Never seen so many unhappy people on RCCL Cruise - Anthem out of UK

[jencruzin]

On 6/18/2023 at 8:20 AM, Nell Gwynn said:

We were on the June 4 cruise out of Southampton to the Canaries and I totally agree with Pandemonium. 
 

The price of the drinks package was utterly ridiculous.  The cocktails and other drinks were all overpriced and looked cheap - seriously only a quarter of a slice of lemon! I know it's petty to mention that but it goes to show the level of penny pinching involved.

 

The sun bed situation - yes agree again although I personally sometimes prefer to sit in the shade.  The promenade deck on other ships has always been a good place to sit for a different view and some peace, but on Anthem you can't do a complete loop and there was no seating available.

 

As to the tips, my husband got severe diarrhoea on this cruise and I understand he wasn't the only one.  He was stuck in the cabin for three days and missed 2 ports of call - based on that maybe housekeeping earnt their money! 

If yours ate the black pudding - it was STEAMED and red inside (it was raw). Mine ate his at windjammer and had the same results, only for one day though. 

[Pandamonia]

7 minutes ago, jencruzin said:

When I first began reading your review, I thought, "oh boy, here we go" but as I read on, I couldn't agree more! You pointed out things I forgot to talk about on my review. Bravo on the sunbeds bit, I thought people must have been spending the night up there just to save suntan beds!

The seating arrangements in the bars, agree! Jamie's, we found it to be very good, Chops, not so much. We were on the June 4th sailing. We found that the British clientele were far better and friendlier to sail with than the usual American lot, much more friendly, down to earth people, we made a lot of UK friends onboard, and we are definitely using Southampton as a choice departing port because we found it so much more easier and the terminal staff were absolutely wonderful and well organized MUCH MORE than Cape Liberty in NJ.

VERY WELL done and accurate review here. Never mind the naysayers! Who knows, we may have met on Anthem? We were Jen and John! 

I don’t think anyone who was on that ship would disagree in general with things I said.  Each persons experience will vary and as I said before my experience wasn’t a bad one in general I just don’t think anthem is a good ship design for me or the UK in general. 
 

what I did forget to say in my review was that there were 2 couples which got off the ship and never come back saying they hated it. Bit extreme for me but each to their own. I’ve never heard of that before. 
 

this cruise there were more negative people than  I’ve ever seen. Which was kind of the point of my post. Most of the poor experiences I had are not unique to anthem either. This is why I’m trying P&O and maybe MSC next year. 

[jencruzin]

18 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Tell me you don’t understand the business model without telling me you don’t understand the business model. 

Actually, it's the other way around after reading your troll statement.

[jencruzin]

6 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

I don’t think anyone who was on that ship would disagree in general with things I said.  Each persons experience will vary and as I said before my experience wasn’t a bad one in general I just don’t think anthem is a good ship design for me or the UK in general. 
 

what I did forget to say in my review was that there were 2 couples which got off the ship and never come back saying they hated it. Bit extreme for me but each to their own. I’ve never heard of that before. 
 

this cruise there were more negative people than  I’ve ever seen. Which was kind of the point of my post. Most of the poor experiences I had are not unique to anthem either. This is why I’m trying P&O and maybe MSC next year. 

After meeting the Brits this cruise, we're looking into P&O as well. We just turned Diamond on this cruise but our days on Royal are finished. They nickel and dime customers too much!

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, jencruzin said:

Actually, it's the other way around after reading your troll statement.

No, regardless of your experience, my statements on Royal’s business plan are 100% factual and indisputable. Not a troll statement at all

[vjmatty]

On 6/18/2023 at 7:46 AM, Pandamonia said:

 

 

 

Drinks package - Never seen so few people with it. Everyone said 68 GBP pre cruise was a joke and 80GBP on the cruise even worse. Irony is that now i dont have the drinks package there seems plenty of waiters asking if i want a drink! The revenue must be down massively on this. 

 

I have never seen so few alcoholic drinks consumed on a cruise in my life. Probably helped by the fact nobody could sit at the outdoor bars to drink anyway as the few chairs were camped in all day by sunbathers not drinking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes! Finally! What is it we keep saying on here? As long as people keep paying these prices, RC has no reason to change and be more reasonable.  Well I for one am glad people are starting to vote with their wallets. Let's hope this becomes a trend and the prices drop.

[kernow]

Although we're from the UK, pre pandemic we only sailed from the UK occasionally usually preferring to fly somewhere with warmer weather and less moaning fellow Brits onboard😀. In 2021 we sailed both Virtuosa and Anthem as we couldn't fly anywhere. Anthem was OK, although not really a fan of Quantum class ships, even with a half empty ship it felt crowded at times so I can understand some of the OPs complaints. We loved Virtuosa and have been back onboard 3 times, if you want a cheap but enjoyable cruise book Bella, if you're happy to pay more book YC which is still cheaper than a suite on Anthem and a far superior experience. We haven't been back on Anthem because the prices seem very expensive for more (or less) of the same itineraries etc. Also love that MSC have really committed to the UK market and have ships here all year round now.

