Cruise Talk: Royal Caribbean's poor service

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Author

Topic: Royal Caribbean's poor service

Nigel
Just Boarded
Member # 350

posted 10-26-1998 6:11 PM

I just returned from a horrible cruise on RCI. I can't blame them for the bad weather, but they treated my complaints about the excrutiating noise coming from the lounge below our cabin as if *we* were the problem. We had paid extra for a cabin with a balcony on a new ship (Vision of the Seas). However, cabin 7150 was more like a sleep deprivation chamber--and RCI just told us there was nothing they could do about it. Mind you this is after enduring a ripoff of a air/sea package where, for @$300 per person from Baltimore to Boston they put on prop planes, making us change in NYC. Then RCI left everyone's luggage uncovered in the pouring rain so that many people's clothes were wet when they finally got their luggage. It was definitely the worst vacation value I've ever experienced and I would warn anyone thinking about traveling via RCI to reconsider.

Posts: 1 | From: Washington, DC USA | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 10-27-1998 10:46 AM

What was the noise?

Malcolm

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

Janice
Just Boarded
Member # 203

posted 10-28-1998 2:12 PM

Nigel--
It also sounds like you had a lousy travel
agent who didn't advise you well on
choice of cabin location and didn't give
you the option of an air deviation (that
way you would have avoided NYC and
gotten a more direct travel to Boston).
I am not sure, but I believe it is the airline's
responsibility to handle your luggage.
The luggage becomes the responsibility
of the cruise line once the transfer is
made to either the passenger at baggage
claim or to the cruise line's luggage
transport personnel.
I am very sorry that this cruise was so
upsetting for you-- you mentioned that
it was the Vision of the Seas-- perhaps it
is still working out the "bugs" in its
inaugural year.
Hope you will try cruising again!!
Sincerely, Janice

Posts: 11 | From: Fairfax, Virginia, USA | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

Diana
Just Boarded
Member # 124

posted 11-07-1998 04:55 PM

Nigel, Sounds to me like Holland America Line is the cruise line for you. It is not an all out party ship. You can still drink, dance and party but the atmosphere is definately more refined than Royal Caribbean, Carnival or Princess. If you want excellence, respect, quiet dignity and pure CLASS, then go with Holland America. I refuse to sail with anyone else. Also, they have a strict NO TIPPING policy. The crew are genuinely friendly and their attention to detail is impeccable.
They do not pack you in like sardines. On our last cruise there were 1024 passengers and over 600 crew. It is far more personal and it shows. Do yourself a favour and do it! Recommended ships: ms Statendam, Maasdam, Ryndam, Veendam, Volendam and of course, the grande dame, Rotterdam.
I cannot tell you enough!! You must see for yourself. Enjoy!

Posts: 2 | Registered: Nov 98

George
Just Boarded
Member # 164

posted 11-11-1998 11:24 PM

I'll second the motion. I've been on three Holland America cruises and my wife and I have never been disappointed. The crowd may be a little older, but you won't find people crushing beer cans on their foreheads...

Posts: 4 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

tallredhead
Just Boarded
Member # 798

posted 11-14-1998 08:14 PM

Bless your heart. The next cruise will be
much better. I was on RCI Sovereign of the
Seas about 2 1/2 months ago, and it was an
excellent cruise. We were just in a regular
outside cabin, but is was peaceful and quiet.
Someday I hope to have a balcony, but have
been warned that some of the balconys are not
private. And of course you should check on
where your cabin is in proximity to the
dining room, or other public areas. I have
been told to overlook what I can, because
you are living in some one elses space.
Good luck on the next one!!!!!
You definitely deserve a good trip.
Lindy

Posts: 2 | From: Kennesaw GA 30144 | Registered: Nov 98

Ruth
Just Boarded
Member # 403

posted 11-18-1998 10:14 AM

Regarding Nigel's comments, I am saddened that your cruise turned out to be a disaster. However, please be assured the next will be much better. We took RCCL Monarch of the Seas on 3/16/97 (also taking Enchantment of the Seas with our best friends (2 couples) on 3/28/99 to Western Carbibbean) and could not have been more satisfied. Everyone one at RCCL was professional, courteous and just darn accommodating. I researched the trip for nearly a year, viewing many Web Sites and reading many cruise brochures to find the trip we felt was the best. This is very important. Check out the location of cabins. I chose one myself and booked 10 months in advance. Our travel agent was wonderful with her advise and I agree with Janice that your agent dropped the ball. Our agent had us in the office when she spoke directly to RCCL and determined that all our wants and needs were to be met. And ask questions. This is your trip and you deserve the best your money can buy. Please try Monarch. Staff, food, accommodations (outside cabin on Tween Deck), activities, ports were outstanding. We'll do this one again. It was our first cruise and could not have been more satisfying. Good luck.

Posts: 3 | From: Grand Island, NY 14072 | Registered: Nov 98

kruz
Just Boarded
Member # 655

posted 11-18-1998 03:36 PM

It's really too bad you had a bad experience.
I have been on 5 cruises and all RCI....I have loved every single one of them and never had any problems at all....
Give them one more try.

