Want To Return To RCI After 7 Years- Question!

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Okay, so first I want to give a bit of background about my question, so it makes sense.

 

My first cruise was on the Legend of the Seas in July 2005- I was 11 years old, and had dragged my parents onto the cruise as I have always loved ships. We were booked on the Celebrity Galaxy in 2004 but unfortunately my grandmother passed away so we had to cancel.

 

It was a cruise in a time gone by for the cruise industry- many things that were once standard then are now all but gone. The route the 69,000 ton Legend of the Seas used to ply is now satisfied by the 158,000 ton Independence. I can say, with a lot of nostalgia, that Royal Caribbean satisfied our every whim that voyage. She, the Legend, and RCI hooked us on cruising. So, why haven't I been back? I ran away from RCI simply because on that cruise, our small island nation of 500,000 was the third most prominent nationality onboard, after the UK & US. Call it what you like, but I travel to be far away from my countrymen and women, not constrained by our traditions and culture. When everyone knows everyone as is the case on an island community, this isn't possible, and you can't be as free as everyone else on board. RCI has about 95% market share of the local Arabian Gulf cruise-selling market, so you can see what drove me away.

 

Nonetheless, bar Seabourn, after trying a wealth of cruise lines RCI still stands out as the best mass-market line I've been on. So I'm playing with the idea of coming full circle and hopping back onboard.

 

Now, the question- how different is the RCI experience? Do they still do the midnight chocolate buffet, the big show in the atrium (or I guess on larger ships the Royal Promonade) with all the crew holding flags, singing? What has happened to service since then? I want to try Oasis, but am scared the service won't be up there due to sheer size. Also, I really don't wanna feel like I've driven up to the local mall- does she feel like a cruise ship?

 

Hope you can annex my fears and give me a good prospective on how the RCI experience of today matches up.

 

Lastly- does anyone know what happened to Staff Captain Alexander ?

 

and Captain Nikolas Antailais (last I heard he was portside in Miami).

 

 

Thank you !

[lafngas]

No more midnight chocolate buffet.

I sailed on RCI Adventure out of San Juan when it was less than 2 years old, then went on the Voyager a couple of years later-saw a great decrease in food quality and amenities. Started sailing on Princess in 2006 and after 2 cruises with them I am hooked. I just took another conference cruise on AOS out of San Juan earlier this month and it was really sad to see how badly this ship has deteriorated-rust everywhere,smelly carpet on the golf areas,the teak wood is not in good shape. The food was horrible,crew extremely stressed with the local San Juan passengers,rude people everywhere. The main dining room has resorted to buffet service even at breakfast and lunch-Princess does not.

It was the people of Walmart type of cruise for me. I will never book RCI again.

I suspect you will be very disappointed if you expect the same type of cruise you had when you were younger.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

No more midnight chocolate buffet.

I sailed on RCI Adventure out of San Juan when it was less than 2 years old, then went on the Voyager a couple of years later-saw a great decrease in food quality and amenities. Started sailing on Princess in 2006 and after 2 cruises with them I am hooked. I just took another conference cruise on AOS out of San Juan earlier this month and it was really sad to see how badly this ship has deteriorated-rust everywhere,smelly carpet on the golf areas,the teak wood is not in good shape. The food was horrible,crew extremely stressed with the local San Juan passengers,rude people everywhere. The main dining room has resorted to buffet service even at breakfast and lunch-Princess does not.

It was the people of Walmart type of cruise for me. I will never book RCI again.

I suspect you will be very disappointed if you expect the same type of cruise you had when you were younger.

 

Thank you. This is sad to read if it is indeed the case.

 

Does anyone else have an opinion on this topic?

[kijjy]

The main dining room is NOT a buffet on ANY rci ship. On sea days there is a buffet style salad bar but that is ONLY at lunch. The windjammer IS buffet. I cruise rci BECAUSE the service is so good.

[TEXASMUNK]

Yes, the quality of the food has changed. It has changed in order to keep from having major price increases. As for service levels, the ratio of passengers to crew is still the same. You may see a dramatic shift in the nationalities of the staffing...In the 70's it was almost exclusively Caribbean, in the 90's it has become Eastern European (HAL..predominates with Phillpino and Thai).

