Royal cutbacks.....just my opinion

[cruzinlady1947]

With all the talk about Royal not giving out this or that, and all the cutbacks they are making, I feel as though I would sooner have these cutbacks and keep the prices lower for the cruises. The gifts and chocolate on the pillow, etc. were really nice while they lasted, but lets face it....things are a lot more expensive, for everyone. I think that in the long run, a cruise is still the best all around vacation for the money.

 

I'll accept the cutbacks as long as the prices don't skyrocket.

 

Gwen :)

[Priusprof]

When we took our first cruise in 1983 on Song of America it was approximately $1200 for an inside cabin on deck 2. Thirty years later you can cruise for a week for this price or less and be in a balcony stateroom. The mints on the pillows are gone and so is the MIDNIGHT BUFFET. They don't do towel animals every night and there are other little thises and thats that have been discontinued. I feel that the experience offered today is a far better one than what was offered in the g.o. days.

[kruzerci]

I'd rather pay a good chunk more for a more memorable experience, but that's just me. It's probably time for us to start looking at more upscale lines, but those dang loyalty perks keep pulling us back :)... Well... While they last :rolleyes:.

[bouhunter]

We could care less about chocolates or cheap gifts. If it helps them keep the price down, fine with us.

[NemoCrownie]

I would rather pay a little more and have enough staff to take care of me Royally. Specifically, room stewards having less rooms and an assistant, along with enough wait staff for the MDR and to clean tables, get drinks, etc. in the windjammer. I also liked having pool towels in my room and towel bins at the entrance when reboarding along with ice water and cool wash rags. I would also like better no fee food options.

 

I don't understand the service cut backs since, it seems to me, the passengers/guests are paying the majority, if not all, of the room attendant and wait staff compensation. I am tired of feeling like it is a constant money grab. The lines know the break even cost and hard sell the amenities to make their profit. For most of us that only cruise, at most, once a year it is still an expensive vacation when you factor in airfare, hotels, pet sitting, taxis, excursions, tips, etc. so I would rather pay another $100 or so per person and be wowed.

[cruiseorbust]

I would rather pay a little more and have enough staff to take care of me Royally. Specifically, room stewards having less rooms and an assistant, along with enough wait staff for the MDR and to clean tables, get drinks, etc. in the windjammer. I also liked having pool towels in my room and towel bins at the entrance when reboarding along with ice water and cool wash rags. I would also like better no fee food options.

 

I don't understand the service cut backs since, it seems to me, the passengers/guests are paying the majority, if not all, of the room attendant and wait staff compensation. I am tired of feeling like it is a constant money grab. The lines know the break even cost and hard sell the amenities to make their profit. For most of us that only cruise, at most, once a year it is still an expensive vacation when you factor in airfare, hotels, pet sitting, taxis, excursions, tips, etc. so I would rather pay another $100 or so per person and be wowed.

 

I agree with you!

[kruzerci]

I would rather pay a little more and have enough staff to take care of me Royally. Specifically, room stewards having less rooms and an assistant, along with enough wait staff for the MDR and to clean tables, get drinks, etc. in the windjammer. I also liked having pool towels in my room and towel bins at the entrance when reboarding along with ice water and cool wash rags. I would also like better no fee food options.

 

I don't understand the service cut backs since, it seems to me, the passengers/guests are paying the majority, if not all, of the room attendant and wait staff compensation. I am tired of feeling like it is a constant money grab. The lines know the break even cost and hard sell the amenities to make their profit. For most of us that only cruise, at most, once a year it is still an expensive vacation when you factor in airfare, hotels, pet sitting, taxis, excursions, tips, etc. so I would rather pay another $100 or so per person and be wowed.

 

That is exactly how I feel.

[funfamilyof6]

My husband and I are in our 40's. Our first cruise was in 93 on our honeymoon (a lavish interior cabin LOL). We pay less now for oceanview/balcony cabins and in our opinion the current activities offered on cruiseships are superior compared to years ago (just our opinion).

 

We miss the chocolates LOL, but can happily live without them. The food offered now is not as good as it was years ago, but we would rather have this option since the only other option would be to pay a lot more per passenger which we would not be able to do with our large family of 6.

 

Thank you RCCL, you still WOW us!! :D

Edited January 10, 2014 by funfamilyof6

[PattyG12]

The lower prices were the catalyst that convinced me to try cruising. I love the product I get for my money. I'm with you ... don't miss all the extras. If I want chocolates, I bring them. If I want a hat, I'll buy one.

[OasisOTS2013]

I don't care about chocolates but the staff and food cutbacks have tarnished cruising for us. The ships are better now, but the experience overall is not. Royal Caribbean used to feel like Nordstrom and now it feels like Kohls.

[nelblu]

Hey, I don't miss the mint chocolates as I can get a box of them cheap and place them on the pillows myself. However, what I miss most is the "Shipshape Dollars" as an inducement to exercise and to trade for the Shipshape logo gifts.:D

[springaussie]

The pen and note book have gone also from the cabins.

[OasisOTS2013]

The pen and note book have gone also from the cabins.

 

Soooo cheap!

