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5 years since my last RCI cruise and wow how the standard has dropped!!!!!


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We have just returned from a 6 night cruise on the Rhapsody of the seas its been 5 years since my last cruise with RCI on Adventure and 6 years since Grandeur of the seas, 2 cruises I thoroughly enjoyed , however this time I was shocked at how much has changed in regards to standards.

basic things like ice sculptures and the carved fruits and vegetable displays that I marvelled over had gone. And this is the first cruise (many different lines) that I have felt over dressed on formal night !!! shorts and flip flops in the dining room every night INCLUDING formal night !!!!! not the odd passenger but many, even swim wear being worn while sat on bar stools of an evening in the inside schooner bar !! .

The entertainment in the theatre was very poor , Ive seen better at local talent shows and other entertainment was mostly passenger led e.g competitions karaoke and dance etc no big productions from staff with amazing sets or costumes so disappointing . the self service drinks machines were often out of order and not fixed as was the ice cream machine , I could go on and on .

 

And dont get me started on the tender ticket fiasco !!! 2 weeks before sailing we were informed we were no longer docking but needed to tender, no worries i thought ive done this before, not with RCI I hadnt.

the night before the tender port on the cruise compass It stated that if you were not on a RCI excursion you needed to get a ticket for tender from the shall we dance lounge between 8am-9.30 the next day and to expect it to be busy and they recommended we dont get off until after 1pm (we arrive 9am) , so annoying that we had to get tickets in the morning but this I did, I arrived at said lounge at 8.20 am for a ticket, Estimated time to get off 11am !!!! when I asked why so late I was told people had been queuing since 7am !!!! (im on bloody holiday) ,

Anyway what incensed me the most that was when our ticket number was called to go to the tender NO ONE EVEN ASKED TO SEE THE BLOODY TICKET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so waste of time going to get one .

 

sorry for ranting

the saving grace for this cruise experience were our wonderful main dining room staff , a credit to RCI

 

So Im wondering have the standards dropped so low on all RCI or were we just unlucky? its totally put me off booking RCI in the future

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I've been cruising since 1982 and over the years have experienced many changes. I haven't sailed on Rhapsody, but have been on several RCI ships over the past two yeas and overall, I haven't experienced many changes in the past 5 years. Food is not as good as it used to be and service in the MDR can be spotty, but is generally good. Our cabins are always spotless. I guess I don't care about ice or veggie sculptures. I've found entertainment on RCI to be as good as or better than most lines.

 

I cruise to either get to places I wouldn't normally go to on a land vacation or just to chill out and I'm a bargain hunter so I always feel I get my monies worth for what I pay.

 

As far as casual - I'm all for that, (although I always follow the suggested dress code.)

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I think RCCL should faze out the ship wide "boat prom" and just regulate it as an upcharge night in some specialty restaurant.

 

LOL - Boat Prom really does describe it. I have no problem with those who like dressing up, but my lifestyle has become very casual,( which does NOT mean sloppy!), and I only go to the MDR because I want to be served, not because it's fine dining.

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Being a relatively new cruiser, I wonder if maybe the cruise prices have dropped along with the standards. Are they switching from quality to quantity??

I know many years ago when my parents cruised (1980's) it seems that mostly only rich retired people cruised.

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Being a relatively new cruiser, I wonder if maybe the cruise prices have dropped along with the standards. Are they switching from quality to quantity??

I know many years ago when my parents cruised (1980's) it seems that mostly only rich retired people cruised.

 

This is one of those dead horse topics that come up so often it's like groundhog day. It's like people forget we just talked about this a day or week ago and then they have the exact same argument/discussion again. Cruise prices have actually gone down since the 80's, which when you consider inflation in the last 30 years means people are paying far less to cruise today than they used to. Quantity is way up, quality is way down, that's just how it is across the major cruise lines. If people don't like it they can vote with their wallet and do something else for vacation. At the end of the day that is all Royal or any of the other lines are going to respond to. When profits start falling they will make changes.

