9 things Royal Caribbean CUT since I started cruising!

[@charlesschroeder4062]

Midnight buffet in the 90's was a big deal. Carved ice sculptures, big cakes, viewing period, great food, in the main dining room. You are correct that it has been replaced with grab and go like Sorrento's, Cafe Promenade and other easier things to manage. I'm ok that they don't need to fuss and we don't feel compelled to eat so much at 12:30 am.

[@user-dc2ed2dm8d]

@charlesschroeder4062 I remember the viewing period, and clapping for the beauty of the buffet presentation.

[@ijshapiro8385]

love the new e-muster drill

[@JoanBaranek]

i remember some of those that are now gone. some i miss others not so much. the one i miss the most was the midnight buffet. it was the challenge of staying awake to go to it😄

[@jeffdinter600]

The cruise lines used to do a midnight chocoholic buffet where they would carve ice and put that ice sculptures around the buffet area and serve different types of chocolate out on the buffet area all kinds of different chocolates to choose from as well as fruit and other things that you could self dip in chocolate fountains

[@williamwatson689]

That was really cruising. Now, just the bare essentials with an amusument park and fake islands with rude cruisers and tons of kids. Especially, Royal Caribbean.

[@JeanHixson]

@@williamwatson689

[@JeanHixson]

@@williamwatson689

[@AxelQC]

The once a day cleaning ticked me off. What they really did is double the number of cabins that stewards had to cover, so it's much harder to get service from your steward. They are still great, but now they are harried and worn out and harder to find when you need them.

[@nancysvideostuff]

I miss the souvenir glasses we used to get with the drink of the day. Also, I miss the after dinner shots that they used to bring around the dining room. We aren't big drinkers, but we did enjoy those.

[@tcortez]

The Schooner Bar glasses fill one of my kitchen cabinets. Now that I think about it, I may have tipped a few more than I thought.

[@bencalebrod]

Free Lobster Tail night in the Main Dining Room is a big one, you could really go to town before and even save 1 or 2 for the next day but now it's pretty much gone (only on 6+ night sailings, 1 free lobster tail only, additional ones $17).

[@ustophl]

And this is exactly why the stopped, people gorging

[@GrayShadow13]

One thing I wish RC would do is have more live bands/shows playing the bars during the day hours. Not everyone wants to just hang at the pool for 8 hours. Whenever they do a trivia in Schooners now for example, at say 11 am or 1 pm, it is PACKED and people sitting on the floor and overflowing out of the bar area because there isn't anything else going on. This happened every time during my last 3 cruises. Doesn't matter if it is a cruise or port day, have something going on in the bars that all mostly sit empty all day otherwise. You could do a 1/2 hour trivia while band sets up then 2 hours of band, then another trivia or 2 (let them go longer if the crowd is there) to fill up the afternoon or give time for a different band to set up.

[@user-lj1zs3wl5l]

We totally agree. These RC cruises are not what they used to be.

[@johndittmer8488]

In 2019, I had a wedding on the Symphony OTS. Since they didn't rent tuxes on the ship, I had to rent a tux for a week from the Men's Wearhouse in Miami.

[@MW-yj8zk]

I miss the Viking Crown lounge on the newer ships… older ships all have them.

[@MollyVSmurl]

Definitely don’t miss the in previous overwhelming safety drill ! 🎉🎉🎉

[@stevenlewis-ss2gd]

We recently got off of the Vision. Our room steward serviced our room morning and evening . Got ice twice a day .

[@helciobmello]

I had started cruising just before they have changed housekeeping to once a day. I don't miss the twice a day service, but if we get less service they were supposed to reflect their savings into cheaper fares. Instead they used that to profit even more. Most disappointing.

[@Jglendab8153]

I kinda liked my room to be refreshed in the afternoon. I like to take a nap before I go to dinner.

[@tooraktoff]

Holland America still has twice-a-day housekeeping, print out all the guest photos, and printed copies of the daily programs.

[@pg6557]

Celebrity too which is hypocritical since they’re owned by Royal Caribbean

[@Eggy5190]

And cost twice as much as :)

[@JoeSmith-gp5dm]

That sounds great but I’m not 80 years old yet

[@pg6557]

@@JoeSmith-gp5dm I’m in my late 50s and went once and it actually wasn’t what you think. It was a general mix of 40s and above and the food was really really good.

[@kennethbtrevias9567]

Midnight Buffets, Skeet Shooting and the occasional Toga Parties for a start.

