Prepare to be....DISAPPOINTED!!

[KDOG687]

I would have preferred rage against the machine over the crap they played on the freedom this past Nov, worst playlist ever also the flow rider was broke down for the last two days, that being said it was still a good cruise.

 

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[Ocean Boy]

 

 

Biggest RCCL I've been on prior to Indy was Mariner (which I had a very good experience - good food, good service, ship kept up). So...I do have something to compare. Granted it was several years ago, there was a difference.

Funny you mention Matiner. We did a cruise on that ship years ago and had the worst service that we have had on any cruise.

[Davebhoy]

Entertaining how many folk are objecting to them playing a Christmas Number 1 hit :-)

[dwayneb236]

I have not read through all this but I'm thinking if you prepare to be disappointed you will be. Go in with an open mind and you may be surprised. Just my 2 cents worth. But hey, I'm not that smart.

[LS6Caddy]

Omg.... you are entitled to your opinion because YOU paid your money for a great cruise. I only picked RCI ( my first time) because I thought they were supposed to be the best of the best but I keep seeing reviews that say opposite. I paid a lot of money for this and expect top notch accommodation and service. I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. I have yet to sail ( I leave next weekend) so I can’t say anything about RCI yet. But for what I paid, I expect to be blown away otherwise I will stick with carnival and Norwegian. Oh and try other lines because I like to try them all.

 

Why even go at this point? You have such a pre-conceived notion of what this is going to be based on what an all negative review says a long with a few others poor reviews. When by and large if you read the reviews and these boards there are more positive things being said. There is always going to be complaints. Not one cruise line is going to have a 100% approval rating. You can go to the Carnival boards, or the Princess boards and find the same overall tone. A lot of it is what you make of it. Have a positive attitude and outlook and don't let a burned out light bulb or a banana split on a plate ruin your experience.

 

Yes cruising is expensive...but you didn't pay top notch...as has been mentioned numerous times in this thread. Top notch accommodation and service resides with lines such as Viking...and with that comes top notch expense. You can't buy a Honda Accord and expect the performance of a Ferrari...and if you do expect that...than you are just going to be disappointing instead satisfied with what is still a good car.

 

I believe we as passengers have just as much to do with the service as the staff. The crew is all human just like we are. They have good days and they have bad days. If you treat them as friends instead of your servants it goes a long way. Get to know them, ask them questions...see how their day is going...joke with them...be friendly...and most importantly be compassionate towards them. It's a hard job and they are not going to be perfect at it all the time. So when they slip up a little, brush it off and move on.

 

I can honestly say I have never had bad service/staff in the MDR in all the cruises I have been on. We get to know our servers (we cruise in pretty big groups, so we always do traditional dining instead figuring out MTD for large groups) and joke with them and have fun with them. And in turn they start to have fun with us and know they can let their guard down a bit and not be so stuffy...and in turn makes for a great experience for us and hopefully for them too. Sure, sometimes it's not always perfect...maybe they forgot something...maybe they are slow here and there...but it's whatever...none of our crew bats an eye at it...we all roll with it because we are on vacation at the end of the day. Last cruise I was on our waiter ended up knocking over a glass of water in my dads lap when they went to reach for the napkin to put it in his lap...we didn't take a picture of it to post on here...we didn't march to the service desk and demand on board credit...we didn't write the CEO. We all laughed and made the requisite peeing your pants jokes the rest of the night. And the same goes for all the staff. We make friends with bar tenders, casino dealers, the pool deck attendant the last cruise (we are all FB friends now), the room steward...I always high five my room steward in the hall when I see him and ask him how his day is going.

 

At the end of the day...we as cruisers are just as responsible for our experience as the crew/staff is.

[plo888]

"I'm quite amused at a lot of the posts being so defensive. I find it somewhat funny people's feelings are hurt by my title. OH WELL."

 

Yo, dont get it twisted. I or at least the replies Ive read didnt have their feelings hurt. Your "continued" poor choice of words probably created more noise than it should've and obviously misrepresented what you really meant.

[mommysoncruiser]

Why even go at this point? You have such a pre-conceived notion of what this is going to be based on what an all negative review says a long with a few others poor reviews. When by and large if you read the reviews and these boards there are more positive things being said. There is always going to be complaints. Not one cruise line is going to have a 100% approval rating. You can go to the Carnival boards, or the Princess boards and find the same overall tone. A lot of it is what you make of it. Have a positive attitude and outlook and don't let a burned out light bulb or a banana split on a plate ruin your experience.

