Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: THOMAS TRACEY
Email: TMTRACEY@aol.com
Age: 40
Occupation: sales
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: March 6, 1999
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Apr 1999
Time: 20:20:31
Remote Name: spider-tp074.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise. We found it to be a much better experience than we had imagined.We arranged for our own flights
which was very smooth since we went direct from J F K to San Juan.The Royal Caribbean staff were right there to greet us
and arrange transfer to the ship. We were overwhelmed when we first saw her( The Rhapsody) and boarding was very
simple and organized. We were treated like V I P's from the moment we were on board. The only thing we had to do for our
selves practically was put on our clothes.The cabin steward Michael was right there from the start, he took care of our every
need, changing our beds twice a day, arranging our room and icing down our beverages. Very Nice!The food was excellent
with great selections each day. Our waiters Yavouz and Gokhan never let us down and saw to our every need. Since the
weather was perfect every day the deck was crowded on the days at sea but this was expected and everyone was friendly.
Since we had late seatings we did not eat the midnight buffet but it was still a visually satisfying experience.The only
negatives were very slight but the elevators were very slow and the lower deck hallways seemed to smell of cigarette smoke
and unflushed toilets at times.Otherwise we had the most glorious carefree vacation we have ever had and will do it again
very soon. We highly reccommend Royal Caribbean,s Rhapsody of the Seas.

Name: Barbara Woodland
Email: Barbara@collectibletreasures.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Sr. Specialist
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: April 3, 1999
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 100
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 100
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Apr 1999
Time: 13:20:25
Remote Name: 208.242.86.200
Remote User:

Comments

This was a 13 day repositioning cruise leaving from San Juan and ending in San Diego. The ports were of great interest, but
the most spectacular site was the Panama Canal. We had a spacious cabin with a balcony on the bridge deck. The
accommodations were wonderful and worth the extra money.

The food was not good and a very big disappointment. It was hard to find something good to eat. The Windjammer served
cold, tasteless food which eliminated it from our choices early on. The dining room was pleasant, but didn't make up for the
lack of good food. The first week the dining room staff for breakfast and lunch were very cocky, and made remarks about
passengers as they walked in. They did nothing to accomodate passenger wishes, even if it was to sit at another table
during open seating. That got better during the second week. Several shows by the waiters in the evening were nice, but
lacked the usual ethusiasm found on Carribbean cruises.

No where on the ship could you find peanuts, potato chips, pretzels. Not even the bars. Snack foods were hard to find and
finally purchased from onboard stores. Everything is a profit center.

Room service food was awful and they did not carry what their menu stated. After ordering a Caesar salad one day I was
presented iceberg letturce, a slice of turkey (it was supposed to be grilled chicken) and a plastic container of caesar
dressing found in carry out restaurants. It was pretty much a disaster.

The public areas were nice, if not kept up well. Public restrooms were crowded, and often went uncleaned. The spa was
great, the staff wonderful, and the offering first rate. There was plenty to do on the ship.

I would not sail on this line again, even though my prior cruise with them was delightful. It may be that the size of the ship and
trying to appeal to so many has left service and quality to be desired.

Name: Brenda Revels
Email: Rrevels@monroe.lib.mi.us
Age: 50+
Occupation: Service Rep
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: April 27-May 8, 1999
Itinerary: Honolulu/Vancouver
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService:
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 70
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 75
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 May 1999
Time: 07:13:52
Remote Name: monroe.lib.mi.us
Remote User:

Comments

The air/sea package purchased from Royal Caribean was great. We arrived in Honolulu at 3:30 p.m. and by 4:30 we
were at the ship. The embarkation was a little hectic and the agents checking in passengers were not
knowledgeable about the super charge account set-up. With Royal Carribean you get your super charge card on
embarkation, but you can't activate until you are on the ship. With Princess, you do the whole thing upon check-in,
and that seems to me to be more convenient for the passengers.

Our cabin was very spacious; we were on deck 2 with an outside cabin. The bathroom was adequate and had quite
a bit of storage space. Our cabin attendant (whoever he was) never once appeared and introduced himself and we
never saw him during the entire cruise. Once the bed is put together as a queen vs two twins, there is no comforter.
I thought that strange. Usually the cabins have comforters to match the decor of the room.

