Would you be willing to pay more for a better cruising experience??

[phoenix1181]

I disagree that you can't have good food when you're cooking for the masses. I've never been on RCCL so I can't comment on the food, but I thought the food in the dining room on CCL was great.

 

Maybe the problem is the recipe? Time for new chefs? Good food can be done banquet style - it just depends on who's preparing it.

 

I agree!

 

At one time, meals in the dining room were as good as what they now serve in Portofino and Chops. If they could do it in 1990, why not now?

[AZjohn]

I think to answer the OP question of “would you be willing to pay more for a cruise with Elevated Standards", the answer for us would be “Only if we had to”:o .

Happy ks wrote about Oceania cruise lines and their price. My wife and I were lucky enough to sail with them when they first started out. It wasn’t much more money at the time compared with the mass market cruise lines. It was a fantastic experience and best cruise for us thus far. We had the best food, espresso, ship, and staff we have ever experienced cruising. No extra charges for their specialty restaurants or espresso, but did charge $ for drinks.

The current price to sail on Oceania (or other high end cruise lines) is too much for us now. I don’t know about you all, but I am always checking out the discounts and sale prices of cruises, trying to find the lowest price for a cruise we want to take. I have also noticed this past few months the prices on most all the cruise lines are going way UP for 2008:eek: .

I don’t know, give me a reasonably priced cruise on a ship with a clean/comfortable cabin, friendly service, and decent food to enjoy and I’m a happy camper:D .

John

[Aquahound]

I hear a lot of people with complaints about their cruises, some valid and some petty IMHO.

 

Some complaints sound valid. Unfortunately, that can't be avoided with so many thousands of people cruising. But alot of the complaints give the impression nothing could have been done to satisfy the complainer. We've all encountered people like that. And the premier lines are not exempt from the complainers.

 

My point is, higher price to take away some of the nickel and diming will not make a difference. My opinion, of course.

[Happy ks]

Wouldn't that be nice? ;) Cruising on RCCL (& Princess, too) has really changed since the 80's.........I remember when you didn't have to pay extra for your evening meal if you wanted good food, the main dining room had great food and wonderful service! The attitude of the crew was happier & more relaxed & there wasn't all the "extra charges" that there is now.

 

 

You have to remember 2 things. The ships are carrying far more pax than they did 25+ years ago, mega liners back then carried fewer than 2000 pax. Then, factor in that CDC didn't have as many stringent rules as they do today for food prep, they come up with new requirements all the time.

 

My husband took his first RCI cruise in 1978. I didn't take my first cruise until 20 years later. He told me in 1998 not to expect gourmet food, that it was a myth, it was more like banquet food, or chain restaurant food. I'm glad he warned me, it was just as he said it would be, no gourmet food is to be had on a cruise ship, unless you book into a specialty restaurant.

 

Just the other day I asked him about tips for his earlier cruises, he said he paid about $8 - 8.50 per day for everyone who was tipped, that's only an increase of $1.25-1.50 per day more now, not a huge jump. Cruise fares ranged around $800 per person, but that included airfare. That was for an inside cabin, oceanviews cost more and balconies were unheard of until you got to the higher suite levels. Thirty years later, you can find deals during off-peak season and pay not much more for the cruise, the airfare really isn't all that much more, either. Our last flight to FLL from the West Coast was just around $400 for the two of us, off vacation season.

 

So, I read about the nickel and diming and, other than they now charge for sodas at dinner, I don't know what people are talking about. Sure, you can pay extra for a finer dining experience now, it wasn't available back then. The dining room food was mass produced for the dining room as it is now, only for less people. You still had to pay for all the other same things that are optional, such as photos, drinks, gambling, shore excursions.

[Catnip]

You have to remember 2 things. The ships are carrying far more pax than they did 25+ years ago, mega liners back then carried fewer than 2000 pax.

 

My husband took his first RCI cruise in 1978. He told me in 1998 not to expect gourmet food, that it was a myth, it was more like banquet food, or chain restaurant food.

 

Just the other day I asked him about tips for his earlier cruises, he said he paid about $8 - 8.50 per day for everyone who was tipped, that's only an increase of $1.25-1.50 per day more now, not a huge jump. Cruise fares ranged around $800 per person, but that included airfare. That was for an inside cabin, oceanviews cost more and balconies were unheard of

 

You still had to pay for all the other same things that are optional, such as photos, drinks, gambling, shore excursions.

 

I agree with some of your observations, but disagree with others. You are correct when you say optional things like shore excursions, photo's, alcoholic beverages, gambling, etc, have always been "add-on expenses".

 

I really can't remember the amount of the tips from the early 80's, as I don't save paperwork from back then, and I honestly can't remember. But it seems like for the waiter and room steward it was around $1.50 per day. The busboy was half of the waiter. You did not tip the head waiter or Matire D' back then, or at least most people did not.

 

As you say, the cruise fare back then almost always included airfare, which they don't anymore.

 

I do have to disagree with your husband about the quality and quantity of food in the dining room back in the early-mid 80's and even into the early 90's. Before the specialty dining rooms, the food in the dining room was great! You got lots more choices than you have now. More vegtables were included, also. Of course, it was mass-produced in the kitchen, but it never tasted (to us, at least) like banquet food. Soft-drinks were included at no extra charge.