We were on Ovation last Nov in Australia and the ship did seem to work better over there, more sunbeds, less crowded bars etc. I do think which ever ship it is, lots of Brits seem to like to all crowd together in the same place for some reason.  Even then though we noticed a lot of cutbacks and from everything I read on these boards there are even more now, I guess we'll find out if it's one too many cutbacks for us on Serenade later this year.

[Pandamonia]

8 minutes ago, kernow said:

Although we're from the UK, pre pandemic we only sailed from the UK occasionally usually preferring to fly somewhere with warmer weather and less moaning fellow Brits onboard😀. In 2021 we sailed both Virtuosa and Anthem as we couldn't fly anywhere. Anthem was OK, although not really a fan of Quantum class ships, even with a half empty ship it felt crowded at times so I can understand some of the OPs complaints. We loved Virtuosa and have been back onboard 3 times, if you want a cheap but enjoyable cruise book Bella, if you're happy to pay more book YC which is still cheaper than a suite on Anthem and a far superior experience. We haven't been back on Anthem because the prices seem very expensive for more (or less) of the same itineraries etc. Also love that MSC have really committed to the UK market and have ships here all year round now.

We were on Ovation last Nov in Australia and the ship did seem to work better over there, more sunbeds, less crowded bars etc. I do think which ever ship it is, lots of Brits seem to like to all crowd together in the same place for some reason.  Even then though we noticed a lot of cutbacks and from everything I read on these boards there are even more now, I guess we'll find out if it's one too many cutbacks for us on Serenade later this year.

my dad sailed this ship and rated it highly. I went and looked at their ships online and they looked much better than I expected. I visit Italy a lot and I’m used to that kind of customer service so I know what to expect on board. typical euro customer service. They don’t really take notice until you start shouting at each other. 🤣 

 

how did you find the food on board compared to royal?

[Pandamonia]

26 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

No, regardless of your experience, my statements on Royal’s business plan are 100% factual and indisputable. Not a troll statement at all

you just declared something you know very little facts about as factual and indisputable which I find hilariously ironic

[little britain]

2 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

I agree. But given that a Civitavecchia stop is non-negotiable because Rome is the big draw on that circuit for most Americans, I suspect Royal would consider those ports would add too much mileage for too little gain.

Actually they could do one week the traditional Palma/Marselles/Rome/Naples loop and alternate this with doing the Spain ports of Valencia/Malaga etc the following week .... et voila you have a ready made B2B thus attracting customers for longer on board!   Less fuel going down to Valencia and Alicante too. So that is another winner for them.  Bet parking is cheaper in Spain than it is in Civitavecchia too! 

 

Having done the 'loop' on Oasis, Harmony, Symphony and Wonder (2x) I would love the Spanish trip! 

 

LB > who is full of good ideas! 

[Bloodgem]

46 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

I don’t think anyone who was on that ship would disagree in general with things I said.  Each persons experience will vary and as I said before my experience wasn’t a bad one in general I just don’t think anthem is a good ship design for me or the UK in general. 

So, which RCL ship do you think is good for the UK? 

[Pandamonia]

Just now, Bloodgem said:

So, which RCL ship do you think is good for the UK? 

best experiences I had were on freedom class but they messed up a lot of good things after the refit of independence but did add some good things too. I also think oasis class would be great but I’ve never seen them do it before. Might be a technical reason for not doing it. 
 

im convinced they only put oasis class in the med because they need to go dry dock or something. They really don’t want it there unless they have to have it there. 
 

im sure the newer quantum class would also be better but I’ve not sailed them yet. They need to maximise the sun deck for the UK market and offer all inclusive like they used to. Last year I paid £40 a day for deluxe this year they wanted £80. It was £50 until New Year’s Day 

 

that said personally I think I’m done with drinking to excess on cruises. My gf is a lightweight and never gets the value out of them and now we are diamond it’s even harder. I still don’t understand why they don’t offer diamond a big discount on deluxe package to make it worth upgrading. 

[mugtech]

Glad to hear you are done drinking in excess on cruises.  Your negative comments about Anthem mean nothing to me, a non drinker who avoids the sun decks.

[kernow]

9 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

my dad sailed this ship and rated it highly. I went and looked at their ships online and they looked much better than I expected. I visit Italy a lot and I’m used to that kind of customer service so I know what to expect on board. typical euro customer service. They don’t really take notice until you start shouting at each other. 🤣 

 

how did you find the food on board compared to royal?

We've been going in YC where the food is really good, probably better than CK on RCL. The whole ship has a more Mediterranean style of food, less red meat and lots of fish and seafood. We've eaten in the main buffet which I think is similar or even slightly better than RCL and also done the MDR for lunch just to try it and enjoyed it. There are no restrictions on how many dishes you can order. We think the desserts are fabulous all over the ship. The one thing they don't have is the included snack type outlets like Park Cafe and Sorrentos, there is one snack place by the main pool which is open in nice weather but apart from that it is only the buffet outside of YC. 

We've found the service all over the ship very good, drink package is excellent(some amazing cocktails) and still twice a day cabin service for all rooms.

