Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Mike Bolner
Email: mbolner@aol.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Sales
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: June 12-19, 1999
Itinerary: Inside Passage
Cabin: 3532 Family Suite
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 93
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 93
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Aug 1999
Time: 17:47:35
Remote Name: tcnet13-045.sat.texas.net
Remote User:

Comments

Prior to leaving, I spent a lot of time reading and understanding messages aimed at Alaska cruises and various
ships that traveled there. I did pose a question to rec.travel.cruise newsgroup concerning the five hours I
appeared to have from the time I landed in Vancouver to the scheduled embarkation of the ship. I was concerned
about looking for something to do to fill some of that time. Many responded and gave me some suggestions, but
the general concessus was that I would not have all that much free time. As it turned out, they were right.

We were a party of four -- two kids, 17 and a 15 year old, very small, moderately handicapped child. The only
other cruise my wife and I went on was a RCCL Song of Norway, in 1981, Caribbean route. That was the only
reference point we had for comparisons.

Travel to Vancouver was uneventful, transferring in Phoenix on America West. RCI had made all air
arrangements, transfers, etc. We did no stay overs before or after the trip because of lack of time. Wish we could
have though, as Vancouver appeared to be beautiful in June and my wife had been to Victoria previously.

Arrived Vancouver 10:30 AM. An easy walk to customs, it took about a 25 minute process to get through. I was
surprised that luggage was not with us at the customs window. The ship took care of our bags. We didn't see them
until later on the ship. Bus was waiting right outside and left as soon as it was filled. There were several other
buses, and they all seemed to leave as they were filled. Short drive to the terminal -- however, there was
extremely heavy traffic and the trip took almost an hour. We arrived at Canada Place about 12:30.

We immediately got in to a huge line. Took about 45 minutes to get to the counter to receive our boarding cards.
We were getting hungry. Not much to choose form at Canada Place. I suggest grabbing a bite at eh Airport or
having a few snacks along. At the counter, the gave us our boarding passes. They punch a hole in the 17 year
olds' boarding card to prevent unauthorized charges at bars. Good system. They attached a sticker to our cards
showing us to be a member of the Crown and Anchor Society -- but never saw any advantage for it.

Then we went through security check which went well. I carry lots of cameras and film, and all were hand checked
without incident. We were given a number. (21) We had to wait about 30 minutes for our number to be called.
Then we could board the ship. Photo was taken at the entrance to the ship. It was now 3:00. Upon entering the
ship we were led to our rooms. We chose a family suite, starboard front 1/3 of the ship. No luggage yet, (actually it
arrived at 10:30)... so off to explore a bit. First stop was the Windjammer cafe for a bite of food. Nothing
spectacular, but satisfying. Being not too forward or aft was pretty nice. It cut off quite a bit of walking. Actually we
were very near the forward bank of elevators.

The ship departed 5:30. Interesting departure. The HAL Westerdam left at 5:00 from the next berth over. Never
saw the Westerdam until Ketchican several days later, and then on the last morning we followed her back into
port. Watching the sunset over the inside passage was beautiful.

We chose the late seating. That worked best for us because we figured we would be running to jump aboard as
they close the hatch on each port of call - that's how we are. Anyway, it worked out very well. The first night we
had no one else at our table. Apparently a family of four was assigned there, but because of small children they
wanted their own smaller table.

The two waiters at our table and the headwaiter were very competent. After first night all drinks were automatically
brought. The head waiter did a very nice job with several special requests. I enjoy a tomato, mozarella, oil and
vinegar salad that was not on the menu and it was produced without any problem. The table next to us had
special requests for mashed potatoes and rice and that was bought daily with no hassle I don't know exactly how
this was accomplished with the crush of feeding so many at one time, but it seemed to work

A lot has been said about food quality and I will comment as follows: Windjammer Cafeteria was OK. We felt it was
about on par with cafeteria food in general. It was convenient for us being right over us -- a short 6 story elevator
ride. I would have liked it to open a bit earlier - there were many early risers waiting around for the doors to open.
Many of the same entrees that were on the main menu in the dining room were also on the buffet. The
preparation and flavor were the same in both places. Never tried room service. Because of timing, naps and such
I had occasion during dining room hours to ask for an entree to go. To my surprise they brought it quickly I took it
back to the room. This was a nice surprise and I was very thankful for it. I also did this once with a dessert for my
daughter. They had her favorite, napoleons. These were not on the buffet. The dining room obliged.