But, if you are looking at Oasis or Allure, you are in for a dramatic "wow."

 

The specialty restaurants on both ships are outstanding,,,,yes, there is an additional cost, so budget accordingly.

 

If you are sailing from a US port, you will get an entirely different demographic. This might be another asset to your selection...

 

But, no matter whether folks say go or say don't go, the final decision will truly rest on your desire to experience RCI again, and experience a totally different onboard lifestyle.

 

Whatever you choose, Bon Voyage!

[LittleMissMagic]

Unfortunately, they cut the midnight buffet in the dining room. However, there is still a casual midnight buffet on the pool deck one evening.

 

The best entertainment is probably on the Allure and Oasis with their Broadway shows, aqua show, and brand new costumes for headliner shows (this is all speculation and pictures - I haven't been on either ship, yet). The ice shows available on Voyager-class ships and above are also great. Some of the older ships need costume and set updates for their headliner shows.

 

Personally, I still think Royal Caribbean service is spectacular. Our dining room staff and room attendants always work very hard to please. I have had so many positive experiences with RCI staff - whether it be my favorite bartender, personable wait staff, friendly security guards, or attentive room attendant. And, I was just off the Adventure of the Seas and found the staff to be remarkable.

[39august]

I don't believe you will get a "ship" feeling with Oasis. Why don't you try Freedom from Port Canaveral, or a Voyager class or Radiance class ship? You will get more of the classic cruise feeling with Radiance class ships, as there is no "mall" and lots of glass for great sea views from all over these ships. The Freedom and Voyager class ships do have the central, enclosed promenade or mall. But those ships are not as large as Oasis and service has been excellent on all that I have sailed, which is most of them. I have not yet sailed Oasis, but have read a few comments and spoken to some experieced cruisers who have said service is a bit lacking on Oasis and Allure, due to sheer numbers of passengers I suppose. Of course cruising from the US will give you more "freedom" from your culture.

[phoenix1181]

We took our first cruise with RCI in 1990. There certainly have been changes but, not enough to send us away.

 

The service levels have not changed. The staff continues to exceed expectations in all venues.

 

Food quality & quantity has decreased. They no longer serve 5 course dinners, serving sizes are smaller, & menu selections are not as good as in past years. That said, they still provide acceptable meals & we never leave the dining room hungry.

 

Midnight buffets are gone. If you think back, there was an amazing amount of waste & IMHO, it's not a great loss. All ships have someplace where you can get something to eat late at night & there's always room service.

 

RCCL offers a good product for the price & I don't think you'll be disappointed in Oasis or Allure.

[lovesthebeach2]

I don't believe you will get a "ship" feeling with Oasis. Why don't you try Freedom from Port Canaveral, or a Voyager class or Radiance class ship? You will get more of the classic cruise feeling with Radiance class ships, as there is no "mall" and lots of glass for great sea views from all over these ships. The Freedom and Voyager class ships do have the central, enclosed promenade or mall. But those ships are not as large as Oasis and service has been excellent on all that I have sailed, which is most of them. I have not yet sailed Oasis, but have read a few comments and spoken to some experieced cruisers who have said service is a bit lacking on Oasis and Allure, due to sheer numbers of passengers I suppose. Of course cruising from the US will give you more "freedom" from your culture.

 

I don't agree - I have sailed both Oasis and Freedom and loved them both equally. The service was excellent on both ships and although Oasis had "Hairspray" the rest of the entertainment was comparable. I loved Oasis and I'm cruising it again this November. If you go be sure to eat in the specialty restaurants!

[macrc]

I have sailed on both RCL and Princess. 7 RCL and 6 Princess since 2001. I have seen changes on both lines. There has been cost cutting on both. The food selection on both cruise line has decreased. Both have good food in MDR. The service has been good on both. Was on the Allure in Nov. it was my favorite ship so far. The food was very good could not ask for better service. The entertainment great. As large as the ship is it did not seem that crowded. We are in the older group. There were people of all age groups on board. Check out reviews and threads on the ship and make up your mind. It doesn't matter which ship or cruise line there will be people writing both positive and negative things about them. HAVE A GREAT CRUISE.

