Cutbacks you have noticed on RCCL

[tip]

No more daily satellite newspapers.

 

I really missed The New York Times via fax when I was on the Independence last February. When I inquired at the desk, I was told I could get news on television. It is just not the same!

[negc]

I really missed The New York Times via fax when I was on the Independence last February. When I inquired at the desk, I was told I could get news on television. It is just not the same!

I agree, and when, as during our TA on the Jewel Transatlantic this past month, satellite TV reception is unavailable for the five sea days between Iceland and Boston, that option of getting the news on television isn't even available. I can't believe that the royalty that they have to pay for this satellite newspaper is so significant that they had to eliminate it to significantly help their bottom line. We noted the absence of the newspaper when we filled out our guest satisfaction survey at the end of our cruise and perhaps if enough people do the same thing, they will reevaluate their foolish decision.:mad:

[shellann]

The only cutback I noticed was the quality and selection of foods in the Windjammer. Plenty of stations, with subpar offerings.

 

Yes, we noticed this too. We were on the Grandeur last year and loved the Windjammer offerings. We were on her sister ship the Enchantment 2 weeks ago and were very disappointed in the selections. But the MDR food was still excellent!

 

To OP, I left a reply on your same question over on the Carnival boards. We did 2 identical cruises, one week on RCI and the next week on CCL and except for the Windjammer lunches, RCI won the comparison, mostly because they still recognized their past guests even on shorter cruises. That means a lot.

But I do love the whaletails. *ducking for cover*

[Kaboochi]

I don't miss the newspaper - am there to get away from it all. Anyway, its all online.

 

Tsk tsk!!!! How is going online on your cruise "getting away from is all"? :D

[bikn4fn]

I'm a little confused about the comment regarding bar staff and wine. On all of the cruises we have taken the wait staff has ALWAYS taken the wine orders. We do miss the after dinner shooters. We got lucky on our last cruise. Our waiter mentioned the lack of bar staff in the MDR. One of the bar staff just "happened" to stop by our table. I said we really enjoyed the after dinner shooters and he better make sure he stopped by our table every night. That did the trick. Just like clockwork he was there every night.

 

We'll have to see if we can make the same arrangements on our upcoming cruises.

[MaryEBS]

We just got off Enchantment on Saturday and noticed that the cutbacks are continuing... For example per the waiter in the MDR straws are provided on request only...since I am a tea drinker I noticed that when ordering a pot of tea for breakfast in the morning you now get only one tea bag, The staff has been cutback as well. We had a minor incident with a credit card falling down the slot behind the television and had to call for maintenance... the gentleman who came to pull the refrigerator out told us it happens all the time and he apologized for the length of time we had to wait since there were now only 3 maintenance workers on the ship...This was the first ship we have ever been on that we never saw even one person painting, and there was rust visible everywhere... and we were told by the staff that they are cutting from them as well. While I appreciate the low prices, I'd rather pay a little more and have the cutting stopped. Just my opinion.

[Tucker in Texas]

We just got off Enchantment on Saturday and noticed that the cutbacks are continuing... For example per the waiter in the MDR straws are provided on request only...since I am a tea drinker I noticed that when ordering a pot of tea for breakfast in the morning you now get only one tea bag, The staff has been cutback as well. We had a minor incident with a credit card falling down the slot behind the television and had to call for maintenance... the gentleman who came to pull the refrigerator out told us it happens all the time and he apologized for the length of time we had to wait since there were now only 3 maintenance workers on the ship...This was the first ship we have ever been on that we never saw even one person painting, and there was rust visible everywhere... and we were told by the staff that they are cutting from them as well. While I appreciate the low prices, I'd rather pay a little more and have the cutting stopped. Just my opinion.

 

You gotta be kidding? Straws! Wonder how many thousands that will save them (lol).

 

I am a tea drinker, too. Did they still have the selection in the Promenade Cafe? The reason I ask is that I take a few and make ice tea in my cabin in water bottles since the WJ closes at 9:30 p.m. and doesn't have iced tea available until lunch. They had iced tea in the Promenade Cafe but it was in an urn and no ice was around to put in the glasses. I always take a canvas six-pack cooler and ask the room steward to fill it with ice so I have ice there.

 

Tucker in Texas

[MaryEBS]

You gotta be kidding? Straws! Wonder how many thousands that will save them (lol).

 

I am a tea drinker, too. Did they still have the selection in the Promenade Cafe? The reason I ask is that I take a few and make ice tea in my cabin in water bottles since the WJ closes at 9:30 p.m. and doesn't have iced tea available until lunch. They had iced tea in the Promenade Cafe but it was in an urn and no ice was around to put in the glasses. I always take a canvas six-pack cooler and ask the room steward to fill it with ice so I have ice there.

