Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Gail Schmerling
Email: schmerl@hotmail.com
Age: 49
Occupation: Counselor
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: August 1, l998
Itinerary: Alaska inside passage
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 75
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Aug 1998
Time: 16:49:17
Remote Name: 208.28.84.183
Remote User:

Comments

Before we began our cruise we took the five night Canadian Rocky tour that RCCL offered as an add-on. This was fantastic! Brewster tours did an
outstanding job. We visited Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, walked on glaciers, and ended up in Vancouver. All very well done with informative guides.
Another nice thing was a RCCL representative came to our hotel in Vancouver and checked us in for the ship right in our hotel lobbey. No waiting in lines
down at the pier! We boarded the Rhapsody with no problem. The ship is beautiful. We were lucky enough to have a suite with a veranda. The room was
as big as most hotel rooms. There was a bathtub and a roomy bathroom. For an Alaska cruise I would recommend getting a room with a veranda to see
all the beauty as you sail. The ship as a lot of areas where you can go off and be by yourself. The deck was never really crowded since we were in Alaska
and not a warm climate. The Solarium is a nice touch. Beautiful pool enclosed in glass. They also served hambergers, fries, etc. in there(the fries were
great). On an Alaskan cruise shore excursions are a must and they fill up VERY quickly. The first night we were told that a drop off box for shore
excurions would be put out at 5:00. The line started forming at 4:30. People who arrived at 5:03 didn't get all their first choices. They did add a few more
trips later. Put in as early as possible for your shore excursions. The absolute highlight of the trip was the Flight and Float shore excursion. A small plane
(19 passengers) flies through the glacier park--our weather was picture perfect so they could actually fly low between the peaks. It was totally
overwhelming . Ablsolutely incredible. Several of us were so overcome that we cried. The flight is choreographed to music and is just beyond description.
After the flight we got on rubber rafts and floated down the river for about 2 hours. Wonderful. So it if you can. Wildlife excursion was also good--saw
whales, seals, sea lions. Eagles were all over the place. We also took a seaplane to Misty Fjord. The experience of riding a seaplane was fun, but other
than that, not a must do. Our day in Glacier Bay was great, but after seeing it from above, a little disappointing. It was really neat to see and hear the the
glaciers calving. Overall this trip was an incredible adventure. The beauty of nature surrounds you the whole time. It was actually a spiritual experience.

Name: Colleen Uba
Email: colleen@eia-agency.com
Age: 29
Occupation: graphic artist
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 11/7/98
Itinerary: 7 S. Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 93
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 79
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 87
ShoreExcVariety: 93
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 93
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 93
OverallPortsofCall: 91
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 97
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 93
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Nov 1998
Time: 13:43:19
Remote Name: 208.246.195.169
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 4th cruise, but our 2nd with our 3 year old son and my in-laws. We all like to shop and found the best deals on St.Maarten. Overall, all the
islands had fairly good shopping.

We took only one excursion and that was on Aruba. It was the Town and Country tour and it took us all over the island, and it was very nice. On St.
Thomas, we went up to Paradise Point which I believe is the highest point on the island, very breathtaking view!

I like being on the ship better, it is very beautiful and well kept. The Atrium is beautiful and you can view the atrium all the way up on deck 10. 99.9% of
the staff was extremely helpful and courteous especially with a 3 year old. The only diappointment in that area was the youth staff. My son is a little shy
and only one youth staff employee took the time to try to warm up to my son, as a result, my son did not want to stay with any of the other youth staff.

Our cabin was fairly clean and the steward helpful. Lots of room for clothes, shoes and toiletries. Our cabin happened to be right under the casino bar,
so there was a lot of banging and sliding of heavy items that could be heard late at night.

The food was excellent. I think a gained 5 lbs. I am not a big seafood eater, but my husband enjoyed the seafood. Large childrens menu with slight
variation on preparation, my son enjoyed it.

I would recommend a cruise for families. It is not just for couples and seniors. We had a great time.

Happy Sailing!

Name: Lauren Alvarez
Email: mlalvarez@earthlink.net
Age: 31
Occupation: Insurance
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Rhapsody
SailingDate: 12/12/98
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 68
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 92
CruiseStaff: 91
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 72
DiningRoomService: 92
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 97
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 98
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 60
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 89
EntertShowLounge: 82
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 98
AirSeaProgram: 10
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 10
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Jan 1999
Time: 16:22:19
Remote Name: 38.30.128.248
Remote User:

Comments

This was the first cruise my husband and I went on. After quite a bit of research, I decided on the Royal
Caribbean line. We booked a D cabin (with a balcony) and feel fortunate that we did. One of the best things about
the cruise was our cabin and our cabin steward. We really enjoyed having the balcony, and would recommend
that to anyone thinking about a cruise. We also did the 'Royal Occasions' add-on, and feel that that was one of
the best values on the cruise. We received 2 bottles of champagne, petit fours in the room, breakfast in bed, and
a classy silver frame along with an 8x10 formal portrait. Without doing the above package, we would not have
gotten any portraits, as they were $19.95 each (a rip off in my opinion, along with many other guests). We felt that
the charges for excursions were high, and we were able to do some of them on our own. A big recommendation
in Curacao is 'Caspar Tours'. He called himself Caspar the friendly black ghost, and he took 6 of us out on a tour
of the island, a tour of the Curacao liquor distillery, and to a small souviner store that had an incredible view of
the entire island. He charged $10 per person. The tour from the cruise line cost $24 and they were jammed in
like sardines on a bus, and they didn't get the real flavor of Curacao. We hated renting a car in St. Maarten. It was
terrible, the employees for the rental company were rude, and the car was in horrible condition. This rental
company was arranged through the cruise lines, and we were not impressed at all. The most miserable part of
the cruise was Disembarking when the cruise was over. It was interesting that they begged you the night before
to fill out the review cards, and asked you to make them as high as possible. Once you had your evaluation in, it
was like they forgot you were guests. We had a 2:40 flight out of San Juan, and we were called to disembark at
9am. After recovering all of our baggages in customs, we had to stand in line to check in at the US Air counter.
There were about 20 people on line ahead of us, and after waiting a while, we discovered that no-one from US
Air had arrived. Everyones luggage was sitting in the middle of the street. After waiting another hour, the cruise
line decided to put every one's luggage in a truck, and bring it the airport, where we had to claim it again. The
truck didn't show up until 12:30 at the airport. They left the luggage at the entrance of the airport. Some people
had earlier flights, and had gotten on them assuming that their luggage would follow. That didn't happen, and I
am sure that the luggage is still sitting in the front of the airport. We then had to check in, and one of the US Air
employees had the audacity to indicate that they were at the cruise line at 9:30. Some of the other people on line,
almost leaped over the counter to kill him. The entire disembarkment was hell, as was getting home. It left a very
bad taste in my mouth about cruising, because that is what I think of first. I recommend evaluating the air/sea
program closely before deciding to use it. My husband and I both feel that we would have been better off doing it
ourselves, and not expecting the services that were promised by the cruise, that were not forthcoming. Although
we had alot of good times on the cruise, I am not sure if we would cruise again, and we most certainly will not
cruise out of the San Juan area.

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