Is anyone else just totally over cruising? Rant on recent cruise (Independence), bad service, food, FLU

[antsp]

On 3/15/2023 at 10:11 PM, aimcat said:

So my fiancé and I just went on Indy out of Port Canaveral on the March 6 cruise. This would be my 9th cruise and my fiancé's first, but be both our last. I never thought I would feel like about cruising. I use to think it was the best vacation you could possibly do for the money, but no more. We planned this cruise very spur of the moment as we had to miss the one the month before due to getting Covid. With flights, hotel overnight at port, drink package, and everything else that goes into planning a vacation and cruise we were several thousand dollars into this. We were so excited and ready to have a fantastic week of vacation but it was nothing like that and all we got was literally the FLU and an absolute horrible experience and several thousand dollars feels like it was robbed. So here goes because I guess I want to think I am not the only one who feels this way.....

 

1. Pricing - we had a balcony room and with taxes and all it was almost 2800 dollars given it was booked 2 weeks prior to departure I just think that this first off is a complete rip off given the quality of rooms, size, etc....

2. Food - our food this trip was the worst I have ever had. We did the main dining, Johnny Rockets, and Buffet. All bland, tasteless, main dining room barely ever had anything on it we liked. NY strip was a sliver of meat, uncharged for lobster now, a cesar salad was a few pieces of lettuce and crouton, desserts were mediocre. 

3. Drinks - we paid 800 bucks for a drink package for 4 nights for us both to literally most of the time get some watered down cocktail and at least 2 times I saw bartenders literally put half a shot in my drink and had to ask for more and say something to them. 

4. Service - service was just so disappointing. Wait staff acted like they could care less even after giving them good tips the first night, at Johnny Rockets we literally sat one day waiting for food even just some fries for 35 mins...when she brought it she plopped it down and took off like dont bother me. Our room attendant had a major attitude as well and just brought us a card told us his name and took off again like dont bother me. Absolutely nothing like it use to be like you were treated like a king and queen...that is over. 

5. Room - our room was filthy - someone had popped apparently a confetti popper prior to us getting there by previous guests and it was still all over the floor, on desk, balcony everywhere. Room attendant came and half way cleaned up after we pointed it out. Our sheets has ripped spots and ragged worn spots in so many places along with just looking like they had been through it for way too long. Our bathroom had mildew spots in places and just looked run down. Def not a room worth 2700 bucks! 

6. Entertainment - lame...our comedian - so lame, the ice show just looked like a D rated high school performance honestly, karaoke was just a bunch of kids singing, never saw a live band on the ship when we were out and about, and missed Grease so couldnt tell you much about that.....

7. Excursions (blue lagoon and coco cay) - I was so excited about Blue Lagoon but it was just a huge disappointment..an almost hour boat ride on a hot smelly boat to go to a tiny island with just mediocre beach with tons of raging kids everywhere?! Coco I wanted to enjoy but was beginning of the end for us due to getting sick

8. CROWDS - OMG I have been on ships 3x the size of this one like Harmony and Symphony and never seen crowds like this one....everywhere a line or crowd, or being herded like cattle into and out of places. Never a chair for all the chair savers, so just move their crap out of the way for them to come back and give you a dirty look. Never a spot in a hot tub. Being herded into and out of areas for shore excursions. 

9. WE GOT THE FLU ON SHIP - Our morning getting off at Coco Cay we both brought up how we both felt unusually tired. So we instantly thought could we have Covid again ( we had just had it 3 weeks prior) and thought surely not. We are both healthy 40 year olds. We had done plenty of WASHY WASHY and hand sanitizing etc. We dont touch our faces or bite nails etc. By 12 at Coco we felt awful....tired, achy, miserable....so we go back to ship.....we go back to room, fall asleep....miss all that useful time to enjoy a good beach...we wake up at about 4 to find we are even worse. We know something is wrong....so we stay IN OUR ROOM all evening....no appetite.....got a pizza brought to room and some drinks which we couldnt really stomach. By the next morning the day of departure we were horrible....chills, sore throat all that....it was all we could do to get to airport and get home that day to find out when we got home and to doctor we were flu positive and STILL trying to get over it all today! 

 

So there are probably a lot of things I missed in this but in other words I am over cruising....its just not fun and after all we went through on this trip I am done. Just wondering if anyone else feels this way and completely ripped off!? We took a beach trip last August and paid a fraction of the cost including flight, dinners, drinks, activities etc. 

