What happened to RC service?

[Jonesy]

I am wrapping up my cruise on Harmony of the Seas and I have to ask....what happened to RC's service?  The food quality has been mediocre at best.  This is a sample of the issues 

Costa Maya and Roatan are junk ports.  Outside of the immediate port, there are slums.  You cannot escape the port trap without a cab.  Maybe Mahogany Bay is a Carnival resort, but their port was far superior.

The Chef's Table was held in the Solarium Bistro.  It was pretty bad and they couldn't finish service in two hours.  We had to leave in the middle of the 5th course at the two hour mark to catch a show.  Combine that with a screaming kid in the dining area behind the curtain and you have a recipe for a bad experience.   Yesterday the experience got held in Chops.  I suspect they got too many complaints.

I had early dining booked and they switched me to my time without permission.

They moved the cupcake class I was booked for to a time slot that overlapped something else.  They would not accommodate us in another course.  They issued no advanced notification.  I discovered it when checking the location for my other activity.  They delivered notification of the schedule change to my room a few hours after the class took place.  Nice job Royal.

I had dinner in the Solarium Bistro the first night.  More bad service.  They started taking down their buffet during service.  They did this even as they were seating guests and telling them to get their non existent appetizers at the buffet.

The food in the Coastal Kitchen was bad. I had a risotto appetizer that was poorly cooked and had a very sticky texture like a paste/glue.  That was followed by the worst lasagna I ever had.  It was a few layers of noodles filled with a beef mush.  Really bad.

We had the galley tour today that was originally scheduled for 10:30 but got changed in the app to 11:30.  We showed up at our newly scheduled time to discover they already did the tour. We were not alone.  They ended up giving us some scaled down version of the tour.  The food was also a bit weak.  I had the tour and brunch on the Allure before and it was far superior to this.  I have a feeling Royal booted people from the Cupcake class to accommodate a group and I think they pulled the same stunt with the galley tour.

Not sure I need to bring up what has become of lobster night.  The tails were pathetic as I know others have experienced.

Here is a really dumb policy on the part of RC.  We went to Jamie's and it was fantastic. Absolutely loved their cheesecake.  Loved it so much that I visited the restaurant another night to purchase a slice.  The ship lacks quality dessert options so I wanted to buy something good.  They could not sell it to me.  But if I had the dining package they could give it to me for free.  Maybe one of the dumbest things I have seen.

For the money I spent on this suite, there has been little value in what I have experience outside of Jamie's and the shows.  The rest was extremely forgettable. I think it is time for me to find travel options that do more than provide the illusion of value.

Btw, stay far away from the spa.  That place is nothing but a ripoff. But that is a post for another day.

[Florz]

Was ANYTHING to your liking on the cruise? I mean, were even the pillows soft?

[ChessE4]

Wow! While it is fair to criticize Royal, please don't blame Costa Maya and Roatan. Each port can offer amazing experiences. Cruisers see poverty wherever they travel, even in the US. Post Covid we've all had to adjust our travel expectations. Give Royal your feedback, both positive and negative. We've  all had at least one disappointing trip. PS. Agree with you on the spa....

[Ryan79]

Costa Maya is a great port….if you know what you are doing there and have it planned out in advance. I actually look for itineraries with this port. If you go without a plan, that’s on you. 

[Jonesy]

20 minutes ago, Ryan79 said:

Costa Maya is a great port….if you know what you are doing there and have it planned out in advance. I actually look for itineraries with this port. If you go without a plan, that’s on you. 

I found no interesting excursions.  The port was really dull to me.  Often I prefer to check out the local shops.  Did not feel safe doing that in Roatan.  Costa Maya's port was just one big circular tourist trap.  At least with Cozumel you can walk outside of the port trap and see something else safely.

[tonyfsu21]

It’s all about adjusting expectations. The entire industry was nearly bankrupted from the pandemic and we are still seeing the impact it has had on quality, service and just about every aspect of the experience. The bar is set really low across the board regardless of which brand you choose or vacation type. Suite or interior cabin makes no difference, the staff training and lack of experience is clearly evident. At least RC has the absolute best guest loyalty program in the industry and once you get to Diamond the drink benefit is second to none! 

