RCVoyager
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RCVoyager reacted to texaskstar in The Evolution of Cruising
I hope you let Royal and Carnival know what you think, because posting on an internet message board is going to change anything or matter at all to them.
Sad to say, I don’t think Royal or Carnival will care though. They are full speed ahead on scooping up new first time cruisers. That, combined with the insane demand they’re seeing right now, isn’t really going to motivate them to change back. Quite the opposite really. We do appear to be heading towards a recession in 2024, so that may cause demand to dip. If so it may cause Royal to start listening more. However, a decrease in demand is NOT going to make them start printing a daily Compass. Again, quite the opposite as it saves them money.
I’ve got some cruises planned on a few different classes of ship with Royal and I’m going to really evaluate which one I think is best for me and will likely start to focus in on that class. Oddly enough, the ship I’m most looking forward to is a Radiance Class ship (I have other sailings on Voyager and Oasis class ships and am still looking for a Quantum Class ship to go on). That would be my only other suggestion to you is to go try a Vision or Radiance Class ship if you prefer the cruising style from the previous century, it was nice era after all.
Oh, and I 100% agree with you on having to rely on your phone so much. I hate that, and it isn’t just with cruising either, it’s everywhere on vacation - fights, hotels, theme parks, transportation, it never ends.
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RCVoyager reacted to Robert Cole in The Evolution of Cruising
The Compass is simply too big to effectively navigate on a cell phone. Most restaurant menus are as well.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from new2cruzing in The Evolution of Cruising
My observation is that technology allows less, and in fact almost no, person to person interaction. Once you lose that, hospitality goes with it. Less staff can serve more people, and technology is the crutch that allows it.
On the Mardi Gras, we only saw our stateroom attendant two or three times all week. In one of those interactions, I asked him how many rooms he "has". His reply was 35. I don't know what the norm used to be because I never asked that question before. But 35 seems extreme and is a number that disallows any extra attention to be paid to any of them.
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RCVoyager reacted to Jolly Ogre in The Evolution of Cruising
Yes. This is what we do and have never had a problem.
I do not use the app and will not. I lock the phones in the safe and don't take them out until disembarkation day.
I am a Luddite, it is against my religion to use technology while on vacation.
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RCVoyager reacted to GatorCruiser in The Evolution of Cruising
The world has become more consumerist and that’s reflected in the cruise lines as well at least in the mass market cruise lines. Try a smaller boutique cruise line, it may be more traditional.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from Bean79 in The Evolution of Cruising
After our poor experience on the Carnival Mardi Gras last month, my wife and I have talked several times about what we didn't like. I think the biggest overall disappointment is the evolution that has come not just to Carnival, but all of mainstream cruising. We don't want an "app" we have to schedule everything we do. In fact, other than touching base with the people at home once or twice during the week, we want to put our phones in the safe and leave them there. We don't want "My Time Dining". We much prefer the same table with the same waiter and assistant, a paper menu in a nice folder, at the same time each night.
We like a daily ship newspaper and schedule on our bed each night and announcements delivered by the Captain at noon each day.
We are forced to live our lives on our phones and laptops. Vacation is a way for us to get away from technology.
Several years ago, we had to come to grips with the idea of automatic gratuities. We didn't like it at first because some passengers took advantage of the workers by poorly tipping or not tipping at all. We adapted and now see that is better. We still be sure to bring a few extra 20s on board for those we recognize for good service.
To us, this new way of cruising is not better. We will, in all likelihood, become "former" cruisers rather than adapt. There are lots of land based vacations out there.
Technology does not make the cruise line better able to serve its current customers. It allows the cruise line to jam more people onto the ship and "serve" them with less staff. Sad to us.
As an additional rant, who in their right mind builds a new cruise ship without a Shuffleboard Court and an unusable walking/jogging track but with a roller coaster at sea that can't be used most days? Carnival, that's who. The others are sure to follow.
Anyone agree? Or are we just spoiled Americans?
