Royal Caribbean service through the years

[jenrose66]

I went on a Royal Caribbean Cruise in 2000 with my senior class in high school. I don't know the name of the ship, but I know we sailed out of Miami and it was 3 nights and we stopped in Jamaica...I think..

Anyway that was the only cruise I have ever been on and it was ok, but I don't remember the service being all that great. I have always wanted to go on a cruise again, but I always figured it wouldn't be on Royal Caribbean because I just wasn't impressed, but I don't know if I was more annoyed with being with my rowdy classmates or if it was the ship and staff itself.

If you have been cruising with RCC for a while would you say their service is better now than it was 15 years ago, or have they stayed the same.

I really want to cruise Disney, but it is so expensive with a family of 5 and this board seems to have great things to say about Royal Caribbean.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[SevenWonkas]

Book Royal, or whatever cruise line you find that has the price and route you want. Disney is awesome, but Royal is really good too. Same for other cruise lines.

What you felt was good/bad service at 18 will probably be interpreted a different way now that you are 14 years out of HS. If you were annoyed by your classmates on your trip, perhaps the crew was too, and this may have affected their interactions with all of you. Plus, the industry has changed in the last 14 years, so you will have a different experience.

PS - I graduated in 2000 too. I feel old.

 

[Jerseylicious]

I've been cruising Royal Caribbean since 1989 (it was MY graduation cruise...so think of how old I must feel! LOL), up until now, as I just got off Quantum of the Seas last week. I think service anywhere can be a different experience at any time. Every cruise, and every vacation has their good and not so good. But as a whole, RCI has remained the same, in my opinion. The majority are good people trying to make you happy, and there are some just "eh" ones thrown in there. I think it depends on the day and also on the person. But RCI is my favorite cruise line and I find the service has been consistent. It's PEOPLE a.k.a. passengers who have changed. On Quantum, we experienced the most crotchety, complaining group ever! I don't know how some cruise employees even can stand dealing with these negative Nellies! I find that if you're nice to the crew, they are MORE than happy to help you out in any circumstance. My family got sick on this last cruise last week, and our room steward went WAY above and beyond anything I could've asked for. She treated us as family and I will never forget her for it. So yes, there is still wonderful service out there!

 

[Laz]

If we are having an age contest, I graduated in 1976 (bunch of young whipper-snappers on this thread)! Cruising and the cruise industry exploded in the 70s thanks to "The Love Boat." The industry continues to evolve and grow.

I first sailed in the 1983, and I can tell you that any particular cruise ship or itinerary can change from week to week. This past summer I just got off a 2 week B2B cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. Both cruises were great, but completely different due to the passenger make up. You can do months of research and come up with what you think will be the perfect cruise on the perfect ship for the perfect price. However, once you board, things can be completely unexpected. Passengers, weather, ship function, etc. can all have subtle, yet noticeable effects.

Yes, do your research. Each cruise line is different and you can probably find a ship, ports, price, and time of year that will be match for you. However, board the ship with an open mind and don't let the little things upset you. If you go during vacation times, expect kids playing in the elevator. If you travel in the Caribbean in late summer, expect tropical weather. Finally, if you go looking for problems, you will probably find them, but if you go looking for a great vacation, you will probably find that it will be a wonderful cruise.