[loki007]

 I have to agree my experience on Mariner last summer was very similar. MDR food was bad and specialty was ok. Service was pretty bad. Switch to Celebrity, still a Royal company but much better food and service. We were on Apex in December and Silhouette in February and both were awesome. We do royal for 3 night weekend getaways now but never for a week. 

[smokeybandit]

Research your ports before you book a cruise

[CanHardlyWait]

1 hour ago, Jonesy said:

I am wrapping up my cruise on Harmony of the Seas and I have to ask....what happened to RC's service?  The food quality has been mediocre at best.  This is a sample of the issues 

Costa Maya and Roatan are junk ports.  Outside of the immediate port, there are slums.  You cannot escape the port trap without a cab.  Maybe Mahogany Bay is a Carnival resort, but their port was far superior.

The Chef's Table was held in the Solarium Bistro.  It was pretty bad and they couldn't finish service in two hours.  We had to leave in the middle of the 5th course at the two hour mark to catch a show.  Combine that with a screaming kid in the dining area behind the curtain and you have a recipe for a bad experience.   Yesterday the experience got held in Chops.  I suspect they got too many complaints.

I had early dining booked and they switched me to my time without permission.

They moved the cupcake class I was booked for to a time slot that overlapped something else.  They would not accommodate us in another course.  They issued no advanced notification.  I discovered it when checking the location for my other activity.  They delivered notification of the schedule change to my room a few hours after the class took place.  Nice job Royal.

I had dinner in the Solarium Bistro the first night.  More bad service.  They started taking down their buffet during service.  They did this even as they were seating guests and telling them to get their non existent appetizers at the buffet.

The food in the Coastal Kitchen was bad. I had a risotto appetizer that was poorly cooked and had a very sticky texture like a paste/glue.  That was followed by the worst lasagna I ever had.  It was a few layers of noodles filled with a beef mush.  Really bad.

We had the galley tour today that was originally scheduled for 10:30 but got changed in the app to 11:30.  We showed up at our newly scheduled time to discover they already did the tour. We were not alone.  They ended up giving us some scaled down version of the tour.  The food was also a bit weak.  I had the tour and brunch on the Allure before and it was far superior to this.  I have a feeling Royal booted people from the Cupcake class to accommodate a group and I think they pulled the same stunt with the galley tour.

Not sure I need to bring up what has become of lobster night.  The tails were pathetic as I know others have experienced.

Here is a really dumb policy on the part of RC.  We went to Jamie's and it was fantastic. Absolutely loved their cheesecake.  Loved it so much that I visited the restaurant another night to purchase a slice.  The ship lacks quality dessert options so I wanted to buy something good.  They could not sell it to me.  But if I had the dining package they could give it to me for free.  Maybe one of the dumbest things I have seen.

For the money I spent on this suite, there has been little value in what I have experience outside of Jamie's and the shows.  The rest was extremely forgettable. I think it is time for me to find travel options that do more than provide the illusion of value.

Btw, stay far away from the spa.  That place is nothing but a ripoff. But that is a post for another day.

Thank you for your honest review.

I will agree with others about the port. That really has nothing to do with the cruise line. It kind of takes some wind out of your genuine Royal Caribbean food and service complaints. They are legitimate issues and problems. I would leave port complaints out of any correspondence with Royal Caribbean about actual on boards issues. Let them focus on them, because they should. Bad food, bad service, unacceptable. Industry financial problems are no excuse. They took your money and did not provide a quality experience. Also, what good is a loyalty program when your product starts to stink. Be sure to write and communicate these issues with them. Hopefully with enough complaints things will change. If they can do better, they should. That's what tomorrow is for. 

[Kathleen]

2 hours ago, Jonesy said:

I found no interesting excursions.  The port was really dull to me.  Often I prefer to check out the local shops.  Did not feel safe doing that in Roatan.  Costa Maya's port was just one big circular tourist trap.  At least with Cozumel you can walk outside of the port trap and see something else safely.

