5 WORST things about cruising with Royal Caribbean: should it stop you from booking?

[@tinekebell8445]

The worst part of sailing with Royal Caribbean is... you'll get addicted to cruising. I took my adult children on a Cruise in December to celebrate my retirement & and we're going again next January. They are hooked and love Royal Caribbean ❤️ ⚓️

[@febiolazipora]

totally agree! I went on Spectrum of The Sea last February, and I am going again next February! Can't stop cruising.

[@alicyamayes6392]

My mom took the family on our first cruise last December and we're going again this month! Have fun!

[@florence2095]

We’re going on our 1st Cruise next year. To celebrate my retirement, with our daughter, that made us feel guilty when we told her , we were going on a cruise 😂😂😂🐨🐨🦘

[@DonnTech]

Cause after my first last September, I’ve become a certified cruise snob😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@baloo_2228]

The worst part of cruising Royal for me was traveling with my soon-to-be ex-husband. He either stayed in the stateroom and slept, or complained about everything the whole time. Now that he and his constant negativity will soon be behind me, I am looking forward to cruising Royal again this year. Cheers!

[@user-lr4dj8fs6e]

I am CRAZY thrifty; so I have sailed with very little add-ons (a few none). For me the vacation is " not being home". The reason I love cruising is you can truly spend as much or as little as you want and still have a good time.

[@calientemac1]

In my opinion, I think on Oasis class ships, it’s crazy to have to make a reservation for shows and hope you can get one because if not, you have to go on standby hoping you can get a seat! As much as it costs to cruise, everyone should have an opportunity to see the shows if they want. I get it, seating is limited but they should offer more shows to accommodate everyone 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@davidbluhm1867]

They do have many opportunities to see all the shows. We never have a problem. We never have a problem being on standby.

[@asadb1990]

Wow when i went on navigator of the seas from la, the show were walk in. No tickets needed at least for the free shows.

[@TSVitanza]

I would like to see one bar on board that does not admit babies/kids/teens - drinking age only. I’d also like to see kids forbidden from actually sitting AT the bar. AT the bar should be adult only at all bars.

[@ctlt-pg4tm]

They DO have those. On the Oasis class ships it's called the Solarium. 18 and over. It's a great space

[@TSVitanza]

@@ctlt-pg4tm Nope. They will tell you the pools and hot tubs are off limits to the under-16s, but that everything else (bar, Solarium Bistro) is OK

[@TSVitanza]

@@ctlt-pg4tm And Solarium is 16 and over, not 18.

[@jimmygarcia101]

Have you tried going on Virgin cruises, which is strictly adult only cruises?

[@TSVitanza]

@@jimmygarcia101 I don’t want a child-free cruise. I want adult-only areas kept for adults. I want health/safety rules (like no diapers in pools and no little kids in hot tubs) enforced. I want parents to stop kids from running/shouting in hallways. I want those with littles to sit with other littles. I don’t think kids need to be spinning on barstools or eavesdropping on adult conversations in bars or making dance floors into playgrounds. I don’t dislike kids; I’m a mom, stepmom, grandmom. I want rules I can count on. I want an atmosphere I can count on.

[@tlh878]

We did a transpacific sailing in October and it was FABULOUS!! Very few kids, lots to do on board, about 60% capacity so never any real line ups and no problem getting into any shows. I would really like them to be more consistent with some of the rules such as: - dress code in the main dining room --- I like casual sailing, but too casual means Windjammer (in my opinion) and that is rarely enforced. - no kids in the solarium --- I have seen pre-teens in that area and no one asked them to leave. Not a huge deal, but I do like to have an adult only space.

[@clbert7460]

I agree. The longer cruises are much better because there are not a lot of children onboard. Children are fine when they are well behaved, but the last 10 cruises over the past six months amply demonstrated that parents are raising wild animals. Whenever I see children younger than 16 in the Solarium, I ask a crew member to have them leave. The Solarium was the major reason I started and continued to sail with RC. Happy cruising!

[@TSVitanza]

RCL needs to enforce its own rules, like: No reserving chairs. Dress codes. Adult-only areas. No diapers in pools and hot tubs, and no kids who need them in pools and hot tubs.

[@abrown4green]

I only cruise on RCL but I do agree with that

[@ProfGlitch]

all except dress codes. enforce dress codes at their own peril.

[@dolorescarr6511]

Years ago I remember kids under the age of 16 were not allowed in the hot tubs on any cruise ship. Somewhere that rule went away. On my last cruise on WONDER, small kids were swimming the in the hot tub (Some with floaties on) with no adults present. Even though Royal built a swim area, slides, and water park for kids majority of the kids still take over the main pool deck with parents just sitting and drinking on the sidelines. Even building a new family village on Icon I don't forsee this getting better. Rules for certain ares need to be made and enforced.

[@sportsMike87]

easier said than done on that.

[@wb6anp]

@@ProfGlitch I think you may change your mind when you see a 70 or 80 yr old obese man come into the MDR with a speedo on, ruin your appetite real quick. Luckily the staff made him go change due to dress code.