The food was well prepared. It was not gourmet, with complex sauces and extraordinary ingredients. However, it
was competently prepared and served nicely. Extra portions were no problem -- we didn't have to pre-order
extras, but they were still produced quickly. My 17 year old had no problem getting his fill at every meal. I do think
the overall quality of the food service should have been better. This was so noted on my comment card at the end
of the cruise. Comparing it with my experience 16 years earlier, we did see many examples of reduced effort in the
kitchen. However, this should not be construed as anything more than a that. Food is typical banquet quality that
hotels heat and serve. Nothing was bad, nothing was poorly presented, and certainly nothing was inedible. It's just
that I can eat food like this daily at any cafeteria or better diner in the country. We would have liked more upscale
entrees and effort in creativity in the kitchen. The pizza bar was poor. Any brand of restaurant pizza would have
been superior. Many frozen varieties would have been superior. Don't know what the problem there is, but it
should be a lot better than it was. However, the burgers and fries were excellent -- go figure.

Ice cream was offered in the Windjammer each afternoon. I thought the time was too limited. Coffee, Tea,
lemonade were available continuously outside near the pool near the front of the ship. These same beverages
were non existent by the pizza and hamburger stands (near the back of the ship). It was a hassle to walk half the
length of the ship to get a drink with your burger. However, the bar was nearby and served cokes for a fee. By the
way, soft drinks were included in the dining room with all meals. We did not participate in the Kids coke program.

The midnight buffet was only on Thursday night -- we looked and my son ate. He said it didn't taste all that good --
it did look lovely. Seems like a great waste of food and energy. Maybe a dessert buffet would be better. Don't
know.

They did have these sandwich carts going around the ship wherever people congregated -- the casino area,
Centrum, and the lounges. Heaven forbid any of us was more than five minutes from food. On second thought
maybe I should have picked a cabin more foreword or aft so at least a little bit more walking would have been
forced on me......nah! Enough about the food. Sounds like all ships suffer from the same maladies concerning
food.

The kids programs were excellent - my daughter went with the 6-8 year olds and was quite taken with the
program. She considered it her school and looked forward to being there every minute it was open. They had
pirate night, game night and T-shirt painting night. The funniest thing this age group did was to make ships out of
boxes, popsicle sticks, paper, plastic, balloons and just about anything else yo could think of. They then cleared
the swimming pool and had a race to see whose could sail across the pool first. Several kids made waves to help
propel the boats. It was hilarious. When the ship was in port and during certain times of the day, they ship offered
group baby sitting for $4.00/hour and we used that a few times. Excellent.

The teen group keep that age group busy. Scavenger hunts, prom night, meal time, tea, swim and hot tub time,
etc. They had a great program of activities that the 16/17 year olds enjoyed. These kids ate breakfast together,
lunch, Ice cream, midnight buffet etc. Their teen room (separate from the younger kids) had a big TV, games etc.
They seemed to not want to do anything else than hang together. They kept a list of all participants along with
mail, phone, e-mail etc. and shared this at the end of the week. I think half of them still keep in touch on Instant
Messenger.

Seemed like we only saw our kids at dinner and shore excursions. This is a very good youth program. Reading
the rtc news group and several other review areas if the Internet, it seems this program is equal to or better than
some others.

Plenty has been said elsewhere about entertainment. I would comment that I would like to see some younger
name talent on these ships. Other that the cruise director and crew, all entertainment was pushing past their
prime. Interesting sideline about the cruise director - Kurt Detweiller. I saw him repeatedly around the ship and
onshore. This young guy was great and very personable. He was always easy to talk to and helpful with
suggestions. I enjoyed meeting him.

Casino and lounge experience were about what has been written.

Shore excursions we took were as follows:

Skagway -- pre booked with the ship the train up and bus back down. Could have done without Liarsville show, but
was OK. We then left my daughter at the ship in the care of baby-sitters and spent the rest of the day shopping.

