Could we start a list of perks that were discontinued?

[HomeLover]

Hooked on Travel,

I believe you are right about the jewelry, except on one ship, they had a display with diamonds. (encouraging spending more money hahah)

HoneLover

[marco]

Suite Traveler,

Yes, I remember those gold globes with the diamonds! As well as sterling Sulver, there were gold charms of the ships, all to scale. When they supposed selling them, I found the company name on the box, found them online, then ordered a few that they carried,but not the new ships. For instance, the Sitmar Lineship that eventually became HAL Prinsendam. Alas, due to lack of demand, they went out of business.

 

Actually, Sitmar didn't exactly "go out of business", it merged into Princess. In fact, at the time there was much discussion as to which line was going to get incorporated into which and would the "winner" be either be Sitmar or Princess. Princess was choosen because of greater name recognition. Of course, this was LONG before it came under the Carnival umbrella. I don't remember exactly what year it was, but we had booked a cruise on Sitmar's "Fairsky". The ship was still not completed and not sailing when we had booked adn it would have been sailing but a couple of months prior to our cruise. A few months after booking our TA called and told us we still could go on that ship, same price, same itinerary, but by the time for the date of the cruise it would be Princesses "Sky Princess" as Sitmar (and it's 3 ships) would be incorporated into Princess.

[rkinci]

Recently I had an all access tour on Quantum of the Seas (apr/4/2015). Cost $150. Included galley, laundry, crew mess, security, crew sun deck (bow and heli pad), crew bar, and bridge. They offered four tours of sixteen people.

[Bonnie J.]

Carnival no longer puts chocolate on your pillow!

[George C]

 

On the negative there is no more lobster, the shrimp cocktail are so small you can barely see them and there is no freshly squeezed orange juice.

 

Howard

 

Hal still has fresh squeezed OJ no charge, RCCL still has Lobster but very small

[Bonnie J.]

We have always had lobster but it is the smaller Caribbean lobster- not New England's.

But, on one Princess cruise, they had Alaskan crab legs but only on the buffet on Formal night!

[Jana60]

24 hr soft serve ice cream

14 hr pizza, calzones and ceasar salad

 

The 24 hour soft serve ice cream is still served is he is 24 hour pizza

[Jana60]

Princess doesn't have pool towels either.

 

What lines still have pool towels?

 

Carnival does but you have to sign the towel out and if you don't return it it cost you 50 bucks.

[Tobyhilda]

Hal still has fresh squeezed OJ no charge, RCCL still has Lobster but very small

 

Shi...happens...RCCL no longer,has post cards of ship in cabin, no writing paper, no chocolate on bed,,,If you want to send out a post card of ship, you have to pay $1.00 in gift shop...

 

As a D+ member, we used to get, free gift every cruise, i.e. miniture radios, burlap travel bags, set of glassses with RCCL logo... Tobyhilda

[Smokeyham]

RCCL no longer,has post cards of ship in cabin, no writing paper, no chocolate on bed,,,If you want to send out a post card of ship, you have to pay $1.00 in gift shop...

 

I remember a couple of years ago on board an NCL cruise seeing that friends had a post card of the ship in their room binder. I did not have one in my binder, and went to ask at the purser's desk for one. I was treated very suspiciously, as if I was stealing something. They said I could buy a card in the shop. When I explained that I was just asking for what I had seen provided in my friends cabin, they reluctantly handed one over.

[Smokeyham]

Princess doesn't have pool towels either.

 

What lines still have pool towels?

 

Sapphire Princess provided them by the pool on our Alaska cruise, and I thought I saw them on Grand Princess when we did a Bon Voyage Experience in April, 2014.

[Bonnie J.]

On Princess towels by the pool are given away, no charge if not returned. They don't know who has them.

[antique sailor]

On Princess towels by the pool are given away, no charge if not returned. They don't know who has them.

 

AHOY SHIPMATES,

 

I am by no means an angel when it comes to collecting a souvenir occasionally but many of the changes and disappearances have been caused by US overdoing it. I always thought that towels with ships logo would be the biggest loss but actually it was the demitasse spoons on the tables in the dining room that topped the list.

 

SEA YA

[George C]

Shi...happens...RCCL no longer,has post cards of ship in cabin, no writing paper, no chocolate on bed,,,If you want to send out a post card of ship, you have to pay $1.00 in gift shop...

 

As a D+ member, we used to get, free gift every cruise, i.e. miniture radios, burlap travel bags, set of glassses with RCCL logo... Tobyhilda

 

If you travel in a suite you get some of these things. I do not need the chocolate.

[TravelinGert]

Did the inaugural cruise of RCI's Quantum. Pretty much name a much touted tech feature and it did not work, or glitched out here and there throughout the cruise. Luckily we enjoyed all the free wine we wanted during boarding and sail away. Really, other than the Wifi, they could just do that and a lot of pax would be quite happy. :p

 

Probably partly as a concession to the many annoying little issues RCI showered us with wonderful things. A new towel animal joined our entourage each night after dinner, along with a gifting. We also received gifts for attending several of the activities. We came home with the most gorgeous book about the ship and a pile of logo gifts including a lightweight backpack each, four light totes that scrunch up in little holders to look like the North Star which fasten to a purse strap - probably the most used freebie I've ever received! - , stainless steel water bottles, insulated mugs, two different scrap booking kits, and at least 3 other things I'm forgetting! Oops!

