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Trans cruise from rome to Fl.


Batman362

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We ended our cruise in odyssey of the seas on nov. 13. Never again.  I have been a RC cruiser customer for nearly 30 years.  This was the worst ship ever.  The food was horrendous.  There was no lunch only brunch that ended at 12.30.  A very small menus with the same meals for 14 days.  At never changed.  They did everything. In their power to get your to go to their cafeteria the Windjammer. They had the same bland food all.most every day.  It was always cold.  I am handicapped and it is difficult for me too hold a cane and go threw crowds.  With the ship rocking in 20 ft swells. They didn't care.  I came aboard this ship to be waited on.  Forget that.  Only in the main dining room.    The food was cold dry and very bland.  Nothing special at all.   The bernaise sauce was cold and as thick as pudding.  The hollandaise sauce was straight out of a carton.  The blue cheese dressing looked like milk.  No sauces are home made on this ship.  Even the deserts we frozen and cut into squares.    This is nothing like the ships of 4 years ago.  The decor was bland and boring. Allure of the seas is much better. No broadway musicals except one called the book.   There was no help for people who needed wheelchairs. In rome we waited over and hour with 50 other people all we found get them too day was there wasn't any chairs.  We all got fed up and stormed the lines

  They called security he opened up a fast lane for use. You still has to walk or crawl threw security.  He kept saying.  Not my business, not my business.  Departing the ship was even worse they told everyone who needed assistance to stay in the scooner bar.  There were at least 60 people waiting in there.  No help. No wheelchairs after an hour and a half.  We all made our way down on 5 , down the ramps. To the lower level.  At least 350 in line.  No handicap lines or porters to pay to help you.  A fight broke out between desperate people looking for a porter.  It didn't last long.  We eventually got security to cut into a line and take the handicap people sooner.  What a f up mess. One of the worst experiences in every had.

Don't take odyssey of the seas.  It is a very bad choice.   Yes there was a coastguard drill and customs was slow but the ship new all this the day befor and could have made better arrangements.

 

Bad experience all around.   Batman362

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Was there illness or injury in the Theater cast  or were the waves too big for them to perform? They have 2 shows, Effectors and Showgirl, in the theater on Odyssey as I understand it. They aren't Broadway musicals, you are correct, but they are Royal Caribbean productions. The Book is in 270. If the sea was too rough, it certainly wasn't their fault. It's not safe for the dancers to perform in those conditions, especially in a technological show like Effectors. I'm sure they would rather be performing than hanging out in their cabins for a full crossing. I love the Royal Caribbean entertainment and would have been bummed if they'd been unable to perform on my cruises.

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I was on this sailing also. Some bits of his tirade have SOME truth to them IMHO.

Dining was "OK" in the MDR, some good, some not so good, nothing special. Chops was a bit disappointing and carried a price tag of $76 per person with tip. Even with a BOGO, I wouldn't do it again. Giovanni's has a frozen prebreaded chicken patty for their chicken parm. Sent it back and got the fillet.

Staff was very friendly, but few could help with you. Seemed most were just sent out there without experience or much training.

We got off with self disembark early and zipped right through for a 9:10AM flight from FLL with an hour to spare. Did hear about long waits and problems after we got off.

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12 hours ago, FloatyBoaty said:

 

Was there illness or injury in the Theater cast  or were the waves too big for them to perform? They have 2 shows, Effectors and Showgirl, in the theater on Odyssey as I understand it. They aren't Broadway musicals, you are correct, but they are Royal Caribbean productions. The Book is in 270. If the sea was too rough, it certainly wasn't their fault. It's not safe for the dancers to perform in those conditions, especially in a technological show like Effectors. I'm sure they would rather be performing than hanging out in their cabins for a full crossing. I love the Royal Caribbean entertainment and would have been bummed if they'd been unable to perform on my cruises.

This has nothing to do with the ruffness of the ocean  I saw both those shows and they were good.  They are just not the big shows we were used too.

