrider....:eek: I have wandered by the Vintages on several ships, and haven't really seen the need to figure it out. I can only handle so much alcohol in a day, and RCI cruises for me are about the flowrider (mostly), so 2 to 4 hours in the morning on single flowrider ships, maybe a couple in the afternoon on Oasis (depends on how successfully I booked the cruise with out school age kids). Pretend like I have missed my DW of 34-1/2 years by doing whatever she wants then going to the diamond lounge drinking the swill, and hanging with the celebrities, then dinner. Then maybe a show or comedy club then bed... Gotta get up early for advanced stand-up before going to St Thomas to look at jewelry or St. Maarten to fight the mob to get a cab to go to Marigot to look at clothing....

 

jc

 

You're the one who said they would overlook the lack of a flowrider for some Bordeaux

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