16th entry - Legend of the Seas (Part 2)
(Continued from Part 1)
My own simple (and untested) customer satisfaction scale measures 7 items representing aspects of a cruise experience; each item is calibrated on a 6-point semantic differential scale (i.e. 1 for least satisfied to 6 for most satisfied):
1) Embarkation/disembarkation process - (a) Orderliness (systematic), (b) Speed (efficiency)
2) On-board Dining - (a) Freshness of food, (b) Quantity of food, (c) Taste of cooking, (d) Variety of dishes and beverages on menu, (e) Ambience of Dining Area, (f) Service of Head Waiter, Waiter and Assistant Waiter
3) Information dissemination - (a) Comprehensiveness (covering all essential aspects of the cruise experience, including safety, directions), (b) Timeliness (not just without delay but ample enough for guests' decision making), (c) Simplicity (easy even for "intellectually challenged" persons to read/understand)
4) Guest Relations, Room Service, Housekeeping - (a) Ease of access, (b) Speed of response, (c) Staff friendliness, (d) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs (including for those with disabilities),
5) Accommodation - (a) Overall comfort, (b) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs (including for those with disabilities), (c) Cleanliness, (d) Size, (e) Amenities
6) Facilities, Shopping and Activities - (a) Variety of choices, (b) Cleanliness and maintenance (assumption: guests will be less satisfied using many poorly maintained facilities than using a few well-maintained ones), (c) Aesthetics and design, (d) Quality of Entertainment (i.e. whether enjoyable)
7) On-Shore Excursions - (a) Speed of processing embarkation/ disembarkation, (b) Variety of choices (i.e. provision of a range of programmes to suit different needs), (c) Land Transportation
Embarkation/disembarkation process
(a) Orderliness (systematic) - [my score:5] On arrival at the Harbourfront Cruise Center, there are clear signages and many personnel guiding and assisting guests to check-in. We received a queue number and was told to board when our number was called. As expected, there were many "kiasu" people who crowded around at the boarding area; for further improvement, some staff could be deployed to do "traffic control" e.g. by gathering guests with the same queue number and making them assemble at designated areas. The checking-out was very systematic as well. I liked the fact that guests could leave anytime after breakfast because passports were collected the night before and all the billing etc was also settled earlier. This meant the avoidance of long and stressful waiting time and unpleasant queuing because guests could leave comfortably on their own timing.
(b) Speed (efficiency) - [my score:6] Due to the orderliness of the process, I was quite happy with how fast I could check-in and out of the ship. We took only about 45 minutes to board and 15 minutes to check-out (including a few minutes of photo taking). The immigration clearance was quite fast as well.
On-Board Dining
(a) Freshness of food - [my score:5] except for boiled wontons that were not fresh at the buffet dinner for 2 consecutive nights, everything else was fresh. The only problem was that the food is prepared many hours in advance so some food items such as bread, cake and cheese were a little dry.
(b) Quantity of food - [my score:5] except for the delicious chicken satay (spicy BBQ meat on bamboo skewers) that perpetually ran out at the buffet lunch on the 3rd day, there was more than ample food throughout the trip. I put on at least 2 kgs after the trip ...
(c) Taste of cooking - [my score:4] On Captain's Night at Romeo and Juliet (the fine dining restaurant), I was treated to a delicious escargot appetizer which was firm but not too chewy, and the butter sauce was fragrant yet light; it really made me look forward to the main course, which was also very satisfying. My beef steak was probably the best I had ever eaten in my life up to now (although I must admit that I have never taken a lot steak in the past) - it was so tender that it practically melted in my mouth, and the sauce was flavourful and tasty but not too salty. 
The turkey that I took for the 3rd night was also amazingly juicy, and the accommpanying cranberry sauce blended perfectly with the gravy and the meat.
Some of the desserts, like the B52 dessert and banana souffle, were absolutely divine! The B52 dessert was a marvel of culinary skill - I was able to taste 3 distinct layers starting with the light buttery crust, followed by the fragrant vanilla egg custard just beneath the crust, and ending with a rich chocolate sauce that oozed out from the centre of the cake.