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I was on odyssey Oct. 7-19. It was AWESOME! I don’t understand how a ship can go downhill to this extent in 12 days. Our dining room staff was excellent! All food was good (not great) and actually way better than our 3 post Covid US based cruises. We had 5 night specialty and 7 nights in MDR. Every menu in MDR was different each night 

We thought the ship was beautiful and will sail her again

i did hear that disembark was horrendous but not unusual for transatlantic 

It’s possible a lot of crew left before the TA. We saw a lot of new crew coming onboard in Cyprus. I know our waiter in MDR was going home after that last Holy Land cruise right before the TA

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Security in terminals is done by contractors in the US.  Unsure about Italy, the port may supply them, but typically ship crew are not allowed to "work" off the ship anywhere except for a few essential personnel.  Immigration laws in countries around the world won't allow ship crew to enter the terminal and work check in for example.  Wheelchair assist can become complicated because ports around the world handle this service.  Sometimes they might allow ship crew to push a wheelchair but sometimes the ship can only get involved closer to the ship when going up the gangway for example.  People often complain about a lack of accessible shuttles on piers but again those must be supplied locally except at private destinations like CocoCay and Labadee. Everywhere else the ship doesn't own the pier and can't put golf carts or shuttles on the piers.

It not that much different in airports where each airline doesn't provide security screening or wheelchair pushers.  Those are local services that aren't operated by the airlines.  They are at the mercy of local companies that provide pusher services.

Transatlantics always have convoluted debarking process due to the higher than normal non-US guest demographics.  CBP has to take more time processing non-US guests so it's not unusual for a transatlantic to have delays debarking.  

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20 hours ago, GatorCruiser said:

I sailed odyssey in December ‘21 and found nothing of what you have commented on. Loved the ship and the decor and the food and that was full on pandemic cruising to boot. It takes all kinds I suppose 

I was on the 5 day US inaugural 1 year ago this week and will be boarding again in FLL on Nov 19th. This ship and Wonder are my favorites in the fleet. This is NOT the ship for people obsessed with the size, shows and amenities that the Oasis class has. Still awesome shows, food and plenty to do.  To each their own! I can't wait to be back on board for 8 nights!

It definitely seems the European boarding process is much crazier then here in the US.

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3 hours ago, twangster said:

Security in terminals is done by contractors in the US.  Unsure about Italy, the port may supply them, but typically ship crew are not allowed to "work" off the ship anywhere except for a few essential personnel.  Immigration laws in countries around the world won't allow ship crew to enter the terminal and work check in for example.  Wheelchair assist can become complicated because ports around the world handle this service.  Sometimes they might allow ship crew to push a wheelchair but sometimes the ship can only get involved closer to the ship when going up the gangway for example.  People often complain about a lack of accessible shuttles on piers but again those must be supplied locally except at private destinations like CocoCay and Labadee. Everywhere else the ship doesn't own the pier and can't put golf carts or shuttles on the piers.

It not that much different in airports where each airline doesn't provide security screening or wheelchair pushers.  Those are local services that aren't operated by the airlines.  They are at the mercy of local companies that provide pusher services.

Transatlantics always have convoluted debarking process due to the higher than normal non-US guest demographics.  CBP has to take more time processing non-US guests so it's not unusual for a transatlantic to have delays debarking.  

We boarded Wonder in Rome this June and it was definitely chaotic.  Italy in general is chaotic - I think the Italians like it that way!

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21 hours ago, Batman362 said:

This has nothing to do with the ruffness of the ocean  I saw both those shows and they were good.  They are just not the big shows we were used too.

Not to argue the point, but these shows were announced way before Odyssey ever started sailing.  Other than We Will Rock You on Anthem (which is similar to a Broadway show), only the Oasis class has Broadway style shows. 

Also, repositioning cruises are notorious for delays at disembarkation.  They are usually disorganized as well, since it's the first cruise of the season for those particular ships at those ports.  And everyone is at the mercy of landside contractors, who have their own issues usually.  

Sorry you had a bad experience.

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On 11/16/2022 at 4:47 PM, Batman362 said:

We ended our cruise in odyssey of the seas on nov. 13. Never again.  I have been a RC cruiser customer for nearly 30 years.  This was the worst ship ever.  The food was horrendous.  There was no lunch only brunch that ended at 12.30.  A very small menus with the same meals for 14 days.  At never changed.  They did everything. In their power to get your to go to their cafeteria the Windjammer. They had the same bland food all.most every day.  It was always cold.  I am handicapped and it is difficult for me too hold a cane and go threw crowds.  With the ship rocking in 20 ft swells. They didn't care.  I came aboard this ship to be waited on.  Forget that.  Only in the main dining room.    The food was cold dry and very bland.  Nothing special at all.   The bernaise sauce was cold and as thick as pudding.  The hollandaise sauce was straight out of a carton.  The blue cheese dressing looked like milk.  No sauces are home made on this ship.  Even the deserts we frozen and cut into squares.    This is nothing like the ships of 4 years ago.  The decor was bland and boring. Allure of the seas is much better. No broadway musicals except one called the book.   There was no help for people who needed wheelchairs. In rome we waited over and hour with 50 other people all we found get them too day was there wasn't any chairs.  We all got fed up and stormed the lines

