We are Loyal to Royal. Are you? Why?

[tjcruisers]

We started on DCL. When docked in first port in Nassau we were beside this behemoth of a ship call Oasis of the Seas and my first impression what Hot D@#n I need to cruise on that bad boy some day. How we got to Royal is we wanted to do a Bermuda cruise of out New York area. At the time it was NCL or RCL. I didn't like the NCL pricing at the time and Bayonne seemed to be a far easier location to get to. Since then we've done Royal, but I wouldn't say I'm loyal. We are are looking at other cruise lines to experience something different in terms of ships and itinerary. Having said that I haven't completed my bucket list on RCL yet, still need to get that Royal Loft Suite

[Vancity Cruiser]

We cruise about 70% Royal. We feel that Royal has the best ‘all around’ product but there are things other lines do better so we switch it up from time to time. My wife loves thermal suites and literally every other line does this better than Royal. We also enjoy the entertainment options on other lines.

[FoxboroCruiser]

I chose to book a cruise with Royal for our honeymoon in 1994, so for our 25th anniversary in 2019 we took our second ever cruise and it just seemed fitting to stick with Royal. We took our 2 adult sons and they loved it, and they came along again in 2022 for our next voyage. We have 2 more booked and the boys still want go with us ( we know this won’t last forever) so we don’t want to rock the boat and switch lines.  We will stay loyal to Royal until something changes to make us think about trying NCL…

[ChessE4]

We have always cruised Royal because of its value proposition and availability.  However, we aren't cruising this year (yet) and our next cruise will be on a different line in order to get the desired itinerary.

[CrimsonCruiser]

If I'm honest, I think the main reason we are loyal to royal is because we know what to expect and the perks of C&A.

We, so far, only take one vacation a year and with that we don't want to risk being disappointed by trying something new. We know Royal because we've only done Royal. We know what level of food, service, fun, people etc to expect and that gives us great relief. I truly think if we could cruise more often we'd do more...but we can't.

It does also help that Diamond is such an enticing level to get to. We stayed loyal to royal because we wanted all our monies to go toward getting us to Diamond. And now we're here and no way we wanna give up those perks easily.

[XtremeGK]

Wouldn't say loyal, but agree with others that right now, Royal is the line that best suits my/our needs.

DW and I sail now with our 4.5-year-old, so the kids programming is important to us, and Royal does that as well as anyone in the market. Does Disney do it better? At a cost, yeah. But I wouldn't rank AO much below Disney, and certainly ahead of NCL and Carnival.

Accommodations are also a little more important to us now than they once were. We're simple balcony cabin people and Royal offers us enough variety, with some unique choices for rooms, that we always find what we're looking for at a reasonable pricepoint.

Speaking of price, budgets matter in our house and while Royal's pricing is going up, so are other lines. Royal still presents a good value for us. And having reached Diamond, the 4 drinks save us even more as we never buy a DBP anymore.

Will I try other lines? If everything aligns, yes, of course. But right now, everything aligns on Royal pretty darn well for us.

[Margo1000]

We are Pinnacle and were loyal to royal until a year ago.

The service, food and overall experience for the money has reached bottom for us. They've driven any value out with their pricing and reduction of services. We, like many pinnacle members have jumped ship to other brands and have found better experiences for less money. 

Everyone should keep track of all the money spent on things like WiFi, specialty dinning, drinks packages, spa visits etc. once tallied up many would be surprised at just how expensive RCL has become.

Princess' Crown Grill price for one visit is $39.99 - RCL's  Chops is $89.99

Princess' Absolut & Soda is $7.50 - RCL's is $13.99

These are just a few examples of where RCL is gouging their customers to pay for their new ships - which BTW no longer cater to people without children. They've gone head on with Disney which left us looking elsewhere. We are glad as we've found wonderful cruises on MSC Yacht Club, Princess' Suites.

Stop being loyal - you're being gouged. Who cares if you get 4-6 free drinks a day when you've overpaid by $100's if not $1000's of dollars.

