Disappointing Experience on Wonder

[BecciBoo]

Firstly, we had 16 on our family cruise, two tables of eight were just fine, can't really converse with all 12 people anyway, can you?  Seriously?  We switched it up every night so everyone could talk to everybody at least 2 or 3 times.  No problemo!But I do sympathise with the chartered cruise group.  Been on plenty of Quinceaneras out of Texas that were annoying in the extreme.  Never let that bother us, it's the luck of the draw....Keep calm and cruise on.

 

Just finished the thread and I have to say, none of the things mentioned really bothers us...we just plow on.  Usually having too much fun to even notice...but really, nobody has any control, control is an illusion.  You just gotta go with the flow.  There have been annoying things happen on a few cruises, but like I always say, make lemonade.  I guess I'm just too self absorbed enjoying myself to take much note.  I would certainly never let that keep me from cruising our line.

Edited February 3, 2023 by BecciBoo

[matj2000]

I just cannot believe you wasted all that time writing a compliant that long.

 

Most people will not read it because of the length...

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, allisonb22 said:

I just wish we were told ahead of time! 

I think they dont tell you about charters on purpose. They know some would cancel.

 

I was the 11th at a ten top my last cruise which was on allure. The other 10 were a family group. The never got around to fixing this and giving me a fixed seat. I booked as soon as the cruise came out, so it wasnt lack of notice. Mdr and bad supervisors were the biggest let down for me. I actually am friends with the adults at the 10 top. They cant count to put 11 at a table with 10 chairs. 

 

They say since covid dont expect so much. Standards are lower. Idk if celebrity is one of your upcoming but pax over there also complaining.  

[Tlbecker1]

2 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Yeshiva week cruise with venues closed for Kosher dining.

That was also our experience on the Quantum last September, I was surprised that the Solarium was closed the entire time.

[Merion_Mom]

37 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

On the Fall TA, there were also a couple of large groups. They kind of took over the solarium, but I found plenty of other places to go.  Besides the Bistro being closed for Pinnacles, sometimes the Music Hall was also closed for them. It really did not affect my enjoyment of the ship. I loved her. But I still think I enjoy the Ovation more. Just a personal preference.

 

LOL.  Isn't that because of the convenience?  😉 

[SherriZ366]

3 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Yeshiva week cruise with venues closed for Kosher dining.

I keep track of large groups and try not to book during those weeks.  I'm Jewish but I've avoided Yeshiva week because of the number of kids and restaurants being closed so that kosher food can be prepared according to dietary rules.  

 

I check on the Google my dates to make sure that there aren't large groups on the ships.  

Edited February 3, 2023 by SherriZ366

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, DustFSU said:

Like you stated after multiple comments, it's NOT Royal's fault, so you shouldn't hold it against them since you are loyal to royal.  You never know what can happen most of the time from cruise to cruise. Large groups, bad weather, rude people, over crowded areas.  The last cruise I did on the Allure was packed to the brim.  Was it frustrating, sometimes, but I didn't let if effect my trip because I expected the ship to be full.  Was the food not the greatest some nights in the MDR, no, but hey I didn't have to cook it.  Unfortunately I don't think you are going to get high quality food in the MDR or the Windjammer on any cruise, because the vendor's aren't providing that for the cruise lines anymore.  It also has to do with cost with the economy now.  Prices have gone way up for even stuff that use to be a few dollars.  Just think of how much each cruise they have to spend on food to feed everyone.  Cruises are cheap, but they try to make it affordable to people with medium sized families.  I live in FL and the cost of Disney and their parks and food is unreal.  Is the food good at Disney for the value, sure isn't.  What we would spend in the parks to get in, food and to stay somewhere for only 3 days I could get for the cost of a week long cruise.  They only have tables of a max of 10, so the person on the phone told you wrong information.  We are doing a summer Alaskan cruise and we have 19 going.  We know we will have to have 2 tables.  Each night you could just rotated where you sat because realistically if you were at a 12 person table you could really only probably talk to 4 people at a time or you would have to shout down to the end of the table.  It is kind of a bummer that the group took over the whole Solarium area.  Just remember, every cruise won't be perfect and you just have to make the best of it as you can.  Royal's business is really booming because of the experience and quality the have in the business.  Next time you have a big group go down to the MDR  on the first day and talk to the head waiter and see what they can do. I have found from reading on here the people on the phone aren't always great help.  I hope you have a good experience on the other two lines you try out. 

Sounds like a lot of excuses for several things that ARE Royal's fault.

