What happened to awesome cruise experience?

[sparks1093]

10 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Kind of sobering but 50 years ago was only the 1970's.  Not the dress of professionals of course, but think bell bottoms and tie dyed T shirts!  😀

 

 

And 10 years previous to that a lot of men still wore a suit to a professional baseball game.

[navybankerteacher]

On 9/18/2023 at 7:51 PM, djdavis88 said:

My husband said last night, while discussing a possible Alaska cruise next….“ I’m just about done with cruising, this Nickel  and diming us is just about over the top.” 
We have been cruising since 1995 and it has changed soooo much, that we are loosing our enthusiasm for cruising. It use to be so price inclusive and feeling pampered, and just a total awesome vacation. Not so much any more. It’s so sad and we don’t know what direction we are going to go in. 🥺.

Not really complaining, we realize the cruise industry lost a lot during the pandemic. I am just sad, really sad. Food has declined, service has declined, paying extra for things that formerly were all included has changed. It’s just not as fun as it was, the “wow” has dissipated. 
Is annyone else sad of what use to be, mourning what once was?

 

Your favorite lines are shown as Princess and Royal Caribbean - two of the mass market lines which have joined the race to gain market share by holding fares down - which must result in decline in quality of food, service and entertainment.   How can you expect anything other than the decline you mourn?

 

I suggest you try spending just a bit more and getting the quality experience you now miss.  Azamera, Seabourn, and Oceania - to name just a few - offer the sort of quality which you seem to miss.

 

After all, when you first cruised, you decided to pay for a cruise experience which cost more than, say, a week at a local motel with meals at Denny’s.  You were then willing to pst more than the bare bones minimum for your vacation experience.  
 

The same rationale holds today:  if you want something good, you should be prepared to pay for it.  If you want the cheapest vacation possible, do not expect to enjoy it very much.

[Hlitner]

On 9/27/2023 at 11:38 AM, ontheweb said:

I think what is gone is the WOW factor. I remember feeling WOW when we saw our first cruise ship. Now the feeling is good we're finally here. 

We are currently on the new Explora 1 (Explora Journeys) which has truly gorgeous decor, throughout.  We have our choice of 5 included restaurants with no add-ons.  
 

I mention this because the cruise world offers many options, depending on your budget.  If you want “wow” it does exist.  If you want excellent food (including unlimited lobster, caviar, prime beef, etc. it is all out there for the taking.  
 

Those that expect a 5* experience at budget prices will usually be very disappointed.  It is the same on land.  
 

One issue in the cruise world is that some cruise lines who used to offer a premium product, have cut-back in order to control costs and repay huge amounts of debt.  But there are other options (such as the new cruise line we are now cruising).  Folks that stick to their old habits/favorites and whine have only themselves to blame.

 

Hank

[ontheweb]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We are currently on the new Explora 1 (Explora Journeys) which has truly gorgeous decor, throughout.  We have our choice of 5 included restaurants with no add-ons.  
 

I mention this because the cruise world offers many options, depending on your budget.  If you want “wow” it does exist.  If you want excellent food (including unlimited lobster, caviar, prime beef, etc. it is all out there for the taking.  
 

Those that expect a 5* experience at budget prices will usually be very disappointed.  It is the same on land.  
 

One issue in the cruise world is that some cruise lines who used to offer a premium product, have cut-back in order to control costs and repay huge amounts of debt.  But there are other options (such as the new cruise line we are now cruising).  Folks that stick to their old habits/favorites and whine have only themselves to blame.

 

Hank

I actually had one WOW moment on our last cruise. Let me say that we are not "caviar people". In fact, on our first cruise DW said near the end of the cruise, "I miss peanut butter and jelly". On our last cruise night, we decide to eat in a dining room that featured comfort food. We both had fish and chips with DW starting with a Caesar salad and I started with pretzel bites with a cheese fondue. And then my WOW moments came when we were given the dessert menu. A hot fudge sundae! 😊 DW said you are not going to eat all of that are you? You'd think she would know me better considering we had our 46th wedding anniversary a few days earlier on the ship.🤣 

[lenquixote66]

On 10/7/2023 at 5:37 PM, ldubs said:

 

Kind of sobering but 50 years ago was only the 1970's.  Not the dress of professionals of course, but think bell bottoms and tie dyed T shirts!  😀

 

 

I was referring to dress attire on cruise ships.

