When is 'Enough is Enough'?

[Boozebabe]

I'm not considering jumping ship any time soon.(I don't think) but I was just talking with a friend and we were reminiscing about our cruises. We talked of things that are no more. Some of the things we miss but can live without are 3 visits per day to the cabin by the cabin steward to tidy up and re-fill ice bucket etc. Another missed feature is flowers on the tables in the dining room. We realize there are fewer courses at dinner and nightly midnight buffets are a thing of the past. Not that we need more food but its one of those 'used to be' things. And what about fewer waiter teams? Poor waiters are now worked to death. Reduction in live music. They've even gotten stingy with pepper mills. I know its trivial but I like ground pepper on certain foods and they always have to go hunt one down while my meal is getting cold. I will probably remember more things after I post this.

 

My point is when will you say "enough is enough" and stop cruising with Carnival---or any other cruise line for that matter? They are all reducing onboard features. For me I'm not sure, but I have thought about other lines just to compare them by todays standards. I've cruised others but its been a while so it would be unfair to compare standards from 10 or more years ago. So whats your limit?

[AdrenalineRush]

I think you should try something new. Its fun researching new cruise lines and you might find you miss carnival or you might find a line that fits your needs.

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

It is either reduce some of the unnecessary amenities or keep increasing costs. I would rather them keep making small cuts here and there and than cut into my spending budget or spending more for another cruise line at this point.

[Boozebabe]

I think what I would miss the most about Carnival would be the price. They are the reason we can cruise a couple times per year. And not to cheapen them but the old saying goes, "You get what you pay for". I'm sure there are lines that have flowers on dinner tables and all the other things not now provided by Carnival. But am I willing to pay for that? Probably not. At least not now. I'm not willing to cruise every other year. For now I like the budget prices and am willing to accept what comes with them.

[PR0318]

My last 2 cruises have been my best with Carnival, so not sure what your problem is, I ask for pepper I get it. First time I see my room person, I tell them the 1 thing that is most important to me is keeping my ice bucket full and it is always full.

[ScottsSweetie]

The cruise industry is not the only one cutting back these days, though.

 

My husband travels for a living, and hotel rooms are being turned over later and later as hotels cut down on cleaning staff and they have more rooms to clean.

 

We have also noticed in some restaurants that service has deteriorated as they have fewer staff working at any given time.

 

When you call for customer service to any given company, sometimes it takes 10 minutes to get past the automation and to a real live person.

 

I agree that a lot has changed on cruise ships over the last 10 years, but a lot has changed in general over the last 10 years. The one thing that hasn't changed a whole lot, though, is the price of cruising. Do I want my cruise price to go up (think at the same rate as groceries :eek: ) so that I can return to the service of 10 years ago? I don't think I do.

[Warm Breezes]

I'm not considering jumping ship any time soon.(I don't think) but I was just talking with a friend and we were reminiscing about our cruises. We talked of things that are no more. Some of the things we miss but can live without are 3 visits per day to the cabin by the cabin steward to tidy up and re-fill ice bucket etc. Another missed feature is flowers on the tables in the dining room. We realize there are fewer courses at dinner and nightly midnight buffets are a thing of the past. Not that we need more food but its one of those 'used to be' things. And what about fewer waiter teams? Poor waiters are now worked to death. Reduction in live music. They've even gotten stingy with pepper mills. I know its trivial but I like ground pepper on certain foods and they always have to go hunt one down while my meal is getting cold. I will probably remember more things after I post this.

 

My point is when will you say "enough is enough" and stop cruising with Carnival---or any other cruise line for that matter? They are all reducing onboard features. For me I'm not sure, but I have thought about other lines just to compare them by todays standards. I've cruised others but its been a while so it would be unfair to compare standards from 10 or more years ago. So whats your limit?

 

I'll start by saying that I am not cruiseline loyal and will sail any ship that meets the criteria I am looking for in that particular vacation at a price I am willing to pay. I don't look at changes as "cut backs". Everything is in a constant state of change. I prefer to accept things as they are now and decide if that is what I want for price charged...if not then "enough is enough" for that ship on that particular vacation....but that doesn't mean that ship won't meet my criteria for another vacation, because things change all the time.

