Mack

On Radiance in March 2018, New Zealand cruise. (US)$39 for a 15 coffee card bought on board. A very good deal.

Thanks to all those who replied (above). RC had electric jugs in our balcony balcony suites on previous cruises on Voyager, our last cruise on that ship was 2016 and the electric jug along with coffee and tea was provided. We only cruise locally from Australia (New Zealand, South Pacific, Asia) and up to 2016 an electric jug has always been provided. Why they have been taken away. Obviously not a safety concern. RC do provide coffee but it is a foul brew. I understand that cruising is a very class conscious pasttime and that those who are able to afford the suites should do so and I am happy for those guests to enjoy their coffee and tea making facilities. Those of us who are relegated by impecunious circumstance to occupy less splendid cabins are not able to enjoy such facilities. So the question remains, why not. Being an old retired policeman I have my suspicions. Could it be that RC wish more travellers to buy coffee from the onboard coffee shops at A$7.50 a cup (cheaper with a coffee card). Since our 2016 cruise RC have become keener to part travellers from their cash. Charges where formally there were none, very expensive buses to get from the port to the nearest city etc. The ship abounds with peddlers wanting to sell art, massages, restaurant food, trinkets, cameras etc. Cruising has changed for the worse over the years but perhaps I'm just a Grumpy Old Man.

We recently returned from Radiance of the Seas cruise around New Zealand. We last sailed on Voyager 2 years ago and loved it. A couple of problems we experienced. 1/ Coffee making facilities removed from our stateroom. I went to the C&A chap and requested a kettle. He refused. He was unable to explain why the facilities were removed but suggested it may have been a safety thing. I pointed out that friends in a suite had an electric kettle and a coffee maker so it was obviously not prompted by safety. He then suggested that we call room service and request boiling water. With the introduction of room service fees that was not an option. He then suggested I take our coffee cups/tea pot to windjammer and have them supply boiling water, another bad idea. Being fairly old now, we have our taste buds set up for particular coffee and tea, we enjoyed making a cuppa and sitting out on our balcony to drink it. I can think of no reason that RC have removed this little option that made our cruise more enjoyable. 2/Concerning prices on Australian cruises. The ship uses $US, this means room service is $7.95 plus 18%tip in $US. In $A we have to add about 25% to convert the $7.95 and 18% tip to Australian dollars. Makes room service expensive. We will stay with RC but hope they will make tea and coffee making facilities available and remove room service charges.