strathcona

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

On 3/7/2023 at 2:57 PM, SbbquilterUT said:

Under Manage Reservation tab in your sailing, at the top left it gives the reservation #, then you can see bed configuration with the option to Edit.

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. 

3 hours ago, SbbquilterUT said:

You can set that in your reservation, online.

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. 

7 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Indeed...exactly what we experienced.   

 

Very happy to stick with early traditional now on the smaller ships.  

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. 

On 12/20/2022 at 10:22 AM, island lady said:

Just disembarked Serenade on Saturday.  Sooo happy we have changed our usual MTD from the past years to traditional first going forward.  

 

The new system fleet wide is awful (IMHO).   Now MTD does not start until 6:45-7 pm.  Why?  Because it is now a "fill in" as the first traditional diners finish up their meals and leave.    

 

This is the same on Serenade.  Deck 4 is first dining and MTD only (no late traditional).  The line starts to form at the door...even early at 6 pm.... and then continues out the hallway and out past the elevators at times.  The longest line was....the line WITH reservations.  Getting seated is now dependent on how fast the first diners finish up right away...or linger over dessert and coffee/drinks.   

 

Deck 5 is Early and Late traditional dining...no MTD.   Was so happy to be moved for our 2nd leg from early traditional on deck 4...to deck 5.   Far less noisy and packed up like sardines.  

 

IMHO...the MTD system is a fail.  

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. 

11 hours ago, mmcgann11 said:

Based on our Aug.Sept trip on Oasis, the MDR is a mess. As it is the only time we've sailed on Oasis class (and likely the last for quite a while for numerous reasons), it's unclear whether it is local management issue or just too many people on board creating a critical mass issue.

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. 

26 minutes ago, nelblu said:

One item that I have to dispute is the theme menus.  Yes, we had those menus but had many more entree selections than presently proposed.  Also, remember a separate menu for desserts with more choices.

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. 

3 hours ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

Yes, they had already canceled some sailings, Quantum of the Seas I believe. Also, Canada had previously announced that they did not see cruise ships coming to Canada through July 2021.

Cruising for 2021 looks to be 3-7 days cruises in the Med or Caribbean at best.

i will wait and see, currently the US requires negative covid test for entry into the US by air. Will they mandate that for sea as well. If they do, how many cruise line is going to do a covid test within 72 hrs of entry and have positive results on a ship. What happens to a passenger who test positive, you stay on the ship. CDC needs to lift a lot of requirements for this summer.  i have too many cancelled trips to be hopeful. 

the piano player in the middle of the dining room and baked alaska which was a fire hazard today. midnight buffet. 

9 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Many of the Black Friday sale prices are the same as what the current sale prices are. 

just booked some Labadee excursion, they are the same price. RCL uses dynamic pricing so guess booking must be very light. Still have not seen the BOGO dinner just the Chops + 1 for $75. Is that deal forever done. 

nothing like planning ahead two years. wishful thinking. you are going to a cruise port that is not finished yet, there are no tours from that cruise port but there are tours for hotels being advertised. with the pandemic, who know what is going to happen to that port that is being privately funded. i am booked with RCL into that port next year but will wait to see if it is actually confirm once sailing starts again. Last time i check with someone who winter there, it is still a cargo terminal, really rough, but small amount of work is being done now. 

Haiti is a country still at civil war. there is still armed troops from UN there. Haiti has no tourist attraction or tours. Labadee is a gated tip off the west coast.  it is completely fenced off. Even the food is taken directly off the ship. Having been going to Labadee when it was open over 20 years ago, it is a very nice beach day. Back in the old days, there was no docks, zip line or coasters. 

this is carnival made port. completely commercial, including all the Diamond International stores and every alcohol store. there is a pool and bar and man made sand. you can get a all day pass or pay as you go. never like the port but Puerto Plata is worth exploring. google amber cove and you will see the maps available. it is a bit out of the way from the real beach which some will take a taxi to.  many other thread on the cost of taxi and shuttle but wait and see after covid. There are no sailing so no new reviews. 

was on the Allure just before the world stop. she had a problem with propulsion system in one of the pods. she was sailing a bit slow on our cruise. we all have opinion on the amp being done on the OASIS class. i for one hate the big slide and the diamond lounge being moved. So Allure is not going to be Amp for a while now since RCL will not have the money. She is a very nice ship as is. Already booked for Ft Lauderdale sailing. 

the new port is still not finished, guess there is no rush because it is privately funded and there are no cruise ship. It is right on the edge of the town. Most people get out of Amber Cove not go there. The new port will have similar but smaller. look at the drawings. Since it is still many months before cruising goes to DR, suggest you wait till the port is open and availability of taxi or shuttle is known. Once RCL and NCL start sailing into port, it will have local tours to beaches or just city tour or taxi. yes there are beaches close on both sides of the new port. 

Link to the port. last report from a local, construction is started again slowly to time cruise ship opening. 

Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic, Taino Bay) cruise port schedule | CruiseMapper

thanks for the link to the agent site. disappointed. been holding out for the 30% off each guest. our kid is no longer 12. has not been that in a long time, i am sure we always book the 30% off deal in the past. has isolation got me confused

yes hoping for good news, deployment schedule and black friday/cyber monday sale. it will probably be the standard sailing being release, safe bets for royal. C&A discounts may be as good as black friday but here to hoping. Here is their chance, mostly loyal royal cruiser will be booking that far out. 

I am also looking at the ovation. i know deck 6 is obstructed by the life boat. do you know if deck 7 is consider obstructed because you cannot look straight down. trying to get a balcony at the lowest price.