Is anyone else just totally over cruising? Rant on recent cruise (Independence), bad service, food, FLU

[rhino7176]

6 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Gotta laugh with that comment. I responded to a different thread months ago about how "The Yoots" (My Cousin Vinny), play the boomboxes and drive their cars like they are just looking to get attention and realized I had become the "Old Fart" who was yelling at me forty years ago! 😅🤣😉🤣

Same here.  I have a 20 year old daughter that I relate to and keeps me in check, so to speak, with regards to the "get off the lawn" guy.... lol.... I try not to be that guy, but it isn't always easy as we get older.🤣

Edited March 26, 2023 by rhino7176

[rhino7176]

15 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Radiance, Grandeur, Enchantment, Celebrity Constellation.....all have 7 night and longer cruises you can book out of Tampa....and some are year round now.  

You are correct now that I look at it, wasn't that way last year, but I don't have time to do multiple week plus cruises, so I us Tampa as a quick getaway to places I have been to a bunch of times.  I use othere ports to go to new places I an't get to from Tampa.  I love the ability to have quick getaways though here and I love the smaller typoe ships that sail from here!

Edited March 26, 2023 by rhino7176

[island lady]

7 hours ago, rhino7176 said:

You are correct now that I look at it, wasn't that way last year, but I don't have time to do multiple week plus cruises, so I us Tampa as a quick getaway to places I have been to a bunch of times.  I use othere ports to go to new places I an't get to from Tampa.  I love the ability to have quick getaways though here and I love the smaller typoe ships that sail from here!

 

Nice thing about liking smaller ships out of Tampa....that is all you will get.  😉   A little barrier out in the harbor prevents any thing larger.  But it is pretty sailing under at night all lit up.  

 

I broke my foot first night on Brilliance out of Tampa, spent the rest of the 7 night cruise in a wheel chair...but still found a way to enjoy it.   That was 4 year ago.  

 

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by island lady

[mafig]

There's even an 8 dayer too on Serenade, sailing April 30.

[goldfish65]

No. I can be on land anytime I want....some of us get a certain sense of peace being out in the ocean....glad I'm not hard to please with food, service, etc. So many of the complaints could be handled on the spot if people knew how to speak up nicely. Cruising is still an amazing value, yes there is not as much crew today....no one whose job is to stand there and fan me, but somehow I'll survive 😀

[mike45orlando]

We never have had an issue with the Independence and have two more booked.

 

Then again, they are free so maybe we are biased.

 

We admit that if the chicken wings in Playmakers goes downhill, then we would be pissed.

[jeh10641]

I, too, am "an old coot" and love being one. No longer do I have to please anybody but me (and my wife, "happy wife, happy life"). The Ocean is certainly a nice natural pacifier. 

 

Jim

[Waycoolrob]

I would maybe just take a break, rather than leave cruising entirely. I honestly think the cruise industry is suffering a bit still, just getting over Covid and still trying to catch up with hiring, and possible supply issues. You might feel different in a year or two, and perhaps things will be a bit different. Now that being said our last cruise in January, I can vouch for a few of your complaints, room and ship were definitely not as clean as the past. We walked into a bathroom with crap all over the floor, walls and toilet, we told some crew members who looked at us like they did not care. In our cabin we found empty water bottles in the drawers, as well as dust on desk and dirt on floor. We are on Harmony in May hopefully there will be an improvement. 

[HappyTexan44]

So, if your room is disgusting on check-in, who do you contact first?

The attendant would be the obvious first step, but that would be the person that didn't care enough to do it right the first time.  

[georgemoe]

Got off Indy this past Friday. Had a wonderful time. Overall service was good, especially in the dining room. Yes we had a couple small issues but nothing worthy of posting on CC. Hope the OP finds their perfect vacation.

[MommaBear55]

4 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

So, if your room is disgusting on check-in, who do you contact first?

The attendant would be the obvious first step, but that would be the person that didn't care enough to do it right the first time.  

