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Convince this RCL newbie to give them another shot


FSUFAN

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Okay – help me to understand the lore of RCL because we are on the Voyager OTS right now sitting at the dock in Charlottestown, PEI, Canada, and I’m just not feeling it.

Mrs Fan and I are RCL newbies and this is our first sailing with RCL.  We have sailed on Princess, NCL and Carnival.

Not trying to be an Eeyore and will most likely be flamed for this post but these are my first impressions.

I stated earlier in another post that embarkation in Boston was a complete mess. We had 10:30 boarding PLUS the Key and were turned away from the Key line (per the rep, it was too crowded) and sent to the back of the main embarkation line behind hundreds of people (probably a 150 yard long queue). Talked to another rep that got us back in the Key line after arguing with the original rep. So that was a poor start.

Dinner the first night was Looonnng.  There were 4 of us at a 6-top and it took over 1 hour and 40 minutes from start to finish.  I assume short staffing issues.  We stopped ordering dessert now in order to get in and out in an hour now each night.

Mrs Fan and I head up to, I think it was the High Notes bar, anyway, it was a bar that was supposed to be open at 10:30 am (Mimosas for us).  Anyway, it was 10:45 and the bar tender was still fetching glasses and getting the bar ready. Same thing with some Ballroom dancing. I told Mrs Fan that I wanted to see what the deal was.  Supposed to start at 3:30, at 3:55, still no music. People asking, no one had answers. I went back to the room.

Drinks are super weak, and nothing is really much under $14.  I ordered a Buffalo Trace on the rocks in one bar and they had none at that bar (it is at other bars, just not here). Ordered a glass of Chardonnay at another bar for Mrs Fan and again, none at that bar. At most home bar set-ups, you have a jigger that has a large (1.5 oz) side and a small 1.0 oz size.  The jiggers that the bartenders use appear to have the small 1.0 oz on both sides. Maybe due to the DBP they use a smaller shot for each drink.

We went to see a classical guitarist in the Promenade.  It was kind of noisy to start with the tile floors and people milling around, then as we are listening to him play there was this loud “kerchunk!” sound. Then it happened again, then again. Turns out they set up a corn-hole game not 5 yards away from the guy playing.  Every 10 seconds or so, kerchunk!, delicate strings playing – kerchunk! I really felt sorry for the guy.  He was excellent, but to have the game right there.  Poor planning on RCL.

The venues are too small. The Piano player at the Schooner bar was another excellent performer, but all seats were gone 20 minutes before she started. Once she started, people kept streaming thru the bar and piano player, weaving in and out of chairs looking for seats. A simple “Venue full” sign would have helped cut down on the distractions. Pig and Whistle Pub, never any open seats. We have the Key and were 15 minutes early for the skating show and were turned away. A rep at the front said that they opened up the Key area when to main seating got full.  They are now asking people who have already seen it to NOT come to a second viewing so others can attend.  We are going to try again tonight. I guess we need to go 30 minutes (or more) early.

So far, the food is ok.  On par with Carnival, not as good as Princess.  Desserts are mostly bad on all ships I have ever been on, with the exception of the “molten chocolate” cake on Carnival.

They have a cupcake shop (Cupcake Cupboard) on the 11th floor.  I’ve been 3 times looking to get a cupcake. Nope, no cupcakes, only cookies. They grab one out of a jar with tongs and put it in your hand. No napkin, no paper sleeve, no plate. They appear to have some of the other desserts from the Windjammer too, but no cupcakes.

Room steward is the very bright spot of hope for this sailing. She has been lights out great. Got me a feather pillow on day one. Even got Mrs Fan a fan for her to use at night. She keeps the room spotless and has really made being in the room relaxing.

The Voyager OTS itself is a little "long in the tooth" now.  Rust stains are visible from the outside and on the balcony of our cabin. Again, the venues are smallish. The upgrades done a few years ago I guess did not include adding plugs or USB ports. There are 2 total 110 power outlets in the room plus one for shavers in the bathroom.  No outlets by the bed stands.

We have a sailing booked in June on the Quantum OTS, so I hope the bigger newer ship might change my negative feelings. 

