cruiselife

@#cruiselife One of the reasons we took a 10 year hiatus from Royal is because we had a child. The third berth pricing was extremely high for him, even as an infant and toddler, that other cruise lines were simply more reasonable. Even Disney routinely came in cheaper or at the same price as Royal because of the greatly reduced third passenger rate. As a result, we ended up on Disney four times Holland America three times, and NCL once in a penthouse--which is the best way to cruise with a young child--because the pricing was better. On Holland America and NCL, he was free to $99 plus taxes, whereas it was approximately $799 on Royal.
Royal has a great product and I believe the best ships. Their cabins, even on some of the older ships, and overall design can't be beat. However, I'm looking for different itineraries, which the largest ships in the fleet simply can't do and Royal hasn't varied their itineraries enough for me in Europe. As a result, I'm looking at other lines to visit places like the Arctic Circle that I can't do on Royal.

Personally I don't even care what "promotion" they have running, because I know that the price of the cruise is going to be approximately the same price no matter what the "deal" is. Seasonality is the only real impact on the Royal Caribbean cruise rates in my opinion, but I can only speak for the Galveston market which is much less diverse.
I love Royal Caribbean and I think it will always be my favorite cruise line. I've enjoyed them so much in the past that I haven't even wanted to try a different cruise line. However, now we have sailed on all of the best ships Royal Caribbean has to offer in Galveston. Recently we came across a great last minute rate on a Carnival Breeze sailing and we couldn't resist giving it a try. That's actually the same way we have booked our other Royal Caribbean cruises.
My wife and I have been married for 2 years now and we're in the planning stage of having children. It is very hard for us to book a cruise 1-2 years in advance when we have no idea what will be going on in our lives during that time period in terms of kids. This new pricing strategy, coupled with the non-refundable deposit policy makes it incredibly difficult for us to get a good deal on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It's unfortunate, but a great example of how these new policies can effect loyal customers and give other cruise lines a chance to win over a customer's business. Hopefully they've thought that part through, because it definitely played a large role in our decision to try a Carnival cruise.

Personally I don't even care what "promotion" they have running, because I know that the price of the cruise is going to be approximately the same price no matter what the "deal" is. Seasonality is the only real impact on the Royal Caribbean cruise rates in my opinion, but I can only speak for the Galveston market which is much less diverse.
I love Royal Caribbean and I think it will always be my favorite cruise line. I've enjoyed them so much in the past that I haven't even wanted to try a different cruise line. However, now we have sailed on all of the best ships Royal Caribbean has to offer in Galveston. Recently we came across a great last minute rate on a Carnival Breeze sailing and we couldn't resist giving it a try. That's actually the same way we have booked our other Royal Caribbean cruises.
My wife and I have been married for 2 years now and we're in the planning stage of having children. It is very hard for us to book a cruise 1-2 years in advance when we have no idea what will be going on in our lives during that time period in terms of kids. This new pricing strategy, coupled with the non-refundable deposit policy makes it incredibly difficult for us to get a good deal on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It's unfortunate, but a great example of how these new policies can effect loyal customers and give other cruise lines a chance to win over a customer's business. Hopefully they've thought that part through, because it definitely played a large role in our decision to try a Carnival cruise.

Personally I don't even care what "promotion" they have running, because I know that the price of the cruise is going to be approximately the same price no matter what the "deal" is. Seasonality is the only real impact on the Royal Caribbean cruise rates in my opinion, but I can only speak for the Galveston market which is much less diverse.
I love Royal Caribbean and I think it will always be my favorite cruise line. I've enjoyed them so much in the past that I haven't even wanted to try a different cruise line. However, now we have sailed on all of the best ships Royal Caribbean has to offer in Galveston. Recently we came across a great last minute rate on a Carnival Breeze sailing and we couldn't resist giving it a try. That's actually the same way we have booked our other Royal Caribbean cruises.
My wife and I have been married for 2 years now and we're in the planning stage of having children. It is very hard for us to book a cruise 1-2 years in advance when we have no idea what will be going on in our lives during that time period in terms of kids. This new pricing strategy, coupled with the non-refundable deposit policy makes it incredibly difficult for us to get a good deal on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It's unfortunate, but a great example of how these new policies can effect loyal customers and give other cruise lines a chance to win over a customer's business. Hopefully they've thought that part through, because it definitely played a large role in our decision to try a Carnival cruise.

They're asking as if RCblog group taking over the ship would be a bad thing. 
Oh no a fleet of people that love cruising and have a lot of helpful advice. THE HORROR.

