Rulocal

Rulocal

A really nice guy who is working relentlessly for world peace (when sober) Read more🇬🇧Ashton-in-Makerfield

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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
Officer visibility
November 21, 2014, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
Quite simply on this ship there is none.
The only time we saw the captain or his officers, be they senior or junior was at the welcome back party.
The cruise director was only seen on stage or on TV on the morning show which was always filmed in his office never around the ship, which it is on other ships.
Normally on a cruise one or two officers would come to the diamond and concierge lounges each evening to say hello and chat to the guests, not for long just maybe 20 to 30 minutes. But on this ship not once have we seen any officer.
It seems like the company is just targeting first time cruisers on these big ships, the first timers are so in awe of the ship that the officers don't need to do any PR.
I know that this will sound like sour grapes and moaning from me, but when you've shown loyalty to RCCL as all the diamonds and above have, it's annoying that your loyalty seems to be ignored.
The company seem to think, that throwing a few free drinks at us is all that we "loyal" customers want or need.Read more
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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
I feel sorry for the staff
November 21, 2014 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
The staff on this ship seem to be worked harder than on other ships.
To my mind the main reason is because there are twice as many passengers as say the Independence ots, but definitely not twice as many staff.
So the poor buggers on here are worked twice as hard.
Take yesterday's breakfast for instance, as well as the normal breakfast guests, which is an almost full restaurant, there where about sixty or seventy extra families with loads of kids for the breakfast with the Dreamworks characters (which Royal charge about $100 per cabin for ) but no extra serving staff.
So naturally the poor breakfast staff were run off their feet, making the service for the regular breakfast guests bad and slow, which leads to complaints and moaning from some of them.
But the problem is with management, cutting costs, and saving money.
Which I understand needs to be done to maximize profits for the shareholders.
But not so much that it gives a drop in standards and service, which on this ship it is causing.
Royal really need to up their game, and not have bean counters making all the important decisions.
I'm certain that most of the Miami management have never travelled on a cruise ship as a normal passenger.Read more
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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
Israel
November 20, 2014, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
The concierge on this trip is called Israel, and we've travelled with him a few times before, and to be honest he's been, not to put to finer point on it, crap!
But what a change, this trip he's been brilliant in fact one of the best concierges we've ever had.
Nothing has been to much trouble and everything done with a smile.Read more
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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
Why is there always a disappointment??
November 19, 2014, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
On the last trip on here which was the transatlantic we got to know the guest services manager, Samantha from Scotland, and she was telling us that she's on board for Christmas, and will miss things like Mr Kipling mince pies and Tunnocks tea cakes, among other things.
We told her that we where all back on board this trip and that we'd bring her some of the home comforts she'd be missing.
Anyway Sue being Sue when we got home, went out and bought loads of stuff for Sam, and as we where driving to Southampton there was no problem with weight.
Anyway we get on board with all this stuff and asks guest services to let Sam know that we where on board and had some things for her.
It took two trips to guest services and three days before she got in touch.
When she did finally meet us it was just a quick thanks, and that was it, no mention of how much did she owe us or anything.
Not that Sue wanted anything at all in payment, but it would have been nice if she'd offered.
To top it all she never even came to the concierge lounge to have a drink and a chat with us.
Then again the old Lancashire saying "there's nowt so queer as folk" has never been truer.Read more
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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
Well done Maz & Sue.
November 18, 2014, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
They had a welcome back event this morning in the Aqua Theater for all the guests who had sailed with Royal before.
We don't normally bother with them, but Maz and Sue where being recognized as Pinnacle members, which means that they have accrued 700 days at sea.
So we went along and it was Wed quite a lovely event. Mainly because of their presentation, but there was also a high diving show which was good.
Later today Sheila has arranged our own little celebration party for Maz and Sue and we've invited all our friends on board, so that should be a nice couple of hours.
Then later on we're off to chops again which will be nice.Read more
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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
Booze, booze and more booze!!!
November 18, 2014, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
It started about 10.30am at the welcome back party with a large screwdriver and an even larger glass of white wine.
We don't normally bother with the welcome back parties, but Maz and Sue where being recognized as new pinnacles and also second highest cruisers, so we all toddled along.
Then lunch in the concierge with more wine, (it's rude to refuse) lol.
Then Sheila had arranged a small celebration for Maz and Sue with a few of our friends on board with even more wine, then it was a quick shower and a shave and back to the concierge for evening drinks (it would be even ruder to refuse ) lol.
