Same Old, Same Old: Why We Just Canceled Three Upcoming Oasis-Class Cruises

[BND]

The OP has a valid point for those that cruise multiple times a year on the same ships. But, the vast majority of people do not cruise that often. Most people cruise occasionally. We are now cruising twice per year and we have seen some of the same shows more than once, but that happens when we cruise on the same ships. We do go to shows on every trip so we have seen some more than once, but that's okay as they're entertaining. The headliners do change which gives us enough of a change. I think people need to remember the cruise lines are catering to the cruisers that are new to each ship, which is the majority. Production shows are very expensive to produce so it makes sense to run the same show for years.

[Beth C]

I can see where the OP is coming from... I have been only sailing since Dec 2009 and exclusively on Royal Caribbean... and have been fortunate to have over a month @ sea in this timeframe but there can be too much of a good thing.

 

For a quasi family reunion / birthday with a many non-cruisers we're looking at sailing in February 2013 - due to airfare, time constraints/vacation time a 7-8 night sailing out of FL is our best option (San Juan almost doubles the airfare and Ex/En 'waste' a couple days "getting" to and from the good weather).

 

We'd love to show them the big girls and get them hooked but everything is so predictable that i'm tempted to 'jump ship' and try out :eek: Carnival Breeze.

 

My fear of course is the unknown... on one hand the newbies won't know any better but on the other *I* will.

 

We tried a B2B (4 + 5 night) in January on Liberty and I decided B2B's weren't my thing... it was like deja vu and groundhog day combined with days 5, 6, 7 & 8 being exact copies of days 1-4

 

I love the itineraries of the Vision next winter but am a bit leery of the Vision itself after being spoiled on the larger ships...

[Cruisin Kay D]

For the RLM77: Mike and I were on Coral Princess for the 14 nt "through the Canal" cruise 2 months ago (3/27-4/10) going from Ft. Lauderdale to Long Beach. What a wonderful day it was sailing through the Canal!!! In years past, we had taken 2 "roundtrip" canal cruises which only go through the Atlantic side locks. The last one was shortly after the announced expansion plans for a wider set of locks. Much of this passage through the Canal was focused on seeing the construction efforts. The Canal lecturer was very excellent -- for ours it was William, and I think he will be on your cruise too. Something unexpected for us was how CALM the Pacific Ocean was everyday after we left the Canal!!!! If RLM77 has any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at (take out spaces) m k d e t w @ hotmail dot com....

[Iluvcruising2]

Interesting discussion.

 

I've never been on the Oasis or the Allure in my life.

 

Hope to sail on them some day.

[sail2sea]

So there is such a thing as too much of a good thing? ;)

[WillWorkForCruise121]

After more than 30 cruises, I can count on one hand (and have fingers left over) the number of times we've actually bothered to take in any of the shows on any cruiseline. If I want to see a stage show, I'll go to a landbound theatre. We saw Chicago in (of all places) Chicago. There is no way a cruise line can do justice to that play - or any other for that matter.

 

I have not seen Chicago on Allure so I can't comment. (although you said yourself you have seen hardly any shows on the cruise) But I can tell you I have seen well over 20 broadway shows. both broadway accross america and original broadway casts and I was actually very impressed with Saturday night fever on Liberty OTS.

 

I am not saying it was just as good as or better than an actual broadway performance but it was really not bad and completely enjoyable. I suggest you take in a few of the Royal caribbean shows before you openly criticize.

 

To the OP as many have already said, you have a point about RCI not switching it up, but I think they are aiming at the bottom line and producing a quality product at the lowest price possible. I'm sure when they are laying out their business plan they assume 99% of their cruisers will not be on the same ship several times in one year.

[Coralc]

Okay, I can now see how this must look to some of you. I can only say that appearances are sometimes deceiving. We are not part of the 1%, nor even the 20%. I'm a middle manager in a support department. Hardly the ticket to mega-wealth. But we made one early life decision -- no children -- for completely non-financial reasons that allowed us more discretionary funds. We never considered that at the time; it just happened.

 

We've made some other, more deliberate decisions to provide more financial flexibility. We manage with one car and public transportation. We've lived in the same house our entire married life (25 years). We spend very little on restaurants & entertainment while not at sea. Most of our cruises are during low or shoulder season when rates are lower. We drive 2-3 hours to "nearby" airports to save on airfare. All I can say is that planning and discipline sometimes pay off.

 

I've worked for the same company for over 20 years and consequently am entitled to six weeks of time off. For the past 3-4 years I've been able to juggle the work so that I can use 4 or 5 of those weeks as vacation time. Thus, seven weeks at sea in 18 months.

