RCCL-If you are reading please stop giving me a gift of a silly basket of nothing

[truffles2]

Ma is that you? Sorry, for a moment I thought you were my ribbon scoffing, wrapping paper saving, empty box stacking mom. :D:D:D

 

 

How funny....gave me an early morning chuckle. Thanks!

[novicetraveller]

Coming from a humble Gold member, if the only thing that the OP is complaining about is the gift in the room, they must have had a fab holiday. :D

[linkerbink]

I bet OP is in the minority on this. Gina

 

Well, Gina, I guess I'm there in the minority with you! I happen to like it as well. Sometimes it's handy to just snag one of the little packets from the basket and put it in my bag when I go to the Solarium or off the ship. I don't wear ball caps, and I don't need another leatherette photo frame!

[jaspercat]

Count me in as one who LIKES the gift basket of cookies, nuts and dried fruit. As someone who also is usually held up in airports for extended periods of time, they're nice to have. I really prefer this basket to another ugly ball cap or ugly pleather photo frame -- all of which were usually left in the cabin after the cruise.

[mommabean]

In all our cruises on RCI we've never received any gift basket, even on our last one at Diamond level. Think we'll continue to order our own present to oursevles - wine, fruit & cheese plate delivered to the room for Sail-Away. Now.....how about those lovely blue plastic notebooks and pens to hang around your neck that they hand out at every Meet & Mingle! Have you ever seen anyone actually wear one around their necks?

 

You aren't required to take the blue notepad and pen. I take ours and give them to small children who are on their good behavior. I'm not sure who smiles more. The kid or the parents.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (now used more often because of the bad ad placement on the full CC website)

[mommabean]

Okay--just give me a $5.00 OBC and I will use it the way I want--fruits, nuts, casino, bar tap ect. ect. ect.!!;)

 

You couldn't buy just the 2 drinks received with the gift for only $5. I'll keep the gift basket. We drink the water/soda/beer on board and really like the snack packs of food for quick fixes off the ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (now used more often because of the bad ad placement on the full CC website)

[ryano]

Coming from a humble Gold member, if the only thing that the OP is complaining about is the gift in the room, they must have had a fab holiday. :D

 

as another lowly Gold member, I would gladly take the gift with a smile :) I like cookies, assorted nuts and dried fruit!

[Room Service!]

Another thread that proves you can't please everyone. ;)

[PattyG12]

I like my basket. It's taken me a long time to earn the right to have it. We empty it and use the basket while on the cruise to put odds and ends in.

[Heidils]

Gotta jump on the bandwagon...a gift is a gift. Just say, Thank you.

[spookwife]

Not that i am anywhere remotely NEAR earning said basket( so THAT is what was inside those cute little baskets I saw in a few cabins on my CC cabin crawl!) a few random thoughts:

 

DH is a sailor. As such he has ball caps from every command he has ever been at( on board it can be used as the official cover). I have zero need or use for yet ANOTHER hat.

 

Fanny packs? I thought those had been consigned to fashion purgatory?

 

Picture frames? umm since most people keep their pics digitally now.. what size are they? you buy 8x10s on board if you are so inclined but I just swap out the picture that is already hanging on my wall for an updated one. (unless i look better in the earlier one heheheh)

 

Tote bags? meh.. I have a baziilion already in various sizes, designs and functionality. as it is I end up taking several each year to the thrift shop just to thin out the herd....

 

on the other hand.. a small packet of handy single serve snacks?! YES PLEASE. one.. they are consumable! less room to take up in my luggage!. two, that box looks like it would be useful afterward.. i'd possibly be able to decorate it and use it as a container for a gift to someone else someday.

 

If you don't like/have use for what is offered, that is of course your prerogative.. but throwing away something on board is wasteful and rude IMSHO.

 

if you do not touch the packaging at all.. the item can be re used.. or if they don't trust that it has not been tampered with, at least broken down so the basket and ribbon can be. if you do not want or cannot eat the snacks.. give them away. I cannot imagine that some random person stuck with a squirmy restless toddler would turn down the offer of a few cookies or some dried fruit to calm the kid.

