Kamryn Cowan, a Pittsburgh resident, recently went on a 9-day Eastern Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas with her boyfriend. The trip was supposed to be a relaxing getaway, but it quickly turned into a frustrating experience filled with complaints about hygiene, excursions, food, and more.
The biggest issue came when Cowan noticed that the towels in their room were not being replaced with fresh ones; they were being reused. She could tell because her dark makeup was still visible on the towels that were supposed to have been swapped out.
According to Brobible, a placard in the room had instructed guests to leave towels on the floor to have them replaced, but that did not appear to be happening. “I was horrified,” Cowan said in a 9-minute TikTok video that has received 12,000 views. “I couldn’t believe that Royal Caribbean would be so reckless with their cleaning procedures.”
The problems on this Royal Caribbean cruise went far beyond dirty towels
On top of the towel issue, the couple’s room service phone and button did not work for several days. Despite multiple attempts to get it repaired, the repairman had to be asked to come back later each time, leaving them without a working way to contact room service. Pennsylvania has seen its share of deeply unsettling incidents involving strangers in private spaces, and stories like Cowan’s add to a growing sense of unease about personal safety and trust.
Their excursions also came with a long list of problems. They were late for every outing, did not get the full time they were promised, and the activity descriptions turned out to be inaccurate. Their St. Martin excursion was cut short, giving them only one hour at the beach instead of the promised six hours. They were also left at Saint Kitts without their tickets, even though they had booked in advance.
Things got worse when Cowan found out that Royal Caribbean had changed the itinerary for their Bahamas excursion without telling them. Instead of a full day, they were given a half-day that included a visit to a taco bar called Lime Mountain, but not the snorkeling they had paid for. The couple also swam with pigs, which Cowan called an expensive “tourist grab.”
For the last three nights of the cruise, Cowan and her boyfriend had to eat at a specialty dining restaurant because the regular food had made them feel sick. She also claimed that drinks were watered down at some bars on the ship. Pennsylvania has also been in the news for a disturbing case involving a former fire chief and his wife, which shocked many across the state.
Perhaps the most serious concern came when a mother and son in the hot tub asked Cowan if she had heard about a girl who had gone missing at Saint Martin. Cowan said Royal Caribbean never made a public announcement about it on the ship.
She recalled that the captain had called “Alpha” over the intercom, which she was told meant someone could not find their room. The ship also did not leave Saint Martin until later in the evening, raising questions about how the situation was handled. According to Royal Caribbean’s own website, if a U.S. national goes missing, the incident must be reported to the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Coast Guard as soon as possible.
Cowan said she has already spoken with Royal Caribbean about her experience, but she has no interest in receiving a cruise credit as a resolution. “I’m beyond disgusted with my entire experience, and I will never cruise with Royal Caribbean again,” she said.
Published: May 19, 2026 02:43 pm