Sharing is caring!

Do you love cruises? Even if you cruised just 5 years ago, there are things you might have loved, that are now gone. From nostalgic cruise traditions to practical conveniences that made cruising feel like the best vacation, unfortunately, much is this has changed in recent years.

Now don’t get me wrong, a cruise is still an amazing way to travel and an overall good vacation value. You get to visit new destinations and indulge in unlimited food, all while enjoying beautiful ocean views!

However, life and cruises have evolved, and this has meant changes for both good and bad. From new trends in travel to cruise cutbacks that have reduced some services or amenities, here are some big and little things cruise passengers miss and want back!

12 Things NOT Found on Cruises Anymore

1. Free Room Service

Just a few years ago, free room service was standard across many cruise lines. This added luxury made cruising stand out against resort vacations and hotel stays. This felt like great value for families or anyone wanting a comfortable night in or late night snack.

While some premium cruise lines (like Princess and Holland America) still offer room service at no additional cost, most contemporary lines (like Royal Caribbean and Carnival) began charging a couple years ago.

When my kids were young and we first started cruising, room service was one of the things we liked best about cruising. Truthfully, this made cruising feel like the ultimate vacation for both kids and parents.

That said, it’s not all bad. If you still appreciate the occasional splurge, take advantage of the free room service continental breakfast options that you can still find on many cruise lines.

2. Midnight Buffet and Chocolate Buffets

The midnight buffet used to be a grand display, often featuring stunning ice sculptures, artistic fruit arrangements, and lavish food presentations. Cruisers would admire it and take photos before it was open.

Many long time cruisers have fond memories of these late-night treats and indulging in this extravagant cruise tradition.

While the old style midnight buffet disappeared at least a decade ago, it seems like the chocolate buffet was present until up to a couple of years ago.

The “chocolate buffet” was particularly unforgettable for chocolate lovers. From cakes, pastries, and mouses to decadent ice cream, the chocolate buffet is a thing of the past that many cruisers miss.

Although concerns about food waste and changing eating habits have contributed to this change in cruising, these elaborate buffets remain a nostalgic cruise tradition many cruisers miss.

3. Dining Room Tablecloths on Carnival

A few years ago, Carnival Cruise Line did away with tablecloths in the main dining room. This continues to be a source of contention of many Carnival loyalists.

Carnival has some good reasons. Not having tablecloths in the main restaurant elimates the need for laundering these items, both better for the environment and likely a cost cutting measure.

Howver, many Carnival cruisers feel that adding tablecloths back, at least on elegant evenings, would enhance the dining experience.

4. Paper Planners (Cruise Compass, The Fun Times, Princess Patter)

While most cruise lines now encourage guests to use mobile apps for daily activity schedules, many cruisers miss having a traditional paper planner they could find in their cabin.

Cruisers share that a physical schedule to highlight or check off is a simple pleasure, and many prefer having both digital and paper options to plan their day.

Many cruise lines who tried to go paper free, have realized this guest preference. If you do prefer a paper daily cruise planner, simply let your cabin attendant know. Most cruise lines will accommodate this request.

5. Unlimited Lobster Tails

Lobster night has always been a crowd-pleaser, but these days, many cruise lines are limiting lobster tail orders or charging extra. Unfortunately, some cruise lines even exclude lobster from the included main dining room menu entirely.

While the one-lobster tail limit is understandable, seasoned cruisers miss the days when they could order multiple tails without an extra cost. This was one of those small details that made a cruise vacation so special and a great value.

6. Classic Main Dining Room Menu Options (Royal Caribbean)

For Royal Caribbean fans, the removal of certain traditional menu staples has sparked requests to bring back classic dining options and Royal Caribbean dining favorites.

Although many cruisers appreciate new dishes and culinary variety, they’d still love to see classic choices like shrimp cocktails and prime rib remain on the menu.

Although it’s been a couple of years since Royal Caribbean made this change, cruisers still ask for classic choices to return.

7. Twice-a-Day Housekeeping and Turn Down Service

Twice-a-day housekeeping was a common feature on most cruises, allowing guests to enjoy fresh towels and a tidied-up cabin after both morning and evening activities.

Recently, some cruise lines have moved to a once-a-day schedule, prompting mixed reactions.

Some passengers don’t mind this change. However, many cruisers miss the evening turndown service, and it feels like a special touch that makes the cruise experience feel extra special.

Chocolates on the Pillow

As a bonus to the evening turn down, many cruise lines would place a chocolate on your pillow at night. This little indulgence was also a small gesture that elevated the cruise stateroom over a stay at a hotel on land.

