What on earth is happening to royal caribbean

[roquejo]

To be honest, from cruising RCCL very frequently the last 2 years (5 cruises this year alone!!) I already find the MDR food very tired and repetitive. They really have to change it and come up with something new.

 

The only incentive for me to cruise RCCL nowadays is the happy hour in the Diamond lounge... their cocktail finger food is really nice especially paired with drinks..

 

This leaves me too full to enjoy MDR anymore since I practically "memorized" and tried everything with regards to the food is being served on rotation in the MDR.

 

So for me, booking a Celebrity cruise soon might be a refreshing change to try something new... especially I already book all future RCCL cruises needed to reach D+

Edited November 24, 2015 by roquejo

[angeleyes27]

Someone could have told us that we were under a bar when we booked the reservation and we would have changed to a different room. They could have moved us to a better room instead of giving us earplugs. We went on Carnival in September and felt they were better.

[dada2199cc]

I had a blast this weekend on the Majesty. Ate every meal in Windjammer and the staff was 10/10 -- not just attentive but friendly. The food manager was coming around to every table every night and asking questions.

 

I had mentioned that the food was better than last year and I was 99% satisfied except for a bit of a messy situation with one of their desserts. He went and talked to someone else and they fixed the problem right away (even though I had my fill of food).

 

Pool attendants were fantastic. Cabin steward was on point. Everyone seemed really attentive and friendly.

 

I don't think the cruise lines are getting worse. I think the Yelp entitlement factor is at play. People think they're entitled to 5-star service at a 1-star price and feel they're the only ones in the universe.

 

Solipsism.

[angeleyes27]

The music was so loud in our room that we felt like the band was in room with us and people were pounding their feet until 1am. Even when you book hotel rooms, they let people know those things.

[Biker19]

I had a blast this weekend on the Majesty.

 

What? You actually went on that Legionnaire's disease filled ship and survived?

[Grandma Dazzles]

Someone could have told us that we were under a bar when we booked the reservation and we would have changed to a different room. They could have moved us to a better room instead of giving us earplugs. We went on Carnival in September and felt they were better.

 

 

May I ask why you did not check the location of the cabin when booking? Easy to see on a deck plan.

[CruisermanVA]

The music was so loud in our room that we felt like the band was in room with us and people were pounding their feet until 1am. Even when you book hotel rooms, they let people know those things.

You need to examine the ship's deck plan - something I do before every booking. If you don't like noise (and who does) make sure you don't book a cabin under or over a public area or next to an elevator.

[TC1957]

I also see a lot of reviews critical of RCI from people who have sailed them, and other lines, often. On our last cruise (granted, just our third) we noticed a decline in service, a marked decline in friendliness and a decline in the quality of the food.

 

Probably the most frequent comments are about the "tired" menus in the MDR, the decline in staff, the "nickel and dime" mentality of the line and the overall quality of the food when not in a for fee venue. Then they say it is all mass market lines. Now, I did not get my degree in marketing (I'm a bean counter) but know enough about marketing and accounting after 20+ years in business to know that if you step up your game when it comes to quality, develop new and exciting menus that don't cost extra and put the staff back on the ship you can raise your prices to more than offset the increase in your cost...and the customer will not complain.

 

Of course, RCI ships are sailing above capacity even after the cuts and declines. As long as the customer is too stupid to demand more for their money from the lines (all of them, not just RCI) why in the name of all that is Holy would any of them change back?

Edited November 24, 2015 by TC1957

[kobecat]

It was mint 'soup' on Jewel too. frustrating

 

 

Yeah, I'm happy to hear it. That disgusting mint jelly needed to go!!

[Biker19]

Now, I did not get my degree in marketing (I'm a bean counter) but know enough about marketing and accounting after 20+ years in business to know that if you step up your game when it comes to quality, develop new and exciting menus that don't cost extra and put the staff back on the ship you can raise your prices to more than offset the increase in your cost...and the customer will not complain.