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RCVoyager got a reaction from Vancity Cruiser in The Evolution of Cruising
I tend to agree with your points. Maybe, at 58, I've become an old codger. We have discussed the smaller lines, and that will probably be how we continue, assuming we do.
With regard to My Time Dining, we have used it in the past without much of an issue. However, on the Mardi Gras, there were people lined up the length of a football field, on their phones, at both My Time and traditional, waiting to be notified their table was ready.
I get your point about shuffleboard... not many play. There is no excuse for that sorry walking/jogging track that is always widely used on every ship I've been on.
And while my original rant about the technology still stands, and as the biggest Carnival apologist on this board over the last 10 years or so, 6500 passengers on that ship is cruising malpractice. I no longer recommend that line at all, and everyone here can correctly say "I told you so".
I joked to my wife that when I pulled my suitcase from under the bed the last day, there was a family sleeping in it. She rolled her eyes, but I heard her retell it to one of her friends.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from USFFrank in The Evolution of Cruising
After our poor experience on the Carnival Mardi Gras last month, my wife and I have talked several times about what we didn't like. I think the biggest overall disappointment is the evolution that has come not just to Carnival, but all of mainstream cruising. We don't want an "app" we have to schedule everything we do. In fact, other than touching base with the people at home once or twice during the week, we want to put our phones in the safe and leave them there. We don't want "My Time Dining". We much prefer the same table with the same waiter and assistant, a paper menu in a nice folder, at the same time each night.
We like a daily ship newspaper and schedule on our bed each night and announcements delivered by the Captain at noon each day.
We are forced to live our lives on our phones and laptops. Vacation is a way for us to get away from technology.
Several years ago, we had to come to grips with the idea of automatic gratuities. We didn't like it at first because some passengers took advantage of the workers by poorly tipping or not tipping at all. We adapted and now see that is better. We still be sure to bring a few extra 20s on board for those we recognize for good service.
To us, this new way of cruising is not better. We will, in all likelihood, become "former" cruisers rather than adapt. There are lots of land based vacations out there.
Technology does not make the cruise line better able to serve its current customers. It allows the cruise line to jam more people onto the ship and "serve" them with less staff. Sad to us.
As an additional rant, who in their right mind builds a new cruise ship without a Shuffleboard Court and an unusable walking/jogging track but with a roller coaster at sea that can't be used most days? Carnival, that's who. The others are sure to follow.
Anyone agree? Or are we just spoiled Americans?
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RCVoyager got a reaction from Neesa in The Evolution of Cruising
I tend to agree with your points. Maybe, at 58, I've become an old codger. We have discussed the smaller lines, and that will probably be how we continue, assuming we do.
With regard to My Time Dining, we have used it in the past without much of an issue. However, on the Mardi Gras, there were people lined up the length of a football field, on their phones, at both My Time and traditional, waiting to be notified their table was ready.
I get your point about shuffleboard... not many play. There is no excuse for that sorry walking/jogging track that is always widely used on every ship I've been on.
And while my original rant about the technology still stands, and as the biggest Carnival apologist on this board over the last 10 years or so, 6500 passengers on that ship is cruising malpractice. I no longer recommend that line at all, and everyone here can correctly say "I told you so".
I joked to my wife that when I pulled my suitcase from under the bed the last day, there was a family sleeping in it. She rolled her eyes, but I heard her retell it to one of her friends.
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RCVoyager reacted to Atlantix2000 in The Evolution of Cruising
Apps showing schedules allow flexibility that paper schedules don't. They can be updated throughout the day if the weather/illness/etc causes a change to an activity/show/etc. It's also more environmentally friendly than printing something that is only valid for a single day.
You can eat at the same time with the same waiter whether you do "My Time Dining" or traditional.
There's no shuffleboard because most of Royal (and Carnival's) guests have never played it!
Much of your complaints are a generational issue. I mean this in the kindest way possible, but it sounds like you are older than the target market for the mainstream cruise lines. There's nothing wrong with that, but you may need to seek out smaller, more luxurious cruise lines to find what you are looking for.
