The REAL problem with RCI food and service

[AZAficionado]

Not giving feedback (positive or negative) is a pretty crappy thing to do. Giving that feedback immediately or in a survey later should be driven by the circumstances. If the problem can be corrected immediately, you should say something immediately. You can still be nice about it, if you want: "Excuse me, I think you gave me the wrong drink..."

 

The people working on the ships are human beings and make mistakes like the rest of us. If nobody tells them what they are doing right or wrong, how will they know? Just imagine if you didn't get an annual review or any kind of feedback at your job for a couple of years and suddenly got fired, while your boss complained about what you've been doing wrong to his family at home. No difference when a cruiser says nothing, complains on these boards, and then jumps lines or stops cruising.

 

If people haven't been speaking up and service is declining, it is at least partially their fault.

[cb at sea]

I think the "downgrading" of the dining room experience is because folks are willing to pay extra for something better (specialty restaurants). If folks would STOP buying those "extras" and bitch about the quality of included meals...and maybe not cruise because of it, then things would change.

 

The cruise lines think they've hit a gold mine! Advertise this LOW price, get you in the door, then charge you extra for a better experience. I know new cruisers don't know how it used to be, so they're fine with this set up. As someone who has been cruising since the early 90's, I can see the decline in service and food. It's sad.

[Paul65]

I think the "downgrading" of the dining room experience is because folks are willing to pay extra for something better (specialty restaurants). If folks would STOP buying those "extras" and bitch about the quality of included meals...and maybe not cruise because of it, then things would change.

 

The cruise lines think they've hit a gold mine! Advertise this LOW price, get you in the door, then charge you extra for a better experience. I know new cruisers don't know how it used to be, so they're fine with this set up. As someone who has been cruising since the early 90's, I can see the decline in service and food. It's sad.

 

My cruising on RCI goes back to early 90s, too, when Monarch of the Seas was the newest and biggest cruise ship around.

 

The dining experience was somewhat different, but I don't remember the service or food being that much better. If you like having a "sommelier" around to push wine sales and having the menu set up for 5 courses, rather than collapsing the appetizers, soups, and salads into a "starters" course, though, it was better. Otherwise, not that much different. I've had better or worse dining room service on various cruises, but it doesn't seem to be a trend downward over time.

 

I do like having the specialty restaurants for the occasional something a little different, but we stick mostly to the main dining room.

[bigque]

I think the "downgrading" of the dining room experience is because folks are willing to pay extra for something better (specialty restaurants). If folks would STOP buying those "extras" and bitch about the quality of included meals...and maybe not cruise because of it, then things would change.

 

The cruise lines think they've hit a gold mine! Advertise this LOW price, get you in the door, then charge you extra for a better experience. I know new cruisers don't know how it used to be, so they're fine with this set up. As someone who has been cruising since the early 90's, I can see the decline in service and food. It's sad.

 

Not everybody eat in the specialty dining venues to have something better. We make a reservation or two depending on which ship and what venues they have, just to do something different a night or two, but the rest of the nights we eat in the MDR and don't really have anything to complain about when we do. That is not to say that we like everything on the menu every night, but there is always something on the menu that we order that we like......not saying love it.....but "like" and that is fine. :cool:

[Midwestgal]

I'm one of those weird people who remembers what it was like to sail on Royal Caribbean 25 years ago, and doesn't think the food and service was much better then than it is now.

 

 

I only cruised one time in Royal back in 2000 on Majesty and the food was not good at all. Looking forward to my Allure cruise and I'm not expecting the food to be good so I'm prepared for it.

[Mary1951]

If the problem is with the food I will say it on the survey , stating forcefully, the fact that

the serving staff was excellent but the food was the problem !!!

[klct39lg]

I have only been cruising since 2002, my first cruise was with Disney, then Princess, Norwegian, and Carnival. Now, I am looking to try Royal Caribbean for the first time. I have enjoyed each ship and love being on the ocean.

 

Truthfully, I have not had a memorable meal on any ship. Cruise ship food just isn't great, IMHO, it looks nice, but that's it. Sure, I find enough to eat....

