Charges/changes a cruise headache - Letters - Letter to the Editor

Cruise Travel, Jan-Feb, 2003 by Jack Daniel, Mary Daniel

We just returned from our 16th cruise and agree with the Cruise Views "Nickled And Dimed At Sea" in the December 2002 Cruise Travel. We sailed on RCI's Vision of the Seas for a four-day cruise and we were appalled at the prices of what used to be a pleasant part of the cruise. Soft drinks alone were $1.50 per can. Mixed drinks used to be very reasonable, but not anymore. Not unusual to see them going for $4.50 and higher. That is a real turn off. Plus they have gotten very aggressive in pushing them.

Another issue on the Vision of the Seas is their "smoking" and "non-smoking" policies. We have enjoyed the Viking Crown Lounge since our first cruise in 1975 on the Song of Norway, and it was always smoke free; but on the Vision, you had a hard time just passing through it without getting a nicotine headache. Guess where the cigar-smoking area is? You got it, in the Viking Crown. As lovely as the Vision is, RCI's smoking policies need work. If it has allowed the rest of the ships to become this bad, we'll look at another cruise line for our next cruise and hope its smoking policies are better.

Jack & Mary Daniel, Hemet, CA