 

Some day in the far off distant future, I hope that Royal is till offering even a token gift when I have finally earned the perk.

[Heidils]

Not that i am anywhere remotely NEAR earning said basket( so THAT is what was inside those cute little baskets I saw in a few cabins on my CC cabin crawl!) a few random thoughts:

 

DH is a sailor. As such he has ball caps from every command he has ever been at( on board it can be used as the official cover). I have zero need or use for yet ANOTHER hat.

 

Fanny packs? I thought those had been consigned to fashion purgatory?

 

Picture frames? umm since most people keep their pics digitally now.. what size are they? you buy 8x10s on board if you are so inclined but I just swap out the picture that is already hanging on my wall for an updated one. (unless i look better in the earlier one heheheh)

 

Tote bags? meh.. I have a baziilion already in various sizes, designs and functionality. as it is I end up taking several each year to the thrift shop just to thin out the herd....

 

on the other hand.. a small packet of handy single serve snacks?! YES PLEASE. one.. they are consumable! less room to take up in my luggage!. two, that box looks like it would be useful afterward.. i'd possibly be able to decorate it and use it as a container for a gift to someone else someday.

 

If you don't like/have use for what is offered, that is of course your prerogative.. but throwing away something on board is wasteful and rude IMSHO.

 

if you do not touch the packaging at all.. the item can be re used.. or if they don't trust that it has not been tampered with, at least broken down so the basket and ribbon can be. if you do not want or cannot eat the snacks.. give them away. I cannot imagine that some random person stuck with a squirmy restless toddler would turn down the offer of a few cookies or some dried fruit to calm the kid.

 

Some day in the far off distant future, I hope that Royal is till offering even a token gift when I have finally earned the perk.

 

Classy post!

[alfaeric]

Sometimes, I think that people just like to complain.

 

Get a discount on the cruise for being loyal- probalbly complain that it wasn't enough- needed it to be cheaper. Get on the boat, complain that they didn't get more of a gift- needs to be more.

 

And there's posts about complaints about the food, and the bed, and the alcohol, and and and...

 

You know what- if you don't like it, DON'T CRUISE.

 

Yes, there are issues- nothing is perfect, from the packaging to the occasional bad MDR dish. But for the cost- geezus. We are paying the same amount in dollars per night now as we did a decade ago. Somehow, the cost of food has gone up, the cost of fuel has gone up, the cost of living has gone up, yet the cost of cruising has not. And we still complain about that.

 

I've been crusing for a decade, but only paid attention to this board a month.

 

All I can say is- if you don't like it, don't go. I will, and enjoy the little gestures, and the food, and the tiny room, and the art auctions, and the bingo, and all of the cheesy things that is cruising. Sorry if you don't.

[MORcrzr]

Waaaaaaaaa. I have too many hats. Waaaaaaaa. I have too many tote bags. Waaaaaaaa. My basket is a waste. Waaaaaaaa. RCI is mean to me!

 

Holy cow, folks, here we go again . . . Do you remember back when you first started getting the gifts and how great it was? How proud you were that you got to that next level? Remember when the money you spent on that cruise stretched your budget for the year to the MAX and you gave up something to make sure you could still go?

 

Just take the gift and be happy you are cruising. If you don't want it pass it on to a young couple who are new to cruising and get them excited to get to that next level!

 

Sorry . . . off soap box . . . for now :D

 

Cheers!

[rakes5]

I would like to thank the OP for their post.

 

After reading through the posts, I thought it would be helpful to post screen prints of the choices available on your profile.

 

I did that above on post #74 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=34251844&postcount=74

 

I didn't realize that apparently since I just past a milestone (175 cruise points), all my profile preferences, (and my DW's) had been blanked out, and I had to reselect all of them. I didn't know about the bonus gift, and wouldn't have been able to choose one for our upcoming cruise. I also had to reselect my upgrade preferences, as they had also been blanked out, so the upgrade fairy can visit. So thanks again to the OP, as I wouldn’t have thought to look here if not for their post.

 

Since I can select my beverage, then it should be easy enough to allow for me to choose if I would like to receive, or not receive, the gift basket.