Then to finish off six of us went for a meal in Chops Grill, to which Maz brought champagne.
I don't remember much about getting back to the cabin, but I do know that I need lots of coffee this morning.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Manchester Airport
November 17, 2014 in England ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
Cats, Comedy, and Chops.
November 17, 2014, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
Wow! What a show it was fabulous, the costumes where amazing and the singing and dancing was brilliant.
I had my doubts before it started as it is over 2.5 hours long, but the time flew.
It's defiantly a show I'd recommend seeing.
Just make sure that you don't have a knob with a 35mm camera sitting next to you, taking shots every 5 seconds, like I had.
I let it go for the first hour then I had to tell him.
But even with that little problem I still enjoyed the show.
Later tonight we're off to the comedy club which as I've said before I'd my favorite place on the ship......

Well the comedy club didn't let me down.
Two great comedians, who both worked hard with a difficult audience.
It was great to watch them switch their act till they got their audience, to me that's the sign of a good comic, the ability to change direction part way through the spot.
Both these guys where from New York so were probably used to difficult audiences.
The first comic was a guy called Al Romas, who I've seen a couple of times before, he's really good and knows how to work the audience, I gave him a bit to work with, sitting in the front row, with my multicolored bow tie, loud orange socks and my loud scouse accent.
Not that I wanted to be noticed or anything, LMAO.
The second comic was a woman, name of Vanessa Hollingsworth, very funny and Joan Rivers like. But she had to work hard for laughs too.
Which she did very successfully.
It's got to be one of the hardest things in the world to do, standing up in front of strangers and making them laugh.
Maz and Sue turned pinnacle yesterday, that's 700 days at sea, and out of the blue Maz decided to treat the four of us to a meal in chops grill, all on him.
It would have been rude to refuse, lol, and made a nice change to the windjammer.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Port Everglades, Ft Lauderdale
November 16, 2014 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Well that's the last trip on the Independence done, over all it was a good cruise.
It is a bit sad to see the old girl leaving the UK for the last time, but having been on her so many times, it is time for a change, and as this is probably our last transatlantic crossing for a while, it will be nice to see a couple of different ships based in the UK.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Coco Cay Bahamas
November 15, 2014 on the Bahamas ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Well this must be the fourth or fifth time I've been to Coco Cay, and still not got off.
Not really interested in beaches and that's all that's here.
So that means we've not been off the ship once on this cruise, luckily I like sea days, lol.
We've got four ports next week on the Oasis, so will probably get off at those.Read more
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2014 Oasis Caribbean Rulocal
First night syndrome
November 15, 2014 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
What is it with the first night of a cruise that makes you so tired?
I mean it's not like we've just got off a seven or eight hour flight, we've just got off a two minute bus ride from the Independence of the seas.
It's eight in the evening and we're sitting there saying how tired we all are.
So off we go to the windjammer have a bite to eat then bed.
We didn't even go to the comedy club which we had booked!
We did have the presence of mind to rebook it for tonight though.
Speaking of the comedy club, it's the one thing I would recommend to any one, to me it's probably the best addition to the entertainment program, and that includes, the Aqua Theater etc.
Just a quick word about the boarding procedure at Ft Lauderdale, it was once again brilliant and seamless.
From arriving at the terminal to boarding the ship, was about 30 mins tops.
Southampton could learn a lot from them.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Old San Juan Puerto Rico
November 13, 2014 in Puerto Rico ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Don't know why I've put that title because I didn't get off, it was so hot I decided to give it a miss.
But it is one of my favourite stops, we normally go to a little ice cream parlour for the free Wi-Fi as it's usually very quiet, not like Starbucks, or Burger King, which get so crowded.
But sadly Shaun, who did get off told me that it's closed down, which is a real shame.
On a different note, the early morning chats in the diamond lounge are as popular as ever, every cruise I go on ends up with great early morning chats, the where about eight or ten of us yesterday.
The topics of conversation vary so much it's unbelievable, and it's always with nice people.
As I've said many times before, it's all about meeting people on these cruises.
This one is no different, I've met some old friends and made some new ones.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
US immigration, and it's SHITE attitude
November 12, 2014 on the U.S. Virgin Islands ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Well the US immigration met all my low expectations.
Sheila and I approached the customs officer, and with a smile I said good morning and handed her my documents.
I then stood back and casually pushed my hands in to my shorts pockets.