 

Tucker in Texas

 

Wish I was kidding... so ridiculous but so true. Enchantment does not have a Promenade Cafe so I can't answer that question. There were tea bags available in the concierge lounge if you have access to the lounge, otherwise you will need to be very specific when you order from room service that you would like more than one tea bag.

[negc]

Wish I was kidding... so ridiculous but so true. Enchantment does not have a Promenade Cafe so I can't answer that question. There were tea bags available in the concierge lounge if you have access to the lounge, otherwise you will need to be very specific when you order from room service that you would like more than one tea bag.

My wife drinks only hot tea with her meals, never coffee. She never had a problem requesting more than one tea bag from our waiter and once it happened, two bags were automatically provided at every meal. Tea bags are also available for the taking at the beverage stations in the Windjammer so if room service fails to provide more than one (and since we don't have sufficient experience ordering from room service, I can't comment on the seriousness of this problem) you should be able to make up for the deficiency.

[Aviator of the Seas]

I have to second the no-bar-waiters-in-the-MDR-post. That's a huge cutback. It slows down everything else at dinner because it is the Asst. Waiter whi has to get the drinks, leaving the Waiter to do everything else. And then the Head Waiters are no help.

 

I wonder why they can afford so many bar waiters in the theater, who I don't care for because they interrupt the shows, and why can't they transfer them to the MDR where they're needed more.

[Tucker in Texas]

Well at least tea bags don't take up a lot of room or weigh much in the suitcase.

 

Tucker in Texas

[rubrrick]

My wife drinks only hot tea with her meals, never coffee. She never had a problem requesting more than one tea bag from our waiter and once it happened, two bags were automatically provided at every meal. Tea bags are also available for the taking at the beverage stations in the Windjammer so if room service fails to provide more than one (and since we don't have sufficient experience ordering from room service, I can't comment on the seriousness of this problem) you should be able to make up for the deficiency.

 

 

Bill.........I only drink tea.......and have all of my life. I bring my own, as what is served, although good.....is not my cup of tea, so to speak!

 

The food taste.......varies from ship to ship, as it does from Executive Chief to his counterpart on other ships. Some can make lemonade from lemons..........and others think that lemons are fine to serve.

 

That's the difference between the taste, and I continue to enjoy the food on RCCL. If I wanted gourmet...........I'd book Crystal, but my palate enjoys "middle of the road", and I don't have to cook........so I enjoy being pampered.:);)

 

Maybe, there should be a "grill your own steak" in the Windjammer, where for $9.95, you can be the chef of your steak......cooking it to your likes!

 

Just a thought.......that some might really enjoy. I know that I would participate in that!:D

 

Rick

[GEORGET]

I can put up with the loss of papers/chocolates, the last night buffet, charging for room service after midnight,not having a beach towel in the cabin,lunch in the MDR only on sea days, increasing the charges for shuttle buses, the fact that there are no longer wine waiters in the MDR, and all the cut backs that Diamond Members have lost.

 

But not the removal of tissues in the public ladies washroom.

 

Navigator 30th august 2009

[cruie4ever]

We are diamond level with RCCL & I have gotten over the changes for us diamonds .What we are pleasantly surprised at is we can save over $2000 booking a RCCL 11 night cruise vs a 15 night Holland America cruise .Although these are 2 different itineraries & the RCCL cruise is 4 days less saving over $2000 on a cruise is very attractive. Further we would have a balcony on the RCCL vs a outside cabin on Holland America.

 

The bottom line is we can put up with many of the minor cutbacks to get that type of savings.

[cruie4ever]

I can put up with the loss of papers/chocolates, the last night buffet, charging for room service after midnight,not having a beach towel in the cabin,lunch in the MDR only on sea days, increasing the charges for shuttle buses, the fact that there are no longer wine waiters in the MDR, and all the cut backs that Diamond Members have lost.

 

But not the removal of tissues in the public ladies washroom.

 

Navigator 30th august 2009

 

Toilet paper works well ,LOL

[sailawayjack]

I'm a little confused about the comment regarding bar staff and wine. On all of the cruises we have taken the wait staff has ALWAYS taken the wine orders. We do miss the after dinner shooters. We got lucky on our last cruise. Our waiter mentioned the lack of bar staff in the MDR. One of the bar staff just "happened" to stop by our table. I said we really enjoyed the after dinner shooters and he better make sure he stopped by our table every night. That did the trick. Just like clockwork he was there every night.

 

We'll have to see if we can make the same arrangements on our upcoming cruises.