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RCVoyager reacted to cruisellama in The Evolution of Cruising
Publicly traded companies have an obligation to increase the value of those companies to the stockholders - yes the mass marketed lines can increase the bottom line by increasing efficiencies through technology and automation, reducing personnel costs. If the service / experience become negative to the point of losing a customer base, then they adjust the other way. Those of us who remember a "better" days of more attentive cruising are not the new market lines are positioning to capture. They're setting up for the next generations that don't have the same expectations (experience) we may have had. They'll expect technology and experiences over the personal service touch.
If you like cruising, you don't have to necessary adapt. There is also the option to go to a premium, inclusive experience line. We're being nudged that way. We'll see what things look like after getting through the planned 2024 bookings.
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RCVoyager reacted to WAAAYTOOO in The Evolution of Cruising
Last week on Mariner, we were in one of the new far forward Panoramic ocean view cabins (1L) which is NOT one of the suites but just categorized as an ocean view. I am assuming that, since we had just made Pinnacle, the room attendant brought us a paper Compass every night. I was really surprised but very happy to get it. As most know, I despise the app and having the paper Compass was so nice. It'll be interesting to see if we continue to get the paper Compass on future non-Suite cruises, I'm sure that if I ask, we could get one...it was just very nice to get one without having to ask.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from Neesa in The Evolution of Cruising
After our poor experience on the Carnival Mardi Gras last month, my wife and I have talked several times about what we didn't like. I think the biggest overall disappointment is the evolution that has come not just to Carnival, but all of mainstream cruising. We don't want an "app" we have to schedule everything we do. In fact, other than touching base with the people at home once or twice during the week, we want to put our phones in the safe and leave them there. We don't want "My Time Dining". We much prefer the same table with the same waiter and assistant, a paper menu in a nice folder, at the same time each night.
We like a daily ship newspaper and schedule on our bed each night and announcements delivered by the Captain at noon each day.
We are forced to live our lives on our phones and laptops. Vacation is a way for us to get away from technology.
Several years ago, we had to come to grips with the idea of automatic gratuities. We didn't like it at first because some passengers took advantage of the workers by poorly tipping or not tipping at all. We adapted and now see that is better. We still be sure to bring a few extra 20s on board for those we recognize for good service.
To us, this new way of cruising is not better. We will, in all likelihood, become "former" cruisers rather than adapt. There are lots of land based vacations out there.
Technology does not make the cruise line better able to serve its current customers. It allows the cruise line to jam more people onto the ship and "serve" them with less staff. Sad to us.
As an additional rant, who in their right mind builds a new cruise ship without a Shuffleboard Court and an unusable walking/jogging track but with a roller coaster at sea that can't be used most days? Carnival, that's who. The others are sure to follow.
Anyone agree? Or are we just spoiled Americans?
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RCVoyager got a reaction from LandstromCruise in Ship Model Collectors
They used to be $25. We passed on the purchase on the Mardi Gras at $69.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from WAAAYTOOO in annual Trip Insurance wanted
Buyer beware for sure. There was an article a couple of months back (which I can't find now) regarding two families traveling NCL with NCL purchased air. One family had insurance, the other didn't. In both cases, the NCL purchased flights did not get them to the cruise in time. In both cases, the families were denied the opportunity to board at the next port. The one family was out like $60,000 (large group). The other lost all but a few hundred dollars of their money because the insurance only paid like $500 per person. I'd like to think RCCL would handle a similar situation differently, but I'm not sure.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from texaskstar in Ship Model Collectors
They used to be $25. We passed on the purchase on the Mardi Gras at $69.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from Cruisegirl1976 in Question(s) regarding "big ships"
As mentioned above, this was my 20th cruise, my 9th with Carnival. As Anders11 and JB17 pointed out above, there are statistics that show how utterly crowded this ship is.
The Mardi Gras, and all the others in it's class, are an insult to cruising. Someone at Carnival needs to take a look at what's going on with those ships and make changes.
This is coming from the guy who is the biggest Carnival defender on this board or anywhere else the topic comes up. No more.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from Vancity Cruiser in Question(s) regarding "big ships"
I turned my survey in for this cruise last night. Something I've never done before is to give several 2's and 3's (on a scale of 0-10), but I did here. I actually gave out a 0 for one of the restaurants. In the comments section I made sure to emphasize that my issues were not with anyone on board. My issues were based upon the fact this ship cannot handle to crowd that was put on it.
When asked the chances of me booking another cruise within 12 months, I scored it a 6. When asked if it would be with Carnival, a 2.
I doubt anyone cares, but as a customer with 20 cruises under my belt (9 of which are on Carnival), they should care.
I didn't get nasty, stomp my feet, or say never again. I did make my points which are valid.
It will be interesting if I hear anything from them.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from Vancity Cruiser in Question(s) regarding "big ships"
Absolutely Tony, I am thankful that we are able to do trips like this. My post was not meant as a complaint. It was meant as a question as to whether or not this stuff happens on Royal's big ships. We did this on the cheap and took inside staterooms because this was our second major vacation of the year (did 2 weeks along the Pacific Coast, Yosemite, Muir Woods, and Lake Tahoe and some of those places were incredibly crowded as well).
During the course of the week, we learned of ways to avoid some of the bottlenecks, but much of it could not be avoided. My wife, son, and I did a lot of stairs. My m-i-l can't, so oftentimes we would be sure she was safely on a lift, and then we would take the stairs, but when going from deck 6 to deck 14, it's not always what we wanted to do.
I did not mention in my first post that my m-i-l was pushed, at one point, by a male adult able bodied passenger who did not think it necessary to wait his turn. I saw it happen and since she didn't fall, I chose not to escalate the situation. It almost appeared as though he wanted me to do so. Had she fallen, I would have not had a choice in the matter.
We are no doubt blessed to have these opportunities, but don't want to be in situations where we have to rely of the goodness, or even proper behavior of others, in order to take a vacation and not be inconvenienced or in my m-i-l's case assaulted in huge crowds of people. If this is what mainstream cruising is becoming, we will probably pass or take small ships like Windstar, ect. We would have to go less often due to cost.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from WAAAYTOOO in Question(s) regarding "big ships"
ScottD, the 5 foot rail has not been standard on on any of my previous 19 cruises. In the photo you will see the inner rail which was approximately the standard of every other ship I've been on. It is about chest high to me. When you add in the secondary rail and the glass, it's up to my chin. It cuts a full 1/3 of the view for a person my height (5'7") It would cut more if you are shorter, and less if you are taller.
I am a person who would spend time each day looking at whatever there is to see off the rail. It was a major limitation for me.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from WAAAYTOOO in Question(s) regarding "big ships"
Due to a number of factors, my wife and I were on our first cruise (Carnival Mardi Gras) since 2016 last week (with mother in law and son in separate cabin). The ship is beautiful. The food opportunities are amazing. But, beyond that we found lots of disappointment most of which can be blamed on the simple fact there are just too darn many passengers on the ship (5200 to 6500 depending on double occupancy vs max occupancy). There are people everywhere all the time. The elevators are horrible, during peak times almost impossible. If you try to wait your "turn" someone will cut you, and you will wait longer. Then it was almost always to case, just as we were about to board, someone on a cart or wheelchair would show up, and we would mostly make a spot for that person... causing more delays.
The food was ok to good... and there are about 25 eateries of one sort or another on that ship... most of which are included in the cruise price, but again flocked with passengers all the time. A few dishes we had were really good, but for the most part, the food was just ok. It was often delayed or not as warm as it should be when it arrived. Three times during the week, our entrée arrived before our appetizer. Three times!
We did meet a woman who had none of those issues. There is a level at which you face none of that. She dined at the highest end eateries all week (up to $100 per person per night), and in fact claimed there is a special elevator to her deck with few passengers. We saw that hall down a discreet door that appears to be a crew only door. We thought that interesting.
At first, our Cabin Steward seemed slow and not interested. That was until we had a minute to talk to him. The guy had 35 cabins to take care of. 35. I don't know what it should have been, but 35 seemed ridiculous to us. It seems that about half of that should be the "norm".
We did not see this as a service problem in the least. All of the crew on board seemed worked to their limits, yet all kept a smile. To us, it all came down to the problem of too many passengers.
So, here is the question: Is this sort of thing happening on RCCL's mega ships?
That was my 20th cruise, and I was left glad we did it, but will not do that ship again.
One other thing, and my wife thought it a non issue, but it was a big issue to me is this: When I walk to a rail to look at the sea or the coast of an island, I am accustomed to a rail that is about chest high to my 5'7" stature. All of the public rails on the Mardi Gras are at least 5 feet high, and it fact are double wide with a thick piece of glass on the back of them. Somewhere I have a photo of this and can share once I dig it out. I've always enjoyed standing at the rail and watching that beautiful world unfold around me, and with this set-up a full 1/3 of my field of vision (at the bottom) was blocked. I hated that. A huge disappointment for me, and I don't believe it enhances safety at all. If someone want to jump, you still can. If someone wants to throw you over, he/she still can. I contend no-one ever "fell" overboard without doing something stupid, and you still can. Is this the case on RCCL's newest ships?
Thanks in advance for feedback.
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RCVoyager reacted to bryresangel in Pets
EVERYONE'S pets provide emotion support. My sorta trained dogs are a comfort and a Godsend. But they are not trained to the standards to be on a cruise, nor would I ever presume to take them everywhere on that basis. An emotion support animal is not a service animal, and a service animal has to go through rigorous training to be able to do their job. There are dogs that provide specific types of emotional support (like for PTSD) that are well trained to detect certain markers and provide support, but those are SERVICE dogs for an emotional disability. Not a pet that makes you feel good.
They really do need to have a license for actual service animals and fine people for falsely claiming their animal is a service animal. The sense of entitlement displayed by people who do this is quite honestly disgusting and ranks right up there with people who park in handicap parking spaces illegally in my opinion.
I'll step off my soapbox now.....
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RCVoyager got a reaction from tingtang in "Trashy" Behavior
This forum is about opinions, Carnival included. My wife and I haven't cruised since Covid. Thankfully, we are finally going on a cruise in two weeks. And the choice is: The Carnival Mardi Gras.
The choice was not hard for us. First, my wife wants to go to Grand Turk. Carnival owns the pier there. Second, the food choices, and importantly, the included food choices are better on Carnival... in our opinion. From a Pre-Covid memory, the menus are at least equal on Carnival... maybe better. And the Chocolate Melting Cake, available nightly, is the best desert we've had on a cruise. All of this is opinion of course.
I should mention, the Mardi Gras is a new ship. We only considered the Magic, the Breeze, or other newer Carnival ships. I would agree with most here, Carnival's older ships are farther past their prime than Royal's older ships.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from KJ777 in "Trashy" Behavior
This forum is about opinions, Carnival included. My wife and I haven't cruised since Covid. Thankfully, we are finally going on a cruise in two weeks. And the choice is: The Carnival Mardi Gras.
The choice was not hard for us. First, my wife wants to go to Grand Turk. Carnival owns the pier there. Second, the food choices, and importantly, the included food choices are better on Carnival... in our opinion. From a Pre-Covid memory, the menus are at least equal on Carnival... maybe better. And the Chocolate Melting Cake, available nightly, is the best desert we've had on a cruise. All of this is opinion of course.
I should mention, the Mardi Gras is a new ship. We only considered the Magic, the Breeze, or other newer Carnival ships. I would agree with most here, Carnival's older ships are farther past their prime than Royal's older ships.
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RCVoyager got a reaction from WAAAYTOOO in "Trashy" Behavior
I think behavior has a lot to do with it as well. A shorter cruise is a cheaper cruise, and that in and of itself invites a younger more boisterous crowd. I bet the public area clean up "incidents" happen at a much higher rate on short cruise.