CruiseOpinion.com Ship Reviews

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Andrew Ng
Email: heydrew13a@hotmail.com
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Legend
SailingDate: July 5 1998
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 94
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Feb 1999
Time: 01:06:08
Remote Name: 202.82.193.109
Remote User:

Comments

I took this cruise with my parents, both of them in their mid 50's. We took this cruise to celebrate their 28th
anniversary. We embarked in Vancouver. Embarkation was fast and efficient. After the usual photos and stuff,
we boarded the ship. Since this was our first cruise, we all shared one unsaid thought, which of course, was
'WOW, SHE'S HUGE.' The first thing we did after we boarded was to activate our Supercharge cards, which you
use to buy drinks and dutyfree. This was also fast. We went to our cabin #6114 on Mariner Deck #6. It was a
calss F, an outside double with an additional bunk on top. We dropped our luggage and we met our cabin
stewardess, Melanie. She was very nice. We went to the Centrum, which bridges decks #4,5,6,7,8,9,and 10.On
the bottom was foutains and a cascade. We all got hungry, so we all got to the Windjammer CAfe on deck 9. I
have to admit this was one of the worst places to go and to eat on the ship. The crowd was noisy here, the room
was criss-crossed with lines, the food was the same everyday...

Over the next couple of days, we ignored the Windjammer. We even gave it a chance on the third day to
improve, but same luck. The dining room, in the other was very good. The food was excellent(er, according to
Dad, who ate the most). Wea all liked our waiter, Victor from Portugal, and his assitant Cafer from Turkey. They
did their job well as well as being very friendly. We took first seating, which is a good choice if you want to catch
the midnight buffets. Food quality was very good, mind you. On to activities. The solarium on deck 9 had a pool
warm enough for swimming desoite the cold Alaskan weather outside. Dad and I soaked in the whirlpools all
day(Probably because it was hard to get out when the doors leading directly outdoors are right next to the
whirlpools and are always bolted open). The pizza in the solarium pool bar was good.

The lounges are probably the best aspect of the Legend. Our favorite is definitely between the Schooner bar on
deck 4 and the Viking Crown Lounge on deck 11. If you check the date of our sailing, you might notice that the
World Cup Soccer was on at that time. We spent hours everyday in the Schooner Bar sipping beer and watching
World Cup. And every afternoon at about 5-6, we went to the Viking Crown to watch sunset and drink cocktails.
The Chanpagne Bar also on deck 4 was also frequented by us because of the art auctions, which are a great
fun, even though we didn't buy anything. The Anchors Aweigh Lounge a deck up is an excellent venue for the
newlywed/not so newlywed game shows.

The shows in the theatre were goo, but not great. A couple of them were pretty boring. My favorite was on the
last night when they showed they showed the hilarious 'If I Were Not Upon The Sea' event.

As for shopping, we did buy alot of gifts and clothing. Beware, you can easily spend a couple of hundred bucks
on this ship, and I imagine on most cruise ships.

Ports: They were very good. We first visited Skagway. Be sure to take the White Pass&Yukon Route rail. Graet
scenery(Don't forget to bring you camera, like we did)and plenty of old western feel. Next was Haines, was quiet,
beautiful, but otherwise, boring. We id only a little walking and shopping here. Then it's Juneau, the capital of
Alaska. Be sure to take the cable car here for great views off the mountain. Then, last but not least, Ketchikan,
where we ate lots of that dried salmon stuff(It's actually pretty good!)and saw Totem poles.

Overall: This was a very satisfying cruise, with just very itsy bitsy negatives that are not significant enough to
make it to this review. Will we take a Royal Caribbean cruise again: Definitely. Will we recommend this cruise to
you: Definitely. Well, that all I have. If I have another cruise, I guarantee I'll post another review about on
CruiseOpinion.com

Ciao.


