Modern cruise ships are becoming more innovative and exciting with every new vessel launched. But while the cruise lines try to innovate and improve the experience, many avid cruisers are feeling nostalgic for how cruising “used to be.”
Some Redditors share a general sentiment that cruise lines care more about making money than the experience of their guests.
This helps explain the somewhat controversial rise of mega-ships – like the world’s largest Icon of the Seas that launched early this year.
As ships get bigger, cruise lines can make a bigger profit from the increased guest capacity and often charge more for bookings on their newest ships.
But as the prices go up, the services decrease – which is at least the experience that some cruisers shared on Reddit.
“RCCL (Royal Caribbean) cutting things that are never coming back… Like turndown service at night. Those wet towels from your pre-dinner shower aren’t going anywhere thanks to their cuts, despite capacity crowds and surging demand,” one former guest wrote.
“Less all-inclusive and much more nickel and diming. More ‘specialty’ crap and other ‘exclusive’ BS that you have to pay for…Pretty soon I expect them to start charging to ride the water slide or use the pool,” another cruiser chimed in.
“I also feel like 10+ years ago cruises were a ‘wow’ vacation that catered to your every need. Now to achieve that same experience, you have to pay extra. What used to be basic service is now premium service,” added a third.
Even with more space onboard, cruisers are also noticing that their sailings feel more crowded than they used to – which hurts the onboard experience and leads to a lot more waiting around.
Earlier in November, Carnival passengers were complaining on Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page after crowds led to long lines and made it hard to get seats for shows.
Even more recently, Carnival announced that it would have to suspend key perks for elite members of its VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty program on multiple sailings in December due to the high capacity onboard.
That said, the crowds have been noticed across multiple cruise lines – not just Carnival. Guest who can sail outside of peak season – or who can prioritize older ships until the buzz surrounding new vessels dies down – may have a better experience.
Positive Shifts in the Cruising Experience
Some Redditors also have noticed that cruise lines have relaxed the rules concerning dress codes and formal night attire – which most didn’t mind.
“One of the biggest differences I’ve seen is how much more casual dinner has gotten. I remember when I first started cruising, it would be a whole event and we’d have to cushion in time to get all dolled up. Now, we can show up in the same clothes we spent the day in,” one Redditor posted.
While this is fairly significant shift, the majority appreciated that they didn’t have to spend money on new outfits or dedicate time out of their day to getting ready.
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“Part of the issue with dressing for dinner is that people simply don’t have those dress up clothes anymore. Pretty much everything on land doesn’t require dressing up to the extent it used to…Most of that is good, as far as I’m concerned, but it changes the whole dress up dynamic everywhere,” another Redditor replied.
That said, it could still be seen as disrespectful to dress down in special circumstances. Most recently, Carnival guests pushed back against passengers who didn’t dress up for the exclusive – and formal – Chef’s Table experience.
But as the appreciation for the wardrobe flexibility shows, not all changes to cruising are a bad thing.
Some recent cruise guests were quick to point out that the rollout of Starlink internet – which is now used by many of the mainstream cruise lines – has significantly improved the Wi-Fi at sea.
Others pointed out that some cruise lines have also improved their entertainment to the point of putting on multiple Broadway-caliber performances in one sailing.
Disney Cruise Line is particularly famous for its full-length musicals – and will be launching Disney Treasure at the end of December along with a brand new musical inspired by “Moana.”