Does that sound like something that is happening on a new class of ship RCI rolled out?:cool:;)

[Thetrail]

Just been reading reviews written about various Royal Caribbean ships, a lot of them are saying the same - What on earth is happing to Royal Caribbean. The service is becoming very also ran, cabins are being handed over to passengers dirty. The food is becoming so repetitive and boring. The quality of the food especially the meat is very poor. Lots of people are saying that they have had enough and are going elsewhere.

I am sure that there are plenty of people out there that will say they they have had a wonderful time on RC, but the ones that haven't seem to increase rather a lot.

Take all reviews with a grain of salt and have been for years. Cruise half a dozen times a year on RCL and find the complete opposite of what you refer to as "they are saying". So my answer to your post is some folks love to bitch and moan about darn near anything....:eek:

[Lazz]

I still like Royal, but it is not what it was. Too much cost cutting and too much fare raising. Ten years ago, I came off a cruise feeling that I had been pampered and treated like royalty. These days it's just a very good vacation.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I always think about how it has changed since I started cruising in the early 80s. You talk about being pampered! Even an inside cabin had almost the same level of service and access as a suite does today.

[TC1957]

Take all reviews with a grain of salt and have been for years. Cruise half a dozen times a year on RCL and find the complete opposite of what you refer to as "they are saying". So my answer to your post is some folks love to bitch and moan about darn near anything....:eek:

 

While there is truth to what you said here, I would contend that for every person you find that loves to bitch and moan you will find one with the attitude "I'm on a cruise and the worse day on a ship is eons better than the best day somewhere else".

 

I also see a lot of people that are not necessarily saying things (food, service, etc.) are bad...just that they are getting worse.

 

Someone posted that an unhappy customer will tell 10 people about their experience but a happy customer will only tell 1. That is why company's have to spend money on advertising...yet they keep cutting on the ship. I contend that if you don't cut so much on the ship you don't need to spend so much on advertising and gimmicks to attract customers.

[ryano]

"I'm on a cruise and the worse day on a ship is eons better than the best day somewhere else".

 

.

 

Agreed. That is one of the dumbest sayings ever when it comes to cruising. Tell that to the cruisers who have been on ships that caught fire or were dead at sea for days or the Costa Concordia passengers :rolleyes: Sorry but Id rather be right here at my desk, working. Another one I absolutely despise is "a cruise is what you make of it" as if there is no responsibility of the cruiseline whatsoever to provide a satisfying product. People are supposed to just deal with it, suck it up and forget the fact they just paid thousands of dollars for a subpar vacation.

 

For every one that likes to bitch and complain about everything, there is at least one cheerleader who thinks everything is just perfect, RC can do no wrong and those who werent 100% satisfied are just ungrateful, entitled losers so it really balances things out. That goes the same for ever other cruise line forum too Im sure

 

People that dont recognize that the overall quality is getting less have their heads in the sand. The product I received in April 2012 was outstanding compared to the mediocrity of April 2015, on the same ship. It is what it is. Still a great time though. :)

Edited November 24, 2015 by ryano

[mcatmcat]

I like royal but to be honest is not the same as when I sailed for the first time with them back in 2009 or so. Yes they might have amazing ships but for me ships are not everything. I also look into service, food etc. I rather sail with royal than carnival but even as a diamond member sometimes I still search for a cruise outside royal caribbean. I know they want to make money and I'm ok with me but the way they run the company upsets me a little bit. Fake sales, tricks, and a little bit of arrogance. They tell us that as in today they are sailing over 100%!capacity and bla bla bla but I wonder why they had to pull from a few states since they were not making that much money.

 

Again, I still like royal but the wow factor is gone for me. Back in the days royal was ahead carnival and NCL. But I can tell they are now working hard to pass royal. Even MSC is fighting hard in south Florida and it's working so far.

