Further Cheapening of the Brand as Half and Half Disappears from Cruises

[SailorMarg]

On our cruise before last it became very difficult to have half and half, much less cream, brought to our table in the Main Dining Room.  On our last cruise it was simply not possible.  We were aboard Voyager May 15.  I’d like to know if this is a policy across all ships or if it is ship specific.  As Royal lowers and lowers their product all these seemingly small things are beginning to add up to the point of my deciding that sailing with them is no longer a choice with value.  At some point the cheapening of the brand with all these “small” downgrades will place the brand among the low end cruise lines, if it hasn’t already. Did it ruin my cruise? Of course not.  Did it make me wonder about Royal’s commitment to a quality experience? Yes, it did. Only 1% milk was available for after dinner coffee in the Main Dining Room. What land based sit-down restaurant would even consider doing this. We would bring the fake coffee creamer tubs from Windjammer so we could at least pretend to have a cup of coffee to our liking after dinner.  If anyone is aboard, or has recently been aboard, can you please tell me if half and half was available in the main dining room.  If anyone is dining in Coastal Kitchen, can you tell me if half and half is available there.

[home-mom]

Our Radiance cruise in March only had half and half the first two days. The remaining 7 days we were told they were out. 

[ShillyShally]

I expect it is far more supply chain issue than budget decision at this point!

[Tree_skier]

On Oasis in March I have all my Latte's made with half and half.  Never had a problem ordering.  

[Ashland]

Not happy about this either if true fleetwide. I always ask for cream or half/half for my tea. We were once brought those little k-cups in the OS from room service so from then on I asked for the real thing. Very sad as RCI continues to downgrade on the basics.

[firefly333]

I cruised twice march and end of march into april. Never saw the cream pitcher in the WJ out. That's the only place I use cream. Never asked for my own pitcher in Mdr. 

 

I cant believe it is totally gone from rcl. I bet the buffet still has it unless it's a one cruise issue where they ran out. I'll ask on the live allure thread. See if she has cream. 

[mets123]

No issues on the Oasis two weeks ago. My wife is a snob and knows the difference.

[island lady]

I go into the SL or CL very early for Bucky's coffee and my morning Latte.  Have many times been in there when they were checking, cleaning, and refilling the fancy coffee machine in there. 

 

Have never, ever witnessed them putting half and half in the machine.  It was always just plain milk.  Sometimes small containers, sometimes those big bladder things, sometimes box milk....but always milk.  No half and half. 

[SailorMarg]

24 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

On Oasis in March I have all my Latte's made with half and half.  Never had a problem ordering.  

Yes, we too were able to have our *purchased* Latte’s made with half and half at Cafe Promenade.  So it was *not* a supply issue. It is the lack at *included* dining that I have seen which seems to be a budgetary decision.

[SailorMarg]

27 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

I expect it is far more supply chain issue than budget decision at this point!

Cafe Promenade had a steady supply of half and half for the *purchased* coffees.  It was not available for the *included* coffees.

[SailorMarg]

15 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I cruised twice march and end of march into april. Never saw the cream pitcher in the WJ out. That's the only place I use cream. Never asked for my own pitcher in Mdr. 

 

I cant believe it is totally gone from rcl. I bet the buffet still has it unless it's a one cruise issue where they ran out. I'll ask on the live allure thread. See if she has cream. 

Yes, we were mostly able to have half and half or cream brought to our MDR table in February when specifically requested.  But it was a firm *no* in May.

[neverbeenhere]

Time to bring a case of cream aboard?    $1 a shot = Free cruises for life

[SailorMarg]

11 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Time to bring a case of cream aboard?    $1 a shot = Free cruises for life

😂.  I’ve already purchased my “Mini-Moos” on Amazon to take with me on the President’s Cruise.  Ain’t that something.  Pay for a Crown Loft Suite and bring your own half and half.  Stop by my cabin if you’re in need. First one is free.

Edited June 6, 2023 by SailorMarg

[The Fun Researcher]

Seriously?  No Half & Half.  That is ridiculous.  Interested to see how this plays out and if it's just a short term issue.

[klfrodo]

If there is any one thing going on in this world that depicts the end of civilization,,, this is the one. 🤯

[ShillyShally]

33 minutes ago, SailorMarg said:

Cafe Promenade had a steady supply of half and half for the *purchased* coffees.  It was not available for the *included* coffees.

Sheesh, it wouldn't be a smart place to cut corners at all!  I'd understand if you had to ask for them since the little containers tend to attract kids.  I'm a straight black coffee drinker so unaffected but this seems the wrong place to start!

[hucifer]

I don't downgrade to milk in my coffee at home, I certainly wouldn't expect to on vacation. Am I forced to bring my own cream packets now?

[TinkBellaMom]

On the Grandeur twice in 3 months.  No coffee machine in the DL.😳

We we’re told the machine broke and unable to get parts.

 

 

p.s.  No cream in MDR of Granduer either, only watery milk.☹️

[drjohn4]

I was on Allure 2 weeks ago and had cream with my free coffee in both windjammer and MDR all week without needing to ask. 

[smokeybandit]

I asked for a cup of ice once and they were big ice cubes, not small ones.

 

I can't believe how RC is ruining the cruise experience.

[vjmatty]

Ok I tend not to complain about the little things but 1% milk is absolutely unacceptable. Anything less than whole milk doesn’t even look right, the coffee gets this weird greyish-beige color. 
 

Luckily, last month on the Enchantment TA there was half-and-half in the MDR though I can’t say if it was every night because I usually ordered a Bailey’s coffee. WJ had separate containers of milk and cream so I just mixed them. 

[SailorMarg]

24 minutes ago, hucifer said:

I don't downgrade to milk in my coffee at home, I certainly wouldn't expect to on vacation. Am I forced to bring my own cream packets now?

I am doing exactly that for the President’s cruise, bringing my own.  Just in case it is a repeat of our May 15 cruise where it was simply unavailable anywhere other than with purchased coffee at Cafe Promenade.

[SailorMarg]

29 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

Sheesh, it wouldn't be a smart place to cut corners at all!  I'd understand if you had to ask for them since the little containers tend to attract kids.  I'm a straight black coffee drinker so unaffected but this seems the wrong place to start!

Right?  Don’t mess with people’s coffee!!!

[robmtx]

45 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Time to bring a case of cream aboard?    $1 a shot = Free cruises for life

 

I'll be right outside the WJ 🙂

 

"Pssst hey fella... yeah you with the mug... wanna buy some half? I got yo hookup right here" -

[SailorMarg]

25 minutes ago, TinkBellaMom said:

On the Grandeur twice in 3 months.  No coffee machine in the DL.😳

We we’re told the machine broke and unable to get parts.

 

 

p.s.  No cream in MDR of Granduer either, only watery milk.☹️

Yup.  Exact same on Voyager in May.  This is what that watery milk makes your coffee look like….🥴