The cabin may actually have been cleaned by someone else on turn around day as they utilize many staff to do that

[rhino7176]

On 3/25/2023 at 9:07 AM, island lady said:

 

Radiance, Grandeur, Enchantment, Celebrity Constellation.....all have 7 night and longer cruises you can book out of Tampa....and some are year round now.  

Very true, but we don't all have unlimited time to got to the same ports we have already been to.  I can't take 2 weeks off, my clients would have a huge issue with that!

[bobmacliberty]

We're taking a break from cruising.  Gonna focus on longer land trips for a bit.  We live at the beach and belong to a club with beach/pool chairs, great restaurants, and drinks delivered to your chair.  We get "sea days" whenever we want.  We cruise mostly for the ports and there's too much been there, done that with Royal's ports.  When (not if) the cruising bug strikes again, we'll try Celebrity, or maybe one of the more upscale lines.  Royal was great when we had kids cruising with us, and it's still fun with a group of people.  Love Oasis class and Royal's entertainment.  For just the two of us though, we want to try something different...hopefully better food/service and new ports of call.

[Jerseygirl1416]

On 3/26/2023 at 1:40 PM, goldfish65 said:

Cruising is still an amazing value 😀

I don’t think so for oceanview balcony cabins and above. The prices have doubled and sometimes tripled from what they used to be. Add to that the increased pricing on internet, drink packages etc. cruising has become an expensive vacation option for us. We’re booked in May but have cruised every year in the fall and haven’t booked anything yet. I can’t get over paying that much more for the same product.

 

BTW my youngest is at CofC and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with your beautiful city!

[island lady]

7 hours ago, rhino7176 said:

Very true, but we don't all have unlimited time to got to the same ports we have already been to.  I can't take 2 weeks off, my clients would have a huge issue with that!

 

My post was an answer to your statement of Tampa only offering 4-5 night cruises available, and you mentioned you had to drive to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale to take a longer cruise of 7 nights.  

 

Obviously Tampa has several 7 night cruises on several lines leaving out of there.  And you are a local?

 

Your previous post:

 

I live in Tampa, all the cruises out of the local port are 4 or 5 night cruises nd I go on a number for quick getaways.  I have rarely experienced what you are saying, although I don't go during spring break tim or other party times.  When I want to go on a longer cruise I go to PC of FLL or Miami.  I do enjoy the quick getaways and it's really a matter of timing and not being so easily offended by people.... too many here are stick in the muds/holier than thou's and don't remember when they were younger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by island lady

[JeffT237]

18 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I don’t think so for oceanview balcony cabins and above. The prices have doubled and sometimes tripled from what they used to be. Add to that the increased pricing on internet, drink packages etc. cruising has become an expensive vacation option for us.

 

Our last 3 cruises we have taken were all ocean view balcony and I have not seen that big of a price increase.  Our next cruise on the Harmony in March of 2024 we pain with taxes and port fees about $2000 for both of us.  Plus we're receiving perks from Royal and our TA. We paid a little more than that for our past Wonder cruise.  Both were booked at least a year in advance. I completely agree the price of the upsell items, which we do chose to purchase, has made our cruising more expensive than in the past and I don't see those things coming down.  Vacations are expensive, we will be in Hawaii in August and our condo for the week is more than our whole cruise fare.  Throw in food, flights, rental car etc and that trip will be much more costly than our recent and future cruises. 

[BecciBoo]

On 3/25/2023 at 11:40 PM, rhino7176 said:

the "get off the lawn" guy.

I AM that guy, at 73 I've earned it!

[BecciBoo]

15 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

So, if your room is disgusting on check-in, who do you contact first?

The attendant would be the obvious first step, but that would be the person that didn't care enough to do it right the first time.  

call guest services and ask to speak to the Hotel Mngr

[Starry Eyes]

15 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

So, if your room is disgusting on check-in, who do you contact first?

The attendant would be the obvious first step, but that would be the person that didn't care enough to do it right the first time.  

I have never had a “disgusting” cabin on check in (85 cruises on various lines), so perhaps don’t worry too much😉
 

That said, how would you want to be treated in there were an issue at your job?  If a client notes a problem in your work area, would you want them to assume you don’t care enough to do things right and immediately go over your head?  Or perhaps would you want them to approach you with an open mind and give you chance first?  