Still lots of moaning onboard though, mostly about crowded ships which seems to be a thing on all lines on cruises from Southampton.                                                 

[Pandamonia]

7 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Glad to hear you are done drinking in excess on cruises.  Your negative comments about Anthem mean nothing to me, a non drinker who avoids the sun decks.

Are you sure? There must have been something in my post which was relevant experience to your sober cruise in the shade. 

[not-enough-cruising]

30 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

you just declared something you know very little facts about as factual and indisputable which I find hilariously ironic

SEC filings show record bookings and on board spend at all time highs. 
Tell me where my facts are wrong. 
Royal charges what the market will bear, that is the business model, it’s successful. What fact do you find incorrect. 

[Tree_skier]

8 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

As with any cruise and cruise line its down to how the individual enjoyed their cruise.

I dont like Anthem, the layout of the ship is not one i enjoy. 

I have been on MSC this year and whilst different the decor and layout of virtuosa was fantastic. 

I have also been on Oasis this year and loved the layout of the ship as well. 

 

As for the rest never had any issues with the staff on any cruise i have been on. They have all been nice and friendly as i have to them. I dont drink so not bothered with that and shows are hit and miss on all ships. Have to say food was even each in their own ways. Pizza better on royal, salad selection better on MSC. 

 

I will be more then happy to royal or MSC in the future just not on Anthem,

 

Indy id love her back in the UK. 

See this here is a review I can respect and take serious. You comment negatively on the layout of the ship but understand that that is a personal thing.  Then contrast and compare a few things that are relevant to you.

 

 

[Pandamonia]

15 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

SEC filings show record bookings and on board spend at all time highs. 
Tell me where my facts are wrong. 
Royal charges what the market will bear, that is the business model, it’s successful. What fact do you find incorrect. 

well for a start record bookings don’t take in to account the billions in FCC credits people are using and when they run out we will see what the real demand looks like. 
 

I’m guessing the FCC credits are hidden in the 24 billion debt pile as liabilities 

 

it’s easy to spend big on a cruise when your cabin was covered by a FCC. 
 

let’s see what happens when FCC are gone people are paying full price and rates hit 6% and recession arrives. 
 

$560 usd per person average on board spending seems low considering drinks packages alone are now $80 per day. 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Pandamonia

[NateUpNorth]

A) chair hogs
B) crazy drink package pricing
C) UDP expensive and value deteriorating
D) same headline shows 

OP seems to be taking quite a lot of pushback on stuff that's widely reported/reviewed by others?
 

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

I’m guessing the FCC credits are hidden in the 24 billion debt pile as liabilities 

From their most recent SEC filing:

"As of March 31, 2023, our customer deposit balance includes approximately $0.5 billion of unredeemed FCCs. Given the lack of comparable historical experience of FCC redemptions, as of March 31, 2023 we are unable to estimate the number of FCCs that may not be used in future periods and get recognized as breakage. "

That figure is the same as last quarter, so virtually no FCC used during the quarter. The last time the FCC was bigger, at $.6B, was a year ago.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Biker19

[Biker19]

39 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

Might be a technical reason for not doing it.

Yes, it's called the weather.

[not-enough-cruising]

11 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

well for a start record bookings don’t take in to account the billions in FCC credits people are using and when they run out we will see what the real demand looks like. 
 

I’m guessing the FCC credits are hidden in the 24 billion debt pile as liabilities 

 

it’s easy to spend big on a cruise when your cabin was covered by a FCC. 
 

let’s see what happens when FCC are gone people are paying full price and rates hit 6% and recession arrives. 
 

$560 usd per person average on board spending seems low considering drinks packages alone are now $80 per day. 

Financial disclosures have stated the mass majority of Covid credits have been used. 
Over 50% of fares are first time cruisers, so no FCC at all there. 
The fact of the matter, as stated earlier, is Royal Is servicing their debt faster than any other line. They are doing something right. 
 

cheers 

[NateUpNorth]

[NateUpNorth]

Price increases and cutback........ doesn't take long to figure out what they're battling...
But at least the ships are full and onboard spend is high.....

[FamilyCruiserUK]

54 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

my dad sailed this ship and rated it highly. I went and looked at their ships online and they looked much better than I expected. I visit Italy a lot and I’m used to that kind of customer service so I know what to expect on board. typical euro customer service. They don’t really take notice until you start shouting at each other. 🤣 

 

how did you find the food on board compared to royal?

To jump in. 

One of the good things we found on MSC virtuosa was the outdoor pool it has steps going into it and a rail rather then steps stright down into the pool. Much better for those unsteady on their feet or struggle to climb vertical steps put of a pool.

Food wise, breakfast in the buffet was nuts very busy. The food was very good esp the salid selection but a little repetitive if you only went to the buffet. 

The main restaurant we didnt go to. 

The speciality resturants again we didnt use as was a tester cruise for us. 

 

However just keep in mind the customer service is standard europen. They dont take any silly little moans from the passengers and will state it as it is to your face. 🤷 But used to that, oh and the Europeans will cut your line in the buffet queues rather then waiting lol. 

Alao loved the pay machines where you could put cash in for your bill or to put on your account. Saved queueing at GS.