So disappointed in Royal Caribbean

[Pacific Sandy]

We have just completed a 10 day Caribbean cruise on Serenade of the Seas. Hadn't cruised in a while and we noticed a huge difference in the services on board.

1. Our food in Reflections was always cold.

2. You couldn't get a drink to save your soul. There was a terrible lack of servers in the bars and lounges. The only way to get a drink was to go up to the bar and then you could wait up to 20 minutes. The poor Bartenders tried their best but couldn't keep up.

3. Hardly any deck parties. No party in the Centrum on the final night.

4. Super Bowl party out on deck had only chips and salsa and cold hot dogs.

5. Really focussed on getting money out of you. Constant announcements for spa/art auctions, etc.

6. Staff not nearly as friendly as they used to be.

 

We will try again, but I couldn't believe the difference.

[Shep_Proudfoot]

Many of those negatives sound similar to my 1/29 sailing on Jewel of the Seas, my review of which just posted today by the way.

 

Hopefully RC takes notice.

 

 

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[Retired LEO]

Just off the Rhapsody and your assessment is spot on.

[knittinggirl]

Constant announcements are why we hide out in our JS.

 

But I hate the sales pitches. On day 4- 5, we had someone begging us to do specialty dining. And if they'd let us use one of our BOGOs on day 4 or 5 like usual, they wouldn't have needed to beg later in the cruise.

 

I just walk past them all, and don't hear them. Not too hard w/ all the noise pollution.

 

Don't know if we'll do another Freedom Class ship. Both times we've cruised them, we hear "no" too often.

[ONECRUISER]

Lack of servers is common now on Royal ships, think drink package and cost savings are to blame. I never had cold meals, not sure server issue but also I'm always first in dining room and single might be reason my food/soups usually too hot. Then with Serenade reason I like it but others won't its a quieter cruise, 10/11 nite cruise more laid back...

[tserface]

We haven't noticed any problems with cold food, but the ability to get a drink is definitely more of an issue than in the past. I think with the drink packages they figure making it more difficult to get a drink actually saves them $$$ in the long run (they already have the money and tips from the package).

 

I've found that since we don't buy the packages, that once a server knows that they come to us quickly if we go to the same bar. They also respond to getting extra tips.

 

Tom

[sunseeker551]

Just off the Allure (January) & the Enchantment (last week) and we found the same thing, specifically the bar service, the constant push to spend, the lack of friendliness of staff & especially the declining quality of food. We have two cruises booked at the moment but have been discussing all morning whether or not to cancel them. We were wondering if we should try another cruise line, but from what I've been reading on these forums today, it seems to be industry-wide. Perhaps time to try another type of vacation?

[papaflamingo]

We got off Oasis last week and I have to say our experience was the opposite (surprisingly after early reviews). We had a table for 12 in the MDR, second seating and the meals were all very good. Bar service was never an issue for us. And to be honest there were fewer "sales pitches" than in the past. I'm surprised because I always found the smaller ships better in the service dept.

[Granny DI]

We're now sailing on the RCL Liberty of the Seas in an owner's suite. My DH just told me no more suites on RCL! The only thing you get is a nice cabin. There is NOTHING special. The coffee maker was an after thought so has to be plugged in next to the bed. It only makes one cup but the only packets they have are for 4 cups...so you pour out the first two to get the right strength. We're going back to NCL. The Haven is a special place and the aft suites on the away ships are amazing. RCL hasn't figured out the Suite Life yet. We are diamond plus so our goodies come from being Diamond. There is a huge suite lounge but they don't check cards. It is nothing special like the old concierge lounges. I think RCL is cutting back in the wrong areas.

[funship freddy]

Just off the Allure (January) & the Enchantment (last week) and we found the same thing, specifically the bar service, the constant push to spend, the lack of friendliness of staff & especially the declining quality of food. We have two cruises booked at the moment but have been discussing all morning whether or not to cancel them. We were wondering if we should try another cruise line, but from what I've been reading on these forums today, it seems to be industry-wide. Perhaps time to try another type of vacation?

 

 

You might be spot on but having sailed Allure in April (Divina in October and Silhouette in January) I haven't seen a major difference. Maybe just lucky.

There is no doubt they are focusing on incremental revenues. I find that the auto tip (for our convenience) has degraded the entire experience.