Name: Dick Santer
Email: gramparich@aol.com
Age: 64
Occupation: Construction - Resident Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Legend
SailingDate: 12/5/98
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 88
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 92
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Mar 1999
Time: 11:23:13
Remote Name: spider-te054.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our third Royal Caribbean Cruise, but our first since 1991. We went with two other couples, both first
time cruisers. The ship, the weather, the Canal, and the entertainment were all great. Feature group was the
"Platters". They sounded almost as good as the original group did, also had some fine other acts during our two
weeks aboard the Legend.

We stopped @ Aruba, Costa Rica, Acapulco And Cabo St. Lucas and found all four ports wanting in some
aspects and fine in others. We did Aruba on our own, rented a 7 passenger van from Budget ($100) for the day.
Hired another van in Acapulco for a little less and took cruiseline tours in Costa Rica and Cabo. We felt we got
our monies' worth for the most part, but also felt that the on-line research that we did before-hand was the key to
getting good value.

Our air-sea package included a day early arrival in Ft. Lauderdale and a three night post cruise stay in San
Diego. We did both car rentals and motel rentals on our own. All of the above worked out fine and much cheaper
than Royal Caribbean's add-ons. We choose less up-scale hotels but used Best Western properties which
include free airport and cruise transfers in the room rates.

My wife and I found that food preparation and presentation has slipped plenty from our previous experiences on
Royal Caribbean. We missed the dining room parades and roaming violin music that we experienced on the
Nordic Prince and Viking Seranade. The dining room staff was terrific but why RCCL has eliminated the
theme-night menus and entertainment is beyond me. Dinner has gone from the cruise highlight to a meal
comparible to a three star restaurant. Why fix something that wasn't broken?

In closing, overall this was a wonderful experience, our companions where knocked "right out of their socks" by
the ship and service. The Panama Canal passage is a once in a lifetime experience, especially if you have any
engineering interest at all.

I expect that we and our companions will find our way aboard ship again in the near future. Maybe something a
little less than fourteen days. It got a little long at the end, next time ten or eleven days for us.


Name: Norm Gates
Email: Norm2Pat@AOL.com
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired teacher
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Legend
SailingDate: February 27, 1999
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 92
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Mar 1999
Time: 16:42:42
Remote Name: spider-wk013.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

Although in one sense this was only our second cruise, we had done six transatlantic crossings by ship before. Our
other cruise was on the QE2 to New England and Nova Scotia for fall foliage. The only other cruise ship we have
for comparison is the QE2 which is about thirty years older than Legend of the Seas. Embarkation was very
confusing. In our ticket booklet two different times for embarkation were given. Our travel agent had to call Royal
Caribbean in order to straighten out that issue. When we arrived at the dock, we were told that there would be
places to store our hand luggage. However, by the time we got to the counter we were the last two people to have
our luggage accepted and others were turned away. Embarkation was late but not as bad as disembarkation. My
wife and I thought our minisuite was small compared to the cabins on QE2, but the cabin was extremely comfortable
and not really too small. Our stewardess was exceedingly accomodating and fresh towels appeared like magic. The
entire ship was spotlessly clean and in good repair. We had more than the comforts of home. The food in the
dining room was excellent and our waiters were pleasant, quick and thoroughly enjoyable. The entertainment was
excellent and the staff of the ship pleasant and helpful. The shore excursions were all very good. We would
especially like to recommend the nine hour tour in Costa Rica. The guide was better than excellent and we had a
marvelous time. All good things must come to an end. Disembarkation was, alas, very disorganized. We stood in
line for more than hour to get our airline tickets for our luggage. No one seemed to know what arrangements had
been confirmed. It would have been better to put each airline in a separate lounge. One is doing all this at 5:30
a.m. However, once we were off the ship, everything proceeded splendidly. Would we take this trip on this ship
again? YES!!! In a heartbeat. We highly recommend Royal Caribbean and Legend of the Seas. Let's hope they
work on the small flaws.


