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Name: Patrick Postrehovsky
Email: postrehp@bcs.ca
Age: 17
Occupation: student
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: July 19 1997
Itinerary: 7-night Alaska Inside Passage
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 86
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 65
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 40
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 100
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Aug 1997
Time: 20:24:52
Remote Name: 152.163.206.105
Remote User:
Comments
Our cruise aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas was our third to Alakska. Since we lived in
Vancuver getting to the vessel was easy. The
embarkation was quick and smooth. The vessel is truly elegant. The lobby is specatular
with it's waterfalls and glass elevators. My mom got
us a super deal! We olnly payed $1100CND or about $899US (incl all taxes). Our standard
inside stateroom (CAT N) was cozy. You could
still smell that the ship was new. Our stateroom had a T.V, a fair sized bathroom and a
small sitting area. But there was no frigde.
Something that I feel could have been there. For us the room size ins't important since my
mom and me don't spend much time in there
anyway. But it was fairly noise. The complete darkness didn't bug us since we had a
morning up call to wake us up. The food aboard the
ship was very good. (don't mind what others say) It really was good. Mainly because it
tasted very fresh and all dishes were well prepared
and brought to your table warm. We had the first sitting for all meals, But we the second
was less hectic. Our waiter was terrfic. Service
was fast, even a refill took only thirty seconds. The dining room itself was lovley
(EDELWEISS DINING ROOM),make sure you try and sit on
the second level as the noise level is lower. The Windjammer Cafe had delicous
breakfasts,lunches and even its dinner were very good.
Selection however is a bit limited,but sufficent. All the bars and lounges and beautiful
and service is prompt. The Broadway Melodies
Theater is the best I have seen and the entertainment is 100 times better than Princess or
Holland America. There some many activities
one might feel overwhelmed. The gym is great, but it could be bigger. Tendering in Skita
was a smooth process. Shore Excursions are the
biggest rip-off. As we found out in Juneau. Our tickests for the same trip 50% more
(always book your trips with a local tour operator, it'll
save you lots of money) The shopping is crazy, so many stores!!! Finally after our trip we
found the debrakation was very poorly run. It
took us fours to get home (and we live in Vancouver!!!) So in conclusion RCCL lived to my
mom's and my expectations. We would certainly
cruise with RCCL again but HAL and Princess do have some perks over RCCL and that is there
smaller passenger capacties.
Name: Bruce Ellis
Email: jollyroger@lgcy.com
Age: 32
Occupation: Instuctor
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: August 9 1997
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Sep 1997
Time: 13:12:07
Remote Name: 207.14.219.10
Remote User:
Comments
The Rhaspody of the Seas is a beuatiful ship.The staff are very freindly,and willing to
everything to make your cruise excelent. The food and
dinning room staff are outstanding.The gourmet food is prepaired fresh and served to
hot.You can eat as little or as much as you want.They
have a light menu(for the calorie concious)with a dessert menu for diabetics. If you bring
children,the ship has a full staff for the little ones to
keep them busie with activities and games all through out the day. For the adults there is
something to do all day on board. As for the off shore
exculsion they are pricey but you can get cheaper ones on shore. The state rooms are cozy
but you wount spent much time there so don't
worry if you don't get a porthole. The ship is very stable,only about 2 to 3 hours of
realy rough seas. The entertainment is superior!The theator
is breath takeing,and very large with balcony seating.The disco is a bit small,but offers
a great view durning the day. I would highly recommend
sailing on the Rhaspody of the Seas.
Name: Q. Kingery
Email: kingery@peganet.com
Age: 54
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 09/06/97
Itinerary: Alaska-Inside Passage
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 89
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService: 89
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 82
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 91
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 78
Casino: 87
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 89
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 89
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Sep 1997
Time: 16:56:39
Remote Name: 206.102.214.54
Remote User:
Comments
Rhapsody is almost new so overall appearance and cleanliness is excellent. Crew seems to
want to please and the space on the ship is
outstanding with much glass which allows for exceptional outside awareness. Food quality
and presentation in main dining room was also very
good.