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I would try another class of ship.  Perhaps something larger, newer.  The Voyager class wasn't my fave either.  

Quantum class is a good choice.  They will have better food options, entertainment and activities. 

But overall, RCL does customer service right. The crew are usually fantastic. Service is usually good to excellent. 

Entertainment has always been good as well. 

Food is always going to be subjective to one's own taste. Dining is not going to be 5 star, but it's usually very good at either MDR or Windjammer. And then there's always the specialty restaurants. So try something different on Quantum. I think the desserts on RCL are pretty awesome.  Never had a bad dessert. 

I think RCL is your best value for what you get vs. the other lines. 

Don't base your experience on one ship/one cruise experience.  They are each going to differ. 

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I don't think this is typical of Royal cruises(i haven't been on one now for almost 3 years but..) 

 

The dinner thing...1.5 hrs is always the norm on royal for sit down dinners in the MDR based on my experiences. We don't do it often for that reason. But I guess I know that ahead of time and plan accordingly....if I didn't know to expect than well, yeah I get it.

 

Late shows and no shows....sounds like bad planning on the CD's job/part perhaps?...

 

I haven't had weak drinks nor have I not been able to get a cupcake in a cupcake shop or a piece of pizza at a pizza place...so I can see your point there.

 

Schooner bars are usually fairly small and always crowded when they have live music....I enjoy a good crowd or a busy spot like that but others not so much and I get that.

 

I have cruised small and large Royal ships..usually things work quite smoothly and are enjoyable.....

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I hope no one flames you for sharing your experiences. 
 

We’re currently hanging out in the Schooner Bar (on Voyager) taking advantage of the opportunity to use my iPad on my phones hotspot. 
 

I agree that embarkation was an absolute shit show.  We had a 1030 check in time, arrived at 1020, and got into the line that was over halfway down the side of the building.  Security reminded me of overworked TSA agents with all the yelling that they were doing.  I had to take belt, jacket, watch, etc off while my wife going through a parallel line was allowed to keep it all on.   Even the actual check in process at the desk was chaos.  

We have an early dinner seating on deck 5.  Main Dining Rooms are classier than any other place we’ve been to, so we might not be the best judges.   Our dinners have been nice, however we expect an hour plus for dinner.  To be honest, I have no idea if that’s normal or not.   We’re at a table with 10 places, but have had 6 at most, including us, with some different people a couple evenings.  The past couple nights we ate with a couple who had My Time Dining but asked to eat early so they could make early shows.  
 

I agree that the venues fill up very quickly.  We have learned to show up 30+ minutes early for shows.  The ice show was definitely packed the first night of its showing   We got there 40 minutes early and still ended up at the back.  

Trivia and events in the Schooner Bar/Star Lounge fill up quickly too, however we’ve been able to find seats by asking people who are sitting at tables with more seats available.  The amount of people in them at any one time is pretty dynamic, so I’m not sure a full sign would work. 
 

We prefer Voyager and Freedom class ships, but we definitely notice the size difference between the two.  While they are very similar, Voyager class is definitely narrower.  On the flip side,  we were on Oasis back in February and found it a bit too big for our likes.

Oh… my wife found a USB port n the side of the phone in our cabin.  I’m not sure if they work for charging since we bring a charging hub, but I never knew about it till this cruise.   I’ve been told that the tv has one as well, but I haven’t verified its existence.

Our room steward is also outstanding.  This is his first contract, and he is easily one of the best we’ve had.  

I hope the rest of your cruise is enjoyable.

 

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I think everything you said there is a fair critique. Some things (staffing, cupcakes etc.) can be corrected, some (room sizes, lack of outlets, etc.) are kind of "it is what is" things. (Although I agree the location of the cornhole tournament seems really odd.)

I would agree with the earlier poster that it's not really accurate to judge an entire cruise line off of one experience. It's possible you might enjoy the newer, bigger ship experience down the line. But it's also possible that Royal Caribbean might not be for you--and that's okay. You are certainly allowed to have your own opinion and to enjoy the kind of vacation you want. 

Personally, I like RC because I feel like I get the most "bang for the buck." But everyone vacations differently. I have friends that party on Carnival all the time and love it. I have others that are hardcore Disney Cruise Line fans. And still others would never set foot on a cruise ship. More power to any of them. Find the vacation that works best for what you want and enjoy it!