I’m sorry to hear this cruise fell way below expectations. We did enjoy our excursion to Chacchoben ruins in Costa Maya. Our guide was superior.

[Montemy2419]

We have cruised 4 times this year and the food is not consistent among the ships.  On Oasis I could eat at El Loco Fresh about 5 items and would be safe as I am gluten free.  We got right off Oasis and drove to board Wonder at Port Canaveral. We went straight to El Loco Fresh.  I am still dreaming about the cheese sauce on Oasis because on the Wonder the cheese sauce was NOT gluten free. Two ships docking only a few hours apart and have different supplies from vendors ?

On both Oasis and Wonder I could get Udi's gluten free cookies at the Cafe Promenade. They were fresh and I could always get Chocolate Chip.  On Liberty of the Seas the Udi's cookies had an expiration of May 2023 and I couldn't even break them with my hands.  

 

As far as the port in Roatan that has been hands down the best snorkeling I have ever done.  Yes, it is poor even worse than Jamicia I believe but the coral is spectacular.

[ScottD]

Roatan was my favorite port stop on my cruise this year... the water was beautiful, we loved doing a tour of the island and visiting the local chocolate factory, a local craft shop, a local restaurant and beach with snorkeling.... plus an animal sanctuary.  You just have to research a little. 

[Xaa]

Bummer @Jonesy.  Sounds like all of the little things were accumulating.  I'm not surprised Chef's table exceeded 2 hours but hate the hard choice you had to make. I'm guessing you could have gotten a refund for the cupcake and Sip Tour Brunch, but that's not really the point.  You wanted the booked experience, not the money back.

9 hours ago, Jonesy said:

I think it is time for me to find travel options that do more than provide the illusion of value.

Maybe so.  Everything travel related seems to be offering less for more these days, but we always have to keep looking for value pockets of things that offer what is important to us as individuals.

Appreciate you sharing.

[steverk]

I was on Voyager recently and had an issue with the food quality.  After a few days, I spoke directly with the MDR and Windjammer managers.

Please note, I was calm and made it a point to explain my issues and to soften them with praise for things that were going well. They listened intently, and asked follow up questions. 

Food improved dramatically and immediately. 

Based on this experience,  let someone know if you have a problem.  Royal really wants you to be happy. 

[Traveler]

Sorry to hear your experience was not what you expected,  Costa Maya and Rotan is all about the excursions , Rotan has wonderful clear water beaches and Costa Maya has some nice resorts to visit.

One comment regarding Chef table , we done it 4 times , it always takes more then 2 hours.

[AndyPandy]

13 hours ago, Jonesy said:

I am wrapping up my cruise on Harmony of the Seas and I have to ask....what happened to RC's service?  The food quality has been mediocre at best.  This is a sample of the issues 

Costa Maya and Roatan are junk ports.  Outside of the immediate port, there are slums.  You cannot escape the port trap without a cab.  Maybe Mahogany Bay is a Carnival resort, but their port was far superior.

The Chef's Table was held in the Solarium Bistro.  It was pretty bad and they couldn't finish service in two hours.  We had to leave in the middle of the 5th course at the two hour mark to catch a show.  Combine that with a screaming kid in the dining area behind the curtain and you have a recipe for a bad experience.   Yesterday the experience got held in Chops.  I suspect they got too many complaints.

I had early dining booked and they switched me to my time without permission.

They moved the cupcake class I was booked for to a time slot that overlapped something else.  They would not accommodate us in another course.  They issued no advanced notification.  I discovered it when checking the location for my other activity.  They delivered notification of the schedule change to my room a few hours after the class took place.  Nice job Royal.

I had dinner in the Solarium Bistro the first night.  More bad service.  They started taking down their buffet during service.  They did this even as they were seating guests and telling them to get their non existent appetizers at the buffet.

The food in the Coastal Kitchen was bad. I had a risotto appetizer that was poorly cooked and had a very sticky texture like a paste/glue.  That was followed by the worst lasagna I ever had.  It was a few layers of noodles filled with a beef mush.  Really bad.

