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The cruise that 9 family and friends just returned from on the quantum of the seas. This cruise began in Seattle and went to Alaska. I thoroughly enjoyed myself however this had zero to do with the Quantum or Royal Caribbean. We had heard numerous people tell us that we were not going to be visiting the glaciers but we were assured that these rumors were untrue. Coincidentally an emergency visit had to be taken to Juneau, skipping Elliocot Arm Dawes Glacier due to a child getting a complicated fracture from falling or sliding down a staircase at 1130 or 1230 at night. The “Alpha alpha alpha to deck 13” or whatever deck was heard so very quietly. That most passengers did not notice. I am certain that somebody’s kid did hurt themselves but I feel that the passengers are being deceived about the itinerary of the Alaska cruise on quantum. They had already taken the glaciers off of our cruise and did not want us to know. The quantum is down one engine and the other engine needs service they have a total of four and we’re only running on three and maybe a half of another. Royal Caribbean is trying to get out of compensating passengers for a disappointing cruise. Not only do I feel they were dishonest but I just have to say that there was too many people not enough staff  and the food was absolutely terrible. The staff that was there tried their hardest to do the best job that they could. You could not even get a place to sit down to eat breakfast at their fabulous Windjammer. A ship the size of the quantum needs a much larger dining space  for people to come eat breakfast. The only other option for breakfast is to go down and pay extra money to their specialty places or get up at 8 AM or actually before 8 AM because you have to be in the dining room at 8 AM for a formal sitdown breakfast. Anybody with a family larger than two people knows this is a very difficult task . The harp and horn while the bartenders were nice do not pay a penny extra for their shitty food. I was charged twice for the one specialty Italian restaurant that we went to. Their excursions consisted of mass loading passengers on two buses sometimes double Dekker buses with standing room only  in way too close of quarters. One of my kids came home with Covid. The elevators are so slow and they keep the ship way too hot considering that people are dressing for Alaska. Every time you turn around they are nickel and dime to death! We have had many cruises in our family and I have never had trouble finding something to eat that agreed with me I’m sorry but throwing pizza at us and cookies at one place before they shut every other food thing down it’s just not acceptable . Do not waste your money on any photo packages because they don’t even barely take your picture anywhere except maybe when you’re walking into dinner. On previous tours there was photo ops on every port. I am consoling myself with the fact that it doesn’t matter where are you go in life but who you’re with. Also there was not adequate handicapped and easy to access handicap routes for people that have had recent surgery or are elderly. Do not take your elderly mother on this cruise because she will just have to sit in her state room. Every single thing you wanted to do on the ship cost extra money. If you want to ride up in the special viewing thing on top of the ship be prepared to shell out about $20 a person. And you will be jammed in there with so many other people you will not be able to breathe and will come home with Covid.  I have never been more unhappy with a royal Caribbean cruise although I loved Alaska and would love to go back to Alaska again at some point. By the way do not get off the boat at British Columbia it is a waste of your time.

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Also, They make it so difficult for older people or people with a disability or handicap to participate in their tours and ports that one poor guy had a heart attack while trying to get back on our ship and died. They should make arrangements for people that cannot walk long distances because the quantum is so large that when you pull into port you often have to walk a long way to get anywhere.

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They even charge you to ride the bus per person to even get into British Columbia. We were there on a Sunday evening for 4 hours and all shops were closed. Don’t try to get a taxi cab because you will just stand in line forever because only a select few taxi cabs are allowed to come to the cruise port because they have to pay extra money for a permit. So if you want to get a taxi cab that doesn’t cost you as much time or money you have to be able to walk out of the cruise port which is extremely large and again not doable for elderly or disabled people.

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Hi Kathkart and welcome to the forums. It sucks that you seemed to have had a less than fun cruise.

As a fellow cruiser, I'd like to comment on/address/ or clarify some points you made.

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We had heard numerous people tell us that we were not going to be visiting the glaciers but we were assured that these rumors were untrue.

These rumors were true and based on the a notice Royal sent out to Quantum passengers a week or two back that due to the engine troubles they would not be able to view the glaciers. Royal actually offered compensation if people wanted to cancel their Alaska cruises because of these changes. I'm not sure why you didn't get the notice - perhaps you can discuss with your TA (if you have one) or see if it went to spam.

