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If you could change only one thing on the Royal Carribean Ships what would that be?


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seriously….
 

Extend MDR/Chops breakfast hours.. ending by 8:30/9:00 is far too early for us so we rarely go. 
 

More itineraries with overnight in ports 

 

Stop the waste of time having to sign $0.00 drinks bills 

 

MDR menus updated with dishes to reflect cuisine of the area you are in.  

 

Ability to prepay gratuities using the obc in your planner / include gratuities in the fare upfront 
 

 

 

 

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I'll never support (not that I think that I'm all that important or special) mandatory included gratuities.  All that does is support mediocracy or less.  I like to pay those, generously, who exceed my expectations, not pay for subpar or mediocre service.  15% for expected service and 20%+ for exceeding my expectations.  0% - 14% for those who do the bare minimum or less.  I've been known to leave a penny and as much as 50%.

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Include internet for all GS and up across the fleet...not just certain ones.

 

And while I'm hoping for something. Hiring some good Bakers that know how to do some great desserts fleet wide. There was one on Harmony (April 2022) but I'm sure RCI made a mistake when they hired him !!!!

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5 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I'll never support (not that I think that I'm all that important or special) mandatory included gratuities.  All that does is support mediocracy or less.  I like to pay those, generously, who exceed my expectations, not pay for subpar or mediocre service.  15% for expected service and 20%+ for exceeding my expectations.  0% - 14% for those who do the bare minimum or less.  I've been known to leave a penny and as much as 50%.

 Are you not saying above that you will always tip 0-14% for bare minimum or less? So you would tip for rubbish service yet not want it added to the cost of the fare? 

Why an earth would anyone tip for poor service, a tip in my eyes is above and beyond....if its expected its a extra service charge. 

However tipping is completely up to the individual 👍

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52 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Include internet for all GS and up across the fleet...not just certain ones.

 

And while I'm hoping for something. Hiring some good Bakers that know how to do some great desserts fleet wide. There was one on Harmony (April 2022) but I'm sure RCI made a mistake when they hired him !!!!


I think that baker may have moved to Symphony for the summer and then Navigator for the winter. The desserts were actually edible. I was shocked when to Pistachio Pound Cake on Navigator actually tasted of Pistachio. Now, Ovation on the other hand, as much as I love this ship, the desserts should win a “special award” for how somebody can create something that bad.

 

Corinna

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1 hour ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

 Are you not saying above that you will always tip 0-14% for bare minimum or less? So you would tip for rubbish service yet not want it added to the cost of the fare? 

Why an earth would anyone tip for poor service, a tip in my eyes is above and beyond....if its expected its a extra service charge. 

However tipping is completely up to the individual 👍

If the service is "rubbish", depending on the degree if "rubbishness", my tip would be between 0 - 14%.  If the server just brought my food in a timely manner and hot, 15 - 19%.  If the server is extra friendly, helpful, caring, and makes frequent stop bys, 20%+.  Can't do that effectively with mandatory gratuity.  The "rubbish" servers still get an inflated gratuity.

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Multiple thoughts -- yeah, I'm blowing off the "one thing" concept: 

- I've never seen bacon like that.  Looks like a thin pork chop. 

- I'm not unhappy with most of the food, but I'd like to see better quality no-extra-cost steaks and larger servings of vegetables in the MDR.  

- I'd change the large hamburgers in the MDR into smaller sliders ... so people could choose a small burger + other options.  

- In terms of a specialty Indian restaurant, if this were added, would you cut out the Indian food options in the MDR? 

- Instead of a smaller plate /lower cost specialty restaurant (which they'll never do) I'd like to see more options for a single specialty restaurant item in the MDR for a fee.  For example, I'd buy Hooks' Messy Fish sandwich in the MDR.  This would give diners more options, and the whole family wouldn't have to make the same choice. 

- Yes to more small food options.  We do B4D -- Breakfast for Dinner -- every Thursday, and it would be a great late-night option, but I wonder how many people would go for it?  But they need to be either no-cost or very low cost (like $5 at most) or people won't frequent them -- when did you last see Johnny Rockets full at lunch or dinner?  

- I'd like to see Fish and Ships expanded to more ships.  

- We all know dessert has never been Royal's strong point.  What about a Nothing Bundt Cake franchise onboard?  

- I'd love to see smoking onboard disappear altogether, but -- again -- never going to happen. 

- I agree with more afternoon indoor activities.  Outdoor games like Giant Jenga?  Bowling would be great.  I'm not particularly interested in an afternoon matinee of the musicals /shows, but I do enjoy going to afternoon movies.  But NO shopping talks.  Oh, a "Paint and Sip" type class would be fun.  I'd attend a cooking class.  Yoga classes would be fun.  

- Oh, at home we LOVE going to the Board Game Cafe.  We pay a fee to stay all day, and we try out as many board games as we want.  Games are so expensive these days; we like to "try before we buy".  Super popular place -- they have all the newest, best games, and they have workers who "check the games back in" to be sure they're intact.  

- I'd like to see Playmakers Sports Bar on EVERY SHIP.  It's my husband's favorite, and he's not alone.

- I used to love the Tutti Salad!  

- Yes, I'd like to see gratuities rolled in to the ticket price, but -- again -- that's a thing that'll never happen.  All the cruise lines want to keep that lowest ticket price really low; it's how they get people in. 