 

Wondering others likeminded thoughts. 

Last cruise on rccl I sailed on room was dirty, that was the last time, never again 

[MommaBear55]

On 3/21/2023 at 3:36 PM, BecciBoo said:

Only once in 28 cruises did any staff member not get an extra over and above auto Gratuity tip.  So you know he was at fault.  He was out to lunch 99% of the time, never answered questions or honored any of our simple requests.  We are not pills on a cruise and even most times ask for Do Not Disturb.  Keep our cabin in ship shape so they do not have to do much to get that extra tip. So what the OP described is inconceivable to me!

We are the same, our needs are simple. All we ever ask for is daily ice and fresh glasses for our wine. We have even been known to use the glasses from the bathroom. 

[bucfan2]

Alright…I’ll bite, as I’m apparently missing the obvious.  What’s with the ‘sticker’ on the original post/page 1 awarding badge of ‘great review’/submit…etc?  Guess that explains part of the reason I receive time off from cc (occasionally deserved I will admit).  Unreal….then again, maybe not. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by bucfan2

[MommaBear55]

37 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Nothing wrong with being a bit of a smart a$$ every now and then.🙂

Better a smart a** than a dumb a**

[Mum2Mercury]

A couple thoughts: 

 

- Like others here, I am confused about why the OP knowingly paid $$$$ for a short cruise, then complained about the price.  In my humble opinion, that's way too much for a 4-day cruise.  To put it in perspective, we paid $99 for a three-night on Indy last December ... of course, that doesn't include port fees and taxes, but the total was still under $500 for the two of us. 

- Yes, short cruises are different ... a little wilder, a lot more drinking.  It's quite possible the OP didn't know this going in; if he had, perhaps he would have felt different about the trip.  

- Yes, this is Spring Break time ... perhaps the OP didn't realize he was booking a 4-day on steroids. 

- Summing up the above comments:  You need to go into any cruise with the right expectations.  

[Engineroom Snipe]

16 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

Alright…I’ll bite, as I’m apparently missing the obvious.  What’s with the ‘sticker’ on the original post/page 1 awarding badge of ‘great review’/submit…etc?  Guess that explains part of the reason I receive time off from cc (occasionally deserved I will admit).  Unreal….then again, maybe not. 

 

Time off for bad behavior or time-out in the corner for bad behavior, you must have struck a nerve. It happens.  I also plead "Guilty as charged." So refreshing to see a person say, "Yeah, I did it." You will never be charged with lack of candor.

 

Sometimes everyone goes to the racetrack hoping to see a crash, as long as they are not in it, it is fine.

 

I noticed your observation too! 🤔

 

 

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

A couple thoughts: 

 

- Like others here, I am confused about why the OP knowingly paid $$$$ for a short cruise, then complained about the price.  In my humble opinion, that's way too much for a 4-day cruise.  To put it in perspective, we paid $99 for a three-night on Indy last December ... of course, that doesn't include port fees and taxes, but the total was still under $500 for the two of us. 

- Yes, short cruises are different ... a little wilder, a lot more drinking.  It's quite possible the OP didn't know this going in; if he had, perhaps he would have felt different about the trip.  

- Yes, this is Spring Break time ... perhaps the OP didn't realize he was booking a 4-day on steroids. 

- Summing up the above comments:  You need to go into any cruise with the right expectations.  

 

I agree with your comments... It is just hard to imagine that someone with 9 cruises under their belt would be so unaware of what they were getting and how above typical that pricing was.

[twinmommy08]

I actually thought the Blue Lagoon was fun. It wasn’t an hour boat ride, so that a bit of an exaggeration. I’m sorry you got the Flu, but that’s no the cruise lines’s fault. 
 

I recall a very bad experience on Liberty several years ago. Everything was just awful. Folks were lined up at guest services for hours with complaints. 

Many reasons, and each person had their own breaking point, but collectively the guests were not satisfied. 
 

Cruising isn’t for everyone, but you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who agrees with you on this board. 