On the downside, the midnight buffets were disappointing with overall food quality and
variety somewhat limited. Also, the tours at each port
were overpriced and not all that good. You would be better off finding your own tour and
things to do when you arrive in the Ports. The
exercise facilities were exceptional but they closed very early each evening so you could
not use them when you returned from a day of
touring at a given port. These facilites need to be left open until at least 10PM each
evening.
Name: Bob & Lynda Willsher
Email: bob.willsher@sympatico.ca
Age: 53 & 50
Occupation: Personnel Supervisor & Accounting Clerk
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: August 9, 1996
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 97
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 87
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 87
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 97
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Oct 1997
Time: 22:38:15
Remote Name: 206.172.187.94
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise so our ratings may be higher than experienced 'sailors'. We also
had the good fortune of sailing on the new 'Rhapsody of the
Seas' which was launched only a few months before we sailed. We found the food, both in
terms of quality and quantity to be excellent. We never went to
a midnight buffet because the late seating had us eating until about 10:45 p.m. The dining
staff we very attentive and lots of fun. We found the cruise staff
couldn't do enough to help. The tender service was a little less than the usual standard
that Royal Carribean had set. On one transfer the operator went
too fast, didn't close the flaps and we ended up getting very wet. We also found the on
board photographer to be a little annoying. A few photos were
appreciated, but some of them we totally unnecessary and of no value...except to make a
buck.
The design of the 'Rhapsody of the Seas' is excellent. We found the many 'hideways' off
the main hallways to be excellent quiet spots. Even though there
were 2300 passengers on board, it never seemed crowded. They were excellent at organizing
all of the events. The cruise was to Alaska and, of course,
the incredible scenery added to the magic of the holiday.
We will always remember the 'Rhapsody of the Seas' and would like to try her on a
Carribean cruise.
Name: J. D. AND HOPE CHEZEM
Email: jchezem@inlink.com
Age: 57 and 52
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: oct 5, 1997
Itinerary: panama canal
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff: 100
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 100
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Oct 1997
Time: 11:04:32
Remote Name: 208.3.103.195
Remote User:
Comments
the service on this ship was excellent. the food was good altho the variety after 13 days
was getting to be the same.
the shore tours were a bit too high in cost compared to what you could get by yourself.
the captain and crew were
also excellent. we had to go around hurricane pauline and miss acapulco (thank god) but we
had an unsceduled stop
in costa rica to make up for it. the captain did an excellent job of skirting all rough
water caused by the hurricane.
the rhapsody of the sea was the best and most beautiful ship we have been on to date. (the
legend of the sea and
monarch of the sea are both a close second) no complaints from us altho we did hear from a
few couples on the
cruise about problems with the pursers staff. we will continue to sail rccl lines in the
future mainly for the fine service
we received.
Name: Isadora (Dorrie) Altman
Email: meetingplace@ncentral.com
Age: 56
Occupation: Restauranteur
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 10/5/97
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 9895
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 100
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Oct 1997
Time: 16:32:28
Remote Name: 206.150.162.59
Remote User:
Comments
The cruise was wonderful! The captain had to avoid a hurricane in Alcapulco and diverted
to Caldera, Costa Rico. The
shore excursion list developed virtually overnight was fantastic, and the adjustments for
entertainment changes and
menu adjustments due to the change in ports was excellent. The overall entertainment
schedule was fantastic and
varied. A group named the Rosario Strings, a flautist, pianist and violinist from the
Phillipines played regularly in the
Centrum and were consumate musicians. The ship was at full capacity due to the two weeks
dry dock time, and the
crew was stretched to handle some of the crowds on a 13 day cruise. But they managed well.
At main seating dinner
occasionally the kitchen seemed to bog down and there were very long gaps in dinner
service. But we enjoyed the
socialization time and weren't in any great rush to go elsewhere. We were always out in
plenty of time for the staff to
set up for the second seating.
The Windjammer Cafe seemed to have a few problems with organization, and equipment at the
outside pool side
beverage station didn't seem to be in proper working order. On a brand new ship this was
surprising.
Disembarkation took FOREVER - partially due to authorities in San Juan holding things up,
to the point where the ship
had to notify airlines to hold planes for passengers. This is a problem with bureaucrats
having too much power and
not a problem of the ship. It would have been nice if snacks and beverages were available.