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No one should flame you........I won't. I have had some amazing and fantastic sailings with Royal and some that really disappointed. 

I am not a fan of the smaller class ships; they really show their age. I am also not a huge fan of the MDR, dinner can be slow and long. As far as embarkment, that is not really RCG fault as they usually work for the port and not the lines. I had the worst embarkment in Port of LA, in fact that sailing on Navigator has been my least favorite one.

With everything else I am sorry that has been your experience. Sometimes things just don't work out, I would hope you try to make the best of the situation. Maybe give RCG another try on a larger, newer ship. 

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I also think its the time of year/clientele that are probably on this cruise as well perhaps? 


This time of year the weather isn't nice and not as much to do outside, which probably makes everything busier inside as well thus leading to crowds and longer waits?

 

if you would like to get off in PEI and trade places with me for the rest of oyur cruise...I'll jump on!..ha

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11 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

I also think its the time of year/clientele that are probably on this cruise as well perhaps? 


This time of year the weather isn't nice and not as much to do outside, which probably makes everything busier inside as well thus leading to crowds and longer waits?

 

if you would like to get off in PEI and trade places with me for the rest of oyur cruise...I'll jump on!..ha

The weather has definitely caused the inside areas to be more crowded than we’ve experienced on Caribbean cruises.   Today was the first decent day weather wise. I’m glad we didn’t spend the money for a balcony. 
 

On the flip side, pool chair hogs are non existent 
 

 

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I have been on only one Voyager class ship which was the Mariner.  Being only a 3-Night weekend sailing, and going with 8 households in 8 rooms, I did not really have time to explore the ship.  It was much about hanging out together with my friends at Coco Cay and Nassau. Very hectic schedule with no sea day.  But I don't remember any bad instances of crew/staff performance.  My only complaint would be having one family separated from us in the seating arrangements in the MDR. This was quickly sorted out.  One of my friends mentioned the inefficient queuing procedure for the Laser Tag which involved people being able to skip the line.  But that's about it.  The experience was very satisfactory for my group.

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And this is VERY nice weather for us at the end of October....normally it would be around 35F ish with frost and even flurries here and there some years. But yeah, I think that these cruises would tend to lend themselves to more seasoned cruises, less family/kids and a lot more indoor than outdoor time which could make a ship feel more crowded and busy, especially a smaller/older ship.

that being said....if your stopping at Halifax or Saint John tomorrow..LET ME ON!!..haha

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12 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

And this is VERY nice weather for us at the end of October....normally it would be around 35F ish with frost and even flurries here and there some years. But yeah, I think that these cruises would tend to lend themselves to more seasoned cruises, less family/kids and a lot more indoor than outdoor time which could make a ship feel more crowded and busy, especially a smaller/older ship.

that being said....if your stopping at Halifax or Saint John tomorrow..LET ME ON!!..haha

The temps really have been very mild.   We were in St John a couple days ago…. Pretty much zero visibility but comfortable.  We did the tourist thing and walked to the falls.  You couldn’t really see across the river.

We almost rented a car and drove up to my wife’s parents in Nackawick. In hindsight we probably should have.  We looked like drowned rats after the walk to the bridge.  

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20 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

I also think its the time of year/clientele that are probably on this cruise as well perhaps? 


This time of year the weather isn't nice and not as much to do outside, which probably makes everything busier inside as well thus leading to crowds and longer waits?

 

if you would like to get off in PEI and trade places with me for the rest of oyur cruise...I'll jump on!..ha

The clientele are certainly older. Mrs Fan and I are mid 60s and probably in the lower third of the ages on board. We chose the dates hoping for less kids and we hit the mark on that. But lots of canes, walkers, and scooters on this sailing. More power to them and everyone seems to be having a good time. 

 

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@FSUFAN Very sorry to hear about the troubles on your cruise.  I agree with the cruisers who recommend trying another ship.  The Allure spoiled me and was one of the best vacations I ever had.  To me, the Oasis-class ships are amazing feats of engineering, and well designed to separate the crowds.  Just my opinion, but I would give that a try.