Haines -- this is a 15 minute stop that you get to say for 6 hours. All three citizens come to wave hi when you
arrive. Actually, we enjoyed this stop almost the best. It was quiet -- we were the only ship there. It was 30 minutes
from Skagway and was set among the mountains. It was here we saw what we laughingly called the totem pole
manufacturing center -- actually an artist hand carving these beautiful poles. Gorgeous. Walked downtown and
poked around many fine shops. Excellent jewelry. Did not walk to the fort, but many others did. When you first got
off the ship many locals were available to trips to the mountains or wildlife trips. Many of our fellow passengers
sent on these and they were very happy. Didn't talk to many who pre booked tours here.

Juneau - hired a cab for 70.00 for three hours. He took us to Mendenhall Glacier - we walked to the glacier
lookout but skipped the visitor center. Went to the Chapel on the lake. Toured downtown. Saw several bald eagle
nests and circled around to an eagle standing on a pole next to the road. Got a great picture - the kind you need
a 400mm lens to get - right there with my APS cheapo. Drove over to Douglas island for overview of the three
ships in port at one time. We also took the glacier float plane tour. This was a marvelous look at the five glaciers
in the immediate area.

Ketchican- our time was too limited here. We took the Salmon Falls Jet boat trip to see many homes and old
buildings in this area. It is amazing how people adapt to life here. This was worth the time to do. By the time we got
back to town, there was only a little time to visit. The Totem Heritage Center was closed by the time we got there.
We shared Ketchican with the Galaxy and Westerdam that day.

The other stop we made was to cruise Hubbard Glacier - this was magnificent. I went out on deck well bundled up
and staked out my spot near the bow. There we met the Galaxy just leaving and we had the whole view to
ourselves. I was surprised how close the Captain drove up to the glacier. We saw lots of calving and heard lots of
thunder. I then moves to the side rail when I felt the ship swinging around. He held the ship there for a while and
then I moved to the other side when I felt it moving again. Doing this I was able to video to the max. Keep warm
and take gloves. The breeze was cold. As we left the glacier, we went to the Windjammer cafe and keep a sharp
eye out for seals and such. Saw a few.

By the way - wildlife was not abundant, but we know that going in. The salmon are not running until mid July or so
and the food chain moves with them. However, the most excitement was the whale flukes we saw out the dining
room window one night. That's all we saw. The folks who went on the wildlife viewing excursions did see whales,
seals, etc. Should have done one of those - didn't. Guess I will have to go back.

Retaining to Vancouver was with a heavy heart. I rose early to watch the sunrise as we steamed into Vancouver.
The lady I shared the bow video taping of the glacier was up also. No one else. It was just as pretty as the sunset
leaving the week before.

Disembarkation began at 8:30 went smoothly and we arrived with two hours to spare at the airport. Retrieved our
luggage from the RCI truck, used the free baggage carts supplied by the airport. Watched the British Royal
Wedding on the TVs there. The international terminal is under major construction - you will pay $7.00 per person
tax to fund same. Customs was easy, luggage left us then.

Had a horrendous 6 hour layover in Phoenix - spent the time at the Children's museum and nice dinner at a sports
bar via cab ride.

If you read this far here are some Interesting sidelights:

We had occasion to visit the ship's doctor. My daughter had a light fever flare up and we wanted to confirm before
beginning medication. Down to Deck 1. Her office was right across from where they ferry passengers when at
anchor. Dr. Inga from Sweden. Looked like Baywatch meets Chicago Hope. She actually wasn't very helpful, but it
was interesting to see the full blown ER they have on board ship. Laying on her desk was a list of "missing
medications."

While we were there, several crew came in for their medications. Couldn't get a handle on what was wrong with
them. Perhaps the insidious Alaskan flu I have read about since coming home?

While we were in Ketchican, the big news was the small cruise ship that had run aground in Glacier Bay the day
before. The jokes were hilarious. I think another one went aground since then? Who drives those boats?

In Haines, while we were visiting the totem pole shops we saw another man who was carving poles. He talked
about how each is unique and can be commissioned. They sell for $1500.00/ foot. He was working on a 20 footer
for a Michigan gentleman's 50th anniversary. It had all his granddads and several events in his life depicted.
Impressive.