We realize they had to set
up for the next set of passengers, but after breakfast at 6:30 am, and not being allowed
off the ship until after 11:00
am, something would have been nice.
We were lucky to have been upgraded to a cabin with a veranda - what a joy going thru the
canal! Actually the only
bad part of the cruise was some of the peoble behaving like little children in lines (when
there are 2000 people, lines
develop)
Name: Fran Millard
Email: ftanmil@aol.com
Age: 58
Occupation: Contract Administrator
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: June 1997
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 65
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 50
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 07 Nov 1997
Time: 08:35:20
Remote Name: 208.201.69.93
Remote User:
Comments
This was a great ship with the finest professional entertainment. The food was adequate
but not great. The
food at the Lido area was not acceptable in our view nor was the service good in this
area. We tried this twice
and were disappointed both times. The picture of the outside room in the brochure did not
match what we
received (we were in the "D" catagory with a veranda). The picture in the
brochure for this catagory shows a
much larger room with two chairs, fancier draperies, etc. However the cabin was nice but
was somewhat
cramped around the bed area.
The itinerary is a good one although if I had it to do over I would definitely go on up to
Anchorage. I was sorry
to miss Glacier Bay. The shore excursions were well received and I didn't hear any
complaints except maybe
the walking tour of Skagway. You didn't need a tour for this. The railroad trip and flight
sightseeing were
great. Comments I did hear about the excursion were the cost but I think it is the same no
matter which line
you use.
Embarkation and debarkation were hectic. We waited in line for 45 mnutes to get a cab to
our hotel. It
doesn't appear that Vancouver is set up for this large an influx at one time.
Name: Joel C. Dmochowski
Email: jdsquare@email.msn.com
Age: 43
Occupation: Data Processing Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 11/08/97
Itinerary: San Juan, Aruba, Curacao, St. Marteen, St.. Thomas
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 91
CruiseStaff: 69
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 69
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 89
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 91
TenderService: 91
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 93
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 89
AirSeaProgram: 91
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 91
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 89
Stabilization: 89
ShopsOnBoard: 89
SpaceRatio: 91
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Nov 1997
Time: 12:23:45
Remote Name: 153.35.171.222
Remote User:
Comments
The following in my review of my recent cruise onboard The Raspsody of the Seas on Royal
Caribbean. I will list in
order the items that I had trouble by lowest rating first. Then I will detail the items I
liked by highest rating. I hope my
feedback will help others.
Cruise Staff - Mainly the Purser. My wife could not buy a stamp or mail any postcards on
the ship. We have cruised five
times before and never had this occur. There were signs that said they would do it but
when she asked the purser on
duty see was told to take a cab which costs seven dollars into Curacao to do it herself.
It may have been just another
language barrier that we experienced numerous times throughout the cruise. When I cruise I
expect the staff to say no
problem to all reasonable request and not direct you to do it yourself.
Dining Room Service - Our waiter who was very pleasant and tried very hard to be helpful
but was limited by his
knowledge of the English language. He was from Portugal. We had learned that he was just
promoted two weeks
earlier. That is great but perhaps he was not ready. To make matters worse we were staying
in a Category B Suite
which I thought meant that we should have the better of things the ship had to order not a
new waiter. No matter what
we asked for he brought us something different because he did not understand us. We were
also seated with our
backs to the wait station so we had to move around the table every night to get a view of
the dining room which made
it even more confusing for him. This continued all week and some of the humor was lost at
the end of the cruise.
Good for Families - There were more children on the cruise than I had hoped for. I did not
know Royal Caribbean was
so geared to being family oriented. This would have been OK but the children were very
present throughout the cruise.
I would have hoped that they would have been less visible.
Cabin Steward - Our cabin steward did his job well but did not seem to do anything extra.
We had to ask him three or
four times to make sure our refrigerator had bottled water. He never was visible for us to
see which may have been
what is expected but I would have liked to be asked if there was anything extra he could
do.
Cabin Quietness - There was a lot of creaking in our room which you could hear when trying
to go to sleep. Our suite
was 8014.