When we were on Liberty in April our server at Sabor happened to be from Cozumel and he recommended a place called the Thirsty Cougar. It's not where you go if you're looking for a totally authentic Mexican food experience, and he told us that. We weren't sure if we should try it or not but figured we might as well check it out since we didn't know anywhere else to go. We also checked Yelp, Trip Advisor, and everywhere else and it was highly rated everywhere, usually 4.5+ out of 5 stars so it's no secret.
We really loved the chicken nachos and we had intended to order something else after the nachos, but they were so big that we didn't have any more room for a meal. In our opinion the nachos were as good as any we have ever had. They also have a lot of very interesting types margaritas. The most interesting was probably the frozen chocolate peanut butter margarita pictured below, we didn't try that one though. The staff was incredibly friendly and seemed happy to have us there.
It is located right across the street from the ocean in the forum shops area. It's a small place and the majority of the tables are outside where you can see the ocean and some cruise ships. I definitely recommend it as a place to stop in and grab a margarita and some nachos you can easily share with someone. I can't speak to the entrees because we didn't try them, but based on their reviews I'm sure they're good too.

Let me tell you something about this group.  I've never met anyone in this group that made me feel like an outsider looking in.  You will be welcomed with open arms...this is the most positive group I've EVER been associated with and I credit that to Matt and his positive outlook on life and cruising.  No need to worry if you are a newbie or not, or left out, or anything like that.  The only way you'll be left out is if you stay in your cabin or avoid the group...which BTW is hard to do!!!

When we were on Liberty in April our server at Sabor happened to be from Cozumel and he recommended a place called the Thirsty Cougar. It's not where you go if you're looking for a totally authentic Mexican food experience, and he told us that. We weren't sure if we should try it or not but figured we might as well check it out since we didn't know anywhere else to go. We also checked Yelp, Trip Advisor, and everywhere else and it was highly rated everywhere, usually 4.5+ out of 5 stars so it's no secret.
We really loved the chicken nachos and we had intended to order something else after the nachos, but they were so big that we didn't have any more room for a meal. In our opinion the nachos were as good as any we have ever had. They also have a lot of very interesting types margaritas. The most interesting was probably the frozen chocolate peanut butter margarita pictured below, we didn't try that one though. The staff was incredibly friendly and seemed happy to have us there.
It is located right across the street from the ocean in the forum shops area. It's a small place and the majority of the tables are outside where you can see the ocean and some cruise ships. I definitely recommend it as a place to stop in and grab a margarita and some nachos you can easily share with someone. I can't speak to the entrees because we didn't try them, but based on their reviews I'm sure they're good too.

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

I literally had the exact same experience as the person above me. My wife and I went on Navigator in 2015 and were incredibly impressed with the MDR food as well as the Windjammer. When we went on Liberty in April of 2017 we expected the same. While it wasn't terrible, there was definitely a shift in quality from what we remembered. We still had great service and the food was still very much acceptable and at times great.
In my opinion this shift in quality is due to the recent changes to the "dining experience" on cruise ships. Now you have to pay what they will call a "small fee" to enjoy the same experience that used to be provided in the MDR. I will never be convinced that a meal for $30+ a person is a great deal. I would say that's about what it is worth, and probably even relatively expensive for the average person. We ate at Sabor on Liberty because they were running a $15 promotion at the time and it was good food, but it wasn't any better than what I could get for the same price in my home town. (Except for that Avocado Margarita, that is worth twice as much as it costs)
Even with the lower quality we noticed in the MDR we still choose to dine in the MDR mostly every night because we believe the value received from the complimentary meal in the MDR far exceeds the value received for the fee in the specialty restaurants. I definitely have a thing against specialty restaurants and kind of see them as a microcosm of what the future holds for the cruise industry. I wish that cruise ships were taking steps back towards an all-inclusive experience rather than taking steps away from it, but the wheels are already in motion and I don't think it can be stopped. From a business perspective I'm sure it's a great revenue generating move for Royal Caribbean, but from this cruiser's perspective it's starting to feel like I'm being driven towards paying extra if I want the same quality of food that used to be included.  

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

I literally had the exact same experience as the person above me. My wife and I went on Navigator in 2015 and were incredibly impressed with the MDR food as well as the Windjammer. When we went on Liberty in April of 2017 we expected the same. While it wasn't terrible, there was definitely a shift in quality from what we remembered. We still had great service and the food was still very much acceptable and at times great.
In my opinion this shift in quality is due to the recent changes to the "dining experience" on cruise ships. Now you have to pay what they will call a "small fee" to enjoy the same experience that used to be provided in the MDR. I will never be convinced that a meal for $30+ a person is a great deal. I would say that's about what it is worth, and probably even relatively expensive for the average person. We ate at Sabor on Liberty because they were running a $15 promotion at the time and it was good food, but it wasn't any better than what I could get for the same price in my home town. (Except for that Avocado Margarita, that is worth twice as much as it costs)
Even with the lower quality we noticed in the MDR we still choose to dine in the MDR mostly every night because we believe the value received from the complimentary meal in the MDR far exceeds the value received for the fee in the specialty restaurants. I definitely have a thing against specialty restaurants and kind of see them as a microcosm of what the future holds for the cruise industry. I wish that cruise ships were taking steps back towards an all-inclusive experience rather than taking steps away from it, but the wheels are already in motion and I don't think it can be stopped. From a business perspective I'm sure it's a great revenue generating move for Royal Caribbean, but from this cruiser's perspective it's starting to feel like I'm being driven towards paying extra if I want the same quality of food that used to be included.  