Edited November 24, 2015 by mcatmcat

[Hoopster95]

People that dont recognize that the overall quality is getting less have their heads in the sand. The product I received in April 2012 was outstanding compared to the mediocrity of April 2015, on the same ship. It is what it is. Still a great time though. :)

 

Ship dependent... time of year dependent... staffing dependent. I'd like to think I contribute to CC, so let me incl myself in this analogy: Vision 2013 myself and respected CC'ers MadFlyer and Max's'mom all report fabulous sailings from Colon on Vision. One of the best cruises ever for service, food, and especially staff run by Capt Srecko... these guys were everywhere and the entire entertainment staff was brilliant. In the matter of one week after the re-positioning to Tampa, there was report after report after report of how crappy Vision was. Horrible food, long lines at the bars, etc. I couldn't believe it. But new Capt, new CD, likely a huge change over in staff changed everything. This analogy has beeen discussed on CC in the past many times with changeover of staff, especially after a TA of foreign itinerary.

 

To everyone complaining about decreasing services and quality, I suggest going back to 1980's and 1990's price points whereby your interior cabin cost $1000.... today's value = $2000. Last I looked you can get an interior on sale at around $500. So while you and I pay 1/4 the price today compared to 1990 is it fair to expect everything to stay the same? Common sense says no. And now keep in mind the less mainstream cruiselines like Azamara, Regent, etc whereby your interior cabins are in fact $2000 and up (the same value of an RCL interior in 1990) for exactly the services and quality that is supposedly missing from RCL today.

 

Just my 2 cents... if you don't like a shirt you bought, do you continue to wear it or put something else on? If you don't like food you just bought, do you continue to eat it or buy something else? If you don't like the cruise line you're sailing on go sail on something else... extremely easy answer.

 

Side note: Way too much bitching and complaining on CC these days. I have stayed away the last few weeks since my Radiance review. We need more people like Bob, MadFlyer, Cheng, etc who provide respectful and valuable insight & answers to legitimate questions. We're all dying people, your time on this earth is short. Do whatever makes you happy... if RCL is not making you happy then don't sail RCL.

 

"{ P O P }" ... that's my head going back into the sand

[chermilo]

 

the buffet is like golden coral, look at all the Donkeys going through it piling food up like they are never going to eat again???? I don't even know how the cooks keep up..

 

So True!!! I have always thought the same thing! You can go back and get more if you are still hungry!

 

I go on the cruise to relax and enjoy! I have never been on a cruise that I had to do nothing but complain (I have friends that I swear they are on there to just do that). If I don't like something that I ordered, I tell the waiter and they get me another or something else.

 

People ask me -- "What is your favorite cruise?" Answer -- "This cruise! Cause I am away from home and doing what I like to do!" :)

[John&LaLa]

I like to read the reviews.. but mostly for amusement.

I read a recent oasis review the other day where the Reviewer gave it three starts and went on a rant about how upset he was because the guitar player in the bar would not play the song he requested??? Really??????

 

Manage your expectations. Think about what you are really complaining about?

 

The food is average. (although I really really like the coastal kitchen)

 

guess what??? they are cooking for thousands of people.

 

the buffet is like golden coral, look at all the Donkeys going through it piling food up like they are never going to eat again???? I don't even know how the cooks keep up..

 

Seriously? your chief complaint is that you want a cold sandwich without mayonnaise???

 

There are probably more people that say "why would I spend all this money on a cruise to get a salami sanwhich??? I could make that at home"

 

They could make their own sandwiches. All the parts are available

[Royal2464]

Ship dependent... time of year dependent... staffing dependent. I'd like to think I contribute to CC, so let me incl myself in this analogy: Vision 2013 myself and respected CC'ers MadFlyer and Max's'mom all report fabulous sailings from Colon on Vision. One of the best cruises ever for service, food, and especially staff run by Capt Srecko... these guys were everywhere and the entire entertainment staff was brilliant. In the matter of one week after the re-positioning to Tampa, there was report after report after report of how crappy Vision was. Horrible food, long lines at the bars, etc. I couldn't believe it. But new Capt, new CD, likely a huge change over in staff changed everything. This analogy has beeen discussed on CC in the past many times with changeover of staff, especially after a TA of foreign itinerary.