 

Below is a better copy of the four preferences (Cruising, Onboard, Gift & Upgrade) I needed to reselect/update after reaching a milestone.

 

[Julesben]

Dear RCCL

 

(I hope you are reading this, i have informed your customer relations department as well).

 

On my recent cruise, Navigator of the Sea, the diamond members had a good laugh about the silly gift that is delivered to our state room as a gift.

 

 

The concensus was please do not give it to us we simply all placed it in the bin!!!

 

Bring back the hats, bags, etc or please do not waste your money on that basket.

 

RCCL your intentions are honourable by offering a gift, please do not be offended but i simply cannot use it.

 

Regards

 

Unlike the majority on here, we understand your grievance, but at the same time, if they take the basket of cookies/nuts away, the customer won't get any niceties at all.

 

The cut backs in the cruising industry have been hugely severe, if you book well in advance has your cruise price come down?

 

I can see these ships are struggling to attract new customers, therefore the prices are shockingly reduced when approaching the sail date, £699 recently for 14 nights on Independence, that offer stood for over two months prior to sailing on 19th May.

 

Book late and SAVE A FORTUNE, while keeping your money in your account longer.

[negc]

Unlike the majority on here, we understand your grievance, but at the same time, if they take the basket of cookies/nuts away, the customer won't get any niceties at all.

 

The cut backs in the cruising industry have been hugely severe, if you book well in advance has your cruise price come down?

 

I can see these ships are struggling to attract new customers, therefore the prices are shockingly reduced when approaching the sail date, £699 recently for 14 nights on Independence, that offer stood for over two months prior to sailing on 19th May.

 

Book late and SAVE A FORTUNE, while keeping your money in your account longer.

 

Not bad advice unless of course, there is a specific cabin you want or need to book, or you are intent on booking a cruise that has proven to be extremely popular and whose prices have done nothing but increase since the books opened. For every cruise where they had a fire sale close to the sailing date, you can find another cruise where prices have come close to doubling by that date. In such cases that "fortune" you saved may be at the expense of the cruise you wanted to take.:)

[Icruzthere4Iam]

At what level does the stick get inserted? Cause I don't want to get to that level. Just sayin.:eek:

[Big_G]

At what level does the stick get inserted? Cause I don't want to get to that level. Just sayin.:eek:

 

I think it's a level outside of the Crown & Anchor realm. :rolleyes:

[yogimax]

To the OP... stop whining!

 

It was precisely posts like this that caused RCCL to stop giving the hats, bags, etc..

 

Be thankful for what your receive!

[Langley Cruisers]

To the OP... stop whining! It was precisely posts like this that caused RCCL to stop giving the hats, bags, etc..

 

Pretty much. Something like this could ruin it for those of us who do appreciate the gifts. :(

.

.

[charmay]

You know what I get in my cabin???? Nothing but a clean room and a week of vacation to look forward to!!!! I have a lllllooooonnnnnggggg way to go until I get burdened with such horrible gifts!!! So I don't really get why you're complaining about something like that. Or why you would prefer a cheesy fanny pack!!! :p

I found the fanny pack so funny,then you go and say cheesy fanny pack.:D hillerious.

I live in england i guess you can figure it hehehe.

[relaxatsea]

We really like the gift basket with the two free drinks. On our recent transatlantic crossing on Liberty, we did not eat the snacks during the cruise, but saved them for later. We spent four nights in Barcelona post cruise, and were happy to have those snacks in our hotel room. It seems too bad to just throw them away. I also keep the pretty ribbon for gift packages. I hope RCCL does not discontinue this nice perk!

[relaxatsea]

We enjoy the gift basket and the two free drinks.

 

On our recent TA on the Liberty, we saved the snacks to eat in our hotel room in Barcelona. I hope RCCL does not discontinue this nice perk!

[loubetti]

The reality is, and no offense to the OP, the cruise line can't win. Ya' like it and ya' don't like it. Maybe just give a certificate for some OBC. Or course, there will be those not satisfied with the OBC, as they do not know how little such gift baskets cost RCI.

 

It's a tough balancing act for cruise lines. They don't always win friends. However, if 90%+ are happy, they are doing well.