Gears

Small gestures can mean so much. We went to guest relations inquiring what it would cost to call our daughter from the ship to say happy birthday. The employee said "Tell no one and follow me". Walked us to a phone, asked for and dialed the number and said with a smile "sing happy birthday, keep it short and hang up". Now THAT is customer service!

Its minor and silly,  but i had a pool waiter that learned my name,  constantly came to my deck chair to check on me (during a busy sea day), and let me run a drink pkg tab until the very last drink (i didn't have to keep signing every drink).  It was just a nice day that he made nicer!   Jane

On our New England/Canada cruise on Serenade last year we booked an excursion on board during the day, for the next day, when they still had the 24hr cancellation policy, so we were locked in.  During dinner we talked and kicked ourselves for booking it, due to the length (like 6 or 7 hours), and price.  Ended up going to the shore excursions desk, asked if there was any way we could cancel and book a shorter excursion.  The girl working the desk looked around, then whispered "sure, not a problem".  We were stoked, and ended up loving the shorter tour, and the $100 we saved.

Like @WAAAYTOOO, I don't believe this experiment is about combating sharing. They are in business to make money...and sometimes it takes a set of data gathered out of a trial as proof of concept to justify a change. Just doing it without backup data would be a poor business decision. They will weight the data and come to a conclusion that they may or may not implement. I suspect RCL will weigh complaints along with the financial information. No business is perfect, but in general I find RCL to take customer feedback seriously. They don't always make a change with that feedback, but I do know they listen constructively. 
But...I still think this is tied selling a'la antitrust legislation. If it has gone on in other cruise lines and such...maybe nobody has filed a formal complaint to the Federal Trade Commission. I am not a US citizen nor do I live in the US, but if someone has some cycles between cruises here's a couple of links:
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/single-firm-conduct/tying-sale-two-products
https://www.ftc.gov/faq/competition/report-antitrust-violation.
 

I agree tiny. If people stop buying the packages, if this is implemented, RCCL will be forced to change the policy, or pay dearly with lost revenue. There are a lot of people though that will continue to buy it, even though they will complain about it. As my dear dad likes to say, "crap or get off the pot!" You can't have it both ways. If you want something to change, you have to make a change yourself. Pick a lane and stay in it.

Personally, I think RCI is just using an excuse to do this.  All of the other lines do it and I think Royal thinks they'll make an extra nickel by forcing everyone to get a package.
I'm not suggesting that there aren't those who are erroneously sharing drink packages but I truly do not believe that's why Royal is making (or trying to make) this change.

But we would all buy them!   But then id have to keep shifting my sea pass btw that and my red wings lanyard!  Decisions, decisions....   Jane

What she said...!

I'd say you can't go wrong with either one. While Indy is a little bit bigger, they each have similar amenities and would be a great ship for a cruise with the family. 
Personally, I think I'd actually pick Navigator.

I think there are rules saying you have to be 50+ to use that line... 

I think there are rules saying you have to be 50+ to use that line... 

I think there are rules saying you have to be 50+ to use that line... 

I would say the majority of the "perks" we have received have been earned due to C&A status (robes or Balcony discount for example) or as part of the booking (OBC for the sale of the day). So I don't really consider those in my response.
Outside of those types of perks the only thing we have received as a surprise/unearned item was the 25% Future Cruise Credit for last year's Adventure of the Seas sailing with the post dry-dock issues. Personally, I took that as more of a kick in the nuts than an apology and it has significantly affected my opinion of RCI as a brand. I did use the FCC for a discounted cruise on Majesty and enjoyed that cruise but I no longer consider myself an RCI "Loyal to Royal" and have branched out to several other cruise lines largely because of that experience.
Looking for a "best" experience to offset that story, I would actually go back to the Adventure of the Seas though and our first experience as Diamond Members ordering our "diamond drinks". The bartender offered me the menu to choose from and I selected a beer (don't recall which type but they were all bottled options) ... he gave me a look, started to say something and then nodded and walked away and disappeared ... about 15 minutes went by and I was starting to get irritated ... he reappears from a secret door clutching a six pack of the beer I had ordered and explains that he is not supposed to stock that beer at his bar but he went and "found" it for me. He definitely went above and beyond, I didn't have the heart to tell him any of the other beers on the menu would have been just fine.

Hi RestingBirds,  it all counts . On our forthcoming cruise we got free unlimited drinks package, free WiFi and $100.00 room credit.

They seem to be below the water line.  Project Icon == Submarines

...you miss one session of Friday night poker with your friends and when you show up the following Friday they assume you've been on a cruise and ask you what ports you visited THIS time...

No such thing as too much sarcasm....especially when it's deserved !!
Kris, I think your idea is a great one.  If you take away something then offer something else.
To be honest, we have pretty much been passing on the bridge tours lately.  Not to be too cynical, but once you've seen the bridge of most of the ship classes, you've seen them all.  I feel bad for any D+ that didn't get to take advantage of the bridge tour.  It is really a very nice amenity.  Who knows why they discontinued it, but I suspect, as you do, Kris, that it just became a numbers game and the demand overwhelmed the supply.
I guess we'll find out if they will continue to offer this amenity to the suites.  My guess is, they will.

As a result of the overwhelming popularity of the C&A program and the associated perks, perhaps Royal should charge a $7.95 fee for those who want to partake. ;)
Too much sarcasm?
Seriously, I understand the need for the change as there becomes a point when the sheer number of C&A members becomes unmanageable. And for Royal, it's a good problem for them to have. However, I also think that they should replace a perk with something else if they're going to take one away. For example, they could wave the room service fee for Diamond Plus members. It really wouldn't cost them as many might not use it and it would add some good will. 

We did Southwest to Puerto Rico and JetBlue back when we did AOTS last year.
Pricing was similar and both directs but the times worked better the way we did it.

I think I will call them later today and do this.  I am one who likes to make sure I have all my ducks in a row (so to speak). 

And now for something completely different...
Have a look at the Canada & New England Cruises. They typically run in the fall out of Baltimore, Boston & Cape Liberty.

Got ya both beat. First cruise at 52!  Better late than never!

Well, I'm sweet and old and usually find my spot at the schooner.

You purposely pay for In-Flight WiFi just to peruse these message boards... greetings from 35,000 feet up in the air. 

When you are envious about another man's Sea Pass size!