Being from San Antonio, we had the bad luck to be cruising when the NBA finals were going on. Guess I could
have scalped my tickets to pay for the cruise, but instead gave them to some customers. Any way out in the
middle of the Pacific, we received satellite transmissions of the NBC telecasts. In talking to the crew the previous
playoff rounds did not make the TV on the ship but the finals did. My cabin steward was named Duncan (not
related to Tim). It was great fun watching the Spurs do battle with the Knicks on the casino TV two different nights.
By the way, Duncan was so efficient that one night I went to the bathroom and the bed was made up by the time I
got back. (No... really!)

Also, my parents took a northbound HAL Noordam trip mid July. They did see some additional wildlife. They
commented their food was very good after the first day, but he ship has a rumble and vibration throughout the
whole trip. Many of their fellow passengers commented on it. It was also interesting how customs worked for them
on their trip- they entered Canada at the Vancouver airport. They left on the ship sailing north from BC to USA.
Leaving the ship in Seward and flying home from Fairbanks, they never again saw any kind of customs. As far as
Canada knows, they never left Canada.

My wife and I plan to return to Alaska some time soon- I want to see Sitka, Valdez, and Glacier Bay. Also, with
capacity increasing I would assume pricing will stabilize or decline.

It doesn't take long to write too much, but here it is. That's about it - thanks for listening.

Name: Mike Anderson
Email: andersonapp@nidlink.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Real Estate Appraiser
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: September 11, 1999
Itinerary: Alaska Inside passage
Cabin: 8006/B
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland: na
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: na
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: na
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: na
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: na
EntertainmentPoolside: na
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: na
MedicalFacilities: na
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Sep 1999
Time: 10:15:35
Remote Name: tnt132-74.nidlink.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our third cruise - but the first on RCCL. All the other ships were much older so it was going to be nice to
compare a newer ship with the older ones.

We used private transportation to get to the pier and the cruise park attendants in Vancouver were great. We started
boarding at 12 noon and were on the ship by 12:30. Upon checking in we recieved the first good news - we were
upgraded from and outside room with a veranda (category D) to a suite with veranda (category B). The suite was
absolutely beautiful and the bathroom as large as our at homes. Oak woodwork and trim everywhere in the cabine with
marble floors and plush carpeting - more closet room than we knew what to do with, and a very nice marble topped bar
area with glasses and towels. All lighting was indirect and was very well done including the backlit vanity area next to
the king sized bed.

The ship is beautiful - and others who had cruised many times were amazed at how beautiful she is. Even being very
large, it did not seem so to us. The ship is very well laid out and publich show areas, casino, and shops are all located
in the central area of the ship. Many other reivews had said the ship was not cleaned well and things were showing
signs of wear. We did not have that experience.

It was the end of the Alaska season and the shops on board had deeply discounted the merchandise - 60 - 70 - 80
per cent. Boy, did we shop!

Food in the dining room was not as good as we had experienced on other ships, but was still very good. Lobster was
excellent as were the steaks. Other seafood dishes were good, but not much above average. Food in the Windjammer
was average buffet food, except that you could have eggs and omelettes to order - which were very good. Lotta, our
waitress, and Drago, our assistant waiter were the best anyone could hope for - wonderful personalities and very good
at pampering us. The head waiter was a total loss - we did not even tip him. Other reviews have said that the help on
board was always hinting for good rating - we did not have that experience at all.

Taco bar and hamburgers in the Solarium were very good.

Casino was very tight - and not much of anyone did really well during the entire cruise. They have a bulletin board of
large money winner dring the cruise - maybe four to six people made the list. Casino staff was very rude when trying to
get change.

The Broadway Melodies Theatre was very beautiful - you felt as though you were at a Las Vegas show room. The
entertainment was all very good except for the next to last night when we had a unicyclist/comedian - pretty
uninspiring.

Embarking and disembarking were very,very smooth and caused absolutely no problems. We were on and off the ship
better than any other cruise I've been on.

Port of call were all great - except for Haines - very small and nothing to do there - we stayed on board and enjoyed
our suite and veranda. Shopping in Juneau and Skagway were excellent, again with end of season deep discounts.
We wished we had shopped more there instead of saving some money for Ketchikan - which was very expensive.
Items we purchased in Skagway and Juneau were at least half the price of the same items in Ketchikan.

