Don

"Evening chic" -- I wonder what I can get away with wearing on those nights? Oh yeah, it's only a suggestion so I can wear whatever I want! I'll go for the standard, but enjoy leaving the ties at home. Suprised Celebrity was 1st in RCI to change the standard.

Out of respect, I do what is traditional. But as that is changing, I'm becoming happier. If I had my way, I'd be in full bum attire everyday, everywhere. In the meantime, however, that has not yet changed. So I wish the eye sore folks would find their way to Carnival.

Sometimes you should just play the game the way it is already set up, and not force your game on everyone else. Don't bring a basketball to a tennis match.

So wear a suit and a nice dress on formal night. Don't wear a tank top and flip flops to the MDR or the theater on any night. And so on. It's not always about you. Sometimes it's about respect for others. If you want it to be all about you, buy your own ship. Shy of that, conform a bit.

Confession time. I wore jeans and a button down shirt to the MDR for the first time ever on my cruise last week. I felt totally dressed down and little uncomfortable. That said, people were wearing shorts and tees, so, by comparison, I was fine. Didn't make it right though. I think if times are changing, it should be officially changed. And when it is, I'll be the happiest man in the room.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned.

Bravo. - dead on target! Sadly the standard is now all about "me" and what "i" can get away with and to hell with everyone else! If RCI allows that standard then just change the standard!

Suggest you focus on enjoying Old San Juan! If that means boarding nearer departure time no problem - just don't be late of course. Since everybody attempts & recommends "beating the crowd" by boarding early, boarding early is most likely more crowded. Enjoy your Port of Embarkation city and board when you want and go with the flow as you will with any boarding time. You will be on the ship all week and have plenty of time to explore the ship. I've never heard of a cruise line running out of food, so getting to the 1st day buffet zoo is not all that essential. If you are a traveler immersing in the local culture will be much more rewarding than rushing to your week long digs - the ship is not where you are going, but rather how you will get there! Don't forget to stop by Barrachina, 104 Calle Fortaleza, for the best Pina Colada in town, they discovered it!

I think we are going to stay away. Seems likes it's just too risky.

We have only done it once, with no problem. It isn't your basic tug boat, but a large moden well equipped passenger ferry. As i recall the ride is only about twice as long as the Belize tender and much smoother ride than any tender we have been on, especially the ship life boats. If you don't have problems on tenders I would think you are ok! As i recall, larger than the ferries at Bermuda! Hope you experience Playa del Carmen & I'd recommend Tulum excursion!

While they are doing A La Carte pricing for some places (and actually they have done this on

their newest ships already so its not "new" they are also going to implement in 6 days, August 7th

Specialty Dining Packages, that are from 3 days to length of cruise for a flat fee

starting at $59 per person to eat 3 nights in 3 specialty restaurants

I think this was their answer to compete with Dynamic Dining but I think it will do well

and you get a discount for pre-booking and can pre-book places to eat 90 days out

We will see - I don't think Dynamic will last long with RCI

 

I agree Michelle - I think they messed with mother nature!

Recommend not ruining embarkation experience by dragging water aboard - not worth the nickels & dimes you will save! Board light so you can be mobile & enjoy the ship while you wait for cabins to become available!

Hello All,

 

I will be traveling on Indy OTS within the next 2 weeks, and while I have been on a few cruises, this will be my girlfriend's first cruise. 

She does get motion sickness or car sickness from time to time, but it's not that severe.  

 

I am preparing for our cruise and I wanted to ask the community which types of seasickness or motion sickness remedies you recommend for us to bring in case she does feel seasick. I am trying to stay away from the drugs, bonine or the patch because I don't know what types of side-effects she might have. 

 

I currently have ginger candy chews, ginger honey crystals (for tea), and am considering buying those Sea-bands. 

 

I know it's relative to each person's level of motion sickness, but is there anything else you recommend I should buy?

 

 

if she does get seasick, go to the on board doctor. They can give you a shot & symptons gone in about 30 min. About $75 if normal, $125 if after hours. Somewhat pricy but priceless to not ruin your vacation!

 

Thank you!