 

It's also worth noting that, although we are Diamond status, there are many, many C&A members out there with far more nights at sea than we have. Maybe they do fill only 1% of RCI's berths, but they sure seem more visible than that, both on board and on these boards.

 

Finally, I agree with those of you who said/implied it was a questionable decision to sail on the same class so often. My initial post used the word "mistake"; in hindsight there is no question but that it was a mistake. Truth be told, we were so over the moon with the Oasis experience when we first cruised her that we both thought that no other ship (except Allure) would ever satisfy us again. Bad call. Our mistake, however, does not change the fact that if RCI seeks additional repeat business then they would do well to make changes at a faster pace than they do currently. IMHO.

 

Rich

 

They're trying to impress new cruisers and get them hooked on cruising with Oasis & Allure. Royal Caribbean is not trying to keep YOU entertained with their biggest & newest ships.

 

I don't really understand that you are surprised that you are bored with the same class of ship and itinerary now. Cruising is still special and fun to us if we mix it up with different ships and itinerarys. We've done that for many years and we are DINKS as well. :D

 

I think the Royal Caribbean loyalty program is quite good. I appreciate the benefits and savings.....but I think you became disenchanted all on your own by choosing to repeat the same experience over and over and over again. It's not Royal Caribbean's fault that you had unfulfilled expectations.

 

We tend to collect new destinations to fulfill ours, irregardless of the ship or mode of travel to get there. :D:):D

[Iluvcruising2]

So there is such a thing as too much of a good thing? ;)

 

Yes, there is. Too much of anything is usually not good.

 

After reading OP's explanations, I can understand where she is coming from.

 

OP should try other cruise lines for a different experience. What about Celebrity?

[Motorman23]

Mike, what I failed to mention is that Marlee suffers from Secondary-Progressive MS and is unable to walk more than a few steps at a time. While there certainly are other vacations that would work, cruising is ideal for those who are mobility-limited. So our vacations are almost exclusively cruises.

 

I completely understand your point, though. If both of us were healthy we would no doubt cruise much less frequently and would mix in more land vacations.

 

Totally understand your situation and why you choose the vacations you do. Best of luck to you and Marlee in finding a cruise or other vacation that can suit both of your needs. As I and many others have said, we agree with many of your points.

 

Kind Regards, Mike

[sleepless]

DH and I are going on our first B2B ever next summer on the Allure.

 

I already know that the main shows and parades will be repeated the following week. I also understand that there is a chance that the Headliner, Comedy Club preformers and the club entertainers may be the same. In addition, I recognize that the food offering will be similar each week.

 

How could you not understand that, and expect anything different, cruising on the same ship 6 times in 18 months? It costs a lot of money for the cruise industry to put the entertainment into place, and to produce workable menus. The cruise line does not get any direct income from it, as it is included in your cruise fair. But it costs them a bundle to provide.

 

Note: I have gone to Las Vegas several times over the past 10 years. A lot of there shows do not change. Headliners stay the same, as well as the various daily shows offered in the hotel lobbies/casinos. Each time we go, however, we pick a different hotel to stay in.

 

One doesn't need to be entertained every minute. Try reading, or meditating, or people watching. There are many options for meals - eateries as well as items - on the Oasis Class. No need to eat the same thing each time. And, as others suggested, mix it up a bit. If you keep booking the same experience, you will be receiving the same experience - however, you may become jaded in the process.

[sailnsee]

can see all sides...we have cruised carnival,norweigen,princess and celebrity but are d+ on rcl...now we pretty much use rcl for the "perks"-esp. the $350 we just saved on our 2013 TA(bal)+ the obc of $150 for future cruise(and of course the freebies in the cl!) I

was getting bored with rcl until Jan. when we went on the Oasis-had my reservations but WOW! It blew me away with the diff. shows and dining options;I didn't get the feel of a huge ship, just huge choices.

[lady_cruiser]

I agree about the "same old, same old". We have cruised only on The Voyager because of the proximity to the cruise port. We are sailing on The Mariner in March, different ship but same class.

 

I am now looking at Norwegian for a change of secenery.

[rakes5]

I do agree with the OP.

 

If you haven't tried the "O" class, you should. You won't be sorry.

 

However, we too have been on both ships, and twice on the Oasis. The second time on the Oasis, we didn't even get off in the ports, but just enjoyed having the amazing ship to ourselves.

 

We have always enjoyed the entertainment on Royal, look forward to each evenings performances, and will continue to sail with them. The shows on the Oasis class ships were spectacular, but, like the OP, we have decided to wait until they change the shows before sailing on them again.

 

There are plenty of other Royal ships, and they also able to offer different itineraries. We are also looking forward to the new ship in 2014.