 

To be quite honest the things you listed aren't even on my radar for criteria that needs to be met for me to choose a cruise. I haven't seen a noticable lack in service on anyline I've sailed, I never went to midnight buffets when they had them, could care less about flowers on the table, etc. My criteria are normally "does it fit into our vacation time", "do we have a particular embarkation port we want to sail from", "is there a certain itinerary we want to sail", "is there are particular type of ship or a particular ship we want to sail", "does it fit my budget for this vacation"? Things like service, entertainment and food are all subjective and I never use them as criteria for selecting a ship. Finally, unless I have FCC that needs to be used or a specific ship or type of ship we wish to sail, cruise line is never a criteria for us either.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Warm Breezes

[Shipbound]

I'm not considering jumping ship any time soon.(I don't think) but I was just talking with a friend and we were reminiscing about our cruises. We talked of things that are no more. Some of the things we miss but can live without are 3 visits per day to the cabin by the cabin steward to tidy up and re-fill ice bucket etc. Another missed feature is flowers on the tables in the dining room. We realize there are fewer courses at dinner and nightly midnight buffets are a thing of the past. Not that we need more food but its one of those 'used to be' things. And what about fewer waiter teams? Poor waiters are now worked to death. Reduction in live music. They've even gotten stingy with pepper mills. I know its trivial but I like ground pepper on certain foods and they always have to go hunt one down while my meal is getting cold. I will probably remember more things after I post this.

 

My point is when will you say "enough is enough" and stop cruising with Carnival---or any other cruise line for that matter? They are all reducing onboard features. For me I'm not sure, but I have thought about other lines just to compare them by todays standards. I've cruised others but its been a while so it would be unfair to compare standards from 10 or more years ago. So whats your limit?

 

 

I have been on 31 cruises with CCL sure I notice the changes some are good but most are not, however I still have a good time cruising with CCL. But you have to remember that most of the guests that cruise with CCL are first the time cruisers so the cut back are not noticeable to them. I cruise solo so the price that Carnival offers are good.

 

Gary

[Jamman54]

I paid less per person for an Aft Wrap on the Splendor last August, then I did for an inside cabin on the Holiday back in 1986. 8 days on the Splendor vs 7 days on the Holiday. That's amazing, since we're talking about 28 years here. The only reason this is possible, by Carnival, and every other cruise line, is by cutting back on goods and services. Some I miss, and some not so much. This is true in just about any industry in the US. I for one, would like the price of a cruise stay low and receive a bit less, than watch the cruise fares rise at the same percentage as the fuel, supplies, and labor has risen.

[winddawn]

I'm not considering jumping ship any time soon.(I don't think) but I was just talking with a friend and we were reminiscing about our cruises. We talked of things that are no more. Some of the things we miss but can live without are 3 visits per day to the cabin by the cabin steward to tidy up and re-fill ice bucket etc. Another missed feature is flowers on the tables in the dining room. We realize there are fewer courses at dinner and nightly midnight buffets are a thing of the past. Not that we need more food but its one of those 'used to be' things. And what about fewer waiter teams? Poor waiters are now worked to death. Reduction in live music. They've even gotten stingy with pepper mills. I know its trivial but I like ground pepper on certain foods and they always have to go hunt one down while my meal is getting cold. I will probably remember more things after I post this.

 

My point is when will you say "enough is enough" and stop cruising with Carnival---or any other cruise line for that matter? They are all reducing onboard features. For me I'm not sure, but I have thought about other lines just to compare them by todays standards. I've cruised others but its been a while so it would be unfair to compare standards from 10 or more years ago. So whats your limit?

Enough is enough when you go on your cruise and come home and say I didn't have a good time. Then it's time to move on.

 

I have a lot of people ask me about cruising because they know that I cruise a lot. One thing I always tell newbies considering a cruise is that you need to have the attitude that you take what comes your way and make the best of it when you cruise. That is part of the cruise experience. Ports will get cancelled, itineraries will change, activities will change, ships get remodeled, programs will be dropped and added, economic conditions change, weather happens, etc.

 

We all look forward to our down time and deserve to have a good time on vacation after working hard all year. Each of us should find a leisure experience that makes us happy and count our blessings that we are able-bodied enough to experience it. Because the day might come when you can't. That is my philosophy. When people ask me why I cruise so much I tell them that I can't imagine laying on my death bed thinking, "I wish I hadn't taken that cruise." It's a wonderful way to experience the world and meet nice people.

 

I have been cruising for years too and do remember the old days of cruising. I like to reminisce about them too. I do get disappointed from time to time, but it hasn't stopped me from getting back on a ship because I always have a good time.