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

I literally had the exact same experience as the person above me. My wife and I went on Navigator in 2015 and were incredibly impressed with the MDR food as well as the Windjammer. When we went on Liberty in April of 2017 we expected the same. While it wasn't terrible, there was definitely a shift in quality from what we remembered. We still had great service and the food was still very much acceptable and at times great.
In my opinion this shift in quality is due to the recent changes to the "dining experience" on cruise ships. Now you have to pay what they will call a "small fee" to enjoy the same experience that used to be provided in the MDR. I will never be convinced that a meal for $30+ a person is a great deal. I would say that's about what it is worth, and probably even relatively expensive for the average person. We ate at Sabor on Liberty because they were running a $15 promotion at the time and it was good food, but it wasn't any better than what I could get for the same price in my home town. (Except for that Avocado Margarita, that is worth twice as much as it costs)
Even with the lower quality we noticed in the MDR we still choose to dine in the MDR mostly every night because we believe the value received from the complimentary meal in the MDR far exceeds the value received for the fee in the specialty restaurants. I definitely have a thing against specialty restaurants and kind of see them as a microcosm of what the future holds for the cruise industry. I wish that cruise ships were taking steps back towards an all-inclusive experience rather than taking steps away from it, but the wheels are already in motion and I don't think it can be stopped. From a business perspective I'm sure it's a great revenue generating move for Royal Caribbean, but from this cruiser's perspective it's starting to feel like I'm being driven towards paying extra if I want the same quality of food that used to be included.  

I literally had the exact same experience as the person above me. My wife and I went on Navigator in 2015 and were incredibly impressed with the MDR food as well as the Windjammer. When we went on Liberty in April of 2017 we expected the same. While it wasn't terrible, there was definitely a shift in quality from what we remembered. We still had great service and the food was still very much acceptable and at times great.
In my opinion this shift in quality is due to the recent changes to the "dining experience" on cruise ships. Now you have to pay what they will call a "small fee" to enjoy the same experience that used to be provided in the MDR. I will never be convinced that a meal for $30+ a person is a great deal. I would say that's about what it is worth, and probably even relatively expensive for the average person. We ate at Sabor on Liberty because they were running a $15 promotion at the time and it was good food, but it wasn't any better than what I could get for the same price in my home town. (Except for that Avocado Margarita, that is worth twice as much as it costs)
Even with the lower quality we noticed in the MDR we still choose to dine in the MDR mostly every night because we believe the value received from the complimentary meal in the MDR far exceeds the value received for the fee in the specialty restaurants. I definitely have a thing against specialty restaurants and kind of see them as a microcosm of what the future holds for the cruise industry. I wish that cruise ships were taking steps back towards an all-inclusive experience rather than taking steps away from it, but the wheels are already in motion and I don't think it can be stopped. From a business perspective I'm sure it's a great revenue generating move for Royal Caribbean, but from this cruiser's perspective it's starting to feel like I'm being driven towards paying extra if I want the same quality of food that used to be included.  

Living too far away from the best cruise ships. I'm lucky to live near Galveston, so at least I can drive to a port, but I wish I could sail on an Oasis class ship and the airfare makes it too expensive to take on.

I literally had the exact same experience as the person above me. My wife and I went on Navigator in 2015 and were incredibly impressed with the MDR food as well as the Windjammer. When we went on Liberty in April of 2017 we expected the same. While it wasn't terrible, there was definitely a shift in quality from what we remembered. We still had great service and the food was still very much acceptable and at times great.
In my opinion this shift in quality is due to the recent changes to the "dining experience" on cruise ships. Now you have to pay what they will call a "small fee" to enjoy the same experience that used to be provided in the MDR. I will never be convinced that a meal for $30+ a person is a great deal. I would say that's about what it is worth, and probably even relatively expensive for the average person. We ate at Sabor on Liberty because they were running a $15 promotion at the time and it was good food, but it wasn't any better than what I could get for the same price in my home town. (Except for that Avocado Margarita, that is worth twice as much as it costs)
Even with the lower quality we noticed in the MDR we still choose to dine in the MDR mostly every night because we believe the value received from the complimentary meal in the MDR far exceeds the value received for the fee in the specialty restaurants. I definitely have a thing against specialty restaurants and kind of see them as a microcosm of what the future holds for the cruise industry. I wish that cruise ships were taking steps back towards an all-inclusive experience rather than taking steps away from it, but the wheels are already in motion and I don't think it can be stopped. From a business perspective I'm sure it's a great revenue generating move for Royal Caribbean, but from this cruiser's perspective it's starting to feel like I'm being driven towards paying extra if I want the same quality of food that used to be included.  

Living too far away from the best cruise ships. I'm lucky to live near Galveston, so at least I can drive to a port, but I wish I could sail on an Oasis class ship and the airfare makes it too expensive to take on.