[Russ Lomas]

I don't care about chocolates but the staff and food cutbacks have tarnished cruising for us. The ships are better now, but the experience overall is not. Royal Caribbean used to feel like Nordstrom and now it feels like Kohls.

 

I love Kohls (and RCCL for that matter too!)

[NemoCrownie]

I don't care about chocolates but the staff and food cutbacks have tarnished cruising for us. The ships are better now, but the experience overall is not. Royal Caribbean used to feel like Nordstrom and now it feels like Kohls.

 

Exactly, and said much more concisely than my post (Kohl's is fine but not for my vacation dollars)!!!

Edited January 11, 2014 by NemoCrownie

[time4u2go]

The problem is, where does it end? I'm seeing above about pens and notepads disappearing. And towel animals. And mints. And on other threads, they mention steward and waiter reductions. And then there's poorer quality food.

 

I'm sure most of us can live with these cutbacks, but what's next?

[peteukmcr]

Well I've only been cruising for 10 years, and yes I've seen the changes, but as mentioned earlier, the prices are still competitive and the facilities provided expanded.

 

So, I challenge you to find a land based vacation with the same standard of service (ok some hotel rooms may be bigger than the average stateroom, but how many are cleaned/serviced twice daily?), 24 hour availability of food, inclusive entertainment, providing the variety and choice of dining venues, the number of bars, and the opportunity to visit numerous places for an equivalent price these days.

 

I doubt you can. All our 'all inclusive' breaks have cost far more than a cruise for a similar, but not superior level of service and comfort, and that's just to stay in one resort!

 

Things change, there's no point moaning about it, if you no longer like RCI then try another cruise line and pay (that's the point as costs have increased as has your salary!) for the experience you are missing. Don't live in the past, time moves on, things change, embrace it or 'ship out'.

[dplusd]

Considering the low cost of cruising today, I have no problem with many of the cutbacks. Turndown chocolates, towel animals, etc. are not important to me at all. We still find the service, food, ambiance, and overall experience, very good. We also enjoy land based vacations and they are a whole lot more expensive that our cruises!

 

If one trend bothers me, it is the addition of more cabins/passengers without the ability to expand already tight venues (like the Windjammer). That bothers me...giving up trinket gifts do not.

[squadron]

We could care less about chocolates or cheap gifts. If it helps them keep the price down, fine with us.

 

Agreed. Don't miss the chocolates - not real chocolate anyway - were candy confection. Towels animals every night seem a waste of time for cabin staff and clean towels. I request them not to do them except for one night and it can stay on display for the week.

[springaussie]

I'm sure most of us can live with these cutbacks, but what's next?

 

With the Navigator getting Oasis features will the sauna be an extra?

[Robinola]

I can understand. My own personal grocery bill has probably quadrupled since I started cruising, and yet my next cruise cost has not. So, I'm happy!

[05mak05]

I would rather pay a little more and have enough staff to take care of me Royally. Specifically, room stewards having less rooms and an assistant, along with enough wait staff for the MDR and to clean tables, get drinks, etc. in the windjammer. I also liked having pool towels in my room and towel bins at the entrance when reboarding along with ice water and cool wash rags. I would also like better no fee food options.

 

I don't understand the service cut backs since, it seems to me, the passengers/guests are paying the majority, if not all, of the room attendant and wait staff compensation. I am tired of feeling like it is a constant money grab. The lines know the break even cost and hard sell the amenities to make their profit. For most of us that only cruise, at most, once a year it is still an expensive vacation when you factor in airfare, hotels, pet sitting, taxis, excursions, tips, etc. so I would rather pay another $100 or so per person and be wowed.

I miss the very things you mention … room stewards w/assistants, adequate staff in dining room & Windjammer, pool towels in staterooms, etc . I loved being handed ice water and the cool wash cloths when we re-boarded … one of my "favorite things!"

[kruzerci]

With the Navigator getting Oasis features will the sauna be an extra?

 

That would be classic ;)!

[seaofwonder]

You can have all those things. Just pay more on another line.

 

It's the same with flying. It used to be great and now it is awful UNLESS you pony up the cash for business/first.

 

I don't care about any of those things and haven't notice anything different in terms of service in my room or the restaurants. However, that is only over a 4 year period.

[Guest maddycat]

I would rather pay a little more and have enough staff to take care of me Royally. Specifically, room stewards having less rooms and an assistant, along with enough wait staff for the MDR and to clean tables, get drinks, etc. in the windjammer. I also liked having pool towels in my room and towel bins at the entrance when reboarding along with ice water and cool wash rags. I would also like better no fee food options.

 

I don't understand the service cut backs since, it seems to me, the passengers/guests are paying the majority, if not all, of the room attendant and wait staff compensation. I am tired of feeling like it is a constant money grab. The lines know the break even cost and hard sell the amenities to make their profit. For most of us that only cruise, at most, once a year it is still an expensive vacation when you factor in airfare, hotels, pet sitting, taxis, excursions, tips, etc. so I would rather pay another $100 or so per person and be wowed.

 

I've been cruising with RCI since the mid 90's and I don't remember RCI ever providing ice water or cool wash cloths for passengers at the pier. However, Celebrity has always offered that amenity.