  They called security he opened up a fast lane for use. You still has to walk or crawl threw security.  He kept saying.  Not my business, not my business.  Departing the ship was even worse they told everyone who needed assistance to stay in the scooner bar.  There were at least 60 people waiting in there.  No help. No wheelchairs after an hour and a half.  We all made our way down on 5 , down the ramps. To the lower level.  At least 350 in line.  No handicap lines or porters to pay to help you.  A fight broke out between desperate people looking for a porter.  It didn't last long.  We eventually got security to cut into a line and take the handicap people sooner.  What a f up mess. One of the worst experiences in every had.

Don't take odyssey of the seas.  It is a very bad choice.   Yes there was a coastguard drill and customs was slow but the ship new all this the day befor and could have made better arrangements.

 

Bad experience all around.   Batman362

I have been on Odyssey several times and found none of this.   I took Odyssey transatlantic last spring and have booked the same for next spring.  And I really  like the food at all venues on Odyssey.

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1 hour ago, Linda R said:

I have been on Odyssey several times and found none of this.   I took Odyssey transatlantic last spring and have booked the same for next spring.  And I really  like the food at all venues on Odyssey.

same here, and boarding tomorrow!

Batman362 should have contacted guest services as it seems like he's handicapped and is used to the old smaller ships. Obviously Odyssey isn't for him!

 

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On 11/17/2022 at 9:15 AM, twangster said:

Transatlantics always have convoluted debarking process due to the higher than normal non-US guest demographics.  CBP has to take more time processing non-US guests so it's not unusual for a transatlantic to have delays debarking.  

The "debarking" is what legit got an lol out of me, as it is actually referring to something very different. 🦮

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Cruise was gone constant f up.  No handicap services at rome.  They said we were on our own.  50 if us stood there for over and hour.  Coming back to fort Lauderdale.  No handy cap services.  Over 70 people stormed the customers terminal trying to get some help.  Your on your own is all we heard.  Disgusting..

Food was awful.  Main dining room was terrible.  No breakfast or separate lunch Just brunch with the same one page menus for 14 days...

They tried to get everyone to go to the buffet.  That was always the same and cold .

No big entertainment productions except for the book. Most people couldn't understand it

The smaller shows were good. I have not been on a cruise this bad in 20 years with fcc. They got the odyssey. All wrong.  Its not decorated very nicely.  Next cruise book allure.  

Kathleen thomson 

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Your account posted almost this exact same complaint/comment last week. I am absolutely not trying to be rude, but am wondering what you hope to accomplish by reposting it in a new thread? I can tell that the experience was very upsetting, but this is not a Royal Caribbean company site - perhaps you should take it to them if you're looking for some sort of resolution. I've listed a few email addresses for customer service that I found quickly online below. Best of luck finding some satisfaction. I hope I never have such a negative experience as you seem to have had.

RoyalGuestRelations@rccl.com

Chief Executive
Michael Bayley
President and CEO
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132 
MBayley@rccl.com

Other senior email adresses listed here: https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/royal-caribbean-customer-service-contacts/

 

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1 hour ago, Batman362 said:

Cruise was gone constant f up.  No handicap services at rome.  They said we were on our own.  50 if us stood there for over and hour.  Coming back to fort Lauderdale.  No handy cap services.  Over 70 people stormed the customers terminal trying to get some help.  Your on your own is all we heard.  Disgusting..

Food was awful.  Main dining room was terrible.  No breakfast or separate lunch Just brunch with the same one page menus for 14 days...

They tried to get everyone to go to the buffet.  That was always the same and cold .

No big entertainment productions except for the book. Most people couldn't understand it

The smaller shows were good. I have not been on a cruise this bad in 20 years with fcc. They got the odyssey. All wrong.  Its not decorated very nicely.  Next cruise book allure.  

Kathleen thomson 

I thought the storming was in Rome

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34 minutes ago, FloatyBoaty said:

Your account posted almost this exact same complaint/comment last week.

That was my bad. They posted in the Roll Call boards for Odyssey so I moved it to the general board. 

I just merged the two threads together--accidentally made the new title stick so I removed the reference to the old thread in your post too 🙈

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