Disappointed

Unfortunately my expectations were greater than my experience. I have traveled on Royal Caribbean about ten times and have boasted about the cruise line to family and friends when comparing the service to Carnival. To my disappointment, I feel embarrassed that I have held the cruise line in such high regard. 

To begin, what happened to the full six course meals or even the 24 hour soft serve ice cream? As you know, the dining experience is one of the parts of a cruise that is discussed by patrons in great detail. This one was so bad the first few days that I kept the following log documenting our experience:

Day 1

Dinner:

Service was slow. Turkey was cold. "Warm" apple strudel was cold. Never received the Diet Coke ordered. Cappuccino received thirty minutes after finishing dessert; only waited to get my card back. Cancelled it. 

Went to discuss with Customer Service. They were nice, write down all info and apologized and said they will make a note to seat us somewhere else the next night. 

Bought internet service. Had intermittent service entire evening. 

Day 2 

Internet service not working. Went to the Customer Service desk again and they said they were working on it but it was down. This was the afternoon. When asked if I could get a refund for the day the man said no and immediately showed us a pamphlet which stated that there were no refunds if service is down. Left desk but needed to go back about an hour later. While waiting in line the guy at the desk was trying to sell internet service to another couple. I interjected and asked if the service is working. He said no...he was trying to sell a service that he knew was not working to the couple. The couple did not buy it and thanked us for our honesty. About an hour later internet was working again intermittently. 

Lunch fine dining:

Waited for Diet Coke. Waited for dessert. The staff were more worried about cleaning tables than service. No one knew the desserts when asked; they had to go figure it out by asking others. As I got up to look at the salad bar the waiter said "Hey man" thinking I was leaving table, which I found offensive and inappropriate in a fine dining setting. 

Dinner:

We were sat with the same staff as the first night. Again, an evening of waiting on them: Waited with finished, empty dinner plates for twenty to thirty minutes before asked about dessert. Was going to order cappuccino but was too disappointed by the time it took them to take the dessert order. 

Day 3

Started journal 

Breakfast in cabin: 

Order missing two granola, one OJ, one banana.

Toast was burnt on one side. 

The only OJ was watery and tasted as if they poured without shaking container. 

Woman on excursion said we need to take a taxi back to from the city after the excursion.  I raised my hand to clarify and she again said we need to take a taxi back to the boat after the excursion. Then a passenger came to me and explained we need to take a ferry, not a taxi. 

Dinner:

Service was slow. Turkey was cold. "Warm" apple strudel was cold. Never received the Diet Coke ordered. Cappuccino received thirty minutes after finishing dessert; only waited to get my card back. Cancelled it. 

Went to discuss with Customer Service. They were nice, write down all info and apologized and said they will make a note to seat us somewhere else the next night. 

Bought internet service. Had intermittent service entire evening. 

Day 2 

Internet service not working. Went to the Customer Service desk again and they said they were working on it but it was down. This was the afternoon. When asked if I could get a refund for the day the man said no and immediately showed us a pamphlet which stated that there were no refunds if service is down. Left desk but needed to go back about an hour later. While waiting in line the guy at the desk was trying to sell internet service to another couple. I interjected and asked if the service is working. He said no...he was trying to sell a service that he knew was not working to the couple. The couple did not buy it and thanked us for our honesty. About an hour later internet was working again intermittently. 

Lunch fine dining:

Waited for Diet Coke. Waited for dessert. The staff were more worried about cleaning tables than service. No one knew the desserts when asked; they had to go figure it out by asking others. As I got up to look at the salad bar the waiter said "Hey man" thinking I was leaving table, which I found offensive and inappropriate in a fine dining setting. 

Dinner:

We were sat with the same staff as the first night. Again, an evening of waiting on them: Waited with finished, empty dinner plates for twenty to thirty minutes before asked about dessert. Was going to order cappuccino but was too disappointed by the time it took them to take the dessert order. 

Day 3

Started journal 

Breakfast in cabin: 

Order missing two granola, one OJ, one banana.

Toast was burnt on one side. 

The only OJ was watery and tasted as if they poured without shaking container. 

Woman on excursion said we need to take a taxi back to from the city after the excursion.  I raised my hand to clarify and she again said we need to take a taxi back to the boat after the excursion. Then a passenger came to me and explained we need to take a ferry, not a taxi.