We wished we had never drank the KoolAid that is Crown & Anchor. On average it takes $150,000 USD to reach Pinnacle - I cringe at having spent that on a 3 star cruise line.

[Ditchdoc]

When we started with Royal, guests were a bit older, more subdued, respectful. Food was better, service was better, things were a slower pace and relaxed. We liked it.

Since, Royal marketing has turned the ships into amusement parks, people are brash, many are inconsiderate not only with other people but with the crew and ship. On our last cruise kids (I think), on two occasions, kicked room service trays down the hall, strowing food and ketchup down the passage.  There were reports of door decorations stolen. People are just inconsiderate. One showed up at the Chefs Table, the high end meal on RC, looking like he just walked in off the beach. Others would show up at the MDR 30 and 45 minutes late while others were being served entrees, expecting to start their meal.

Now, we feel like we are simply obligated in ways since our loyalty perks are important and we would hate to start over with another brand. I understand the marketing but cruising is turning into a floating state fair amusement park. Civility is on the decline in favor of loud wiz bang and colors.

[OCSC Mike]

7 minutes ago, Ditchdoc said:

Now, we feel like we are simply obligated in ways since our loyalty perks are important and we would hate to start over with another brand.

Sounds like you should try Celebrity from what I've read.

[JeffB]

1 hour ago, Ditchdoc said:

Since, Royal marketing has turned the ships into amusement parks, people are brash, many are inconsiderate not only with other people but with the crew and ship.

I get what you're saying. We are Celebrity loyalists but have plenty of Royal cruises under our belts, the last one aboard Allure of the Seas out of Port Everglades a year ago in June. (we live in Fort Lauderdale). The situation you're describing is not confined to Royal Caribbean cruises. It's happening industry wide. That is because "we've been found out." Long term cruisers can remember the days when cruising was a past time of seasoned travelers. While that's still true, cruising has become a very popular, mainstream way of taking a vacation. Everyone here has experienced the kinds of behaviors you describe as the old formalities of cruising have given way to a much more relaxed style which has the potential of being abused by passengers who drink too heavily and have few child rearing skills producing unruly and disrespectful kids. That's what happens when the travel flood gates opened post COVID with thousands more folks than before with "travel revenge" who had never booked a cruise vacation started booking them ..... liked the value and repeatedly returned. 

Celebrity has a different vibe than Royal and the passenger cohort tends to be older and more sedate. There are periods when school is in session that you don't even see kids about. Celebrity markets an upscale cruising experience - no waterslides and go-karts. Royal markets family fun with amusement park features. While Royal offers the exclusivity of suites, Celebrity offers "The Retreat" and "Suite Life" a concept the previous Celebrity President, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo brought to the line. That was part of a fleetwide modernization program that featured new Edge Class ships and major modifications to Solstice and Millennium Class ships. It was a pretty successful undertaking that mined a market of cruisers willing to pay for the exclusivity this concept offered. The rest of the cruise industry has followed with most lines offering this kind of thing. Of late, Suites are in high demand across the cruise line industry. They are pricey and can be hard to find at a reasonable per-day, per-person cost.

You probably know your loyalty points cross over if you choose to sail aboard a Celebrity ship. So there is that. If you want to pay for exclusivity and the usual quiet and serene surroundings that begets, be prepared to open your wallet for that. There is also Silver Seas - also a RCG product - offering small ship luxury at a price. Perks don't cross over and that is because you don't need them. Everything is included in the whopping cruise fares.  Finally, Celebrity offers two small expedition yachts and one luxury, all suite yacht for 100 guests.  The fare for a sailing on one of these three offerings is astronomical - IMO, anyway. Personally, I'd rather take two cruises in a Balcony or Ocean view Cabin than one cruise at the same price as two of those in a suite. YMMV.   

[WAYNO]

I gotta say, after reading so many posts by so many people basically hating every cruise experience.. .  Why do you cruise if you know it's gonna be so awful?