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This is one of those dead horse topics that come up so often it's like groundhog day. It's like people forget we just talked about this a day or week ago and then they have the exact same argument/discussion again. Cruise prices have actually gone down since the 80's, which when you consider inflation in the last 30 years means people are paying far less to cruise today than they used to. Quantity is way up, quality is way down, that's just how it is across the major cruise lines. If people don't like it they can vote with their wallet and do something else for vacation. At the end of the day that is all Royal or any of the other lines are going to respond to. When profits start falling they will make changes.

Well excuse my ignorance!!

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Being a relatively new cruiser, I wonder if maybe the cruise prices have dropped along with the standards. Are they switching from quality to quantity??

I know many years ago when my parents cruised (1980's) it seems that mostly only rich retired people cruised.

 

Yes, the demographic for cruising has changed along with lifestyles in general. I know rich old people who embrace casual, probably can't remember when they last wore formal wear, and go to the best restaurants in town in slacks and nice shirts.

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basic things like ice sculptures and the carved fruits and vegetable displays that I marvelled over had gone.

I never marveled over those things because the fancy carvings were quite clearly used again and again each week -- some of them were slightly discolored, even broken in places ... and were just filled with simple chopped items. Maybe people who haven't worked in catering wouldn't recognize this.

 

but my lifestyle has become very casual,( which does NOT mean sloppy!)
You may be casual-without-sloppy, but I fear you're in the minority, as all too many people today see these two adjectives as one and the same.

 

Being a relatively new cruiser, I wonder if maybe the cruise prices have dropped along with the standards. Are they switching from quality to quantity??

I know many years ago when my parents cruised (1980's) it seems that mostly only rich retired people cruised.

And honeymooners! I grew up in the Love Boat generation, and all us girls had a common goal: We were going on a cruise for our honeymoons! It seemed so exotic, so worldly. Growing up, I literally knew no one who'd been on a cruise. Today I'd guess 1/2 my students have cruised at least once.
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Yes, the demographic for cruising has changed along with lifestyles in general. I know rich old people who embrace casual, probably can't remember when they last wore formal wear, and go to the best restaurants in town in slacks and nice shirts.

 

I think the same demographic who cruised before (and enjoyed the formality) probably still cruise, they just do it mostly on luxury lines.

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...And this is the first cruise (many different lines) that I have felt over dressed on formal night !!! shorts and flip flops in the dining room every night INCLUDING formal night !!!!! ....

 

 

My expectation is; "is it formal night at my Table or not?" Shorts and flip flops at the next Table do not affect my enjoyment of the meal or my companionship. Our dinner is what we make it to be.

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My expectation is; "is it formal night at my Table or not?" Shorts and flip flops at the next Table do not affect my enjoyment of the meal or my companionship. Our dinner is what we make it to be.

 

For the last 5 years ive enjoyed a certain standard of cruising from other cruise lines, I guess I expected the same standard from RCI and when I realised how much it had changed in the 5 years since I had last sailed with them , yes I was disappointed . For me having a meal in a nice restaurant where there is a dress code but its not enforced does effect my over all experience especially formal night , If people want to wear shorts and flip flops they should choose the buffet.

Many a folk are obviously still happy with RCI but for me I think they no longer fit my criteria for a holiday.

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We have just returned from a 6 night cruise on the Rhapsody of the seas its been 5 years since my last cruise with RCI on Adventure and 6 years since Grandeur of the seas, 2 cruises I thoroughly enjoyed , however this time I was shocked at how much has changed in regards to standards.

basic things like ice sculptures and the carved fruits and vegetable displays that I marvelled over had gone. And this is the first cruise (many different lines) that I have felt over dressed on formal night !!! shorts and flip flops in the dining room every night INCLUDING formal night !!!!! not the odd passenger but many, even swim wear being worn while sat on bar stools of an evening in the inside schooner bar !! .

