Problems with Royal Caribbean?

[Jonjhawk]

Hello everyone,

i have been on 8 cruises total 6 with Royal Caribbean and 2 with carnival cruise line. On our last cruise on Oasis during Spring Break last year we noticed the service and food wasn't as good as it used to be. We noticed this on our cruise 4 years ago as well. I started reading the message boards and have found many people were experiencing the same thing. I was wondering if anyone else was having similar problems or what people's experiences like have been lately. I also wondered if it was just spring break service or if it was just the ship. please let me know if you've had any problems with Royal Caribbean lately as well. We are starting to look into another cruise and just wanting to make sure Royal Caribbean is still the way to go. Thanks!

[cruisinfanatic]

Hello everyone,

i have been on 8 cruises total 6 with Royal Caribbean and 2 with carnival cruise line. On our last cruise on Oasis during Spring Break last year we noticed the service and food wasn't as good as it used to be. We noticed this on our cruise 4 years ago as well. I started reading the message boards and have found many people were experiencing the same thing. I was wondering if anyone else was having similar problems or what people's experiences like have been lately. I also wondered if it was just spring break service or if it was just the ship. please let me know if you've had any problems with Royal Caribbean lately as well. We are starting to look into another cruise and just wanting to make sure Royal Caribbean is still the way to go. Thanks!

What was wrong?

[Jonjhawk]

The food just didn't seem as good, the staff seemed very short and not as friendly as normal,the lobby desk people weren't as helpful and the staff just seemed curt

[ryano]

The food just didn't seem as good, the staff seemed very short and not as friendly as normal,the lobby desk people weren't as helpful and the staff just seemed curt

 

I agree with you 100%. The "experience" we had last April didnt even come close to the previous experience we had on the same ship 3 years prior.

 

The problem is, its happening on every "mass market" cruise line out there.

 

I still find cruising to be the best bang for my buck though.

[Ashland]

The food just didn't seem as good, the staff seemed very short and not as friendly as normal,the lobby desk people weren't as helpful and the staff just seemed curt

 

I am pretty loyal to RCI and am very happy cruising with them...however when I decided to try PCL once I found the exact things you're talking about on Princess...so the grass wasn't greener...at least from my experience !!!!

[champagne123]

Hello everyone,

i have been on 8 cruises total 6 with Royal Caribbean and 2 with carnival cruise line. On our last cruise on Oasis during Spring Break last year we noticed the service and food wasn't as good as it used to be. We noticed this on our cruise 4 years ago as well. I started reading the message boards and have found many people were experiencing the same thing. I was wondering if anyone else was having similar problems or what people's experiences like have been lately. I also wondered if it was just spring break service or if it was just the ship. please let me know if you've had any problems with Royal Caribbean lately as well. We are starting to look into another cruise and just wanting to make sure Royal Caribbean is still the way to go. Thanks!

 

Just curious. You said spring break last year? Not a problem...just wondering why you are posting this now? I guess I can understand the staff being overwhelmed during spring break. I believe the pax max is like 6400. We were on her in 2011 and loved it, but maybe things have changed over the years, just like "everything else".

Edited March 29, 2016 by champagne123
vvvvvv

[Dave4120]

Here we go again. Who says the food wasn't good or as good. That is only your opinion, so it would be more helpful to new cruisers who may view this site to express YOUR, opinion that way. We are going on our 30th RCCL cruise and have never had any issues, but then, we look at the dining room food being served as a big bowling banquet where the food is average and not to expect that much more. I'm sure you've had worse at a restaurant in your own area, or from a dinner or two you prepared yourself. So, when you say the food and service, AS A BLANKET statement is worse, versus stating just your opinion, I can counter and say the opposite and your full of baloney.

[Merion_Mom]

The food just didn't seem as good, the staff seemed very short and not as friendly as normal,the lobby desk people weren't as helpful and the staff just seemed curt

 

Always attacking the short people. NOT NICE.

 

:eek:

[grandmarnnurse]

Hello everyone,

i have been on 8 cruises total 6 with Royal Caribbean and 2 with carnival cruise line. On our last cruise on Oasis during Spring Break last year we noticed the service and food wasn't as good as it used to be. We noticed this on our cruise 4 years ago as well. I started reading the message boards and have found many people were experiencing the same thing. I was wondering if anyone else was having similar problems or what people's experiences like have been lately. I also wondered if it was just spring break service or if it was just the ship. please let me know if you've had any problems with Royal Caribbean lately as well. We are starting to look into another cruise and just wanting to make sure Royal Caribbean is still the way to go. Thanks!

 

Our last two cruises were on RCCL, and all before that were on Carnival. We found the food and service better on Carnival, but were blown away by everything available to do on the Independence and the Oasis. It has been awhile since we cruised Carnival, so I can't say that their food and service has slipped, also. Trying a whole new line in January--NCL--and hoping for a good experience on that line.

[whyrlygig]

I have never found cruise-ship food to be to my taste at all. It seems to all taste like it came from the same pot. I always take advantage of the port stops and try new foods in the local restaurants. I know this going in so I am not too disappointed.

