Does RCL still care about Special Events?

[Big Beer Gut]

In the past I thought there was some place in the reservation to indicate that you are celebrating some special event on the cruise, I can't seem to find the place to provide that information. Can someone help or doesn't RCL care if I'm celebrating a birthday, anniversary, etc?

[Merion_Mom]

In the past I thought there was some place in the reservation to indicate that you are celebrating some special event on the cruise, I can't seem to find the place to provide that information. Can someone help or doesn't RCL care if I'm celebrating a birthday, anniversary, etc?

 

No, they don't care. If you want to order a cake or decorations, you do that on their website through Gifts & Gear.

 

It is up to you to whisper to your waiters at dinner ("it's my daughter's birthday tomorrow, could you put a candle on her dessert?") or some such thing.

[spookwife]

EVERYONE is celebrating something.

 

if you want an acknowledgement by the ship's staff then you have to pay for or do it yourself.

[bouhunter]

EVERYONE is celebrating something.

 

if you want an acknowledgement by the ship's staff then you have to pay for or do it yourself.

 

Yep. With up to 6000 people onboard it makes no sense for them to do something for every birthday, anniversary etc.

[Lionesss]

This is so true.

 

I remember celebrating our DD's 16th. birthday on board................to bad it wasnt her birthday:D.

 

She had fun though.

 

 

On a side note:

 

We have a bad habit when we go out to dinner with friends when the first person goes to the bathroom we tell the waiter that it is their birthday, so when we do get desert served (we pay for it of course) the wait staff sings happy birthday.

Very few people in our circle of friends ever leaves the dinner table, because they are on to this, and we have an enjoyable evening.

 

 

Safe travels.

[Big Beer Gut]

Yep. With up to 6000 people onboard it makes no sense for them to do something for every birthday, anniversary etc.

 

I'm really not sure that I understand the numbers. Is it really that much different than being on the Sovereign with 2000 passengers and the dining room 1/3 the size? Everyone was celebrating something 10 years ago and RCL found a way.

 

I guess the opportunity for RCL to make a few extra dollars is the best reason. Maybe I'll just bring my own candle and play a recording of Happy Birthday from my phone.

[Retired LEO]

You also have to keep in mind that dining today isn't what it use to be. Use to be early dining and late dining. They knew where you were and what time you were there.

Now with MTD, Specialty restaurants, and what not you could be anywhere at any given time. They can't chase you around the ship to find out where you are and what time you're eating.

[Big Beer Gut]

You also have to keep in mind that dining today isn't what it use to be. Use to be early dining and late dining. They knew where you were and what time you were there.

Now with MTD, Specialty restaurants, and what not you could be anywhere at any given time. They can't chase you around the ship to find out where you are and what time you're eating.

 

I think you under estimate RCL. They track every time my seapass card is swiped. They know where I am for every dinner reservation and they know when I check in. I understand that if a passenger goes to the Windjammer they won't hunt them down but they should be able to find anyone in the MDR or specialty restaurants.

[setsail]

Every time we book they always ask us if we are celebrating anything.

[gerif]

They used to give free cakes but then you had those who SAID it was their birthday or someone in their party's birthday just to get the free cake and the attention. That's why they stopped.

[Merion_Mom]

I think you under estimate RCL. They track every time my seapass card is swiped. They know where I am for every dinner reservation and they know when I check in. I understand that if a passenger goes to the Windjammer they won't hunt them down but they should be able to find anyone in the MDR or specialty restaurants.

 

No one said that they "can't". They just "don't". See gerif's answer above. :)

[agentcorona]

Just speak to a live person.

[Mnamom1105]

When DH reserved our cruise during my b'day, there was a spot to put in the reservation we were celebrating a b'day. I was turning 40 and celebrated - I ordered a cheap "tiara" off amazon with big purple "40" and wore all day - so the whole boat knew it was my b'day. Our staff didn't even have to ask thanks to my tiara and I was brought dessert with a candle and was sang to.

 

When DH also booked our anniversary cruise, he put in that we will be celebrating our anniversary. I think I will decorate our door, but not sure I will have us wearing anything to "announce" it....

 

But all you have to do is mention it to the staff.....

[rednancy1]

I recently celebrated a birthday on a cruise ship. The waiters sang happy birthday to me, the HD sent me a bottle of wine and the Concierge sent me a bottle of champagne. Very very nice I must say. :):)

[cb at sea]

The last 2 times we had a birthday onboard, nothin'. The 1st time, a small cake was brought to the table at dinner...without BUYING it!

 

Nowadays, if you want something special done, you'll have to purchase some sort of package.

[spookwife]

They used to give free cakes but then you had those who SAID it was their birthday or someone in their party's birthday just to get the free cake and the attention. That's why they stopped.

 

 

yeap. when you scam free stuff over and over again eventually they get tired of being taken advantage of. not to mention all that singing and rigmarole takes the staff away from the other guests and their service suffers.

[mollyeilis]

It's on the cruiseline if they irritated themselves by bringing free stuff to people whose birthday it wasn't. They, after all, have our birthdate information right there in front of them. :)

 

 

Our TA asked about our upcoming cruise. We are taking it b/c of Dh's birthday, and we'll be enjoying a sea day ON his b'day. It's right there on our reservation, too, that we're celebrating his b'day.