Dining room service was great. Our waiter, Yilmaz and his assistant, Gorge, were very anxious to provide us with
excellent service. There were two things about dining on the ship that I found unpleasant. The first is the way Royal
Carribean makes their dining room staff beg for 'excellent' ratings. I think this is very degrading to the employee and
takes away from the dining experience you expect in a fine restaurant. The second has to do with their 'open
seating' policy at breakfast and lunch. It is more a cattle herd than open seating. On Princess, with open seating you
just go into the dining room and take a seat anymore you like in any open section. With the Rhapsody, you are
'assigned' a table by the dining room host. Also, at lunch, your dessert order is taken along with your order for
entrees,etc. I suppose it saves time for the waitperson, but I felt I was being rushed. We were so unhappy with the
dining room experience at breakfast that we ate those meals in the Windjammer. The ship is a beautiful one, but
very unkempt. The carpets are dirty, upholstery on chairs dirty, windows dirty, etc. The ports of call and the land
excursions were excellent. Tender service was convenient. The entertainment on board was acceptable. The best in
the theater was Beni Mason, a comedian. He was great! The Duprees were also very good. As for the other nights, I
could just as well gone to bed early. The theater is beautiful (especially the stage curtain) and any seat in the house
is probably a good one. The entertainment in the centrum was good most of the time. The cruise director was a little
immature and talked way too much. He did have a beautiful voice and did a great job in the show the last night on
board. If only he hadn't talked so much! The pools were not crowded and most of the time you could find a chair
anywhere on deck you wanted to sit. I never felt that any of the public areas were crowded. Overall, the cruise was a
great vacation. However, due to the appearance of the ship and the rude staff we encountered at the Purser's desk,
we will probably choose another cruise line for our next cruise.

Name: Monique Strathern
Email: monique@ican.net
Age: 29
Occupation: Accountant
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 05/15/99
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 98
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 70
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon: 98
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 May 1999
Time: 13:02:58
Remote Name: ppp-063.m4-1.ott.ican.net
Remote User:

Comments

Excellent! Excellent Excellent! That is how our cruise was in three words! I have been anxious to get a chance to
include my comments in this database because this database was so helpful to me as I was planning my trip and
deciding which cruise line to use. I used a lot of the suggestions in this database and found it to be one of the most
valuable resources of information along with my travel agent’s advice.

Our cruise was a little different because we got married on the ship before it left the port of Vancouver. Royal
Caribbean has a Royal Romance department that does weddings and vow renewals and they are just excellent. I
would highly recommend their services to anyone considering a ship board special occasion.

As a result of the wedding, we did not have to go through the normal embarkation procedures. Normally
embarkation would be between 1pm and 4 pm, but we had to be on board no later than noon so that we could get
dressed for the wedding and I had a hair salon appointment at noon. We were met on the pier at 11:30 am by the
wedding co-ordinator and we (myself, the groom and our six non-sailing guests) were whisked by customs and
check-in lineups so we could get started on the wedding. All of the non-sailing guests left the ship by 4:15 pm and
that is when myself and my now-husband had to go and check in. At this time there was no lineups and we were still
dressed in our wedding garb, so we got extra special service.

Our cabin was 2610 an outside cabin. The cabin appeared to be small but it was actually nice and cozy and when all
of our luggage arrived by 8:00 pm, we had easily enough room for everything and space left over. We had a lot of
extra baggage for the wedding as well that regular travellers wouldn’t have, but everything fit just fine. Even after we
went shopping and had bags and bags of souvenirs we still had room. Our empty luggage fit nicely under the bed.
Our cabin steward Aaron was outstanding. We only actually laid eyes on him twice, once to introduce himself and
once we bumped into him as he was done our room. We always knew he had been in because everything was
always impeccable, but we didn’t feel intruded upon either. When we put out our Do Not Disturb sign (we were
honeymooners after all!), he definitely did not disturb us.

The food was for sure the highlight of the whole experience. We ate in the dining room on the first morning for
breakfast and then ate all of our breakfasts for the rest of the week in the casual dining room The Windjammer. The
food was equally delicious in both places, but in the Windjammer it was buffet style and more relaxed without waiters
hovering all over you all the time. Plus you could eat as much as you wanted without having to ask the waiter for
more. You could eat as much as you wanted in the dining room too but you would have to ask the waiter for more.
It’s always better to pig out without anyone knowing it!

For lunch, we ate in the dining room once and at the Windjammer for the rest of the week or sometimes we would
skip lunch all together because we were still too full from breakfast. On those days it would be hard to wait until 8:30
pm (second seating) for dinner so we would end up having pizza, or burgers in the Solarium Café. Lunch in the
dining room was a bit much – it was a five-course extravaganza which I find to be too much for lunch but is great for
dinner.