We had the galley tour today that was originally scheduled for 10:30 but got changed in the app to 11:30.  We showed up at our newly scheduled time to discover they already did the tour. We were not alone.  They ended up giving us some scaled down version of the tour.  The food was also a bit weak.  I had the tour and brunch on the Allure before and it was far superior to this.  I have a feeling Royal booted people from the Cupcake class to accommodate a group and I think they pulled the same stunt with the galley tour.

Not sure I need to bring up what has become of lobster night.  The tails were pathetic as I know others have experienced.

Here is a really dumb policy on the part of RC.  We went to Jamie's and it was fantastic. Absolutely loved their cheesecake.  Loved it so much that I visited the restaurant another night to purchase a slice.  The ship lacks quality dessert options so I wanted to buy something good.  They could not sell it to me.  But if I had the dining package they could give it to me for free.  Maybe one of the dumbest things I have seen.

For the money I spent on this suite, there has been little value in what I have experience outside of Jamie's and the shows.  The rest was extremely forgettable. I think it is time for me to find travel options that do more than provide the illusion of value.

Btw, stay far away from the spa.  That place is nothing but a ripoff. But that is a post for another day.

Thank you for posting your review and thoughts, I think there are a few sarcastic responses which are not helpful.

I think, and will also probably get similar comments, that RCCL service does need improvement. We have been on other cruise lines and on others there is a tangible difference. Now RCCL can have better ships, better itineraries, and be cheaper than other lines, but it’s a vacation, a holiday and they do need to remember we are all “guests”. I would have sailed RCCL more but after a few less say less than acceptable customer service issues, I became nervous about spending money with RCCL. Now I am willing to give them a try, two more cruises booked, more for itineraries and value in price, but a little concerned about negative reviews that keep coming.

Posters here should have an open mind and not just jump on anyone if they post a less than satisfactory review.

[Carlos A.]

16 hours ago, Jonesy said:

Costa Maya and Roatan are junk ports.  Outside of the immediate port, there are slums.  You cannot escape the port trap without a cab.  Maybe Mahogany Bay is a Carnival resort, but their port was far superior.

 

I was bitting my tongue to not address this kind of comments but couldn't do it. 

Calling Costa Maya a slums and a Junk port seems harsh and uninformed. The dock could be called "Costa Maya" but really is the town of Mahahual what you're visiting when you're there. It's a shame you didn't gave yourself the chance to know the place.

[Ampurp85]

OP had a bad sailing. I fell like it was a pile-on. They didn't like the ports, the things they paid extra for and then started noticing other things.

I notice that one bad thing is easy to get over, two in the same day might ruin that day but I can rally the next. But if all the things I were looking forward to, didn't happen. I find myself only focusing on the negative.

I do think service and the offerings has decreased. I am not a fan of any the Mexican ports as there isn't much to do.....but for me the ports from the US sailings are always a meh to me. But I can't blame a cruise line for that.

 

[FSUFAN]

6 hours ago, steverk said:

I was on Voyager recently and had an issue with the food quality.  After a few days, I spoke directly with the MDR and Windjammer managers.

Please note, I was calm and made it a point to explain my issues and to soften them with praise for things that were going well. They listened intently, and asked follow up questions. 

Food improved dramatically and immediately. 

Based on this experience,  let someone know if you have a problem.  Royal really wants you to be happy. 

I was on the Voyager last October and I vented on this board about the "fit-n-finish" of the trip.  No chardonnay at one bar, but available at another (same with Buffalo Trace).  Tired looking costumes for the shows.  The Cupcake Cupboard that did not server cupcakes during the sailing and only served what seemed like stale leftovers from the MDR/Windjammer. Coffee stations with empty urns during morning hours.  No bar service/waiter in the MDR several of the nights.  

Many keep making excuses for RCL about pandemic issues.  But now ships are sailing at full or near full capacity (and have been for nearly a year now) so it is time for RCL to tighten up.