[HappyTexan44]

10 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

I have never had a “disgusting” cabin on check in (85 cruises on various lines), so perhaps don’t worry too much😉
 

That said, how would you want to be treated in there were an issue at your job?  If a client notes a problem in your work area, would you want them to assume you don’t care enough to do things right and immediately go over your head?  Or perhaps would you want them to approach you with an open mind and give you chance first?  

 

Well, it would depend on how bad the problem was.   Honest mistakes, I'd naturally go direct to the person.   Room basically not touched, with sheets obviously unchanged, that isn't an honest mistake. 

 

They do have to turnover the rooms quickly, so it makes sense that other people would do rooms.  I could go with the attendant with the idea that "someone" had skipped my room during room clean.   

 

[Terry Chizum]

On 3/20/2023 at 9:55 AM, ronandcarla said:

Maybe bc we are Diamond members  I received an email from Royal Caribbean promo in regards to a cruise and that we haven't been on one for more than 10 years; I emailed back that bc of the dress code and Royal having one, but they don't enforce it we'll pass up on the offer.  I doubt that Royal will even look at the the aforesaid email.  As for ocean boy above and your smart aleck remark I'll be good and leave the remark alone.

Was a bit disappointed in our last RCL cruise with guys (not men yet) parading thru eating establishments with no shirts and gals (not women yet) half naked in things.  Come on RCL-set rules outside the pools!

[rhino7176]

On 3/25/2023 at 9:07 AM, island lady said:

 

Radiance, Grandeur, Enchantment, Celebrity Constellation.....all have 7 night and longer cruises you can book out of Tampa....and some are year round now.  

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by rhino7176

[rhino7176]

On 3/29/2023 at 8:41 AM, island lady said:

 

My post was an answer to your statement of Tampa only offering 4-5 night cruises available, and you mentioned you had to drive to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale to take a longer cruise of 7 nights.  

 

Obviously Tampa has several 7 night cruises on several lines leaving out of there.  And you are a local?

 

Your previous post:

 

I live in Tampa, all the cruises out of the local port are 4 or 5 night cruises nd I go on a number for quick getaways.  I have rarely experienced what you are saying, although I don't go during spring break tim or other party times.  When I want to go on a longer cruise I go to PC of FLL or Miami.  I do enjoy the quick getaways and it's really a matter of timing and not being so easily offended by people.... too many here are stick in the muds/holier than thou's and don't remember when they were younger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Island lady, Show me those 7+ night cruises out of Tampa on Royal please. Very Rarely does Royal do that out of Tampa.  Celebrity does some, Norwegian as well, but I wouldn't step foot on a Norwegian cruise again.

[island lady]

7 hours ago, rhino7176 said:

Island lady, Show me those 7+ night cruises out of Tampa on Royal please. Very Rarely does Royal do that out of Tampa.  Celebrity does some, Norwegian as well, but I wouldn't step foot on a Norwegian cruise again.

 

Are you kidding.....really?   How do you book cruises?  TA or online?   

 

Information is out there on all the 7 night plus cruises already online. If not online...then ask your TA. You simply pull up RCI online website and do "find a cruise" search, punch in Tampa departure port, select 6-8 and 9-12 day cruises.  I can't post the link, RCI blocks that.  A long list will compile on their website.

 

Myself and others on this thread have already listed the ships that do 7 night plus cruises out of Tampa for you. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by island lady

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Are you kidding.....really?   How do you book cruises?  TA or online?   

 

Information is out there on all the 7 night plus cruises already online. If not online...then ask your TA. You simply pull up RCI online website and do "find a cruise" search, punch in Tampa departure port, select 6-8 and 9-12 day cruises.  I can't post the link, RCI blocks that.  A long list will compile on their website.

 

Myself and others on this thread have already listed the ships that do 7 night plus cruises out of Tampa for you. 

 

Pat so true. I was just looking at a couple of cruises to make a B2B out Tampa for March 2025.