Posts: 2 | From: Lake Placid, NY,USA | Registered: Nov 98

CruiseAholic
First Class Passenger
Member # 93

posted 12-09-1998 04:31 PM

Nigel, try Princess, the overal experience is much better. RCI's service, etc has declined vastly over the last several years.

Posts: 32 | From: Hagerstown, MD USA | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

edwardv
First Class Passenger
Member # 566

posted 12-10-1998 02:52 PM

Have to second the comments about moving up to Princess. Can't really recommend HAL. My trip on the Rotted VI sounds remarkably like your voyage -- the Rotterdam VI has all the cruise ambiance of a mid-western bowling alley in July, without air conditioning!

Posts: 10 | From: Overland, MO, USA | Registered: Dec 98

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 12-11-1998 06:39 AM

Try Celebrity Cruises next time if you want to stay with a big cruise line !
Even if it belongs to RCI now, it is still operated seperately and is the finest of all these "huge" cruise lines, like NCL, RCI, Princess, Carnival, HAL...
personal recommendation: Try smaller lines with smaller vessels, such as Festival Cruises, MSC, Royal Olympic or Sovcomflot. Service and ambiance are much more personal and familiar.

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98

Gerardo
Just Boarded
Member # 166

posted 12-13-1998 07:48 PM

I have never cruised with RCI, but have heard always encountered comments. It seems you had bad luck.

I have cruised 3 times with Costa (with the fourth already booked), and LOVED every cruise with them. Also have cruised once with NCL, and it's also a really magnificent line.

I have my doubts that Celebrity can be better than NCL and particulary better than Costa, especially now that it belongs to RCI. Don't know Celebrity, but non-huge cruise lines can be very very good options.

Posts: 8 | From: México, D.F. México | Registered: Dec 98

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 01-15-2000 03:11 PM

NINETY EIGHT??????Anybody else notice that these posts are all dated 1998

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 01-15-2000 03:47 PM

Have you noticed with some exceptions that the best cabins and usually on the highest passenger deck, what is above them, the cafeteria restaurant, the swimmingpool area etc.
We had a suite on the Ryndam, everything was great until the night where they had the party around the pool, it wasn't the party that was the problem but the crew dragging the chairs above us until about 3.00 am.
We had friends on the Monarch who had a Cat C and were right under the band that played on deck. When they booked they had a Cat C guarantee so had not been able to choose their cabin but how would you know where the band was going to be.
As the owner of an Agency we ask all the questions of the cruise lines but we don't always get given the correct answers.

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 01-15-2000 03:48 PM

Hi Nigel -
Holland America is a great cruise Line - all the stories about 'the older' crowd are not true (unless you're a teenager) - passenger ages range between early 40's to extremely active and interesting 80's.
edwardw has a real chip on his shoulder - pay no heed to him - his late'99 comments (on this board) about the Rotterdam V1 are unwarranted and bear no resemblence to what the ship is really like. Point of fact we were on the same crossing.
Happy cruisin'

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Molly
First Class Passenger
Member # 853

posted 01-15-2000 04:37 PM

Green, I noticed. What gives? Did someone dig them up or what?!!!!!

Posts: 68 | From: Norman Park, GA USA | Registered: Oct 1999 | IP: Logged

Mercy
First Class Passenger
Member # 322

posted 01-15-2000 09:01 PM

First off let me say that Costa is now owned by Carnival Cruise Lines, enough said about that! My favorite is Celebrity. There are new ships coming out all the time, very exciting. I like mid ship sandwiched in between other cabins instead of public rooms. Green..I guess one man's ship is another man's tub! I know how you feel. When someone says something bad about a perfectly lovely ship that you had a great time on, it can be annoying. I have been on Celebrity twice without one complaint. I have never heard of such a thing happening to luggage, how awful. A friend of mine packed a few cans of Pepsi in her shoe bag. When they brought her bag to the cabin, it was dripping. A can had punctured and sprayed Pepsi all over every pair of shoes she brought. Even her velvet evening shoes

Posts: 697 | From: Stanwood, Wa. USA | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Jelllybean
First Class Passenger
Member # 992

posted 01-15-2000 09:53 PM

I understand that the original posting is one year old. However, there are things to be said regarding Royal Caribbean Cruise line's service. We were on Grandeur of the sea in December 1999, the service they provided for the first two days were very disappointing. (Our first time crusie was with Majesty of the Sea and we have got pampered big time.) The first day, we purchased the dinning room Wine Package during the afternoon. During the dinner time, our wine steward(the same one we paid the bill to in afternoon) forgot about us. When I asked the assistant waiter for him, he came to our table and sell two glasses of wine to the couple sitting across from us and left. I asked the assistant waiter again when the main course arrived and the wine is no show. He did then come by and serve us. The Headwaiter was nowhere in sight to introduce himself to us(we have a table of 10, I don't know if it makes a difference). My husband ask for him, and we were asked why do we would like to see him. We wanted to arrange to have something celebrated, just to see how they do it....

