Noticed Changes in RCL Cruising Overall

[legaljen1969]

2 minutes ago, Vlgg731 said:

This makes my blood boil!!  I hate when parents teach their children to cheat by lying about their age.  The parents are supposed to set the example for their children and this example that it is ok to lie is unacceptable.  

I don't know about making blood boil, but it definitely makes the parents look pretty darn stupid if they have to keep reminding their child to lie.

[DebJ14]

4 hours ago, Cru1s1ng2009 said:

Side note: I thought only Carnival gave out playing cards at GS.

 

I have a stack of RCCL playing cards from the Rhapsody, Splendour, Voyager and Mariner that go back at least 10 years.  They were in our cabins when we boarded those ships.  I also have really cheap radio with earphones, several fanny packs etc from when they used to give gifts.  Now as Diamond we get a can of Sprite and a cookie we can't eat.    It is not like we got the playing cards or gifts for sailing a lot.  We only made Diamond last year and that was only because we got double points for booking suites on our last 4 cruises.

 

I inherited a stack of unopened playing cards from my parents who died in 2010/2012 and were Diamond Plus when they passed away.  They never played cards, so there is no way they would have gone to GS to ask for them, so they must have been in the cabins too.  We don't play cards either, so I know we didn't go looking for them.

Edited July 29, 2019 by DebJ14

[HBE4]

26 minutes ago, legaljen1969 said:

29 minutes ago, Vlgg731 said:

This makes my blood boil!!  I hate when parents teach their children to cheat by lying about their age.  The parents are supposed to set the example for their children and this example that it is ok to lie is unacceptable.  

I don't know about making blood boil, but it definitely makes the parents look pretty darn stupid if they have to keep reminding their child to lie.

 

It won't be long before the kids are lying to their parents about who they are hanging out with, why they need to borrow money or what time they will come home at night.... What goes around, comes around.

[canuck_in_clearwater]

We were on the same cruise and the chair saving and U16s in the solarium was the worst I have seen on Royal Caribbean.  We use MTD so never had to put up with shenanigans in the MDR.  Disappointed in the very casual dress, however; in the MDR there were shorts and jeans on formal night including the same U16s from the Solarium wearing JEAN SHORTS on formal night.  We spoke to the Head Waiter and he did nothing.  On the other hand, no prizes at each trivia worked for us as we won the RAFFLE PRIZE!  Was able to share with our trivia teammates.  Used the RCL backpack on the rest of our vacation before it ripped on the airplane on our return to Canada.  Oops!

[holiday-shrek]

5 hours ago, johnjen said:

ZERO rules effect on keeping children out of the solarium (this isn't new, but seriously, start enforcing it)

Seems they try not to enforce that on the ships!

[legaljen1969]

8 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

It won't be long before the kids are lying to their parents about who they are hanging out with, why they need to borrow money or what time they will come home at night.... What goes around, comes around.

You are so right. I can't wait to see what they say when they are the ones being lied to about stuff.  The parents will likely be pretty furious.   Or they could be free range parents like my neighbors who don't give a flip what their kids do as long as it doesn't interfere with their nightly drinking.  The bar is set pretty low for some parents.   Plenty out there who believe as long as the child survives until its 18th birthday and they get them out of the house, they have been stellar parents.

[fscool]

I've found that RCL is pushing it with regards to photo taking locations.  On my last cruise they were roping off stairways and blocking walkways in the promenade so they could take photos.  If this is so important to RCL they should really have a separate room for this.  

[grandgeezer]

7 hours ago, Snit13 said:

Celebrity is a steps above RCL and little if no comparison in my opinion.  Have you sailed Celebrity?  I have sailed Princess, NCL, RCL and Celebrity.  There is no comparison.  Wish I lived close to Ft. Lauderdale/Miami so I could sail Celebrity.  RCL is ok but just not as much class.

I disagree, after 20+ cruises with Celebrity, on both S class and M class ships, we bolted to RCL and MSC. So much more to do, and not near as expensive.