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Coincidentally an emergency visit had to be taken to Juneau, skipping Elliocot Arm Dawes Glacier due to a child getting a complicated fracture from falling or sliding down a staircase at 1130 or 1230 at night. The “Alpha alpha alpha to deck 13” or whatever deck was heard so very quietly. That most passengers did not notice. I am certain that somebody’s kid did hurt themselves but I feel that the passengers are being deceived about the itinerary of the Alaska cruise on quantum.

Emergency communications at the time of night wouldn't be played in the staterooms as they are only for the crew to hear. Most people don't know what the codes mean and they could cause panic if delivered in a loud or aggressive manner. (On our last cruise we had a "Bravo bravo" which is fire [ i had to google] and even that was delivered with a level of calm. No captain wants to cause undue alarm to their passengers.) Also, again, it was late so there was a good chance the captain was being respectful of that. And I promise you, they didn't use the injury as an excuse to not do the Glacier. Most likely they had intended to make an effort to go to the glacier (knowing that most if not all Alaska cruisers want to see them) and that was derailed due to the medical emergency. I think you're being highly unfair to the staff and company to state that they intentionally deceived you and used a hurt kid as an excuse.

 

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...but I just have to say that there was too many people not enough staff  and the food was absolutely terrible. The staff that was there tried their hardest to do the best job that they could. You could not even get a place to sit down to eat breakfast at their fabulous Windjammer.

Staffing shortages have been an issue within Royal since the restart. Since most of their serving/kitchen/housekeeping etc staff come from outside America there have been delays with visas, testing, travel and more that have delayed staff boarding ships. Unfortunately they have to work with what they have and as as you said, the staff that are there are working extra hard to make up for the shortages.

Regarding Windjammer - the buffet is always full at peak times like breakfast. It's a fact of cruising and it sounds like you were in an even trickier bag since you had such a large group. That's unfortunate but perhaps next time you can take advantage of room service. I believe Royal is still waiving the Room service fee for breakfast and allowing you to pick from both sides of the door hanger menu.

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I was charged twice for the one specialty Italian restaurant that we went to.

Hopefully you addressed this with Guest services on board. Mistakes can happen and they will be happy to correct this.

 

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Their excursions consisted of mass loading passengers on two buses sometimes double Dekker buses with standing room only  in way too close of quarters. One of my kids came home with Covid.

It is important to remember that Royal does not create or run any of the port excursions. They partner with local companies to offer them to cruisers. Blaming royal for what another company does is inaccurate blame. Again, if you are disappointed, mention it to the shore excursion or guest services desk while on board. While Royal does not run the excursions they do care about how these companies run since that also reflects on Royal. Because of that, if there are complaints about how an excursion is run Royal wants to know so they can decide if that 3rd party is okay to keep on.

As for the Covid...that was  risk you all agreed to when you booked the cruise. It could have happened on a limited capacity ship just as much as on land...I do hope your kid is doing well but again...you did sign that you agree to the inherent risk.

 

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...but throwing pizza at us and cookies at one place before they shut every other food thing down it’s just not acceptable .

I...I don't know what to tell you about how not every place can be open 24/7.... If you want food after 9...pizza or cafe are your options....

 

7 hours ago, Kathkart said:

If you want to ride up in the special viewing thing on top of the ship be prepared to shell out about $20 a person.

The North star, I believe, is still free on port days.

 

7 hours ago, Kathkart said:

Also, They make it so difficult for older people or people with a disability or handicap to participate in their tours and ports that one poor guy had a heart attack while trying to get back on our ship and died. They should make arrangements for people that cannot walk long distances because the quantum is so large that when you pull into port you often have to walk a long way to get anywhere.

....I'm sorry...someone died on your excursion....? I....I just....I feel like something is missing there...?

Also...I believe trams/golf carts etc are available but one may need to request them or talk to staff to determine where to meet them or how often they run.

 

7 hours ago, Kathkart said:

They even charge you to ride the bus per person to even get into British Columbia. We were there on a Sunday evening for 4 hours and all shops were closed. Don’t try to get a taxi cab because you will just stand in line forever because only a select few taxi cabs are allowed to come to the cruise port because they have to pay extra money for a permit. So if you want to get a taxi cab that doesn’t cost you as much time or money you have to be able to walk out of the cruise port which is extremely large and again not doable for elderly or disabled people.