 

Another great thing was our arrival in NYC. Waiters passed out hot cider while everyone gathered on the upper decks before dawn to wave to the news helicopters and fire boats as stirringly patriotic music videos were shown on the outdoor movie screens. It was mayhem when Lady Liberty came into view and well worth getting up at 3 in the morning to enjoy.

 

From reading this thread, I suspect we'll find we're so spoiled we won't know how to act on our upcoming cruise in November when we don't find a gift on the bed every night. Oh well. We can just flaunt our logo items at the beach and smile knowingly at each other if anyone asks where we got it. :p

[crusinpsychRN]

Streamers.

Friends coming aboard to see you off before they had to leave.

Chocolates at turn down.

The sheer curtain behind the regular drape in balcony cabins.

Lots more--this is on Carnival.

[Smokeyham]

Streamers.

Friends coming aboard to see you off before they had to leave.

Chocolates at turn down.

The sheer curtain behind the regular drape in balcony cabins.

Lots more--this is on Carnival.

 

The chocolates at turn down and the sheer curtains are still provided on Princess.

 

Princess also has a program called Bon Voyage Experience where, for $39, you can go on board and spend a few hours seeing the ship and having a nice lunch. You don't actually have to know someone going on the cruise, but if you do then all of you get to go on before other passengers (early boarding). This is not available for all boardings, but worth checking out if you are interested.

 

I remember when I was young seeing friends off aboard the Queen Elizabeth in New York harbor. It would be great if the world was secure enough that could be brought back for everyone to enjoy.

[Supercharged86]

Carnival no longer puts chocolate on your pillow!

 

No chocolates last week aboard NCL Pearl, even though its advertised??? In October we'll see what my NCL Platinum status brings me. Or NOT! :confused:

Use to enjoy the lobster tail night, not anymore!

Edited August 2, 2015 by Supercharged86

[Jana60]

No chocolates last week aboard NCL Pearl, even though its advertised??? In October we'll see what my NCL Platinum status brings me. Or NOT! :confused:

Use to enjoy the lobster tail night, not anymore!

 

I'm told that Carnival is doing away with their chocolates also. But they were crappy chocolates anyway! So far they still have lobster on formal night and and shrimp cocktail every night I love seafood so I'm happy. They are little lobsters but they'll give you as many of them as you want. I've been told they're bringing back live Caribbean music at sail away so that's good! I just hope they don't get rid of any more of their live music elsewhere.

[Psych Cruiser]

love the response:

 

"Discontinued items on cruise lines:

 

Thin Passengers - 1995

 

Well Dressed Passengers - 1998

 

Well Behaved Passengers - -1999"

 

Also have to add:

 

Chew with mouth closed - 2000

 

Speedos - still happening :confused:

[simplelife]

Our first Carnival Cruise featured:

A midnight Gala Buffet with intricate ice and fruit carving and food sculptures so elaborate passengers walked through first to admire the culinary artwork and take pictures and then to eat;

Free drinks at the Captain's party and just for visiting the casino when it opened;

A complimentary drawing of the ship;

A deck of cards with Carnival logo;

We have not had these amenities since.

 

Other amenities which we did not have on more recent Carnival cruises:

Amenity basket with "goodies";

Chocolates on the pillow each night;

Topless funnel deck

I don't really miss these more recent changes, and many good perks have been added that DO matter (more comfortable beds, serenity deck, upcharge restaurants, for example)

[NMLady]

No chocolates last week aboard NCL Pearl, even though its advertised??? In October we'll see what my NCL Platinum status brings me. Or NOT! :confused:

Use to enjoy the lobster tail night, not anymore!

 

On our cruise on the Jewel last April we had chocolates on our pillow every night from our being Platinum.

 

I definitely miss the lobster tail. I also miss cappucino being free.

[mrskhodak]

I know this is an old thread . .I just happened across. . .but I do remember the decks of cards! Silly me. . .we actually played with ours. . Still have them. . .but they are tattered and worn. . .but I keep it just for keepsake. . .

[George C]

I know this is an old thread . .I just happened across. . .but I do remember the decks of cards! Silly me. . .we actually played with ours. . Still have them. . .but they are tattered and worn. . .but I keep it just for keepsake. . .

 

I still have a few decks of RCCL cards that I have not opened yet

[BruceMuzz]

On Princess towels by the pool are given away, no charge if not returned. They don't know who has them.

 

Actually they DO know who has them. Many many thousands of Princess pool towels now belong to the inhabitants of all the Caribbean Islands that Princess ships visit.

Because so many Passengers, too lazy to return them, left them on the beach.

 

Have you wondered why cruise prices keep going up?

This is one of the many reasons.

Edited February 7, 2016 by BruceMuzz