[grandgeezer]

5 hours ago, mzhibbs said:

Isn't the Solarium 16 and older, so the teens would be allowed.  My daughter, who is almost 19 still looks about 12. LOL  

Age is only a number, I've seen adults and seniors act worse than my fourteen year old grandson, yet they were allowed to stay. As long as a person acts respectively to those around I don't care if they are 100 or 10 or anything in between.

[mac_tlc]

5 hours ago, queenfrostine22 said:

I know there are Windjammer haters out there but, I love the variety, the quietness at dinner time and the choice to stay as long or as little as I choose.

The main dining room is too slow for me.

I wouldn’t say  I’m a “hater” but we try to avoid the Windjammer as much as possible. Breakfast is a zoo, lunch only better if you avoid 11:30-2, and I am not a fan of serving myself at dinner. Wife and I still enjoy the MDR, not at all concerned with the time. If it’s 60 minutes, 75 minutes, or 90 we don’t mind it. Not in a rush to get anywhere on vacation — except to make our nightly donation at the casino. 

 

mac_tlc

[LMaxwell]

Charging for a small cup of popcorn on a cruise ship is tacky.  

[bonsai3s]

Can someone confirm if you can or cannot purchase alcohol from the ship when leaving/embarking from Barcelona?  (Friends sailing next year on the Allure out of Barcelona.) Thanks.

[John&LaLa]

12 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

That was our experience too, we've never seen "free" popcorn.  However, this is the kind of thing that can vary ship to ship.

 

Oasis did free popcorn on the BW party the last day. It was usually burned, though.

[John&LaLa]

5 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

Charging for a small cup of popcorn on a cruise ship is tacky.  

 

I think they are charging for cleaning it up. 😇

[John&LaLa]

In the past year I've found cards on Adventure,  Serenade,  and Empress. 

 

Even made my egg drop contraption out of the box they came in. And look, zipper pulls. 😁

 

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

I wouldn’t say  I’m a “hater” but we try to avoid the Windjammer as much as possible. Breakfast is a zoo, lunch only better if you avoid 11:30-2, and I am not a fan of serving myself at dinner. Wife and I still enjoy the MDR, not at all concerned with the time. If it’s 60 minutes, 75 minutes, or 90 we don’t mind it. Not in a rush to get anywhere on vacation — except to make our nightly donation at the casino. 

 

mac_tlc

I usually like breakfast in the buffet and I really tried to like Windjammer on Anthem but there were better places to eat. Breakfast buffet in the MDR is better than WJ.  We enjoyed the food in the MDR for dinner and service was pretty quick in My time dining.

[IzznOll17]

11 hours ago, rolloman said:

The formula is working...soon you will only have buffet or for fee specialty dining.....period.  

That's my take on it too! The space that these dining rooms take up could easily be used for more profitable means, oh and don't get me started on the various 'lounges' - that clock is ticking down very, very quickly!

[UKWLDCruise]

10 hours ago, DebJ14 said:

 

I have a stack of RCCL playing cards from the Rhapsody, Splendour, Voyager and Mariner that go back at least 10 years.  They were in our cabins when we boarded those ships.  I also have really cheap radio with earphones, several fanny packs etc from when they used to give gifts.  Now as Diamond we get a can of Sprite and a cookie we can't eat.    It is not like we got the playing cards or gifts for sailing a lot.  We only made Diamond last year and that was only because we got double points for booking suites on our last 4 cruises.

 

I inherited a stack of unopened playing cards from my parents who died in 2010/2012 and were Diamond Plus when they passed away.  They never played cards, so there is no way they would have gone to GS to ask for them, so they must have been in the cabins too.  We don't play cards either, so I know we didn't go looking for them.

 

I received a free pack in my room on Royal Caribbean right up until the mid 90s but wouldn't bother now as there are so many free card games you can down load.