 

To everyone complaining about decreasing services and quality, I suggest going back to 1980's and 1990's price points whereby your interior cabin cost $1000.... today's value = $2000. Last I looked you can get an interior on sale at around $500. So while you and I pay 1/4 the price today compared to 1990 is it fair to expect everything to stay the same? Common sense says no. And now keep in mind the less mainstream cruiselines like Azamara, Regent, etc whereby your interior cabins are in fact $2000 and up (the same value of an RCL interior in 1990) for exactly the services and quality that is supposedly missing from RCL today.

 

Just my 2 cents... if you don't like a shirt you bought, do you continue to wear it or put something else on? If you don't like food you just bought, do you continue to eat it or buy something else? If you don't like the cruise line you're sailing on go sail on something else... extremely easy answer.

 

Side note: Way too much bitching and complaining on CC these days. I have stayed away the last few weeks since my Radiance review. We need more people like Bob, MadFlyer, Cheng, etc who provide respectful and valuable insight & answers to legitimate questions. We're all dying people, your time on this earth is short. Do whatever makes you happy... if RCL is not making you happy then don't sail RCL.

 

"{ P O P }" ... that's my head going back into the sand

 

You are right about pricing compared to 20 or more years ago. Thanks for pointing out the obvious to the oblivious.

[John&LaLa]

I also see a lot of reviews critical of RCI from people who have sailed them, and other lines, often. On our last cruise (granted, just our third) we noticed a decline in service, a marked decline in friendliness and a decline in the quality of the food.

 

Probably the most frequent comments are about the "tired" menus in the MDR, the decline in staff, the "nickel and dime" mentality of the line and the overall quality of the food when not in a for fee venue. Then they say it is all mass market lines. Now, I did not get my degree in marketing (I'm a bean counter) but know enough about marketing and accounting after 20+ years in business to know that if you step up your game when it comes to quality, develop new and exciting menus that don't cost extra and put the staff back on the ship you can raise your prices to more than offset the increase in your cost...and the customer will not complain.

 

Of course, RCI ships are sailing above capacity even after the cuts and declines. As long as the customer is too stupid to demand more for their money from the lines (all of them, not just RCI) why in the name of all that is Holy would any of them change back?

 

I really don't think it's appropriate to call people stupid. SMH

[ryano]

I wasnt cruising 20 years ago. :) I can only go back about 6 years and IMHO, Ive noticed a decline in overall product quality. That is MY opinion. Maybe its because I dont cruise several times a year and sometimes go over a year in between but while I respect your opinion Hoopster, the best I can get out of that is that Royal Caribbean is very consistent at being inconsistent. :) FWIW, Im going to try something else.

 

Again, Im in no way saying things were bad. Had a great time. Its just things were "off" in a lot of areas and I guess I was taken aback by it somewhat. Its all good.

Edited November 24, 2015 by ryano

[AdvGirl]

When I started this thread I was wondering what other peoples views were, and the replies people have put in are interesting and I agree with most of them. I do however think that RCCI are starting to take the mick a bit, there profits are hugh. There staff are now becoming so overworked that some of them are starting to adopt a no care attitude, some of them are also nearly asleep where they stand. We have actually cruised on Royal Caribbean for several years and have over the time seen service, food and other things go down hill quite a lot. We were on Explorer earlier this year and the food especially in the windjammer was not really much to write home about. They had the same 4/5 dishes everyday, all day. We had to go to customer service on a couple of occasions and the help and service we got was nil. We are not ones to raise our voices and are calm when having to mention things that are not right. Well the reply we got, anyone would have thought we had asked for the moon, we had only pointed out a couple of things. The entertainment by the on board crew was rubbish, they did 3 shows - no real special clothes, some of the singers couldn't really sing, and the songs they sang were the same at all 3 shows, same era. Really boring several people worked out. I do think that RC are putting sll there efforts into there new boats. What I can't understand is that the biggest percentage of people asked, don't like the Quantum class of boat, so why do they keep building them. We were in two minds if we did another one with them, but as Independence of the seas is back next year we have booked one, but we have also booked one on HAL and one on Princess, neither of which we have been on before. We will see, for what RC are asking for a cabin this year it will have to be good for us to stay with them.