I'm interested to hear more about your experience with The Key.  We just bought it for our December sailing, expecting that we can jump some lines and get VIP seating at the shows without any trouble.  It's beginning to sound like it may be more trouble than its worth.

I was planning to book a trip on the Voyager after it moves to Galveston next year, but now I am not so sure.  It sounds like the ship might be too small when it comes to crowds.  It's also disappointing to hear that things are looking worn-out, even after the Royal Amplification. 

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3 hours ago, FSUFAN said:

Okay – help me to understand the lore of RCL because we are on the Voyager OTS right now sitting at the dock in Charlottestown, PEI, Canada, and I’m just not feeling it.

Mrs Fan and I are RCL newbies and this is our first sailing with RCL.  We have sailed on Princess, NCL and Carnival.

Not trying to be an Eeyore and will most likely be flamed for this post but these are my first impressions.

I stated earlier in another post that embarkation in Boston was a complete mess. We had 10:30 boarding PLUS the Key and were turned away from the Key line (per the rep, it was too crowded) and sent to the back of the main embarkation line behind hundreds of people (probably a 150 yard long queue). Talked to another rep that got us back in the Key line after arguing with the original rep. So that was a poor start.

Dinner the first night was Looonnng.  There were 4 of us at a 6-top and it took over 1 hour and 40 minutes from start to finish.  I assume short staffing issues.  We stopped ordering dessert now in order to get in and out in an hour now each night.

Mrs Fan and I head up to, I think it was the High Notes bar, anyway, it was a bar that was supposed to be open at 10:30 am (Mimosas for us).  Anyway, it was 10:45 and the bar tender was still fetching glasses and getting the bar ready. Same thing with some Ballroom dancing. I told Mrs Fan that I wanted to see what the deal was.  Supposed to start at 3:30, at 3:55, still no music. People asking, no one had answers. I went back to the room.

Drinks are super weak, and nothing is really much under $14.  I ordered a Buffalo Trace on the rocks in one bar and they had none at that bar (it is at other bars, just not here). Ordered a glass of Chardonnay at another bar for Mrs Fan and again, none at that bar. At most home bar set-ups, you have a jigger that has a large (1.5 oz) side and a small 1.0 oz size.  The jiggers that the bartenders use appear to have the small 1.0 oz on both sides. Maybe due to the DBP they use a smaller shot for each drink.

We went to see a classical guitarist in the Promenade.  It was kind of noisy to start with the tile floors and people milling around, then as we are listening to him play there was this loud “kerchunk!” sound. Then it happened again, then again. Turns out they set up a corn-hole game not 5 yards away from the guy playing.  Every 10 seconds or so, kerchunk!, delicate strings playing – kerchunk! I really felt sorry for the guy.  He was excellent, but to have the game right there.  Poor planning on RCL.

The venues are too small. The Piano player at the Schooner bar was another excellent performer, but all seats were gone 20 minutes before she started. Once she started, people kept streaming thru the bar and piano player, weaving in and out of chairs looking for seats. A simple “Venue full” sign would have helped cut down on the distractions. Pig and Whistle Pub, never any open seats. We have the Key and were 15 minutes early for the skating show and were turned away. A rep at the front said that they opened up the Key area when to main seating got full.  They are now asking people who have already seen it to NOT come to a second viewing so others can attend.  We are going to try again tonight. I guess we need to go 30 minutes (or more) early.

So far, the food is ok.  On par with Carnival, not as good as Princess.  Desserts are mostly bad on all ships I have ever been on, with the exception of the “molten chocolate” cake on Carnival.

They have a cupcake shop (Cupcake Cupboard) on the 11th floor.  I’ve been 3 times looking to get a cupcake. Nope, no cupcakes, only cookies. They grab one out of a jar with tongs and put it in your hand. No napkin, no paper sleeve, no plate. They appear to have some of the other desserts from the Windjammer too, but no cupcakes.

Room steward is the very bright spot of hope for this sailing. She has been lights out great. Got me a feather pillow on day one. Even got Mrs Fan a fan for her to use at night. She keeps the room spotless and has really made being in the room relaxing.