Overall Service - I am used to having people help with my trays in the buffets. On
previous cruises with Celebrity they
always carried your tray and got you soft drinks. Also, I was having an ALPHA treatment
and was left for forgotten to
program the chamber. I did it myself and got poached. This could have been dangerous. They
did not charge me and
did let me schedule another one that they charged me for. I can only wonder how inquired I
could have gotten?
Ship Cleanliness - There always seemed to be a lot of rubbish on the floors throughout the
ship. I cannot remember
this much on other ships.
The luggage took forever to get to the room and came in bits and pieces. We got on the
ship at 1 and did not get all
the luggage until 7.
The Good Stuff
Cabin Comfort - We had a suite and it was great, spacious and well designed.
Overall Ports of Call - We loved the Mamba Beach in Curacao. One of the best beaches I
have ever been to. All other
ports and excursion far exceeded all my expectations.
Food Variety - Great throughout the day from start to finish. Some minor conflicts with
quality but with the variety you
could just get something else.
Food Quantity - Always had the chance for seconds, thirds and etc. This was even true at
diner.
Cruise Director - Did a great job. He was funny, well informed and very visible. He was in
charge and everything seemd
to go as planned except most events ran ten to fifteen minutes late. There were 2000
people on the ship so this could
be expected.
Beauty Salon - The facilities and people were tremendous. My wife felt very special every
time she visited it.
The SHIP - It was very beautiful and spacious. The art around the ship was wonderful. You
could have spent a day just
taking pictures of all the art - we did. The Centrum was gorgeous and the most beautiful I
have ever seen.
Final Comments
I had great hopes for Royal Caribbean before we left and was a little letdown by what we
encountered. Last year I
cruised with Celebrity and found the it to be a far better experience. I hope with RCI
acquisition of Celebrity that
Celebrity does not get brought down service wise. Maybe with the bigger ships that seem to
be the trend you cannot
service 2000+ guests the way they used to. I would advise anyone to check the staff to
guest ratios before using Royal
Caribbean if you expect great service.
I would use Royal Caribbean again, in fact I have one booked for December 31, 1999. I hope
that they try to copy the
service of Celebrity and learn from it and not take their service levels to Celebrity.
Overall I would rate the cruise at an
85.
Name: Chris & Lisa Bouchat
Email: CPB@CHRYSLER.COM
Age: 35
Occupation: Systems Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 11/08/97
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 99
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 99
OverallPortsofCall: 99
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 99
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 99
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 100
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Nov 1997
Time: 15:58:02
Remote Name: 204.189.94.70
Remote User:
Comments
After reading the other review for the Rhapsody (dated 11/08/97), I felt that I just had
to put my own review in,
because I totally disagree with all negative comments. I especially disagree that a person
in a B suite should get
any different treatment outside their cabin you paid more for the suite not the
service....(we were also in a B
suite).
What a great vacation!!!!! I know we don't have any other cruise experience to compare
this cruise to, but all I can
say it was an 11 out of 10. From the time we arrived at the port to the time we
disembarked for the airport we
that a great time.
The ship was enormous, never did we feel that there were 2100 vacationers on-board, at
times, it almost felt that
we were the only ones on board.
Cruise Staff: The cruise staff were absolutely wonderful, they were "Jack of all
trades, master of ALL (not none)".
They did everything possible to make sure everyone had a good time (if someone didn't
enjoy themselves, it
their own fault).
Sea Sickness: Before we left my wife bought the sea band for herself, but never had to use
them. The seas were
not rough (4-6 feet) and with the ship being so big it was hard to tell if you docked or
sailing in the open seas.
Food: The food was very good, not great. Portions were on the small side (remember if you
like something ask
for two - ie. lobster are only half of a tail).
Service: We had a excellent waiter and assistance waiter from France and Turkey. They
tried their best to make
sure everyone received what they asked for and was cooked to how they liked it. At our
table, there was one who
always wanted to try something new, and every time she did she did not like the taste. She
returned her dinner 5
of 7 nights and never once did the waiter get upset, he always returned with a new dinner.
Cleanliness: Never once did we see litter on the floors, the ship was alway spotless.
Overall, I can't say enough how great of a vacation this was.