We are doing the Quantum in 30 days. They have already switched a show time on us that now conflicts with dinner (and it is sold out).  Cancelled the Skagway stop and moved port days to different dates (I had to cancel and move some independent excursions we had booked).

After that, we have a HAL trip on the Rotterdam in August. On paper, the Rotterdam is now a much better value.  We'll see about the actual sailing but I am not hearing the same chatter about HAL on other boards about a "slip" in service.

I do believe that the Royal Crew wants you to be happy.  Just not sure RCL management is giving them the tools to provide a stellar service that we once enjoyed.

[kspam]

22 hours ago, Montemy2419 said:

We have cruised 4 times this year and the food is not consistent among the ships.  On Oasis I could eat at El Loco Fresh about 5 items and would be safe as I am gluten free.  We got right off Oasis and drove to board Wonder at Port Canaveral. We went straight to El Loco Fresh.  I am still dreaming about the cheese sauce on Oasis because on the Wonder the cheese sauce was NOT gluten free. Two ships docking only a few hours apart and have different supplies from vendors ?

On both Oasis and Wonder I could get Udi's gluten free cookies at the Cafe Promenade. They were fresh and I could always get Chocolate Chip.  On Liberty of the Seas the Udi's cookies had an expiration of May 2023 and I couldn't even break them with my hands.  

 

As far as the port in Roatan that has been hands down the best snorkeling I have ever done.  Yes, it is poor even worse than Jamicia I believe but the coral is spectacular.

hubby is GF  we always eat in the MDR and notify them before we sail  Always find good things to eat and hubby eats a pizza nightly

[Linda R]

The specialty restaurants do not have a la carte pricing, so you cannot just go buy something there.  Like a dessert.   If you are at a restaurant and really like a dessert, ask for another "to go".  I do that and put in cooler in cabin for another time.  I eat at Coastal Kitchen a lot.   Mostly the food is very good.  I enjoy it.  And Risotto is sticky in texture and supposed to be that way.  I love it. 

But not all ships are the same nor do things the same.  We just got off Odyssey and they had the Quest game in SeaPlex.  It was terrible. You have to stand, and the people in upper level cannot get down to team leaders to help at all.   That was a very poor thing to do.   We are taking grandkids on Harmony in couple weeks.  Hope our experiences are good.  I have been on that ship a few other times with no issues.  Sorry you did not have a good experience.

[Montemy2419]

1 hour ago, kspam said:

hubby is GF  we always eat in the MDR and notify them before we sail  Always find good things to eat and hubby eats a pizza nightly

I notify them pre-boarding about my dietary needs.  As soon as we board I go directly to the dining room and confirm.  We eat nightly in the MDR and always pre-order for the next lunch if available in the MDR and always dinner.  I have several complaints that are simply solved.  One is to label each item on the menu with the little symbol IF I can eat it.  Why would they take the time to label a dish Vegan but I have as being a GF diner no idea just by looking at the menu if an item is gluten free ? After the Windjammer closes the only option I have is pizza.  It's delicious but it gets a little old having the only option for a late night snack 4 out of 7 nights being pizza.  I did check at Cafe Promenade and the only option was a cold sandwich.

We cruised for the last time before the shutdown March 2020.  I was able to easily look at the menu and see the 2 starters, 2 or 3 main meals and a dessert I could have by having the GF symbol right next to the dish.  Now the Head Waiter shows me the menu and then stands over me going over what I can have and to me it's a waste of time for the Head Waiter.  My experience in the MDR the only dessert I could have on Liberty was Ice Cream while on Oasis and Wonder they said the Ice Cream wasn't gluten free so I would bring the pre-packaged cookies from the Cafe Promenade so I could eat something while others at the table had their dessert.  

The consistency is just not there and I feel left out while looking at the menu in the MDR because if I were a Vegan I would feel welcome.  It's not an easy process in the MDR and I detest having a menu handed to me, Head Waiter showing me several dishes and then standing over me waiting for me to give my order like it's a race.  

[Sea Squirrel]

16 hours ago, Traveler said:

One comment regarding Chef table , we done it 4 times , it always takes more then 2 hours.

