RitaP Posted June 10, 2024 Report Posted June 10, 2024 My cruise was for May 18 of this year. I planned this trip for over a year. I booked two connecting rooms which were suppose to be infinity ocean view deck. The room was ocean view but did not have a deck. It was a large window which came partially down. Paid more money for this room which was told to me by the Royal Caribbean agents was a larger deck ocean room not ocean view no deck. Apparently many people were fooled as well. (One more way for Icon to get more money.) When I brought this concern to the attention of guest services they apologized but that was it. One room was to have twin beds but had a queen bed instead. Asked 3 times to have bed splint into two twins but never happened. This ship was suppose to be family oriented. There was one play area for the “toddlers” which was used by kids age 7 or older. The kids kept pushing the little ones aside to slide down the slides. When brought to the attention of the life guard on duty nothing was done about the older kids. I was told that as long as the kids weren’t too heavy it was okay. Plus the life guards in that area were mean and rude. There were hardly any stores to shop in. No Johnny Rockets. Nothing geared toward the little kids. Shows for kids were taken over by adults. Don’t be fooled by the name and the rides shown on TV. Those rides were for teenagers not toddlers. Pools that were about 1-1/2 to 3 feet were taken over by adults. I spent nearly $30,000 for this once in a lifetime trip for my daughters and grandchildren but it turned into a nightmare. Ryan79, RCIfan1912, Jolly Ogre and 4 others 5 2 Quote
Tanner Posted June 10, 2024 Report Posted June 10, 2024 I think it is awful that you did not enjoy your experience especially after having spent so much money. Yet I caution you that many of the things you were unhappy with are things that could have very easily been researched by you or your travel agent. So I'm not sure you will find the sympathy here you might be looking for. The Infinity Balcony category is very controversial in terms of whether people like it or not but there are tons of videos of what they look like and how they work. The ship plans are not secret and every store or shop can be known before you step on board. Same with Johnny Rockets., they are not hiding the fact they don't one on this ship. Should you ever decide to cruise again I hope you get better service from your stateroom attendant because not separating beds after three requests would drive me crazy. Stick around this amazing blog, message boards, and videos so you are better prepared on your next cruise and your expectations can be better set. Baked Alaska, LaceyLou, r33796 and 4 others 5 2 Quote
Jill Posted June 10, 2024 Report Posted June 10, 2024 The only thing I can agree with is the beds not being split. This forum alone has many reviews of Icon: favorable and unfavorable. There are many (probably upwards of 50) videos on YouTube by every vlogger on earth, including the owner of this blog. I had in-laws on your sailing with a one year old and 2 1/2 year old and they had a great time. No issues in Surfside (splash away) We were on the April 20 sailing with 2 other couples (no kids) and it’s probably a one and done for us. I have followed the building of this ship since it was announced. I knew EVERYTHING about her and actually knew before I went, we’d likely not sail it again. So I wasn’t disappointed because I knew what the ship was about. She’s beautiful, the entertainment was outstanding. Not a fan of upper pool decks. Just way too crammed with everything possible. Great bars and restaurants but too many unsupervised kids. I have no issue sailing with kids but the amount running around with no supervision makes it a one and done. Sorry it wasn’t what you thought it would be but many of your complaints could have been avoided. *infinite balconies have a love/hate following. They were first introduced in the Celebrity Edge class. Hours of discussion on the internet with these cabins. Jjohnb, PPPJJ-GCVAB and Sharla 3 Quote
Ryan79 Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 Other than the bed issue, maybe 1 hour of research would have saved you a lot of missed expectations. Everything else you complained about is very easy to have verified before you embarked. Sharla, r33796, PeloAl and 4 others 7 Quote
HeWhoWaits Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 "Ocean View Deck" isn't a thing. That's the first clue. Linda R, Baked Alaska, Jjohnb and 6 others 5 1 2 1 Quote
ZootTX Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 I just don't understand dropping that much money and not doing any research or talking to your travel agent. Kayleigh, Baked Alaska, teddy and 8 others 8 2 1 Quote