The cheeky cow of an immigration officer did no more than glare at me, and in a very condescending voice said to me "take your hands out of your pockets " I said "what?
Really? "
She said yes take your hands out of your pockets.
Well I lost it and said to Sheila "I'm 64 years of age and being spoken to like a child.
I then pushed my hands back in to my pockets, Fuming.
She then said it's a security issue and that she didn't know where I'd been before I came to immigration.
I said "well take a wild guess where I've been as we'd been on a cruise ship for the last 12 days".
Anyway that was about it she stamped my passport and off we went.
It just pisses me off the attitude of these people, give them a uniform and a bit of power and it goes to their head.
I'm afraid as much as I love the USA I can't be doing with their over the top, and paranoid immigration service.
It's things like this that make you realize why the USA is so hated around the world.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
St Thomas, Oh goody, US immigration.
November 11, 2014 on the U.S. Virgin Islands ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
We've got the usual US immigration farce at St Thomas this morning.
The line for non US passengers is the full length of the Royal Promenade, it's now 9.30am and it's been like that since 7am.
Sheila and I have decided to leave going right until the last minute, because I'm definitely not standing in that bloody line.
The real bad thing is that we'll have to do it all over again in Ft Lauderdale, all because our last stop is in Coco Cay which is British.
Why can't they work these stops out better?
If our last stop was a US port we wouldn't have to do all this crap again.
But no that would be to simple for RCCL.
We've decided that this will be our last transatlantic for a good while, as we're sick of the US immigration, and also the long haul flights back home.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Bridge tour
November 10, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
I forgot to mention that I did my first bridge tour the other day.
It was good and also the view from the bridge is amazing.
It seems like there is quite a lot of wasted space, as there are two big sections between the main controls and the two wing controls, but as the captain said they need to see the sides of the ship when docking so that's why they are designed that way.
So basically they are corridors from and to each control pods.
That's probably going to be as boring to read as it was to write, LMAO.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Clothing optional, update
November 9, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
One of the rumours about the clothing optional cruise following this one, was that they where going to take out all the loose furniture in the pyramid lounge and put in lots of mattresses.
Well I was talking to the 1st officer at lunch the yesterday day, and he assures me that it's absolutely true.
All the loose furniture is coming out and being replaced with mattresses.
The use of which I'll leave to your imagination, lol.
There will be no staff allowed in the lounge except maybe one or two security staff.
I'm guessing that there will be so many volunteers for this job, that they'll have to put all the security staffs names in a hat and do a draw.
Yesterday was Jill's 70th birthday and Sheila and Sue had got her a small present each and a couple of cards.
We all embarrassed her by singing Happy Birthday to her as she came in to the lounge.
Then later on Mel the diamond concierge and some of the staff presented her with a small cake and sang happy birthday again.
Really lovely touch for a lovely lady.
As I said the other day the atmosphere in that lounge is brilliant once again.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Meal with an officer
November 8, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
Yesterday we got the usual invitation for a meal with an officer, which we accepted as it's normally a nice meal.
Well this was a good meal as per, with the added bonus of one of the officers on our table being the head of finance on the ship.
So Sheila asked him why the internet packages on board where $50 more expensive than the Oasis?
He admitted that he didn't realise that they where, and asked if we'd purchased one?
Sheila told him that we had, because of our Nic being pregnant and Sheila needing to keep in touch with her.
He immediately phoned the finance office and instructed them to refund our money, which was $160 by the way, and gave us an unlimited internet package free of charge.
So that gets a big thumbs up from me and revives a bit of faith in RCCL's Loyal to Royal statement.
Oh yes we're doing OK in the progressive quiz too, we've moved up from 11th to 9th, and also got a big laugh with our team name, which is "Dickens Cider".
That is except for one American woman who obviously misinterpreted ;-) it as "Dick inside her" LMAO.
Also this quiz is quite a bit friendlier than some of them, so it is, a progressive, rather than an aggressive quiz, lol.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Cute guy in a loud shirt
November 7, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
I found out yesterday from Shaun, one of my gay friends that some of the gays in the lounge where asking who is the cute guy in the loud shirt?
Yep, you've got it, it was me! LMAO.
So that probably means some of the straights probably think I'm gay to, so I can possibly have some good fun with wind ups lol.
The lounge upstairs is really good now that it's the official overflow, the atmosphere is brilliant and I'm having a great time moving around the room from conversation, to conversation.