[Poorplaya]

If I were cruising the same ship as many times as you did in an 18 month period i would want a change too. I can completely understand your point and where you are coming from. I am cruising the Indy in 2014 which would be our first cruise in 3 1/2 years, and people have said not much has changed on that ship too, but for us, we've never been so it will be new for us. Good luck on the various cruise lines again, I hope you find the change that you are looking for. Happy cruising.:D

[publicpersona]

I see both sides. After 34 cruises, I can't stand listening to the same recording of "Hey, Look Us Over" played on the last night in the MDR on the Oasis in 2012 as they did on Sovereign in 1991. I mean .. really?

 

On the other hand, when I went to the sailaway party on the Liberty and there was NOT a Caribbean band playing the "Electric Slide", I almost wanted my money back.

[Starry Eyes]

Change is good...try a different ship or a different line or a land vacation or donate your time to a good cause....so many wonderful choices. enjoy whichever one you select.

[erbunny]

After more than 30 cruises, I can count on one hand (and have fingers left over) the number of times we've actually bothered to take in any of the shows on any cruiseline. If I want to see a stage show, I'll go to a landbound theatre. We saw Chicago in (of all places) Chicago. There is no way a cruise line can do justice to that play - or any other for that matter.

(donning protective flame-proof suit first)

 

I am not sure why you are so judgemental of something you have little experience of. I don't expect the shipboard experience to be the same as a Broadway one would be, therefore was pleasantly surprized by Chicago as shown on Allure. I agree with the OP that it would nice if RC would move around the shows more frequently, although I really would enjoy seeing the dive show again. I think it is all a matter of expectations, which is why we don't usually complain about the MDR food, either. I don't expect 5 star cuisine, If I wanted it , we would go elsewhere.

[shaggyofwv]

Simple solution to your "problem": Try different ships.

[waterbug123]

I can only say that appearances are sometimes deceiving. We are not part of the 1%, nor even the 20%. I'm a middle manager in a support department. Hardly the ticket to mega-wealth. But we made one early life decision -- no children --

 

We've made some other, more deliberate decisions to provide more financial flexibility. We manage with one car and public transportation. We've lived in the same house our entire married life (25 years). We spend very little on restaurants & entertainment

 

Whether you have a high income to start with, or you just spend less day-to-say (as you've described), the point is that you are in a position to take a lot of cruises. I think that's all people were saying. So yes, taking 6 cruises on an O class ship within 18 months? I think it's a safe bet that you're part of a very low percentage of people (1% or less) who are able to do that. Changing the shows, menus etc. often enough to suit the teeny tiny % of people who cruise the same ship as often as you would, as previously mentioned, increase the price of cruising, so it makes more sense for you to try some other ships and cruise lines instead.

[bajathree]

We stepped off of Allure of the Seas last weekend, completing our seventh cruise on Oasis-class (1 Oasis, 6 Allure) over the last 18 months. It will be some time before we re-embark; we just canceled three cruises on O-class and substituted a 14-day Princess Canal cruise (we probably won’t replace the third week due to priorities at my office). The reason we made the switch may be of value to RCI and of interest to you.

 

First of all, there was nothing wrong with our cruises. If you’ve never experienced O-class and you enjoy cruising they are slam-dunk must dos. Those who say they are too big or too crowded are wrong IMHO. Many of the shows are excellent. There are so many places to eat that you will have trouble getting to them all in 7 nights. And we think Royal’s service is the best at sea (in a friendly, eager to please way as opposed to a correct, formal way). The ships are very clean and very well maintained. The only serious drawback is that, by design, the A/C shuts off in most balcony cabins if the balcony door is not closed and locked. [This is a secondary reason we are cruising elsewhere, but is not relevant to the primary thrust of this post. Hence, no further comment.]

 

Hmmm. Great ships, great service, good shows, lots of restaurants, bars, and food options. Plus Diamond benefits. Why would these crazy folks cancel upcoming bookings on these ships? The most important reason is simple: almost nothing changes. For example, the main shows are the same as they were 19 months ago when Allure entered service (and 31 months ago when Oasis first sailed). This is understandable. These shows are expensive to acquire and/or produce; they need to run for at least 4-5 years to justify the investment.

 

But it doesn’t stop there. Most of the lounge musicians are the same people that entertained us a year ago. They go on vacation and then are contracted back to the same ship. RCI also returns most of the crew to the same ship as they renew their contracts. Comedians repeat. 70’s night is a standard night 6 feature. Even some of the Headliner shows are repeats for us. And, although menus have certainly been tweaked since 2010 – for example, no more lamb chops in the MDR and lots more mashed potatoes – the marquee items are largely the same. This is true in the specialty restaurants as well. I pretty much know what I’m going to be eating for all our dinners (right down to appetizers and desserts) before I ever leave the house.