[Newcruiser215]

I find it odd that on a site called Cruise Critic, people can’t be critical. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Newcruiser215

[John&LaLa]

Shame you didn't do a Live review @allisonb22

 

Never mind, just read it. Kinda died after two days. Shame. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by John&LaLa

[ReneeFLL]

 

4 hours ago, flamingos said:

Yeah, I don't want to be on a cruise with any large group, I don't care who they are.  

Same here.

 

3 hours ago, flamingos said:

If you don't know about religious school holidays, how would you know that late January is going to be overrun with kids?  For the average cruiser, that's not something that's common knowledge.

Agreed. I would have thought it would have less kids. 
 

3 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

Take a cruise that boards or disembarks on a Saturday.

Why does this make a difference? Not trying to be sarcastic, but truly want to know. 
 

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

Last Odyssey transatlantic cruise - the Solarium Bistro was closed to everyone but Pinnacles.

 

There would have been no way to research that beforehand.

 

And I believe that "a few people"  were "mildly annoyed".  🤣🤣🤣

Why would the Solarium be closed for Pinnacles? We’re they not allowed in CK or was it for their  lounge?

[gluecksbaer]

44 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Why does this make a difference? Not trying to be sarcastic, but truly want to know. 

This particular group is said to been a "Yeshiva week" group.  Yeshiva's are schools for orthodox Jews who strictly observe a Saturday sabbath so they wouldn't choose a cruise that started or ended on a Saturday.

[DallasGuy75219]

32 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Why does this make a difference? Not trying to be sarcastic, but truly want to know. 

Saturday is the Sabbath in Judaism.  Not Jewish here, but my understanding observant Jews are supposed to minimize activities not related to the Sabbath.  In essence, they can't do many of the things they would normally do any other day of the week.  As opposed to a practicing Catholic who just has to go to mass on the Christian Sabbath (Sunday).

 

To non-Jews many of these restrictions sound archaic, if not (and I'm not trying to be offensive here) ridiculous.  For example, I Googled "Jewish Sabbath rules", and one of the results was "On Shabbat one may not carry or transfer objects between a "reshut ha-yachid" (private, enclosed domain, such as the house); and a "reshut ha-rabim" (public domain, such as the street). Neither may one carry an object in a reshut ha-rabim for more than four cubits (six feet)." 

 

So this would seem to preclude embarking or debarking a cruise ship on the Sabbath due to the associated (un)packing and movement of luggage.

[ReneeFLL]

7 minutes ago, gluecksbaer said:

This particular group is said to been a "Yeshiva week" group.  Yeshiva's are schools for orthodox Jews who strictly observe a Saturday sabbath so they wouldn't choose a cruise that started or ended on a Saturday.

Thanks for the info.

 

4 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Saturday is the Sabbath in Judaism.  Not Jewish here, but my understanding observant Jews are supposed to minimize activities not related to the Sabbath.  In essence, they can't do many of the things they would normally do any other day of the week.  As opposed to a practicing Catholic who just has to go to mass on the Christian Sabbath (Sunday).

 

To non-Jews many of these restrictions sound archaic, if not (and I'm not trying to be offensive here) ridiculous.  For example, I Googled "Jewish Sabbath rules", and one of the results was "On Shabbat one may not carry or transfer objects between a "reshut ha-yachid" (private, enclosed domain, such as the house); and a "reshut ha-rabim" (public domain, such as the street). Neither may one carry an object in a reshut ha-rabim for more than four cubits (six feet)." 

 

So this would seem to preclude embarking or debarking a cruise ship on the Sabbath due to the associated (un)packing and movement of luggage.

Thanks for the info.

[Thisguylikestocruise]

I board Wonder this Sunday, and today we went to Disney. I thought a weekday in February would be a good time to visit Disney. I was so wrong! It was EXTREMELY crowded. I’ve been there many times, and it’s the worst I’ve seen it. Elbow to elbow crowds. Boxed in by double strollers or electric scooters at every turn.Totally overwhelmed and exhausted. I feel like it’s unsafe. If there was an emergency, people would get trampled in the park. Ready for a relaxing cruise. After my experience at Disney today, I’m sure getting on Wonder this week will feel much more relaxing.

[DallasGuy75219]

3 hours ago, matj2000 said:

I just cannot believe you wasted all that time writing a compliant that long.

 

Most people will not read it because of the length...

I just cannot believe you criticized someone for being critical on a site called Cruise Critic.

[Starry Eyes]

A few years ago we unknowingly sailed Yeshiva week on Oasis. There were more kids than we expected yet we had a nice cruise.  
 

Switching cruise lines will not prevent you from encountering partial ship charters.  On another line we learned after boarding that a jazz charter had much of the ship; many venues were closed so we could not enjoy the facilities or the music.  Due to the larger number of closures, that was much more disruptive than Yeshiva week.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

Why would the Solarium be closed for Pinnacles? We’re they not allowed in CK or was it for their  lounge?