Our next dinner, my husband reminded the waiter, assistant waiter, headwaiter about the arrangement we made the night before and were told not to worry about it. From the starter to main course, we heard several the special occassions celebrated at different table of the dinning room. By the time the desserts were served and dinning room were more than half-empty, there was no cake or anything...... we were upset. The cake did come after we repeated ask, nothing remarkable beside being square. The moment is lost....

We mentioned our disappointment to one of our tablemates the next morning during breakfast. They actually beckoned one of the staff over and expressed them on our behalf. I tried carefully selecting my words because I worried that I would get someone in trouble...... The next meal, Lunch: our waiter came over to see us when he saw us and apologized. The headwaiter, wine steward both apologized as well. From then on, we(including the rest of the table) got nothing but the best service. We get anything we want. The headwaiter sent a plate of fresh fruits to our cabin. It was good!!

Yet I wonder, without us voicing our opion. Would this(our experience of the first two evenings) be the standard service that Royal Caribbean provides now?

Posts: 20 | From: Toronto, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

billyboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 958

posted 01-15-2000 11:22 PM

I have been R.C. 7 times and have nothing but good things to say about the R.C.

In fact we made Granduer of the Sea of the maiden voyage and like it so well be booked the ship again.

I read a lot of comments from this site and others. Some have good reports and others have disappointments.

I guess that is why it is their are a large variety of ships to sail.

Posts: 33 | From: moline, illinois USA | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

Debi
First Class Passenger
Member # 936

posted 01-16-2000 05:33 PM

Diana said that HAL has a "strict no-tipping" policy. I'd previously heard that it was "tipping not expected" and that most people tip anyway. Anyone know for sure?

Posts: 52 | From: Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 01-16-2000 06:55 PM

On HAL the policy is "no-tipping required" which means different things to different people.

It officially means that it's up to you to decide who you want to tip, if anyone, and how much. HAL still provided envelopes for tips but does not publish, or go out of their way to tell you how much to tip.

I've found from experience that many people do still tip and they tip according to the amounts recommended by the other cruise lines which average $3.00 per person per day for Waiter/Cabin Attendant and $1.50 per person per day for Busboy. Beyond that it's really up to you. Some people tip more, some less and some give no tips.

There is no service charge added to bar bills so on the last night I usually tip some of the bartendes or the wine steward if he has been helpful.

Joe at Travelpage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 01-16-2000 06:58 PM

Some of the smaller upscale lines have a strict prohabition on tipping. HAL does not recommend any amount, nor do they mention that tipping is expected or required. However, almost every one does tip; the purser's desk has envelopes available, and the service you receive usually warrents a tip. This line goes one step farther; they do not automatically add a 15% gratuity to your bar or wine tabs, "for your convenience"! On other lines just try to have the 15% tip removed from a bar tab because you got lousy service and you will find that the tip really is mandatory.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Gordy
First Class Passenger
Member # 1018

posted 01-17-2000 01:19 AM

OK, I can't stand it anymore. Anyone who pays good money for a cruise and doesn't check out the deck plan for their room is a knucklehead! Our room on an upcoming cruise is two doors fore of the stage/lounge on the Mariner deck on the Monarch of the Seas, and guess what? I'm taking ear plugs, DUH....

Now I have friends/employees who are nurses working on every major cruise line in the world and here's the honest to goodness skinny:
Carnival is a college frat party
Holland America is a yawn
Royal Caribbean is in between
Sorry guys, but that's the truth from over 60 nurses who have worked for and cruised on them all.

Here's another truism for you who feel so picked on by bad service.

With over 2500 people on these vessels, how could you possibly get so tweaked over something like a delay in your wine? I have acquaintences (notice I didn't say friends) just like you and I won't go anywhere with them. All the cruise lines hire the cheapest help they can find. Most of them hired from impoverished countries like the Phillipines or Haiti. These people are basically working for less than minimum wage and are uneducated. Mix them with imitation hi-brow customers who have their noses in the air and there is bound to be a scene.
Well, I'm sorry, you guys got to vent, so did I.
I'll leave you with one thought from my wife's dad: Only boring people get bored. I'll carry that one further and say only irritating people get irritated and only fun people have fun, so quit complaining and have fun!

Posts: 24 | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

usha
First Class Passenger
Member # 818

posted 01-17-2000 03:41 AM

Our last cruise was on Celebrity's Galaxy, and our cabin was located directly above the Savoy night club. They must put extra soundproofing between decks, because it was nice & quiet in our cabin. The food was very good to great, and the service was outstanding. I would suggest you try a Celebrity cruise if you haven't yet done so.

Posts: 94 | From: Hobart, IN USA | Registered: Jan 99 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 01-17-2000 06:16 AM

Gordy - some of those people working on the cruise lines may be from impoverished countries, like the Phillipines, but they are highly educated. One of the gals I know is a dentist. Do you think she would be working as a bartender/waiter on a cruise ship if she could make a decent living in the Phillipines. I don't think so. As for HAL being a "yawn" have you every sailed on one of her ships - I have and they are no "yawn". If you want to have fun, you have fun, if you want peace and quiet, you can find a place for that also. They are by no means party ships but we have always had a good time and met some wonderful people.

[This message has been edited by sympatico (edited 01-17-2000).]

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

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