 

Some people appreciate that kind of predictability, and I must admit that we ourselves enjoy being recognized by waiters, bar servers, etc. who served us on previous cruises. But – no two ways about it – for us, the repetition is getting old.

 

RCI does a large repeat business; repeat cruisers are critical to their business model. Further, the Oasis and Allure are marketed (appropriately) as destinations in and of themselves. To keep C&A members coming back to these ships, RCI has to continually freshen the product, IMO. I acknowledge that it’s too difficult and too expensive to frequently swap out the main shows. But the lounge musicians, comedians, and the Headliner show could certainly be rotated at low cost. 70’s night could be easily replaced with any number of alternatives. MDR menus, while difficult to change due to the sheer volume of meals that are served, could at least be changed one night at a time. Specialty restaurant menus could undergo gradual changes, retaining crowd favorites while replacing less popular items. The alcoholic beverage menu, including beer and wine selections, could be slowly adjusted on the same lines. Delivering a consistent product is certainly important. But so is variety. Even on ships with so many options, lack of variety becomes an issue after enough weeks on board.

 

Bottom line is that these are great ships with a huge number of options. I highly recommend them for 1-4 cruises over an 18-24 month period. Our mistake was sailing them for 49 nights over 18 months; RCI’s “mistake” (really a decision) was delivering a largely static product over that same period. We will not make our mistake again; we plan to go back to sailing on a variety of ships and cruise lines, including, from time to time, O-class. RCI might consider lower cost ways to freshen their product in order to keep frequent cruisers coming back.

 

Rich

 

 

You say you are bored with Oasis class because they don't change things up enough causing you to cancel your next 3 planned sailing you had booked on Oasis class.....yet in your last statement you yourself admit you will be coming back to Oasis class from time to time.....so I guess you aren't that bored.

[Starry Eyes]

Whether you have a high income to start with, or you just spend less day-to-say (as you've described), the point is that you are in a position to take a lot of cruises. I think that's all people were saying. So yes, taking 6 cruises on an O class ship within 18 months? I think it's a safe bet that you're part of a very low percentage of people (1% or less) who are able to do that. Changing the shows, menus etc. often enough to suit the teeny tiny % of people who cruise the same ship as often as you would, as previously mentioned, increase the price of cruising, so it makes more sense for you to try some other ships and cruise lines instead.

 

To add to your thoughts, the frequent cruisers likely would each have a "favorite" or two....and different frequent cruisers would have different favorites....If the line changed their personal favorite, that frequent cruiser would be sad while another would be pleased to see something fresh. furthermore there are new cruisers looking forward to the various staples on O class ships...they would be disappointed if those classics were rotated off before they sailed. So, no matter what they change (or not change), the cruiseline cannot possibly make everybody happy.

[rainey52]

On our galley tour May 19 sailing of Oasis, we were told that they are working on a new menu, i beleive fleetwide and that it takes alot of time and work to coordinate those efforts. That was our 3rd sailing on Oasis class and probably our most relaxing, mainly because we have seen the shows, so we enjoyed a more do as we please cruise. Never ate in the MDR, enjoyed more casual attire and dining options. Had such a great time, we are sailing Allure next may. We live in S. FL so this is a no brainer for us.

[erin_cruisers]

I'd sure like to have the OP's "problem". :cool:

We certainly don't cruise that often. This year we've manage to squeeze 3 cruises in, but that is not the norm.

 

I do agree that we've noticed menu selections in the MDR don't have the variety they once did.

 

But the simple solution in your case is to change it up a little more often - different ships, perhaps even different lines.

[Moon Beam]

Obviously you have the means to cruise often. For those of us who do not, or can go only every 2 or 3 years in our case, I find it difficult to be even remotely sympathetic. In not swapping these shows out at great expense every 18 months or so they may be keeping cruising a bit more affordable.

[mon1jan1]

I was on the Allure of the Seas this past March and spurred up a conversation with an officer of the ship. I was told that with the new class of ships available in 2014/2015 the menu will be a lot different and possibly a couple of different ports. Time will tell, especially since not a lot of information as even been leaked about the so called "Sunshine" class, but we can only hope. And he wasn't too far up the officer ladder, not sure if I would take too much of what he says to heart, but I can only hope.

We normally do one or two cruises a year, but we will skip next year to do a couple of land based vacations. We are a little bored of cruising, but in that same sentence I have cruise fever. There are so many cruise and land based vacations out there and quite a few good prices too.

I'm not picky about my food and can always find something quite tasty. However I agree, I know the Royal Caribbean menu quite well, not day to day though.

All that being said, if my husband said go book a cruise, I'd be on the computer faster than anything.