Royal Rip Off Symphony Christmas 8 night

[Morecruisesplz]

1st cruise back since cancelation of last Christmas because of Covid. 40th cruise with Royal, but this is not what we called cruising in the past. Paid extra for a Christmas cruise never being told that most everything could or would be canceled!

Embarkation day: went to Chops to make reservations (nothing was available Pre-cruise) only to find out that Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and probably New Years Eve ALL specialalty restaurants priced at $120 -- just cause they could! Okay, so Christmas in the Windjammer was fine! Then all this..

- booked a central park balcony to watch Aqua Theater shows from balcony avoiding close contact BUT ALL aqua theater shows were canceled. Guest services said that those crew members signed out of their contracts last cruise. (No one knew and planned for replacements?) No, all you get are really old movies or doggie youtube stuff all day long.

NO Broadway shows

NO music whatsoever in Boleros

NO music in Prmenade

NO parades or  events in Promenade

NO On Air activities 

NO Sailaway party 

NO belly flop contests or game shows - cruise director is MIA

Everytime I went to guest services to speak to a manager, they were all "in meetings." 

Finally tonight, day 6, I said that I would wait and refused to move from the counter. Finally a manager arrived, listened to my complaints and repeated what must be rehearsed as the company line: "We apologize but it is our practice not to offer compensation for things beyond our control." I said, so no one knew all the aqua theater staff's were ending or all the Royal singers and dancers? "No sir."

I call ****! He seemed amazed when I said that I would never want his job. "Why, I love my job" he replied. I said how can you tell a repeat customer that you owe them nothing more than riding around at sea and food to eat? Do you not understand why people cruise?

IMHO, Royal saw a chance to increase profits by cutting out entertainment and hoping no one would complain.

 

 

[matt1]

🍿

[AustinCruise]

My experience is dining is always more expensive on the holidays, yes, because they can. Many restaurants we go to on land also switch to a price fixed over priced menu on holidays.

 

It also has been mentioned here many times for months that that none of the ships have had belly flop contest, or organized pool deck parties, no saillway parties, the quest, or parades in promenade. So no surprise there.

 

The rest of it sucks.  And my guess is it isn't contracts ending, it's that they were quarantine for covid.

Edited December 29, 2021 by AustinCruise

[matt1]

ELEVEN PAGES OF DISCUSSION OVER HERE:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2820364-symphony-terrible-no-shows-covid/

 

😵‍💫

[firefly333]

4 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

 booked a central park balcony to watch Aqua Theater shows from balcony avoiding close contact BUT ALL aqua theater shows were canceled. Guest services said that those crew members signed out of their contracts last cruise. (No one knew and planned for replacements?) No, all you get are really old movies or doggie youtube stuff all day long.

 

 

I havent been on this ship but wouldnt you book a broadway balcony at the end to see the diving show? That's what I'm doing on allure.

 

Is your cruise the one that got obc and a fcc? So it's not like you got no compensation.

 

I've never done a xmas cruise because my family doesnt cruise, but agree this would be a bit of a bummer. Sorry for your disappointment. 

[badvector]

Just wondering.

 

1 - What's the current over/under on threads regarding a horrible holiday cruise?  

 

and

 

2 - Does the font get incredibly smaller at the bottom of the post or have I had way too many drinks tonight?

[Tolkmit]

They couldn't plan for the performers leaving, because they didn't expect them to get Covid. In order for ships to be allowed into ports, they have to have a certain low enough percentage of positive cases within the last X number of days. So they moved all of the positive cases from last cruise off of the ship.

[Morecruisesplz]

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

I havent been on this ship but wouldnt you book a broadway balcony at the end to see the diving show? That's what I'm doing on allure.

 

Is your cruise the one that got obc and a fcc? So it's not like you got no compensation.

 

I've never done a xmas cruise because my family doesnt cruise, but agree this would be a bit of a bummer. Sorry for your disappointment. 

Yes, in a boardwalk balcony. Sorry!

No OBC or FCC and they deny it happened on the other cruise. I asked.

[MrMarc]

I understand you are upset, but all of these things have been happening for months, and getting progressively worse. And from my experience, acting that way at the customer service desk is more likely to get you banned from RCCL then get whatever you were trying to get. They actually don't owe any compensation per the cruise contract, which I agree sucks, but they cannot afford to keep giving away money they don't actually owe.   The increased prices are nothing new.   And to be honest, your theory about entertainment is crazy.

Edited December 29, 2021 by MrMarc
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[Morecruisesplz]

2 minutes ago, Tolkmit said:

They couldn't plan for the performers leaving, because they didn't expect them to get Covid. In order for ships to be allowed into ports, they have to have a certain low enough percentage of positive cases within the last X number of days. So they moved all of the positive cases from last cruise off of the ship.

Who said covid?

[MrMarc]

6 minutes ago, badvector said:

Just wondering.

 

1 - What's the current over/under on threads regarding a horrible holiday cruise?  