I know every person has their own expectations and experiences.  But it seems a lot of folks cruise to be disappointed.  Makes me glad I grew up poor, so I can appreciate this floating heaven on earth experience.

 

I too sometimes have less than a perfect experience, and like others, I do come here to vent.  After I re-read my posts a few times, and realize I'm sounding like the other people, I try to tone it down, and re-count my blessings.

[WAAAYTOOO]

2 hours ago, Ditchdoc said:

When we started with Royal, guests were a bit older, more subdued, respectful. Food was better, service was better, things were a slower pace and relaxed. We liked it.

Since, Royal marketing has turned the ships into amusement parks, people are brash, many are inconsiderate not only with other people but with the crew and ship. On our last cruise kids (I think), on two occasions, kicked room service trays down the hall, strowing food and ketchup down the passage.  There were reports of door decorations stolen. People are just inconsiderate. One showed up at the Chefs Table, the high end meal on RC, looking like he just walked in off the beach. Others would show up at the MDR 30 and 45 minutes late while others were being served entrees, expecting to start their meal.

Now, we feel like we are simply obligated in ways since our loyalty perks are important and we would hate to start over with another brand. I understand the marketing but cruising is turning into a floating state fair amusement park. Civility is on the decline in favor of loud wiz bang and colors.

I’m afraid this kind of apathy and incivility are not confined to leisure activities.  I think that, in general, many people are no longer operating under the accepted norms of civil society.  I wish it weren’t the case, but I see it everywhere.  Common courtesy and manners are passé and no longer recognized, appreciated or practiced.  It’s sad to see.

[OCSC Mike]

32 minutes ago, WAYNO said:

I gotta say, after reading so many posts by so many people basically hating every cruise experience.. .  Why do you cruise if you know it's gonna be so awful?

I know every person has their own expectations and experiences.  But it seems a lot of folks cruise to be disappointed.  Makes me glad I grew up poor, so I can appreciate this floating heaven on earth experience.

FWIW, just so you don't lose total hope in humanity, I did not grow up poor and I appreciate cruising today as much as I ever have. My last cruise was in October and I can't wait to board Wonder next Sunday. It feels like it's been forever.

I'm as baffled by those posts as you are.

[JeffB]

19 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I think that, in general, many people are no longer operating under the accepted norms of civil society.  I wish it weren’t the case, but I see it everywhere.  Common courtesy and manners are passé and no longer recognized, appreciated or practiced.  It’s sad to see.

This is the sad state of human interaction. There's been a lot written about how destructive this is to mankind's existence on the planet. Look around. No one is getting along and there are plenty of dangerous people who leverage discord and turn it into violent acts. An article appeared in the NYTs (and reprinted elsewhere) written by a flight attendant listing 12 rules for flying on an airplane. Here's a reprint that's not paywalled like the NYT is: https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/a-flight-attendants-12-etiquette-rules-for-making-flying-pleasant/cid/1939675

The list doesn't really apply to cruising but I'm sure this group could come with a good one that does and goes beyond the rules of behavior that the cruise lines feel comfortable delineating (and that few read, are scrupulously followed by passengers and enforced by crew) . Here are a few of my suggestions:

Smile; greet fellow passengers and crew even if you don't know them.

Cruise ship bars, lounges and dinning rooms are not your child's play area.

Lining up is a part of cruising. Respect that part where there is a need to do so (e.g. checking in, serve yourself, open dining areas).

Crew members assigned to serving you in your staterooms and within public areas are not your servants. Treat them with respect and common courtesy.

Your turn.

[TimeRacer]

I'm too new to the cruising world to consider myself a Royal Loyal. My boss is a Royal Loyal, as is his boss, so they're not so secretly hoping I join the family

[tonyfsu21]

On 5/27/2023 at 7:47 AM, Margo1000 said:

We are Pinnacle and were loyal to royal until a year ago.