The Voyager OTS itself is a little "long in the tooth" now.  Rust stains are visible from the outside and on the balcony of our cabin. Again, the venues are smallish. The upgrades done a few years ago I guess did not include adding plugs or USB ports. There are 2 total 110 power outlets in the room plus one for shavers in the bathroom.  No outlets by the bed stands.

We have a sailing booked in June on the Quantum OTS, so I hope the bigger newer ship might change my negative feelings. 

From FSU fan to FSU fan, you sailed the wrong ship. Next time, try an oasis class ship out of a SoFL port. Also, my young kids have zero patience and when we go to the dining room if you just inform the wait staff that you would like your food courses expedited they make it happen. We are in and out of the dining room in under 1 hour which in my book is perfection. Good luck.

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40 minutes ago, Bankai said:

@FSUFAN Very sorry to hear about the troubles on your cruise.  I agree with the cruisers who recommend trying another ship.  The Allure spoiled me and was one of the best vacations I ever had.  To me, the Oasis-class ships are amazing feats of engineering, and well designed to separate the crowds.  Just my opinion, but I would give that a try.

I'm interested to hear more about your experience with The Key.  We just bought it for our December sailing, expecting that we can jump some lines and get VIP seating at the shows without any trouble.  It's beginning to sound like it may be more trouble than its worth.

I was planning to book a trip on the Voyager after it moves to Galveston next year, but now I am not so sure.  It sounds like the ship might be too small when it comes to crowds.  It's also disappointing to hear that things are looking worn-out, even after the Royal Amplification. 

Don't get me started about the Key.  We were in Bar Harbor. It is a tender stop. I am looking out the balcony and these nice chartered catamarans are pulling up to the rear exit. Big  wide, open seating, big highback seats large windows. Near the front  they are loading life boats. Cramped hard bench seats. Slow moving, pitchy, windows covered in salt spray. We go to the 4th floor lounge to be taken to the tender along with Priority people. So where do we go? Of course to the Cramped, Slow, pitchy, life boats. We rode back on the chartered catamaran. It was like first class vs. steerage. 

Also, went back up to the Cupcake Cupboard. Fool me once, shame on you. For me 4 times and I am a moron. I asked the girl working if they were ever going to have cupcakes. Her answer was no. They didn't even have cookies. I wish I had my phone to take a picture of the bare shelves. 

I am reminded of the scriptures that say it's the little foxes that destroy the vineyard. 

It is a culmination of minor issues and failures. 

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i am so sorry to hear that this has been your experience, @FSUFAN!

we are avid RCCL cruisers but we certainly have had our share of ups and downs, so i empathize with you. the last time i was this disappointed on a ship, we were on serenade of the seas. the ship itself had some age at the time (we sailed in 2018, so before covid) but the staff was phenomenal, and our MDR crew were incredible. we too, prefer a shorter dining experience, so we just let our head waiter know that we would prefer a speedier service. i think we clocked 75 minutes regularly after that, which was perfect.

regarding the embarkation clustereff... Y I K E S is all i can say. i feel like i have consistently heard bad experiences from the non-florida/northeast ports. i don't know if it's because they see less traffic than the florida ports (is this even true? am i just having a fever dream??) or because we are a lot up here in the northeast and everyone is just... trying to figure it all out. needless to say, having the key should have sped this along for you and it didnt, which is truly a mess. for what it's worth, we have sailed out of FLL, miami and port canaveral and they have all been a breeze. everything runs smoothly and the process never took longer than 30 mins, from start to finish (and was usually quicker). perhaps if you do decide to sail again, you might consider a florida departure port. they certainly seem to have it down.

i think you will enjoy a newer ship much more -- we prefer the oasis class because there is so much to do and so many dining options (both complimentary and specialty/upcharge) along with many things to do and places to go -- so crowds are well dispersed. cabins are definitely better appointed than when we were on serenade.

we are also going on odyssey for the first time in quantum class, so we are looking forward to it much like you and mrs fan. the ship technology i have heard is really something and i've also heard that the shows are truly spectacular. on a slight downside, i have heard there can be some crowding when dinner or shows let out on the royal esplanade, so maybe factor that into your expectations when you sail 😊 as i know it is something i tend to be a little more aware/sensitive to.

i hope you and mrs fan will have a great rest of your cruise and that things continue to trend upwards for you both!!