 

Cruising has grown in leaps and bounds in the dozen years I've been aware of it. It doesn't seem as special as it used to be. I think lines just want to cram as many people on board as possible, and deal with complaints about food and prices. They've already got your money so eat, don't eat, they really don't care.

 

I cruise to get way from land life. To be taken care of for a few days. I am a vegetarian, so my food options are limited anyway, maybe that's why the food issue is kind of a nonissue for me.

Edited April 16, 2015 by klct39lg

[RocketMan275]

If the problem is with the food I will say it on the survey , stating forcefully, the fact that

the serving staff was excellent but the food was the problem !!!

 

Be very careful. It would be very easy for management to take this up with your wait staff demanding to know why they didn't fix your issues. "This passenger was very dissatisfied at your table. Why didn't you make him happy."

[RocketMan275]

I think the "downgrading" of the dining room experience is because folks are willing to pay extra for something better (specialty restaurants). If folks would STOP buying those "extras" and bitch about the quality of included meals...and maybe not cruise because of it, then things would change.

 

In a similar manner, one could argue that there should only be one class of rooms on a ship.

 

I think the "downgrading" of the cabins happens because folks are willing to pay extra for something better (larger rooms). If folks would STOP buying those "extras" and bitch about the quality of regular cabins...and maybe not cruise because of it, then things would change.

[caribbean sailor]

I've only been cruising for eight years, all of them with Royal Caribbean though.

 

The dining room food quality and service seem much the same to me now as it did back in 2007. The waiters are still friendly, and the prime rib is still rare.

 

What I do miss is the Midnight Buffets, they were so much fun and added something special to that one night.

 

What I'm especially not happy about is all this Dynamic Dining and My Time Dining nonsense. I just want to be seated at 8pm, on the same table, with the same gang each night.

 

Totally agree with you,we just want to seated in the MDR at 6pm. Have a great next cruise.They can send dynamic dining to China.:);)

[LMaxwell]

My cruising on RCI goes back to early 90s, too, when Monarch of the Seas was the newest and biggest cruise ship around.

 

The dining experience was somewhat different, but I don't remember the service or food being that much better. If you like having a "sommelier" around to push wine sales and having the menu set up for 5 courses, rather than collapsing the appetizers, soups, and salads into a "starters" course, though, it was better. Otherwise, not that much different. I've had better or worse dining room service on various cruises, but it doesn't seem to be a trend downward over time.

 

I do like having the specialty restaurants for the occasional something a little different, but we stick mostly to the main dining room.

I remember the food, the service, and the presentation all being distinctly better than today. Dinner bells. White glove service. Relaxed and personable wait staff. Strolling violinists. Baked Alaska. Real surf and turf dinners. Midnight buffets that blow away any Windjammer late night snack or pool deck party; flat put it to shame.. Sorbet between courses. Keepsake captains/formal menus. Ice carving demos pool side and then those same sculptures at the MDR entrance.

 

I really must find some old photos

[shipshape sam]

I remember the food, the service, and the presentation all being distinctly better than today. Dinner bells. White glove service. Relaxed and personable wait staff. Strolling violinists. Baked Alaska. Real surf and turf dinners. Midnight buffets that blow away any Windjammer late night snack or pool deck party; flat put it to shame.. Sorbet between courses. Keepsake captains/formal menus. Ice carving demos pool side and then those same sculptures at the MDR entrance.

 

I really must find some old photos

 

 

 

First cruise was 1998 and I miss fires in MDR. Not only Baked Alaska, but Cherries Jubilee, I think that was it. I miss the special attention/show on those nights.

 

Waiters had more time to interact with (in our case) round tables for 8, not only during serving but to talk about next day. I did notice our last cruise our waiter did have time, but I attributed that to the fact that about 1/3 of seats were empty. By second night, they knew our names and address us as such. They ask us when another table mate was late. It was also rare that table mates did not come/eat at MDR.

 

We seemed to have section maitre de come by nightly

 

Sommelier came by nightly to suggest/sell/pour wine

 

Nice large lobsters not polluted with shrimp or called Seafood Medley or something with 2nd/3rd helping encouraged, at least in our case.

 

We used to enjoy the after dinner shots that were different each night.