True story. It says allow 2-3 hours in the CP description for Chef’s Table. 

[Babsy47]

Roatan is one of my favorite ports anywhere.  My family dives and it has some of the best diving I’ve experienced.  You need to cab or take a private excursion to the West End.  The beaches are beautiful and I enjoy the vibe.  For snorkeling and diving, it can’t be beat.  Costa Maya is more of a problem now because of seaweed.  Nothing anyone can do about it, sadly.  You can go to ruins, which are great.  Balacar lagoon is also spectacular.  It helps to read each ahead for things that are of interest.  To me, the planning is part of the fun!

[TexanTwoStep]

On 5/11/2023 at 7:04 PM, ChessE4 said:

Wow! While it is fair to criticize Royal, please don't blame Costa Maya and Roatan. Each port can offer amazing experiences. Cruisers see poverty wherever they travel, even in the US. Post Covid we've all had to adjust our travel expectations. Give Royal your feedback, both positive and negative. We've  all had at least one disappointing trip. PS. Agree with you on the spa....

Costa Maya is one of my favorite ports.  Maybe OP gets offended/uncomfortable seeing the "slums".  Personally it humbles me and makes me thankful that I can spend thousands of dollars to board a huge ship and be waited on hand and foot -- it puts things in perspective.

I'll never understand complaints like this.  Short of someone on the crew yelling at me or the boat sinking, I'm probably going to have a pretty good time.

[CanHardlyWait]

20 minutes ago, TexanTwoStep said:

Costa Maya is one of my favorite ports.  Maybe OP gets offended/uncomfortable seeing the "slums".  Personally it humbles me and makes me thankful that I can spend thousands of dollars to board a huge ship and be waited on hand and foot -- it puts things in perspective.

I'll never understand complaints like this.  Short of someone on the crew yelling at me or the boat sinking, I'm probably going to have a pretty good time.

Seeing slums in 3rd world countries on excursions just makes me feel sad and depressed. And then there are always big fancy homes on hills near the ports. Decadence and Poverty. My least favorite part of excursions.

[tonyfsu21]

On 5/12/2023 at 2:33 PM, FSUFAN said:

I was on the Voyager last October and I vented on this board about the "fit-n-finish" of the trip.  No chardonnay at one bar, but available at another (same with Buffalo Trace).  Tired looking costumes for the shows.  The Cupcake Cupboard that did not server cupcakes during the sailing and only served what seemed like stale leftovers from the MDR/Windjammer. Coffee stations with empty urns during morning hours.  No bar service/waiter in the MDR several of the nights.  

Many keep making excuses for RCL about pandemic issues.  But now ships are sailing at full or near full capacity (and have been for nearly a year now) so it is time for RCL to tighten up.

We are doing the Quantum in 30 days. They have already switched a show time on us that now conflicts with dinner (and it is sold out).  Cancelled the Skagway stop and moved port days to different dates (I had to cancel and move some independent excursions we had booked).

After that, we have a HAL trip on the Rotterdam in August. On paper, the Rotterdam is now a much better value.  We'll see about the actual sailing but I am not hearing the same chatter about HAL on other boards about a "slip" in service.

I do believe that the Royal Crew wants you to be happy.  Just not sure RCL management is giving them the tools to provide a stellar service that we once enjoyed.

Amen. The money is rolling in, cruises are booked to capacity as far into the future as they will allow you to book. There should be no more excuses for a lack of service excellence! You are correct, RC needs to tighten up. 

[OCSC Mike]

12 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Seeing slums in 3rd world countries on excursions just makes me feel sad and depressed. And then there are always big fancy homes on hills near the ports. Decadence and Poverty. My least favorite part of excursions.

The same thing exists here in the US. It’s not limited to “3rd world countries.”

[CanHardlyWait]

32 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

The same thing exists here in the US. It’s not limited to “3rd world countries.”

Yes it does. Never said it didn't.

[ranchlady403]

Similar disappointment last week on Oasis out of Galveston.  Food was bland and poor quality meats. 