The service, food and overall experience for the money has reached bottom for us. They've driven any value out with their pricing and reduction of services. We, like many pinnacle members have jumped ship to other brands and have found better experiences for less money. 

Everyone should keep track of all the money spent on things like WiFi, specialty dinning, drinks packages, spa visits etc. once tallied up many would be surprised at just how expensive RCL has become.

Princess' Crown Grill price for one visit is $39.99 - RCL's  Chops is $89.99

Princess' Absolut & Soda is $7.50 - RCL's is $13.99

These are just a few examples of where RCL is gouging their customers to pay for their new ships - which BTW no longer cater to people without children. They've gone head on with Disney which left us looking elsewhere. We are glad as we've found wonderful cruises on MSC Yacht Club, Princess' Suites.

Stop being loyal - you're being gouged. Who cares if you get 4-6 free drinks a day when you've overpaid by $100's if not $1000's of dollars.

We wished we had never drank the KoolAid that is Crown & Anchor. On average it takes $150,000 USD to reach Pinnacle - I cringe at having spent that on a 3 star cruise line.

I’m gonna call troll on this one. The first red flag is the supposed “Pinnacle” level guest jumping ship because of the price gouging. It’s clear that up-charges are the primary revenue generator other than possibly the casino and every mid tier cruise company does the same thing! I also think RC has balanced out the family experience to perfection on its current ships and it seems like the Icon class will expand on that. RC is hardly a Disney cruise experience and I would expect a Pinnacle level cruiser would be able to figure that out. The sad part (if I’m incorrect on the trolling) is that it took you $150,000 to figure out that RC was a mid tier (yes probably 3 star) cruise line. It sounds like you should take your own advise and not drink the KoolAid.

[Margo1000]

I can assure you I'm no “troll.”

If you had read my perspective on how expensive RCL has become your sensitive “RCL” toes wouldn’t have been stepped on.  I’ve cruised many other brands that offer better experiences for less money. If that hurts your feelings about your beloved RCL then fine, but unless you’ve got examples of how RCL is not going head to head with Disney then I suggest you sail their new ships with “ family sized” water rafts etc. and then rethink your position.

I might also suggest you personally ask other Pinnacle members for their take on what RCL has taken away- all the while holding top tier events to “ thank their most loyal guests.” Pinnacle isn't what it used to be, nor are the perks worth it. Explain how getting 4-6 free drinks make you feel good when you've over paid in the first place? How do you think people feel once they've attained the top tier to have the goal posts moved? My advice is for those that are in the C&A program is to rethink it before you spend too much money. Stop and calculate the total cost of an RCL and you will find they are over priced.  How is that "trolling?"

We just sailed the Sky Princess from FLL to SOU for 14 nights in a mini suite with WiFi, gratuities and a drinks package for $4500 USD for two people.  Their drinks are almost half the price of RCL's and service ratio is twice that of RCL.
 

My post was to help people see the dog & pony show (smoke & mirrors) RCL is actively promoting, yet once you’ve achieved the top tier you realize it wasn’t worth it. 
 

My experience obviously doesn’t match yours which again is fine. Perhaps opening your mind up might prevent you from calling others trolls in the future.

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by Margo1000
additonal thoughts

[Ampurp85]

I also call B.S on the supposed pinnacle member leaving Royal. D+ and pinnacle perks make onboard expenses very manageable. Also, to reach such status, you would know tons of hacks and tips, so to reach said status and then "find out" it's only a 3-star cruise line suggest this person is trolling.

[Last Lion]

They are factually incorrect as well.

Princess Crown Grill is $39 per person, up $10 since February.

Royal Chops is $49.99 including the always available pre-cruise 10% off.

The price difference between the two is $11, not $50.

No facts, no credibility.

 

[Matt]

3 hours ago, Margo1000 said:

ow do you think people feel once they've attained the top tier to have the goal posts moved?

I'd argue cruising for loyalty program perks isn't the proper approach. I got into cruising because I liked it. The C&A benefits were an added bonus, not the reason I did/am/continue to cruise.

