COMPLAINERS UNITE! What Can Royal Do Better?

[kruzerci]

Great suggestions from a lot of folks. I too would like to see a return to traditional cruising. We seem to have lost this option on the mega ships. Improve the food in the mdr, enlarge/improve staterooms on smaller ships, embrace formal nights. Put chocolates back on the pillows (I an dating myself)!

 

 

The good old days. I'd sacrifice most of the bells and whistles of the new ships (or pay significantly more) for the little touches!

[rharvey999]

Great suggestions from a lot of folks. I too would like to see a return to traditional cruising. We seem to have lost this option on the mega ships. Improve the food in the mdr, enlarge/improve staterooms on smaller ships, embrace formal nights. Put chocolates back on the pillows (I an dating myself)!

 

As more and more amusement parks at sea are produced I am sad to think that our love of more traditional cruising might be coming to an end. Certainly Royal must know that there are still some of us out there that are not into fake skydiving, flow riders and bumper cars. Some of us still like the "real" steel drum musicians on the pool deck rather than hard rock and rap being blasted over the load speakers. Hear, hear for traditional dining as well.

 

I am not naive to think that we are a dying breed however. Royal must continue to attract the new, younger cruisers if they wish to stay in competition with the other lines. Just please don't turn all of our ships into the "Fun Ships of Royal Caribbean". Keep a few for us as well. That is a true plea from a long time lover of Royal Caribbean.

[bwaz]

I got excited at the posts about Mariner coming to California. Then I realized it was from 2007.

RCCL, bring back the Mexican Riviera cruises. There are a lot of west coast cruisers that are loyal to Royal, but you're making it hard.

 

Sent from my LG-D801 using Forums mobile app

[Sitzmark]

The good old days. I'd sacrifice most of the bells and whistles of the new ships (or pay significantly more) for the little touches!

 

There are many lines that provide exactly that if you really wanted it.

[debbs0723]

Get rid of sea pass cards and go with those wristbands like disney has to charge things and open doors. The scanning of an id badge was a great idea in the solarium. Adventure ocean.... For the love of God, go on one Disney cruise and get a pager system for the parents. I like Royal more than Disney but they are way better on that. If my kid hurts themselves or decides she does not want to be in there anymore, they simply page you on DCL. Even on their private beach they have the pagers.

 

Sent from my Iphone 7

[kruzerci]

There are many lines that provide exactly that if you really wanted it.

 

 

And I don't have a rewarding loyalty status on those lines. The closest thing would be Celebrity. And we are sailing with them next year...

[daljcl]

I think they should have a TRUE 24 hour buffett. The Windjammer was closed between lunch and Tea and between Tea and Dinner. Also, if you are hungry late night the only option is room service which is a pathetic menu and that Coffeebar/Cafe in the promenade that serves finger sandwiches and soggy pizza.

 

In addition, they should have a poolside grill for hamburgers and hotdogs etc..

 

I think of all the cruise lines RCCL has the worst food venues to choose from.

 

 

I agree! Having sailed CCL and NCL, this was the "hunt for food" cruise :eek:

[jayblue]

Raise the age minimum in the Solarium.

 

Offer better solo fares, and treat us better.

 

Hire more staff for embarkation/debarkation.

 

Bring back some of the all inclusive luxuries, but keep some of the new for-fee ones.

 

Have a clear and direct dress policy. Either enforce formal night in the MDR or elimimate it.

 

That's all I can think of without pulling out my pom-poms!

 

jayblue RCCL cruiser

[Aquahound]

For real. You couldn't post something like this without it being removed nowadays.

 

Of course, it helps when the op is now a host. ;)

[jayblue]

On every RCI cruise that I have sailed, there has been a sail away party weather permitting. They have the pool band and bring out some of the RCI dancers to get things going. No streamers. Never have seen them except on the Love Boat TV show.:)

 

I have seen streamers and even thrown some. That was in 1997, though, so I'm not sure what happened between then and now.

 

jayblue RCCL cruiser

[Patty00]

My pet peeve is that RC does not read the reservation. I always put beds apart and they always put the beds together. Why ask on the reservation if you are not going to check out the bed configuration requested?

I would like to see more activities that are free!

It would be great if the WJ were open more hours....later as well....

I also vote for the MDR to be open for lunch on Port days...

I would like to see RC be respectful of those who wish to go to bed early...like 11p.m. Tours next day....early ports...the music/noise goes on pass 11 and they forget about the cabins up/below and near the elevators. The Viking lounge should stay open late, late..

[racerxspeedy]

So many things -where to begin? Most of this is Voyager/Freedom class focused

 

I agree - stop the constant announcements and upsell - I'm here to relax, not listen to your sales pitch on fake chains by the inch - enough already!

 

1) Correct the website and IT issues - crashes, wrong pricing

 

2) Quit playing with the pricing (I know ..that won't happen)

 

3) Utilize the unused deck space - Add a bar, some hammocks and possibly make it them adult areas _ala carnival/princess. How about a Café?

