Engineroom Snipe

Just wanted to clarify your question: Is it a 3-day dining package for a three-day cruise or is it a Three Night dining package? Just so you understand that the Three Night dining package does not include lunches during the day that you use them. You do not have to use them consecutively. Sometimes the packages can get a bit confusing, and I have not seen a 3-day dining package and maybe I missed something. As already stated by others, the prices fluctuate. In general, the 3 Night packages do not go lower than 40% off per person. The Unlimited Dining Package will once in a while go down to 50%. The highest price will vary per ship with larger ships having a higher average total price.

Some have been assigned months in advance. My experience with GTYs is about 40 days before your cruise date. A deck number might appear with a muster station on your Set Sail ticket but still say GTY. Using Apple Wallet, or an Android barcode reader, scan the boarding pass barcodes and the last digits after the "-" is your room number. Technically, they can still change it but mine have always been the same room on that cruise.

This could be a future problem for RCI marketing. @Biker19 mentions how the price of the cruise might affect one's expectations. I do exactly what you stated when evaluating my cruises to include not getting a drink package because those days are long gone, and I want as many years with my wife as possible. I would have to say that if I was given a free cruise, I would not complain about anything. I get what I get. If they want me to cruise again, impress me and I will weigh the total costs against the experience like we do with any vacation. There are limits. I reserved very good prices for all of my cruises weighing all of the variables. My MDR experiences on the Oasis last September were the first noticeable drops of quality of food but the service was good. The Windjammer food in general was very acceptable and we found something we enjoyed every visit. I am hoping it was a one-off week. Never going to be a "never again" cruiser but I will not book at the new prices which are almost double what I paid at this time. I am hoping that recent food postings are growing pains, but we are now about two months into the process and my next cruise is in about 30 days. Food is subjective but there seems to be too many cruisers complaining about small things that either should not happen in the first place or easy to fix. One stands out, labeling all of the food presented in the Windjammer. I do think that up to two appetizers should be allowed at one order. This certainly will not break the bank and should not slow down service. A little leeway should be provided that one extra entree be allowed per table for two people to split. Very few people order two entrees as I sometimes people watch while waiting for our orders. Certainly, with all of the advertising RCI does concerning the quality of their food, it is counterproductive to generate so many negative posts concerning this policy. I am a foodie, but I do not demand top notch food on a cruise, just prepare what you have available well and serve it in a reasonable fashion. I know how difficult it is to cook and plate properly. A few plates on my last cruise were inedible (undercooked fish and grisly steak for example). I could order a second entree but the atmosphere was already negative from the first plate. I was not starving; we just made the decision then and there to go to the Windjammer after informing the Reservation area to cancel the rest of our week in MDR. I told them that our waiter could verify that the food was improperly cooked or inedible. That was 2 bad nights out of our first three. No need to complain or get mad and ruin the few special days my wife and I get to be together on vacation. When I think the quality of food and service in the Windjammer and MDR goes below a certain level of expectation, then, it might affect how many cruises I take each year according to the prices available.

My 100 to 1 odds would have me losing money with your analysis. 🤨 More like a 5 to1 odds. Good thing I do not gamble! 🤣 I will leave it to the pros. My pockets get cleaned at the casinos. 😉

Extremely well balanced and nuanced review. I would like to have on occasion two appetizers served at once, like yourself, not going to ruin my meal if it does not happen but I will just have to take a little more time. We just want a reasonable dish, served properly. Your review was encouraging that the overall experience was positive. That said, things have changed. Only time will tell whether for the better or worse.

Vacations can be "grueling". 😁 Everyone is excited and trying to "fit-in" as much action as possible. Sometimes you just have to admit the "batteries" need recharging. 🤣

I will be on the Enchantment at the end of April. When we have dined in the MDR, we always just ordered straight from the menu. I am more concerned about the chef making the best meal from the available ingredients that he is supplied with than a huge selection of entrees. Hot food served hot and vice-a-versa. I do not mind smaller portions knowing that I can order more if necessary. By about the third day, I do not need large portions. I get up early and have my Windjammer breakfast with fruit for dessert. Lunch rolls around and I hit the Park-Cafe or Windjammer. I taste small samples and maybe go back for one more serving of what I felt was best. If I am hungry in the afternoon, the Park-Cafe is available. By the time dinner comes around, I am ready to taste test again. I normally do not eat three full meals per day let alone add in-between meals or snacks. I actually like smaller portions later in the day. My last cruise in September on the Oasis was very hit or miss in MDR. My wife and I did not have the motivation to go to the MDR just to get lobster after quite a few misses. I will not just go one night to the MDR and call it quits because of one dining experience unless it is a fiasco (served severely undercooked fish, served a steak that cannot be cut with a reasonable amount of force). I will let them know about it, but my vacation is too short to solve all of RCI's problems in one week. I am trying to keep an open mind. I do not think the menu changes will affect me as much as poor food preparation and delivery. The staff can control those issues.