[beachbum53]

What's important to one person on a cruise ship may not be so for someone else. Maybe because I'm a guy, I could care less about not having flowers on the table. I don't use pepper, so I don't care about having a waiter using or not using a pepper grinder. There are salt and pepper shakers on the table for those that want to use them. The midnight buffets were interesting to see, but we typically ate very little (if anything) when we went. It just seemed like a huge waste to me. If I want a late night snack, I can always go to the pizza station or get some ice cream (or call room service). I do wish that there hadn't been such drastic cuts in the live entertainment. I'd be willing to pay a little more to have the live bands come back. The "Legends" shows make me cringe. If I want to see amateur singers that range anywhere from bad to mediocre, I can stay at home and see them on shows like "American Idol". However, above all else, I love the ocean, and I love being on the ocean. And we're hopelessly addicted to cruising. Carnival happens to fit our budget. Would we like to try other cruise lines? Absolutely. Maybe we could get some wealthy family to adopt us.:rolleyes:

[christmas]

Maybe it is time for you to try a different cruise line.

[Oppalopa]

I recently cruised Royal loved it had flowers room cleaned twice per day ground pepper great food and real entertainment. Give Royal a try I think you will be Royally surprised. :)

[serene56]

I have cruised Princess because of a lower price-

Sailing march 20 for 4 day for 249 pp

 

--

 

I have never had a cabin steward 3 times in a cabin each day.

Once during the day and once at night. but we give him off during the day hours.

 

I have never seen flowers on a table in the dining room.

After x amount of cruises I needed to mix them up so they did not become all the same. (they did anyway) so now I visit an island.

[asalligo]

The cruise industry is not the only one cutting back these days, though.

 

My husband travels for a living, and hotel rooms are being turned over later and later as hotels cut down on cleaning staff and they have more rooms to clean.

 

We have also noticed in some restaurants that service has deteriorated as they have fewer staff working at any given time.

 

When you call for customer service to any given company, sometimes it takes 10 minutes to get past the automation and to a real live person.

 

I agree that a lot has changed on cruise ships over the last 10 years, but a lot has changed in general over the last 10 years. The one thing that hasn't changed a whole lot, though, is the price of cruising. Do I want my cruise price to go up (think at the same rate as groceries :eek: ) so that I can return to the service of 10 years ago? I don't think I do.

 

Exactly, I just had this conversation with a coworker. My American company is asking everyone to get more done with less. Like they are trying to see how far they can stretch the rubber band before it breaks to squeeze every penny out of each resource. This is not just Carnival, it is America.

[asalligo]

I have cruised Princess because of a lower price-

Sailing march 20 for 4 day for 249 pp

 

--

 

I have never had a cabin steward 3 times in a cabin each day.

Once during the day and once at night. but we give him off during the day hours.

 

I have never seen flowers on a table in the dining room.

After x amount of cruises I needed to mix them up so they did not become all the same. (they did anyway) so now I visit an island.

 

We just got off the Pride Sunday and my wife and I discussed this several times during the cruise. In 2007 we were on a Carnival cruise in which it was almost creepy how the steward cleaned our room. We could honestly walk to the buffet for a drink and return to a clean room and a made bed. It became a joke.

 

This last cruise our steward was more normal, once after we left in the morning and once at night. What we wondered was if we just had a great steward in 2007 or if things have changed. The service we had on this last cruise is plenty though really.

[awhcruiser]

This.

 

To be quite honest the things you listed aren't even on my radar for criteria that needs to be met for me to choose a cruise. I haven't seen a noticable lack in service on anyline I've sailed, I never went to midnight buffets when they had them, could care less about flowers on the table, etc. My criteria are normally "does it fit into our vacation time", "do we have a particular embarkation port we want to sail from", "is there a certain itinerary we want to sail", "is there are particular type of ship or a particular ship we want to sail", "does it fit my budget for this vacation"? Things like service, entertainment and food are all subjective and I never use them as criteria for selecting a ship. Finally, unless I have FCC that needs to be used or a specific ship or type of ship we wish to sail, cruise line is never a criteria for us either.

[elliair]

We talked of things that are no more. Some of the things we miss but can live without are 3 visits per day to the cabin by the cabin steward to tidy up and re-fill ice bucket etc.

 

On our first meeting with our cabin steward we tell him/her that they only need to service our cabin in the morning and not come in in the evening. I don't need my bed covers turned down, we don't use any ice, and our towels need to be replaced in the morning. Makes it easy on the stewards and easy on us. We don't care about flowers, table cloths, or towel animals, they just get in the way.

[AmberTeka]

I have cruised Princess because of a lower price-

Sailing march 20 for 4 day for 249 pp

 

--

 

I have never had a cabin steward 3 times in a cabin each day.

Once during the day and once at night. but we give him off during the day hours.

 

I have never seen flowers on a table in the dining room.

After x amount of cruises I needed to mix them up so they did not become all the same. (they did anyway) so now I visit an island.

 

First of all...........I love your dancing harlequin. I have read your posts for years and you are so sensible.