 

 

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[2bFREEonTHEseas]

Here we go again. Who says the food wasn't good or as good. That is only your opinion, so it would be more helpful to new cruisers who may view this site to express YOUR, opinion that way. We are going on our 30th RCCL cruise and have never had any issues, but then, we look at the dining room food being served as a big bowling banquet where the food is average and not to expect that much more. I'm sure you've had worse at a restaurant in your own area, or from a dinner or two you prepared yourself. So, when you say the food and service, AS A BLANKET statement is worse, versus stating just your opinion, I can counter and say the opposite and your full of baloney.

 

I have to agree, our food on our last cruise just a few weeks ago on RCI was awesome, hot, staff was great. This is why RCI hates these boards and IMO is just that...

[Debitoo]

Always attacking the short people. NOT NICE.

 

:eek:

I was wondering when someone was going to mention this.....:p

[north29]

Not that matters but shows I have a few cruises under my belt. The old days of cruising are gone, some for good reasons and some for bad reasons. I'm not a RC loyalist, and have come to like X just as well, totally different experiences in cruising. If I could afford it I would do nothing but Boutique cruise lines but for now and before the next lotto drawing, my choices are the mass market cruise lines.

[coneyraven]

Sometimes I wonder about the affect of automatic gratuities. Lower the incentive because they're going to get paid regardless. Although I would like to think this is not the norm.

 

 

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[trippintex]

tips have nothing to do with it most all cruise lines have cut way way back on staff .like every where, you do more with less. wait staff have more tabels so slower service so food might be colder, but as we do we try hard to get to know as much about our staff as we can the cruise lines all of them are haveing a high turnover rate older staff quit because of larger stations alot of problems young one do 1 or 2 6 month trips and quit BUT THEY ALLWAYS WORK HARD everyday if they feel good or not put on that micky mouse smile and make everyone happy. first time crusers are the worse they think the staff are servents and will not think of all the tables in the station and the will order one of every thing on the menue

[Paulette3028]

Hello everyone,

i have been on 8 cruises total 6 with Royal Caribbean and 2 with carnival cruise line. On our last cruise on Oasis during Spring Break last year we noticed the service and food wasn't as good as it used to be. We noticed this on our cruise 4 years ago as well. I started reading the message boards and have found many people were experiencing the same thing. I was wondering if anyone else was having similar problems or what people's experiences like have been lately. I also wondered if it was just spring break service or if it was just the ship. please let me know if you've had any problems with Royal Caribbean lately as well. We are starting to look into another cruise and just wanting to make sure Royal Caribbean is still the way to go. Thanks!

 

Over the past 13 years we have been on 20 cruises all on Royal. I can say things have changed on board the ship....less towel animals, no chocolate mints on pillows, each cabin steward has more cabins to take care of and the wait staff has more tables to take care of. I had good food on our first cruise and the most recent cruise we took this past November. Have some of the menu choices changed due to the addition of Specialty Dining Venues, which we do not frequent, yes. But what I have ordered, has been good....and if I did not like it, I ordered something else. FOOD especially is a very subjective subject.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

I believe that over time and a quantity of cruises, things seem to go stale whether they actually are is a different story. Meaning, spice is the variety of life. When one repeats the same thing over & over, whatever it is, it can, does become mundane, old hat etc.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Itsbeentoolong]

Always attacking the short people. NOT NICE.

 

 

 

:eek:

 

 

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[Itsbeentoolong]

I got free tips so will be taking my own, lets see if the few dollars here and there gives me better services...hope it does or the rest will be paying off my bill at the end [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[biomedbob]

The last 40 cruises the food was awful. The first 40 the food was awful. We're booked on another 20, I sure hope they improve things, or we might just stop cruising! :)

[keiran]

make sure you ask about removing tips from your account invoice:)

[pomgo]

why!!

[Langley Cruisers]

Here we go again. Who says the food wasn't good or as good. That is only your opinion, so it would be more helpful to new cruisers who may view this site to express YOUR, opinion that way. We are going on our 30th RCCL cruise and have never had any issues, but then, we look at the dining room food being served as a big bowling banquet where the food is average and not to expect that much more. I'm sure you've had worse at a restaurant in your own area, or from a dinner or two you prepared yourself. So, when you say the food and service, AS A BLANKET statement is worse, versus stating just your opinion, I can counter and say the opposite and your full of baloney.

 

Woah - was that for OP (you didn't quote anyone so I assume so)? Because if so, I'm pretty sure s/he DID express his/her own opinion. The food and service, according to OP, has slipped and OP was wondering if anyone else felt the same way, gee. Please don't be so rude.

 

~

 

OP, although our Oasis cruise was some years ago now, I feel it was our least satisfying cruise to date. I agree that the food (although subjective, of course) wasn't as good on Oasis as on other ships.

 

Have you sailed the other ships? What about Radiance-class? They are our favorite ships, with the outdoor aft eating area of Windjammer. :)

.

[Merion_Mom]

i was wondering when someone was going to mention this.....:p

 

;) ;) :)

Edited March 29, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[clemcruiser]

I believe that over time and a quantity of cruises, things seem to go stale whether they actually are is a different story. Meaning, spice is the variety of life. When one repeats the same thing over & over, whatever it is, it can, does become mundane, old hat etc.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

Agree! No expectations on the first cruise, and then comparisons as time goes on. We have asked ourselves that question also.

 

Maybe that is part of the answer as to why we have started to feel like the new cruisers are more the target of the cruise lines these days. We call it "being cruised out" and think it may be time for changing it up a bit also. Might even go and stay with some family. That will get us back to appreciating a cruise again!