[@travelingon7458]

Room service has the best burger, wings Cobb salad and when you order pizza, you get a whole pizza. I understand why they started charging because people were just ordering anything and then not eating it too wasteful!

[@stephaniepelc1618]

Bring back the chocolates on the pillow😋

[@ArleenHarr]

In 1994 on Song of America, the waiters came around with a " carousel" of different salad dressings. Diamond Lounge is now the Crown Lounge & Diamonds are not allowed during Happy Hour if there's too many Diamond +. I miss the breakfast and lunch in the MDR that was half served and half buffet.

[@bethbounds2873]

I do miss the Champagne Bar. I hate the robotic bar that took its place.

[@davee8113]

It’s was always nice the turn down service was done after you went to dinner

[@Buffalobill77]

I miss turndown service, on my last cruise it seemed like the hallways full of dishes at night. I think that’s because they weren’t cleaning rooms at night

[@thedoublet4301]

I remember as a kid the midnight buffet was still a thing. Hot dogs, hamburgers, cookies, ice cream.

[@mrsbuford100]

When I stay in a suite, i find the twice a day cleaning annoying. I like to pop in and out of my room, and it's frustrating to come back and can't go in.

[@krispressler1005]

I do miss the tux rentals. I have some wonderful photos of my Dad and husband in tuxes on our first (and my Dad's only) Med cruise. We now just don't get any pictures with a suit jacket due to packing issues.

[@davee8113]

Ask for as late as 4 pm for room service attendant this way your room is clean you come back from dinner

[@user-dc2ed2dm8d]

Johnnie Rockets was complimentary. Midnight Chocolate Buffet.

[@TR_145]

When was Johnny Rockets complimentary? Certainly not in the last 15 years.

[@user-dc2ed2dm8d]

@TR_145 My first cruise was 2004.

[@user-lj1zs3wl5l]

I think Johnny Rockets has changed. Now you have to give up your First Born to eat there.$$$ 😅

[@patriciareynolds1800]

I actually prefer once a day room service. I always ask for later in the day because I sleep until 9 or later.

[@sf3413]

I miss multiplug outlets! Too soon? 😂 But seriously, miss those good 'ol times of multiplugs.

[@clbert7460]

The midnight chocolate fountain!!! The once a day cleaning is as the CEO mentioned RCI moving to a more “hotel like” model. So I did as well. And so it was fine with me. I tip only those who provide me with direct services, I don’t tip the front desk or maintenance at a hotel. The cruise lines need to pay their employees appropriately and stop hiding behind gratuities. Be transparent and upfront…Make them service charges and add them to the cost so people can see the real cost of a cruise.

[@Lanterns7056]

Midnight Buufet on RCL also had carved ice sculptures

[@danmac2925]

And chocolate items!

[@wzupmane]

E muster for the win!

[@brucerosner3547]

I don't know if RCL did this but Celebrity had flaming table side Cherries Jubilee preparation. Also the modern baked Alaska dessert is a joke compared to what it once was.

[@learnmesomethin5102]

The removal Connoisseur Club. It was a good place to have cigar and enjoy a Scotch. It had nice leather furniture and wood finishes. Very similar look to Michael's Club on Celebrity just not as elaborate

[@478Johnnyboy]

I just went on a royal cruise in Oct. My first cruise ever and I really don’t like Royals nickel and dimming you. You can pay $6000+ for 3 people to cruise and still have to pay for basics like wifi separately which is $365 for 3 people for 7 nights (1 device)…on the Black Friday sale so its even more normal price mind you is insane. There is no reason why you should have to pay for wifi but they know they can get over on people. If you paid $1500/night for a high end hotel you are never thinking will I have wifi? Hell even a $100/night hotel its included. So why are they still charging for that. Outside of getting over on people to make $$$. Which I get its a corp but charging for wifi is wild to me. I fully get charging for drink packages, dining packages but the wifi charge which is a hotel and even motel basic is crazy. After you’ve already paid THOUSANDS to go.

[@Tom-tk7kw]

In spite of all the cutbacks, Royal has stepped up price gouging, especially on the new Icon class. Frankly, I don't personally believe most cruisers get any more actual cruise enjoyment on Icon than on Oasis class ships, although Icon fares are dramatically much more costly. Some may disagree, but I prefer the value offered on the Oasis class far more than Icon class.