Name: Michael Lerner
Email: mlerner@wviz-nt1.wviz.org
Age: 41
Occupation: Producer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 12/20-12/27/97
Itinerary: 7 day cruise: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 89
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 82
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 92
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 89
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 93
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities: 89
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 91
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Dec 1997
Time: 16:59:45
Remote Name: 204.130.176.109
Remote User:
Comments
This was our second trip on RCCL. The Rhapsody is a beautiful ship with all the newest
amenities. We had an outside cabin on deck 3 that
was more than adequate for my wife and daughter...but if they were available (they were
sold out) we would have preferred the deluxe rooms
on the Commodore and Bridge decks that had outside varandas.
Positives - The RCCL staff really makes you feel special and will definitely go out of
your way to make your cruise special. The dining room
service is top-notch and I found the food quality and variety just superb. Even though
there were over 2000 people on this cruise, you never
felt cramped or crowded due to the excellent way the ship is laid out. The activies on the
ship were varied and would appeal to anyone 8 to
80. The entertainment was superb -- I especially liked the mix of video and live action
elements. The excursions offered all seemed
interesting and we chose a varied mix to go on...but (see below) For the first time or 20x
cruiser, RCCL is a great company to go with.
Negatives - The room service needs to be revamped. Constantly the staff got things wrong,
were inept or responsive, or didn't bring the food
at all. This was a Xmas cruise so there were lots of kids on board (I had 3 kids
on-board).My biggest complaint was that people were using
there kids to hold unlimited amounts of seats in the Broadway Melodies theatre. This
continued every day, so many people were shut-out
from sitting in the first 10 rows. Either RCCL shouldn't allow kids in the first few rows
of the theatre, or they should establish a reserved seat
policy (You would have to pick up tickets each day) Make sure you take advantage of the
$15 unlimited Coke policy. Otherwise, you'll end up
paying 1.50 for each can of Coke (or soda). I didn't and ended up with at least $50 in
soda charges! The cabins are nice but you only get one
small garbage can - two would be nice. The showers are roomier than in the past, but the
shower pressure is minimal. The main Xmas display
in the Centrum was not what I expected. It looked like the (small) Xmas tree was drunk and
had to be held up by a surprising amount of wires.
The gingerbread houses surrounding the tree and the cheap train were the same ones I saw
two years ago on the Sovereign. I'm sure the
RCCL creative staff could come up with something more original and visually interesting.
The excursions, though well organized and varied,
were expensive and you could probably save plenty of money by booking them locally or
through another source besides RCCL.
Name: Dianne Myers
Email: rdmyers@wcnet.org
Age: 47
Occupation: housewife
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 10-18-97
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 97
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 98
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Apr 1998
Time: 16:30:48
Remote Name: 205.133.171.67
Remote User:
Comments
My husband and I enjoyed our first cruise with RCCL so much that we didn't even check out
the other cruise lines. I will admit that our first cruise in 1994
was a bit more exciting. This cruise was every bit as relaxing as our first. We did over
do it a bit on the shore excursions this time. On a 7 day cruise I think
that 2 excursions are plenty, any more and you feel rushed all the time. The food and
service were very good. Our assistant waiters first day on the job
was the first day of our cruise, but she did very well. Our waiter was very attentive and
caring about getting things correct. Our cabin stewardess was a
doll. We left the cabin for breakfast, and by the time we came back to get set for the
day, everything was done. We enjoyed our cruises so much that we
are sending our two daughters and their husbands on one, of course we booked another one
for ourselves too! I would cruise every year if I could. The
only negative thing about the ship was that you either had to walk through a smoked filled
casino or outside to get to the theater, I think that the layout of
the ship could be better concerning non smokers. The ship was beautiful, clean, and the
staff was very helpful. The entertainment was very good for
people of my age bracket. Bowser from Sha Na Na and his new group were on board, as well
as the Fifth Deminsion. The Wave Revue performers were a
very talented group of kids too. We did not participate in a lot of on board activites
mainly because we were too hurried with all of our shore excursions to
get involved. I highly recommend Rhapsody of the Seas very highly for a cruise vacation.
Back to RCCL Rhapsody of the Seas
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