 

I think I'll buy him a tiara. ;)

[bobmacliberty]

DW planned ahead for a bday dinner for me in Giovanni's Table on Freedom last summer. She even mentioned it to the hostess when we were seated. They completely forgot. After they had served dessert, she reminded our server about my bday. They then brought out a piece of cake and 2 of the wait staff sang.

 

Moral of the story...Notify them in advance, notify them again the evening of the special occasion, and then cross your fingers.

[protindo]

Notifying in advance makes no difference. We returned from the Grandeur for the Thanksgiving cruise. We celebrated our 50 th wedding anniversary. The ship did nothing. We stayed in the owners suite. Our cabin steward left the towel love birds the wrong day. Done with Royal Caribbean.

[protindo]

Notifying in advance makes no difference. We returned from the Grandeur for the Thanksgiving cruise. We celebrated our 50 th wedding anniversary. The ship did nothing. We stayed in the owners suite. Our cabin steward left the towel love birds the wrong day. Done with Royal Caribbean.

[Retired LEO]

DW planned ahead for a bday dinner for me in Giovanni's Table on Freedom last summer. She even mentioned it to the hostess when we were seated. They completely forgot. After they had served dessert, she reminded our server about my bday. They then brought out a piece of cake and 2 of the wait staff sang.

 

Moral of the story...Notify them in advance, notify them again the evening of the special occasion, and then cross your fingers.

 

I had the same sort of thing happen.

I notified the waiter at dinner that the following day was my wife's birthday.

A wink and "No problem sir, we'll take care of it".

The following night we eat, onto desert, and nothing.

The next night as we walk into the dining room the waiter had a look of horror on his face. He realized they forgot the birthday the previous night. I told him not to worry about it as he looked scared to death.

One day late but they took care of it that night.

I do this every August and my wife hates it. Oh well, she gets me back in October the same way. :D

[h20skibum]

That is one of the things I liked about the customer service at Princess. I had to call them before our cruise last year to correct a spelling on the middle names so they matched our passports (not editable after entering on their site). The customer service rep noted that I just had a birthday and aked if they could do something special for me.

 

When we boarded, they had the cabin door decorated with signs and balloons, and they provided a cake and candles at one of our dinners. Didn't even have to ask for them. Never had that happen on Royal, although we sailed during birthdays before.

[Thetrail]

I think you under estimate RCL. They track every time my seapass card is swiped. They know where I am for every dinner reservation and they know when I check in. I understand that if a passenger goes to the Windjammer they won't hunt them down but they should be able to find anyone in the MDR or specialty restaurants.

Logistically would be a nightmare and secondly as was posted earlier if your that worried about it, go online, pay for the celebration, not that hard.

[Cruising_Tiger]

Logistically would be a nightmare and secondly as was posted earlier if your that worried about it, go online, pay for the celebration, not that hard.

 

It's not that hard to do things like Princess does in an earlier post. Bottom line is that RCL really doesn't't care. Maybe another reason to switch to a different cruise line

[Paulette3028]

Notifying in advance makes no difference. We returned from the Grandeur for the Thanksgiving cruise. We celebrated our 50 th wedding anniversary. The ship did nothing. We stayed in the owners suite. Our cabin steward left the towel love birds the wrong day. Done with Royal Caribbean.

 

I had the same sort of thing happen.

I notified the waiter at dinner that the following day was my wife's birthday.

A wink and "No problem sir, we'll take care of it".

The following night we eat, onto desert, and nothing.

The next night as we walk into the dining room the waiter had a look of horror on his face. He realized they forgot the birthday the previous night. I told him not to worry about it as he looked scared to death.

One day late but they took care of it that night.

I do this every August and my wife hates it. Oh well, she gets me back in October the same way. :D

 

We were on a cruise with friends having early dinner in the MDR, who had ordered a cake for wife's birthday. We were at a table for 8, and on the first night after everyone had dessert, a cake arrives and the waiter sings "Happy Birthday". Without looking at the cake to see the name written on it, my friend tells the waiter not to cut the cake, just bring it back the next night and no one will order dessert, since everyone had already had dessert. Waiter says fine. We all finish our dessert, but Dave comments that the cake he ordered was delivered the wrong night. We just figured that with all the confusion of first night dinner it got mixed up....no problem, a birthday celebration over 2 nights is just fine.

 

Next night, cake arrives for dessert. When Dave and Denise look at the cake it is for Barbie. There were two seats at our table for guests who had not shown up, and one of these were Barbie. Dave had ordered a cake for Denise and the waiter was so embarrassed by delivering the wrong cake to the wrong person on the wrong day. Dave and Denise, took it all with good humor. However the Maitre D' did not. He embarrassed the waiter beyond belief and accused Dave of taking a cake that he had not ordered. I however told the HD that the behavior of the Maitre D' was deplorable. Well Barbie and her significant other never appeared at dinner, ever. Except for the fact that for the rest of the cruise we called Denise, Barbie.

 

Our table had a lot of fun with Barbie/Denise.....the cake snafu did not make the cruise any less enjoyable or fun....actually maybe its' own twice.

 

Life is just too short to get worked up over a cake.