Again...Royal is not responsible for what happens on land. ROYAL does not charge for the bus at BC...BC bus people do.

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9 hours ago, Kathkart said:

Also, They make it so difficult for older people or people with a disability or handicap to participate in their tours and ports that one poor guy had a heart attack while trying to get back on our ship and died. They should make arrangements for people that cannot walk long distances because the quantum is so large that when you pull into port you often have to walk a long way to get anywhere.

Cruise lines are not allowed to put vehicles on port facilities.  It's up to each port to provide any shuttles or golf carts at their ports.  Your complaint should be directed to each port that you feel failed to provide the services that those with mobility challenges face.  In some cases a cruise line is not even allowed to put water stations on the pier.   They apply to do so and they are rejected.  The port and pier is not owned by the cruise line and they are powerless to provide any services on the pier.  

 

9 hours ago, Kathkart said:

They even charge you to ride the bus per person to even get into British Columbia. We were there on a Sunday evening for 4 hours and all shops were closed. Don’t try to get a taxi cab because you will just stand in line forever because only a select few taxi cabs are allowed to come to the cruise port because they have to pay extra money for a permit. So if you want to get a taxi cab that doesn’t cost you as much time or money you have to be able to walk out of the cruise port which is extremely large and again not doable for elderly or disabled people.

Royal does not own the port.  The city of Victoria has decided to provide and charge for this service to offset the costs involved.  

 

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10 hours ago, Kathkart said:

The only other option for breakfast is to go down and pay extra money to their specialty places or get up at 8 AM or actually before 8 AM because you have to be in the dining room at 8 AM for a formal sitdown breakfast.

Says who? 

Misinformation and Misunderstanding are the two most common reasons for complaints.  In this example, its misunderstanding.

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17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

I feel that the passengers are being deceived about the itinerary of the Alaska cruise on quantum. They had already taken the glaciers off of our cruise and did not want us to know. The quantum is down one engine and the other engine needs service they have a total of four and we’re only running on three and maybe a half of another. Royal Caribbean is trying to get out of compensating passengers for a disappointing cruise.

I'm sorry but I do NOT believe this is the case. That would be out and out fraud. Current itineraries that are knowingly having to skip the glaciers are offering a full day of each passenger's cruise fare as compensation and I don't think a multi-billion dollar company like RC is going to deceive their guests to save a few bucks. (MANY of which are repeat guests that sail multiple times a year). The issue of the injured minor has been mentioned elsewhere in this blog and was stated as being a compound fracture which was definitely going to need medical attention beyond what the ship's medical staff can provide. 

17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

You could not even get a place to sit down to eat breakfast at their fabulous Windjammer. A ship the size of the quantum needs a much larger dining space  for people to come eat breakfast. The only other option for breakfast is to go down and pay extra money to their specialty places or get up at 8 AM or actually before 8 AM because you have to be in the dining room at 8 AM for a formal sitdown breakfast.

Breakfast is available in the Windjammer, The Main Dining Room, Solarium Bistro, and Café Two70 at no extra cost. The Continental Breakfast through Room Service is also available at no extra cost.

17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

Do not take your elderly mother on this cruise because she will just have to sit in her state room.

Why? If it's a mobility issue, you really should have considered this and made arrangements ahead of time.

17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

I have never had trouble finding something to eat that agreed with me I’m sorry but throwing pizza at us and cookies at one place before they shut every other food thing down it’s just not acceptable .

Sorrento's Pizza is available until 1:00am every day. Room service is available 24 hours, Harp & Horn has pub style food available until 11:00 pm (I know, don't buy their "sh***y food" you say. BTW, please don't use profanity on this site.), and Café Promenade has small sandwiches and snacks until Midnight. 

17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

If you want to ride up in the special viewing thing on top of the ship be prepared to shell out about $20 a person. And you will be jammed in there with so many other people you will not be able to breathe and will come home with Covid.

NorthStar is available for free on port days and Covid is not guaranteed.

17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

Also, They make it so difficult for older people or people with a disability or handicap to participate in their tours

Royal Caribbean does NOT PROVIDE the tours. The "activity level" of each excursion (Mild/Moderate/Strenuous) offered THROUGH Royal Caribbean (NOT by) is listed and many have an "Accessible" option for those with mobility issues. You really should have considered this when booking.

