rccl--first and definately last time.

[jt1120]

Sorry, but I just don't see it. We've been cruising with RC since 1998 and have never had a "bad" cruise. I've never had to send food back, I've never had bad cabin service, and in the end, I get what I feel is my money's worth. Sorry you had a bad experience, but for us, RC has been a good fit for our cruising tastes. Now as far as NCL goes on the other hand...

[Raptor2010]

Oh well. One less complainer. PS drink prices are exorbitant on every cruise line.

 

Do chocolates on the pillows really make that big of a deal? Seriously.

 

Does anyone even eat those things? We toss them in the nightstand drawer every night and I don't think we have ever eaten one of them. :p Now, if they were to leave a beer or a margarita on the nightstand, THOSE would get consumed but not chocolates :D

[daisy-mae]

With respect to the cardboard coffee cups; why not simply bring your own?

We always travel with insulated mugs; they are great for both hot and cold drinks. The first one out of bed in the morning usually runs up to the buffet or coffee stand to have both cups filled (no more self-serve) so that we can have our first jolt of caffeine before heading out for breakfast.

 

As to the shortage of bananas, it could just be problem with lack of availability from suppliers for that particular sailing. We are lucky enough to have a number of fresh produce outlets in our city -- some weeks the bananas are ripe and plentiful, while at other times they are green, and in short supply.

 

Neither one of those two minor issues (IMHO) would be enough to cause a cruise line to lose our business.

[SeanShaylee]

Vacations are to relax and have fun. There are different boats for different folks. My husband and I have been on a couple vacations that could've been deemed "disastrous" but we weren't going to let the little things bother us- we have fun wherever we go- bad service, no chocolates, or limited towels- you're on vacation- have fun- and let loose!!

[negc]

,

 

The OP articulated what I have been thinking ever since I got off the Radiance in December. The MDR was not a pleasant experience and the Windjammer, frankly, sucked. The towel station is just stupid...treat me like a kid, why don't ya? I think a lot of people are blind to what is happening on this cruiseline and the industry in general.

 

My wife and I have taken our last cruise for a long while.

 

Apparently cruising is not for you. Nothing wrong with forming or expressing that opinion as long as you recognize that your criteria for an acceptable form of vacationing might not apply to everyone. The fact that others might disagree with your assessment does not mean that your decision isn't the correct one for you and your wife. I hope that whatever alternatives you choose will be more acceptable.:)

[storm1of4]

I think that it should be mentioned that the Brilliance IS operated separately, and perhaps differently, from the rest of Royal Caribbean's fleet of cruise ships.

 

It is operated by RC UK. There ARE some differences, noted by many posters.

 

Lol1944, give RC another shot on a different ship.

 

:)

 

OMG is this really true?

Well now....... that explains everything!!!

Having spent time in the UK, I completely understand now

LOl 1944, please try the Oasis or the ROS. RCI is really a great product.

[Akitkat118]

I see sooooo many complaints on here about drink prices being high. Can anyone from anywhere in the world please come on here and post a vacation destination, which is what the ship is, where drink prices match what you pay at home retail? I live in a ski town and the prices on the ships are actually lower than when I go out and drink here in town. Last time I was at Disney/Epcot the beers were quite pricey. Go to a football/baseball stadium and you'll be paying a ridiculous price for a beer. I don't understand why so many people lose their minds about drink prices onboard. There is a markup, sometimes more significant than others anytime you order a drink anywhere outside your home. Relax and if it bothers you don't drink till you get home. Ok, rant is over, I think I need a drink:D Take care all, Jim

 

I actually agree with this. I live in a major metropolitan area so I know what the drink prices are here. I can tell you that the cost for my husband's beer was less than he would pay in a restaurant around here. The mixed drinks were a toss up.. some were very fairly priced and sometimes lower than we pay at home, some (especially the specials of the day) were surprisingly high - but then we avoided those and stuck to things we liked that were priced lower than we normally pay.

 

As for the OP, after reading the post where he finally said what he didn't like, yeah, I can tell they are spoiled by another cruise line. But then again, he may have just had a bad week. We were just on the Jewel in february and while I thought the food choices were sometimes limited, everything we ate was very well prepared and delicious.

 

Also, in this ECONOMY, a lot of things are becoming worse off. People who are senior citizens now and have been cruising for years, especially when cruising was in its hey day, will definitely notice the service declining. But every industry is suffering...they can't pay employees as much, they can't have as many employees, they need to budget better and cut costs.. I mean, people need to just, excuse me, suck it up, and realize this is life. RCCL is a business like any other and they do the best they can.

 

People should honestly be grateful they can even AFFORD to enjoy a vacation like a cruise. I have many friends who can't even afford to buy a house and are barely making ends meet.

 

Did I find things to complain about on the jewel last month? sure. but in the long run, my husband and I were able to go on a 10 day vacation without feeling that expense too much. All in all, we had a pleasant vacation, and that is more important than if we ate in a buffet one night because we didn't like what was on the dining room menu for the night.