[@jeffreyclinard2002]

In practice, the Diamond Lounge is no longer a perk. On my last two cruises, I gave up on going, because there was nowhere to sit. Removing Diamond Plus from the conciege lounge was great for the suite / Pinnacle members, but they have not addressed the issue of the Diamond Lounge being unuseable. I'm Diamond Plus, but as far as getting access, I might as well be a first time cruiser. I miss the lamb dishes in the main dining room. The whole new menu thing has been a downgrade. They have eliminated (as far as I can tell) the "A Taste of Mexico" night, which I don't miss at all. I had it twice on one cruise, and swore I'd book specialty dining for any night they were having it on my next cruise. If it had been served in a land restaurant, I would never have gone back. On a side note, I don't how I was denied booking a speciality restaurant on an upcoming cruise because I'm a solo passenger.

[@GLOCKDPLUSFlowriders]

You can get hot oatmeal (porridge) or grits delivered to your stateroom included in Continental Breakfast.

[@morninglight67]

I would've thought DreamWorks maybe got canceled when they got acquired by Disney.

[@TR_145]

Except Dreamworks isn't own by Disney.

[@morninglight67]

@TR_145 looking further DW was distributed by Disney 2009 to 2015. Owned was a misstatement.

[@Jglendab8153]

I kinda enjoyed my room being refreshed in the evening while I’m at dinner. 🍽️ I’m one of those individuals who need my afternoon nap before I begging the evening fun.

[@michellebembry4273]

Midnight buffet free lobster (husband) twice a day room cleaning but e muster drill a plus

[@shenablount2644]

I remember being 10 yrs old on my first cruise going to the midnight buffet. As a kid who loved seafood, I was in heaven!

[@edwesby5752]

Do you have a Crown and Anchor baseball cap?? If you do then you are a Royal cruiser from many years ago when almost every crusie there was a C&A gift left in the cabin for you. Things like picture frames, luggage tags, luggage straps, and other small gifts were a regular part of Royal cruises for C&A members for years.

[@btab5332]

Never knew you could rent a Tuxedo so I don't miss it nor do I miss the mid-night buffet or the in-person muster drill, which I hated and was a total waste of time.. But I do miss the evening turn down. Still a thing on Celebrity.

[@ST52655]

Carnival has cut a lot of stuff since we started cruising years ago. Now we’re going to try Royal Caribbean next year.

[@garysteinert8040]

I don’t know about the midnight buffet, but in the US Navy, “mid rats” was the best meal.

[@melvinjacobs2328]

Midnight buffets were a complete waste of food.

[@fafolguy]

Never rented a tux for a wedding or formal event? High school prom? Lol, you sleep on sheets and use towels that have been in MUCH more intimate places on strangers than a suit!

[@ModernMyths]

When I started, there was 3 things I remember that they don't have now. 1 was a boxing ring on Freedom of the Seas. It was mostly to do a personal boxing training. The other actually was Dreamworks had "How to train your Dragon" and "Kung Fu Panda" instead of Shrek and Trolls. And the 3rd was that they had actual plugs you could put your Ipod in and it would play your music while in your room. Now, instead of those plugs, all I see are the old 1990 phone wall jacks you plug dial phones into. XD

[@stevenlewis-ss2gd]

The days of unlimited lobster on formal night is gone. Only allowed 1 now.

[@bencalebrod]

And I think it's only on 6+ night sailings now too.

[@timm1328]

I’ve been cruising with RCCL since 2001, and I remember the midnight buffet. I rarely ate at it, but with the ice sculptures and vegerable sculptures it was a lovely thing to look at. I miss it. I have only sailed once in a non-suite, that was in Feb 2024, and I did miss the twice daily room cleaning. I do not miss the muster drill, although I do wonder what would happen if a real emergency were to occur. I miss the tuxedo rental and the “real” formal nights. It was so much easier that packing a suit and having to lug a garment bag. Room service should be provided gratis; I have used it on occasion. I do really miss the champagne bar. Portofino’s was better than Giovanni’s. I also miss the card/game room that used to be on the Vision and Radiance Class ships.

[@ashleylongstreet4755]

The champagne bar is still on allure until they go in to dry dock. I was just there in September and I liked it a lot! Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion opinion but I really liked the samba grill and hope they don’t get rid of it

[@MercenaryTX]

The main attraction of shuffleboard is gone.

[@georgelomarro4677]

Huh? There's shuffleboard on every ship.

[@MercenaryTX]

@ not anymore. The olden days of cruising when there was nothing to do.