 

 

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[troykahack]

I must be on a different ship. We had a wonderful time on Serenade 11/21 sailing as did we on Allure 1/29 sailing.

 

Serenade did have a few issues in MDR. We took the Galley tour and the Sous Chief said he had 50 job openings between cooks and waiters. His opinion was that young people just don't want to work these days. You see it on TV everyday. It is a new world we live in. Otherwise, Serenade was otherwise awesome!!! People need to get a job and be productive. Royal has many for them.

 

Allure.... only issues we had was with cruisers, not Royal or staff. Some people in line for Park Cafe are mindless. We were in line for ten minutes to grab a salad and Roast Beef Slider and then someone said two years ago there was two lines, one for salad and one for sliders.... so he proceeded to form a line at the sliders and almost created a fight. One line was working fine and moving... most people grabbed a salad and then a slider. Just rude people.

 

The elevators..... people are clueless about elevator behavior. People in the back can't get off unless those in the front don't move out of the way.

[sunseeker551]

You might be spot on but having sailed Allure in April (Divina in October and Silhouette in January) I haven't seen a major difference. Maybe just lucky.

There is no doubt they are focusing on incremental revenues. I find that the auto tip (for our convenience) has degraded the entire experience.

 

 

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The auto tipping and the beverage packages are responsible for most of it IMHO. We had the beverage package but also tipped (cash) for our drinks and we rarely even got acknowledgement, much less a "thank you" (with the exception of a few great bartenders/servers).

[troykahack]

The auto tipping and the beverage packages are responsible for most of it IMHO. We had the beverage package but also tipped (cash) for our drinks and we rarely even got acknowledgement, much less a "thank you" (with the exception of a few great bartenders/servers).

 

WOW....we tip at least a $1 cash a drink, sometimes more. If they acknowledge me by name and drink, it is $5 cash the first time. We have never had an issue with bartenders during a cruise. It is strange that you tip cash and don't get acknowledgement . Not saying it doesn't happen, just hasn't happened to us and we did 5 cruises last year and we did 33 nights and I like to drink.

[Lizcourt]

We're now sailing on the RCL Liberty of the Seas in an owner's suite. My DH just told me no more suites on RCL! The only thing you get is a nice cabin. There is NOTHING special. The coffee maker was an after thought so has to be plugged in next to the bed. It only makes one cup but the only packets they have are for 4 cups...so you pour out the first two to get the right strength. We're going back to NCL. The Haven is a special place and the aft suites on the away ships are amazing. RCL hasn't figured out the Suite Life yet. We are diamond plus so our goodies come from being Diamond. There is a huge suite lounge but they don't check cards. It is nothing special like the old concierge lounges. I think RCL is cutting back in the wrong areas.

 

I love Royal Caribbean, and at one time, after my first Dawn cruise (not in a suite) swore I'd never sail NCL again. But then I sailed the "suite life" on the NCL Gem, and I have to say that at the time NCL was the only cruise line I've ever sailed (including Cunard) that really got it right. The Haven area, the superb service of the butlers, and the superlative cabins (ours on the Gem had three separate bedrooms, a huge separate patio area with a full-sized hot tub and a fabulous living room) beat even the Royal Loft on the Oasis. However, that was before the adoption of the current Royal Suite enhancements. We're back on Oasis in star class next week (can't wait) and if the suite amenities and service come anywhere near NCL (which has really made its suite service the place where they stand out in the industry) then it's RCCL full time for us once again, as the rest of the NCL ship outside the suite areas don't hold a candle to all the Oasis has to offer.

[sunseeker551]

WOW....we tip at least a $1 cash a drink, sometimes more. If they acknowledge me by name and drink, it is $5 cash the first time. We have never had an issue with bartenders during a cruise. It is strange that you tip cash and don't get acknowledgement . Not saying it doesn't happen, just hasn't happened to us and we did 5 cruises last year and we did 33 nights and I like to drink.

 

My husband was in the hospitality industry for many years and owned his own restaurant. He's very cheery & outgoing....not some grumpy, demanding patron, so our experience can't be blamed on that. I just asked him if I was wrong in my statement above (as he handled the tipping...I just observed) and he said absolutely not. He said if we do take the next two cruises, he'll definitely be more selective with his tipping. It should be given for good service...this mandatory (18%!!!) tipping is getting out of hand, but I'll leave it at that.