The frozen banana souffle was another surprising creation. It looked like banana mousse but its texture was actually closer to bread pudding, and drops of clear golden syrup flows out as the fork penetrates the fluffy upper strata, revealing a light yellow inner strata that melts away in the mouth, leaving the characteristic banana flavour lingering on almost mysteriously.
Sadly, my parents and aunt were not so fortunate. My aunt's sea bass and pan-seared salmon for the first 2 consecutive nights were dry and totally bland, and her tomato pasta on the 3rd night tasted as though it came out of a can or microwave-heated TV-dinner. My parents and I felt that the Asian dishes were not authentic in spite of Asian (Chinese and Indian) chefs being on board (can you imagine sake sushi using smoked Norweigian salmon, and tom yum soup that is neither spicy nor sour?), and after the first day I completely avoided such dishes (except the satay, which was acceptable). Some disgruntled Indian guests were so unhappy with their food that they even complained to the chef at the buffet lunch on the 3rd day and made a scene right in the middle of the Windjammer's Cafe (the buffet restaurant).
(d) Variety of dishes and beverages - [my score:6] Compared to Star Cruises, the variety of western food on RCL is considerably better. The fine dining dinner menus offered 5 appetizers, main courses and desserts that change daily in addition to a another 3-4 "staples". Many of the dishes were not only unique but also well-prepared, showing the chef's creativity and skill. When it came to Asian cuisine, however, the variety was deplorably limited. I can almost always see the same old curries used in the Indian food (and only 2-4 types) at the buffet; there are no Chinese or Japanese restaurants and totally no Japanese food served at the only 2 restaurants (except the fusion sushi at the buffet dinner on the first night). The wine and liquor list is quite limited although one is able to sample some rarer labels. In contrast, SuperStar Virgo and Leo have 6 restaurants each, plus cafes that serve all sorts of cuisine. RCL's cocktails are quite good, though. My mum had a mixed fruit Mai Tai which she enjoyed.
(e) Ambience in Dining Area - [my score:4] In terms of layout, I think the buffet restaurant was quite cramped and empty tables in the air-conditioned area during lunchtime are quite difficult to find. People were always overflowing into the poolside tables outside, where it is less comfortable. However, their gingerbread house centerpiece, numerous fruit carvings and decor appeared very aesthetically pleasing, and the Christmas theme was present to give a warm festive atmosphere but to the extent of being overwhelming. The buffet area was also not as "canteen"-like as SuperStar Virgo/Leo's; I really felt that I was dining at a buffet restaurant in a 4-star hotel, complete with napkins (not serviettes) but minus the usual table service. The equally cramped fine dining restaurant had modern European decor with complimentary dining cutlery (e.g. industrial stainless steel salt and pepper shakers with matching butter bowls, sugar jars and even escargot plates) yet interestingly the chairs appeared to be more classic than modern - rather out of place. A plus point is that both restaurants had wide ceiling-to-floor windows that provided diners with a panoramic views of the ocean as they dined, but you needed to be sitting near the windows during the day to enjoy it.
(f) Service of Head Waiter, Waiter and Assistant Waiter - [my score:5] Besides being friendly and polite, the young, pretty Waiter at the fine dining restaurant and her equally young, cute assistant, were also knowledgeable and candid in recommending the food choices. Being Chinese nationals, they tried their best to introduce the dishes in English and were always sensitive to the needs of the guests and very eager to please. What they lacked in terms of experience and finesse they made up for in terms of sincerity (ok, at least they were good actors). I didnt see the Head Waiter at all except on the first and last night (only for a brief minute or two) but I suppose he was busy attending to other tables or affairs. To the delight of many guests, on the 3rd night many of the staff gave a commendable song performance "Its Now or Never" in Italian. Over at the buffet restaurant, service was a little slow during the crowded breakfast times (in terms of clearing the plates and replenishing nearly empty trays of food), and most of the Asian staff appeared to be poorly trained.
Continued in Part 3... (sorry this is a LONG piece!)