 

Yes cruising is expensive...but you didn't pay top notch...as has been mentioned numerous times in this thread. Top notch accommodation and service resides with lines such as Viking...and with that comes top notch expense. You can't buy a Honda Accord and expect the performance of a Ferrari...and if you do expect that...than you are just going to be disappointing instead satisfied with what is still a good car.

 

I believe we as passengers have just as much to do with the service as the staff. The crew is all human just like we are. They have good days and they have bad days. If you treat them as friends instead of your servants it goes a long way. Get to know them, ask them questions...see how their day is going...joke with them...be friendly...and most importantly be compassionate towards them. It's a hard job and they are not going to be perfect at it all the time. So when they slip up a little, brush it off and move on.

 

I can honestly say I have never had bad service/staff in the MDR in all the cruises I have been on. We get to know our servers (we cruise in pretty big groups, so we always do traditional dining instead figuring out MTD for large groups) and joke with them and have fun with them. And in turn they start to have fun with us and know they can let their guard down a bit and not be so stuffy...and in turn makes for a great experience for us and hopefully for them too. Sure, sometimes it's not always perfect...maybe they forgot something...maybe they are slow here and there...but it's whatever...none of our crew bats an eye at it...we all roll with it because we are on vacation at the end of the day. Last cruise I was on our waiter ended up knocking over a glass of water in my dads lap when they went to reach for the napkin to put it in his lap...we didn't take a picture of it to post on here...we didn't march to the service desk and demand on board credit...we didn't write the CEO. We all laughed and made the requisite peeing your pants jokes the rest of the night. And the same goes for all the staff. We make friends with bar tenders, casino dealers, the pool deck attendant the last cruise (we are all FB friends now), the room steward...I always high five my room steward in the hall when I see him and ask him how his day is going.

 

At the end of the day...we as cruisers are just as responsible for our experience as the crew/staff is.

 

Why even go? Because I can!

[tcrandal]

I have not read through all this but I'm thinking if you prepare to be disappointed you will be. Go in with an open mind and you may be surprised. Just my 2 cents worth. But hey, I'm not that smart.

 

Much smarter than most.

[tcrandal]

Why even go at this point? You have such a pre-conceived notion of what this is going to be based on what an all negative review says a long with a few others poor reviews. When by and large if you read the reviews and these boards there are more positive things being said. There is always going to be complaints. Not one cruise line is going to have a 100% approval rating. You can go to the Carnival boards, or the Princess boards and find the same overall tone. A lot of it is what you make of it. Have a positive attitude and outlook and don't let a burned out light bulb or a banana split on a plate ruin your experience.

 

Yes cruising is expensive...but you didn't pay top notch...as has been mentioned numerous times in this thread. Top notch accommodation and service resides with lines such as Viking...and with that comes top notch expense. You can't buy a Honda Accord and expect the performance of a Ferrari...and if you do expect that...than you are just going to be disappointing instead satisfied with what is still a good car.

 

I believe we as passengers have just as much to do with the service as the staff. The crew is all human just like we are. They have good days and they have bad days. If you treat them as friends instead of your servants it goes a long way. Get to know them, ask them questions...see how their day is going...joke with them...be friendly...and most importantly be compassionate towards them. It's a hard job and they are not going to be perfect at it all the time. So when they slip up a little, brush it off and move on.

 

I can honestly say I have never had bad service/staff in the MDR in all the cruises I have been on. We get to know our servers (we cruise in pretty big groups, so we always do traditional dining instead figuring out MTD for large groups) and joke with them and have fun with them. And in turn they start to have fun with us and know they can let their guard down a bit and not be so stuffy...and in turn makes for a great experience for us and hopefully for them too. Sure, sometimes it's not always perfect...maybe they forgot something...maybe they are slow here and there...but it's whatever...none of our crew bats an eye at it...we all roll with it because we are on vacation at the end of the day. Last cruise I was on our waiter ended up knocking over a glass of water in my dads lap when they went to reach for the napkin to put it in his lap...we didn't take a picture of it to post on here...we didn't march to the service desk and demand on board credit...we didn't write the CEO. We all laughed and made the requisite peeing your pants jokes the rest of the night. And the same goes for all the staff. We make friends with bar tenders, casino dealers, the pool deck attendant the last cruise (we are all FB friends now), the room steward...I always high five my room steward in the hall when I see him and ask him how his day is going.

 

At the end of the day...we as cruisers are just as responsible for our experience as the crew/staff is.

