Elaine

Returned last Saturday have a few 'minor' gripes to relate.<BR><BR>We had 3 cabins..2 L's (far enough apart to have different stewards) and 1 D (youngest daughter splurged for an up-grade but wished she'd stayed in L..didn't think it was worth it).<BR><BR>First impressions of cabins..my L had smudged mirrors and hairs in drawers...D cabin had very dirty medicine cabinet that daughter cleaned herself before using...other L okay. <BR><BR>And they need to get a few table cleaners on board!! Took grandson for pizza and passed up 3 dirty tables before we found a clean one. Same by the pool one day. In fact, there was a lot of trash on floor next to where we finally sat and no one picked it up the whole time we were there! It just was not a spiffy ship!<BR><BR>And they should cease serving after-dinner coffee if they can only do from thermoses! <BR>It tasted old and was luke-warm every time! Yuk!! Found a hair in my salad one night but, hey, this happens and I just put my plate aside and kept quiet.<BR><BR>We were sitting by the piano bar one night before dinner and ordered drinks (5) and when he had one glass of white wine left on tray it toppled and most went on me and some spattered my husband. I had to go change and waiter was very apologetic. We did not raise cane or complain to anyone because accidents happen and, after all, no one got hurt. I know had it been a restaurant, the drinks would probably have been free but after getting another wine, he had no qualms about charging for the lot. Is this the norm or should something have been done? As for my clothes, they were washable and I had plenty so they just went in my dirty clothes.<BR>Oh, well, no big deal.<BR><BR>And on the last morning we all agreed to meet in the theater where we saw written that CNN news would be on. Well, all the doors were blocked and we weren't sure where to find the others...well, you can imagine. THAT more than anything else made my husband mad. And the whole ship seemed to be very unfriendly starting with dinner on the last night. It's like they were all thinking ahead to the next group. Never on other cruises did we sense that. And, yes, we ALL tipped everyone more than suggested. The headwaiter, too, who I must say was the best of any cruise we've been on!<BR><BR>This was our second RCCL cruise..I'm glad it was not our first because it might be our last. Granted, this is just a lot of little stuff that just set the tone for the whole cruise. And to be fair, the food on a whole was excellent and the entertainment good.

xxx

Elaine- you need to post this cruise review on cruisediva.com under their reviews and also on cruise-addicts.com==<BR>People NEED to know this information-<BR><BR>Many thanks!

Paul Therault

Hi Elaine,<BR><BR>Strange they did not pay to have your clothes cleaned. Most cruise lines do. Surprised that your head-waiter did not take care of it. They are very efficient on RCCL.<BR><BR>Paul

Elaine

Hi Paul, this happened in the atrium area and I didn't see the head waiter till after I'd changed and we went in for dinner. I'd had have to tell him about it and I didn't. Plus the clothes were not 'dry clean' things but, still, I could have sent them to the laundry but didn't. <BR><BR>If I'm not mistaken, some of the staff indicated they were going home soon. In another place on this board, someone suggested that at the end of a tour, they get kind of lax. Since that description fits this crew, maybe that was the case.

Paul Therault

Hi Elaine,<BR><BR>You may be correct that at the end of their individual contract they may be daydreaming. But on all mass-market ships there certainly are quite a few inept staff. I believe it is due to the fact there are too many ships being built at the same time and it is difficult to hire quality employees. Your problem with the dirty tables may also be that problem .... not enough staff.<BR><BR>I just mentioned the head waiter for those that are not cruise savvy since he is second to the maitre d' and all problems shoud be addressed to him first. He is also in charge of the bar service staff in all public areas. I do not know about room-service.<BR><BR>What you should do is draft a letter to RCCL Customer Service, or have your TA do it for you. You just may end up with a few coupons you can use for a future cruise. It is worth the time. Give them a few months to respond. Your complaints are not of the trivial or general type. Those they ignore.<BR><BR>Paul