Name: Susan Rayfield
Email: murphy3709@aol.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Program manager
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Legend
SailingDate: 4/17/99
Itinerary: Panama Canal San Diego-Ft. Lauderdale
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 99
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService: 98
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 94
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 94
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 99
Casino: 96
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 May 1999
Time: 18:49:22
Remote Name: spider-wo012.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise longer than 14 days and it was heaven. We left from San Diego and ended in Ft.
Lauderdale after cruising through the Panama Canal. We were booked in a Category D, balcony stateroom #7046.
This was our second cruise with a balcony and I find it hard to imagine we will ever sail without one again!

We booked our own airfare via United Frequent flyer miles and arrived the day before we were scheduled to sail.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Harborside, which is across from the cruise terminal and very convenient. Our bell
captain walked our luggage across the street for us. We watched the ship dock about 6:00am from our hotel room.
Nice! About 10:30, my husband walked over to the terminal to see when we could board and they suggested we
checking in ASAP, although we would not be allowed to board until after noon. Checkin was a breeze, no lines, but
when we returned about 12:30, the line to board was serpentined around the checkin area. It looked worse than it
was however, and we were onboard before 1:00. Handicapped passengers were boarded on deck 1, while the rest
of us boarded up the stairs to deck 2. Unfortunately, we did not board so we entered immediately into the Centrum,
which is too bad since it is so beautiful. Super charge cards were activated in the conference room on deck 3.

Ship overview: Our room was just right for us. The 2 twin beds were made up to a Queen. I asked for a feather
pillow-no problem (more on attentive service later!) There was storage galore, and we didn't come close to using it
all. Full size couch (a little threadbare on the arms), which could be made up to a Queen size bed; vanity with mirror,
more storage and a desk chair; TV, no VCR, but there are plug ins for a camcorder; a glass top coffee table;
refrigerator; and a safe. The balcony had 2 chairs and a little table. The overall bathroom size was fine, but the
shower was extremely small. I learned to keep the shower curtain open and use the handheld showerhead to rinse
off.

The Centrum was a beautiful display of brass and glass. The art auctions were held here, as well as cooking
demonstrations and a wonderful little combo played during cocktail hour. We never indulged in the
caviar/champagne (fee) that was available at the Champagne Bar located here, but it was listed as an option most
days.

The dining room is 2 levels on decks 4 and 5. We were on the upper level, table 125 which was just overlooking the
balcony. It was a table for 6, which I thought was nice. A lot of the tables for 8 and 10 were oblong, which made it
difficult to talk to everyone. Considering they are serving nearly 2000 people per meal, I thought the food was
excellent. The beef and lobster were the best options and I usually went with our waiter's recommendation. I did
send a veal dish back that was overcooked, but it was replaced with something much better. My husband is a big
eater and sometimes ordered a second entree, but the young 24 year old at our table always ordered 2, sometimes
3 entrees and on Lobster night ordered 7 lobster tails! I simply don't know where he put it all! In any case, it was no
problem! There was always an interesting appetizer; most soups were to die for; the salads were so-so; and the
pasta was usually excellent. The only thing that seemed lacking was the Vegetarian options. We ordered them a few
times, but they were unappealing and unimaginative.

The That's Entertainment Lounge hosted the main shows. Seating here is mostly uncomfortable for those of us with
wide hips, as the seats are divided to handle individual seating and were quite snug. The very back row of the main
floor center sections were open benches, however and we sat here whenever possible. I think every person from
our seating attended every show. The first night we showed up about 15 minutes before show time and could not
find a seat at all. After that we arrived at least 30 minutes before show time to ensure we weren't standing. The
entertainment was a good mix of singers, dancers, comedians, jugglers and extravaganzas. I would guess that 70%+
of our ship was 60+ years old, so the entertainment did reflect the older generation. We did walk out of one show
that was simply too Lawrence Welky for us, but the majority of the ship thought they were great. 3 of the 4 comedy
acts were more to our liking and most of the singers did a good mix of classic oldies to modern. I certainly wasn't
expecting to have every show be my favorite, so I was pleased with the mix.