[emeraldcity]

I've been on two voyager class ships and both cruises were fabulous. The Royal Promenade is a great venue for wandering about and for spectacles like the parades. It is however, enclosed. There is no view of the sea that we paid to be cruising on. I tend to prefer something smaller ... Vision or Radiance class. The two I've been on so far (Splendour and Serenade) were so much classier ... all brass and glass, with non-stop views of the ocean from all the public areas. But that's just me. There are plenty of people who love the additional activities that are available on the larger ships. In the end you have to decide what you're going to be comfortable with.

 

But I do urge you to try RCI again. You sound like someone who is upbeat and plans to have a good time. Funny thing about that ... when we intend to enjoy ourselves, it usually turns out that way.

[cruising grandma]

Thank you. This is sad to read if it is indeed the case.

 

Does anyone else have an opinion on this topic?

 

 

Hello, again! Remember us from Veendam?? We have cruised on Royal Caribbean more than any other lines, next Celebrity, then Carnival, with Norwegian and Holland twice each, and Princess once. 52 cruises total......

Our next cruise is on Freedom of the Seas 2/26/12. Our last cruise was Navigator of the Seas 11/26/11. We began cruising in 1995 on Celebrity, and although many changes have taken place, we still really enjoy cruising! I don't think any of the cruise lines have midnight buffet, like they used to have. There was such a waste of food, but the photography was excellent! Celebrity Solstice class ships(maybe others) do have a buffet brunch which reminds me of the midnight buffets, except the food does get eaten, instead of just photographed. We haven't cruised on Oasis or Allure, but have enjoyed the Freedom class ships(Freedom & Liberty) and also like the Explorer class ships, Explorer, Mariner, Navigator with the indoor promenade. No, we don't feel like we are in a local mall....Even though we don't do everything available(ice skating, in line skating, rock climbing wall), we think they are all great things to occupy others, if they enjoy them. John did try the flow rider on Liberty of the Seas. We cruised on Legend of the Seas 14 nights to Australia and New Zealand......nice ship, but we really like the larger ones, now. Try out the Freedom, Liberty or Independence and see what you think. If they are too big, go to the Explorer class ships. I think you'll enjoy Royal Caribbean again!!:D

[skandls]

The biggest downgrade is to the food in the main dining room. If you check all the mass market cruiselines have reduced the dollars allocated to food per passenger. The main dining room is usually OK. You can always choose to dine in the pay restaurants where the food is very good.

 

The newer Royal Caribbean ships both the Oasis and Freedom class have great vibes and wonderful entertainment.

 

Service is a little less than before - I am not sure if there have been reductions in staff or the problem is the number of people they need to service the massive ships.

 

For that more connected to the sea cruise - the Radiance class are beautiful ships. Older yes but very well designed.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

CruisingGrandma- can I just say that it's wonderful to hear from you again! Yes, I do rememmber you from Veendam :). How are you? Where has the sea been taking you? Also, how is curisinggrandpa? !

 

I'd take it that the general consensous is to go ahead and take the cruise, although quality in certain aspects has deterioated, which to be honest seems to be the case across the board with the cruise industry.

 

I shall be living in the UK at the time of the voyage I plan to undertake so I need to factor in price- thats the only thing stopping me from pulling the gun. For example a NCL cruise out of Barcelona for 9 nights would cost me $3,700 including all flights from UK and my parents from Bahrain.

 

A cruise on Oasis would cost closer to $7,500- so need to shed some thought on that, otherwise I might very well pull the trigger.

 

In regards to the larger ships being less connected to the ocean, that would ineed seem to be the case but the thing is for me, if I was to try one of the Soverign, Vision or Radiance class ships then it is a bit of a lost cause- having tried a wide range of cruise lines I want to build loyality with one and if RCIs larger ships arn't to my taste then I can stick to HAL, NCl, etc. for the sub 160,000 ton range. So I shall give a bemoth a go, see how I like it. If I love it as I hope I do, I'm pretty certain I shall be back for more.