We had two dinners in the Windjammer and the rest in the main dining room. At dinner in the Windjammer we ran
into our first and only problem with any of the food. The meal was buffet style, except for the entrée which was
cooked to order. We both had steak – mine medium rare and my husbands medium. When the steaks came, they
were both well-done and clearly they had been fried rather than grilled. We sent them back and they came back the
same way. We went ahead and ate them anyway and came to the conclusion that they just didn’t know how to cook
steak on board and we never ordered steak again for the rest of the week. This was no problem though since there
were so many other wonderful things to eat. In the dining room on lobster tail night, I asked for and received
cheerfully and extra tail. My husband wanted an extra plate of rack of lamb one night at again received it. We both
had a couple of two-desert nights as well. The whole week was a massive pig out. As for the waiter, assistant waiter
and headwaiter – I’ve never had such excellent service anywhere that I’ve ever eaten. It was wonderful that they
always remembered what we liked to drink and went out of their way to be personal and helpful.

We received courteous and helpful service from all the on board personnel but the outstanding ones were the
dining staff. I only used the salon one time on the first day for my wedding style and I found the stylist to be very
talented, creative and professional. The salon itself was beautiful and very inviting. The on board photography team
were wonderful as well. We ended up buying most of the wedding photos, two formal photos and one other one as
well. On a couple of occasions, I found myself sort of standing somewhere looking confused and a member of the
staff would approach and ask if I needed help. I was very impressed by this. Staff everywhere was gushing over us
because we had just gotten married and it felt nice to be treated almost like royalty!

We didn’t do much in the way of night life because we found we couldn’t stay up late enough. With the time
difference, we would be up every morning at 5:00 am, so staying up late was out of the question. One night we
stayed up late enough to go on the tour of the galley and midnight buffet, but the line up was so long that we just
toured the galley and didn’t have any of the buffet.

Our cruise had stops in Juneau, Skagway, Haines, and Ketchikan. I think Ketchikan was the nicest, followed by
Haines. In all of these towns you would find a huge strip of tourist stores up and down the main street which was
usually within walking distance of the ship. Plenty of the tours offered wildlife, or nature type things if you weren’t into
the tourist trap scene. We went on shore excursions in all towns except Haines. We also had enough time in each
place to do some shopping as well. We just got some souvenirs to bring home to the family. In Juneau, we did a
helicopter tour to the glaciers. It was really awesome but a tad bit expensive. In Skagway, we took the train tour
which was nice and relaxing and not too much work and the view was awesome. In Ketchikan, we did a salmon
fishing charter which we had booked through the Internet as recommended by this database. We used Northern
Lights Charters. Unfortunately we didn’t catch any salmon but we caught some other types of fish. The shore
excursions add a lot of cost to the trip but are well worth it as the parts of town within walking distance don’t do
Alaska justice.

General comments: Breakfast on some morning didn’t start until 8:00 am. I thought that this could have been a lot
earlier. As I said, I was up at 5:00 am everyday and I wasn’t the only one – there would often be a line up to get into
the breakfast buffet before it opened. The stores onboard were not as expensive as I thought they would be and
there was a lot of nice stuff in them. There were tons of activities to do and I felt overwhelmed at times trying to fit
everything in that we wanted to do. I felt there could have been more announcements over the PA detailing where
we were and what the weather was going to be. The ship was beautifully decorated and tastefully appointed
everywhere you went. It was class all the way.

Disembarkation was fairly well organized. There was a disembarkation talk and literature to let everyone know what
to do and when to do it. We didn’t have long to wait until our turn to disembark, but two of our bags got lost and this
was a horrible way to end an otherwise perfect week. Finally now three days later we have our bags back thankfully
since there were irreplaceable wedding souvenirs in one of the bags.

Overall I was very happy and impressed and have already started looking into booking my next cruise with Royal
Caribbean.

Name: Maureen Nicholson
Email: m.i.nicholson2@sympatico.ca
Age: 35
Occupation: travel agency-educational tours for older persons
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: May 22, 1999
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Jun 1999
Time: 09:42:49
Remote Name: ppp7.on.bellglobal.com
Remote User:

Comments

We departed from Toronto and arrived Vancouver. The embarking process was a nightmare. They have
created a new system which is disorganized and creates long waits. After arriving by bus transfer to the
Canada Place Pier, we received a number and were told to wait until it was called. The building was
crowded, limited seating and it was 2 hours before we were called to start embarking.