- I'd like to take out the arcade and instead offer the rental of a Playstation (or some other gaming system) and games that families could keep in their room for the week.  I know, no one goes on a cruise to stay in their room, but families with gamers would enjoy it as an afternoon or late-night respite, and it might keep some of the teens out of the public areas late-late at night.  

- I'd like to see multiple alcohol packages offered; for example, a "just beer" package that would cost less than the EVERYTHING package.  Or a punch-card for 10 drinks (something that pops up every so often) instead of the EVERYTHING package.  You know, an "in between between" nothing and a very expensive, all-inclusive package.  

- I'd like to see the Chocolate Breakfast come back to the MDR.  

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1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

If the service is "rubbish", depending on the degree if "rubbishness", my tip would be between 0 - 14%.  If the server just brought my food in a timely manner and hot, 15 - 19%.  If the server is extra friendly, helpful, caring, and makes frequent stop bys, 20%+.  Can't do that effectively with mandatory gratuity.  The "rubbish" servers still get an inflated gratuity.

Boy do I have a hard time with figuring out where in the 0-14% range to put less than decent service. Rude is easy, they get 0. Perfunctory and adequate, also easy, 15%.

 

However, when it’s not rudeness or deliberate neglect, but multiple screw ups where I can’t tell if it’s due to lack of effort or something beyond their control? I don’t know.  Being aware that their wages are low because we as customers are subsidizing their salaries makes it hard to punish mistakes with financial consequences. 

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1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes, I'd like to see gratuities rolled in to the ticket price, but -- again -- that's a thing that'll never happen.  All the cruise lines want to keep that lowest ticket price really low; it's how they get people in. 

It can happen, happens in other countries than the US

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Just now, travisma81 said:

I think Johnny Rockets should be included with the price.  Better yet, like someone else said.  Replace it with Waffle House and keep it open an hour after the bars close.   

I agree except we like the milkshakes and cheese fries.

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7 hours ago, time4u2go said:

That's a great point.  Their desserts are terrible.

They only seem to care about how they "look" not taste and that's why you see so many one bite desserts left on the table.

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5 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Multiple thoughts -- yeah, I'm blowing off the "one thing" concept: 

- I've never seen bacon like that.  Looks like a thin pork chop. 

- I'm not unhappy with most of the food, but I'd like to see better quality no-extra-cost steaks and larger servings of vegetables in the MDR.  

- I'd change the large hamburgers in the MDR into smaller sliders ... so people could choose a small burger + other options.  

- In terms of a specialty Indian restaurant, if this were added, would you cut out the Indian food options in the MDR? 

- Instead of a smaller plate /lower cost specialty restaurant (which they'll never do) I'd like to see more options for a single specialty restaurant item in the MDR for a fee.  For example, I'd buy Hooks' Messy Fish sandwich in the MDR.  This would give diners more options, and the whole family wouldn't have to make the same choice. 

- Yes to more small food options.  We do B4D -- Breakfast for Dinner -- every Thursday, and it would be a great late-night option, but I wonder how many people would go for it?  But they need to be either no-cost or very low cost (like $5 at most) or people won't frequent them -- when did you last see Johnny Rockets full at lunch or dinner?  

- I'd like to see Fish and Ships expanded to more ships.  

- We all know dessert has never been Royal's strong point.  What about a Nothing Bundt Cake franchise onboard?  

- I'd love to see smoking onboard disappear altogether, but -- again -- never going to happen. 

- I agree with more afternoon indoor activities.  Outdoor games like Giant Jenga?  Bowling would be great.  I'm not particularly interested in an afternoon matinee of the musicals /shows, but I do enjoy going to afternoon movies.  But NO shopping talks.  Oh, a "Paint and Sip" type class would be fun.  I'd attend a cooking class.  Yoga classes would be fun.  

- Oh, at home we LOVE going to the Board Game Cafe.  We pay a fee to stay all day, and we try out as many board games as we want.  Games are so expensive these days; we like to "try before we buy".  Super popular place -- they have all the newest, best games, and they have workers who "check the games back in" to be sure they're intact.  

- I'd like to see Playmakers Sports Bar on EVERY SHIP.  It's my husband's favorite, and he's not alone.

- I used to love the Tutti Salad!  

- Yes, I'd like to see gratuities rolled in to the ticket price, but -- again -- that's a thing that'll never happen.  All the cruise lines want to keep that lowest ticket price really low; it's how they get people in. 

- I'd like to take out the arcade and instead offer the rental of a Playstation (or some other gaming system) and games that families could keep in their room for the week.  I know, no one goes on a cruise to stay in their room, but families with gamers would enjoy it as an afternoon or late-night respite, and it might keep some of the teens out of the public areas late-late at night.  

- I'd like to see multiple alcohol packages offered; for example, a "just beer" package that would cost less than the EVERYTHING package.  Or a punch-card for 10 drinks (something that pops up every so often) instead of the EVERYTHING package.  You know, an "in between between" nothing and a very expensive, all-inclusive package.  

- I'd like to see the Chocolate Breakfast come back to the MDR.  

...could change only one thing!

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On 12/12/2023 at 1:26 PM, Bead Pirate said:

For a multibillion-dollar company, you would think that they could install a toilet paper holder that does not launch a roll of toilet paper after use by each occupant 🙂 We just stack up the rolls and keep them off the one-armed bandit. By day two the cabin attendant understands and does not even try to put the rolls back on...

 

I immediately agreed with the OP's first mention about the toilet paper holder.  Quite aggravating!  

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