 

Solarium Bistro became their CK. Well over 200 onboard 

[renza]

23 minutes ago, Thisguylikestocruise said:

I board Wonder this Sunday, and today we went to Disney. I thought a weekday in February would be a good time to visit Disney. I was so wrong! It was EXTREMELY crowded. I’ve been there many times, and it’s the worst I’ve seen it. Elbow to elbow crowds. Boxed in by double strollers or electric scooters at every turn.Totally overwhelmed and exhausted. I feel like it’s unsafe. If there was an emergency, people would get trampled in the park. Ready for a relaxing cruise. After my experience at Disney today, I’m sure getting on Wonder this week will feel much more relaxing.

Disney is alway a crowded mess. I live in Florida and would never go again. 

[Spurschick]

4 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Saturday is the Sabbath in Judaism.  Not Jewish here, but my understanding observant Jews are supposed to minimize activities not related to the Sabbath.  In essence, they can't do many of the things they would normally do any other day of the week.  As opposed to a practicing Catholic who just has to go to mass on the Christian Sabbath (Sunday).

 

To non-Jews many of these restrictions sound archaic, if not (and I'm not trying to be offensive here) ridiculous.  For example, I Googled "Jewish Sabbath rules", and one of the results was "On Shabbat one may not carry or transfer objects between a "reshut ha-yachid" (private, enclosed domain, such as the house); and a "reshut ha-rabim" (public domain, such as the street). Neither may one carry an object in a reshut ha-rabim for more than four cubits (six feet)." 

 

So this would seem to preclude embarking or debarking a cruise ship on the Sabbath due to the associated (un)packing and movement of luggage.

Correct - I had a guest looking for a cruise that could neither embark or disembark on a Saturday as they stated they are not allowed to travel that day.

[Coralc]

Howard is a wonderful bartender! Paragraphs are also great. 

[happy cruzer]

Thanks for the review.  Hopefully time will heal some of the disappointment which can happen to anyone.  Sounds like you worked very hard to plan a good time for your group.  Maybe in a month or so look at pictures from the cruise and remember the good times with your group.

[PhillyFan33579]

7 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

Firstly, we had 16 on our family cruise, two tables of eight were just fine, can't really converse with all 12 people anyway, can you?  Seriously?  We switched it up every night so everyone could talk to everybody at least 2 or 3 times.  No problemo!But I do sympathise with the chartered cruise group.  Been on plenty of Quinceaneras out of Texas that were annoying in the extreme.  Never let that bother us, it's the luck of the draw....Keep calm and cruise on.

 

Just finished the thread and I have to say, none of the things mentioned really bothers us...we just plow on.  Usually having too much fun to even notice...but really, nobody has any control, control is an illusion.  You just gotta go with the flow.  There have been annoying things happen on a few cruises, but like I always say, make lemonade.  I guess I'm just too self absorbed enjoying myself to take much note.  I would certainly never let that keep me from cruising our line.

I agree with you 100 percent. When reading the OP comments, there wasn’t one thing mentioned that would have bothered me. On bigger ships like Wonder, and right now she is the biggest ship at sea, there are plenty of areas around the ship to do things. I have only been on 57 cruises, but I have always had a great time on every cruise.

[ellie1145]

12 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Yeshiva week cruise with venues closed for Kosher dining.

We have also experienced a cruise with the group. 
 

We were also shocked at the way they treated staff and their sense of entitlement. They were incredibly demanding in the dining room and so rude to the poor waiters.

 

There is no excuse for any group to be rude. The staff work so hard. It costs nothing to be polite. 

[zeberdee]

We are sailing in Jan 24 on the Wonder for our 40th wedding anniversary.

Having seen on CC  that there may be a large religious group on board, I emailed Royal and asked them to confirm if that will be the case next Jan, so we can make an informed decision about changing our cruise.. They said they don't know yet and should keep checking in the next few months! 

I explained that as we live in the UK we need to book flights soon (to guarantee Virgin Premium cabin Flights). Once our flights are booked we will not be able to change them.

They still haven't replied .

I really don't want to be on a cruise with lots of children or where some of the venues are closed if you are not part of that group.

This is not a cheap trip and I am getting very frustrated by Royal. 

 

 

[matj2000]

8 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

I just cannot believe you criticized someone for being critical on a site called Cruise Critic.

 

I don't have an issue of anyone being critical.

 

When you post is more of a short story

 

Most people will not read it.

 

Quite amount of time wasted.

 

But I guess the OP has a lot of time.