Maybe our last Royal caribbean cruise! Freedom 4th April 2010

[ChrisUK]

I think calling us 'slobs' sums up your mentality. Maybe you should say that to the other 6 cruisers who were with me, Mr Perfect?

[Murphs]

I wouldnt call you slobs, but I would point out that you are not supposed to leave garbage on the balcanies, as it can easily blow off into the sea. As for the crew and ship, my wife and I were on Freedom the first week of March and we loved the ship and felt the crew was hands down the best we have ever had. You didnt have your watch on Pacific time did you, 1:00 a.m. your time, 4:00 a.m. ship time? Thats the only explanation I can think of for the bars closing, as they were open into the early morning hours each night when we were on the ship. Anyway, dont let one bad experience sour you on RCCL.

 

Mike

[pcur]

ChrisUK:

 

I think, after checking the date of your cruise, that you might have been the victim of a "Spring Break" cruise mentality. Locking the balconies is done when they think there's a security risk, and also closing the bars early.

 

Many people have bad cruises around this time of the year, especially on the "bread and butter" Caribbean cruises where there are a lot of college students, and familes, cruising.

 

I'm truly sorry you had this series of irritations and disappointments on your cruise. I can only tell you I have spent 53 nights on an RCCL cruise ship from April 2009 to February 2010, and had great experiences on all of them.

 

I hope you find another cruise experience that satisfies you in the future.

[ChrisUK]

Ok, it wasnt garbage!!! It was coffee cups or glasses!!! And what about the ashtray? Where do we empty that? In the room bin? No, my time was correct. 2 of he cruisers are from Florida so I think they know the time... When we complained, we were told, the nightclub is open till 3am... When we sid come and look for yourself, we were just told the same thing repeatedly!

 

Ok, some of the things may seem trivial, but all added up in one cruise??

[ChrisUK]

Thanks pcur, a sensible answer at last! (although we usually cruise at spring break and never have the same problem)

[Bosjoe]

I think calling us 'slobs' sums up your mentality. Maybe you should say that to the other 6 cruisers who were with me, Mr Perfect?

 

Chill... I think with your comments you want averything to be perfect.. So I'm not perfect.

 

Slobs no, but one should out of respect of other passangers, bring in their trash so it does not get tossed around. I have found a few butts and napkins on my balcony, is it the cruise line fault no. Its people who like to disgard things overboard.

 

Maybe its me I bring my trash in after I am done using them and throw them away.

[pcur]

Thanks pcur, a sensible answer at last! (although we usually cruise at spring break and never have the same problem)

 

You're welcome, ChrisUK. I cannot for the life of me understand why people on this board have to argue and justify their opinions of their own experiences. We all react differently to "stuff", and something that isn't a problem to one person will make another go bonkers.

 

Just remember, speak up if there's a problem, and go to the head of the department responsible for the issue, NOT always to Customer Service. They are traffic cops for the other staff. Call up the Head of Housekeeping if you find nasties on your bedding, for instance. Go to the source.

 

Happy Cruising!! :D

[msts]

We are doing b2b on LOS - In the past we have asked steward when in port would they like us to bring our coffee cups into the cabin after we finished room service. We were told we could either leave on the balcony or bring them into the room and they would pick them up.

 

Use to be when in port the room stewards would wipe down the balcony rail and the chairs so when you sat down you would not get the salt all over your clothes however we have notice over the last four years they seem not to wipe down anything on the deck on any cruise line.

 

Hope you enjoy your next cruise no matter who you cruise with.

 

msts

[VernRDH]

Sorry you had a bad time. I think many posters have made good points.

 

As for the bottles and such on the balcony, would you leave those items out on your deck or porch at home? How hard is it to bring back inside when you are finished?

 

The balconies being locked sounds like a maintenance issue. They reopened them, no big.

 

The bars closing at 1, I don't know about that. I don't stay up that late nor do I frequent the bars and clubs (not my thing)

 

Smoking policy, well I am glad they are limiting that in the clubs and bars. There are plenty of areas one can go to have a smoke, namely OUTSIDE.

 

Photographers, just say no and go about your business.

 

The mini bar, you are complaining because they didn't refill it until the end of the week? Did ya ask the steward to replace the items you had used?

 

The steak, well send it back. Overcooked steak happens. Easily fixed.

 

The bedspread, well that is an ewwww, but we ask the steward to take ours away the first day.

 

The check in lady, well she may have been the same lady we had in January. Some people are like that, but who cares when once you spend 5 minutes with her you are on a beautiful ship!!

 

I get it that you came from the UK, and you brought first timers, but I would not have let any of these things ruin my time. All minor inconveniences IMHO.

 

I do hope you have an enjoyable next cruise on whichever cruise line you go on.

[yogimax]

ChrisUK,

 

After reading everything, I think you would be much happier with the Fun Ships of Carnival. Not a judgment, just an observation.

[publicpersona]

I still don't understand the part about the locked balcony. You couldn't use your own balcony?? For how long?

 

I found most of your complaints a little uninteresting. However, I'm with you on the photographers. They have gotten extremely aggressive of late, and are especially annoying when they block access to egress from the tenders and/or grab people physically.

[LSpencer]

Ok, I was generalising our experience. But find some of the replies very strange.

 

'I always bring in my own trash'... Good for you! We are not litter dropping people and actually like places clean and tidy, my point is, when the balcony is cleaned, but not completely, whats the point of doing it at all? Maybe they missed it day 1? But day 2, 3, 4, 5....... I dont expect anyone to clean up after me, but its a basic state room attendant procedure.