The Casino had slots, black jack, roulette and Caribbean Stud Poker. Table minimums were $5, contrary to what we
had heard. There was also a good mix of smoking and non-smoking tables. Drinks are not free here as they are in
Vegas, however I did sit at a table one night where a big spender was betting $100-$200 per hand and pretty much
losing, and the pit boss did comp the drink he ordered. Big deal! There was a Black Jack tournament our first day at
sea and a slot tournament later in the week.

The Anchor's Away Lounge handled the smaller shows and activities like Bingo, Trivia contests, Line dance lessons
etc. There was usually some sort of group participation show shortly after the show in the That's Entertainment
lounge each night and we participated in most. Just some good fun stuff! This lounge had a decent sized dance
floor, where a not so great combo played most nights, lots of seating and a bar area.

The Viking Lounge is the RCI signature lounge that sits high atop the ship. This lounge is the only one that had a
defined smoking and non-smoking section. Cigar appreciation night(s) were held here, as well as disco night,
karaoki night, and usually a discounted drink happy hour from 5:00-8:30. Our wedding renewal ceremony was held
here in a sectioned off area, which worked out nicely.

The Schooner Bar, another RCI classic is a classy wood and brass bar where you will find a great piano player most
nights. I wish we had spent more time here, but there was always so much to do...

The Boutiques of the Centrum housed your typical ship's stores: Clothing, souveniers, jewelry, and liquor/sundries.
Liquor prices were very reasonable, so those of you bringing your bottle from home may want to buy it here instead.
Lots of buy one, get one for half price deals. Most sea days a sidewalk sale of some sort was going on for those
die-hard shoppers who go through withdrawals if they don't buy something every day. There was an official Shopper
who would lecture on where to shop in port, and a few days there was an additional jewelry shopper expert.

The Photo gallery is very spread out around the Centrum area of Deck 6. Have your picture taken as often as
possible, but don't buy any until the last day, when you can spread them all out and pick from the best. 5x7's were
$5.95, and 8x10s were $19.95. Ouch! But how often do you have your picture taken professionally?

There is a full 18 hole mini golf course (no fee), an indoor pool in the air conditioned Solarium, our favorite snack
location for excellent roasted chicken and pizzas.

The Staff: I have never had a staff go out of their way to please us as the staff on this ship! Can I have a feather
pillow? Sure! The dessert I want isn't on the menu: Let me have one delivered to your cabin later in the week! I'd
really like a loaded pizza: Write down the list of ingredients and I'll pull them out tonight and have it for you
tomorrow! I like a really tall glass of coke with my rum and coke: Is 16 ounces big enough? I like the raspberry
vinegarette dressing: We'll serve it tomorrow. You'll notice that our requests couldn't always be instantly granted,
but if it was possible for them to grant our wish in a timely manner, they did. The cruise director didn't remember our
names, but after we told her she had been our CD on the Grandeur, she would always greet us with hey, there's my
Grandeur, buddies. After playing a few of the games and getting to know the other cruise director staff many of
them called us by name. Our waiter addressed us all by Mr. or Mrs. Front name, which I thought was charming.

The ports of call: We specifically chose this trip because of the itinerary. There were a lot of sea days (our
favorite!), and they were well broken up with port days. This allowed us to rest up, explore, rest up, and explore the
entire trip. And we weren't disappointed. We took a ship sponsored snorkel/party tour in Cabo San Lucas, which
was fun and a great way to see the rock formations as well as sea lions and snorkel. We charted a private fishing
boat in Acapulco and they took us to see the Cliff divers from the water, which was nice. We didn't catch any fish
though! We took the ship-sponsored river rafting tour in Costa Rica. Highly recommended! We saw howler
monkeys, white faced monkeys, a baby crocodile, a boa constrictor, lots of different beautiful birds, iguana and
another kind of lizard, bats and more. The lunch that was included left a lot to be desired, but it was okay. This trip
requires a 1.5 hour bus ride to the rafting area. The bus was more comfortable than I had expected, and a guide
told us about Costa Rica's ecotourism and politics most of the ride, so it went by quickly. The Panama Canal
crossing was an awesome, once in a lifetime experience and very educational. We got a map/guide book delivered
to our cabin the night before and a nice certificate signifying our crossing afterwards. We did not do a planned tour
in Columbia, but did get off the ship and explored the visitor center at the port. Local handicrafts, cigars and jewelry
are available here. We rented a jeep on our own in Aruba and explored the island, snorkeled at Baby Beach and
had a great day. Stop at Lover's Ice Cream for a cone. The ice cream is wonderful! And after all that, we still had 2
relaxing days before arriving in Ft. Lauderdale.