[ibyte2eat]

I've been tired of the RCL crap for some time.  Im a pinnicle level now and so Im invested and pretty much forced to cruise on RCL.  Since I started cruising in 1999, things have changed so much.  The staff is so incompetent.  I've learned to obtain 4 or 5 answers to the same question to get the right answer.  The reason is because they like to tell you things that make them look like they know what they're doing when they are clueless.  Since tips are automatically deducted now, crew is not as friendly as they once were.  Newbees are friendly though.  So, I always ask guest services to not charge tips to my seapass.  I tip with cash to good service.  Kids?  RCL is all in on Family cruising now and so you better like lots of noisy kids because parents rarely control their kids.  Parents with kids take over the dance floors in the evening and the adult games in the bars.  Yes, kids are allowed in the bars.  Eating with unsupervised kids is an experience.  I would love it if I were a kid - no rules.  Look at all the Amusement park stuff on top decks.  Don't go during spring and holiday breaks or during the summer.  Also, cruises lasting more than 7 days have less kids.  RCL is hush hushing C&A benifits, you have to ask for them on board if you want them.  They've discontinued top tier amenities and the ship tours and haven't told anyone.  You have to ask for upgraded toiletries, robes, cruise compass, free wash & fold bag, ice and arrival drink.  Actually, they will tell you that your drink is in the lounge along with your amenity.  Have you noticed the absence of C&A priority lines at checkin?  Have you ever gotten a free upgrade for C & A members if cabins aren't filled? (lately)  Notice how RCL brags about that perk, then 2 weeks before sailing, you get an email asking if you want to bid on an upgrade.  Cruising isn't as elegant on RCL as it once was.   You have to go to a more expensive cruise line for that.  I stick with RCL because Princess and Carninvals loyalty program sucks.  Celebrity only matches loyalty tiers to the diamond level.  Basically, we've cut our cruising down to 1 special one a year in Europe and one winter cruise.  With no expectations.  My bill at the end of the cruise is usually $10 or $20 because I never buy anything that RCL sells because since they're ripoffs.  I book with 3rd party excursions - they guarantee return on time excursions for less than RCL.  Signage is all wrong around the ship.  Posted operating hours are incorrect.   RCL's complete migration to the horrible app is their goal so that they don't have to deal with customer service.  Every use that thing?  Im an IT guy and Ill tell you, its bad and unreliable.  If a show is full and you try to reserve it doesn't tll you its full.  It just doesn't give an option to reserve.  The app tells you about half of what the cruise compass used to tell. The other half has been dissected and integrated into the endless pull down vague menus that it utilizes.  Anymore, I just use RCL for free food, C&A drinks, board, evening entertainment and transportation from port to port.  People look to me for cruising advice because they know I've cruised a lot.  I tell them, check around.  They are all about the same but RCL is most kid friendly of them all.  Remember, Kids Sail Free folks!  Ha ha.

[LouChamp]

Aloha.  In my opinion we are not vested in any cruise line, hotel chain etc.

We generally have top tiers with many cruise lines and hotels and airlines but my loyalty only goes so far. I have been sailing for decades countless times which I don’t even list all of them and have been blessed to have seen the world both by air, land, and sea. I know times of changed and the cruise lines are heavily in debt and therefore have made substantial cutbacks but that doesn’t mean I need to give them my money. We have decided to gravitate towards the smaller lines because we don’t need the rock climbing wall, ice carving bellyflops and drunks. I expect my money’s worth. Thats said even the smaller more upscale lines are cutting back so time will tell but now we divide our time between NY and Hawaii so we are becoming more choosy although understanding of the changes.

[At Sea At Peace]

On 3/15/2023 at 6:11 PM, aimcat said:

 

Wondering others likeminded thoughts. 

 

 

Hopefully, fair minded thoughts are welcomed also?  🤔

 

Probably, word for word, the most negative post about a cruise that I've seen in a while.  I can't imagine how someone can get so unhappy over almost every aspect of a cruise, especially a short one.  However, to each their own.

 

IMO, you could have done better research and decision-making than was done to select this ship at this time of year. 

 

Independence of the Seas - She's had her glory years and they are behind her in comparative alternatives for ship selection across the industry at the price point. 

 

Specifically, just within the RCL ship umbrella, simply not a good choice.

 

https://travel.usnews.com/cruises/royal-caribbean-international-300/independence-of-the-seas-406/#:~:text=Independence of the Seas ranks,as well as health ratings.&text=Independence of the Seas offers,stateroom that suits your needs.

 

 

March 6 - It's spring break, EMH school systems and colleges, at the start.  😮

 

[At Sea At Peace]

14 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

Alright…I’ll bite, as I’m apparently missing the obvious.  What’s with the ‘sticker’ on the original post/page 1 awarding badge of ‘great review’/submit…etc?  