[@GLOCKDPLUSFlowriders]

Very disappointed no more "Tutti" salad in MDR on sea days. We discovered this on this year's Halloween cruise 😢

[@Plum_bird]

People rent tuxedos for weddings, our funerals all the time, but I get it if you’re not comfortable with it.

[@randyhamilton8673]

Duck in the main dining room first cruise I had on Royal was at 96 and I remember eating like four ducks which was great and also probably not great lol🦆

[@krakenjack22]

The reduction to once-per-day stateroom service was a big loss. The cabins just are not as clean as they used to be, and we never get to know our attendant like we used to. Of all the cut backs since 2022, this one still hurts.

[@tonyintrevado8960]

Cruising 22 years. Pricing easily doubled and service/entertainment/food quality dropped at least by half! Not happy.

[@dan81275a]

Many of these cuts haven't affected me, but I feel like the quality of the food in the MDR has really suffered. I now avoid it and opt for the specialty restaurants. As far as Sabor is concerned, I will be going on Liberty in May 2025. I made a reservation at Sabor with my Unlimited Dining Plan. I hope Sabor will still be there in May.

[@morninglight67]

So did you buy a tux for your wedding, any other wedding you were a groomsman in, or even prom? I'm not thinking tuxes are necessary for a cruise, I just don't think tux rental is any weirder than even sleeping in sheets that hundreds of other people have used.

[@garrettzaremba2248]

Do you know anything about the boxing ring on Freedom ships?

[@davee8113]

You wonder if venues like Playmakers for quick bar food but at a cost so they save money

[@bulba77]

we used to get little gift depending on your status

[@RussLuvs2Cruise]

I am a big fan of the savory bites in the MDR, that unfortunately are no longer available.

[@user-lj1zs3wl5l]

💥 We cruised on the ICON this past May, 2024. We hadn't cruised (only on RC) for 5 years due to COVID, and a bout with cancer. 🔸️We were SHOCKED at the differences. Our main shock was the shows. All, except the ice show and the comedy show, were horrible. 🔸️Every one of them had (what we call) "Dancing Like Half Time at the Super Bowl." (Think Beyonce). 🔸️No matter what kind of show, there was the very same dancing as in "Half Time" to include extremely LOUD music, laser lights, singing >so loud< you could NOT understand the words of the songs, outfits like Beyonce wears, etc. EVERY SINGLE SHOW....the same. The same. 🔸️Imagine that kind of dancing in 'The Wizzard of Oz' .... In that Broadway play. (Is nothing sacred?) What does "Half Time" dancing have to do with The Wizzard of Oz..!!!?? 🔸️Previously, we LOVED the event of dinner in the beautiful Main Dining Room, then going to a show. But on the ICON, we were massively disappointed. 🔸️Secondly, the other really BAD experience we had were the PHOTOGRAPHERS. They were horrible. We always make an effort to have our pictures taken throughout the cruise, and love the experience. 🔸️Generally, we have SO MANY great photos to choose from that it's hard to choose. But in the ICON, only one (1) photo was nice. The rest were usually out of focus, taken way too far away, or something like this. Very amateur. 🔸️We ended up choosing only 3 photos, with 2 of them being flawed, but we chose them anyway. 💥We plan to sail on The STAR of the Seas in 2026, and are hoping these very important issues are resolved by then. 🔸️We are sailing on The Harmony of the Seas in May 2025, and are looking forward to returning to the Oasis Class once again. Praying like crazy that the "Half Time" dancing and singing aren't in every show, and that the photographers are as great as they used to be. At least they have FOCUS where you can clearly view your photos on a nice size screen. They don't have that on the ICON

[@alwayswatching69]

Did they remove being able to have multiple entrées per meal in the main dinning room? I had a fun time on sky pad as an adult. The parents realized it was for more than just kids.

[@georgelomarro4677]

Still can have multiple entrees. But on Lobster night you are limited to just one. So ask for the "surf and turf" on lobster night. Our waiter brought us the steak entree with a side of lobster.

[@SamSitar]

in person things like the muster drill takes a lot longer. money saved by service cuts should taxed as income.

[@corrosive69]

on all the heavy metal cruises there's a midnight buffet!!

[@TheTiffiny777]

They also cut the vitality cafe on utopia :(

[@djmiller5975]

Cigar lounge

[@billybenson3834]

That is still a great option to offer

[@zekegrimm3775]

Please bring back the Sweet Red Cabbage! It was terrific as an App, with Dinner, and even as a desert! Paired Wonderfully with the Duck! Oh yea, bring back the Duck as well.