Once we were
through the doors we received our ship card and boarded. Some others waited for over 3 hours. We were
left to find our own cabins, not given a key to enter and again tried to find a worker to open our cabin for
us. Our ship sailed at 5:00 p.m. and our luggage arrived at our room at 10:30 p.m.. We toured the ship,
tried to change our late seating dining arrangements for early seating, but was unsuccessful. We found it
difficult to wait until 8:30 p.m. to eat and then we were often too tired to watch the show. A few nights the
main show was before dinner. This makes a lot more sense. The food and service in the dining room were
excellent. We were given generous portions-no problem to ask for seconds of anything. Our wait staff
were friendly and efficient.

We did not experience them asking us to give them an excellent rating as
suggested in other reviews. We usually ate breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer was always in the main
dining lounge. The line ups were not very long. There was only one midnight buffet-which to me makes a
lot of sense-who can eat again! There were places to have snacks for most of the day but it was difficult to
find a free cold drink. Outside of dining room hours, you needed to purchase your soft drinks, juice etc. I
have been on other ships were there was an endless supply of free drinks, such as iced tea and water. I
could do without the head waiter always hanging around at the end of our meal. He reminded us of a slick
used-car salesman. We did not tip him but we generously tipped the waiter, assistant and cabin steward.
They work very hard and long hours and months away from home. It is petty of us to not give them an
extra few dollars in their tips when you think of how lucky we are to live in our countries.

What is an extra
$20.00 for the trip?? The cabin steward was pleasant and very efficient. Our room was kept spotless and
when I asked for additional blankets-I came down with a cold-his service was prompt. The ship's crew are
constantly cleaning and polishing etc. The worn carpets must have been replaced since previous reviews.
We did not see any signs of this. The entertainment was good-I wouldn't say excellent, though. Their
choice of comedians was not to our tastes but it did seem that many people were enjoying them. The Rave
Revue Singers and Dancers were excellent with top-notch singing and dancing. On quiet days there were
many activities to keep you busy. If you didn't want to sit in one of the many lounges with great views there
were all sorts of activities. They had a good Ship Shape program where you can earn ship shape dollars
for specific activities, such as walking, stretch classes, line dancing classes, games, aerobics, etc. On the
last day at sea you can redemm your ship shape dollars for t-shirts, water bottles, towels, beach bags.
You require a minimum of 7 ship shape dollars.

The instructors were knowledgeable and fun. We booked
our own tours, having researched the tour information on the net. Cruise ships bring in their own tour
guides who are not locals, and you get your run of the mill tour. We had exciting and small tours in all
three ports. In Skagway when the weather was not cooperating and we couldn't see the summit for the
clouds and fog, our tour guide rerouted our tour and took us to a beautiful area. Not to mention the costs
of our tours was half the costs of the tours from the cruise ship and by taking a local tour, you get the
flavour of a local and support local tourism. We had one very rough day at sea, just after we left the
Hubbard Glacier. We were in open waters for over 24 hours and we experienced 20-30 foot waves. Even
with the size of this ship and the stabilizers, there were many sick people on the ship. This was our first
cruise onboard a large ship. We were uncertain if we would find it too big, but in fact even with 2100
people on the ship we never felt crowded or lacking for space. We often found a cozy corner with
comfortable seats and great views and could sit all day.

Our favourite spots were the viking lounge on
deck 11 with a panoramic view, and a small cozy area called the explorer's lounge. We were told that this
lounge would become an internet cafe sometime this summer. What was most striking about this ship was
that anywhere you went you had a superb view. There is so much glass and open areas that you cannot
feel closed in or lacking for sunshine. The centrum is stunning and the musicians who regularly play there
can be heard up the centrum and through many of the nearby lounges. Beautiful sounds with a beautiful
view. Disembarking was efficient, unlike embarking. We received our tags to be put on our luggage which
is left out the night before. We went to a lounge after breakfast-you are to be out of your room by 8 a.m.
and waited for our number and colour to be called. This was less than an hour. We actually put an earlier
time on our disembarkation form for our airflight in hopes that we would be able to get off the ship a little
earlier. We arrived at the airport in good time and even tried to make an earlier flight by going standby. I
would not hesitate to cruise again with RCCL and aside from a few glitches for us, the cruise was
enjoyable and memorable.