 

I was also surprised by that.  Not because of the level and extent of the negativity of the review, it just wasn't composed very well or supported by attempts to remedy while onboard (compared to other CC awarded reviews which are usually quite different).  😟

 

I found, and responded to, the salutation invitation for "Wondering others likeminded thoughts" as not really what I would perceive as welcoming any contrary thoughts.  😏

 

 

14 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

Guess that explains part of the reason I receive time off from cc (occasionally deserved I will admit).  Unreal….then again, maybe not. 

 

It's across all SM.  You need to find where 'you can be you' and it is not consistent across CC forums or any other SM related platform.

 

It's a lot better since the dog-house days of C19.  What a mess that was.

 

🤪

[firefly333]

14 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

A couple thoughts: 

 

- Like others here, I am confused about why the OP knowingly paid $$$$ for a short cruise, then complained about the price.  In my humble opinion, that's way too much for a 4-day cruise.  To put it in perspective, we paid $99 for a three-night on Indy last December ... of course, that doesn't include port fees and taxes, but the total was still under $500 for the two of us. 

- Yes, short cruises are different ... a little wilder, a lot more drinking.  It's quite possible the OP didn't know this going in; if he had, perhaps he would have felt different about the trip.  

- Yes, this is Spring Break time ... perhaps the OP didn't realize he was booking a 4-day on steroids. 

- Summing up the above comments:  You need to go into any cruise with the right expectations.  

I could be wrong as west coast seems to have bargains more so than other ports. .. but $99 .. I havent seen a cruise for $99 .. I did allure last dec and it was not cheaper. And got sick onboard the whole 2nd week. I dont know if you get casino offers but $99 also isnt close to typical imo. 

 

My issue with rcl last minute deals is they are gty for couples that solo cant usually book and not $99 cruisefare. I think under $100 a day is low .. had some short grandeur last may 2022 but those prices are rare. 

[time4u2go]

6 hours ago, ibyte2eat said:

Im a pinnicle level now and so Im invested and pretty much forced to cruise on RCL. 

Therein lies the problem.  You aren't "forced to cruise on RCL".  You choose to.

[keishashadow]

6 hours ago, ibyte2eat said:

They are all about the same but RCL is most kid friendly of them all. 

Was a bit disappointed the KSF program didn’t apply to any of the shorter cruises I’ve priced, ones many families tend to patronize in FL as an add on to their land vacations.  

 

My vote:  DCL as #1 and CCL #2 (their kids’ clubs are ranked surprisingly high.  my kids & GC would patronize them when “bored” on sea days over the years.  We couldn’t run to the adult pool area quick enough 🙂

 

I’ve been in cabins on various lines that are wildly outdated as to cabin decor, often having some rust issues.  The mr who served in the navy just laughs, says it comes with the territory.  However, never landed in any cabin I’d consider dirty, on any cruise line & I’m that person who travels with Clorox wipes, predating the pandemic.

 

If I did notice a glaring issue, I’d immediately bring it to the attention of housekeeping and expect resolution.  Wonder if people stay mum & let it be a deal breaker instead of letting them address it?  You travel enough, there will be problems, it’s how they respond to make it right that determines if I give them another chance.  Lots of providers out their vying for our business.

 

as for those “vested” in a particular travel brand…

 

if you feel you are not getting a great experience; where is the value in continuing to patronize a brand?  If it’s all about the perks you feel have been hard-earned, then you need to weigh them carefully as a whole going forward.  What’s the point of being disgruntled on a vacation?

 

interesting to read the comments from some of those passengers in the higher reward groups, many who indicate their rather frugal spending habits when onboard the cruise.  Reminds me of comments re Disney from their annual pass holders/vacation club members .  Many of them also feel greatly devalued by recent changes by the provider.  

 

Frequent visitors typically spend less per diem on the extras vs those who may just book once a year or less.  I get it, travel providers are struggling.  They need to rely more on that sort of increased discretionary spending, over & above the base elements of a vacation, to keep the lights on and the stockholders happy. 

 

That said, I do think the OP drastically overpaid for the cruise in question.  That’s her business, no shade there.  Surely, as an experienced cruiser, she didn’t think it through as to the likely demographics of her fellow passengers during spring break.  No idea if she priced out other options that might be a good fit for her needs.  I’m sure she will approach planning the next vacation differently.