 

Otherwise, in regards to my last question- does anyone know the wareabouts of Staff Captain Alexander ? He is a Candian of Egyptian decent. Also, Captain Nikolas Antailais (last I heard he was portside in Miami).

[NMG318]

I think the MDR and Windjammer food is still pretty good with a good variety (8 stars out of 10).....EXCEPT their deserts. It's hard for me to give the deserts more than 4 stars. Midnight Chocolate Buffet? This would be hard to do since I think each ship must only be allotted four 8oz containers of cocoa powder. If you like gelatin deserts (unless their recipes have changed in the last year) you will give them 10 stars.

[cruising grandma]

CruisingGrandma- can I just say that it's wonderful to hear from you again! Yes, I do rememmber you from Veendam :). How are you? Where has the sea been taking you? Also, how is curisinggrandpa? !

 

I'd take it that the general consensous is to go ahead and take the cruise, although quality in certain aspects has deterioated, which to be honest seems to be the case across the board with the cruise industry.

 

I shall be living in the UK at the time of the voyage I plan to undertake so I need to factor in price- thats the only thing stopping me from pulling the gun. For example a NCL cruise out of Barcelona for 9 nights would cost me $3,700 including all flights from UK and my parents from Bahrain.

 

A cruise on Oasis would cost closer to $7,500- so need to shed some thought on that, otherwise I might very well pull the trigger.

 

In regards to the larger ships being less connected to the ocean, that would ineed seem to be the case but the thing is for me, if I was to try one of the Soverign, Vision or Radiance class ships then it is a bit of a lost cause- having tried a wide range of cruise lines I want to build loyality with one and if RCIs larger ships arn't to my taste then I can stick to HAL, NCl, etc. for the sub 160,000 ton range. So I shall give a bemoth a go, see how I like it. If I love it as I hope I do, I'm pretty certain I shall be back for more.

 

Otherwise, in regards to my last question- does anyone know the wareabouts of Staff Captain Alexander ? He is a Candian of Egyptian decent. Also, Captain Nikolas Antailais (last I heard he was portside in Miami).

 

 

John and I are both well. We cruised in November on an eight night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale(RCI Navigator of the Seas) with friends who live in Wales we had met on Mariner of the Seas in June on a 13 night Mediterranean cruise(RT Civitavecchia). We are crusing next month on RCI Freedom of the Seas eastern Caribbean with friends we met on Enchantment of the Seas. The good thing about the loyalty program for Royal Caribbean is it is reciprical with Celebrity's program. If you have 10 cruises on RCI(70 cruise points, now), you are Elite on Celebrity and Diamond on RCI. The perks, in our opinion, are much better for RCI and Celebrity compared to some other cruise lines: comp internet, photo, specialty restaurant 2 for 1, laundry, dry cleaning and pressing, concierge lounge for continental breakfast, and nightly for snacks/drinks, discounts on spa treatments, balcony and up discounts, etc. There are coupon books for different levels of the loyalty program, depending on how many "nights at sea". Also, you receive double points for having a suite. With a certain # of points, there are other "goodies' including presentation of a crystal block of the ship(we received one in June last year), special section in the dining room for breakfast, including specialty coffees, dining with an officer, complimentary cruise, single supplement lower %. Check out Royal Caribbean's website to see the different levels for Crown and Anchor members and the benefits included. We haven't been on Oasis or Allure because of the pricing, since we prefer to cruise more often than spend so much per cruise. I don't think I would try the Oasis before trying the Freedom or Explorer class ships. You might find the Oasis way too big, and never want to step on another RCI ship. The smaller ships should be much more reasonble, too. RCI's newest build are a smaller "sunshine class ship."

 

So, will you be going to university in UK?? Where and when??

 

I am unfamiliar with the captain and staff captain you are wondering about. What ships were they on when you met them? Most of RCI's captains are Norwegian. Most Celebrity's captains are Greek.