Name: Lisa Linz
Email: llinz@dcscorp.com
Age: 25
Occupation: Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: April 16
Itinerary: Ensenada to Hawaii
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 91
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 82
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 83
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 83
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 79
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 69
DiscoNightclubs: 86
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 89
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Jun 1999
Time: 15:52:49
Remote Name: host-three235.dcscorp.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise and our first time to Hawaii, and we had an absolutely amazing time! The Rhapsody is a beautiful
ship and is very spacious. We didn't feel crowded anywhere at any time. I'm not going to describe the ship in a lot of detail
since there are already several existing reviews that do a wonderful job of describing the Rhapsody. I'm going to focus
mainly on the shore excursions and the islands, since that was the information I had trouble finding when researching for
this trip.

The whole trip was great with the exception of the embarking process. RCCL arranged our air, and we flew out of BWI on
American Airlines. Everything was fine until we got to San Diego when the waiting game began. We went to claim our
baggage and ended up standing around waiting for a RCCL representative to show up and tell us where to put our baggage.
After unloading our luggage, we (along with hundreds of other people) stood outside waiting for the buses to come and take
us to the ship terminal. They didn't seem organized, and they definitely didn't have enough buses running. I believe they
only had 2 or 3 buses going, so we ended up standing there for about 2 hours. We finally got to the cruise terminal and
stood in line to get our cruise cards and the color-coded sticker that dictated when we could get on the bus to go down to
Ensenada. Fortunately, that line didn't take long to get through. We had to wait another hour or so before our color was
called, but they had a really nice buffet set up, which helped pass the time. Once we boarded the bus, it took about 2 hours
to get to the ship. Since my husband and I were warned about how bad this whole process was, we had a little more
patience and tolerance than some of the other cruisers. But if we ever do a Hawaii cruise again, we'll definitely sail out of
Vancouver.

The rest of the trip was great. The five days at sea were wonderful! It was so relaxing, and there were so many things to do
that we never got bored. We only had about a day and a half of consistent sunshine, with the other days being kind-of
overcast and the sun peeking out every once in a while. So the weather could have been better, but at least it didn't rain.
The service was excellent and the staff and crew members were very friendly. In fact, one morning I woke up at 5:00am to
take pictures of the ship, and there were some crew members cleaning the lounges and hallways. Every time I would pass
someone, they would say Good Morning and ask me if I was feeling alright. The food was good and always plentiful. We ate
all of our dinners in the main dining room, but used the Windjammer for most of our breakfasts and lunches. We found that
it just took too long to eat in the dining room when there were other things we wanted to do.

The day before we got to the Big Island, we were a little early, so the Captain took us around the island to see where the
lava is flowing into the ocean. That was definitely a sight to see. Our first stop was Kailua-Kona and we tendered to shore.
We took the Captain Zodiac Rafting and Snorkeling Tour. This was one of our favorite tours. They met us right there when
we got off the tender and took us out in-groups of about 16 on the zodiac raft. Riding this thing is an adventure in itself! We
went out to Kealakekua Bay (which is where Captain Cook's Memorial is) to snorkel. The water was calm and very clear.
On the way back, the guide took us along the coast to get some close-up views of lava tubes and other interesting things.
That afternoon we arranged on our own to try out parasailing. What an experience! We were so glad that we tried it. We
went through a company called UFO Parasailing. Their office is just a few minutes walk from the pier, and their boat departs
right next to where we tendered. There are lots of shops within walking distance of the pier, and I believe there was a small
beach that was within walking distance.

Next stop on the Big Island was Hilo. We docked at the pier, and we did one of the new excursions that they just added
which was the Mauna Kea tour. They drove us up 14,000 feet to the Keck Observatory, which I believe is the highest point
in all of Hawaii. There were some terrific views from up there. There's not much within walking distance here. Some friends
of ours tried walking to the "nearest" beach, and they said it wasn't as close as they make it seem. For shopping, we took
the free Hilo Hattie shuttle (there's a Hilo Hattie shuttle on every island) and stopped at their store for awhile, but then went
to the mall next door. Across the street from Hilo Hattie is another shopping center that has a Wal-Mart. I believe there was
also a city bus that had a stop at the pier, but that cost a dollar to ride.