 

So refreshing! I wouldn't normally quote the whole message, but it was worth quoting the entire thing! We all definitely experience the bad with cruising, and certainly some more than others, but it's all in how you respond and let it impact you. Great post, thank you for such a well thought out post and balancing the negativity. If you are a negative person, or have a negative attitude, you will usually fulfill your expectations, and vice versa.

 

I find when I surround myself with people with the same attitude that you have, there is nothing that can throw off things. Do people deserve a perfect cruise? Sure! But, life itself is never perfect. I keep thinking back at the video review I watched yesterday and how absolutely horrible it would be to be around someone as negative as the reviews portrayed on vacation.

[tcrandal]

Why even go? Because I can!

 

You will have a great time I'm sure, you said you sailed NCL, and if you frequent those forums, you'll see just as many negative reviews. These used to scare me, but now, like was mentioned, you can really assess the poster to weigh their complaints. Then if you encounter any issues onboard, address them in real time and get back to relaxing.

 

I may be back at the end of April with my own complaints about Royal's Anthem, but until then it's a vacation bliss of relaxation coming up in my mind. I avoid the areas that cause annoyances where possible.. Based on some of the reviews, we'll likely try and add some additional specialty dining, but we heard the same about NCL, and the main dining room experience went well for us.

 

If the specialty dining on the Anthem is anything like the specialty on NCL, we'll be very happy.

[gailforce2000]

Two neon lights out. I can't believe everyone on board didn't get a voucher for a free cruise....

 

 

 

LOL

 

 

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[rtazz17]

Family and I sailed 2/19/2018 on the Independence of the Seas. SUPER disappointing! Hadn't been on RCCL in a while. We saw a little decline in 2016 when we went on Celebrity Solstice, but overall liked the cruise. RCCL, tho....WOW! I think Carnival just pulled ahead in the cruise wars game.

 

Service was BAD!

Main Dining Room Food - POOR! (see photos)

Ship Condition - Not Kept clean/Lights out

 

And the icing was our experience at Flow Rider....playing music with Profanity! (Killing in the Name of by Rage Against the Machine!) REALLY? With small Children around. (SEE VIDEO)

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cs1wy8dao3vt0tk/IMG_0932.jpg?dl=0

Wilted Grapes and Nasty Carrots in the Romeo & Juliet Dining Room

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vfg82bir8xqzste/IMG_0933.jpg?dl=0

Lights out in the Promenade

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yjchwg0z580uyot/IMG_1201.jpg?dl=0

Part Rotted Lettuce on a Salmon Plate in the Dining Room

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uafv9c3q2rc6egl/IMG_0956.jpg?dl=0

Can't even put a Banana Split in an Ice Cream Dish. Just Slapped together. That was $7+ !!

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ibs6lln5ce8yjoq/IMG_1189.m4v?dl=0

(Caution: PROFANITY IN VIDEO!)

 

(See my Review - Just Submitted to CC today). Details everything! (Posted my letter to Richard Fain, CEO)

 

RCCL needs to clean up their act. They have nice/big/fancy ships, but can't keep up! And the Profanity thing....ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA! APPALLING!

Love these posts! Not

Everyone will have an individual experience. Dont tell everyone they will be disappointed because you were.

[FOXTROT]

i'm sure he started that cruise with that mind set " be prepared to be disappointed." Out of 70 cruises have they all been perfect? Heavens no. Does it bother us? Heavens no. We are on vacation, relax, enjoy yourselves. If things aren't perfect or close, move on & don't harp on it. A bad day at sea is still better than a good day at work.

[IrieBajan54]

OP, in the past, food presentation was important. Today, volume takes precedence.

[ReneeFLL]

I don't think we are under any spell.....speaking for myself and cruised 75 ships so far, I haven't found a ship that I can say is perfect overall........

75 ships or 75 cruises? I don't think I would even be able to remember all the different ships.

[Yoitsbbg]

To follow up, I had a very (what I perceived to be) meaningful conversation with the representative from RCCL Executive office yesterday and feel confident that MY disappointments did not fall on deaf ears. They understood my point of view and were receptive to my complaints and resolutions (I try not to only complain when I have a bad outcome, but also present logical solutions). All in all, hopefully the right people will receive feedback and changes made down the line. They were apologetic for the occurrences which I experienced and I can only hope they prove themselves when I cruise with them again.

 

YO

[Paulxyz2004]

Omg.... you are entitled to your opinion because YOU paid your money for a great cruise. I only picked RCI ( my first time) because I thought they were supposed to be the best of the best but I keep seeing reviews that say opposite. I paid a lot of money for this and expect top notch accommodation and service. I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. I have yet to sail ( I leave next weekend) so I can’t say anything about RCI yet. But for what I paid, I expect to be blown away otherwise I will stick with carnival and Norwegian. Oh and try other lines because I like to try them all.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble. I do like RCI and I´m always very pleased with the product, but they are no way and not even remotely close the best of the best.