[storm1of4]

Amazing to me that folks see their salaries going up but expect cruise fares to stay low and still get all the amentities they were used to yrs ago..??

 

Cruisecrasy........what country are you living in???

I and anyone I know...... has not had a pay raise in 4 years!!!!! In fact being the cost of energy and food has gone up 30% in the past 4 yrs.....I have lost income.

Also, I know things will never be as cheap as the "good ole days"

But overall, drinking onboard was not expensive...it was cheaper than in a hotel or rest. It was nice to know you could have a few drinks and it not cost $100. All cruise lines have raised their drink prices. I think people you see drinking by the pool must have one heck of a bar tab at the end of the trip.

Yes I am sometimes afffffraid of my ship account....

[Aquahound]

Where I live, beers are $7 (even draft), liquor $10, and martinis $12-$14. Give me cruise ship prices any day!

[storm1of4]

Where I live, beers are $7 (even draft), liquor $10, and martinis $12-$14. Give me cruise ship prices any day!

 

Well if you live in Key West sure......I live in Orlando...not exactly in the woods, I just had a martini at the corner Olive Garden last night. It was $6.50 for a fat pour!

[Ocean Boy]

I actually agree with this. I live in a major metropolitan area so I know what the drink prices are here. I can tell you that the cost for my husband's beer was less than he would pay in a restaurant around here. The mixed drinks were a toss up.. some were very fairly priced and sometimes lower than we pay at home, some (especially the specials of the day) were surprisingly high - but then we avoided those and stuck to things we liked that were priced lower than we normally pay.

 

As for the OP, after reading the post where he finally said what he didn't like, yeah, I can tell they are spoiled by another cruise line. But then again, he may have just had a bad week. We were just on the Jewel in february and while I thought the food choices were sometimes limited, everything we ate was very well prepared and delicious.

 

Also, in this ECONOMY, a lot of things are becoming worse off. People who are senior citizens now and have been cruising for years, especially when cruising was in its hey day, will definitely notice the service declining. But every industry is suffering...they can't pay employees as much, they can't have as many employees, they need to budget better and cut costs.. I mean, people need to just, excuse me, suck it up, and realize this is life. RCCL is a business like any other and they do the best they can.

 

People should honestly be grateful they can even AFFORD to enjoy a vacation like a cruise. I have many friends who can't even afford to buy a house and are barely making ends meet.

Did I find things to complain about on the jewel last month? sure. but in the long run, my husband and I were able to go on a 10 day vacation without feeling that expense too much. All in all, we had a pleasant vacation, and that is more important than if we ate in a buffet one night because we didn't like what was on the dining room menu for the night.

 

Funny, the last time that I looked the economy didn't just have a lock on businesses. Don't look now but the economy also effects the consumer side of things not just the business side. Yes, RCI is a business like any other and it does the best it can. Consumers are consumers like any other and doing the best that they can. Somewhere in between the two shall meet.

 

I guess anyone who can afford to cruise should just keep their mouths shut, count their blessings, and enjoy whatever the business side decides to through at them. In fact, probably your friends who struggle to make ends meet and cannot afford to buy a house should do the same as I am quite sure that they are still better off than some group of people that you could find, somewhere, to compare them to.

 

I can't tell you how many times my father told my brothers and me to just keep keep quiet and eat our dinners because there were kids in....insert country of the day.... that were starving. Yeah, ok dad, suddenly this dinner tastes so much better.;)

[DaNana]

When food was unavailable--yes--I asked for the chef in charge--asked why he did not order enough bananas.

Our cruise recently ran out of bananas. They posted signs stating the supply had ripened much quicker than expected & they were not a quality they would serve. We have noticed recently in buying fruits and vegetables having similar issues. My DH eats a banana a day but I have had to buy fewer more often to have them quality.

Sorry your cruise was not to your liking. We have been blessed with good ones.

[storm1of4]

Funny, the last time that I looked the economy didn't just have a lock on businesses. Don't look now but the economy also effects the consumer side of things not just the business side. Yes, RCI is a business like any other and it does the best it can. Consumers are consumers like any other and doing the best that they can. Somewhere in between the two shall meet.

 

I guess anyone who can afford to cruise should just keep their mouths shut, count their blessings, and enjoy whatever the business side decides to through at them. In fact, probably your friends who struggle to make ends meet and cannot afford to buy a house should do the same as I am quite sure that they are still better off than some group of people that you could find, somewhere, to compare them to.

 

I can't tell you how many times my father told my brothers and me to just keep keep quiet and eat our dinners because there were kids in....insert country of the day.... that were starving. Yeah, ok dad, suddenly this dinner tastes so much better.;)

 

 

 

Yep I heard the same thing when I was a child..except it was China..."eat all your food there are starving people in China... who have much less"

HA!!! NOw China is just fine and owns the United States...thanks a lot

[CleoPat]

I used to live in NYC and now live SoBe, FL. The drinks onboard are HALF the price I'm used to paying. Just paid $15 for a Mohito last weekend! A lot of people who cruise do not come from big cities and I'm sure the drinks are far, far cheaper and that's why they complain. Probably RCI made their drink prices in the middle of both large and small cities.... I never knew that RC UK runs the cruises outside the US!