Our shore excursions were booked separately from RCCL - I won't do that again because the first one to Mendenhall
Glacier was a sham - our tour guide did not say anything the whole trip and gave us 20 minutes at the Glacier. Shore
excursion in Skagway by the same company was 100 better. We skipped the excursion in Ketchikan. Our traveling
companions booked more expensive shore excursions in planes, trains, and helicopters through RCCL and were very
pleased - they took over 20 rolls of pictures.

Would we sail RCCL again - absolutely. Would we sail Rhapsody again - absolutely. We are already planning a year
2000 Panama Canal cruise and plan on going RCCL.

Name: Tedd E. Povar
Email: tlpovar@erols.com
Age: 46
Occupation: Local Government Management
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: September 18, 1999
Itinerary: Alaska
Cabin: 7561/K
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Oct 1999
Time: 12:34:08
Remote Name: pc2.cooper.virginia.edu
Remote User:

Comments

This was my 7th cruise and my wife's 3rd. We booked a q-guarantee wherein you float (no room assignment) until
just a couple of days before the cruise. We ended up getting a six-grade upgrade, still an inside cabin, but nice
location and of slightly larger size. We were very satisfied. We arrived in Vancouver two days early to see the city
and take the Victoria day trip which also includes Buchart Gardens. Highly recommended for anyone traveling to
Vancouver. Even the British concede that Buchart Gardens are some of the most beautiful they have ever seen in
or outside their country. Embarkation on Saturday involved a long line but it moved along at a steady pace. Really a
simple process if you know what you need and have your paperwork in order. Everyone was very nice, and we were
on the ship well before sailing time, so there was plenty of time to explore.

As others have noted in their reviews,
this is a magnificent ship. Lots of glass, wood, brass - but very tastefully done. The atrium is spectacular, and
creates a wonderful mid-point for gathering and just sitting. The only time you have a sense of the real size of this
ship is on the lower cabin decks when you can see end-to-end.... it's big and long!! The decks are arranged very
logically, and there are good guides to help reorient you when you get turned around. I have been on smaller ships
that were much more difficult to negotiate. Elevators are handy and readily available. The stairs are no problem,
nicely padded and wide so you tend to use them when only going a deck or two up or down. We took lunch in the
Windjammer buffet. We tended to use the dining room for all meals since buffets are nothing special. Hey, you're on
a cruise. Why not do something special like having full sit-down breakfasts and lunches! It's a special treat for most
working folks! Food in the Windjammer was good, but nothing extraordinary. We found the dining room significantly
better in variety and quality for all meals.

Our cabin was on deck 7, up from the dining room, and down from the
activity decks. Great location from which to go to various activities. We were far astern, but felt no extra vibration or
noise. The ship is generally smooth and quiet, except for when we encountered 20+ foot swells. She could not
'stabilize' those! The cabin had more than adequate storage space - we brought a lot of stuff and had room left
over. The bathroom w/shower was very nice with good pressure. Beds were comfortable, closed circuit TV w/ CNN
and ESPN was a very good feature for those of us who like to stay informed even when away. There is no noise
between cabins, a wonderful improvement over some other ships we've experienced. When in the cabin, we had no
idea anyone else was on the ship. Our cabin steward did a very nice job and was always there with a smile when
necessary. The dining room had a very nice menu, and most of the food was very good to excellent. I don't know
how they do it, but they have mastered massive steak preparation. Each was wonderful. Even the prime rib was just
wonderfully prepared and exactly as ordered. Quantities were just right. Only one dish was obviously a frozen or
pre-prepared item. The duck and lobster tails were great as well, and even though we were second seating, they
never ran low or out of anything. They were virtually forcing us to eat more lobster tails until we cried uncle!