[@sharongross5922]

I appreciate everything that you have said. I picked a sailing Memorial Day week. There was a lot of young children and it was a slight turn off. Firstly, me and my husband Sailed Oasis of the Seas. The ship has plenty of shows and amenities to do. However, the turn off was when a mother and father had a 2 year old in the jacuzzi for too long and the toddler was throwing up like a water faucet. Then a 8 or 9 year old threw up in the adult pool. I understand that Royal Caribbean Markets to the families, but these children should’ve been in the children area and not the adult area.

[@thefox47545]

I booked my next cruise for the first week of October. I hope the kids are in school. They should be, right?

[@clbert7460]

@@thefox47545With virtual education being used universally now, there will be fewer children but not as few as there were prepandemic. I sailed all of last fall through June; there was an average of 1/3 of the passengers being under the age of 16 on my 15 cruises. But most were short-5-7 nights (and complementary for me so I didn’t complain much). The 14-night transatlantic had the fewest children that were old enough to be allowed to run around on their own. Happy cruising!

[@joeo7693]

Hopefully, children vomiting in a pool or hot tub is a rare occurrence.

[@Joe-p8f2y]

Hopefully? No. Should NEVER happen. Selfish parents. @@joeo7693

[@withlittleman]

Virgin has adult only cruises. Dont tell me there are problems with that cruise line also?😅

[@schradersl]

Do not mind the large ships, crowds are well managed EXCEPT elevators. Families are beginning to bring wagons in addition to strollers and overwhelming space. I do take stairs, but often sail with people who cannot take stairs, so very long waits. Big is fine, but infrastructure should increase in the post Oasis super ships. It's a perfect line for families (and we do that), but go to Celebrity with adults.

[@melvinjacobs2328]

Lack of enforcement, especially kids running down the halls.

[@pb1963]

My main issue with RCL is the customer service is really, really terrible. RCL canceled our cruise and getting 100% of our paid cruise back was a "ROYAL" pain. It took a lot of calls and lots of time waiting for people on the phone. Other options were suggested but the options did not meet our needs. An RCL agent actually accused us of cancelling our cruise, when RCL did the cancelling. We were pretty loyal to Royal before, but we haven't been back since.

[@KZ1211-t2q]

My husband and I are Diamond on Royal. Their customer service is very good and their entertainment, especially on the large ships, is way beyond that of other cruise lines. I actually prefer the Oasis class ships. Although there are a lot of people it never feels crowded because, as you said, everyone is spread out doing different things at different times. I always make reservations for the shows as soon as they are available online, and one of us goes to the theater early to secure seats. I rarely have to wait in line for anything. I just took my granddaughter and her parents on the Harmony, and they were blown away by all the activities and the entertainment, especially the aqua show. It was summer break, lots of kids, but no issues. When we're alone, my husband and I cruise when school is in session and we go to the solarium. I am, however, disappointed in the quality of the food since they changed the menus.

[@ludmilakowalow734]

Wrong! You can't make a reservation online, only on the ship. We went on Symphony from Miami B2B and had no chance to see water shows, so many problems around the ship and weather.

[@johncarlson9921]

I made all our show and special dining reservations on line 30 days before the cruise. Not a problem

[@johncarlson9921]

@@ludmilakowalow734 I made reservations 30 days ahead of cruise for shows and dining on line

[@christinevillela2710]

I am a grandma generally traveling solo and I love the family atmosphere. I love seeing the fun kids have but not having to take care of them. But I would never travel during school breaks. I dont want to be on an Oasis class with 2000 kids, just too many people. Since off season is cheaper and less crowded, that is when I sail.

[@christinenathan4131]

I agree, I like the fact that drinks, the spa, and excursions are add ons. I want it to be my choice to pay for those things. One reason, our family won't book an all inclusive resort, it always include alcohol and none of us drink . . . the cruise is cheaper, even if you add the soda package or the upgraded milkshake package. And then we're not stuck at one hotel location, we get to see 3 or 4 destinations on the cruise.

[@loganchugg6847]

They NEED to enforce the reserving chair rule, its a disaster and the most frustrating part of RC. I love them, very loyal to royal but that drives me crazy.

[@kevintemerowski5271]

Just take the seats. Tell the people who say something is reserved to piss off. It’s first come first use seating at all areas.

[@richboutin4044]

I move towels or whatever is left behind without hesitation, and have never been confronted.

[@bigguy1403]

I move their stuff after 1hr. If there gone to bad not gona ruin my cruise. I've never been confronted and if I were to get confronted I'd say beats me it was empty so go kick sand.

[@nancystarkey2916]

when we cruise on royal Caribbean, my husband and I would pick the dates when the kids are still in school so we won’t have too much problems with over running children..

[@TSVitanza]

But it’d be fine if they’d just enforce the rules they already have!

[@vickimccallister6753]

@@TSVitanza TS . try it you might like it! Prices cheaper, most kids under 4. lot less people feeling their packges of adult beverges)!!!!! and they still care that the littles are well behved . (Assuming because it reflects on how it refelects on them s prents plus they dress the prescoolers up so darn cute..and one more thing, they go to bed early)... so, I've ledy give myself awy, I m Senior. I cruised Carnival starting 2003 because of price and excursions. But with infltion, cost of gas and food and entertinment .ffor me it;s better del. Hope you find the niche yfor the lifsyle you like!