 

If you want the best of the best you need to start with lines like Hapag Lloyd, Crystal Cruises, Oceania, Silversea, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas. RCI is way down the line from these.

[Ocean Boy]

Sorry to burst your bubble. I do like RCI and I´m always very pleased with the product, but they are no way and not even remotely close the best of the best.

 

If you want the best of the best you need to start with lines like Hapag Lloyd, Crystal Cruises, Oceania, Silversea, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas. RCI is way down the line from these.

It all depends on what you are looking for. RCI probably meets my needs better than any of the lines you mentioned... and at a bettet price. So on that list, for me anyway, RCI would me at the top.

[Cruisegirl6]

ReneeFl- Hi Ft. Lauderdale miss it dearly but I am still in Florida lol....yes, 75 cruises, cruised on some ships more than once or twice, now you going to make me figure out how many ships ha! Four years ago I sat down and made a list of all the ships I was on and tallied it up, so number 76 will be in April and 77 in October and there may just be one the first week of December but too early to tell. ;)

 

YO- Maybe you should try the newest ship coming out the Symphony, I am sure since she be brand new you be alot more pleased with her.

 

Oceanboy- Hi....RC is the best for me also, I don't want to be on one of those high end ships, they are too small for me and lack the bells and whistles....I don't want to be with people with their noses up in the air (from what I heard from my uncle who has cruised in the past on Viking, Seaborne and Oceania) and I think the food in the specialty restaurants is good not excellent but when I want to dine at five star restaurants I go on a land based vacations. RC never disappoints me but as far as the little things, if I were to see dirty carpeting lets say, I just say ugh and go on with my cruise.

 

I love RC, I also like Carnival but when I cruise Carnival I know I won't be eating healthy or good (with the exception their steakhouse) and I know there isn't any decent entertainment, generally I am there to be with friends/family that go along with us and I go just to get away and I have to admit, I do enjoy their casino slot machines more. I do hate NCL and you never see us step food on any of those ships but if I were to get a free cruise you bet any cruise is better than no cruise :D

[Husky1987]

It all depends on what you are looking for. RCI probably meets my needs better than any of the lines you mentioned... and at a bettet price. So on that list, for me anyway, RCI would me at the top.

 

For me as well, but it does seem like many people are expecting a Ritz Carlton experience when they're choosing to stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Omg.... you are entitled to your opinion because YOU paid your money for a great cruise. I only picked RCI ( my first time) because I thought they were supposed to be the best of the best but I keep seeing reviews that say opposite. I paid a lot of money for this and expect top notch accommodation and service. I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. I have yet to sail ( I leave next weekend) so I can’t say anything about RCI yet. But for what I paid, I expect to be blown away otherwise I will stick with carnival and Norwegian. Oh and try other lines because I like to try them all.

 

I enjoy RC and they are my usual cruise line. I do hope you enjoy your cruise. However, I have a feeling that you will be disappointed. Your comments lead me to believe that you will find lots of things you will not like. All mainstream cruise lines are more the same than different, including RC, Carnival and NCL. Pricing varies from ship to ship and cruise to cruise, but not substantially.

 

 

If you are expecting luxury service you should have booked a luxury line.

[AnyShip4Me]

Granted we have not been on a cruise for some time due to a serious illness. We are D+ with royal. Took a look a Celebrity, got a screaming deal through TA. We just make the senior discount. We will see how we do in November. Can do without the bingo and gold by the inch announcements!

[mrizer7773]

Family and I sailed 2/19/2018 on the Independence of the Seas. SUPER disappointing! Hadn't been on RCCL in a while. We saw a little decline in 2016 when we went on Celebrity Solstice, but overall liked the cruise. RCCL, tho....WOW! I think Carnival just pulled ahead in the cruise wars game.

 

Service was BAD!

Main Dining Room Food - POOR! (see photos)

Ship Condition - Not Kept clean/Lights out

 

And the icing was our experience at Flow Rider....playing music with Profanity! (Killing in the Name of by Rage Against the Machine!) REALLY? With small Children around. (SEE VIDEO)

 

I Lovvveee that song!!!! :'):'):')

[Cruisegirl6]

I also LOVE THAT SONG! I am 55 too, love that music!

[gailforce2000]

I Lovvveee that song!!!! :'):'):')

 

 

 

That was our wedding song

 

 

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