17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

They even charge you to ride the bus per person to even get into British Columbia.

Again, off of the ship, "They" is not Royal Caribbean. Transportation in any port is provided by local vendors. I would not expect this to be free of charge, especially with current fuel costs. 

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3 hours ago, SPS said:

Breakfast is available in the Windjammer, The Main Dining Room, Solarium Bistro, and Café Two70 at no extra cost. The Continental Breakfast through Room Service is also available at no extra cost.

And Cafe 270 was one of my favorite places to grab breakfast on Quantum’s sister ship Ovation!

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Im sorry to hear this person had a bad experience and are angry.   That's a shame.    I'm curious thou what they seek to achieve with this posting  - its not a review site and as they will see above - its not a very receptive audience either.    Maybe just getting it out there was what they were looking for.  

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I was on this same cruise but did not have nearly the same bad experience. Yes I feel like Royal should have done more to go to the Endicott arm even with the emergency, it was still on our itinerary, and the cruise director mentioned that we were going there the night before. I have read about Quantum having engine issues, but the glacier was definitely still planned, I don't think RC pulled a bait and switch, just an unfortunate medical issue that I do believe they could have done better about. The ship hit 20 knots a few times so I don't think the issues were apparent just yet. I believe the changes in the plan start in August.

I found the food in the windjammer and main dining room to be very good, the windjammer was always very busy but my family of 4 never had problems finding a table, sometimes it just required waiting a couple minutes. Finding seating for a huge party will always be difficult. There also was the two70 cafe which was also tasty.

I heard about the person having a heart attack and passing away which is very sad, but I am not so sure how you can blame that on RC. I believe it was in skagway which does have a long pier and we were second in line, however they had plenty of free golf carts to shuttle people down. We don't know if that was the reason for the heart attack. My mom has health issues and can't walk very far and had no issues getting a golf cart.

I did think that the elevators seemed slow and went in weird order sometimes, but i chalked it up to just lots of people. I heard there were 4700 people on board.

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11 hours ago, midnite9150 said:

I heard about the person having a heart attack and passing away which is very sad, but I am not so sure how you can blame that on RC. I believe it was in skagway which does have a long pier and we were second in line, however they had plenty of free golf carts to shuttle people down. We don't know if that was the reason for the heart attack. My mom has health issues and can't walk very far and had no issues getting a golf cart.

Thanks for a bit more confirmation on the passenger that unfortunately passed away. The OP comes off as a bit of an unreliable narrator so that throwaway line felt hard to believe from just them.

 

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Improper expectation is the leading cause of negative reviews.

But what's worse...the OP mentions having been on cruises (and maybe even Royal cruises) before so I do wonder why there was soooo much they didn't seem to know.

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I didn't read the whole thing (almost none of it, actually), but the comment about not bothering getting off of the ship in British Columbia is one statement with which I disagree.  Victoria is beautiful.  It's beautiful if you take an excursion, or if you just choose to walk off the ship through the downtown.  I guarantee restaurants and bars were open, and there are some very lovely ones.  We always walk to downtown, and the walk is beautiful.  We enjoy the waterfront - we aren't shoppers so we never go  into them anyway.  Did I mention that it's beautiful?

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2 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

Maybe Royal can add a mandatory Cruising 101 video to its check-in list, "before you cruise....."  It is clear some passengers do not know what they are getting into when they cruise, and they don't watch Matt's videos.

This won't help.

There is lots of cruise info available. People spend good money on cruises......not just that but other vacations and cars without doing a smidge of research. Think about how many people fail to do eMuster, then need to be reminded by the captain on each cruise. I feel people think cruising is all-inclusive, therefore everything needs to be catered and spelled out to them. 

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19 hours ago, midnite9150 said:

I was on this same cruise but did not have nearly the same bad experience. Yes I feel like Royal should have done more to go to the Endicott arm even with the emergency, it was still on our itinerary, and the cruise director mentioned that we were going there the night before. I have read about Quantum having engine issues, but the glacier was definitely still planned, I don't think RC pulled a bait and switch, just an unfortunate medical issue that I do believe they could have done better about. The ship hit 20 knots a few times so I don't think the issues were apparent just yet. I believe the changes in the plan start in August.