[@vickimccallister6753]

I apolige the"a" key went out on my laptop, so hard to read.

[@TSVitanza]

I’d like to see one area of each dining room for babies/younger kids.

[@gregjames2804]

We are RC fans too. We sailed on Harmony and didn’t have problems with crowds at all but our last sailing was on Symphony and it was unbearable. There was two days we couldn’t find a seat in the solarium. As big as it is that was crazy! We are booked on the Allure coming up and Oasis next year. We are praying for a Harmony experience and not a symphony. Thanks for you channel, we really like it!

[@siggy28]

I wouldn't call it the WORST thing, let alone crack this list or stop me from cruising with Royal, but personally the main dining room has taken a hit with the new changes from quality to menu options. I understand the reasoning to shorten the options to assist with dining times but there's a reason why they ask you when you first sit down if you are in a time crunch due to a show/reservation.

[@moonbeammimi]

Yes. My husband and I don't understand why people would eat at the MDR vs a quicker venue if they are in a rush due to a show, or why they'd book a show so close to their dining time to begin with. Part of what makes cruising special is our time in the MDR; the "dressing up" (a bit, anyway), the "fineness" of the dining venue, and mostly, the time spent together just catching up while sharing these mealtimes. (Must admit the lamb with "mint jelly" tasted boiled and bland, and we probably won't be getting that again.) Regardless, we're still planning future family cruises on Royal. 🏖🚢

[@obibaddad1991]

Our last two RC cruises we found the main dining room to be very disappointing as far as menu and presentation. Several dinners were sent back and even breakfasts were way below expectations. Also, the perks offered at signing are way less than the competition.

[@carolecancelmo2061]

I've been on three cruises with royal in the last 15 months and and each time the food has gotten worse. So next September I'm going on Holland. 🎉

[@jorgerine]

We last cruised just before the menu changes, and were still able to get to the early show, without being rushed.

[@ZZ-ly1jf]

Agreed. And the food is served cold. Very disappointing.

[@skleice]

The added costs along with increasing prices of those add-ons (looking at you $188 for thrill water park!) are a big turn off. Thumbs down for having to scramble to book activities as well. I'm strongly considering canceling our 2024 cruise in favor of an all inclusive resort.

[@representing50plus]

I just got back from their cruise. I don't drink but the price of their drink package is insane. ...

[@christinenathan4131]

I looked into some inclusive resorts, the prices were decent but the airfare was nuts. The cruise ending up being cheaper for our family: cruise fare, flights with one night hotel, and excursions.

[@davva360]

The shows can be tricky. I honestly think you should not be able to book things months in advance pre-cruise. So many people change plans closer to the time it is meaningless. I have used the standby line for the aqua show on Harmony and got in but there is no guarantee it will work. Only cruised with Royal twice, but they are overall my favorite line. So many things to do. Drink package is expensive relative to other lines so I don’t usually get that and just pay for drinks individually. Hard for me to get value out of the drink package. I simply don’t drink enough.

[@H-Travels]

Hi Matt, Great video as always - thank you! We have been on many Royal Caribbean sailings with large and small ships. We have found that on the Oasis class of ship, there is not enough seating in many of the venues (Music Hall, Comedy Club, etc.,) compared with some of the smaller classes of ships, such as Voyager. This leads to disappointment when trying to find entertainment and enjoy a cocktail or two, however no seating being available due to crowded venues. We have decided that while we enjoyed the Oasis experience, in future we will stick to the smaller ships and occasional Quantum class sailing. Thanks, James

[@Silvares1]

I love RCCL, but I would argue that as much as I love the huge ships, the itineraries on them are limited. I was thinking about back to back on the Utopia, but I don’t want to be forced to go to Perfect Day twice. Even though the smaller ships offer more options in terms of itinerary (understandable), that is my least favourite thing.

[@simonNP]

Don’t take grandeur of the seas if you have children cuz there is nothing to do on that 30 year old ship

[@MixxMatrix]

Yes! This is exactly why I haven't booked Utopia yet.

[@balbina280]

We do back to back all the time. But because the second week would probably be the same as the first regarding shows and food as the first week, we change ships. It takes a bit of planning to coordinate getting off one ship and boarding another on the same day. but it works.

[@michelleoconnell4895]

Agree the itinerary here on Quantum of the Seas is limited and not very good imo. We used to travel Voyager prior Covid and much better entertainment

[@jareddedini4511]

A reason I would consider not booking with them again is because they were allowing smoking all over the main pool deck on adventure this past week. So we couldn't even go topside at all without smelling cancer clouds. Majorly dampened the enjoyment of our cruise.