My own simple (and untested) customer satisfaction scale measures 7 items representing aspects of a cruise experience; each item is calibrated on a 6-point semantic differential scale (i.e. 1 for least satisfied to 6 for most satisfied):
1) Embarkation/disembarkation process - (a) Orderliness (systematic), (b) Speed (efficiency)
2) On-board Dining - (a) Freshness of food, (b) Quantity of food, (c) Taste of cooking, (d) Variety of dishes and beverages on menu, (e) Ambience of Dining Area, (f) Service of Head Waiter, Waiter and Assistant Waiter
3) Information dissemination - (a) Comprehensiveness (covering all essential aspects of the cruise experience, including safety, directions), (b) Timeliness (not just without delay but ample enough for guests' decision making), (c) Simplicity (easy even for "intellectually challenged" persons to read/understand)
4) Guest Relations, Room Service, Housekeeping - (a) Ease of access, (b) Speed of response, (c) Staff friendliness, (d) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs (including for those with disabilities),
5) Accommodation - (a) Overall comfort, (b) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs (including for those with disabilities), (c) Cleanliness, (d) Size, (e) Amenities
6) Facilities, Shopping and Activities - (a) Variety of choices, (b) Cleanliness and maintenance (assumption: guests will be less satisfied using many poorly maintained facilities than using a few well-maintained ones), (c) Aesthetics and design, (d) Quality of Entertainment (i.e. whether enjoyable)
7) On-Shore Excursions - (a) Speed of processing embarkation/ disembarkation, (b) Variety of choices (i.e. provision of a range of programmes to suit different needs), (c) Land Transportation
Embarkation/disembarkation process
(a) Orderliness (systematic) - [my score:5] On arrival at the Harbourfront Cruise Center, there are clear signages and many personnel guiding and assisting guests to check-in. We received a queue number and was told to board when our number was called. As expected, there were many "kiasu" people who crowded around at the boarding area; for further improvement, some staff could be deployed to do "traffic control" e.g. by gathering guests with the same queue number and making them assemble at designated areas. The checking-out was very systematic as well. I liked the fact that guests could leave anytime after breakfast because passports were collected the night before and all the billing etc was also settled earlier. This meant the avoidance of long and stressful waiting time and unpleasant queuing because guests could leave comfortably on their own timing.
(b) Speed (efficiency) - [my score:6] Due to the orderliness of the process, I was quite happy with how fast I could check-in and out of the ship. We took only about 45 minutes to board and 15 minutes to check-out (including a few minutes of photo taking). The immigration clearance was quite fast as well.
On-Board Dining
(a) Freshness of food - [my score:5] except for boiled wontons that were not fresh at the buffet dinner for 2 consecutive nights, everything else was fresh. The only problem was that the food is prepared many hours in advance so some food items such as bread, cake and cheese were a little dry.
(b) Quantity of food - [my score:5] except for the delicious chicken satay (spicy BBQ meat on bamboo skewers) that perpetually ran out at the buffet lunch on the 3rd day, there was more than ample food throughout the trip. I put on at least 2 kgs after the trip ...
(c) Taste of cooking - [my score:4] On Captain's Night at Romeo and Juliet (the fine dining restaurant), I was treated to a delicious escargot appetizer which was firm but not too chewy, and the butter sauce was fragrant yet light; it really made me look forward to the main course, which was also very satisfying. My beef steak was probably the best I had ever eaten in my life up to now (although I must admit that I have never taken a lot steak in the past) - it was so tender that it practically melted in my mouth, and the sauce was flavourful and tasty but not too salty. 
The turkey that I took for the 3rd night was also amazingly juicy, and the accommpanying cranberry sauce blended perfectly with the gravy and the meat. 
Some of the desserts, like the B52 dessert and banana souffle, were absolutely divine! The B52 dessert was a marvel of culinary skill - I was able to taste 3 distinct layers starting with the light buttery crust, followed by the fragrant vanilla egg custard just beneath the crust, and ending with a rich chocolate sauce that oozed out from the centre of the cake. 