 

 

Dont stay up till 1am, again, good for you, a lot of people do!

 

Dont care about the mini bar? Thats not really the point is it!

 

We also like having our pictures taken and have many from various ships, but when a photographer is asked to leave us alone while we eat, simple instruction i think?

 

And yes, the balcony doors which had been open, suddenly got locked mid cruise.

 

Maybe I have had things too good on other cruises, but, if they have done it previously, why change??

 

 

Sorry you had a bad experience!!! Sounds similar to our Carnival first and only cruise so far :( HOWEVER we are going to be on Freedom of the Seas in August :) Crossing fingers we do not have the same less than what I have heard about cruises kind of service... AND one more thing I don't get why so many posters have to slammed you for YOUR experience??? Great if they go to bed early, or don't use the minibar. For the ones of us that DO those things then yes our cruise experience is not what we have paid for.

[yellosno]

Sorry you had a bad experience!!! Sounds similar to our Carnival first and only cruise so far :( HOWEVER we are going to be on Freedom of the Seas in August :) Crossing fingers we do not have the same less than what I have heard about cruises kind of service... AND one more thing I don't get why so many posters have to slammed you for YOUR experience??? Great if they go to bed early, or don't use the minibar. For the ones of us that DO those things then yes our cruise experience is not what we have paid for.

Uncross your fingers. You will have a great time. Been on the Freedom three times and each time it was great. I am one that stays up late, back to the cabin 2am or 3am. Party on.

[LSpencer]

Uncross your fingers. You will have a great time. Been on the Freedom three times and each time it was great. I am one that stays up late, back to the cabin 2am or 3am. Party on.

 

:) guess if they close everything down I can play in the casino HA!

[yellosno]

:) guess if they close everything down I can play in the casino HA!

They will not close everything down. the nightclub below the casion will be open well past 1am.

[Paul65]

In regards to the mini bar, we had a drink out of it every morning, or until it was empty... We didnt have it emptied at the start, we actually had things out of it, which were never re stocked until we were leaving...

 

Ah. You don't express yourself well. I, and apparently most others, thought you were complaining that they had restocked the mini-bar, when you wanted it left empty, while you were really complaining that they didn't KEEP it fully stocked.

[Paul65]

ChrisUK:

 

I think, after checking the date of your cruise, that you might have been the victim of a "Spring Break" cruise mentality. Locking the balconies is done when they think there's a security risk, and also closing the bars early.

 

Actually, I think Critterchick had it right. The balconies were probably locked when maintenance was doing something outside those staterooms, and they just forgot to unlock them when finished. Sounds like guest services responded right away, when it was reported.

[onyourtoes]

Well, after 5 great cruises, number 6 turned out to be a BIG disappointent.

 

5. ALL bars closed by 1am, every night! We complained several times but nothing was achieved. The DJ told us he didnt need the job, hes going to bed so were finished, in a busy night club. One night were told by an officer, who stopped the music himself, im up early so ure done, this is my area so deal with it, I make the rules! Even the bar staff didnt want to close!

 

I was on Freedom a little while ago and we had a really good DJ. I know that they switch up and things like that. Can you remember your DJ's name? I feel that if you "don't need the job" then what are you doing there. Let some one who does need the job do it. If you have that much money, then maybe you should either have your own ship, or your own club then you can go to bed when you'd like. (Sorry, I just hate it when people say crazy crap like that. I don't need the job. Moron:rolleyes:)

[onyourtoes]

That should be nit-picked. :p

 

 

Yeah, because those needles hurt:eek:. Also, please don't axe me, ask me. The former would hurt like hell;):D.

[Dave85]

OP: Don't let the cheerleaders get you down. They'll criticize anybody who dares to post about a negative experience because their chosen cruise line is perfect. (A different set of them exists on each CC board and I find it quite humorous).

 

I, for one, would have also been very annoyed about that officer's attitude in the disco not to mention the DJs. You're the paying guest. I really hope you were able to note his name so you can report his rudeness to RCI (if you didn't already do so on the comment card). You're entitled when you book a cruise to expect a good time and it doesn't sound to me like your expectations were out of whack. These experiences you had were certainly not up to what I've come to expect from RC and it sounds like the same is true for you.

 

Very sorry you had such a bad experience. Sure sounds like an outlier to me so hopefully you'll stick around and give another RC ship a chance.

[LParente]

Wow, I just got back from that same cruise and had a very different experience. Everyone I dealt with from check in until I stepped off the ship was friendly, courteous, and a joy to deal with. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it as much as we did.

[LParente]

Forgot to add that work was being done on the balconies during this cruise. A notice was left in our stateroom the day before they were planning on working.

[alexw]

The ugly cheerleaders are getting worse. :(

[Jolimont]

It seems to me you may have the same issues on other cruise lines, no? I've not sailled RCCL yet, but yours are complaints one can read about everywhere on CC, not just RCCL.

[Jerseyboy1]

OK. I really am not a "cheerleader" for Royal, but that's about the most lame comment I've ever heard. No, your perception of what is right and wrong is not reality. :rolleyes:

 

Actually, I could say the same about your post. Coming from a marketing background, I can tell you that "one's perception is their reality" is one of the basic credos of any advertising department.

 

It's pretty simple. If you take a cruise and your perception of the cruise was that "it was lame". Then, the reality of it for you was "it was lame". You had a lousy time...get it?:confused::rolleyes: