CruisinTexan

If things are close to normal I’ll definitely be on a ship in August (were booked in Harmony for 8/16) but wearing masks in 100 degree heat with near 100% humidity at the pool deck would be a no go and we’ll cancel. 

With all the media raving about staying at home, a lot of folks are quaking in their house slippers and afraid to go out into the world. Wonder what the world would be like if our forefathers had that attitude? There would be no USA, no internet and no life. I am cautious but will not let fear cause me to not enjoy the life I have been given. At my age I want all the enjoyment in life I can get. And that includes cruising!

Sounds kind of odd but I love the corned beef hash in the windjammer at breakfast! It is something I wouldn’t have as home and never get anywhere else! Of course the anything I don’t have to cleanup after prepping! I like to cook, hate to clean up!!

Sounds kind of odd but I love the corned beef hash in the windjammer at breakfast! It is something I wouldn’t have as home and never get anywhere else! Of course the anything I don’t have to cleanup after prepping! I like to cook, hate to clean up!!

Sounds kind of odd but I love the corned beef hash in the windjammer at breakfast! It is something I wouldn’t have as home and never get anywhere else! Of course the anything I don’t have to cleanup after prepping! I like to cook, hate to clean up!!

The world has changed a great deal in 10 years as we all know! That said...
Navigator OTS was one of our best cruises! We went on a Christmas cruise that wasn’t great, felt like everything was a training test! We have gone on several other cruise lines and keep coming back RCCL! Sorry you had a bad time. Give them another chance before you quit all together!

@IRMO12HD yes, we did the sushi class and had a blast along with a great meal after!! If you like to eat sushi it is a great class!

First I'm sorry you had a poor experience.  I would agree with an earlier comment that a 3 or 4 day cruise can be a different experience than a 7 day cruise.  Also we have found the date of the cruise can make a difference.  Going at Spring break vs a time when more kids are in school comes to mind.  I'm not saying one over the other is good or bad but individual cruises can take on a personality so to speak.  Maybe this will help if you plan another cruise.
I'm in the service industry so maybe I view the "sales" deals a little different.  I think wait staff are professionals that are working hard to be promoted from say Windjammer thru MDR to a specialty restaurant.  I know we have had waiters that were with us in the MDR who later were with us in a specialty.  Anyway I think in addition to working hard at my venue I also have to cover shortages such as busy days in the MDR, and I have to make sales pitches to guest throughout the ship.  So with that in mind I try to smile and engage them with a little friendly conversation.  I can end it any time with a statement that I'm not interested.  On our last cruise we were approached by a waiter with the sales pitch for a dining package.  During the cruise we decided to splurge on a dinner at a specialty restaurant and sure enough the guy turned out to be our waiter.  Not only did he recognize us but he made sure everything was fabulous.
We've never received a response on the company survey either.  My guess is RCL has a variety of sources it uses to gauge how effective they are being.  I think they are very good at recognizing trends based on the ships and services they bring to the market.  
Finally I would offer that certainly cruising has changed in the last 10 years.  All entertainment is constantly looking at their product.  I think back to the all you can eat buffet that you used to see in Vegas. Those have largely been replaced as consumers have spoken with the pocket book saying they is what I like now.  We cruise because the whole package seems to be a good value for us.  Meals are not 5 star but are usually very good.  Our room moves us each  evening to a new location so I don't have to repack.  We get to see great locations while being pampered by some very hardworking folks.  Ok enough of my owns sales pitch.  I hope you try another cruise again and you have the time of your life.

Was this in the Schooner Bar or the stowaway piano player? 
This sounds like perhaps he/she was simply asking why you hadn't tried a specialty restaurant. Obviously they are trying to drum up business for that, but hard to believe they were giving you any kind of a hard time for dining at the Windjammer.
Can you be more specific?

We have stayed on the ship in a couple ports and loved it.. felt like I had the ship to myself.. no problem getting a chair by the pool.. no line for food.. it was great ?

One trip with took with our kids, I had grabbed what I thought was my stack of passports and birth certificates. This was when you just needed a BC to sail, started handing the paperwork to the clerk checking us in and what I thought was my daughters birth certificate was a copy of mine!!! We had nothing for her to board the ship. Thankfully she had given her boyfriend her apartment key and he was able to get into her place and find her passport and have it faxed to the port office and we got on. I now check and triple check everything!!

One trip with took with our kids, I had grabbed what I thought was my stack of passports and birth certificates. This was when you just needed a BC to sail, started handing the paperwork to the clerk checking us in and what I thought was my daughters birth certificate was a copy of mine!!! We had nothing for her to board the ship. Thankfully she had given her boyfriend her apartment key and he was able to get into her place and find her passport and have it faxed to the port office and we got on. I now check and triple check everything!!

One trip with took with our kids, I had grabbed what I thought was my stack of passports and birth certificates. This was when you just needed a BC to sail, started handing the paperwork to the clerk checking us in and what I thought was my daughters birth certificate was a copy of mine!!! We had nothing for her to board the ship. Thankfully she had given her boyfriend her apartment key and he was able to get into her place and find her passport and have it faxed to the port office and we got on. I now check and triple check everything!!