[@SebastienDaoust]

I just came back from the Oasis of the Seas cruise that started on July 21st. First cruise with my kids (9 and 13), first cruise for me after 10 years (oddly enough, on the Oasis of the seas back then). Here's my view. The ship aged well. The crew is even better, IMHO, than it was back then. The personnal treatment at the dining room (waiter, assistant waiter) and the room attendant were incredible. BUT. Lines. Lines, lines, lines. Lines to get on the ship a mess at 10AM at Cape Liberty. Lines to get IN the Windjammer. Lines to get in the dining room, WITH RESERVATION, at 6h45-my-time-dining. Lines spanning the whole 5th deck to get out at Port Canaveral, lines that lasted for more than 2 hours to get on most of the expeditions (Pearl Island, etc) in Nassau. Lines to get off the ship went all around the running track on deck 5 to get out of the ship. Club 281 looked like a lot of fun for my teenage daughter, but it was jam-packed each day. It wasn't like that 10 years ago. Also, the pool deck is a mess now. My kids are quiet and need a pool (for my youngest) or a book (my oldest). The pool deck was too noisy for them. From that perspective, I might try Celebrity next time, even if they're not geared toward kids. The Oasis class has fallen, in my opinion.

[@floridaman2214]

Royal is not likely to design and build any new smaller ships, along the lines of the Voyage or Vision class. That will become a problem at some point in the future.

[@lisahorne6836]

On recent presidents cruise, Michael Bayley actually hinted at some smaller ships being built soon.

[@DRSmigley]

I think you meant Radiance and Vision class. Voyager class have 4000 passengers. It is both funny and sad when one thinks of 2500ish passengers as a SMALL ship

[@caroldoms4064]

Agreed about the add-ons. My sister and I are not big drinkers, so drink package doesn't make sense for us. We generally use any "credit" for a beer or glass of wine every now and then. We are looking forward to accessing Diamond status free drinks on our next cruise (38 days from now). We do use the shore excursion via RCC. But I agree you can pick and choose those things you want to spend money on.

[@nancywilliams7465]

Bonus with booking in “off”-seasons (schools in session) is that prices are usually a little cheaper

[@deepshotone]

I dont have anything negative to say about Royal but there are a couple of things I wished they offered. 1. I wish Royal ships had self service laundry rooms like Carnival. This way I could just was my clothes mid trip instead of packing more socks and underwear. Also, it was be nice to iron my own shirts instead of sending them out to be pressed. 2. I wish Royal had more ships on the west coast. All the nicer ships are on the east coast...

[@channarosenblatt8197]

I really liked your video. And I like your method of providing argument and counter argument. You never take the "I know better" point of view. Excellent upload.

[@vickimccallister6753]

Where can you find that?

[@Ariadne147]

I've never felt like I've missed out on something I wanted to do on a RCCL ship, but I make reservations as soon as I can. The only place that I think it's excessively crowded is the plaza where the shops are. I avoid that whole area at certain times of the day or when they are having a give-away. Having said that I love the RCCL huge ships! I enjoy going on them so much. I'm on Wonder of the Seas next February and I'm more excited for that cruise than I am for my Virgin Voyages cruise in November! RCCL does specialty restaurants so well that I purchased the unlimited specialty dining package for the February cruise. I also got They Key since it was on sale and includes the Wifi package. I also have a transatlantic on the Oasis of the Seas next year. I'm almost a Diamond!! YAY! All cruise lines have extra costs. The one that has the least extra costs (includes wifi, tips and most specialty dining) is Virgin Voyages and their cruise fares are very high.

[@dboc2000]

Traveled on Allure in March. The ship was worn, lack of pool chairs was a problem. The expensive WiFi sucked. The food if I'm being honest was a B with an occasional A stand out dish and some that were Cs. The service was excellent. The ammenities and entertainment were amazing. It's a good family cruise, but don't expect amazing food or a small cruise experience. I would travel again but I'd pick a newer ship or even a voyager class.

[@matthewwindisch9449]

Sailed on Odyssey a few weeks ago. Beautiful ship with a great crew. I was disappointed no one enforced the chair hog rule. Also the variety of food at the MDR and windjammer were not what they were on my previous 4 RC cruises..

[@GLOCKDPLUSFlowriders]

The only time we ever felt the crowds on Oasis class ships was at muster. Now that's not a problem anymore.

[@angelaquick1686]

you are accurate. My husband and I took an eleven night cruise to Hawaii on the Radiance of the seas in September, 2022. There were hardly any children on board

[@chris25johnston]

I love your reviews and vlog posts, and used them to prepare for a RC cruise earlier this year (fantastic experience). Much appreciated! But I always remain a bit guarded since you only review Royal Caribbean, and not other cruise lines, so there are no comparisons or frame of reference other than RC. (Your logo even resembles RC!)

[@rouvencocker]

I kind of like the smaller ships when it just me and my wife. You tend to make friends and get to know people. The larger ships everyone gets lost in the crowd.

[@arlenemaxwellcopeland1644]

YES to all. And it hasn't stopped me. My favorite line, but not my only one to try.

[@jorgerine]

We went on our just cruise during school holidays. One would think it would have been terrible. Quite the contrary. The families were off doing their things, and we did our things, and we rarely crossed paths. All good. Harder to find space when dealing with a lot of seniors and retirees. I shouldn’t say that too loud since I am practically a senior now.