 

Food quality was better, IMHO. I rarely ask for a steak anymore. I do think the bread and butter still taste good when I enjoy them with a nice glass of red wine. :)

 

Food is not terrible, just not as good at a minimum as I remember. Problem is I do remember other aspects of sailing/cruising that still are great, so..........

 

I am part of the problem too as I now do try the Speciality Restaurants. :eek:

[nbsjcruiser]

Be very careful. It would be very easy for management to take this up with your wait staff demanding to know why they didn't fix your issues. "This passenger was very dissatisfied at your table. Why didn't you make him happy."

 

Exactly my point. The waiter didn't cook the food but he pays the price for it. RCL knows it which is why they get the waiter to press the customer for an excellent rating. Its unfair to the waiter and unfair to the cruiser.

[Paul65]

I remember the food, the service, and the presentation all being distinctly better than today. Dinner bells. White glove service. Relaxed and personable wait staff. Strolling violinists. Baked Alaska. Real surf and turf dinners. Midnight buffets that blow away any Windjammer late night snack or pool deck party; flat put it to shame.. Sorbet between courses. Keepsake captains/formal menus. Ice carving demos pool side and then those same sculptures at the MDR entrance.

 

I really must find some old photos

 

Yes, there are many people like you, who seem to romanticize the "old days."

 

I liked the fancy Gala Midnight Buffet and the ice and fruit/vegetable carvings. The rest is either stuff I think you're remember more fondly than it really was or was simply not anything I cared about (like keepsake menus).

[Morecruisesplz]

I think the solution is to not wait for the survey but take the issues to the Head Waiters, the Maitre di, or even higher while you are still on the ship.

 

Exactly.

[TM38Rob]

The REAL problem is people complaining and saying they're willing to pay more for better quality.

 

Steak used to edible, even good in the MDR, but not the highest quality. Somebody complained and said they were willing to pay extra for a better steak. In comes Chops Grille and other specialty restaurants on newer ships. Someone else complains that there isn't a Chops Grille on their ship, but would pay extra in the MDR for a better steak. Viola! Chops Grille steak for full price (without the Chops Grille experience) is available on the MDR menu. Not many people willing to pay extra for a steak when the "free" one is pretty decent, so they lowered the quality of the "free" steak to a barely edible piece of crap a couple years ago when they introduced the "new" menus.

 

Now they've raised the price of Chops Grille and lowered the quality, and you still have people saying they're willing to pay even more for better quality. Hello? You're already paying more. How about demanding the higher quality you are already paying for?

 

As long as there are people willing to pay more for something better, you are not going to see quality improve. Instead, you'll get current quality for paying more while everyone else will see a decrease in quality. They do this to make it look like you're getting better quality for the upcharge.

Edited April 17, 2015 by TM38Rob

[OzKiwiJJ]

W

 

I think the surveys need to be broken up into 3 areas for the MDR

1. Quality of food

2. Service in the MDR

3. Management of the MDR

 

That way you can say the food was bad without the poor waiter taking a hit on it.

 

I agree. We had wonderful service at dinner in the MDR, traditional dining. Most of the food was pleasant but not as good as on our Princess cruise, apart from four dishes.

 

Breakfast and lunch were a different story - slow service but not because of lack of effort by the waiters, they worked their butts off. It was very obvious that the MDR was understaffed at these times. The food ranged from just acceptable to poor.

[TM38Rob]

The REAL cost of cruising hasn't gotten cheaper, it's that less is included.

 

Looking back at a brochure from 1995-1996, the prices in the brochure look higher, however, they included roundtrip airfare. If there wasn't a flight to get you to the port in time on the day of the cruise, they would fly you out the day before and provide you with hotel room near the pier at no additional cost. The price would be lower for someone not needing a flight.

 

Today, you can still get your airfare through Choice Air, however, it'll cost you extra. Need to fly in a day before your cruise? You can book your hotel stay through Royal Caribbean, however, it'll cost you extra.

 

I've read here on C.C. that soda was included in the price of the cruise back in 2000. In 2008-present, you have to buy a soda package or by the can.

 

So the REAL cost of a cruise is to take everything you pay to go on a cruise today (Cruisefare, Airfare and/or ground transportation and parking, Hotel pre-cruise if needed, shore excursions, and all onboard purchases including the soda package, drinks, gratuities, shops onboard, photos, spa, and Specialty Restaurants) and add them together.