I've wondered about this myself.. So, I've come up with a plan.. With the exception of formal nights.. Ill run up and check what theme it is while my wife is getting ready for dinner.. If its a theme we like.. then its back to shorts and t-shirts lol.. if not.. Time to throw on Khakis and a polo and head to the MDR

@AshleyDillo Thanks for the Ideas!!
@WAAAYTOOO , My husband would LOVE the $1 Coronas!!
I will talk to husband and what he thinks, Always helps to hear others ideas and experiences!! 

I love Costa Maya and I always enjoy going to Mahahual and just hanging out at the Krazy Lobster BUT you do have to put up with the non-stop parade of peddlers trolling the beach, selling their trinkets.  They are NOT aggressive or pushy but they are persistent.  You just tell them "no, thank you" and they will move on but there will be another one right behind them.
If you are interested in having a massage while on your cruise THIS is the time and place to do it.  You can get a 1 hour massage right on the beach for next to nothing.  We used to be able to get them for $20 but I suspect they are more than that now.  The one thing you do NOT want to do is allow someone to "find" you a masseuse.  That will automatically double the price - 1/2 for the masseuse and 1/2 for the "finder".  The massage tables are everywhere up and down the beach.  Just walk up to one of them and negotiate a price.  You will not be sorry.
They also have $1 Coronas !

I've eaten once in Costa Maya and it was just a place right off the Malecon in Mahahual.  I can't even remember the name.  The food was good..I had fresh guacamole and ceviche with homemade tortilla chips but the star was the daiquiri..made with fresh fruit and rum and it had the consistency of a smoothie.  
The immediate port area at Costa Maya is big and there's plenty to walk around and look at with zero investment other than a bit of time.  I don't think that I would pay the prices they charge to eat in the port area, but there were a lot of options.  There's a free pool you can use and there are even flamingos you can see and photograph.  There's a chocolate place that gives samples too.  They have performers and a Mayan Dance of the Flyers show right in the port that you can watch for free.
You can also walk through the port to the exit and take the $4 shuttle to the Malecon in Mahahual and walk the boardwalk and see if anything tickles your fancy.  The shuttle ride is pretty eye-opening as you realize how isolated the port area really is from the residents.  The shuttle drops you off on the street that parallels the Malecon and they try to sell you on trying the beach resorts, but you can just bypass all that and walk up the block to the boardwalk.  The entire Malecon is around 1 mile long end to end and has views like this.
 

I've walked this both times I went to Costa Maya...it's a cheap and relaxing way for me to feel like I accomplished something at that port.  I'm not one for sitting at the beach or shopping either.  To get back to the port you just catch a cab.  They had plenty of them available along the way.

Careful - you make friends with you waiter and you could be 'swimming' in butter and 'rolling' in rolls - hahaha  - oh yeah, treat your wait staff good and they'll take damn good care of you  ?

June 7, Navigator of the seas!

I could really used some Diet Dr Pepper on the ship! Diet Coke just doesn't do it for this Texas gal!

I always carry a highlighter and mark up the cruise compass with the things that interest me! but then I usually get side tracked the next day and forget or lose track of time! I don't wear a watch on a cruise, vacation means not keeping track of time, at least in my book!

We just returned on Saturday (28 Dec) :). Serenade of the Seas was a beautiful, although smaller ship. The first stop was Key West, we got a massage before we did a little shopping in port. Next stop was Nassau, we spent a few hours at Blue Lagoon Island before headed into town for dinner. It was Christmas eve so most of the town closed up early. Christmas day we were supposed to tender over to CocoCay but the seas had turned rough and it wasn't safe to transport so we missed out on that trip, but the time on board to relax was great.
It was a nice cruise as usual but the food and main dining room service was hardly up to RCCL standards. :( It almost seemed as if it were a training cruise for the dining room and kitchen staff.  We had never been to one of the onboard restaurants so ,the last night on board we went to Giovanni's Table, the food was great and I had the best Tiramisu I have ever had, it was excellent, better than anything in the main dining room.
I will post a review of the cruise later this week, just wanted to answer you question. Booked our next cruise onboard, June, Jewel of the Seas! :D

When not docked in port... STAY ON THE SHIP!!! :D

Matt and Don have a really good point about keeping the same waitstaff from night to night! I have some very specific dietary request! And having the same waiter keeps me from explaining it every night! They learn and remember you by name and make you feel SO special!
The prepaid tips is fine, but you might even want to add a little extra for the really good folks you take such amazing care of you! We love RCCL...and have had some great trips!

Matt and Don have a really good point about keeping the same waitstaff from night to night! I have some very specific dietary request! And having the same waiter keeps me from explaining it every night! They learn and remember you by name and make you feel SO special!
The prepaid tips is fine, but you might even want to add a little extra for the really good folks you take such amazing care of you! We love RCCL...and have had some great trips!