[@PoppaC-f6n]

😢 So I watched another one of your blogs and you said "Book entertainment first thing you get on board. " Just found out you can book b4 boarding. Everything is already booked 18 days out😢

[@shawnmurdock2529]

Was on the Harmony of the Seas and the only time it felt crowded was on the pool deck in the middle of the day.

[@floridaorbust5038]

No kids in Adult only areas. Especially during school vacations weeks. Kids not adults were sitting behind slot machines. Employees were afraid to address it when brought to thier attention by me.

[@levyfarm8529]

Love RCCL and as of right now, will not cruise with any other line. With that being said, not being able to do things on the ships because they get booked immediately are an issue. I love the big ships overall, especially the Solarium, maybe because of the “no kids” rule, though.

[@clbert7460]

I am loyal to Royal, Diamond Plus soon to be Pinnacle. But I have to agree with other posters on this chat, they need to enforce their own rules. Another major problem is that parents don’t teach their children how to behave in public, so they run in packs like wild animals, and wreaking havoc where ever they go. Children are fine when they are reasonably well behaved. Last cruise I saw a pack of children almost push an elderly couple down the stairs. Understanding that RC is courting new cruisers and families with these “kids sail free” sales to fill in behind us older cruisers as we basically die off, but that doesn’t excuse the need keep everyone safe and happy. One thing that a loyalty ambassador told me is that RC is having trouble finding enough crew to properly staff the mega ships they keep building. That may become a problem.

[@ellabellalindo]

The issues with the shows filling up fast is making me nervous for my sailing in Dec. 😬 I've cruised with NCL in the past, and it was never an issue.

[@FactsMatter]

As a cruising parent, let me say clearly to new cruisers that the small Royal Caribbean ships are not the best choice for families with kids. On the other hand, the "big ships" that you list as the "worst" thing about cruising turns out to be the best. And in all honesty, even on the larger ships, there is still space to hide. I started my cruising career loving Carnival. I am now Loyal to Royal and happy to be.

[@mishong3]

BTW thanks for posting your blogs; they are really helpful in booking cruises and some things worth watching out for.

[@fitfighter24]

Hi Matt why does Royal Caribbean do reservations for the shows why not do first come first serve to avoid people not showing up then the stress of being placed on a wait list giving people stress there's a chance of missing the show why should someone who is literally there they should get the seats then if the late people don't need to stress rushing dinner or time at the pool so then they miss the show and are happy

[@eburney68]

@Royal Caribbean Blog Very good video, Matt! This helps to answer quite a few questions. Our family is considering Royal for our next cruise (most likely in 2025) and although the Oasis, Quantum and Icon class ships look awesome, we're concerned about the cluster factor -- as in, is it a legitimate issue or not, and is it worth it. We've only sailed on Carnival and they've been progressively bigger ships. In July, we sailed on Carnival Vista. It was the biggest ship we've been on and while we enjoyed most elements of it, the congestion in the public spaces and the food lines around the lido area were absolutely horrible. Getting around anywhere was a hassle. Maybe it's a design flaw, but it really has me questioning whether I want to sail ever again on super large ship. We're interested in the Radiance or Voyager class on Royal, but your take on the larger ships and how they're designed is making me consider them. Appreciate all you do!

[@sandrakallam2761]

We went on our first cruise on RC in 2016! It was so much fun. I did my homework to learn as much as possible about cruising. We booked under a church group “Apostolics At Sea” on the Brilliance of the Sea. They had scheduled a lot of activities on board if you wanted to attend. My favorite was “Apostolics Have Talent”. Grand prize for the winner-Free cruise for 2 the next year. My balcony cabin was on the 8th level- great view and my favorite place for me time. Money well spent. The food was also good. The crew were always cleaning. We did encounter a storm were we had to forfeit our last destination but we just stayed inside. Still Royal Caribbean gets an A for our cruise!👍🏻

[@Steelers2116]

The last time I cruised with RC, I HAD to buy a drink package (I don't drink) because my roommate wanted a drink package. That's a terrible policy. I also experienced aggression from another passenger because I left my towel on a lounge chair while I retrieved my water bottle. She threw my bag and towel 2 rows behind the chair and took my chair! The folks that were sitting next to me told her I was coming back and she said she didn't care. I confronted her for throwing my bag and taking the chair, and she became VERY aggressive. In fact, she and her friends threatened and followed me around the ship! Security on the ship was a joke!

[@Honolulu-Blue]

Well done Matt 👍

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Thanks!

[@ericfunkman-ez4xb]

1. Have to schedule your entire week by the hour in the hopes to get into anything, including dinner. 2. Food was horrible. 3. Customer service at service desk was a joke. 4. No consistency from bartender to bartender. Every drink was made differently and was watered down. 5. Spent half the cruise waiting on elevators. Just got off Harmony last wkd. Will never use RC again.

[@markdaboll4001]

We are getting ready to go on Harmony of the Seas. Hope it is not that bad for us!!

[@ericfunkman-ez4xb]

@@markdaboll4001 good luck! Enjoy the app that was developed by a 5th grader. Have the robots make your drinks, at least they are consistent. Make reservations immediately. After a few hours on board, everything will be booked.