I was just being a little light-hearted that there always seems to be some "clause" to justify what does not seem justifiable. When you read the cruise contract, RCI can do about anything it wants unless you want to sue them. We all know how hard it is to accept the bad IT, improperly advertised packages, last minute itinerary changes, poorly enforced "rules and policies", and the list goes on and on. Occupancy is high, demand is high, and I do not think they care about this in the big scheme of things until it affects the bottom line. The ultimate choice is ours to reserve the cruises or take our business elsewhere.

Unfortunately, if you read enough posts on this website, it is just another day for RCI. This is not unusual and will happen again. Remember, every cruise is an adventure. Sometimes it starts before you even get on the ship. 😁

There is some fine print, "More than two packages purchased at the same time will only be refunded the purchase price with no OBC applied." 😉

The house never changes the rules unless they think it is to their advantage (making money). 🤔 Good marketing ploy on the first read. 😁 Then again, let's make a bet on who is making more money out of the change, RCI or the gambling passenger? 🤣 I give 100 to 1 odds in the house's favor. 🤯

To this day, I have not subscribed to a cruise Wi-Fi package. Each time I consider it, I remember the first day of almost every cruise. Everyone is trying to get their devices working. There would be a significant line of people waiting at the "On-line" help area. There were multiple employees assisting passengers and troubleshooting problems I then would be in the Windjammer later and overhear some loud frustration about "how something must be wrong" or "why are we paying for this?" as they were trying to surf on their phones. I was not trying to overhear any conversations; people tend to speak with more volume when they get frustrated. Then I read on this board how some ships seem to do very well in general with their Wi-Fi systems. I am sorry that it did not work out for you.

One waits so many days to enjoy the peace and quiet on a balcony cabin as the ship makes beautiful white noise as it travels through the water. I can imagine your tranquility in the hammock. Da dont,......da dont,......da dont,..da dont... DA DAH! Every thing just goes completely south as your cabin neighbor shows no mercy. I have yet to go through this situation and I am not sure how I would react. In any case, my wife, with her kind words and firm wisdom, will keep me out of jail. 🤣 She is the only person who can disarm me with one glance. Then again, if that person wakes her out of a wonderful, refreshing, and sound nap recharging session, than I might need to hold her back from a crime of passion. 😬

Fotboll tends to make the most intellectual minds turn to mush. Guilty as charged. 😬

OMG, my father would be on the couch late at night watching the TV snoring. I would stealthily try to turn off the TV only to have him wake-up the minute I touched the channel or on-off. Memories....🤣

Like so many items on vacations, our minds seem to disconnect. How many people go barefoot in a city where they live? When they go on vacation in a city near a beach or shore, they walk barefoot on boardwalks with nails and splinter possibilities. We all tend to disconnect. I am not trying to defend it, but it happens.

You are young at heart!

The best gift I can give my wife on the first day on board is a two to three hour siesta. We arrive early, check the muster station itinerary, and find a comfortable place to start her cruise relaxation. May the napping begin. I check in on her and transport the carry-ons and checked bags into our cabin as she recharges. The best feeling is to wake her up as the ship leaves the dock with everything in place in our cabin. Let the vacation begin! 😁

This might be the next transition to get everyone aboard to the "next" level. They can offer a low initial cruise fare and then "bundle" the rest. A quiet way to advertise very low prices with a package to give you the "ultimate" bundle. Smart, slick, and smooth transition from a minimum to a maximum package. I do not need all of the above but they are now competing with all inclusive resorts with this type of advertising. Interesting 🤔.

If those are the times listed, getting off the ship will take a minimum of 30 minutes at best and maybe an hour at worst. I would not suggest getting back on board any less than 30 minutes before departure in case there are lines through customs (not just your ship but other passengers on other ships doing the same). You really have 8am to 12pm on shore from my experience unless you are close to the docks and can walk the distance to get onboard.

This is about the time the discussion goes off the rails in a completely new direction because you made an innocent comment about "dress code",.........wait for it,......wait for it..... 😉🤪

And if you do not voluntarily walk the plank when requested, you will be thrown overboard. 😁

It does fluctuate but not normally on a daily basis. Sometimes a special price becomes available for a very short period of days (three to four). You would only find it by checking every day. If you checked on a weekly basis, you might miss it.

Next to the glue factory? 😁

The poor "yuts" (My Cousin Vinnie) always get blamed. 😁