Pattycruise Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 10 minutes ago, ZootTX said: I just don't understand dropping that much money and not doing any research or talking to your travel agent. I think the problem is they spoke to a Royal Caribbean agent when booking. Not everyone is aware that these agents are not well versed in the product they sell, and seriously, if you speak to a company rep you’d expect them to explain things properly. I could play you an audio of a guest service agent onboard a ship recently that would blow your mind., the look on the managers face when I played it for him was priceless. (I’d never recorded a conversation before but this sailing the agents were exceptionally bad and I had to stoop to the level of proving it) in my mind guest service agents who work face to face with passengers would be better trained than some of the customer service reps. Nope. Shari, LTR, Jjohnb and 2 others 3 1 1 Quote
ScottD Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 All of these one-off posters that are completely negative then never return to the thread leads me to believe there is some kind of bot or AI program dropping these posts in here. Not saying people don't have bad cruises, but for two posts in one day to completely rip the line and talk about how much money was spent doing it, just seems fishy. BUT if this person does come back to respond: I am sorry this happened, it does suck when older kids take over an area meant for smaller kids, and it seems like Royal usually does a pretty good job at keep kids in appropriate areas on the pool decks. The infinity balcony IS more of a big window, but I think they do a pretty good job of showing that in the pictures and website if you were to look it up...it's not a standard balcony, but these are used on other lines, as well- it's just new to Royal, they aren't loved by everyone, that's for sure. As for no Johnny rockets- there are TONS of other, INCLUDED food areas on that ship, way better than JR and many more options then the other ships. Sorry you didn't have a good time, most reviews of the ship have been glowing and great, so maybe cruising on a ship this size just isn't for you. HeWhoWaits, FoxboroCruiser, JohnK6404 and 7 others 8 2 Quote
teddy Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 7 hours ago, ZootTX said: I just don't understand dropping that much money and not doing any research or talking to your travel agent. Absolutely. I get that everyone has different expectations in life, but dropping that kind of cash without knowing everything about what I’m buying is crazy. Truth be told, dropping that kind of cash for anything seems crazy to me, but I don’t begrudge anyone spending their own money how they want. Jjohnb and Ampurp85 2 Quote
HeWhoWaits Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 4 hours ago, ScottD said: All of these one-off posters As I said above: 10 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said: "Ocean View Deck" isn't a thing. That's the first clue. ScottD 1 Quote
Rackham Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 4 hours ago, ScottD said: All of these one-off posters that are completely negative then never return to the thread leads me to believe there is some kind of bot or AI program dropping these posts in here. Not saying people don't have bad cruises, but for two posts in one day to completely rip the line and talk about how much money was spent doing it, just seems fishy. I wouldn't be shocked if it was AI. Here's a rant I had GPT-4 create for me based on parameters I provided. Absolutely appalled after our recent 5-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day cruise aboard the Voyager of the Seas. What a disaster from start to finish! First, our stateroom—talk about false advertising. The room was claustrophobically small and nowhere near as pristine as your brochures would have us believe. Dust bunnies made themselves at home in every corner, and the bedsheets had seen better days. As if that wasn't enough, our luggage arrived at a ridiculous 7 PM on day one, severely cramping our evening plans.And the food! Oh, the food was a tragedy in itself. Both the buffet and the dining room served dishes that were bland and unappetizing, as if they'd been sitting out for hours. How can you justify the costs of this cruise when simple popcorn is exorbitantly priced? I noticed the drinks seemed particularly watered down too. It’s very clear you are cutting corners wherever possible, which is not what we signed up for.Our itinerary issues just add to my grievances. We were supposed to visit Labadee, Haiti, but received a last-minute cancellation while already sailing. No explanations given, just a day at sea with an overcrowded pool deck instead. Speaking of which, finding a lounge chair after noon was like participating in an Olympic sport. Completely unacceptable for what should be a relaxing vacation.Now, about the onboard entertainment—my husband seemed more entertained than usual, which I guess speaks to your choice of performers for "Showgirls." However, I found it quite distasteful and not what I was expecting from family-friendly entertainment. Plus, the special celebration decorations I ordered through the cruise planner never showed up! We were left with no acknowledgment of our special occasion, making the whole experience feel even more impersonal.Lastly, our