I found the food in the windjammer and main dining room to be very good, the windjammer was always very busy but my family of 4 never had problems finding a table, sometimes it just required waiting a couple minutes. Finding seating for a huge party will always be difficult. There also was the two70 cafe which was also tasty.

I heard about the person having a heart attack and passing away which is very sad, but I am not so sure how you can blame that on RC. I believe it was in skagway which does have a long pier and we were second in line, however they had plenty of free golf carts to shuttle people down. We don't know if that was the reason for the heart attack. My mom has health issues and can't walk very far and had no issues getting a golf cart.

I did think that the elevators seemed slow and went in weird order sometimes, but i chalked it up to just lots of people. I heard there were 4700 people on board.

I am glad your experience was better than mine, and as I said I did not have a bad time. I have been on many cruises, and this is first post Covid. The food was not good. I feel my expectations were realistic. The cruise is called "The Glacier Cruise." That is how it was advertised. I expected the cruise to be what other cruises from RC were like in past. I think the boat is too large and there is more rooms than their common areas can handle. (elevators, dining, promenade, deck seating...)

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9 hours ago, twangster said:

Improper expectation is the leading cause of negative reviews.

Suppose the person sailed Star; they never say. I hear lots of opinions from folks that that sail regularly in lower cabins. Is it wrong for folks that pay for suites to expect a great experience. I could be wrong but it seems to me that a lot of the old hats that sail every week in cheap cabins look down on those of us that may only sail once a year, but spend 20k + on that sailing. If I booked a balcony or below, that is what I expect. But I book Sky or Star. My expectations are set as that. Don’t judge. 

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43 minutes ago, Sea Squirrel said:

Suppose the person sailed Star; they never say. I hear lots of opinions from folks that that sail regularly in lower cabins. Is it wrong for folks that pay for suites to expect a great experience. I could be wrong but it seems to me that a lot of the old hats that sail every week in cheap cabins look down on those of us that may only sail once a year, but spend 20k + on that sailing. If I booked a balcony or below, that is what I expect. 

Improper expectations for Sky and Star class included.  Star class doesn't warrant unreasonable expectations.  Higher level of service sure, but that is not infinite.  I've had four Star bookings cancel during the pandemic and another coming up later this year.  Don't judge people who don't sail Sky or Star every cruise.  

43 minutes ago, Sea Squirrel said:

But I book Sky or Star. My expectations are set as that. Don’t judge. 

Looks who's judging.  

Ignored.  

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8 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

This won't help.

There is lots of cruise info available. People spend good money on cruises......not just that but other vacations and cars without doing a smidge of research. Think about how many people fail to do eMuster, then need to be reminded by the captain on each cruise. I feel people think cruising is all-inclusive, therefore everything needs to be catered and spelled out to them. 

I was half in jest.  But seriously, when we tried Harmony for the first time in May of 2019 (Coco Cay grand re-opening), there was a special orientation set up on embarkation day to educate guests about the ship.  Roughly 50% of every manifest is first-time cruisers.  So it is probably worth Royal's effort to identify first time cruisers up-front and help them manage expectations.  I certainly don't know the best way to do this, but Royal's App does offer some opportunities, as do educational emails to booked guests.  I believe most people actually do the eMuster, although the naughty list is probably longer than it should be.

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8 hours ago, GatorCruiser said:

Man the reviews of Alaskan cruises this year have been poor. Not sure if it’s selection bias or if something is afoot. 

We did October 2021 (round trip Seattle) and May 2022 (southbound Seward to Vancouver) Alaska cruises. Both excellent. My wife's favorite cruises thus far. The Ports were quaint, the views incredible, and the ships above par. No complaints that I know of. 

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2 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

I was half in jest.  But seriously, when we tried Harmony for the first time in May of 2019 (Coco Cay grand re-opening), there was a special orientation set up on embarkation day to educate guests about the ship.  Roughly 50% of every manifest is first-time cruisers.  So it is probably worth Royal's effort to identify first time cruisers up-front and help them manage expectations.  I certainly don't know the best way to do this, but Royal's App does offer some opportunities, as do educational emails to booked guests.  I believe most people actually do the eMuster, although the naughty list is probably longer than it should be.