The
waiter and assistant waiter were both Indian, and excellent. We enjoyed every meal in the dining room. We
especially liked the fact that breakfast and lunch were random seating, so you got to experience different areas of
the dining room.... a spaceous and beautiful facility. The wait staff have lots of room to operate compared to many
other ships, and this can only help to improve their work and demeanor. Service on this ship was the best we have
experienced. This was their last Alaska trip for the season, and may have contributed to their spirits, but in any
case, from steward to waiters to purser, they were great. Very efficient, competent, and just set a wonderful tone for
the cruise. The cruise director is a bit plastic, no one is that happy! - but we enjoyed him and his diverse staff very
much. The shows/entertainment were at a par or above with anything else we have seen on previous cruises. All
was good and enjoyable, but we are not critical about such things. The variety was good a well. We are not
gamblers, but we understood from others that the slots were very tight. I guess that's normal in the cruise industry,
but those used to Las Vegas were a bit aggravated. But that was their problem!

The shops on board are very nice,
and prices were quite reasonable. We bought some duty-free perfume at a lower price than we could find in airport
duty-free shops. This was the fairest pricing in ship-board stores we've seen. A good customer relations policy! We
booked three excursions through the ship and all were as good or better than advertised. All were on schedule and
just really a great part of the trip. We river rafted in Juneau, flew and canoed at a glacier lake in Skagway, and float
planed and tour boated out of Ketchikan to the Misty Fiords. Our only disappointment was that our viewing in
Glacier Bay was quite limited due to low clouds and rain. While it was cloudy and showery most of the trip, it really
didn't get in the way of our activities. On board, the outdoor and indoor pools are heated, and nobody used the
sauna and steam rooms, so those could be used regardless of conditions. Getting out of the pool outside was a bit
of an experience!! 85 degree water and 50 degree air temperature with wind makes for quite a contrast!
Debarkation was efficient, more efficient in fact than what we anticipated so be booked a mid-afternoon flight. We
could have been more aggressive and booked an earlier flight. Getting out of the dock area is slow due to limited
taxi access. You just have to be patient. It is orderly, just slow. Not RCCL's fault, just a design problem. We definitely
recommend RCCL for cruising. This ship in particular is magnificent, and they have the service side nailed. We
really want to try Celebrity (their sister company) now to get a full comparison. I've been on Cunard, Premier,
Carnival, and others, but my two trips on RCCL have been the best of the lot. There is no such thing as a really bad
cruise, but some are a bit better than others! If only they could control the weather!!

Name: Paul Svensen
Email: psvensen@nbcs.nsw.edu.au
Age: 50
Occupation: Accountant
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 18 September 1999
Itinerary: Alaska
Cabin: 7632/D
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 97
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Oct 1999
Time: 05:10:26
Remote Name: bluefin.intercoast.com.au
Remote User:

Comments

The last time my wife and I went on a cruise was in 1984, on "Royal Viking Sea" - a fabulous ship in her day. My
expectations were not so high with Rhapsody, as I had thought nothing could compare with "Sea". However, cruise
ships have obviously come a long way in the last 15 years: Rhapsody surpassed all my expectations! We chose the
popular Inside Passage cruise to Alaska, not only for its excellent scenery, but also because - as my wife is prone to
seasickness - we had heard it was the most gentle one on delicate stomachs! This time we were travelling with our
two daughters, aged 12 and 8. We decided to have a night at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver to recover from
the long flight from Sydney, Australia. This was an excellent hotel, and it was exciting to watch Rhapsody berthing
directly below our bedroom window early the following morning.

When it came time to board the ship, we had only to
press "CS" (Cruise Ships) on the hotel's elevator to find ourselves right at the terminal! Although the new
computerized boarding system was not working, embarkation progressed amazingly swiftly, considering that there
were over 2,000 passengers boarding at much the same time. Within 30 minutes, we found ourselves aboard the
ship. My first impression of Rhapsody was that, not only was she huge, but she was elegant, scrupulously clean and
excellently maintained. Our stateroom was well aft on the Commodore Deck, but there was very little vibration. It had
2 single beds, and the large sofa converted to a comfortable double bed at night. The balcony was a great place to
sit and watch the Alaskan scenery slip by: We were also fortunate to see a couple of whales on the second day out.
Our stateroom was always kept clean. If we had a shower and left the cabin for half an hour, on our return we would
find the bathroom had been cleaned and the towels replaced.