 

-Jeremy

 

Active or retired

Thanks

RCI announced 15% discounts on the Anthem

Military, Police and Firefighters during May 2015

  email me or PM me and I can send you a flyer 

 

Anthem of the Seas - departing from Cape Liberty, NJ

  November 2015- April 2016

May 1-31, 2015 booking window

 

Rulues apply to these promotions* ask me for details

What are the Military rules? Active Duty, Retired, or any Military Service?

I too am amazed at the level of negative comments and the apparent indifference to them. I have attemted 3x to get an answer to feedback from our recent Serenade voyage to no avail. It's like sending smoke signals in a wind storm! We have found the competition does care! Another Emerald cruiser lost before Diamond! #fasttracktobecomingjustanothercruiseline

Definitely stay in Old San Juan - within walking distance of everything ex-beach! Start your exploration the 1st day with San Juan Food Tour - Trip Advisor & web site for info. Great history & culture exposure + great food!

I see what you're saying, Mike. I look at it another way.I have not been on a Quantum Class ship so I do not know this for a fact, but I am willing to bet that not one of the 3 new DD/Classic restaurants (or any other complementary restaurant onboard, for that matter) offers complementary lobster on its static menu. If it did then they would be serving lobster left and right every single night. I ALSO suspect that lobster appears SOMEwhere on one of those menus (perhaps more than one) as an upcharge option.So now, those of us that had been getting lobster once during a 7 night cruise (usually the second formal night) will no longer get lobster unless we are willing to pay extra for it. I suspect that the same is probably true for other pricey main course options such as the lamb shank and/or lamb chops.I see DD as a weasely way for RC to get OUT of the business of offering these "premium" (although the lobster has become somewhat pedestrian in the past few years) once-in-a-week options.My objection is not solely with the lack of variety but with the loss of those special dishes that we have come to love and expect. I think they are going to be gone, gone, gone - unless you're willing to pay for them - very shortly.If I am wrong, someone please tell me. I am willing to retract my hypothesis. It is nothing more than that.

You should have been a hypothesistician! I agree, and think you have broken the "let's raise our profit" Code. Check out the one page MDR menus, choice is a fleeting (no pun intended) concept.

We always book inside cabin & stopped onboard booking when they reduced incentive by 75% , a paltry $25. Competitors are still offering $100!

In Falmouth them@jamaicaculinary / @jamaicafoodtour is the ticket. Get off the tourist track and discovery the real Jamaica under the watxhful eye of fantastic guides. Two tours, one walking tour in Falmouth all within a short distance of the terminal. 2nd goes deeper along the coast toward Ocho Rios with several food tasting stops along the way - highlight is either Ocean Side Reatruant on Discovery Bay chicken & pork jerk or Woolery Kitchen up the mountain side from Run Away Bay - great acke & salt fish with an incredible view of the Bay. The rum punch is the best in the Caribnean. The tour hosta Janet & Anne Crick will take great care of you and you will have new friends for future visits.

I'd give it up! Booking it yourself was a good choice! Suspect you will do a better job looking out for your interest!

I agree, stay with the inside and use the savings for another cruise - double your days at sea! We've been over this, there are some others out there that will let kids go free and do 7nt for 4 under $1000!

If the executives are not on social media, one option is the company's face on social media like facebook and twitter. Many companies have changed their mind on policy when large masses of people voice concerns or discontent on these sites. It's really quite amazing,and in ways alarming, the power social media sites can bring to bear.

I can almost guarantee when they see a mass influx of complaints SOMEONE is gonna walk up to the CEO and say "uhh, sir, we have a problem."

I agree with the social media light up!