I know and I laughed but then thought about it. People get places and act real brand new. They could check the app, their documents, the signage......the list goes on and on. They choose not to. Even if Royal had a "cruising 101" at the terminal, people still wouldn't pay attention. I was recommended Royal by a coworker and went with a long-time friend. She gave me very little info and I did the research but there were still things I didn't know. However, I have long gone into travel with temper expectations, not only do I plan for the unexpected, but I have learned to look at the big picture. 

Lots of the OP complaints have very little to do with Royal. Yes, this cruise was touted as a Glacier experience when it was sold but weeks ago, they informed guest of the changes. Not only that but the cruise contract states anything can change. I am not saying accept mediocrity, I am saying do some research for something you will be spending your hard-earned dollars on. 

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We are on Quantum in a couple of weeks and I have been researching the ship and ports for the past year.  I booked an excursion on Black Friday and it was recently cancelled.  All excursions through Royal are sold out for that port.  I know this is not Royal's issue, it is the vendor that supplies the excursions.  Disappointed, yes!!!  But, I went and booked through a third party on my own.  My philosophy for this trip is to take responsibility for my trip, know that things can change.  I feel blessed that my husband and I have the opportunity to this fantastic trip.  I have researched ports, watched multiple youtube videos on the ship and excursion, many, many great suggestions from everyone on this platform (thanks Matt).  Yes, staffing is an issue.  That is across the board, so be prepared.  The ship will be sailing close to, if not more than capacity.  I know this cause I check daily to see what rooms are still available!!!   

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There is a lot of judging going on. I am telling you that it was not nearly as good as the pre-pandemic cruises. I researched and watched every U tube video possible. I did my homework. My advice to everyone going on a cruise is that if you can not drive to port is to NOT go! We flew to Seattle from east coast-Exhausting with the travel and time change, let alone the diffiulties experienced on the ship. Maybe some people on this site are not used to a luxury vacation, but I am. I know what that looks like and the Quantum did not meet any of the expectations that one would expect for a luxury bucket list vacation.

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To Ampurp85:

The glacier stop cancellation was ONLY told to passengers on the August Cruises!!!!!! I questioned this and was assured that our cruise would not be affected!!!! Do your proper research. They were still telling passengers on my cruise that we were going to Glaciers on the evening before we were supposed to arrive. 

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htmlWe were on the Quantum from May 23-30, and we did not feel that it was our worst Royal cruise ever.

I'm a research fiend, so I knew way ahead of time that most of the shore excursions were sold out by the time we booked. I had to make the best of what was available. In fact, our Skagway excursion was canceled by Royal and I found a good walking tour guide online, downloaded it,  and we ended up walking around the historical buildings and shopping for a bit during our day there.  Relaxing, cheap and enjoyable.  I also asked other cruisers beforehand what a good excursion in Victoria might be  and one lady mentioned Butchart Gardens, so that is what we did (plus the Butterfly Museum.) Hubby and I are certainly not gardeners (we live in a condo) but we still were amazed by the gardens' beauty. Yes, we arrived in Victoria about 5 p.m., but the tour operators (great guys, btw) said that they received permission to stay in the gardens after closing hours. Same thing for the Butterfly Museum - they re-opened their doors for our tour buses. 

Elevators weren't too bad on the ship, from what I remember. We usually ate before 8 a.m. in the Windjammer (we tried Cafe 270 for breakfast once, we preferred the Windjammer.) I honestly don't see what was wrong with Quantum's Windjammer; the food was tastier than several other Windjammers that we've been to, and it was very decent at lunchtime as well.  We were able to sail through part of Endicott Arms, but had to stop and turn around before we caught sight of Dawson Glacier because there were multiple ice floes in the water and it was not safe for a large cruise ship.  It was absolutely true - we observed the Endicott Arms through our large window in our cabin at the very front of the ship, and yes, there were many, many ice floes. The OP neglected to mention - or maybe didn't know about this - that in the SeaPlex, FREE bumper cars are available for anyone willing to wait in line to enjoy them. Hubby and I went twice, I guess we are kids at heart! We are in our early 60's, lol. 