 

To compare it to the past, I would only add together the prices of things today that I would know how much they were in the past. Subtracting the extras, I would tally the total cost today of the Cruisefare, Airfare, Hotel pre-cruise, soda package, and a Specialty Restaurant or two and I would use that to compare it to the price in the 1995-1996 brochure if I had the brochure in front of me now. Although I haven't eaten at a Specialty Restaurant (not including Johnny Rockets) and they didn't exist in the mid-90's, I'm including it in today's total as the quality of food in the MDR has gone down since my first Royal Caribbean cruise in 2008. (I'm assuming the quality in the mid-90s was just as good or better than 2008.)

 

In the end, it doesn't matter. Food, price, quality, and overall cruise experience is subjective. While one person may feel they are getting good quality for a fair price, another person may feel quality is lacking because of a low price while another may feel the price is too high for the quality they are receiving.

Edited April 17, 2015 by TM38Rob

[LMaxwell]

Yes, there are many people like you, who seem to romanticize the "old days."

 

I liked the fancy Gala Midnight Buffet and the ice and fruit/vegetable carvings. The rest is either stuff I think you're remember more fondly than it really was or was simply not anything I cared about (like keepsake menus).

Well that's how they used to so it, so it's not some romanticized version.

[Paul65]

I think of it as a romanticized version, because I cruised back in the day, too, and that's not how it was for me.

[Ocean Boy]

Yes, there are many people like you, who seem to romanticize the "old days."

 

I liked the fancy Gala Midnight Buffet and the ice and fruit/vegetable carvings. The rest is either stuff I think you're remember more fondly than it really was or was simply not anything I cared about (like keepsake menus).

 

I don't miss the midnight buffets. They were fun at first but after a few cruises we stopped eating at them. And after a few more cruises we stopped even bothering to go and look at them. Why would I want a keepsake menu? It would just be one more thing to throw out at home like when I used to actually bring the Compasses home... as if I was going to pull them out and read them again.

[Paulette3028]

You can RATE the waiter for what they had control over and make COMMENTS on the things that the waiter had NO control over. It isn't that difficult.

 

I can't hold responsible the waiter for the cooking in the kitchen, he is the deliverer not the preparer.

[trev71]

 

Its a game that RCL is playing in order to fool themselves and I played right along. Well, that's not going to happen again. From now on if there are issues in the MDR I'm going to make note of it on my review. I will go out of my way to praise the waiter if they did their best. RCL needs to hear the truth, so no more sugar coating stuff from me anymore.

 

 

I agree with you 100%, our last two cruises the waiters did the excat same speech on the Allure and Oasis. I think Royal is training them to say that. I like you have always enjoyed our food servers and never had a problem with them personally. But a few of the meals in MDR were not that great, I will follow your lead for my next cruise.

[Paul65]

Why would I want a keepsake menu? It would just be one more thing to throw out at home like when I used to actually bring the Compasses home... as if I was going to pull them out and read them again.

 

I'm with you on that, but I do know that some people like to put together vacation scrapbooks and would like having that. I don't think it has mass appeal, but probably would be a nice extra to a fraction of the cruisers. I think we got a full list of the passenger names on our first cruise, which was sort of interesting, but would have some people howling about privacy, if they still did that. ;) Parts of the "old days" they just couldn't go back to, if they wanted.

[I&J Cruisers]

I agree with everyone regarding the decline in quality in the MDR of all mass market ships. We have to make up our minds. Do we want fine dining or cheap cabins. The two are mutually exclusive. We have been cruising since 1983 and have experienced many changes. The cruise product we fell in love with all those years ago still exists but at much higher prices. We can't always afford Regent or Oceania but when we do it is always a 5 star experience. On mass market lines we eat in speciality restaurants but we've been noticing that even these are often not as good as they used to be. The cruise lines are businesses. They exist to make money. They cut corners and sell you anything they think you will buy to make up for the low price of cabins. They have to make their profit somewhere. I do miss traditional dining and leisurely dinners. The high end lines have beautiful buffets with many high end choices for those that want to eat quickly