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3 hours ago, FSUFAN said:

The clientele are certainly older. Mrs Fan and I are mid 60s and probably in the lower third of the ages on board. We chose the dates hoping for less kids and we hit the mark on that. But lots of canes, walkers, and scooters on this sailing. More power to them and everyone seems to be having a good time. 

 

I had to laugh. Yes that was me giggling. I love royal because the age groups seem to be on the higher side and I have only considered that positive because of the fewer children running in the halls and touching all the food in Windjammer.

My husband and I are in your age group…..  I supposed someday we might be having to bring walkers with us! 😬

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We’ve sailed 4 times since the re-start. Last October on symphony was fine food/drink wise. It went downhill from there. US based cruises are having a horrible time getting quality food and it shows. 

Just got off a 12 night Odyssey out of Rome and the food was FANTASTIC every night! 5 night specialty and 7 nights main dining room. No issues with alcohol either. 

I really hope the supply chain debacle ends soon because it’s not up to par from pre-Covid. Europe has no issues. Big time issues still here in US

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We saw Frankie and the Dreamers tonight and it was outstanding. Based off of the Broadway show Jersey Boys and Frankie Valle. So they got that going for them. I think they switched the Ice show from 2 shows on day six to a single show tonight (day five), so we missed out on that entirely. If I am mistaken, then it was a screw up on my part. 

Again, we are cruising on the Quantum OTS in June so I am really hoping for a better experience. 

As far as best bang for the buck. We are sailing out of Amsterdam on the HAL Rotterdam in August (Norway Fjords). The price is about the same as our upcoming Quantum cruise to Alaska. Mid ship balcony on deck 8. HAL is throwing in Pre-paid gratuities, wifi for two (the deluxe version), drinks package (15 max/day, alcohol and non), $100 onboard credit, $100 excursion credit, one meal in a specialty restaurant. I figured it is about $1,500 to $1,600 in perks. Not sure RCL is a better bang for the buck. 

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Sorry your time onboard (once finally boarded) is not hitting the mark for you.

Having been on Adventure and shut out of the ice shows, 2 minutes late the first show  15 minutes early (Diamond plus) the second show I showed up 45 minutes early for the next show and had my pick  of seats , and it did not appear they had “privileged seating” at the time of my entry.

quantum class is definitely larger.  That said, it’s proportional, I would imagine you’d have the same issue with Schooner bar or the pub, you’d need to arrive super early .

 

 

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It's been bad since the restart... Not much consolation since you have no comparative points.

We booked on NCL last minute and had a much better experience with our cheapy, quickie cruise than our last RCL cruise on Ovation.

Still running out reservations on RCL. Have a cheapie next month and then on Wonder early next year. Haven't given up hope, but at least got over the hurdle of trying out another brand.

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My son convinced me to try RCL for our upcoming Alaska trip on the Quantum. My 3 grown children and spouses are going. His take was all the activities. But they are all in their 30s. I don't see myself climbing the rock wall or riding in bumper cars.

I joined this board after I booked the Quantum cruise. With all the glowing reviews about RCL, I booked this trip. Now dealing with a little "buyer's remorse" due to the glitches. From being on this board, I figured that RCL was going to be head and shoulders above the likes of Carnival and its not. 

Again, the Quantum may change my outlook and we have the HAL cruise just 2 months after that for comparison. Maybe, this is the new normal and I need to roll back on the expectations. Either way, I'm not giving up on cruises, maybe just not as brand loyal as some.

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1 hour ago, FSUFAN said:

My son convinced me to try RCL for our upcoming Alaska trip on the Quantum. My 3 grown children and spouses are going. His take was all the activities. But they are all in their 30s. I don't see myself climbing the rock wall or riding in bumper cars.

I joined this board after I booked the Quantum cruise. With all the glowing reviews about RCL, I booked this trip. Now dealing with a little "buyer's remorse" due to the glitches. From being on this board, I figured that RCL was going to be head and shoulders above the likes of Carnival and its not. 