The entertainment in the theatre was very poor , Ive seen better at local talent shows and other entertainment was mostly passenger led e.g competitions karaoke and dance etc no big productions from staff with amazing sets or costumes so disappointing . the self service drinks machines were often out of order and not fixed as was the ice cream machine , I could go on and on .

 

And dont get me started on the tender ticket fiasco !!! 2 weeks before sailing we were informed we were no longer docking but needed to tender, no worries i thought ive done this before, not with RCI I hadnt.

the night before the tender port on the cruise compass It stated that if you were not on a RCI excursion you needed to get a ticket for tender from the shall we dance lounge between 8am-9.30 the next day and to expect it to be busy and they recommended we dont get off until after 1pm (we arrive 9am) , so annoying that we had to get tickets in the morning but this I did, I arrived at said lounge at 8.20 am for a ticket, Estimated time to get off 11am !!!! when I asked why so late I was told people had been queuing since 7am !!!! (im on bloody holiday) ,

Anyway what incensed me the most that was when our ticket number was called to go to the tender NO ONE EVEN ASKED TO SEE THE BLOODY TICKET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so waste of time going to get one .

 

sorry for ranting

the saving grace for this cruise experience were our wonderful main dining room staff , a credit to RCI

 

So Im wondering have the standards dropped so low on all RCI or were we just unlucky? its totally put me off booking RCI in the future

Well, I have been cruising for over 10 years and have noticed some changes, but as a small business owner I completly understand, the cruise crowd from yesteryear is not who they are catering to anymore, while yes some old and retired people still cruise its not who spend the money. cruise lines make very little on cabin bookings, they make their money on all the extras, speacial resuraunts, shop sales, drink packages, photos, excursions, ect.. and the fact is its the younger crowds who are more willing to turn loose of the money than the older crowds, so its simple marketing, younger crowds don't care about dressing up and going to main dinning room as being casual and eating at speacilty resuraunt.

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Concerning entertainment, If speaking about Royal Caribbean in gereral their entertainment has been best or equal to all the cruise lines I've sailed in last 19 months.

 

8 cruises in that time, 4 other lines than Royal. Not sure on the ship you were on, but we were on Radiance, Vision, and Oasis. But all very good.

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Knowing we are all different, I think only the tendering thing would have bothered me. Where I feel the biggest decline in Royal is the quality of excursions they provide. I do more private excursions and that probably wouldn't have gotten me on an early tender. The only tendering issue I ever had was 10 years ago when 2 ships were in Coco Cay, it took us to noon to get to shore on a 3 day cruise.

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We have just returned from a 6 night cruise on the Rhapsody of the seas its been 5 years since my last cruise with RCI on Adventure and 6 years since Grandeur of the seas, 2 cruises I thoroughly enjoyed , however this time I was shocked at how much has changed in regards to standards.

 

basic things like ice sculptures and the carved fruits and vegetable displays that I marvelled over had gone. And this is the first cruise (many different lines) that I have felt over dressed on formal night !!! shorts and flip flops in the dining room every night INCLUDING formal night !!!!! not the odd passenger but many, even swim wear being worn while sat on bar stools of an evening in the inside schooner bar !! .

 

The entertainment in the theatre was very poor , Ive seen better at local talent shows and other entertainment was mostly passenger led e.g competitions karaoke and dance etc no big productions from staff with amazing sets or costumes so disappointing . the self service drinks machines were often out of order and not fixed as was the ice cream machine , I could go on and on .

 

 

 

And dont get me started on the tender ticket fiasco !!! 2 weeks before sailing we were informed we were no longer docking but needed to tender, no worries i thought ive done this before, not with RCI I hadnt.

