strathcona

Speed Issues Change Multiple Itineraries for Royal Caribbean Ship (cruisehive.com)

sorry, dont see this on the RC website, but can do this on Celebrity. Havent been able to add gratuity to the sailing either. Need to call. You must be using a different site or you are a TA. As per Ashland, i havent been able to do this for years now.

where on the reservation online can you input this. ????? Never seen this anywhere on the reservation page

New fleet wide menu, it will be "The Royal Night" menu, usually day 5, or dress your best or formal night, it is just a broil lobster tail, under the new menu, additional lobster tail is $16.99. If this is the same size as the old lobster tail (3 to 4 oz) than most people will need to order another entre.

Wonder is the only Oasis class with a fully enclosed solarium. It does not have a pool as well. All other Oasis have a partially open solarium, over 16 years age, well no one actually monitors. Harmoney has a hot tub vice pool, since it was found that most adult just stand around.

here is the head waiter explanation, too many people are booking MTD, especially table for two, they had to squeeze as many in. Harder to serve 6 table for two than one table for 12. Some large groups are using MTD for groups of 10 or 12 and waiting for people to arrive. Therefore, they had to move the early dinner timing to 530pm so to fit as many MTD in between. More people are now doing the early traditional and the long meal time has push the MTD wait time. He thinks the new menu starting next year fleet wide will help solve some of the problems. It will not solve the staff shortage and all the newbie on their first contract. His suggestion, get the early traditional timing, set table or the first MTD time which is 645pm to avoid the lines. In our experience the line still moves pretty fast (depending on which ship, on the Jewel to Alaska, we waited on average 30 to 45 mins each night) but definitely not like before COVID sailing.

yes, we just did Serenade, Jewel, Wonder and Oasis, seem the fleet wide crew shortage has forced them to do MTD in between the traditional dining seating. That forces the wait staff to run their feet off with at least three to four seatings per night. Just crazy long line if the early seating do not leave on time to get the tables ready for MTD. The line for people with reservation was longer than people without on the Serenade. On the Oasis, they had rope off area for each time. We had a chat with the head waiter, just not enough staff returning after COVID. So not a ship problem but fleet and industry wide. He even said, crews now pick and choose contracts based on sailing location and ship size.

For large group, suggest early dinner and not MTD, you will stand around waiting for a table using MTD. Someone in the group will stress over everything while someone will be late. See the dinning room on first day to fix your table and keep the table for the rest of the cruise. The entire cruise line is short staff and a short meal is impossible now, watch how the new menu works out.

We were on the Oasis in November, and it is basically the same. In another thread, i already discuss talking to the executive head chef in the diamond lounge. They are severely understaffed, both in wait staff and galley staff. They even had to close Solarium Bistro for dinner, no staff. So not really a ship management problem. We have been on the Wonder, Jewel, Allure past six month and it is all the same. Long line for MTD. Anyone trying to seat 12 to a table, possible but be very patience as it will be a very very long dinner.

that was his point, it will be a very trim down menu but back to a theme. the gallery staff just cannot prepare the long list as before. each ship has too many new staff and very few returning. Yes, he brought up, remember the bake alaska or cherry jubilee that came out at the same time with the sparkers.

In our discussion with the executive sous chef on the Wonder, there was supposed to be 60 new gallery hire arriving in Rome, only 20 showed up. It is the sign of the time post COVID.

Just off the OASIS and was in the Diamond Lounge for early morning coffee and in pop the executive chef checking on the continental layout. Since we were the only couple in the Lounge that early, he pop by to say hi and we kind of corner him into a 30 minute discussion on MDR menu. Here is his take on why it has to change. Crew shortage in both kitchen and serving staff, many just did not return back to the ship Gratuities that are now shared among the crew may help The kitchen and serving staff are all very new, large menu mean inconsistency in cooking More cruisers are using MTD, hard to keep a large menu hot and consistent Reduce waste since majority of item are pre made and not cook to order, too many items Return to the old days with theme menu, since we were in the Diamond Lounge, he said dont you remember when there were no classic items Cost, cannot keep serving two or three entre during lobster night, each ship is a business unit and food is a large cost driver Many things have change during his 28 years with Royal, no more midnight buffet, ice sculptures, chocolate buffet, lunch menu and buffet in MDR, Windjammer theme stations. Bottom line, it has to do with cost Interesting conversation from an insider.

Has anyone try booking for one online for day one or two, cost less, about 15 to 20% off the ship price and then bring your partner as your BOGO. They would charge the dinner to the one person onboard credit and the second person would be free. Always have booked onboard which has never been a problem but trying to save a couple dollars now.

Having sail on a number of cruises since the restart, as per Ken's post. You cannot compare ship to ship or even the same ship. RC has a fleet wide menu across the fleet but with the staffing shortage, it is really hit and miss. We have been on the same ship six months apart and there was a huge difference in the same restaurant. A lot of the kitchen and wait staff are new with a sprinkle of veteran staff. The specialty restaurants are really a personal preference vice which one is better.