 

That said, I’m knowingly doing the same thing this July on IOS too, as needing to work with planned land trip with GD.  🥴 However, I’m going into it with my eyes wide open.  Paying thru the nose & anticipate it’s going to be a zoo, ship full of kids near 4th of July holiday.  

 

 

[bajathree]

I have been on 6 sailings now since the restart and have noticed a consistent decline with all but the first 2 sailings. First was with Celebrity 7 night with only 1100 passengers....fantastic sailing....next was on Odyssey 8 night with only 800 passengers....another great sailing. Yes those first 2 were like being on a private cruise ship and I know spoiled us. Service at the start-up was fantastic...well with such a low passenger count it should have been...and it was....as well as food was fantastic and staff was thrilled to be back.

Then came my 3rd sailing on Allure 7 night at which point ships were back to sailing full. Once we got over the initial shock of being back to a full ship we started to notice the changes that came along with it. Food substitutions on that sailing were abundant...this was the first sailing I was on that I can honestly say most items were close to inedible....I know food is subjective but in over 50 sailings that was the worst food I have seen on any ship. Service was noticeably slow and this is when crew started to seem stressed and overall attitude not the usually friendly it used to be...seemed like crew just didn't either have time to interact or wanted to. After over 20 Oasis class sailings under my belt I decided it was maybe a time to take a break from the mega ships and haven't been on one again since.

Next came a quick 3 night on Indy in Nov followed by an 8 Odyssey sailing in Dec and again on Odyssey 8 night just last week. All those sailings sailed completely full with Odyssey breaking a record last week...believe we had 5400 passengers....2400 which were kids. All 3 of those sailings were an improvement from my prior Allure experience but they didn't come without flaws. A constant decline in service and cutbacks are very noticeable. There seems to be an obvious overall lack of staff and this created a stressed environment for both the staff and cruiser. We were told this was their last week before going to once a day cabin service...so there goes another cutback....and if you think this makes it easier for the room steward....well apparently not cause after a discussion with ours she said that she now has more cabins to clean and it makes no difference. On this last sailing we decided to do more specialty dining since were weren't all that happy with the decline of the main dining room from the prior sailings. Talking about main dining.....the line for MTD since full restart sailings has been terrible...BUT on this past Odyssey sailing it went to a new level of bad. I actually witnessed the MTD line several nights extend from the dining room all the way through the casino to the rear corridor. As for our specialty dining we at at Giovanis...the best experince of our specialty choices on the first night...Chops was so overbooked that it ruined the experience...line was out the door when we arrived and it just never got better. Table wait once seated was at least 15 minutes before we even had water. Cold items were served room temperature...steak was barely warm and we couldn't ever get a hold of our waiter cause he was literally running...I mean running back and forth to the kitchen cause he had so many tables.....again understaffed and Royal not only filling specialty dining to full capacity but overbooking. I can tell you...I have talked over the years with corporate as well as senior staff and was always told when asked years ago why I would see them only fill half to maybe 3/4 of specialty dining restaurants was because they were never designed for the kitchen to be able to handle a completely full restaurant. Then came Teppanyaki which we had booked for 2 nights. The very first thing we noticed when we arrived was again how overbooked they seemed to be. Tables no longer had 4 chairs to each side....they now had a ridiculous 5 people sitting on both sides and 6-7 along the front...CRAZY. the chairs were so tight that they arms were actually touching each other and the end people were hanging off the end of the tables. I do like the food overall in Teppanyaki but will say that both the lobster and scallops this time around were not good....very fishy tasting and lobster was chewy and very salty....even the chief noticed us not eating it and said I see you don't like your lobster or scallops. Overall again a declined experience with overbooking and a seemingly decline of food quality. 

We did do the dining room one night as for the first time in over 50 sailings found that they seated the 2 of us as a table of 4. I have been seated in large tables at times but never seated with just one other couple....it was awkward for both parties and we decided not to return to the dining room for dinner again. We also found out on this sailing that the main dining room no longer serves lunch on sea days...yet another of many cutbacks. The now have brunch....believe starts at 7am and ends at noon and then the dining room is closed till dinner.

Overall I have seen too many cutbacks and changes since they have started to sail full after the restart...it's just doesn't seem the same cruise experience anymore that it was pre-pandemic. 