 

the night before the tender port on the cruise compass It stated that if you were not on a RCI excursion you needed to get a ticket for tender from the shall we dance lounge between 8am-9.30 the next day and to expect it to be busy and they recommended we dont get off until after 1pm (we arrive 9am) , so annoying that we had to get tickets in the morning but this I did, I arrived at said lounge at 8.20 am for a ticket, Estimated time to get off 11am !!!! when I asked why so late I was told people had been queuing since 7am !!!! (im on bloody holiday) ,

 

Anyway what incensed me the most that was when our ticket number was called to go to the tender NO ONE EVEN ASKED TO SEE THE BLOODY TICKET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so waste of time going to get one .

 

 

 

sorry for ranting

 

the saving grace for this cruise experience were our wonderful main dining room staff , a credit to RCI

 

 

 

So Im wondering have the standards dropped so low on all RCI or were we just unlucky? its totally put me off booking RCI in the future

 

 

 

I thought your main disappointment would have been the food. T s going downhill fast in the MDR.

That is ours! No complaints about or anything else with Royal.

 

 

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Well, I have been cruising for over 10 years and have noticed some changes, but as a small business owner I completly understand, the cruise crowd from yesteryear is not who they are catering to anymore, while yes some old and retired people still cruise its not who spend the money. cruise lines make very little on cabin bookings, they make their money on all the extras, speacial resuraunts, shop sales, drink packages, photos, excursions, ect.. and the fact is its the younger crowds who are more willing to turn loose of the money than the older crowds, so its simple marketing, younger crowds don't care about dressing up and going to main dinning room as being casual and eating at speacilty resuraunt.

 

 

 

You are correct, we are both starting our 70's and go on 3-4 cruises a year. We don't spend a dime on anything but excursions or an occasional drink, if we don't have a drink pkg from a booking perk.

 

 

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I thought your main disappointment would have been the food. T s going downhill fast in the MDR.

That is ours! No complaints about or anything else with Royal.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

Food and service have taken major hits in the last 20 years but we are getting what we pay for. If you want the luxury of the past, cruise the premium lines.

 

 

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For the last 5 years ive enjoyed a certain standard of cruising from other cruise lines, I guess I expected the same standard from RCI and when I realised how much it had changed in the 5 years since I had last sailed with them , yes I was disappointed . For me having a meal in a nice restaurant where there is a dress code but its not enforced does effect my over all experience especially formal night , If people want to wear shorts and flip flops they should choose the buffet.

Many a folk are obviously still happy with RCI but for me I think they no longer fit my criteria for a holiday.

 

Agree with previous posters regarding changes on RC and other mainstream cruise lines.

 

Unfortunately, dress codes have never been a rule - they were and still are a "suggestion" for the evening. Passengers wear what they want to wear, and often ignore the suggested dress code. Don't want to turn this into a dress code thread, but whether we like it or approve, society is far more casual than even a decade ago. You cannot enforce a "suggestion."

 

If you want a less casual cruise you are probably not going to be happy on any mainstream cruise line.

 

As far as entertainment, the Rhapsody is one of the oldest ships in the RC fleet; not really known for its entertainment. If you want more of the spectacular Broadway-type shows, aqua theater or ice shows you need a Voyageur class or larger ship.

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I have not seen an ice carving on a RCI ship since our first year of cruising in 2008.

 

OP, I am sorry you were disappointed. I hope you have a good holiday despite these changes.

 

I would estimate that the ice sculptures went away two or three years ago. You should have seen them up until then.

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I would estimate that the ice sculptures went away two or three years ago. You should have seen them up until then.

 

February 2014 was our first cruise that there was no ice sculpture and no fruit carvings. Our prior cruise was February 2013 so the change was somewhere in that period. I was very disappointed and thought it was specific to that ship. That first view of the fruit carvings in the Windjammer was my WOW moment when boarding. I was told by one of the chefs that the elimination of the carvings was due to staff cutbacks and there aren't enough hands in the kitchen now - he also said that it is not a food issue because almost all of the fruit was able to be used or consumed in some way.

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