I suspect our steward, Leonard, had a secret camera
fitted in our bathroom, so he knew when to come and clean it. Leonard would also set up our younger daughter's
dolls on her pillow at night, when turning down the beds. Even though we had a refrigerator, there was always an
ice bucket with fresh ice on the sideboard. While the weather was apparently typical for Alaska - freezing cold, with
a lot of cloud and the occasional rain - the heated solarium enabled us to sit out on deck in our swimmers. With the
vast expanses of glass, you can watch the scenery on both sides of the ship, while still keeping an eye on your
children in the pool! Both pools are wonderfully warm, though the chemicals that had been added destroyed the
brand new swimmers of both our daughters. The Solarium also boasts a bar and a cafe, where you can get
hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and french fries at almost any time of day. Our daughters enjoyed being able to go to
the bar and get "free" drinks whenever they liked (or were permitted by their parents!) simply by showing their
boarding cards. (We had paid a fee of $1.00, plus $2.00 per day, at the start of the cruise to enable them to do
this). They could also get free ice creams from the Windjammer Cafe. Rhapsody was fully booked for this cruise,
the last one to Alaska for this year.

However, she didn't feel crowded at all. There were always cosy nooks where
you could curl up with a book; the only time I had to queue for more than a few seconds was when I went to join
what seemed like 1,000 other passengers to photograph the midnight buffet! At one stage, I wondered if most of the
passengers were permanently in their cabins, it felt so uncrowded. For a ship with as much glass as Rhapsody, it
was amazing that the windows always seemed to be clean. Crew were constantly at work, cleaning windows from
one end of the ship to the other; they were also dusting, cleaning brass and oiling external equipment, and so on.
But they never seemed to intrude. Hardly anything rattles on Rhapsody. The only vibration to speak of was felt in
the dining room, and you soon stopped noticing even that. The staterooms were amazingly quiet: The only times we
ever heard our neighbours were when out on our balconies. I had heard a lot of criticism of air conditioning being
too cold on cruise ships. We found the temperature throughout the ship to be just perfect, and we were able to
regulate it in our stateroom to make it exactly the way we like it.

The dining room service was very quick, which
suited us as a family. It might seem a bit rushed for those who like to linger over their meal but, as ours was the first
seating, it was necessary to keep things rolling in order to enable the waiters to prepare for the next lot of starved
passengers. Royal Caribbean has come in for quite a lot of what I believe is unwarranted criticism over the standard
of its food. Sure, you are not going to get Beluga caviar for dinner, but you're also not paying the sort of fares that
go with such delicacies. The food we had was, without exception, well prepared, tasty and at the correct
temperature. There was also a wide selection to choose from. From escargots to salmon, lobster tails, filet mignon,
etc., etc., each night's dinner was a culinary experience to be eagerly anticipated. Desserts included chocolate
mousse, hazelnut souffle, Bombe Alaska, etc. We mostly had a buffet breakfast in the Windjammer Cafe. Even
there, you could have your eggs prepared to order right in front of you. Whenever you got up from your table to get
some more food, by the time you returned your dirty dishes would have been removed. If you chose to eat in the
dining room, you were waited on hand and foot, though you didn't have your regular table and waiters. Lunch was a
similar setup, though we chose always to eat either in the Windjammer Cafe or in the Solarium. We tried not to
overdo lunch, having chosen to make the most of breakfast and dinner! There was also morning and afternoon tea
to consider, with temptations in the form of bagels with smoked salmon, chocolate brownies, cookies, doughnuts, ....
The Broadway Melodies Theater was fabulous. It was extremely comfortable, and the standard of the performances
was excellent. My only regret was that we didn't go to the first few evening shows, deciding instead to go to bed
early with the kids.

Rhapsody went to Juneau, Skagway, Haines and Ketchikan. This was the final cruise of the season for all the ships
going to Alaska, so there were great bargains to be had in the shops, with many of them offering 50% discounts on
a wide range of merchandise. We seemed to spend a lot of time shopping! I would have liked to do one or two of
the aerial excursions, but they are very expensive and the rest of my family are allergic to small planes and
helicopters, so we chose to see the towns instead. Juneau is a quaint town, especially when you get away from the
tourist strips. Skagway is picturesque. It's almost impossible to take a boring photo there. Being from the Antipodes,
we were captivated by the squirrels that were collecting acorns in a local park for the winter. We visited Haines in
the evening, when it was also raining. We would rather have stayed aboard! Fort Seward, right by the wharf, was
pretty; however, we found the rest of Haines totally uninspiring. Our favourite port was Ketchikan. Although it was
raining there (it nearly always does!), it was a very pretty town, steeped in history. The horse-drawn trolley ride is
not to be missed. A wander along Creek Street is another highlight. The salmon were so thick in the river that you
felt you could walk from one side to the other without getting wet! I would thoroughly recommend Royal Caribbean
to anyone who likes cruising. My only real regret was that there wasn't enough time in 7 days to do everything I
wanted! 7 weeks would have been better...