The last few sailings have been comp offerings and my loyalty perks (also declined) keep me coming back to Royal for now....so I have gone with the flow and figured how much can I complain ...but I have cancelled my 60th birthday sailing I had booked this year for Alaska which was not a comp sailing...I just can't see spending my own money of this kind of experience right now. Overall I think the cruise lines are playing a bit of a dangerous game....this was the first  non-restricted spring break sailing since 2019 and I think that many people who are just getting back to cruising again for the first time in 4 years may be noticing just too many changes and cutbacks to be returning anytime soon....guess time will tell. 

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

6 minutes ago, bajathree said:

I have been on 6 sailings now since the restart and have noticed a consistent decline with all but the first 2 sailings. First was with Celebrity 7 night with only 1100 passengers....fantastic sailing....next was on Odyssey 8 night with only 800 passengers....another great sailing. Yes those first 2 were like being on a private cruise ship and I know spoiled us. Service at the start-up was fantastic...well with such a low passenger count it should have been...and it was....as well as food was fantastic and staff was thrilled to be back.

Then came my 3rd sailing on Allure 7 night at which point ships were back to sailing full. Once we got over the initial shock of being back to a full ship we started to notice the changes that came along with it. Food substitutions on that sailing were abundant...this was the first sailing I was on that I can honestly say most items were close to inedible....I know food is subjective but in over 50 sailings that was the worst food I have seen on any ship. Service was noticeably slow and this is when crew started to seem stressed and overall attitude not the usually friendly it used to be...seemed like crew just didn't either have time to interact or wanted to. After over 20 Oasis class sailings under my belt I decided it was maybe a time to take a break from the mega ships and haven't been on one again since.

Next came a quick 3 night on Indy in Nov followed by an 8 Odyssey sailing in Dec and again on Odyssey 8 night just last week. All those sailings sailed completely full with Odyssey breaking a record last week...believe we had 5400 passengers....2400 which were kids. All 3 of those sailings were an improvement from my prior Allure experience but they didn't come without flaws. A constant decline in service and cutbacks are very noticeable. There seems to be an obvious overall lack of staff and this created a stressed environment for both the staff and cruiser. We were told this was their last week before going to once a day cabin service...so there goes another cutback....and if you think this makes it easier for the room steward....well apparently not cause after a discussion with ours she said that she now has more cabins to clean and it makes no difference. On this last sailing we decided to do more specialty dining since were weren't all that happy with the decline of the main dining room from the prior sailings. Talking about main dining.....the line for MTD since full restart sailings has been terrible...BUT on this past Odyssey sailing it went to a new level of bad. I actually witnessed the MTD line several nights extend from the dining room all the way through the casino to the rear corridor. As for our specialty dining we at at Giovanis...the best experince of our specialty choices on the first night...Chops was so overbooked that it ruined the experience...line was out the door when we arrived and it just never got better. Table wait once seated was at least 15 minutes before we even had water. Cold items were served room temperature...steak was barely warm and we couldn't ever get a hold of our waiter cause he was literally running...I mean running back and forth to the kitchen cause he had so many tables.....again understaffed and Royal not only filling specialty dining to full capacity but overbooking. I can tell you...I have talked over the years with corporate as well as senior staff and was always told when asked years ago why I would see them only fill half to maybe 3/4 of specialty dining restaurants was because they were never designed for the kitchen to be able to handle a completely full restaurant. Then came Teppanyaki which we had booked for 2 nights. The very first thing we noticed when we arrived was again how overbooked they seemed to be. Tables no longer had 4 chairs to each side....they now had a ridiculous 5 people sitting on both sides and 6-7 along the front...CRAZY. the chairs were so tight that they arms were actually touching each other and the end people were hanging off the end of the tables. I do like the food overall in Teppanyaki but will say that both the lobster and scallops this time around were not good....very fishy tasting and lobster was chewy and very salty....even the chief noticed us not eating it and said I see you don't like your lobster or scallops. Overall again a declined experience with overbooking and a seemingly decline of food quality. 

We did do the dining room one night as for the first time in over 50 sailings found that they seated the 2 of us as a table of 4. I have been seated in large tables at times but never seated with just one other couple....it was awkward for both parties and we decided not to return to the dining room for dinner again. We also found out on this sailing that the main dining room no longer serves lunch on sea days...yet another of many cutbacks. The now have brunch....believe starts at 7am and ends at noon and then the dining room is closed till dinner.

Overall I have seen too many cutbacks and changes since they have started to sail full after the restart...it's just doesn't seem the same cruise experience anymore that it was pre-pandemic. 