[@dominiquebrown8790]

As a former bartender. (Not on board) I will say your "watered down drinks" are probably made how they are supposed to be..just saying

[@ericfunkman-ez4xb]

@@dominiquebrown8790 no they we’re using a generic concentrate for their pineapple juice. I watched them pour water in to “make” pineapple juice. There was no rhyme or reason to their measurements.

[@sharonseamon9078]

Love RC! I have cruised all the Oasis class and love them. Booked for Oct 2024 on the Icon, and cruising in November on Symphony of the seas.

[@GeraldLaz38]

Sitting on deck 15 on Oasis of the Seas as I type this. Been on her three previous times but this sailing seems far more crowded than in the past. Four days before leaving RC called and advised they overbooked the cruise and asked if we could sail another time. (Big no) The elevators are packed, pool deck, every trivia contest, excursions sold out. The ship has to be at max capacity and it shows. It's frustrating.

[@deniseknox3888]

RCL need to have a booking number for specialty restaurant so people can call in and use their own personal credit card without needing to book in a group. This booking number would give you 24 to 48 hours to get your table fully booked. I am celebrating my birthday in 2024 and we booked Chops 8 PM and within 4 1/2 hours later there was no more slots available for 8 PM when people started to try and book this therefore to, we had to move the reservation to 8:15 PM in order to accommodate all eight people at my table. Help from a Diamond plus member!

[@arden2113]

We just got back from our cruise on Harmony. My issue isnt necessarily the kids, but their awful parents not watching them and allowing them to do whatever they want at the detriment to other people, and none of the rules being enforced. Especially on the pool decks, not a single lifeguard did anything about children running fullspeed, jumping into the pools, and overall splashing and running into everyone else. Toddlers and small children in the hot tubs was also a big turn off, because they would treat it just like the pools. And again, nothing was done about it even when we tried speaking up. The chair saving was pretty bad, too. The way show reservations work also needs to be fixed, badly. It was chaos every night trying to see anything due to everything selling out weeks and weeks in advance (we made sure to have reservations for every one we went to), and we always show up early to avoid that. The fact that about half the nights on our cruise the shows got cancelled (not their fault, i understand the sagety of the performers comes first with those huge swells) only made it worse for everyone around for the shows that didnt get canceled.

[@georgemaltese]

I agree the huge ships offer more to do, but what I found them to be money pits. Everything is pay to play or eat. We just returned from a really nice all inclusive in Mexico, we were sold. I dought we will return to cruising for a leisure vacation. Alaska , transatlantic yes but for a week in the Caribbean. Don’t think so.

[@jessicael9031]

My main issue with RC is the crowding. I know they can’t do anything about that really, but it makes getting around the ship take a long time sometimes n

[@pickard72]

Where was it crowded?

[@lifeisgood3851]

night time food options

[@rouvencocker]

I always book way out (Year +) and just pay the deposit. I pay the rest when everything is due. So the worst I loose a % of that.

[@ehiojieyan8505]

If you’re looking to dodge children, book a cruise for around the first week school starts(last week of august/first week of September) most families are busy getting ready for school or just starting back up. Tbh I’m in my mid 20s and don’t mind the kids or family friendly activities. Love walking on a ship and seeing vibrant colors and then the quite peace of the solarium

[@TSVitanza]

But…that peace in the Solarium has to be enforced.

[@vickimccallister6753]

@@TSVitanza

[@walterhaight5382]

I don't see any of these things as negatives, but rather as simply good advice to have a more enjoyable cruise experience. I've never cruised on RCCL except for a comically bad experience 25 years ago on a converted car ferry called Viking Serenade, which thankfully is long gone. I am sailing on Allure on 1/5/24 for three days. If I like it I'll be back. If not-well-I can deal with anything for three days.

[@markschwartz6898]

We just got off the harmony of the seas and the ship was sold out. We were never in a crowded area except one sea day for the main buffet and it moved quickly.

[@craigarnold5872]

We went on a 10-day RC in early March, right before most of the spring breaks. There were so few kids on board that most of the kid’s programs were shut down. The staff we heard from were in a buzz that the very next sailing was going to have nearly 800 kids on board!

[@jackrivers1851]

This video is like the interview question: “what’s your biggest weakness?” “I care about my job TOO much”

[@Daz-jw9sn]

People putting towels on chairs with pegs and not using the chairs was a pain. Big pain is also the Wi Fi costs ? How is that fair? It cost me and my partner £169 for weeks Wi-Fi . Drinks package for both of us would cost £1,084 for the week. A disgrace.

[@rogerdodger8415]

Whatever happens to RC is "unfortunate" and forgiven with no compensation for the guests. However, whatever happens to you is penalized and costs the guest.

[@simon5005]

I only sail the older, smaller ships now, they're still like traditional cruising, and always an older crowd and few to no kids. These cruises are much less expensive too.