[Ocean Boy]

Yep I heard the same thing when I was a child..except it was China..."eat all your food there are starving people in China... who have much less"

HA!!! NOw China is just fine and owns the United States...thanks a lot

 

China was a favorite pick of Dad's. India frequently made the cut, too. Then there were the evenings when a single country just didn't make his point and he would fall back on Africa.

[storm1of4]

China was a favorite pick of Dad's. India frequently made the cut, too. Then there were the evenings when a single country just didn't make his point and he would fall back on Africa.

 

That is an arguement you simply can never win.....there is always somebody worse off.

[alexxandraa397]

Well I'm sorry to hear that you did not have an enjoyable time on your last cruise. Although I don't necessarily think that means the whole cruise line is bad. Most of the things you listed (no mats on the pool chairs, ice-cream being far away, small pool, no banana's or scones on one day) do not bother me one bit. I guess that makes me a "low class" cruiser haha but that's why I stick to RCL. You're obviously used to a higher class cruising experience, and thats fine. But RCL isn't looking to be high-class. So if you go in expecting the same service and amenities on their ship as on Princess, you probably would be disappointed.

[Captain Jake]

Where I live, beers are $7 (even draft), liquor $10, and martinis $12-$14. Give me cruise ship prices any day!

Yikes!Thats high.Here you can get a Domestic Draft for less than a soda.No free refills though

:cj

[believer33323]

I see sooooo many complaints on here about drink prices being high. Can anyone from anywhere in the world please come on here and post a vacation destination, which is what the ship is, where drink prices match what you pay at home retail? I live in a ski town and the prices on the ships are actually lower than when I go out and drink here in town. Last time I was at Disney/Epcot the beers were quite pricey. Go to a football/baseball stadium and you'll be paying a ridiculous price for a beer. I don't understand why so many people lose their minds about drink prices onboard. There is a markup, sometimes more significant than others anytime you order a drink anywhere outside your home. Relax and if it bothers you don't drink till you get home. Ok, rant is over, I think I need a drink:D Take care all, Jim

 

You have a great Point. But you have to wonder if they made the prices a little lower (on the ships and other places) would they make more money due to the higher sales. I guess we all have to ask ourselves do we need or want that drink??

[believer33323]

:cj

Proud to be American

 

 

Are we still allowed to say that???

[xpcdoojk]

Yikes!Thats high.Here you can get a Domestic Draft for less than a soda.No free refills though

:cj

 

CJ, you and I haven't locked horns in a long time, and I just noticed your avatar.... what's up with that?

 

your affectionate friend

jc

[Jsim2011]

This thread caught my attention becasue my freind was on that same cruise at the same time, she is a British travel agent and has been on many ships and many different holidays and I she didn't have any complaints about the cruise though I am going to ask her about the specific things you mention.

 

We have only been on two cruises so far, I actually prefer other types of vacation, BUT I have enjoyed the cruises we have been on, both RCI. I see them as cheap and cheerful, value for money. where else can you get, room, food, entertainment and more at such reasonable prices?

[Merion_Mom]

I used to live in NYC and now live SoBe, FL. The drinks onboard are HALF the price I'm used to paying. Just paid $15 for a Mohito last weekend! A lot of people who cruise do not come from big cities and I'm sure the drinks are far, far cheaper and that's why they complain. Probably RCI made their drink prices in the middle of both large and small cities.... I never knew that RC UK runs the cruises outside the US!

 

Actually, it is JUST the Brilliance.

[Older Party]

Just one thought about the glassware v plastic. We were on a cruise a few years ago in gale force winds. We were in the WJ and trays and glass were flying and breaking everywhere. Passengers who were walking with their trays were suddenly standing in a pile of broken glass and waiters were scrambling to get to the glass to keep passengers from getting injured. Could that have something to do with the change? It occurred to us that the change might be connected to these incidents.

 

If so, I think that's a cheap excuse. Plastic is unacceptable unless you are on a pool deck and even that is marginal. One of my most memorable evenings on my recent Silversea cruise was their BBQ on the pool deck. Cut glass stemware and crisp linens were part of the service. It was a true 'dining under the stars' experience, on a very small ship and we had rough seas the entire cruise with major movement. I didn't see plastic anywhere!

[Merion_Mom]

If so, I think that's a cheap excuse. Plastic is unacceptable unless you are on a pool deck and even that is marginal. One of my most memorable evenings on my recent Silversea cruise was their BBQ on the pool deck. Cut glass stemware and crisp linens were part of the service. It was a true 'dining under the stars' experience, on a very small ship and we had rough seas the entire cruise with major movement. I didn't see plastic anywhere!

 

Comparing Royal Caribbean and Silversea is just...........just.............just................

 

 

I'm speechless.