[Margo1000]

27 minutes ago, Matt said:

I'd argue cruising for loyalty program perks isn't the proper approach. I got into cruising because I liked it. The C&A benefits were an added bonus, not the reason I did/am/continue to cruise.

Totally agree Matt,

The C&A perks were the reason RCL grew their brand to where it is today. You of all people should be aware the reduction of any of these coupled with the increases in base fares, specialty dining and once a day cabin service plus increases in gratuities have an affect on the overall experience.  Princess's Crown Grill is up $10 to $39.99 - but we just got off the Jewel's May 12th sailing 12 night return to Amsterdam and the  Chop's Grill (one visit only) is now $89.99 unless you buy the 3 pack. If your members want clarity or confirmation perhaps you could confirm that for them. It is indeed fact.

No need to insinuate I'm a liar.

[tonyfsu21]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

I'd argue cruising for loyalty program perks isn't the proper approach. I got into cruising because I liked it. The C&A benefits were an added bonus, not the reason I did/am/continue to cruise.

Exactly! The C&A benefits are the icing on the cake. I personally think the program is very generous and the daily drinks for D and above is something you don’t see out of the other mid tier lines. 

[CrznTxn]

We cruised on four of the other cruise lines before trying Royal as two of the other lines left Texas due to a port closure. Once we got onboard we were hooked on Royal as it fit our cruising style to a "T". As we continued to sail we were introduced to the tier program, which we honestly did not know about, and started to accumulate more perks. It was not the perks that kept us coming back but they did not hurt either. Now that we are D+ status, the extra perks we receive help us save quite a bit on drinks and dining but it is the ships, crew and overall attitude that keeps us coming back. Not saying we always sail on Royal (we have a cruise on another line with our son and kids mid-summer) but we definitely keep coming back to Royal as our go-to cruise line.

[Ampurp85]

I cruised a couple of lines before I started cruising mainly with Royal. I liked the offering and decided that on top of that they had a really good loyalty program. I cruise because I love cruising. If Royal doesn't offer a cruise I want, I will go elsewhere but I find them to be my overall choice. That being said, you can, and have every right, to grow from your experiences. If you feel like the company is no longer for you, fine, I personally welcome that experience and hearing it put honestly. But I will call B.S on someone who reached the highest tier and then only have negative things to say. Yes, Royal's prices have increased, and some services have changed, but so have a lot of lines. I could name a bunch of specialty restaurants prices that are cheaper but does the food quality taste the same? Are they even in the same category? A cruise on X line could cost this, but what did it cost years ago? Based on what is currently offered at pinnacle level, I can't see a reduction in the offering......at least not enough that someone who spent close to two-hundred thousand dollars to achieve would be so upset by to no longer cruise.

[Rackham]

17 hours ago, Margo1000 said:

Totally agree Matt,

The C&A perks were the reason RCL grew their brand to where it is today. You of all people should be aware the reduction of any of these coupled with the increases in base fares, specialty dining and once a day cabin service plus increases in gratuities have an affect on the overall experience.  Princess's Crown Grill is up $10 to $39.99 - but we just got off the Jewel's May 12th sailing 12 night return to Amsterdam and the  Chop's Grill (one visit only) is now $89.99 unless you buy the 3 pack. If your members want clarity or confirmation perhaps you could confirm that for them. It is indeed fact.

No need to insinuate I'm a liar.

Any chance you've got something showing $89.99 for Chops? Current pricing aboard Jewel, on the sailing happening right now, isn't even close.

[Margo1000]

Yes, if you’re onboard - there is a trolley cart out front of Giovanni’s with a letter sized standup promoting Chops. It clearly shows $89.99 for one visit or a 3 pack option.

Take a picture - I wished I had of …

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, Rackham said:

Any chance you've got something showing $89.99 for Chops?

No idea where that price came from. Chops is not $89.99.

Maybe that poster meant Chops+1 for dinner? THAT is $88.99 for my Wonder cruise next week and makes more sense.