The frozen banana souffle was another surprising creation. It looked like banana mousse but its texture was actually closer to bread pudding, and drops of clear golden syrup flows out as the fork penetrates the fluffy upper strata, revealing a light yellow inner strata that melts away in the mouth, leaving the characteristic banana flavour lingering on almost mysteriously. Sadly, my parents and aunt were not so fortunate. My aunt's sea bass and pan-seared salmon for the first 2 consecutive nights were dry and totally bland, and her tomato pasta on the 3rd night tasted as though it came out of a can or microwave-heated TV-dinner. My parents and I felt that the Asian dishes were not authentic in spite of Asian (Chinese and Indian) chefs being on board (can you imagine sake sushi using smoked Norweigian salmon, and tom yum soup that is neither spicy nor sour?), and after the first day I completely avoided such dishes (except the satay, which was acceptable). Some disgruntled Indian guests were so unhappy with their food that they even complained to the chef at the buffet lunch on the 3rd day and made a scene right in the middle of the Windjammer's Cafe (the buffet restaurant).
(d) Variety of dishes and beverages - [my score:6] Compared to Star Cruises, the variety of western food on RCL is considerably better. The fine dining dinner menus offered 5 appetizers, main courses and desserts that change daily in addition to a another 3-4 "staples". Many of the dishes were not only unique but also well-prepared, showing the chef's creativity and skill. When it came to Asian cuisine, however, the variety was deplorably limited. I can almost always see the same old curries used in the Indian food (and only 2-4 types) at the buffet; there are no Chinese or Japanese restaurants and totally no Japanese food served at the only 2 restaurants (except the fusion sushi at the buffet dinner on the first night). The wine and liquor list is quite limited although one is able to sample some rarer labels. In contrast, SuperStar Virgo and Leo have 6 restaurants each, plus cafes that serve all sorts of cuisine. RCL's cocktails are quite good, though. My mum had a mixed fruit Mai Tai which she enjoyed.
(e) Ambience in Dining Area - [my score:4] In terms of layout, I think the buffet restaurant was quite cramped and empty tables in the air-conditioned area during lunchtime are quite difficult to find. People were always overflowing into the poolside tables outside, where it is less comfortable. However, their gingerbread house centerpiece, numerous fruit carvings and decor appeared very aesthetically pleasing, and the Christmas theme was present to give a warm festive atmosphere but to the extent of being overwhelming. The buffet area was also not as "canteen"-like as SuperStar Virgo/Leo's; I really felt that I was dining at a buffet restaurant in a 4-star hotel, complete with napkins (not serviettes) but minus the usual table service. The equally cramped fine dining restaurant had modern European decor with complimentary dining cutlery (e.g. industrial stainless steel salt and pepper shakers with matching butter bowls, sugar jars and even escargot plates) yet interestingly the chairs appeared to be more classic than modern - rather out of place. A plus point is that both restaurants had wide ceiling-to-floor windows that provided diners with a panoramic views of the ocean as they dined, but you needed to be sitting near the windows during the day to enjoy it.
(f) Service of Head Waiter, Waiter and Assistant Waiter - [my score:5] Besides being friendly and polite, the young, pretty Waiter at the fine dining restaurant and her equally young, cute assistant, were also knowledgeable and candid in recommending the food choices. Being Chinese nationals, they tried their best to introduce the dishes in English and were always sensitive to the needs of the guests and very eager to please. What they lacked in terms of experience and finesse they made up for in terms of sincerity (ok, at least they were good actors). I didnt see the Head Waiter at all except on the first and last night (only for a brief minute or two) but I suppose he was busy attending to other tables or affairs. To the delight of many guests, on the 3rd night many of the staff gave a commendable song performance "Its Now or Never" in Italian. Over at the buffet restaurant, service was a little slow during the crowded breakfast times (in terms of clearing the plates and replenishing nearly empty trays of food), and most of the Asian staff appeared to be poorly trained.
Continued in Part 3... (sorry this is a LONG piece!)
posted by sunshine wallflower at 11:43 AM
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