Ship activities: For anyone who thinks they might get bored on a 14 day cruise, all I can say is no way! Starting with
early morning coffee at 6:00am, there is something to do until at least midnight everyday. Several times my husband
stressed because "the slot tournament won't be over in time to be in the shuffleboard tournament! for example. Me,
I'm happy with a book by the pool for most of the sea days. For those of you who have never cruised, activities
include: cooking and ice carving demos, shuffleboard, ping pong, mini golf and shufflegolf tournaments, trivia
contests, Bingo, Blackjack/slot tournaments, pool relay races, belly flop contests, quiz shows, wine tasting, bridge
and backgammon tournaments, bridge and galley tours, morning walkathons, aerobics-land and water, dance
classes and on and on. If you forgot your book, there is a well stocked library and the card room has decks of cards,
backgammon and a few other board games. Additionally, the TV in your cabin gets ESPN and CNN satellite most of
the time and there are usually 3 or 4 different movies that play continuously everyday. We had choices like The
Horse Whisperer, Simon Birch, 6 days and 7 nights, Mask of Zorro, The Truman Show, and Practical Magic. One
channel had a Spanish dubbed version as well.

Problems: The big downer for me was disembarkment. Yeah, I'm sure everyone says that because it is over, but it
truly was SLOW! Our colored luggage tags represented Disabilities, Flights before 11:00am, or your deck. I foolishly
assumed after disembarking the disabled and early flights they would disembark upper decks first and work their
way down, since the upper deck cabins are the most expensive. Not to be! We were on the second from the top
deck and color, after color was called and still no purple. Our ship docked in Ft. Lauderdale, but our flight was out of
Miami at 12:30. I knew it took 15 minutes or so to find your bags after getting off the ship. We finally just got in line to
disembark at 10:30 even though they hadn't called our color. I doubt we would have been off the ship before 11:00
if we hadn't cheated. We exited on deck 2, which was pretty much a mess. First we took the elevator down and when
the doors opened, there was just a mob of people so we couldn't even get off the elevator. Additionally, people had
gotten off on deck 3 and were making their way down the stairs into the same area. But eventually, we made our
way off, found our luggage and our prearranged driver was waiting to wisk us to the airport.

Because they excessively stain the carpets we were told no strawberry mix for daiquaris was available, which was
also too bad. One bartender did go down to the galley and get our friends fresh strawberries and made them a
daiquari, however. Just another exemplary service example! But try the Mango Tangos instead. They almost make
up for the missing strawberry.

I did get my feather pillow upon request, but the standard bed pillows are pretty much like a block of cardboard
stuffed in a pillow case. Get some decent pillows RCI!

The ship left for Europe the day we got off and was only about 2/3 full. We heard they were charging only
$800/person for anyone who wanted to stay onboard for the next leg. That was the first time during the entire trip
that I wished I was part of the 60+ retired crowd. 14 more nights, ending in Barcelona for $800. How I wish we could
have stayed!

Please feel free to write me if you have specific questions. Murphy3709@aol.com


Name: Mark Sternberg
Email: msternberg@thewarrengroup.com
Age: 29
Occupation: on-line manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Legend
SailingDate: 3/27/99
Itinerary: San Diego-Mexican Riviera
Cabin: 8078 category C
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 70
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 65
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Aug 1999
Time: 15:49:26
Remote Name: 216.112.191.129
Remote User:

Comments

Our cruise was 11 days from San Diego down the pacific coast of Mexico to such ports as Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan
and Acapulco. Getting on the ship was a reeze. Since our flight was significantly delayed on Dallas, we got their just
an hour before the ship was due to depart. Though this started out as a tense situation (not knowing whether we
would make it in time) it ended up working out for the best because there were no lines in the terminal. Everyone was
already on the ship so by the time we got their,we walked right up to the counter and were on the ship in five
minutes. Anyways, we found our room with no problem which was a C room on the bridge deck with a balcony.