 

Asia - that is why more Quantum ships. It is the new growth market. Asia has no history of cruising and loves technology. I traveled for business in Asia and enjoyed the many different cultures - yes different. But most live in areas where population density is much higher then US. So some of the Quantum negatives have a lot to do with how most asians are used to living with a dash of culture. Crowds and queing are very much normal in most large Asian cities so to many Asians Quantum ships a nice break from normal.

[ZandZ]

So I often read through these discussions feeling that I have no right to comment as I haven't cruised long enough. This thread gives me justification to do so based on the fact that people are comparing service within the last 10 years or less...

 

I've posted a comment here and there but my first cruise was on the Majesty in 2012. I cruised the same itinerary again this Summer and there is absolutely a difference. The WJ food is the same - bleh if you as me but I am not a fan of buffet style eating in general so have no real right to comment. The MDR service was enthusiastic but somewhat inept and the food choices felt like Groundhog Day, only after 3 cruises. Had a nasty confrontation with an employee because I did not want to have my picture taken as we were walking off in Key West. Real nasty and completely unprovoked. Made me feel like I was back home taking the subway to work ;) The pax were rude and obnoxious at elevators and food lines. No dress code of any kind was enforced in the WJ. A wet bathing suit with a wet [barely]cover all is not proper attire.

 

I don't think I am ready to give up cruising. It's still less of a hassle than a land vacation for me. I have two cruises booked out for 2016. I have decided that I will try to avoid the shorter cruises in the future assuming they attract a different crowd.

 

I also think that maybe, although I am only in my [very] late 30s, I would do better on a more formal cruise line....

 

So yes, there are changes. However, I get that a lot of people are still happy with the product, and honestly, for the difference in price with fancier lines, I am probably still happy enough as well. Or maybe I just had one off experience.

[impatientlywaiting]

Take all reviews with a grain of salt and have been for years. Cruise half a dozen times a year on RCL and find the complete opposite of what you refer to as "they are saying". So my answer to your post is some folks love to bitch and moan about darn near anything....:eek:

 

Couldn't agree more - some folks love to bitch and moan about darn near anything. I read these complaints and just have to shake my head and wonder if these people are like this at home and work, too. We had awesome service (especially our MDR waiters and cabin attendant) on Jewel in September.

 

There was a lady sitting behind us one night at dinner that needed this sign (too bad I didn't have cards made up to give to her): A PERSON WHO IS NICE TO YOU BUT RUDE TO A WAITER, IS NOT A NICE PERSON. I don't know how our waiter kept his cool or composure, but at one point I almost told her to shut up because she was being ridiculous.

 

And here's another sign that needs to be posted on cruise ships: NO MATTER HOW EDUCATED, TALENTED, RICH, OR COOL YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE, HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE ULTIMATELY TELLS ALL. INTEGRITY IS EVERYTHING. I have seen passengers on cruise ships treat the staff horribly and it makes me so mad.

 

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now and wish I was on a cruise ship instead of looking out the window at the snow. LOL

[lovesthebeach2]

We just got off Freedom Sunday, and we had no complaints about the cruise. The service in the MDR was excellent, best servers we have ever had and the food was good. Everyone on the ship were friendly and went out of their way for us. I do think it was the most boring cruise ever, but that's our opinion.

 

However, we DO have an issue with RCCL. While onboard we booked a cruise for Oasis in May 2017. Perks were usual, BOGOHO, reduced deposit and OBC. But they had a bonus on the promotional sheet of free VOOM for that cruise. It didn't show on the reservation so I asked the agent and she assured me that it was "in the reservation". I went back the next day, she again said its there.

 

I called when we got home and was told, that promotion of free VOOM ends months before our cruise. They say too bad...... Error on agent even though I have a paper showing it..... So I asked for a bit more OBC and we will just purchase it... Nope...

 

I said to the C&A rep that this is bad business and she just said and I quote "YUP"

 

I think most businesses would honor the paper that I have showing it, but not them. I guess they have so much business that they just don't care.

 

Does anyone have the email address for the president of Royal? I would like to send him an email just to let him know.