Anyone Else Leaving or Considering Leaving RCL Over Prices?

[crazyfrazee]

My cruising history started with Carnival. I was a cruise away from turning platinum when they did me wrong. I left and didn't think I'd ever go back. I switched to Royal and became platinum and have really enjoyed cruising with them until they went crazy with pricing. I know "pricing" has been beat to death on here!

 

I booked Carnival Celebration which is less than 2 years old, 183,000 GT, 7 day cruise in an ocean view suite for only $3100. The room has a divider so it's like 2 rooms with 2 large screen tv's. 

 

Anyone else looking at other cruiselines until the prices come back down with Royal?

[time4u2go]

Yes.

[Cruising89143]

No, have three on the books for this year but we also cruise other lines as well. Everyone should do what makes them happy. 

[CGinMTL]

I have never been loyal to a brand

Always look at price and itinerary to make my decsions

[steveru621]

No,

 

$14 X 12 drinks X 7 days = $1,176

[not-enough-cruising]

7 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

No,

 

$14 X 12 drinks X 7 days = $1,176

plus 18%

[birdofsong]

No. We have gotten our last four cruises for free (with the exception of taxes and port charges) through Casino Royale.  We've spent way less in the casino than we would have on a cruise purchase, and we're about to go to Australia and cruise to New Zealand next week, with free drinks, on board credit and casino credit.  Beyond that, we've really enjoyed Royal.  If all of this goes away, I would certainly consider it, but not at this point.  

[steveru621]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

plus 18%

 

Good point!  $1,176 X 18% = $211.68

 

Cruise cost benefit for Pinacles = $1,387.68 + free laundry + BOGO dining + free water etc...

[firefly333]

34 minutes ago, crazyfrazee said:

Anyone else looking at other cruiselines until the prices come back down with Royal?

No, but will book fewer than I hoped. My plan was to move to PC and be one of these who board for a couple months at a time. I just got told my comeuppance on the thread where I said I was surprised that quantum was doing short west coast cruises. Well obviously rcl has decided short cruises are more attractive and pushing them I was told, I'm not their target audience. 

 

My last cruise was on carnival for 14 days and it was a very nice cruise. I've sworn off carnival at least twice before, once when hurricane Ike wiped out Galveston and I was onboard conquest. Never say never. I turned diamond on carnival last month. 

 

At these prices I'll be having to be very choosy what I book. Moving to PC and PC prices are crazy, all of florida prices are high. I'll cruise less. Not completely quit ... but then i do admit i have 14 rcl booked. 

Edited February 29 by firefly333

[Another_Critic]

9 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

Good point!  $1,176 X 18% = $211.68

 

Cruise cost benefit for Pinacles = $1,387.68 + free laundry + BOGO dining + free water etc...

You forgot free Voom.

 

D+ gets one less drink, but the same laundry and BOGO specialty dining.  The main difference is 2 days vs free Voom.  And no P pin.  😄

 

Edited February 29 by Another_Critic

[kruzerci]

Prices? No. 
Prices plus neglected ships and poor quality food and service? Yes. 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 minute ago, kruzerci said:

Prices? No. 
Prices plus neglected ships and poor quality food and service? Yes. 

Neglected ships?  I have yet to encounter that particular issue.

[kruzerci]

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

Neglected ships?  I have yet to encounter that particular issue.

The Radiance class ships, Allure, and Enchantment are all in very poor condition these days. 

[neverbeenhere]

No. It’s only money. 

[bonsai3s]

Yes.

 

* Would like to try a Virgin......cruise.

[JoieNsk]

We might be not typical, as we usually book Royal for Europe. We don't really do Caribbean and such cruises. 

 

But I normally can book nice enough suite type cabin on Royal for much better price that those of NCL, Celebrity etc. Granted we book old smaller ships.

 

I do realize suite perks on those ships with Royal are very different than even on their own newer ships. Not even to mention NCL Haven etc. But whatever Royal does - works for us very well, we don't need anything fancier - in general.

 

So I feel like we were getting very good value with Royal - for our needs - so far. We will see, as we didn't sail with them after Covid yet. Out first Royal post-Covid cruise is going to be this June. And the price we got is much better comparing similar itineraries with other cruise lines. (Though I did book as soon as the dates were out).

Edited February 29 by JoieNsk

[shutterbug63]

Yes. Most definitely.  It's not only the prices, it's their deposit policy.  If I want a refundable deposit on (for example) a sailing in January, 2026, on Independence of the Seas, it's an additional $2,016 tacked on to the price which makes the price for a Sunset Junior Suite over $6,000.00. I paid less for that for a full suite on Princess for a 7 day sailing on a brand new ship with only a $200 fully refundable deposit.

 

Every time I do a mock booking on Royal, I get to the last step, and it's like, nope, that's too much money for what I'm getting.

Edited February 29 by shutterbug63

[Babblespeak]

Oh yeah.  Carnival just offered us up to 3 free cruises through their casino program even though we’ve only been on them once since 2019 and that was only a 3 day cruise.  So we booked 3.  We will not sail Royal anymore if their offers stop.  If all casino offers stop, we will keep sailing with MSC.  Our loyalty is definitely bought - 100%. 

[Cruising89143]

We each receive two offers each and every week through Carnival’s casino program. Even that cannot get us back on Carnival. 

[King10Sooted]

Won't switch unless they start cutting you off at 15 drinks like the others. 

[JoieNsk]

7 minutes ago, shutterbug63 said:

Yes. Most definitely.  It's not only the prices, it's their deposit policy.  If I want a refundable deposit on (for example) a sailing in January, 2026, on Independence of the Seas, it's an additional $2,016 tacked on to the price which makes the price for a Sunset Junior Suite over $6,000.00. I paid less for that for a full suite on Princess for a 7 day sailing on a brand new ship with only a $200 fully refundable deposit.

 

Every time I do a mock booking on Royal, I get to the last step, and it's like, nope, that's too much money for what I'm getting.

Many cruise lines do this nowadays.

 

As far as my experience goes - NCL and Princess have refundable deposits with no other strings attached.

 

With Royal - as far as I remember - suite type rooms have non-refundable deposits anyways, no matter the final price. But you can at least switch the date paying $100 dollars per a person fee.

 

Disney also has non-refundable deposits for suites. But you can switch the date for free - at least.

[not-enough-cruising]

32 minutes ago, kruzerci said:

The Radiance class ships, Allure, and Enchantment are all in very poor condition these days. 

Hmm, went on Allure for 4 different weeks when she was in Galveston, I guess i don't pay close enough attention because I thought she was in pretty good shape

[CTCruiser76]

Yes, we just booked Oceania for the same price as RCCL, Royal was a 5 night and O is a 7 night. Also compared O to same cruise on Celebrity which both are 7 nights and Oceania was cheaper.  

[Babblespeak]

20 minutes ago, Cruising89143 said:

We each receive two offers each and every week through Carnival’s casino program. Even that cannot get us back on Carnival. 

We thought so too, but they let us book 7 and 8 day cruises on the Celebration and an 8 day on the Panorama out of LA (which we’ve never done before).  Seemed worth it versus some 3 or 4 day booze cruise on a rust bucket like the Conquest or Liberty.  

[Hoopster95]

13 minutes ago, CTCruiser76 said:

Yes, we just booked Oceania for the same price as RCCL, Royal was a 5 night and O is a 7 night. Also compared O to same cruise on Celebrity which both are 7 nights and Oceania was cheaper.  

 

Did Oceana in a penthouse suite just slightly over for the same price (per diem) as Royal GS in both 2018 and 2020.

 

Edited March 1 by Hoopster95