[@LinusCello75]

Supposedly Jamie’s [Oliver] table will be replaced with Giovanni’s table. I wonder if Dream Works/Universal will partner with RC or another cruise line to cross-promote “Epic Universe”?

[@bethsilcox727]

Chocolates on the pillow with turndown service

[@scttm79]

Cold soups for dinner also salute to the nations at dinning room with flags loved that and chapels are on way out to only couple ships left with them miss barbecue on pool deck haven’t seen it in a while

[@RPMcMurphy1975]

Never paid an iota of attention to the skypad

[@dnarobo]

After dinner shots, tableside bread, dressing, and serving assistance. Embarkation luggage dropoff. Good photographers.

[@MickeyMouse-zu2yk]

There is always a cost / value trade off - thoughts of it cost X % more vs X years needs to account for inflation and other adds available today

[@zekegrimm3775]

OMG, forgot to mention, bring back the "GuttBombs", the Chili Cheese Dawgs at the Park Cafe!

[@charlyhalfhuid4223]

I remembered that

[@sergiosantos2498]

Disney cruise still the in person reporting muster station reporting…total buzz kill!

[@billybenson3834]

Topless bathing area was a thing in the late 90s

[@AnthonyHologounis96]

So true

[@davee8113]

You pre order flowers before your cruise but it’s expensive and looks very cheap, not a value at all

[@billd7120]

I'd rather keep the room gratuity and have 0 a day housekeeping.

[@BeantownMrs]

e-muster >>>>>

[@kellybrown8638]

God, your VOICE 😂

[@SharleeP-qi2ex]

The food is slops now. Making the expensive restaurants more tasty. Then RCL is cashing in making heaps $$$$.. The sweets are tiny to what they were. The last cruise we were on - The fruit was cut so small ie rockmelon or pineapple, they ran out of watermelon. By day 7 the Fruit was going off. The size of desserts are laughable….The CEO has made so many cut back and added so many add ons - RCL is now the number One Price gouger

[@bigguy1403]

And the list will keep getting longer.

[@murrethmedia]

I heard that Royal Caribbean used to have this really unattractive spokesperson but then they let that person go and hired this new guy named Matt who is really attractive and causes the ratio of women to men on cruises to be like 80 to one now. Can you confirm or deny this?

[@user-lj1zs3wl5l]

Dream on 😅😅😅😂😂

[@user-lj1zs3wl5l]

I am seriously GLUTEN INTOLERANT. They have VERY LITTLE I can eat. I wish they would use gluten-free flour etc to make their meals and desserts.

[@jesse9321]

NEED more late night food options that are included! Pizza and cold subs only go so far.... open up half the windjammer for small hot bites.

[@404goldie7]

Enjoy and appreciate your content, but if you could tone down your delivery, it would be a big improvement.

[@timothygentry6313]

Carnival is bringing back the midnight buffet, open till 2:30 AM.

[@DonnaDavis-l1u]

I guess I have gotten too old. I’m in my 70’s and unless I can enjoy the midnight buffet in my pajamas I don’t think I would indulge. 😂😂😂 😂😂

[@sweetcaroline1125]

The entertainment has gone down...the Schooner Bar consists of a piano banger and a wanna be crooner that knows very few songs.

[@blargblarg5657]

You missed the main thing that RC had stopped providing. A great experience. Cruising has fallen to mediocre and the big three are racing to the bottom.

[@marshall.cochran]

I liked the muster drill. Last time I actually lined up though was mariner in 2019. 2017 on oasis we were in the gym lol

[@travisalmouth2745]

When the Oasis of the Seas debuted in 2009, the Viking Crown Lounge was open to the public. They even had cast members from Hairspray (originally on Oasis, now on Symphony) perform there on evenings when Hairspray was not performed in the theater. Viking Crown should be on all ships as it's still the Royal Caribbean logo and allows everyone to see the ship sailing the seas (which is a part of every RC ship name --- ... of the Seas!). Bring back the Viking Crown observation lounge!!!

[@laughremixsquad]

I used to love the prices. Icon class prices make me irrationally angry. Listening to the quarterly earnings calls makes me realize they aren’t going to cut them anytime soon. 😢

[@michaellovastik6517]

Blah blah blah....slow day matt

[@GerardPinzone]

I remember seeing a video on KZbin about someone who broke their hip on the Skypad and RCL tried to weasel out of paying.