Again, the Quantum may change my outlook and we have the HAL cruise just 2 months after that for comparison. Maybe, this is the new normal and I need to roll back on the expectations. Either way, I'm not giving up on cruises, maybe just not as brand loyal as some.

No reason to stick to one brand or one ship within a brand.  Find what's right for you.  Seems like you didn't get a match this time.

They started with you at the port and while the port workers don't work for RCL, it is Royal that sold you The Key so they are the ones accountable for ensuring you get the benefits you bought.  On the tender piece, it sounds like you were with the Suite Guests which is all that's really promised there but by then the camels back needed far fewer straws to find the breaking point.  I do hope the rest of your cruise is better.

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@FSUFANI don't think anyone can convince you to become a "Loyal Royal" cruiser as the offering is not what you want or expect. First impressions can linger and since your next sailing is Alaska; I am on the fence as to whether you might fare better. I think you should find what works for you, it is your money, time and expectations. Baring the specialty restaurants, I think Carnival has better free food offerings than Royal. However, as a whole, the atmosphere, aesthetics and crowds on Carnival are not for me. I think it is not a general assessment that a line is head and shoulders above the rest but a personal one. 

Adjusting one's expectations to the current climate is fine. But you don't need to adjust them to accept the worst. 

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One reason I think the Schooner bar is so busy, is on alot of ships, its right near the exit of the main theater.  When a show lets out and theres 1000 people exiting the theater hearing the music and people singing along with the piano players they stop and check out all the excitement.  Its also a cut through to the casino. 

As far as the MDR, i have never had dinner in less than an hour.  Usually 90 min and has been as long as 2hr but it never seems to be that long to me. With a 3 course meal, sometimes more as I have ordered multiple items, i feel this is fairly the norm of 90 min.   With all of our busy lives these days, it seems alot of people eat and run or in sperate rooms glued to TVs or our phones ( i am guilty of this sometimes too).  I enjoy the MDR as its a place where I feel we can connect, and talk at dinner.  When my young son comes with us, the waiters have brought him some fries or something to snack on while the meal is being prepared.  They really work hard for the amount of tables they have to attend to.   

 

Another idea to help speed things up is, check out the menu earlier in the day.  Its usually posted all day on the screens and even the app i think.  When the waiter approaches you tell him what you want instead of having him deliver the menu and going to 5 other tables and coming back to you to order.  Knowing what you want earlier may speed things up.    

 

I really enjoy the cruises I have been on.  Even a less than par day on a cruise is better than work. 

 

Cheers

 

  

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18 hours ago, GatorCruiser said:

We need more gators on this Board. 

I'm sure @tonyfsu21 would agree that less Gators is a feature and not a bug. 

@GatorCruiser 2 of my 3 grown kids are, to my shame, Gators. Lol. We live near Nashville now. We are all going to the Vandy v. UF game next month. Easier ticket than the swamp. 

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I wont try to convince you to stick with Royal.  Sounds like your mind is already made up.  Try Carnival.  Maybe you'll be better pleased.  Everybody has their own favorites.  My preference will continue to be Royal, for many of the reasons some folks dislike them.🤩

 

A few years back, we cruised on Norwegian Breakaway.  Probably the most gorgeous ship I've ever been on.  But it was not my cup of tea.  My mind is made up, and I wont be convinced that I should sail her again.  Again, nothing wrong with the ship, but just enough change-ups compared to most of my Royal cruises, I'm not interested.  I could say nearly the same thing about Odyssey of the Seas.  Magnificent ship, but with the abbreviated Promenade, I don't see myself booking a cruise on her again.

 

It's okay to have favorites and/or opinions.

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1 hour ago, FSUFAN said:

I'm sure @tonyfsu21 would agree that less Gators is a feature and not a bug. 

@GatorCruiser 2 of my 3 grown kids are, to my shame, Gators. Lol. We live near Nashville now. We are all going to the Vandy v. UF game next month. Easier ticket than the swamp. 

I am happy to see that your children are intelligent, well rounded and make excellent collegiate decisions. 😀 I’m sure them going to Florida was a bitter pill to swallow. Anyway, on here we are United by our mutual  love of cruising and that is all that matters. Enjoy the game , vandy may get us this year based on our performance thus far. 

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