Our next stop was Lahaina, Maui and we were here for 2 days. We had to tender to shore. The first day we just walked
around the area. Front Street is great with all its shops and restaurants. Don't forget to check out the Banyon Tree! There
were free shuttles that took you to two other shopping areas - Whalers Village and the Lahaina Cannery Mall. We made
reservations in advance for the Old Lahaina Luau. This luau was excellent! We got traditional seating which is on the ground
on mats, and we were right up in front. We talked to people who took the ship-sponsored luau and they said it was ok, but
there were a ton of people there, and it was more expensive than ours was. Ours also was within walking distance to the
pier. The tenders ran all night long so you didn't have to worry about catching a tender. Front Street definitely seemed the
place to be at night. The next day we took the Lanai Snorkeling and Dolphin Tour. It wasn't too bad, but the water wasn't as
clear as in Kona, and it was very choppy. It was nice to see part of Lanai's coast.

Next port was Nawiliwili, Kauai, and we docked at the pier. We took the Waimea Canyon Tour, which was pretty tame. We
got on a bus, saw the canyon, and came back to the ship. I'm glad we saw the canyon, because it was really pretty, but I
think we would have had a better time on Kauai if we had rented a car and toured the island ourselves. We were also told
that the Wailua River and Fern Grotto Tour was pretty tame. There's a small beach and a very small shopping center within
walking distance of the pier, but that's about it. There was a free shuttle to the Coconut Marketplace, which was pretty nice,
and had pretty good prices. There were also free shuttles to Hilo Hattie, K-Mart, and another shopping center.

The last port was Honolulu, Oahu. We didn't take any shore excursions that day since we stayed an additional 5 days on
the island.

This was, by far, our best vacation. And we would do it all again in a heartbeat. If you have any questions, please feel free
to email me.

Name: Lynn McRill
Email: lynnintulsa@webtv.net
Age: 48
Occupation: wife
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: Jul 10, 1999
Itinerary: Inside Passage
Cabin: 7156/D
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 75
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Jul 1999
Time: 15:41:55
Remote Name: tulsb103-29.splitrock.net
Remote User:

Comments

We enjoyed an outstanding cruise.

We used the air/sea program with a pre-cruise stay in Vancouver. Our hotel, Shangri-la Pacific Palisades, was
more than we ever expected. We were put in a suite that is really a condominium. My husband and I had 2
bedroom, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, and a washer & dryer. We stayed there 3 nights. The
day of embarkation, we did a little paperwork with the Royal Caribbean representative, then we went on a
Vancouver bus tour that was included with the package. The bus tour dropped us right at the ship. We were able
to board without waiting in line. Disembarkation was equally smooth. My only minor complaint with the air/sea
program is that our flights were early in the morning and late at night.

Our cabin was great. We chose to have a balcony on this cruise, and it was the right decision. We hesitated to
spend the extra money, but it was worth it. We used our balcony a lot --- day and night. The Alaska scenery is
breathtaking, and with the balcony we were able to take photographs from dawn to dusk. We traveled with another
couple, and when the scenery was too beautiful to leave our balcony, we would have our meals delivered. There
was plenty of room on the balcony for 4 of us to eat comfortably. We had a lounge chair, so we took naps on the
balcony, also. The rest of the cabin was very comfortable, and there was plenty of storage space. Our cabin
steward tended to our cabin twice a day, and he kept everything clean and neat.

There is a wonderful selection of shore excursions. I asked everyone I met how their shore excursions were, and I
never got a negative comment. I personally did the Juneau Wildlife Cruise, the Skagway Glacier Flight and Eagle
Preserve Float Trip, and the Ketchikan Misty Fjords Floatplane and Cruise. Between these three shore
excursions, we saw humpback whales, orcas, harbor seals, mountain goats, black bears, and eagles. We saw
porpoises, orcas, and eagles from the ship, also. My husband decided to cancel (within the published deadline) a
shore excursion he had signed up for, and he received a full refund.

Royal Caribbean uses closed-circuit TV to get information to passengers about shore excursions, ship's location,
shopping, debarkation, tipping, etc.

Now, here's the negative comment. Our waiter and assistant waiter were very friendly. However, breakfast and
lunch are 'open seating' which means we never knew where we would sit or who our waiters would be. Some (not
all) of the waiters were very cold --- almost hostile. Nobody in our group is demanding or impolite, so there was no
excuse for such an attitude. We heard other passengers say that the waiters were only nice to the passengers
who would be tipping them at the end of the cruise. A couple of times I saw waiters making fun of passengers (to
other waiters) behind the passengers' back.

I would book this cruise again in a heartbeat. It was ALMOST perfect!

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