[Margo1000]

Here’s what the app says - seems like even RCL can’t decide on how much to gouge their passengers…

Princess’ Crown Grill killed RCL Chops not only in quality but for $39.99 a true value - wake up people you are funding their newest biggest ships that cater to families & kids. RCL is making it clear their focus is on that market. There are too many other lines that represent better value and are better experiences.  Try them - you’d be surprised.

I ask every member to check the app on their phones and see how many discrepancies we find. It would give you all a better grasp of what I’m saying about RCL.

[TexanTwoStep]

We are because they sail out of Galveston and I can drive to the port.  Plain as that.  Not saying we won't fly to a cruise, but it makes it very convenient when you live close to port!

[Dan Curtis]

We have never tried another cruise line, 21 cruises all on Royal, I'm one of those that believe, if its not broke, don't fix it. I guess I like the routine and know what to expect, even though service and other things have changed, I still think its the best bang for the buck. So I guess we are considered loyal in the fact we never shop other cruise lines.

[smost]

1 hour ago, Margo1000 said:

I ask every member to check the app on their phones and see how many discrepancies we find. It would give you all a better grasp of what I’m saying about RCL.

I have 2 sailings in 2024. One on Liberty and one on Vision. Neither one are $89.99. We don't often do specialty dining because we don't find it worth it especially since we're already paid for all our meals. If we do any, we do lunches as they seem more worth it to us.

In the end, you have to decide if it's worth it to you and that's a very subjective matter. For myself and my travel companion, we are content with the prices we pay for things and if it's too expensive for us, we simply don't pay for it.

I've looked at other lines but find their prices to be similar to Royal's for the cruises I've looked at.  I like the service I've gotten on Royal. The amazing staff and service I've received has made me loyal to Royal. I'm currently planning a cruise for my travel companion and his work friends and so far the general consensus is to use Royal.

I'm sorry you feel you've experienced less than what you have gotten in the past with Royal and that's caused you to look elsewhere.

[OCSC Mike]

36 minutes ago, TexanTwoStep said:

We are because they sail out of Galveston and I can drive to the port.  Plain as that.  Not saying we won't fly to a cruise, but it makes it very convenient when you live close to port!

I am saying I won't fly, lol (at least until we're ready to do something special like Alaska again or Europe someday). I won't even drive 3 hours to Ft. Lauderdale b/c the 1 hour to PC is so damn convenient.

Everyone has their preferences.

[Margo1000]

You’ve proved my point!

I just got off the Anthem TA then onto the Jewel for Iceland & Scotland. Both ships charged different amounts for Chops and they were more expensive and above these posting from others.
 

As I said in my original post - RCL is over charging for many things that add up in the end to much more than a Princess, HA, MSC etc cruise. 

People hate change - I hate overpaying for what was a good cruise line. I also think people are finally seeing this as well. Tier status doesn’t mean anything anymore. You’re paying for those free drinks you seem to love… nothing in life is free people!

[RCIfan1912]

17 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

I am saying I won't fly, lol (at least until we're ready to do something special like Alaska again or Europe someday). I won't even drive 3 hours to Ft. Lauderdale b/c the 1 hour to PC is so damn convenient.

Everyone has their preferences.

I will not fly, I cannot fly. I've tried pyching myself up, watching thousands of YouTube videos. I get to the point I feel like I can do this and then I can't, I really can't. Thank goodness Royal sails right out of NJ. We are 30-40 minutes from Cape Liberty and they got the most part put very nice, very large new or newer ships here. 

We took an NCL cruise a few years back on a new new ship, The Breakaway out of NYC and do not even want to make that commute again. Didn't like NCL overall, hated the old, too small cruise terminal. Back to Royal Caribbean and staying there. 

[ellcee]

I am loyal to no one. I prefer Royal for comfortability - I know what I'm in for. But I am NEVER loyal to a business and can't see it ever happening. It's a business that wants to make money, as it should, off of me. 