There are some cruise lines that still do this, but it is becoming more rare.

8. Towel Animals

Towel animals were a delightful surprise that greeted cruise guests returning to their cabins each night. Many cruise lines have scaled back on this tradition.

Although many cruise lines don’t make towel animals anymore, the ones that do offer them only once or twice during a cruise. While most experienced cruisers don’t mind this change, others do.

Towel animals are special for those families with young children or first-time cruisers who have never seen them before.

Although towel animals may seem like a thing of the past, many crew members still know how to make them. If you want towel animals, you can always ask your room attendant to make one.

Often, it brings the room attendants joy to make them since they are much less common on cruises these days.

Related: Stop Doing These 12 “Polite” Things Crew Actually Dislike

9. Increased Crew-to-Passenger Ratio

A notable change in recent years has been what seems like a reduced crew-to-passenger ratio on some ships, likely a result of cost-cutting measures. Many passengers feel this has impacted service quality, with crew members visibly stretched thin.

This may be more apparent on big ships and lower cost cruise lines. Still, dedicated crew members do their best to provide the excellent service that keeps loyal cruisers returning.

10. Shared Dining Tables and Meeting New Friends

Years ago, shared dining tables were the norm, allowing passengers to meet fellow cruisers and build connections over meals. With more flexible dining options available today, fewer people choose shared tables, although some cruise lines still offer this experience.

While some enjoy dining exclusively with their travel party, others miss the camaraderie of traditional, assigned seating.

As someone who has been cruising for over 20 years, I have some great memories of traditional dining and sitting at assigned tables of 8. It was nice getting to know my fellow passengers over the course of the cruise.

However, I must admit these days we often prefer the flexibility of open dining and eating on our own.

Related: 12 Cruise Dining Etiquette Rules, Tips and Mistakes to Avoid

11. All-Inclusive Dining Options

Specialty dining venues are now a prominent feature on many cruise ships, offering elevated menus and an enhanced culinary experience for an additional fee. While this variety is a plus, some cruisers miss the days when the main dining room featured all-inclusive, high-quality dishes.

Some cruisers complain that the quality of the main dining room is diminished to get passengers to spend money at the specialty restaurants.

Interestingly, Virgin Voyages is going against the trend by offering complimentary specialty dining. This means cruise passengers can dine in any restaurant onboard and do not have to worry about paying an extra charge.

Furthermore, Princess Cruises offers included specialty dining options with their Princess Premier package.

Although these cruise lines offer a more “all-inclusive” experience, most cruise lines still have upcharges for specialty dining venues.

Related: 20 Cruise Specialty Dining Tips, Tricks & Secrets

12. Ice Sculptures

Once a common sight at buffets and formal events, elaborate ice sculptures have become a rare treat on most cruise ships. While you might still see an occasional ice-carving demonstration, these impressive sculptures were a part of the visual allure that many guests remember fondly.

Unfortunately, ice sculptures are becoming less common on cruise ships. However, I recently sailed on Enchanted Princess and had the pleasure of watching an ice sculpture get made, bringing back some amazing nostalgic memories.

Video: Things Not Found on Cruises Anymore… That We Want Back

13. Cold Soup

For fans of cold soups, like strawberry and peach, the menu shift has led to fewer opportunities to enjoy these unique dishes. While some ships still serve them occasionally, they’re no longer a menu staple, much to the disappointment of their fans.

Many cruisers still wish that cruise lines would bring back cold soups as they have been a cruising menu staple for years!

Related & Popular Posts:

• 50 Must-have Cruise Essentials from Amazon
• How to Keep Your Belongings Safe on a Cruise
• 10 Mistakes to Avoid on Cruise Private Islands
• What to Pack in Your Cruise Shore Excursion Day Bag
• 60 Cruise Packing Tips & Hacks All Cruisers Need to Know
• 12 Smart Ways to Escape the Crowds on a Cruise Ship
• 50 Cheap Cruise Travel Hacks
• 30 Cruise Cabin Hacks Every Cruiser Needs to Know
• How to Pack Light for a Cruise

Final Thoughts

While cruising has changed, it still offers unforgettable experiences and a great value vacation. Still, for those who have cruised over the years, it’s hard not to feel nostalgic for these simple pleasures that used to be standard on the seas.

Let us know in the comments what traditions or perks you miss most and would love to see come back. Times change, but you never know when cruise lines might reverse any decision and bring your favorites back!

What do you miss most on a cruise? Please let me know in the comments down below.

Happy Cruising!

Ilana

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and found this helpful, please pass it along to others who love cruising too! You can share on Facebook, Twitter or even save to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). Thanks so much!