[Lynn the Cruiser]

There are alot of good points made. When I first started cruising, only 5 years ago, I remember the food being better and maybe even looking fancier. But then again, I paid the same price for my cruise this year,for a 9 night, not 7 as the first time, as I did back in 2002. Virtually all my 4 cruises have cost about the same, so I can say that prices haven't really gone up much in 5 years. Personally I like that. I do find that more people are able to afford cruising, which is not always a good thing (without sounding snobby). On the other hand my friend went on a Crystal Cruise (EVERYTHING paid for by her DH's company) and I don't think she had as much fun as I have on my cruises. The ship wasn't as beautiful and I think she was a little bored! She did say the food was great, but there was far less people on the ship.

[RareBird]

i'd pay more for guaranteed table for two :(

[isujim]

I agree!

 

At one time, meals in the dining room were as good as what they now serve in Portofino and Chops. If they could do it in 1990, why not now?

 

Cost..........pure and simple........but I agree they could do it if they wanted to.;)

[isujim]

Sorry double post

[linda_22003]

No, RCCL has become nothing more than an average, Mass-Market line catering to families and children. That's evidently where the money is..........and to (some of) us that remember RCCL being "the Cadillac of cruise lines" back in the early-mid 80's, it's a let-down.

 

Fortunately, there are still "Cadillac" cruise lines out there. You might want to try one of them for comparison.

[texancruzer]

Hmmm there are those of us out here that look at a cruise from a different perspective.

 

Altho I have stayed in many 5 star hotels for land vacations and am familiar with high standards of service and product, I look at a cruise as a mode of transportation....a way to get me from one port to another..... with a bed :) and some other amenities. I enjoy the cruising but the real "draw" is the ports of call..... For the price I pay (upcoming cruise is $1003. pp for a balcony cabin - that's $143. per day) for a 7 day "floating hotel" I feel it is indeed a true value. I will have a nice cabin for 7 days (that someone else comes in and cleans everyday) good food to eat (maybe not true gourmet but pretty good and I don't have to cook it or wash the dishes afterwards) and transportation to 4 ports as well as 2 nice relaxing sea days. Extras are nightly shows, games and other entertainment, a casino, pools, spa treatments if I desire to spend the $$, plus a whole lot more.

 

I have to truly say.... I am not sure what people want for $ 143.00 per day ????????

 

So....in answer to OP's question..... NO I am happy status quo

[Catnip]

Fortunately, there are still "Cadillac" cruise lines out there. You might want to try one of them for comparison.

 

I know and my DH wants to try one!! We're doing the final crossing on the QE 2 next fall, and then we will probably book one!! :)

[alcheme]

If it were offered, would you be willing to pay more for a cruise with "Elevated Standards". Somethings you pay for now would be included ie sodas, no fee at Johnny Rockets and little things like that. In addition the food would be a better quality and the menu's would be improved for these cruises likewise the selection in the Windjammer would be better too. To keep the number of kids down, no 3rd or 4th person discounts for these cruises.

 

Based on what you're suggesting as an improved cruise experience, I'd have to say no. I don't care about sodas, would likely eat at Johnny Rockets once at most, generally am pleased enough with the food in the dining room and can pay a little more for a more upscale meal in Chops/Portofino if I choose, and I generally travel with my young son, so discouraging children would not be a "perk" for me.

[negc]

I'm not sure that many people can agree on what an "improved" cruise experience would mean or what amount of additional payment would be commensurate with that experience. Charging more money might only increase dissatisfaction with the product being offered. Opinions about food are frequently subjective, and should they charge extra for "better quality", some might not agree that the food was "improved".

 

A family oriented cruise line, and that is definitely what RCI purports to be, is unlikely to change its advertising and pricing policies to discourage families from booking. Those special third and fourth person rates are there for a reason, namely to fill the ship when regular bookings are slow.

There are lines which charge more than RCI and there are lines which offer a less family-oriented cruise experience. IMHO, it is up to the prospective cruise passenger to identify those lines which offer what they are looking for. If RCI is not the best fit, there is probably another line which is.

[katiel53]

I started cruising in the early 1980's. My first several cruises were on Home Lines to Bermuda. We then changed to other ships and have cruised at least yearly since then. None of my cruise prices ever included airfare. The price of my first cruise in an inside cabin is still about the same price as some balcony cabins today.

 

I don't know that soda was ever included with the price as I am not a soda drinker. I do know that alcoholic drinks were a lot cheaper than they are today. As far as food, I don't know that the food was really better in quality or taste. I do know it was presented better. Better presentation=better food?

 

I remember cruising on X many times and their food looked so great years ago. I was sure it would taste so good because of how it looked to me. Then for a while X did away with the beautiful presentations. The food wasn't as good. Mind over matter?

 

For all of us who remember the old days and how wonderful everything was, it's kind of like after a divorce, many years down the road, in looking back, gee, the marriage might not have been so bad. Only the good things are remembered.

 

I'm pretty happy with things the way they are now. If we wanted fine dining all the time, we'd eat in Portofino/Chops every night or pay a whole lot more to go on another cruise line.

[nmcrzer]

If they had Ben & Jerrys this would be fantastic. Also the soda cards, for me, could be a bit more expensive to include cans as well as the fountain stuff.

 

I haven't been on her yet, but I believe the Enchantment has a Ben & Jerry's. It says so on the ship description on the RCI web page.

 

Or maybe you are saying you would like to have Ben & Jerry's for free?

[travelscot]

:) :( Hi you get what you pay for and if you feel what you have to pay is not good value for your money then dont go! In cases where you pay extra say for "Chops" then you can decide if its worth it to you. (i think it is!). You can always look for the special deals on cruises for example the good value you get on a repositioning cruise. I guess it boils down to , do you enjoy cruising and at what level or class of cruise line.

 

Go out and enjoy.

[CwuzCwazy]

What are you talking about????? If you are cruising RCI you are ALREADY paying more!