Service was not up to the "WOW" Factor that it used to be.  

The wait staff that ordered the wine had no idea about wine - and asked us to point to the number on the wine list. 

The meals had no flavor and tasted like they came from Luby's Buffet.  Food for the mass of passengers must be difficult.  

I guess we miss the attention to detail that we used to get.  We have moved to Celebrity.

[Ampurp85]

57 minutes ago, ranchlady403 said:

Similar disappointment last week on Oasis out of Galveston.  Food was bland and poor quality meats. 

Service was not up to the "WOW" Factor that it used to be.  

The wait staff that ordered the wine had no idea about wine - and asked us to point to the number on the wine list. 

The meals had no flavor and tasted like they came from Luby's Buffet.  Food for the mass of passengers must be difficult.  

I guess we miss the attention to detail that we used to get.  We have moved to Celebrity.

You mean Allure, right? Oasis is not sailing out of Galveston. 

[Xaa]

On 5/12/2023 at 2:33 PM, FSUFAN said:

I was on the Voyager last October and I vented on this board about the "fit-n-finish" of the trip.

I remember that trip and how excited you were before it and your disappointment on it.  I *think* @teddy was on that cruise as well.

I recall you going into your experience and your frustration at the lack of cupcakes.  While that alone wouldn't bother me one iota, I could see that it was just one of several things accumulating.  I think that's similar to the OP.

I think you had an issue in the terminal, there was the cupcakes and a few other things.  Each one individually can be brushed away, but as they stack the accumulation can overcome the forgiving spirit.  @Jonesy seems to have experienced similar accumulation.

In the end, the totality of the experience wasn't what he wanted.

I'm hoping your AK cruise is better for you and Mrs. Fan.  If not, maybe I'll see you on other lines.  Nothing wrong with matching the experience to your preferences.

[FSUFAN]

2 hours ago, Xaa said:

I remember that trip and how excited you were before it and your disappointment on it.  I *think* @teddy was on that cruise as well.

I recall you going into your experience and your frustration at the lack of cupcakes.  While that alone wouldn't bother me one iota, I could see that it was just one of several things accumulating.  I think that's similar to the OP.

I think you had an issue in the terminal, there was the cupcakes and a few other things.  Each one individually can be brushed away, but as they stack the accumulation can overcome the forgiving spirit.  @Jonesy seems to have experienced similar accumulation.

In the end, the totality of the experience wasn't what he wanted.

I'm hoping your AK cruise is better for you and Mrs. Fan.  If not, maybe I'll see you on other lines.  Nothing wrong with matching the experience to your preferences.

You are correct @teddy was on that cruise (Voyager - NE/Canada).  Don't get me wrong, overall, we enjoyed the sailing, but it was death by a thousand cuts as far a service issues.  Cupcakes were not the problem, but it showed me a lack of attention to detail. And yes, the terminal at Boston was a dumpster fire mess of non-organization. Not totally RCCLs fault, but the buck should stop with them either way and that got us off to a bad start.

Maybe if we had been sailing multiple times each year I would feel differently, but we had not been on a cruise in several years at that point.  We now (by August) will have had 3 sailings (2 with RCCL and 1 with HAL) in less than a year.  I am hopeful that the Alaska trip on the Quantum will be a better experience. I will compare the experience of each line. As far as I know, the issues might be endemic to all lines currently.

We will not give up on cruising. Mrs Fan and I both like the value and entertainment that a cruise offers. Maybe RCCL is not for us (if we had small kids or even teens, it would be a no brainer). I want to do a TA with Cunard on the QM2 with at least Princess Grill service. That is the next bucket list trip. And we want to do an Australia / New Zealand trip/cruise sometime in the future.

Anyway, I probably need to roll back my expectations some as it appears that service levels of the pre-pandemic time are no longer.

[steverk]

10 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

The same thing exists here in the US. It’s not limited to “3rd world countries.”

True. But I was humbled several years ago driving to El Paso TX.