In 1971 I was working for the US government specifically with disabled Vietnam War veterans in a program to be retrained for civilian employment.The only males hired had long hair ,beards and wearing jeans was required.

 

[sparks1093]

8 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I was referring to dress attire on cruise ships.

In 1971 I was working for the US government specifically with disabled Vietnam War veterans in a program to be retrained for civilian employment.The only males hired had long hair ,beards and wearing jeans was required.

 

And of course, the attire on cruise ships is merely a mirror of the attire worn by society. DW and I seem to be outliers, we dress up for dinner when we are on a cruise. Mostly because we don't dress up too often when we are at home. 

[lenquixote66]

5 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

And of course, the attire on cruise ships is merely a mirror of the attire worn by society. DW and I seem to be outliers, we dress up for dinner when we are on a cruise. Mostly because we don't dress up too often when we are at home. 

The only time I ever wore a tuxedo was at family weddings.I had to wear a suit while working for 40 years.A guy I knew in the same profession dressed casual every day of his working life.

[crusingrightnow]

On 9/27/2023 at 3:39 PM, Hlitner said:

We might be in the middle of what some would call an "awesome" experience.  We are on the brand new (2 months old) Explora Journey 1 (a new luxury cruise line).  The ship is about 66,000 tons and designed to hold approximately 900 passengers.  But for a host of reasons, our cruise currently has only 241 passengers (and 640 crew)  for a whopping space ratio of 274 tons per person!  We have 5 dining venues onboard that are all open and operating normally, to serve 241.  Truly a once in a lifetime event.  The longest we have ever waited for an elevator was less than 10 seconds!  This morning in their Lido (which can seat several hundred) we only could see 6 other passengers from our table!

 

Hank

 

Same thing happen to us but on a Alaskan Cruise.

 

It was great!

[sparks1093]

18 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

The only time I ever wore a tuxedo was at family weddings.I had to wear a suit while working for 40 years.A guy I knew in the same profession dressed casual every day of his working life.

When I say "dress up" I mean a business suit for me for whatever the cruise line calls "formal" night and business casual for the rest of the nights. I have been known to bring and wear my tux, but that is usually reserved for the cruises where we are celebrating a significant anniversary. 

[ontheweb]

47 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

When I say "dress up" I mean a business suit for me for whatever the cruise line calls "formal" night and business casual for the rest of the nights. I have been known to bring and wear my tux, but that is usually reserved for the cruises where we are celebrating a significant anniversary. 

There has been such a change in "dress up". We have a picture on our wall from our first cruise with me wearing a suit and DW in a dress. She was so excited by the idea of formal nights that she bought material and patterns and made 2 dresses. On our cruise this past August, no formal nights (NCL freestyle) and I basically wore tye die tee shirts. She dressed better than me, but nothing near formal or even dresses.

[navybankerteacher]

The strong resistance to wearing anything special to dinner shown in so many posts on so many threads on Cruise Critic tends to explain the current lack of the “awesome experience” .

 

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by navybankerteacher

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

The strong resistance to wearing anything special to dinner shown in so many posts on so many threads on Cruise Critic tends to explain the current lack of the “awesome experience” .

 

 

 

 

I don't allow how others choose to dress affect my experience one way or the other.

[navybankerteacher]

32 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I don't allow how others choose to dress affect my experience one way or the other.

But doesn’t the way others act have some impact?

[lenquixote66]

My father came to the US in 1913 .On that ship every passenger except those in steerage were dressed up as we would call it now on the entire voyage.Things have changed greatly in the past 100:plus years.

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

But doesn’t the way others act have some impact?

Very little actually. It's easy enough to avoid loud crowds on most ships.

[BruceMuzz]

I manage one of those Premium Cruise ships that delivers an awesome experience every day of every week of every year.

Our Clientele is very well-traveled.

We spoil them even more.

They pay for the experience and they receive even more than expected.

Not one of them dresses like they are going to clean the garage or going to a baseball game.

[navybankerteacher]

19 minutes ago, BruceMuzz said:

I manage one of those Premium Cruise ships that delivers an awesome experience every day of every week of every year.

Our Clientele is very well-traveled.

We spoil them even more.

They pay for the experience and they receive even more than expected.

Not one of them dresses like they are going to clean the garage or going to a baseball game.