The last few sailings have been comp offerings and my loyalty perks (also declined) keep me coming back to Royal for now....so I have gone with the flow and figured how much can I complain ...but I have cancelled my 60th birthday sailing I had booked this year for Alaska which was not a comp sailing...I just can't see spending my own money of this kind of experience right now. Overall I think the cruise lines are playing a bit of a dangerous game....this was the first  non-restricted spring break sailing since 2019 and I think that many people who are just getting back to cruising again for the first time in 4 years may be noticing just too many changes and cutbacks to be returning anytime soon....guess time will tell. 

 

 

A honest opinion and viewpoint which I sense absolutely no vitriol, just observations with honest personal explanations and thoughts.

 

I noticed a huge difference between my April 2022 cruise on the Anthem (reduced passenger occupancy with covid vaccinations and testing required) and my September 2022 cruise on the Oasis at full occupancy (at least two per cabin, not sure how much over that it was). This was before reduced menu offerings and reductions in service.

 

I will not repeat your comments, but I find they do match what I saw on the Oasis.

 

I sail in under thirty days on the Enchantment of the Seas. The ship is sold-out and no longer advertising any cabins. The few rooms that have been offered in the past months were more than double what they were when I booked. It is going to be interesting to see if I notice any of the changes affecting my cruise experience.

 

Still a high amount of revenge travel going on this year. I do not think anything will change from high occupancy until after the summer of 2024. Many of the cruises up to that point have low room availability when I do mock bookings.

[orville99]

6 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Still a high amount of revenge travel going on this year. I do not think anything will change from high occupancy until after the summer of 2024.

One thing that we are seeing on several recent cruises is that the number of people doing shore excursions is exploding and the number of people shopping in the ports is dwindling. My best guess is that as the credit card bills catch up to (or pass) the paychecks, a lot of cruisers are getting that one last "trip of a lifetime" in before their financial situation hits the wall.

 

Even in Cozumel earlier this month with 5 ships in port, the shops at and around the port were virtually deserted. We went into several shops (like Cinco Soles) where the only other people in the shop were the employees.

[JeffT237]

7 hours ago, ibyte2eat said:

I've been tired of the RCL crap for some time.  Im a pinnicle level now and so Im invested and pretty much forced to cruise on RCL.

Reading your entire post and all of your complaints makes me wonder why you cruise at all?  Genuinely you seem unhappy with every part of Royal Caribbean and what they offer you.  That's a lot of money to spend and time invested in travel to be so unhappy.  To each his own, just hard to understand why you still support the brand and product.  Is there any part of cruising with Royal that you enjoy?

 

7 hours ago, ibyte2eat said:

Anymore, I just use RCL for free food, C&A drinks, board, evening entertainment and transportation from port to port.

You're still paying and have paid a lot in previous cruises to obtain your C&A drinks, and your cruise fare is paying for your "free" food and entertainment.  

 

36 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

You aren't "forced to cruise on RCL".  You choose to.

And paying money to do so.

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 minute ago, orville99 said:

One thing that we are seeing on several recent cruises is that the number of people doing shore excursions is exploding and the number of people shopping in the ports is dwindling. My best guess is that as the credit card bills catch up to (or pass) the paychecks, a lot of cruisers are getting that one last "trip of a lifetime" in before their financial situation hits the wall.

 

Even in Cozumel earlier this month with 5 ships in port, the shops at and around the port were virtually deserted. We went into several shops (like Cinco Soles) where the only other people in the shop were the employees.

 

Interesting hypothesis: "If this is going to be the last splurge vacation for a while, I am not going to waste the time on a shopping experience I can get anywhere."

 

🤔

[time4u2go]

7 hours ago, ibyte2eat said:

Anymore, I just use RCL for free food,

What do you mean by "free" food?  Do you not pay a fare for your cruises?

[cruiselvr04]

26 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Interesting hypothesis: "If this is going to be the last splurge vacation for a while, I am not going to waste the time on a shopping experience I can get anywhere."

 

🤔

Interesting…we don’t shop because we don’t collect junk anymore and neither do Millennials or Gen Z.  They are more about experience than stuff.  I think that’s what you’re seeing.  
 

It changes a little when we go abroad and then I want to pick up a coffee table book or 2 and maybe a Christmas ornament to remember where we’ve been.  
 

As for being brand loyal, most travel hackers will tell you to pick and stick with a couple of brands for hotels, airlines and cruises for the points and perks.  However if you’re unhappy, it’s time to try something different and choose another one.