Don, I hear ya. I have really resisted making the "jump". I know that what you are saying about being "welcomed" by the competition is true. I was given a "free" cruise on NCL after just 1 cruise with them. They have continued to pursue us fairly aggressively. They truly WANT our business and may soon get it.I just HATE to think about starting over somewhere else. I have spent SO much time and money to get to Diamond Plus.I also agree that it is much more than higher drink prices. I have noticed the same reduction in service quality and one by one the benefits that we have been getting are slipping away...and what I HATE is that they are so sneaky about it. When they introduced the "new and improved" paperless coupons they took away a lot of things we had been getting (mostly associated with the casino...which is what we would notice). One thing that I have NEVER forgiven them for is taking away the personalized luggage tags. I still get them when we book a "gold card suite" but other than that, only the Pinnacle Club members get them now. That was a completely unforced error on their part, IMO. How much could personalized, pre-printed luggage tags really cost the cruise line ? $10 ? $15 PP ? Ok. Just charge me for them. I'd pay it. But no....they just took them away from us yet still offer them to the BIG BUCKS suites and the thousand-year-old Pinnacle Club members. And when I mentioned this before, I get back the excuse, "...they are trying to appeal to a younger crowd". Really ? It sounds to me like they are only catering the old farts that are getting everything for free now anyway ! I truly do not think they care about my business at all ! I think they see the green in the orient and are putting all of their efforts over there.I am not familiar with any of the names that you included above. I guess I will have to research to find out who they are and what lines they represent.

They are VPs with Celebrity, Azumura, & MSC -- suspect you would find others with most cruise lines.

That brings up a good question. What IS the best way to "voice your concern to Royal directly" ? I always hear people saying that they are writing Adam Goldstein personally (how ?? really ???) and chatter like that. I think most of that kind of talk is just Concierge Lounge babble - people trying to make themselves sound important....but I do not know how to really make them HEAR what we are saying....if they even care, and I have to believe that they DO care - especially those of us like bcarney who are truly old timers who have just about HAD it !I guess I should have asked, what is the most EFFECTIVE way to voice your concerns directly to Royal ?I'm sure their "people" read these kinds of blogs from time-to-time but I don't know how truly effective complaining here will really is.Any suggestions ?

I have gone through entire Royal Caribbean VP list & can't fine one listed on social media - have sent inquires or comments to @royalcaribbean Twitter and never got reply! Unfortunate they are not accessible! Try message to sister line execs @dondreCel, @LarryPimentel,@Dsclifton ; or competitor lines @jeffherzfeld, @msccruisesusa, @kenmuskat, @rickcazzell and you will usually get an answer before the sun goes down and often witin minutes or hours - whether you are Concierge or Inside, Diamond or 1st time cruiser. It is impressive. Try it, you'll like it and ask, so what's up with Royal? If they remain unresponsive, I think other Royal Loyalists will join me in enjoying the reception from the competition. And by the way, the problem is much deeper than drink prices - overall quality and service level is suffering from profiteering - drastic crew reduction is probably great for the bottom line, but isn't good for the Royal Caribbean experience. Maybe an approach is to invite them to read Matt's blog!

Subjecting passengers to 11 sea days in a construction zone vs a short dry dock is great for the new profit at all costs objective! I wonder how many of the already over loaded crew members will be pulled from customer service to refit? Recommend 4905 pax light up social media!

It was a test of a new cost cutting proposal - self service dining room ;)

q Brilliant!

I bet if 5400 people show up 2 to 3 hours before the cruise has asked them to, at least 2700 will complain about the cruise lines inability to manage the boarding process and causing 2 or 3 hour waits - interesting concept?

I dunno, I'd call 12 too high when compared to land based bars you pay about 7 around here for your average mixed drink. At the old price it was just slightly above what you'd pay any day, now its about 75-80% higher? I still maintain that vacation inflation has its limits.

I agree also - i have chosen to book future cruises with competitors because i could no longer justify the loyalty cost. RCI is simply letting greed for profit to overshadow customer satisfaction. In the past 12 months we have cruised 3x and have 3x future booked - sadly none are RCI. If enough people choose competitors they may get the message. Drinks on one of our new cruise lines for example are $85 +15% Gratuity for book of 18 drinks, thats about $4.75 a pop. If you continue to Pay $12 prices will continue to go up. We were just on Serenade Last mo. (Booked a yr ago) noticed that trying to find a cocktail waiter poolside even on sea day was like trying to find RTwheresWaldo - if you buy the drink package it was a self serve bar. Stop paying $12 a drink!

You don't have to deal with the smoke to be a cruise ship gambler. Some lines have eliminated smoking in the casino.

There won't be a next cruise until RCI reverses the downward spiral of sevice cuts. They are on fast track to becoming the Delta Air afloat - just another cruise line. They must be using @RTWheresWaldo Consulting Group to set their crew size!