A lady said to me that I was like a social butterfly, I'm guessing that's a compliment, lol.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Clothing optional!!!!
November 6, 2014 in England ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
Well this swinging thing is more popular than I realised.
The cruise immediately following this is a clothing optional, swingers cruise.
We first of all thought it was just a rumour, but it's been verified by Mel the diamond concierge and the girl who serves us our drinks.
Also I was talking to the girl who cleans the diamond lounge and she said that the staff had all been given special instructions and training for the cruise.
None of the staff will be allowed to carry cameras or mobile phones. I bet the cabin stewards will see some interesting sights lol.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
The management finally gave in !!
November 5, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Well the ships management finally gave in and from tonight they are allowing an overflow lounge, for the diamond and diamond plus guests.
Why the hell they didn't just do it from the beginning of the cruise I'll never know.
Well yes I suppose I do, they are once again trying to save money.
Poor Mel the diamond concierge had to put up with four days of abuse from some of the passengers, which I think is well out of order as she's only doing as the management tell her. At least on the last transatlantic on the Indy, when I was actively involved in the complaining about the overflow lounges, we went to the top and spoke to the hotel director.
This time I decided to step back and let someone else do the moaning.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
Southampton, and swingers on board!!!
November 4, 2014 in England ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
George Barritt came in the concierge lounge last night laughing his head off.
Apparently a woman in the upstairs lounge had offered to shave his genitals.
George being gay told me if it was a big butch man, he might have accepted, lol.
It seems the woman and her husband are swingers and have a very liberal sexual outlook.
Then this morning another gay friend of mine called Manny told me that the same woman had offered to take him to her cabin and "do " him.
So guess where we are going tonight?
Got it in one, the upstairs lounge, not that I'd be brave enough to take up any of her offers! But it could be quite an interesting night, and make a change from sitting in the concierge lounge.Read more
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2014 Independence TA Rulocal
No overflow lounges
November 4, 2014, English Channel ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Anyone who has done a transatlantic cruise knows how many diamond and above cruisers you normally get, and it's lots and lots, and on this cruise in particular there are over 1500 diamond and above members.
The normal thing for the evening drinks in the diamond and concierge in there situations is to use overflow lounges, to cope with the amount of extra cruisers.
Well this time, in their wisdom, Royal have decided not to use the overflow lounges, instead once the normal lounge is full, the other members have to use their 3 free drinks on their sea passes around the ship in the other bars.
Well not only are people unhappy with only having 3 drinks free, they are upset with not being able to interact with other diamond members in the private lounge, and to be honest the meeting people in the lounge is one of the best things about the loyalty program.
There have been loads of complaints already, soooo watch this space.Read more
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2014 Oasis Transatlantic Rulocal
Port Everglades, Ft Lauderdale
October 28, 2014 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
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2014 Oasis Transatlantic Rulocal
Manchester Airport
October 28, 2014 in England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
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2014 Oasis Transatlantic Rulocal
Cats oh rats!
October 26, 2014 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Those of you who have sailed on the latest Royal ships will know that they recommend booking all your on board entertainment on line, weeks before you cruise, which we did.
It's all worked quite well right up until last night, when the first production of cats, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical was on.
We arrived as recommended 30 mins before the start, well when we got in to the theatre it was already jam packed full.
There was not one seat to be found, and still lots and lots of people coming in.
We decided to cut our losses and go back up to the lounge and have a drink.
The girls went and spoke to Israel, the suites concierge who managed to get us seats for the matinee the next day.
Having said all that, the show is two and a half hours long plus a 15 minute interval, so I may give it a miss.
If I find out that it's really worth seeing I can always see it in November when we're back on Oasis.
I must apologize for the number of moans in this latest blog, but it's just been one of those cruises.
Also I do think it's helpful sometimes to know about the things that go wrong, so you can possibly stop them happening to you... Well that's my excuse for being a grumpy old man lol.Read more
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2014 Oasis Transatlantic Rulocal
Chops Grill
October 26, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
One of the benefits of a transatlantic crossing on the Oasis it's that diamond plus and above get to use Chops Grill for breakfast, which is nice.
Well a couple of mornings this week the food and the service wasn't up to standard, and we had to speak to the head waiter, not lots of moaning but just a quiet word.
The change has been amazing, the service has been spot on and the food right back up to standard.
We've also been to Chops three times for dinner and it's been absolutely top notch.
So it just goes to show that a quiet word to the right person does work.Read more
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