 

[bajathree]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

One thing that we are seeing on several recent cruises is that the number of people doing shore excursions is exploding and the number of people shopping in the ports is dwindling. My best guess is that as the credit card bills catch up to (or pass) the paychecks, a lot of cruisers are getting that one last "trip of a lifetime" in before their financial situation hits the wall.

 

Even in Cozumel earlier this month with 5 ships in port, the shops at and around the port were virtually deserted. We went into several shops (like Cinco Soles) where the only other people in the shop were the employees.

I think people may be all shopped out from their time in lockdown....wasn't much else to do but online shop and eat and TV.

[PhillyFan33579]

8 hours ago, ibyte2eat said:

I've been tired of the RCL crap for some time.  Im a pinnicle level now and so Im invested and pretty much forced to cruise on RCL.  Since I started cruising in 1999, things have changed so much.  The staff is so incompetent.  I've learned to obtain 4 or 5 answers to the same question to get the right answer.  The reason is because they like to tell you things that make them look like they know what they're doing when they are clueless.  Since tips are automatically deducted now, crew is not as friendly as they once were.  Newbees are friendly though.  So, I always ask guest services to not charge tips to my seapass.  I tip with cash to good service.  Kids?  RCL is all in on Family cruising now and so you better like lots of noisy kids because parents rarely control their kids.  Parents with kids take over the dance floors in the evening and the adult games in the bars.  Yes, kids are allowed in the bars.  Eating with unsupervised kids is an experience.  I would love it if I were a kid - no rules.  Look at all the Amusement park stuff on top decks.  Don't go during spring and holiday breaks or during the summer.  Also, cruises lasting more than 7 days have less kids.  RCL is hush hushing C&A benifits, you have to ask for them on board if you want them.  They've discontinued top tier amenities and the ship tours and haven't told anyone.  You have to ask for upgraded toiletries, robes, cruise compass, free wash & fold bag, ice and arrival drink.  Actually, they will tell you that your drink is in the lounge along with your amenity.  Have you noticed the absence of C&A priority lines at checkin?  Have you ever gotten a free upgrade for C & A members if cabins aren't filled? (lately)  Notice how RCL brags about that perk, then 2 weeks before sailing, you get an email asking if you want to bid on an upgrade.  Cruising isn't as elegant on RCL as it once was.   You have to go to a more expensive cruise line for that.  I stick with RCL because Princess and Carninvals loyalty program sucks.  Celebrity only matches loyalty tiers to the diamond level.  Basically, we've cut our cruising down to 1 special one a year in Europe and one winter cruise.  With no expectations.  My bill at the end of the cruise is usually $10 or $20 because I never buy anything that RCL sells because since they're ripoffs.  I book with 3rd party excursions - they guarantee return on time excursions for less than RCL.  Signage is all wrong around the ship.  Posted operating hours are incorrect.   RCL's complete migration to the horrible app is their goal so that they don't have to deal with customer service.  Every use that thing?  Im an IT guy and Ill tell you, its bad and unreliable.  If a show is full and you try to reserve it doesn't tll you its full.  It just doesn't give an option to reserve.  The app tells you about half of what the cruise compass used to tell. The other half has been dissected and integrated into the endless pull down vague menus that it utilizes.  Anymore, I just use RCL for free food, C&A drinks, board, evening entertainment and transportation from port to port.  People look to me for cruising advice because they know I've cruised a lot.  I tell them, check around.  They are all about the same but RCL is most kid friendly of them all.  Remember, Kids Sail Free folks!  Ha ha.

I don’t understand why you say you are forced to cruise on RCI because you are a pinnacle, but then later complain about the lack of benefits/perks associated with their loyalty program. I learned a long time ago cruising for loyalty perks is vastly overrated. I also know from personal experience when I have felt about a cruise line how you feel about RCI, I move on to another cruise line. There are a lot of cruise lines out there and a lot of cruise lines I am positive you would enjoy more based on your comments in your post. 

[island lady]

I am also Pinnacle...but I am now, ironically,  starting to book with other lines.  

 

Have booked four other cruises with two different lines in the past couple of months, that after being "loyal to royal" for over 15 years now.  

 

Just too many factors taking me away with the eroding of benefits, the food, the short staffing problem leading to lack of service we enjoyed of past cruises, the uncontrolled children, some of the rude attitudes (the "me first" types).....just to name a few.  It all adds up.