 

:cool:RCCL used to have a Sommelier come by and recommend wines and take your order. Then they would have another waiter just for drink orders. The after dinner shooters would come by automatically just as desert was being served. Now you do have to ask to have them come by. I have quite a collection of the glasses im all colors. Nice treat after dinner and to pour in your coffee.:cool:

[sailawayjack]

I'm a little confused about the comment regarding bar staff and wine. On all of the cruises we have taken the wait staff has ALWAYS taken the wine orders. We do miss the after dinner shooters. We got lucky on our last cruise. Our waiter mentioned the lack of bar staff in the MDR. One of the bar staff just "happened" to stop by our table. I said we really enjoyed the after dinner shooters and he better make sure he stopped by our table every night. That did the trick. Just like clockwork he was there every night.

 

We'll have to see if we can make the same arrangements on our upcoming cruises.

 

:cool:RCCL used to have a sommelier come by and recommend wine and take your order. Then they would have a waiter come by and take drink orders. With desert the Shooters would appear. Looked forward to seeing what shooter of the night was. Have large collection of colorful shooter glasses. Now you have to ask for them. Once you do, then they will appear nightly.:cool:

[tacbets21]

In between my 7/08 cruise on Grandeur, and the 8/09 cruise I took recently on Navigator, they cut out the chocolates and the daily newspaper summary. For me, the chocolates are no big deal, but, as others have mentioned, the lack of a newspaper summary was a loss.

 

The 8/09 cruise was in the Mediterranean. We followed this with several days on land, which really brought home what a great deal the cruise had been. Restaurant and hotel prices in Italy were very high. In short, despite the minor cutbacks I've noted, the cruise was still an economical way to see some great European ports, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

[luckyprincess]

Yes, I will miss this too because I love a little chocolate treat before bed! Not a big deal though...I much prefer the relatively low cruise prices today. However, I do plan to bring my own little chocolate treats to continue this tradition...at least in our room!

I don't really think the cruise prices have dropped because they cut back chocolates. You would have been able to enjoy the low prices AND the chocolates because I don't think they did it to save US money.:p I also don't believe it was a 'hmmm....if we cut out chocolates on pillows we won't have to raise rates' type of thing....IMHO:)

[BMT]

Tsk tsk!!!! How is going online on your cruise "getting away from is all"? :D

 

Well, I was mentioning its all online - should have put "for those who want it." We go on online very occasionally just to check that the family etc. are OK - but not interested in the news - rarely good - and anyway, I was a reporter:eek::eek:

[MA cruisers]

I also think they have cut down on the selection of entrees in the MDR. The lack of bar service in the MDR was the biggest pain last week while we were on Jewel. No cute after dinner drinks served in the Loving Cups. I found the compass more difficult to follow. Just my opinions though. Had a wonderful cruise despite the cutbacks. Looking forward to Oasis in January and Freedom in October of 2010.

[critterchick]

I have to second the no-bar-waiters-in-the-MDR-post. That's a huge cutback. It slows down everything else at dinner because it is the Asst. Waiter whi has to get the drinks, leaving the Waiter to do everything else. And then the Head Waiters are no help.

 

I wonder why they can afford so many bar waiters in the theater, who I don't care for because they interrupt the shows, and why can't they transfer them to the MDR where they're needed more.

 

I don't understand that particular cutback. When I was on Monarch in June, a couple of the bar servers said that those individuals are now just part of the overall pool of bar waiters, so it's not as if RCI is saving any money - they're still onboard getting room, board and a whopping $50/month base pay.

 

:cool:RCCL used to have a sommelier come by and recommend wine and take your order. Then they would have a waiter come by and take drink orders. With desert the Shooters would appear. Looked forward to seeing what shooter of the night was. Have large collection of colorful shooter glasses. Now you have to ask for them. Once you do, then they will appear nightly.:cool:

 

I don't remember if there was a sommelier in the MDR on our first RCI cruise in 1995, but there hasn't been one since 2002. The wine service is a real hot button for me. It used to be that you could order off the full wine list at any venue and they would go get it for you, if the dining room was open and the cellarmaster was on duty (they still have a cellarmaster, I'm told). Now you are strictly limited to the few offerings on the bar card. I haven't tried to order in the WJ lately, so I don't know if they would accomodate something off the list or not. And I don't know how they're saving money by refusing to sell me a $50 bottle of wine.

 

I have taken only 3 Carnival cruises, all on the Paradise. I find that Carnival's dining room food is much better than RCI's. The buffet on Paradise is pretty good, and the stir-fry station is outstanding. RCI's Windjammer offerings vary by ship - on the Radiance class we've always found them to be very good. Mariner's is unimpressive. I'll bet the lines have similar food budgets, but Carnival knows how to make lemonade, as Rick would say...

[Hlitner]

....as I open a VERY large bag of M&M's.

 

Oh My! I guess you have not heard about the lastest RCI policy. "All M&Ms will be taken from you as your board and returned the last night!"

 

Hank