After
having a room like this, I can honestly say I would never book a cruise without a big room and a balcony. It was so
nice to sit out their late at night, sleep with the slider open and let the sounds of the ocean lull you to sleep, watch
the sunrise without having to leave your room or just sit out there in the middle of the day ifyou happened to be on
the ship. We were traveling with our seven month old baby so we also needed a nice place to escape to when
necessary. But believe me, the only reason people tell you not to go with the more expensive rooms because you
don't spend any time there anyways is because these rooms are not woth spending any time in. Our room, I thought,
was one of my favorite places to be on the whole ship and I highly recommend spending the extra money for one of
these rooms, you won't regret it. Our cabin steward was terrific and very accomodating. We requested a crib for the
baby which was waiting for us in our room when we checked in. Although we ended up putting the baby in bed with
us the whole time and eventually had him remove the crib. We had so much stuff and the crib took up too much
space. In spite of our rooms size, we needed all the space we could get. Besides, we tried the crib route and i didn't
work out very well. The baby didn't sleep as well in it and it didn't seem very sturdy.

Anyways, the entire crew loved
the baby and he quickly became a celebrity on the ship. As I am sure you can imagine, we were one of I think only
two families on the ship with a baby and ours was the youngest. Our first night out was good, dress in the dining
room was whatever you had on since the luggage had not yet made to the rooms. The food was great although it did
vary from very good to so, so to not very good at all. That didn't bother me though. I don't think anyone should
expect to get four star quality food on a ship with 2000 people on it. Besides, anything that was lacking in quality was
more than made up for in service and overall personality. We had a great team serving us. And, don't get me wrong,
the food overall was good as well. Most mornings and afternoons we ate either in the windjammer or the poolside
cafe. There were seven of us total on this cruise together and it proved to be much easier to meet that way and eat
buffet style rather than have to be in the dining room at certain times for the more formal service. Besides, doing the
dining room thing once a day was plenty for us. Every meal would have been a bit much I think. So, the Windjammer
provided a great alternative. I thought the food was great. The selections at breakfast didn't change much
throughout the cruise but it was good and there was plenty of it. The lunch selections were also very good and more
varied than the breakfast menues. I had some osso bucco one day that was out of this world. Since we all were off
doing different things so often, either on the ship or on shore, it was nice to just kind of float into the windjammer
whenever we returned to grab something to eat or drink or both. Drink service was equally good, there was always
someone available to take your order. Bartenders seemed very knowledgable and mixed up some of the best drinks
I've had anywhere.

We did several shore excursions and thouroughly enjoyed all of them. Though the prices are high and on an eleven
day cruise you are likely to spend about three hundred dollars on them, they were well worth the money, We had a
blast in Mazatlan and Acapulco especially. The ship conducted a shore excursion overview in the main theatre
during our first day at sea which explained each itinerary in detail. We then chose which ones we wanted to do and
signed up at the purser's desk. We could have done this weeks before but chose not to. As a result, we had to wait
in a fairly long line and I think there was one excusion we didn't get because it was booked. No biggie though
because there were plenty to choose from. Getting on and off the ship was a breeze, you never had to wait for a
tender and if docked, the process of getting on and off the ship was a breeze.

The ship itself was very nice and kept very clean. Nary a fingerprint or smudge to be foung on any of the brass
fixtures and railings or on the windows and entryways. It was very quiet and I never felt crowded. Although getting a
deck chair on days at sea was tough. THere were several people who seemed to do nothing but lie out in the sun
and while i too wanted to go home tanner than when I left, It was not a priority. I was able to get all the sun time I
wanted.