 

But Holland American has flowers on your table. One little orchid the last time we were on. Princess has a daisy. Little one but a flower. HAL has beautiful arrangements all over the ship. We were on Princess...New Year's Eve a year ago....they had Christmas Flowers everywhere.

 

I must be the dumb dumb of the ages. I thought Carnival had little daises on the MDR tables. Not"?

[PresDuLac]

I love traveling on Amtrak aka Land Cruise *almost* as much as I love cruising Carnival and they are cutting back big time too, effective April 1.

 

No decrease in prices and it's not cheap either for what you get - more per night than a cruise, that's for sure.

 

I travel in sleeper accommodations and these cuts definitely affect me.

 

The following amenities, from a short list as it is, are being eliminated from all routes, some were only available on select routes.

 

Flowers and vases in the dining car

Amenity kits for the shower

Wine and Cheese receptions

Welcome aboard champagne/cider

Cranberry juice

Newspapers

Turn down chocolates

 

Basically, we get (really mediocre) meals, coffee, apple & orange juice, water, towels, and a bar of soap included in our way too high, imo, sleeper fares.

 

Service is inconsistent at best and don't even expect 'smiles'.

 

I still enjoy it though - crazy. :eek:

 

 

 

The cruise industry is not the only one cutting back these days, though.

 

My husband travels for a living, and hotel rooms are being turned over later and later as hotels cut down on cleaning staff and they have more rooms to clean.

 

We have also noticed in some restaurants that service has deteriorated as they have fewer staff working at any given time.

 

When you call for customer service to any given company, sometimes it takes 10 minutes to get past the automation and to a real live person.

 

I agree that a lot has changed on cruise ships over the last 10 years, but a lot has changed in general over the last 10 years. The one thing that hasn't changed a whole lot, though, is the price of cruising. Do I want my cruise price to go up (think at the same rate as groceries :eek: ) so that I can return to the service of 10 years ago? I don't think I do.

[mousey]

It is either reduce some of the unnecessary amenities or keep increasing costs. I would rather them keep making small cuts here and there and than cut into my spending budget or spending more for another cruise line at this point.

 

I totally agree with this post. Most of the things that "are no more" are not things that are really necessary to my cruising experience. Does that mean that I don't care about "things that are no more", no it does not, for ex., I do miss the live bands on the Lido deck, but in the scheme of things...it's just not that big of a deal to me. That goes for most of the "other things that are no more." If bringing them back meant higher ticket prices...I'm fine without them. JMHO.:D

Edited March 7, 2014 by mousey

[mousey]

I'll start by saying that I am not cruiseline loyal and will sail any ship that meets the criteria I am looking for in that particular vacation at a price I am willing to pay. I don't look at changes as "cut backs". Everything is in a constant state of change. I prefer to accept things as they are now and decide if that is what I want for price charged...if not then "enough is enough" for that ship on that particular vacation....but that doesn't mean that ship won't meet my criteria for another vacation, because things change all the time.

 

To be quite honest the things you listed aren't even on my radar for criteria that needs to be met for me to choose a cruise. I haven't seen a noticeable lack in service on anyline I've sailed, I never went to midnight buffets when they had them, could care less about flowers on the table, etc. My criteria are normally "does it fit into our vacation time", "do we have a particular embarkation port we want to sail from", "is there a certain itinerary we want to sail", "is there are particular type of ship or a particular ship we want to sail", "does it fit my budget for this vacation"? Things like service, entertainment and food are all subjective and I never use them as criteria for selecting a ship. Finally, unless I have FCC that needs to be used or a specific ship or type of ship we wish to sail, cruise line is never a criteria for us either.

 

 

Very well said Warm Breezes! That's how we see it too!:D

 

I also applaud what Beachbum53 and Winddawn said. The three of you have similar thoughts and feelings same as the DH and I.

 

The DH, DS, and I have been cruising for years. I've cruised the most...since I was 19...so I remember the way things used to be. We just go with the flow because nothing that's been changed has affected our love of cruising.

Edited March 7, 2014 by mousey

[hn7609]

When they hand me an oar and tell me that I've got to paddle back to port......I think that that would be enough.

[soccersharon]

I haven't been cruising as long as some folks here, but the one thing I really appreciate is warm service. I don't care about flowers, tablecloths, etc. either. It's the personal touches that can make a huge difference to us. I am still blown away when our room steward, MDR wait staff, or a bartender remembers our names. Awesome.

 

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Forums mobile app

[loxley]

When they hand me an oar and tell me that I've got to paddle back to port......I think that that would be enough.

 

I don't even think that would do it for me. Sort of sounds like fun. Now if they brought out whips, that might do it.