departure from CocoCay was inexplicably delayed by an extra hour beyond the scheduled all-aboard time, with no communication as to why. This lack of transparency is a recurring theme that really makes me question your organization’s competence and care for your guests.In light of these issues, I expect not only a sincere apology but also appropriate financial compensation. While I understand that the terms agreed upon during booking may not cover compensation for the cancellation of a port, the overall subpar service and failure to deliver what was promised surely warrant some form of recompense. If these issues are not addressed satisfactorily, I will not hesitate to share my experience with a wider audience and reconsider booking with your company in the future. RWDW1204, SPS, Robert M and 9 others 3 5 4 Quote
Gilley Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 18 hours ago, RitaP said: My cruise was for May 18 of this year. I planned this trip for over a year. I booked two connecting rooms which were suppose to be infinity ocean view deck. The room was ocean view but did not have a deck. It was a large window which came partially down. Paid more money for this room which was told to me by the Royal Caribbean agents was a larger deck ocean room not ocean view no deck. Apparently many people were fooled as well. (One more way for Icon to get more money.) When I brought this concern to the attention of guest services they apologized but that was it. One room was to have twin beds but had a queen bed instead. Asked 3 times to have bed splint into two twins but never happened. This ship was suppose to be family oriented. There was one play area for the “toddlers” which was used by kids age 7 or older. The kids kept pushing the little ones aside to slide down the slides. When brought to the attention of the life guard on duty nothing was done about the older kids. I was told that as long as the kids weren’t too heavy it was okay. Plus the life guards in that area were mean and rude. There were hardly any stores to shop in. No Johnny Rockets. Nothing geared toward the little kids. Shows for kids were taken over by adults. Don’t be fooled by the name and the rides shown on TV. Those rides were for teenagers not toddlers. Pools that were about 1-1/2 to 3 feet were taken over by adults. I spent nearly $30,000 for this once in a lifetime trip for my daughters and grandchildren but it turned into a nightmare. We had similar issues with beds not being split. I went to guest services and beds were split for my on and grandson that same night. My aunt and cousins were sharing what was suppose to be an interior plus, but it turned out to be a small interior room. So Royal gave my aunt her own room and my 2 cousins remained in the original room. We went to guest services and they made it right. I also sailed May 18th on Icon. SplashOfWater, PPPJJ-GCVAB and PhillyLady 3 Quote
SPS Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 5 hours ago, ScottD said: All of these one-off posters that are completely negative then never return to the thread leads me to believe there is some kind of bot or AI program dropping these posts in here. Not saying people don't have bad cruises, but for two posts in one day to completely rip the line and talk about how much money was spent doing it, just seems fishy. What's odd is that the OP joined in June of LAST YEAR and has just now made their first post. Ryan79, ScottD, Baked Alaska and 2 others 5 Quote
Gilley Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 5 hours ago, ScottD said: All of these one-off posters that are completely negative then never return to the thread leads me to believe there is some kind of bot or AI program dropping these posts in here. Not saying people don't have bad cruises, but for two posts in one day to completely rip the line and talk about how much money was spent doing it, just seems fishy. BUT if this person does come back to respond: I am sorry this happened, it does suck when older kids take over an area meant for smaller kids, and it seems like Royal usually does a pretty good job at keep kids in appropriate areas on the pool decks. The infinity balcony IS more of a big window, but I think they do a pretty good job of showing that in the pictures and website if you were to look it up...it's not a standard balcony, but these are used on other lines, as well- it's just new to Royal, they aren't loved by everyone, that's for sure. As for no Johnny rockets- there are TONS of other, INCLUDED food areas on that ship, way better than JR and many more options then the other ships. Sorry you didn't have a good time, most reviews of the ship have been glowing and great, so maybe cruising on a ship this size just isn't for you. I was on that sailing and seemed like the kids took over the swim and tonic. While I wish they stayed at surf side and visited lemon post instead of swim and tonic, they paid to have fun and swim and Toni is not adult only. When I visited the surf side area where the kids were, I didn’t see adults without kids. Surface eatery ways appeared empty. I wish they would dedicate swim & tonic and the hideaway to adults only and let the families have the other 5 or more pools. Southern Dan and ScottD 2 Quote