[Gilley]

21 minutes ago, RCIfan1912 said:

I will not fly, I cannot fly. I've tried pyching myself up, watching thousands of YouTube videos. I get to the point I feel like I can do this and then I can't, I really can't. Thank goodness Royal sails right out of NJ. We are 30-40 minutes from Cape Liberty and they got the most part put very nice, very large new or newer ships here. 

We took an NCL cruise a few years back on a new new ship, The Breakaway out of NYC and do not even want to make that commute again. Didn't like NCL overall, hated the old, too small cruise terminal. Back to Royal Caribbean and staying there. 

while I don’t mind flying, you have given me more reasons that I don’t have to.  I’m in Philly and jumping back on the cruise bandwagon.   I want to enjoy the bigger ships but wasn’t sure if they departed out of NJ.  I’m waiting for more or different ships to sail out of Baltimore. I booked a cruise next year on visions.  Taking the train from Philly to Baltimore which cost me $30 round trip.  Do you know if any other cruise lines sail from Bayonne?

[RCIfan1912]

13 minutes ago, Gilley said:

while I don’t mind flying, you have given me more reasons that I don’t have to.  I’m in Philly and jumping back on the cruise bandwagon.   I want to enjoy the bigger ships but wasn’t sure if they departed out of NJ.  I’m waiting for more or different ships to sail out of Baltimore. I booked a cruise next year on visions.  Taking the train from Philly to Baltimore which cost me $30 round trip.  Do you know if any other cruise lines sail from Bayonne?

Celebrity cruises sails from there also. It's a Royal Caribbean sister brand. They have the Celebrity Summit here I think right now but I think another newer bigger ship is coming soon. I think anyway, we are a Royal Caribbean family so we keep up on them the most. I think we will try a celebrity cruise though at some point. 

[foxrunner]

What makes me loyal is this website. I like to be in the know when I travel. We enjoy the planning process and Matt and the crew around here give us great tips. This type of site doesn't exist for other lines and the general cruise sites are full of trolls. We will try another line though. Price increases are the main reason. Post Covid service and costs have drastically changed. Unfortunately this is a universal issue not just with Royal. I would encourage all of us to continue to be constructive critics and hope for change. Another reminder is that this site isn't run by RCCL and is full of good helpful people.  

[dr martini]

we've taken 90% of our cruises with Royal over 20 years now and had some incredible trips and great memories.  we'll be back again, but not sure how soon.  after trying symphony twice, we're just not wild about the oasis class and while we love voyager/freedom i frankly don't love most of their itineraries, the dining and entertainment across the fleet are not anything close to what they used to be, we're not particularly interested in shelling out wild $ for Icon just yet or for the holiday and spring break pricing in general, paying up for specialty dining and higher priced drink packages every time, just kind of tired of the game of it all.

we took slightly late spring break on marco island/ naples and loved a simpler trip relaxing on the beach at our tempo so much that we just booked a week in Saint Thomas at a VRBO for this winter and we'll do our own island hopping.  maybe we're changing too, it's not just royal and that's ok.  got the airfare bought very early and satisfied with the price, really excited for the freedom and flexibility to plan our own days and looking forward to a new kind of trip - maybe it will make me miss getting back on a ship again in 2025, guess we'll see.  prices and demand for certain ship and private island experiences are just frankly out of control for what you actually get for a few hours and look, i'm a business person so i get it from a certain perspective, happy for Royal and the shareholders, but we'll wait to look at coming back if/when things stabilize a bit more (knowing it's entirely possible they won't)

[Psycho and Barb]

We are only loyal to God, our family and country.  We like royal and enjoy sailing with them...We have sailed only with Royal for the last 21 cruises and fortunately haven't had a bad experience.  We have sailed Carnival and did have a few bad experiences...So no more Carnival.  We have talked about trying other cruise lines but haven't pulled the trigger yet...Keep going back to what we know will be a fantastic time and that's Royal.