 

4) Get rid of the cheezy plastic plants by the pools (see pic)

 

5) Add some outdoor drink stations and snacks. Why do I have to walk all the way thru the windjammer to get a drink?? I know - radiance class has this

 

6) Give me some decent TV channels and a TV that works. How about at east adding the weather - radar?

 

7) Give me a decent C&A gift. Who wants candy ad cookies on an all you can eat cruise? What brainieac came up with that idea?

 

I could go on ...but you get the point

[nae418]

1. I would like to see an ironing room with at least 2 irons on each deck or

lower the price for ironing service.

Yes, I know I'm on vacation, but would my dinner attire pressed and not wrinkled. I hate wrinkled clothes

2. My sister usually travels with me, she says better free coffee for sure!

[squadron]

I'd like them to copy the waffle station that Celebrity has in its buffet restaurants and offer a good lecture series on its longer cruises that have a lot of sea days. Unless they can actually devise a system that offers both traditional and open dining successfully, I believe that they should stick with what they do best - traditional dining. No need to try to be everything to everybody. :)

 

Agreed . Also miss the nice afternoon "snack" - remember RCI having fresh scones and strawberries not too many years back but my last cruise on Jewel had nothing like that - just leftovers from lunch.

[Donut23]

Just here to say THANKS! The thread title made me laugh! Needed that laugh!

 

Oh NO! Will this be considered a non-complaint post?

 

Let me see.........

 

 

 

Wish we could squeeze a Radiance Class ship under the bridges into Baltimore harbor. Sure, Grandeur is a lovely lady but the Radiance girls are our favorites.

 

Maybe better this way. I would spend too much $$$$$ on cruising being 30 minutes from a Radiance ship.

[IWantToCruiseWithYou]

#1 Improve the efficiency of their web site and make it more user friendly. I don't like adding something to my cart then finding out the options and dates available. Tired of the OOPS message and too frequent tech problems. They need to make the quality of their website match the quality of their cruise line. I find myself aggravated and disappointed in them even before my cruise has begun.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[PhoenixCruiser]

Holy bumped thread, Batman! Oh well. Anyway, I guess I missed this first time around, or consciously forgot about it. Surprised that a moderator would start it and that it has run over 10 pages. Normally complaint threads are locked down. :p

 

Tony was not a Cruise Critic Host when he started this thread :D

 

###

[Ourusualbeach]

Well, since we are now in 2014, not 2007, I say change the damn website!

 

Actually, I heard a new site will be online in the Fall.....hopefully.

 

So what your saying is we won't be able to book anything online from October to December.:D

[MDSue]

I recently cruised on the Jewel and can come up with only two complaints:

 

1. The ice-cream in the machines is lame. I really look forward to a delicious cone of ice-cream after a hot day onshore. I got one come the entire trip. It wasn't worth eating and I was bummed.

 

2. The casino smells horrible- the worst I've ever encountered. Someone at the purser's desk told me the ATM machine was in the casino and it was in the way back. It was the stinkingest (Is that a word?) casino yet. Later, I discovered that there was an ATM right by guests services. I'm not sure why they sent me to the casino. They need some serious ventilation upgrades in there.

 

 

As a cruise cheerleader that never finds anything wrong- that felt really good to get that off my chest!

[Langley Cruisers]

The casino smells horrible- the worst I've ever encountered....

 

Yes, the same for us on Serenade (Jewel's sister) recently. It's because of the new smoking policy - people are smoking more inside the casino instead of on their balcony. Smoking is permitted in the casino, and sadly it is so thick with smoke that it drifts out into the Centrum and up and down all the decks there where people tend to gather for the events. By day 6 of our cruise, my throat was sore from coughing and I couldn't breathe properly. Yes, I hope they will realize this (put it on your comments cards!!! :) ) and make the ventilation upgrades.

.

[regg1216]

We enjoyed our cruise and have another booked...but I agree, there is room for improvement.

 

We thought the rock wall needed to be open more!!!!! That is the big attraction and it was hardly ever opened. Many times it was opened and then closed due to being short staffed????

 

Johnny Rockets should be free. We never saw a line and we were there in August! We were the only people in there and never saw a show or another person!

 

I agree about Johnny Rockets. It should be free.

[kruzerci]

[QU OTE=regg1216;42779430]I agree about Johnny Rockets. It should be free.

 

 

I just wish they would replace JR with a healthier alternative like Park Cafe.

[LindaO]

RCI needs to get working on that cruise terminal in Mayport, Florida (Jacksonville)... no need to try and fit under the bridge... and easy, quick access to the Ocean. International Airport just a short drive from the port... you can't ask for a better place to place ships on the east coast.

[Clarea]

...5) Add some outdoor drink stations and snacks. Why do I have to walk all the way thru the windjammer to get a drink?? I know - radiance class has this...

My pet peeve too. Don't understand why they refuse to put a drink station in Cafe Promenade on Voyager/Freedom class.

Edited May 16, 2014 by clarea

[Elvis1209]

How about a cigar lounge on every ship with a decent bar? The current smoking policy makes the casino the unofficial smoking lounge! Also, allow passengers to throw overboard anyone that annoys them! I can guarantee that after the first few people go over the rest will become more agreeable!

 

Elvis