People who are willing to pay more for a quality experience are likely to make a bit of an effort to treat that experience as something out of the ordinary.

[sparks1093]

There's a cruise option for every taste and budget. As it should be.

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

I manage one of those Premium Cruise ships that delivers an awesome experience every day of every week of every year.

Our Clientele is very well-traveled.

We spoil them even more.

They pay for the experience and they receive even more than expected.

Not one of them dresses like they are going to clean the garage or going to a baseball game.

 

If someone payed for the experience and opted to dress casually, say jeans and T-shirt, would that impact how they are treated?  I recall in days gone past that wearing coat and tie while traveling was thought to attract better service and perhaps even special treatment.  I can see how that could still exist in some places, but suspect it is now the exception rather than the rule. 

[Szt]

Every experience is what you make it. If you want a formal night- pick one and make it that for you. I agree that it’s kind of fun to get dressed up one or two nights. But for some people, like us, it’s not worth spending money to buy formal clothes and have to pack them.  I like the “to each his own” attitude. I like that it’s easier and more affordable to cruise these days. Maybe someday we can afford the luxury lines. But for now, I’d rather be able to cruise without the formal experience, than not be able to cruise at all.  Also, most ships have their elite class where more is included and they have private restaurants. So, if you can afford it, do that. You won’t be “nickle and dimed”. Anyone wanting that all inclusive experience is welcome to pay for it. 

[Joebucks]

On 10/8/2023 at 10:19 AM, navybankerteacher said:

I suggest you try spending just a bit more and getting the quality experience you now miss.  Azamera, Seabourn, and Oceania - to name just a few - offer the sort of quality which you seem to miss.

 

This is probably the most annoying topic. People who want the "experience of yesterday" but are not willing to pay the price of yesterday. They'd rather choose the cheapest options, and complain about them. 

 

I just don't understand the attire thing. As long as it isn't obese people wearing thongs at dinner, I just don't care enough. Vacation is about relaxing. I'm not there to wear a suit in the 80 degree weather. Life is full of experiences that may not fully agree with you. Enjoying the finer moments is going to be real tough if you let these things get to you. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Joebucks

[BruceMuzz]

17 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

If someone payed for the experience and opted to dress casually, say jeans and T-shirt, would that impact how they are treated?  I recall in days gone past that wearing coat and tie while traveling was thought to attract better service and perhaps even special treatment.  I can see how that could still exist in some places, but suspect it is now the exception rather than the rule. 

If they opt to go casual, it does affect how they are treated - not better or worse, but differently.

On my ship when we have those who cannot or will not follow a dress code, we offer the same menu in a more casual location, like the pool deck.

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, Joebucks said:

…

 

I just don't understand the attire thing. As long as it isn't obese people wearing thongs at dinner, I just don't care enough. Vacation is about relaxing. I'm not there to wear a suit in the 80 degree weather. …

There are very few really formal dress codes - say Cunard, and that only on occasion: easy enough to avoid.  Very few lines call for suits at any time - but enough are sufficiently aware of human nature to realize that if people make zero effort in apparel they are likely to show similar lack of effort in conduct.  Asking for long trousers on men (other than blue jeans) and collared shirts is minimal - but it does send a subtle signal.

[ldubs]

 

6 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

There are very few really formal dress codes - say Cunard, and that only on occasion: easy enough to avoid.  Very few lines call for suits at any time - but enough are sufficiently aware of human nature to realize that if people make zero effort in apparel they are likely to show similar lack of effort in conduct.  Asking for long trousers on men (other than blue jeans) and collared shirts is minimal - but it does send a subtle signal.

 

Trousers good behavior.  Jeans bad behavior.  Subtle signals.  Got it.   👍  

[navybankerteacher]

50 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

Trousers good behavior.  Jeans bad behavior.  Subtle signals.  Got it.   👍  

The fact is: most organizations which are not governed by mass (read “lowest common denominator”) tastes do have dress codes of one sort or another.  
 

Virtually every private school, most customer-contact staff in sales-oriented enterprises, local and federal courts, all military organizations, virtually all private clubs all stipulate some dress expectations (if not actual  requirements).

 

This is because it is generally recognized that a person’s appearance does, in some fashion, influence that person’s performance.

Edited October 17, 2023 by navybankerteacher