On the north side of the road were shacks apparently occupied by Americans.  That was depressing enough.  On the south side was Mexico.  Then it hit me. There are thousands, perhaps millions, looking at those shacks and thinking they look good enough to risk their lives to come to the USA.

[steverk]

48 minutes ago, FSUFAN said:

Anyway, I probably need to roll back my expectations some as it appears that service levels of the pre-pandemic time are no longer.

In my experience hasn't deteriorated very much.  They only have once per day room cleaning.  I noticed it on my last sailing. I missed it, but found there are upsides to it as well.  Otherwise, I've found the service has remained top notch.

Perhaps I got spoiled when we sailed after COVID on ships that were less than half full.  I will admit service was better then. However, everyone knew that couldn't and wouldn't last long.  By and large, I'd say cruising is very close to pre-pandemic in almost every way.

[deep1]

I read a review like this and I scratch my head. I have yet to see these horrid things??? I have yet to have a bad meal. The service I have seen is second to none. I haven't seen kids over running the Solarium though I was there and somebody was messaging on Facebook that they were.  Few things I can see in the op as what I have experienced. On land "telephone" service is an abomination to anything resembling orderly or professional. I fix that issue by repeated calls until I find a rep who's well versed in whatever I need help with. I do agree that Costa Maya seems to be a "cause we need somewhere to go port. Its quickly remedied by a quick$8 taxi ride to the beach where you can enjoy food, shopping, massages and even buy really good quality hammocks. Roatan is perhaps my favorite stop. For $70 you can get a personal car and driver for pretty much the whole day. We  did sloths and monkey tours. Snorkeled, went to two zip lines,  had a guy carve us a wooden hummingbird, went to a rum factory, went to a chocolate factory, had lunch that had two tails. Good enough that we have booked to go again. $78 investment turns noting into life time of memories.

On the spa , I concur. Destroyed my fiance's hair. Dyeing it black instead of highlighting her blond. $300 to fix when we got home. So that we agree on. Sorry if i seem insensitive but I can't see getting twisted over cupcakes (unless I had set it up for my grand kids). 

The OP here sure seems upset. A shame.  Perhaps they should try staying in a hotel that doesn't offer any changes of scenery, doesn't feed you, doesn't entertain you, and costs twice what a cruise does? Might jostle things back into perspective? 

[ranchlady403]

22 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

You mean Allure, right? Oasis is not sailing out of Galveston. 

Yes   Allure

 

[Raven]

On 4/28/2023 at 10:53 AM, Ryan79 said:

I would just pay it off a week early and avoid any issues and heartache. No harm in paying off a tad early 

 

On 5/12/2023 at 6:42 PM, Linda R said:

The specialty restaurants do not have a la carte pricing, so you cannot just go buy something there.  Like a dessert.   If you are at a restaurant and really like a dessert, ask for another "to go".  I do that and put in cooler in cabin for another time.  I eat at Coastal Kitchen a lot.   Mostly the food is very good.  I enjoy it.  And Risotto is sticky in texture and supposed to be that way.  I love it. 

But not all ships are the same nor do things the same.  We just got off Odyssey and they had the Quest game in SeaPlex.  It was terrible. You have to stand, and the people in upper level cannot get down to team leaders to help at all.   That was a very poor thing to do.   We are taking grandkids on Harmony in couple weeks.  Hope our experiences are good.  I have been on that ship a few other times with no issues.  Sorry you did not have a good experience.

With regard to the suggestion that you order food and put it in your room cooler... DO NOT DO THIS.  The thing in your room is not a fridge and food will go bad,  bacteria will grow and you'll give yourself food poisoning. 

[smokeybandit]

13 minutes ago, Raven said:

With regard to the suggestion that you order food and put it in your room cooler... DO NOT DO THIS.  The thing in your room is not a fridge and food will go bad,  bacteria will grow and you'll give yourself food poisoning. 

If you put ice in the cooler a leftover dessert will last into the next day.  

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

If you put ice in the cooler a leftover dessert will last into the next day.  

The temperature also varies from ship to ship (likely cabin to cabin too). I’ve had coolers that were quite cold & others that felt closer to room temperature.