It was supposed to be a dream vacation, but it was one of the worst and most expensive vacations and experiences I have ever had. With every step, you feel like you are penalized/squeezed. If you are a first-time cruiser and don't have any idea about cruises, then you are screwed on this one; if you are a cruiser but don't have experience with RC, then you are screwed as well. There are multiple reasons, and here is the list. We are a group of 10 people of all ages, ranging from infants, toddlers, teenagers, middle-aged, and old. We are from a couple of states within the USA, and my parents are from India. This trip is to celebrate my parents' anniversary and my niece's graduation. I got the rooms per the suggestion of the rep to be able to get the VA discount, so we split the rooms accordingly between the 10 people.
Drink Policy - We onboarded, and when I wanted to get a drink, they asked me to get the drinks package, which I didn't have any idea about before as I never got a chance to spend time on the additional packages that I had to purchase, so I purchased 2 drinks packages and 1 refreshment package, spending almost $1500. The interesting thing here is you cannot just get it only for the people who drink alcohol. You are forced to get the package for everyone in the room, regardless of whether they drink or not. For example, if I have 3 people in the room and only 1 person drinks, then you are forced to get the package and pay for all 3 people. If they are underage, then they are supposed to get refreshments and nonalcoholic drinks. Every time you want a drink, it must be you. If I want to get a drink for my father and use his card while he cannot get up, they don't allow it. The porters hardly show up. The bartenders always look at you with suspicion.
Dining Policy - You are automatically assigned to dining places for the evening at 6 P.M, and if you cannot make it on time, then you cannot enter for the rest of the evening. We had to learn the hard way. However, you always have the buffet option, and the food is almost the same except that it is served at the table here. The food is mediocre and has 2-3 options max with very few choices. They have Italian, Sushi, or steak places where you have to pay extra.
Customer Service - The customer service is terrible. People who work there mostly have attitude issues and hardly smile, and you sometimes come across some nice folks. I felt like they treated their customers suspiciously as if they were someone who had taken advantage of them. For almost anything you ask for accommodation, their first response is, "it is their policy." I expected there would be accommodation like other places I experienced. The policy is the last thing that should come out of the crew's mouth, but that is the first thing you almost always hear without any empathy or "let me see what I can do." I didn't have time to read the Royal Caribbean constitution. Always, you feel like they are watching you. When I'm asked about drinks packages and how they make sense, their answer is due to past customer experiences; they are doing it.
Pool Policy - They have two pools and a splash place for infants. So if my 3-year-old wants to use the pool and the infant wants to be in the splash park, then the 3-year-old has to be on the other side of the splash where you don't have any visibility. When our toddler went into the 5+ years old pool, their answer was that it was their policy, and my 3-year-old had to be on the other side. My wife asked, "I am by myself," and their response was, "where is your husband?" The point here is you go on these cruises or all-inclusive to be free, relax, and get a break. It is a $2B ship, and they forget the basic common-sense idea that children should be on one side and adults on the other. Interestingly, adults are all over the place.
They announce in the buffet and dining halls to appreciate their servers that are working tirelessly to make us happy, and they mention, "Ladies and gentlemen, we believe we have given you a 10-star service. You will get a survey in 24 hrs; please fill it." They take it for granted that they are the best, and customers don't have a choice other than giving them 10 stars. It is supposed to be, "We thank you for choosing us with your hard-earned money when there are many options out there. Please let us know how we can make your experience better and make it a dream vacation. We look forward to serving you again."
Towel Policy - Every time you want to get a towel, you scan your key card, and you have to return it again by scanning your key card. For both these tasks, you have to stand in line. If you forget to scan to return the towels, you are charged $25 for each towel. For getting ice cream in the pool area, there is almost always a line. To get to guest services, there is always a big line. So, part of your vacation will be spent in lines in most places.
Security Nightmare - This is a big one. My father, who is from India, is a very social person and he is interested in people, and part of this is due to his culture. He is curious and treats people like his own. The man is 77 years old. He is not fluent in English and speaks broken English. Apparently, he met a Mexican gentleman and had a conversation, and the gentleman mentioned that he was on his honeymoon. The next day, we were disembarking in Turkey, and security stopped my father due to an alert in their system and pulled him aside with me. They questioned him and said he bothered someone by asking about their personal life, and his wife complained. I was shocked to hear the way the security guy was questioning and told my father not to spend time on the deck where children are without a reason and also said, "don't bother people." They didn't even bother to ask his side of the story. My question was, are we on a vacation or a wartime ship? It bothered me so much that on my way back to the ship, I saw the same security guy and asked how he came to this conclusion. He said my father was walking at the door back and forth and talked to this gentleman. It is our policy not to spend time on the deck where children are without any reason. But in this case, my father was lost on that big ship and has grandkids of all ages. I don't remember signing anything about not spending time on the deck, and he even said I or anyone else cannot spend time either. I was shocked by this type of response and attitude. For what reason? Because he is having a conversation with a person? My father didn't spend much time outside after that. He was in his room for the most part. We ended up not even celebrating their anniversary.
My father felt it was his mistake to talk to strangers, and he said he didn't realize it was a bad thing. I felt bad for him and how our society has become.
Pressing Clothes Policy - We got our clothes thinking they had iron boxes in the room. No, they don't due to security reasons, but you can get laundry. You have to pay $5 for a full shirt and $4 for a half shirt. Why can't you do like other companies like Norwegian, where they bring the iron box, and after they're done, you just return it? It is just another reason to make more money.
Overall, the ship is new with a whopping $2B cost, which is above my experience. What is the point of an expensive ship if it makes you feel horrible and is the worst experience of your life? They should train their staff better. They should make people feel welcome. While it is an organization for profit, it feels like profit and policy are first, and people are next. I prefer an older ship with an empathetic crew and good service for the money you pay and who really respects and values customers, not treats or makes them very uncomfortable. These ships make a ton of money every day they sail by keeping customers last and everything else first. When I tried to share my experience with a guest service staff, the guy said, "Sir, we sail thousands of people, and we know what we are doing," with a type of attitude.
I do not recommend it to anyone. You have better options out there. I've been on Norwegian and been to all-inclusive resorts like Hyatt, where they treat you right and truly make your experience memorable. Money is lost, and my precious 10 days got wasted with the worst experience, making my parents feel terrible. I hope this helps.