[holiday-shrek]

10 hours ago, canuck_in_clearwater said:

We spoke to the Head Waiter and he did nothing

No surprise there!

[SuiteLady]

21 hours ago, johnjen said:

While our VOTS recent cruise was fabulous, noticed some disliked changes overall with our RCL experience:

 

- Popcorn at the movies: Two years ago on Brilliance, it was free! THIS time it was $5.00 for a tiny portion (it was burnt anyway);

- Dining: We think that ONE night of interrupting table conversations with family & friends "CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE" and the waiters parading about is ok....but this tirade went on almost every evening. Let them do their jobs please.....dining shouldn't be a nightly cabaret. It was a bit excessive;

- NO ALCOHOL was being sold on VOTS for some reason in the "duty free" shop; had one sales person there say they NEVER sell alcohol in a duty free shop and even argued against me, claiming we were wrong and that no RCL ships sell liquor in the store;

- PRICES in the shops were through the roof and are HIGHER than ever before. We noticed far better pricing at the duty free shops at Barcelona airport on some items they sold in the ship's store;
- No more free playing cards at the guest services desk (we've NEVER offered that but you can BUY those in the shop) oh yes you have;
- Trivia prizes: All but gone, now it's a "join the raffle" offering;
- ZERO rules effect on keeping children out of the solarium (this isn't new, but seriously, start enforcing it)

We're booked for a Baltic next summer, but we are considering trying Celebrity after this one.....but wondering if the same effect is going on there as well. BUT...overall, we had a good cruise. Anyone else noticing changes like these?

On my last 2 Royal sailings I did not find this at all.... except that popcorn cost $3.95 and yes, I bought it a few times-no biggie.  Only one night of waiter parades in the MDR, which was not bothersome at all to me.  Free cards were available at Guest Services, as a lady in front of me asked, and received them.  Prices in the stores r always high... I hit the “sales” on the promenade, then a little better, or shop in port.  Never saw them not sale alcohol in the stores onboard, HOWEVER I never sailed European sailings, so I think the other posters r right about  it being different on these sailings!  I love Royal and any day I’m on a cruise ship is a good day!  Hoping, going forward, u have a more positive experience.

[Iamcruzin]

6 hours ago, UKWLDCruise said:

 

I received a free pack in my room on Royal Caribbean right up until the mid 90s but wouldn't bother now as there are so many free card games you can down load.

LOL.... I was thinking the same thing.  Cards, Books, News Papers? What is this the 20th Century? If people were that into playing cards they would just bring their own deck.  It's more about eliminating the free stuff that upsets people. I miss the pillow chocolates but  in the end it really doesn't bother me.

[Iamcruzin]

8 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

In the past year I've found cards on Adventure,  Serenade,  and Empress. 

 

Even made my egg drop contraption out of the box they came in. And look, zipper pulls. 😁

 

Did the egg break? 

[John&LaLa]

1 minute ago, Iamcruzin said:

Did the egg break? 

 

Of course not. I ended up in second place. 😀

 

 

Finished product.

 

[HBE4]

46 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

LOL.... I was thinking the same thing.  Cards, Books, News Papers? What is this the 20th Century? If people were that into playing cards they would just bring their own deck.  It's more about eliminating the free stuff that upsets people. I miss the pillow chocolates but  in the end it really doesn't bother me.

 

Sometimes I wish it was still the 20th century.

 

I'd love to to go skeet shooting off the aft deck. And drink from plastic straws. 😉

[UKWLDCruise]

18 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

Sometimes I wish it was still the 20th century.

 

I'd love to to go skeet shooting off the aft deck. And drink from plastic straws. 😉

Apart from the little problem of letting a passenger have a loaded weapon I understand that the wadding used floated and ended up choking marine creatures.  Princess is meant to have a simulator on a ship or two and Royal Caribbean says it offers skeet shooting excursions in some ports.  

 

As for straws it is going to either have to be paper or bring your own, an aluminium, stainless steel or titanium one is preferred though.