Name: Diane Bale
Email: dlbale@home.com
Age: 48
Occupation: Computer Programmer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: October 6, 1999
Itinerary: Hawaii
Cabin: 2086
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 70
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 70
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 70
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 60
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Oct 1999
Time: 16:11:55
Remote Name: proxy1.roalok1.mi.home.com
Remote User:

Comments

All in all, our Hawaiian cruise exceeded our expectations. Since this was our first cruise, we had nothing to compare
it to, but our expectations were high. While the cruise wasn't perfect in every way, our complaints are few and minor.
Over all it was fabulous.

The cabin: We opted for an outside stateroom, at the lowest level possible and midship. It was small, but we had
plenty of room to store our things and were quite comfortable. Reggie our cabin steward met with us our first day
aboard to introduce himself, explain what we could expect of him, and ask if we had any special needs or requests.
He kept our cabin clean and comfy. We enjoyed the many characters he created with towels and pillows. He also
always had a friendly greeting for us when we ran into him in the hallway each day.

The dining room: Our table waiter Yavuz and assistant waiter Rocky provided us with excellent service. There was
nothing they wouldn't do for us and our table mates. As for the food, this is area in which we were somewhat
disappointed. The food was never bad, but it wasn't ever fantastic either. There were a few nights when it was very
good, but most of the time it was just okay.

Shore Excursions: We booked some of our excursions ourselves and some through the ships excursion desk.
Those I booked on my own were better than those I booked through the ships excursion desk. The excursions
booked through the Royal Caribbean were fine, but the buses we large. Everytime we stopped it meant 50 or so
people had to get off and on the bus. The tours I booked directly used smaller buses, with no more than 24
passengers. They also made a lot more stops and costed less than the tours arranged through the ship. We still
enjoyed ourselves on the tours arranged through the ship. All the tour guides were knowledgeable and funny. We
saw a great many things on every tour. We just found the small groups a bit more enjoyable than bigger bus tours.

Entertainment: The Rhapsody cruise and entertainment staff did a great job. Everyone on the staff was friendly any
time we ran into them somewhere on the ship. We enjoyed many of the ships activities. The shows each night were
at least very good and many evenings excellent. Our only complaint was that some of the activities didn't start until
very late at night. There were also afternoons when there wasn't all that much to do on board the ship. We would
have liked to see some of the late night activities moved to midafternoon.

The ship: The Rhapsody is a beautiful ship. We liked the layout and never had any difficulty getting to and from
wherever we wanted to go.

The itinerary: We booked this cruise because we liked the idea of seeing all the islands and having five days at sea
at the end of our trip so we could relax after all our sightseeing in the islands. However, we found the five days
straight at sea to be a bit much. We had fun the entire time we were on the ship, but by the third day at sea we'd
had enough. We would have preferred fewer days at sea and an extra day at some of the ports we visited.

Hotel Package: We flew into Honolulu a few days before our cruise and stayed at the Hyatt Regency on Waikiki. Our
room was beautiful, but not quite as nice as we expected for our $300 a night. Next time, I will make hotel
arrangements myself.

Air Travel: We opted to let Royal Caribbean handle our air travel too. We paid extra so we could include a stopover
in San Deigo to visit our son. This is something else I would arrange myself the next time. I could have saved quite a
bit of money had I made the flight arrangements myself. I talked to other people who made thier own arrangments
and had no trouble which is something that was hinted at when I asked about making arrangments for myself.

Conclusion: We would definitly cruise on the Rhapsody again. While the food wasn't great, the service was superior.
The people who run the ship do a great job. We had the best vacation of our lives.

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