[@mattdavis4248]

My 11 year old son and I just sailed on the west coast to Mexico on Royal Carribean. We had a great time, but there are a few things I hope they somehow change soon. 1 - The West coast on has the Navigator. It is fairly small and not much to do. After two and a half days, we were a bit bored. They only had some ventriloquist for the entertainment and that's it. It only has a couple of stores and there just wasn't a lot that interested me and my son. 2 - The kids club was terrible for my son. He is 11 and was forced to play with a couple of 7 year olds pushing blocks on a table...that's it, thats all he did for 2 hours. Needless to say, I did not take him back the rest of the cruise. 3 - Kids, younger and older were running wild everywhere with no supervision. 4 - Families were stealing door magnets all through the cruise and nothing was done about it. It was obvious who did it because the ding dongs put the magnets all over their doors. With all of that said, we did have a great time, but uncertain if we will do another cruise with them again.

[@Joe-j1f]

To sail just one cruise line because you’re “loyal“ to them is crazy! There are so many great cruise lines/cruise ship that you’re just missing out on because you’re loyal to them!

[@robbyporter]

On the WiFi/drinks being included or not, I do agree that there should be an opt out, or an option to purchase them together as a big package. I have never been on Princess but like the way they structure pricing with base rate, standard package bundle, premium package bundle.

[@stevemarshall3986]

We've been on 5 oasis class cruises. People think the 6000 plus People on board would be a problem but We've found you don't even notice. Aside from decks 16 and 17 on sunny cruising days most people are dispersed throughout the large ship so you barely notice it. Also always book your shows, excursions and dinning when you book your cruise preferably at least 8 months in advance. As far as kids go you barely notice them except at the back of ship where flo riders and basketball courts etc are.

[@jacquelinestewart5550]

I went on Allure and it was full. But I never felt crowded.

[@robertb7864]

Unfortunately all 5000 to 7000 people have to get off the ship in 2 hours. Long lines to disembark

[@karenadams5052]

Went on Allure of the Seas years ago and it never felt crowded. Hope that is the same with Icon of the Seas since we will be going on a cruise in February 2024. We took a cruise last February on a smaller ship Independence of the Seas and it felt crowded, there was always a line for ice cream😂, elevators were crowded, lines for dining even in the main dining room because people decided to come off schedule. Looking forward to the reviews of the Icon!

[@antanddecyesgetin]

I love Royal Caribbean, I have been on 2 P&O ships but it just wasn't the same. The only RC ship I didn't like was The Jewel, and that's because I was 12 and it was a very small destination ship and I was bored most of the time

[@marshasimpson261]

I’m taking my grown daughter on the Bermuda cruise next month. My 3rd RCL cruise!

[@dannyj9577]

Some of these issues can be resolved by booking a sky or star class suite. Totally different experience since there are practically no lines, more time to do things other than standing in line.

[@hildiborkowski4436]

I have traveled with other cruise lines but always come back to Royal Caribbean.

[@deborahworpell9516]

A year ago I went on Harmony of the seas. NEVER AGAIN. It was packed with NOWHERE to go for quiet time. Our cabin overlooked their indoor mall so there was no quiet even in the cabin.

[@MegaJune08]

Yeah, the cost was a little on the steep side with RC but it’s worth it ! Every other cruise line that I’ve been on, has been disappointing when compared to RC.

[@dlite4343]

I do not like having to schedule everything I want to do for my entire cruise on day 1. The fun of cruising is being able to go to the show if you’d like early one night or maybe the late show. RC has some of the greatest productions and is one of my favorite things. Over crowded venues everywhere just not fun. I hope they don’t do away with average size ships. Eventually we won’t have a choice except these mega ships

[@mr-vet]

Spring break varies depending on where one lives in the US. Can be in early March or even mid April.

[@mgelato1011]

I’m on Harmony of the Seas at the moment. First complain was our room that looked very dirty and bathroom smelled. They did not move us and we were on their schedule to clean and wash the bedding. Lack of help around the ship and see the ship is not kept up well with lots of dirty areas. Not like the Allure of the Seas where we had a very clean room and clean ship. The next thing is the food quality has gone down for sure. Never again with Harmony dingy ship….

[@roger80465]

We just returned from a 7 day on Allure of the Seas. While the ship was beautiful, I found the 'neighborhoods' to be confusing and caused the layout to be overly confusing. We also found the ship to be just too big to be comfortable and relaxing. The biggest issue, to me, was an overall lack of rule enforcement. There was a pot smell throughout the cabin floors. People were topless in the hot tubs just to name a few. A man was beaten because he asked a passenger to stop cussing in front of children. There were fights in the casino. And most of the issues seemed to be caused by members of a 600 person group who seemed to think the rules didn't apply to them. Many of the passengers have voiced their displeasure to the CEO of RCI but I suspect it won't make a difference. In researching similar issues, I found that RCI/Celebrity are frequently used for such things as swinger cruises, etc. I'm no prude but I would rather not be associated with such activities. Time for this company to show some class and return to a family atmosphere. Fortunately, there are many other cruise lines willing to enforce their own rules.