 

and

 

2 - Does the font get incredibly smaller at the bottom of the post or have I had way too many drinks tonight?

I have no idea what you are talking about.  It's all the same size to me.

[MrMarc]

2 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Who said covid?

You might have heard about it in the news.  And if they actually did quit, no, they don't keep trained and practiced entertainment teams sitting around in case some quit.  I understand your frustration, but please.

[Morecruisesplz]

Just now, MrMarc said:

You might have heard about it in the news.  And if they actually did quit, no, they don't keep trained and practiced entertainment teams sitting around in case some quit.  I understand your frustration, but please.

My point: they didn't blame covid so where did you read that? Have you cruised 40 times with Royal? They are constantly hiring new singers and dancers and training them in FL. Take the behind the scenes tour on your next cruise. Watch, listen and learn.

[cruisegus]

OP are you an Ostrich,  have you had your head in the sand the last 20 months?

 

We are still in the midst of a worldwide Pandemic. 

 

You took a risk and now all you want to do is complain.  Hope you feel better now that you got that off your chest.

 

BTW currently on a Royal cruise ship and happy to be here!!

[Morecruisesplz]

7 minutes ago, MrMarc said:

I have no idea what you are talking about.  It's all the same size to me.

I am not sure about over/under but we have been on many enjoyable Christmas cruises. Just fyi.

[Tolkmit]

7 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Who said covid?

 

The news stories prior to your cruise starting, the other threads about Symphony both this cruise and last, and the performers themselves on instagram. Believe most of the infected crew are being moved to Vision of the Seas; though I'm sure some those near their contract ending are just quarantining on land then being sent home.

[Morecruisesplz]

Just now, cruisegus said:

OP are you an Ostrich,  have you had your head in the sand the last 20 months?

 

We are still in the midst of a worldwide Pandemic. 

 

You took a risk and now all you want to do is complain.  Hope you feel better now that you got that off your chest.

 

BTW currently on a Royal cruise ship and happy to be here!!

A cheerleader! Amazing. 

[Morecruisesplz]

Just now, Tolkmit said:

 

The news stories prior to your cruise starting, the other threads about Symphony both this cruise and last, and the performers themselves on instagram. Believe most of the infected crew are being moved to Vision of the Seas; though I'm sure some those near their contract ending are just quarantining on land then being sent home.

Have heard nothing about covid on this cruise.

[3kidsncats]

11 minutes ago, MrMarc said:

I have no idea what you are talking about.  It's all the same size to me.

The font is smaller once he starts his list at “no Broadway shows”

[firefly333]

What worries me is thinking we havent gotten thru the worst of it yet. Sigh

 

People like me would still cruise but I've seen the shows and go for the ocean. But I would be frustrated if everything was closed. ..thanks for your input. 

[Morecruisesplz]

2 minutes ago, 3kidsncats said:

The font is smaller once he starts his list at “no Broadway shows”

Probably looks different on different monitors or phones.

[AL3XCruise]

31 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

IMHO, Royal saw a chance to increase profits by cutting out entertainment and hoping no one would complain.

 Because Royal would pick the Christmas cruise on their largest ship to suddenly employ this new "strategy".

[MrMarc]

Just now, fredmdcruisers said:

My point: they didn't blame covid so where did you read that? Have you cruised 40 times with Royal? They are constantly hiring new singers and dancers and training them in FL. Take the behind the scenes tour on your next cruise. Watch, listen and learn.

No I haven't.  How many points do you have to get to have unrealistic expectations and make up conspiracy theories?  Yes the are always hiring and training people, but they cannot replace an entire show, especially the diving shows, instantly.  A person or 2 and given practice time together, possibly.  The entire show, no way.  I have heard COVID in other threads and I believe on the news.  If 1 performer gets COVID, they all have to quarantine because they are always in close contact.   The same thing would probably be true for the techs and safety people.  And it is also quite possible that they decided as a group that they were not comfortable on the ship.   I have taken the tour and understand how shows like that work even without taking the tour.  You don't just throw a group together and start a show.  There is a lot more to it than that.  But you've been on 40 cruises, so if you say it, it must be true.  Do you realize that the people on their 1st cruise had the same experiences you did?

[3kidsncats]

3 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

A cheerleader! Amazing. 

Very sorry that you did not get the experience you’ve been dreaming about for the past two years, but someone pointing out the very real post covid issues, and their impact on pretty much everything is not someone being a cheerleader.  It’s just plain reality, and something everyone should factor into their travel decisions.  If rolling with the covid punches is not something one is prepared to do, they probably shouldn’t travel yet.  It’s a recipe for dissatisfaction if you expect the experience to be what you are used to pre-covid

[DevonfromAcme]

Dude. Guest services lied to you. Covid is rampant on the ship among the crew. The entertainment didn’t end their contracts. They’re being quarantined for Covid. 
 

19 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Who said covid?