CruiseOpinion.com Ship Reviews

Name: Andy Day
Email: andy_day@ltx.com
Age: 45
Occupation: software engineer
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 5/23/98
Itinerary: Alaska - Glacier Bay
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 86
CabinAmenities: 94
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 96
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 94
ShoreExcValue: 87
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 92
LoungeService: 89
TenderService: 94
GoodForSeniors: 91
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess: 94
ExerciseFacilities: 94
EntertShowLounge: 86
OverallPortsofCall: 93
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 94
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities: 98
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 97
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Jun 1998
Time: 13:52:21
Remote Name: 159.75.10.109
Remote User:

Comments

By far the worse part of this trip was the coming and going. We bought the air/sea package and it has its problems. We arrived in Vancouver and eventually
located the RCCL agent after walking past the agents for Holland America, Princess and Carnival. Instructions on our cruise documents specifically said luggage
would be transferred from flight to ship but this was not the case. We needed to claim our luggage, drag it to the RCCL counter per agent instructions
whereupon the agent decided we really should have left it against a wall on the other side of baggage claim. We were shown to the bus and the ride to the port
seems to take forever with much of the time spent getting into the port area (traffic flow is not well managed.)

When leaving the ship, we did the customary leave the bags in the hall the night before. We had to leave the ship, go to the airport and claim our bags before
checking in to our flights. Two of our bags arrived with their group but the third did not appear for another 2 hours. It had been left on the pier and required
RCCL to go look for it. (One poor family failed to receive any of their five bags until a few minutes before their flight left. I hope they made it home.)

The cruise itself was very very nice. We were fortunate to have good weather for the week except it meant I dragged rain gear, boots, umbrella, etc along for
nothing. The scenery was terrific and the ports were fun to explore. There was not very much to Haines other than the scenery which is spectacular but it seems
to have the potential to become more some day. There is a good amount of time in ports as we seemed to arrive before and leave after the other cruise ships
we kept coming upon.

The food in the dining room was so-so at the beginning of the week. It seemed to get better as the week went on. The veal on the second night was rubbery as
were the lobstertails a couple of my companions got (my wife thought her lobstertail was very well cooked.) I sailed on the Seawind Crown in February upon
which the food was much much better prepared. Presentations were nicely done and the service was always excellent from both our waiter and his assistant.

We only caught a couple of shows as it stayed light until 10:30 at night. We would eat at first seating and go outside to watch the sights go by (shore is always in
sight). We would simply forget to go to our shows. Shows were rebroadcast the next day on ship's TV and I really do not feel we missed a whole lot. The vistas
were much grander.

The trip through Glacier Bay was fabulous. A couple of rangers came and board and acted as tour guides. They would tell us about the bay and the sights as we
travelled along. We saw quite a bit of calving at the glacier but unfortunately not much wildlife.

This was a very enjoyable cruise. I would recommend it to others who like to see a variety of places in a short time without having to pack and repack in between.

Back to RCCL Rhapsody of the Seas

 

buttons.gif (9761 bytes)

Want to book your cruise at a great rate? Click here.
Questions or comments? Mail to webmaster@cruiseopinion.com.
Copyright ©1996-2001 CruiseOpinion.com. Last modified: January 17, 2000.