[@carmelaesposito4761]

RCCL, go back to being able to book your shows before you sail. That was so much easier, you can plan your day better and know ahead of time the day and time of your show. We had a major issue with one of our cruises when we tried to book our shows when we got on board at 1pm. They were having issues with their system and we were unable to get on line so they told us all shows were sold out. Not sure how that could be seeing as the ship was still boarding. We were sent to the box office who told us they could not help because they were busy with the safety drill. They sent us to the internet kiosk, who also could not log on so they said they could not help, and sent us to guest services. There we met a very disinterested employee who said the shows had only 2 openings at times that did not fit in with our time schedule due to dinner plans. It took 3 days to finally get someone to help and we did get some help. Then you have the issue of people walking around staring into their phones all day literally walking into you or expecting you to move out of their way because they are trying to figure out their schedule. And yes, lets go back to some type of dress code in the main dining room. I can understand you don't need to be in a tux and gown on formal nights, but come on, short shorts, flip flops, torn jeans and men with tank tops, really? And by all means people with children, we are not there to watch your kids, please keep them from running wild up and down the halls, pushing all the buttons on elevators, and then expecting you to move out of their way as they walk or run 3-4 across in the hallways.

[@phil8824]

So many people love cruising and on all the new(er) ships. So the new(er) ships are always packed. They do feel a bit crowded. I typically avoid trying to spend alot of time on the pool deck. Always a hassle to find chairs. I'm amazed that people still pack out these ships even after prices have gone sky high! At least 30% more then pre-pandemic prices. And the new ships keep on being built. Not sure when people will say enough as the costs just get to be too expensive.

[@a_goblue2023]

I’ve been on every class of RCL over the years and I’ve noticed that the Oasis class ships handle the number of passengers the best of every other ship I’ve been on, with the one exception being the Windjammer. It’s way too small on the Oasis Class and finding tables is impossible. comparing it the the freedom class, the freedom class has less neighborhoods which disperse people, everyone is congested into the same places and it makes the ship chaotic during busy times. I’ve found the Voyager class ships to be the better than the Freedom class as the basically are designed the exact same, with Freedom being a slightly longer version, however Voyager class ships have a capacity of over 600-1000 less people depending on occupancy. You notice it a ton, I was on Explorer this summer in Europe and it was so much less chaotic than on Freedom. I still think the Voyager is the best class they ever built if your looking for a relaxing but still fun ship experience

[@cliffart7398]

as to your first reason - I like big boats and I don't know why (sorry, had to do it). But I don't find them too crowded - not compared to Disney World.

[@soulsistersam7]

Im almost 60. I went on a Cruise when I was 10. So far, still the best experience of my life. I'm STILL trying to save enough to cruise again. ANYONE need a personal suitcase carrier?????? Happy Cruising Every one. (You lucky ba$tar&s!!!)

[@lynncm3188]

I totally agree. I don’t like shopping and choosing carefully my dining clothing only to see a teenager and parents walk in with shorts and a tee shirt on. Don’t like not having food items empty many mornings, and the dining experience was exactly that. One night was almost 3 hours, by the time the next food item was delivered nobody was hungry. Gotta keep it coming. If I have to wait 15 minutes and more between deliveries, I’m done. Didn’t like the noise in my hallway. Kids running yelling, parents talking loudly. So annoying. Oh….knocking on a door doesn’t take a pounding of a fist to alert a person in a cabin to answer the door. I can’t count how many times I jumped up to answer my door only to find out it was a person pounding on the door next to us. People….people….be considerate and respectful of fellow cruisers. Ever hear of whispering? Or just shut up till you get to your room. Done with cruising.

[@davids.4135]

We were just on the Quantum and my only complaint is that every time we went to the buffet all the tables were full and had to wait for someone to leave while our food was getting cold.

[@dayana4055]

I went on my first cruise ever 3 weeks ago, and I made it a point not to spend anything extra. I brought a case of water like I'm allowed to, I brought two wine for my room and the 12 bottles of juice and soda I'm allowed to bring. I was happy to unplug so no need for wifi. The main dining restaurant was good enough for me. I even got 2 free Pina coladas in honor of Jimmy Buffet death from Royal Caribbean. I think it's easily done.

[@redrobin4185]

If you wish to hear more input tap. The bell that I don't have, we sail RC suits only, and stay a sandals resorts, butler level. I have a lot of insight.

[@wb6anp]

I wish RCCL had handicap friendly suites. the bigger suites have tubs on the newer ships My wife cant use a tub. So we never get a chance to have a suite.

[@MrJimmy-fl2bn]

When I went on oasis of the seas I didn’t fit it was overly crowded. The only time it was overly crowded was getting on and off in Bayonne. Because that cruise port is way too small to turn around 10,000 people in a day. The road to the Cruise terminal sucks. But that’s not royal Caribbean‘s fault. I wish Royal would sail out of Manhattan like Carnival does. But I am not going to book a great cruse with an excellent fair because it’s leaving from Bayonne.

[@mr-vet]

On the shows, if the app wouldn’t allow conflicting reservations, it would help.

[@6thGen6]

Had my change fee waived by asking nicely 🙏🏼 I was worried at first having to pay that bummer of a fee, but figured asking wouldn’t hurt! From what I’ve heard they are very strict however maybe got lucky this time.

[@pickard72]

What did you change???

[@dwill123]

Thank you for a very good post.