Sharla Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 20 hours ago, Jill said: *infinite balconies have a love/hate following. They were first introduced in the Celebrity Edge class. Hours of discussion on the internet with these cabins. I don't love them, but I will be trying one again soon on a Celebrity ship. I hope it's better this time! Jill and WAAAYTOOO 2 Quote
PhillyLady Posted June 11, 2024 Report Posted June 11, 2024 The question for the OP is did her daughter and the grandchildren have a good time? I am not sure that I can classify overcrowding by children a nightmare--maybe grandma would be better off cruising on Viking or Virgin. Yes, lots of money to drop and to not be happy with the room or the food, etc. Next time get a good travel agent and ask lots of questions! Quote
NotPayinExtra Posted June 12, 2024 Report Posted June 12, 2024 Those pools with 3 feet of water in them ARE for the adults. The ship is a toddler hell hole. They are allowed to "go" almost everywhere. Including in pools. (Get it. LOL) What more on a cruise ship you could possibly ask for to include for toddlers is totally and completely beyond me. As far as cabins. None have "decks". Some have balconies. Jeeeez, do five minutes of research before spending that kind of money. Between websites like this one and countless YouTube videos there is zero reason to not know in advance what the cabin will look like. Or what any and all of the ship will look like. Your computer is the best brochure ever. Use it. How you people can't find out info on the Internet before a trip, but find websites to complain after the fact never fails to amaze. Also, how anyone can say that ship doesn't have enough stuff for small children is just wild. For me it was a one and done Major Mistake due to everything being toddler friendly. And I researched my backside off. At least I went into it with as much knowledge as I could. The rest was endless shock of parents who thought deluxe beverage package means you don't have to parent all day. And Royal Caribbean doesn't give a fig. But, know before you go. Something, some effort, details, photos, videos, reviews. Then, like me, you earn the right to complain. I was armed to the teath with info and still grossly underestimated. If you don't bother to learn anything, expect nothing. Baked Alaska, PL8SWPR, Gilley and 5 others 5 3 Quote
Vancity Cruiser Posted June 12, 2024 Report Posted June 12, 2024 10 hours ago, NotPayinExtra said: How you people can't find out info on the Internet before a trip, but find websites to complain after the fact never fails to amaze This is a great point! Bob Burd, Baked Alaska, tjcruisers and 3 others 6 Quote
BrianB Posted June 13, 2024 Report Posted June 13, 2024 When I see what appears to be a one-and-done, everything-was-awful post…I usually quickly scan through it to find the buzz-word terms. Especially the ‘trip of a lifetime’…or ‘nightmare cruise’. Robert M, Linda R, ScottD and 4 others 6 1 Quote
Linda R Posted July 1, 2024 Report Posted July 1, 2024 Never heard of a queen bed on a ship. They call them King. If it really was a queen bed, then it cannot be split. Quote
ScottD Posted July 4, 2024 Report Posted July 4, 2024 On 6/30/2024 at 8:42 PM, Linda R said: Never heard of a queen bed on a ship. They call them King. If it really was a queen bed, then it cannot be split. They call them kings, but in reality it's closer to a queen in size bobroo, Linda R and WAAAYTOOO 3 Quote
GatorCruiser Posted July 4, 2024 Report Posted July 4, 2024 Man after this review , I may cancel my icon cruise I’ve been waiting for ,for 2 years. Not! ScottD, HeWhoWaits, tingtang and 1 other 3 1 Quote
ScottD Posted July 4, 2024 Report Posted July 4, 2024 40 minutes ago, GatorCruiser said: Man after this review , I may cancel my icon cruise I’ve been waiting for ,for 2 years. Not! Right? This single post by someone who never came back to elaborate definitely has me thinking twice about booking another cruise with Royal! HeWhoWaits and tingtang 1 1 Quote
GatorCruiser Posted July 4, 2024 Report Posted July 4, 2024 31 minutes ago, ScottD said: Right? This single post by someone who never came back to elaborate definitely has me thinking twice about booking another cruise with Royal! Yeah hit and runs really chafe me. Invariably half the post is nonsensical complaints anyway. ScottD 1 Quote
Doug_Texas Posted July 4, 2024 Report Posted July 4, 2024 It's a completely bogus post. Spending $30,000 on 2 connecting Infinite Balcony rooms is simply not possible. RCIfan1912 1 Quote
Riley Posted July 4, 2024 Report Posted July 4, 2024 On 6/30/2024 at 7:42 PM, Linda R said: Never heard of a queen bed on a ship. They call them King. If it really was a queen bed, then it cannot be split. It's queen-sized. As someone who sleeps in a King at home, we definitely notice the size difference! RCIfan1912 and ScottD 2 Quote
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