As far as negatives are concerned, there are few but they do exist. Probably most notable was the entertainment
which was very staid and pretty flat. I think the main reason for this was there was a much older crowd on this ship.
Night life was, obviously, not a big deal with us since we had the baby. But, my mother and father in law, who were
with us, were kind enough to watch him a couple of times during which my wife and I, her sister and brother in law
(big family trip) took in a show or went up to the viking crown lounge. Overall, we found the entertinment, while good
for the older majority on the ship, was pretty lame for our generation. In fact, my in laws considered it lame as well. I
can understand Royal Carribean designing the entertainment based on the demographics of the passengers but it
would have been nice to see a little more designed around the younger people on the ship. We were in the minority
but we were there nontheless. Disembarking was kind of a pain in the neck as well. We waited for over two hours in
the schooner bar before our color was called only to be dumped into a huge warehouse and left to find our luggage,
which, between all of us, was in several locations. As if the end of the cruise isn't depressing enough, waiting in that
lounge with literally nothing to do was agonizing. However, everything I have ever read or heard has said the same
thing about every cruise so this is not just a Royal Carribean problem. I am sure the cruise industry has a trade
association and perhaps a topic of discussion at their next big convention could be how to make this process better.
It could sure use it.

Anyways, we had a great time and I highly recommend this cruise line. I would like to take another cruise in the future
and would most likely go with RCCL again. Unless my son goads me into a Disney cruise or something


Name: Tony Rodriguez
Email: journey505@hotmail.com
Age: 25
Occupation: Federal Law Enforcement
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Legend
SailingDate: August 7, 1999
Itinerary: Western Mediterranean
Cabin: Category L
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 94
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 83
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 97
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 88
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 84
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 89
PrivateIsland: NA
GoodForFamilies: 88
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 88
GoodForSeniors: 92
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess: 92
ExerciseFacilities: 97
EntertShowLounge: 89
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 88
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 94
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 82
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 83
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 96
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Aug 1999
Time: 16:06:35
Remote Name: wdcsun4.usdoj.gov
Remote User:

Comments

Overall a wonderful vacation. Was a honeymoon cruise.. part of a larger vacation. Did the western Med.
Barcelona-Monaco/Nice-Corsica-Rome-Sicily-Malta-Barcelona.. 7 days. Great value. Had a nice cabin, a tad small,
but very functional. Staff was very friendly. Ship is beautiful, very clean and well maintained. New ship so you feel
motion occasionally, can be a bit rough in high seas. Itenerary was good, Rome was fantastic, Sicily is beautiful,
Corsica was ok, a bit lack luster.. Malta is nice to visit but nothing to do but walk around and shop. Nice was very
pretty, if you take an excursion, choose one that spends more time in Nice, than Monaco.. Monte Carlo is nice, but
Monacoville is boring and other than the Palace and a nice little village.. nothing else to see there for hours.. Overall
service was wonderful in the dining room. Food was very good.. not out of this world, but what can once expect when
cooking for 2000 people several times a day.. you wont be hungry. Based on what Ive heard, the food has is much
better now than it was a year ago. Spa is nice, but very pricey.. and watch out for the staff, they will try to peddle all
sorts of over priced junk and slip it in.. they are sneaky and not part of Royal Caribbean but rather a concession.
Overall staff on board is very helpful and pleasant, the staff in photography department is absolutely intolerable.. I
dont know where they found these people. Entertainment was good. The Platters, and Mary Wilson of the
Supremes... nice touch.. Ship had a nice mix of passengers, many Europeans, and Americans, Asians and others
represented as well. Not a trip to take if you are looking to explore any of the ports indepth or really get to know a
particular city or country. Stays are short, though many of the tours offer time on your own to explore at your own
pace.. but how much can you do in half a day? Overall a great value, lovely ship, fun experience. Royal Caribbean
definately knows how to make things run like clockwork. Embarkation and dembarkation went smooth as silk. Two
thumbs up .


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