I believe that the most disappointing event that happened during this cruise was that when returned from our Victoria excursion, there was only 1 bar open (we wanted sodas) and only Cafe Promenade was available for a late-evening meal (around 9:15 or so.) So naturally, the line for pizza was long, and the line for getting 2 cans of soda at a nearby bar was even worse. Hubby grumbled about it, complained to guest services and of course, nothing could be done. It turns out that we should have read that morning's Cruise Compass - on the front page was a disclaimer stating that due to Canadian regulations, they were forced to have only 1 bar and 1 eating establishment available on each deck while they were in port. So I didn't do my research for that one item. 

Another disappointment was the musical performance held in 270. While it was incredible as far as techonology goes, there was no plot or cohesion between each musical number, and like several of the musical performances in the regular theater, the sound was so loud that it became distorted and hard to understand. Honestly we are much happier in smaller theaters/venues such as on the Adventure or the Liberty. Not as fancy, but they make sense, lol. 

We also flew into Seattle to board the ship, but I guess we were lucky and it wasn't that bad. As far as Covid goes, we wore KN-94 masks on that ship whenever we walked around in crowded areas (the Esplanade)  and certainly in the elevators, and we did not come home with Covid. We were not the only folks wearing masks btw. 

All in all, not a bad cruise. At least we experienced a Quantum-class ship for the first time. Next time, we may sail on a smaller ship to Alaska, simply because it's becoming evident to us that we prefer the Freedom and Voyager class ships with every new ship we sail. But, to each his own - that's the beauty in being able to choose from 26 ships. 

See photo below for a view of just one of the gardens at Butchart. All of the gardens there are simply spectacular! So, yes, a visit to British Columbia is NOT a waste of time, IMHO.

 

Butchart3.jpg

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16 hours ago, Kathkart said:

The glacier stop cancellation was ONLY told to passengers on the August Cruises!!!!!! I questioned this and was assured that our cruise would not be affected!!!!

Missing your glacier viewing was not planned and it was certainly not any deceptive practices on the cruise line's part. Your glacier viewing was cancelled because of a medical emergency that necessitated getting into Juneau as soon as possible. 

 

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17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

I researched and watched every U tube video possible.

Then you should have known that MDR breakfast is not on a timed or reservation system unlike what you suggested.  You should have also known that the Northstar was free at port.  

As to glaciers, you already said that you went to Juneau.  There is a glacier there.  Pretty famous one lol.  By the way, I am not sure that the Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier cancellation was to spite you or others.  Pretty sure it was for the child that was hurt and needed to be taken ashore.  That said, I guess no sympathy for the hurt victim?  This is NOT false advertising by any means.

Turning to pictures, if you truly are a seasoned cruiser and did your research, you should know that photo packages are really hit or miss.  Did you notice those crew members with big cameras taking pictures of people?  They were everywhere.  If you wanted a picture, they were around.  You didn't have to look far.  

Lastly, Sorrentos had more than just pizza.  They have an antipasta bar.  Also, room service is 24 hrs.  The English pub had food late at night.  At what time exactly were you looking to eat dinner? LOL 

Honestly, a complaint should be FACT based and not based upon your opinions.  For instance, my opinion is that Izumi sushi is not that great.  BUT, fact is, its still sushi and filled our tummies. A true complaint would be if I ordered vegan and got a pile of beef on a plate.  Things that are out of someone's control that affected you negatively, that is unfortunate, but placing blame is not right unless you can back it up.

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17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

There is a lot of judging going on.

Same can be said about your original post.  

We are members of a group that want to learn, teach, enjoy, and share with regards to Royal Caribbean cruises.  We ARE NOT in any position to fix problems with someone's bad experience.  Complaining about a legit issue is more than okay.  But your original post was a bit uneven-handed and based mainly on misunderstandings and misinformation.  Sorry, but that is pretty much the truth.

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17 hours ago, Kathkart said:

I know what that looks like and the Quantum did not meet any of the expectations that one would expect for a luxury bucket list vacation.

Sorry to hear that was the case. Hopefully your next cruise will be a better experience 

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On 7/30/2022 at 5:13 PM, Kathkart said:

 My advice to everyone going on a cruise is that if you can not drive to port is to NOT go!

*Stares in midwest*...so...landlocked in Illinois..with NJ 12 hours, Galveston 18 hours and FL 24 hours by car away....I...just should never cruise...?

That.....is a REALLY blind and privileged thing to say....The US is bigger than just the coasts....

 

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