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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Cheryl
Email: cheryl_josephus@pamperedchef.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Buyer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: Oct. 25, 1999
Itinerary: Miami/Nassau/CocoCay/Key West/Miami
Cabin: 7534/F (Prom. Deck)
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 94
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 92
CabinQuietness: 97
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 94
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 88
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 93
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 93
EmbarkDisembark: 94
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Nov 1999
Time: 16:01:49
Remote Name: spoon.pamperedchef.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise and it had been a 'hard sell' for me to convince my husband that
this was the vacation for us.
Finally, he agreed to go for our 25th wedding anniversary. I had gone on line to determine
the best pricing through
Royal Caribbean and then had my friend/travel agent book it for us. I had done a lot of
homework on line prior to the
sailing so was somewhat prepared. The tickets should have arrived 2 weeks before sailing
however my travel agent
called and told me that she was sending them back. We had opted for the air/sea package
and the travel agency had
requested non-stop, first flight on United or American. What we had been assigned was one
stop on US Air. She then
contacted RCC and we were assigned seating on United. The seats going were 2 window seats
and coming home were
2 seats together. By the time we got our tickets they had been changed to a window, middle
seat combination.
When we arrived at the airport, there was a RCC rep waiting for us who walked with us
through the airport and helped
others who were not part of the air/sea package. There was a long line for the bus but it
moved very quickly. At the Port
of Miami we checked in. Once again the line was fairly long but moved very smoothly and
quickly. We were in the new
port which is not totally completed. From the time we got on the ship until the time we
got off, people were very helpful.
Initially we went to our cabin, changed and went directly to the Purser's to get our
Bonine tablets and safe deposit box.
We then checked out our seating arrangements. We had requested late seating at a large
table. We were assigned late
seating at a table for 4. The head waiter circled our name and indicated that if a change
could be made, it would be.
When we returned to our cabin to change for dinner, a card had been slipped under our door
assigning us to a new
table.
From there we went to the pool deck for the bon voyage buffet. The lines were long but
moved quickly and there was
ample seating. The roasts they were carving were excellent. There was a nice assortment of
salads. The dessert
assortment was not as varied as I thought it would be however; there were fresh
raspberries on one of the torts as well
as kiwi and strawberries. In general it was really good.
We explored the ship, spent some time at the pool bar listening to music and went upstairs
for our fire drill. Actually, it
was kind of fun. There had been several weddings on board and we had seen several brides
in their gowns at the pool.
One of them was at our station in her gown, wearing her life vest. Everyone was quite
friendly.
It was rather windy and rough. The first night I was a little queazy before dinner but did
fine once I had dinner and from
then on. I discovered that you couldn't go into the casino until you were 3 miles out to
sea. After we dressed for dinner,
we went to one of the lounges and listened to music before going to the GIGI dining room
to meet our dinner
companions for the trip. We had been assigned a table for 8 toward the back of the dining
room however, there was a
perimeter of quite a few tables out from us and down a few steps. We really had a very
nice location. We had 2 women
traveling together and 2 retired couples. Naturally, the first night everyone is on their
best behavior however; by the end
of the cruise, we had closed the dining room not once but twice and had laughed until we
cried. They were great to be
with! One of the couples had been on 15 cruises so we listed to their expertise.
In general people on board were great. The weather didn't cooperate as much as we would
have liked. As I said, it was
windy on Monday and Tuesday in Nassau was overcast and it drizzled. We shopped on our own
and took a taxi to
Paradise Island to see Atlantis. It was fabulous! It is a must see. Of course we stopped
in the casino and within 5
minutes I had won $300. The lady next to me won $200 and I saw another lady win $250 so it
was fund to hear all the
bells and see that many people winning. In spite of the weather, it turned out to be a
great day.
We returned to the ship and shared a taxi with people who were on the Disney cruise and
also very friendly. The sun
was coming out and we returned to the pool. At that point, my husband, the 'hard sell'
turned to me and said that the
next cruise we take will be at least 7 days, if not 10! He was already convinced.
I will not go into a 'blow by blow' description of our trip however I will touch on a few
more points. The pool bartenders
were very efficient but not extremely friendly. The servers on deck went out of their way
to make sure that some of the
single ladies would get out and dance. They danced with little children when they saw them
and truly tried to ensure that
everyone had a good time. Our housekeeper was was very sweet. The only problem that we had
with our cabin she
checked on but could not help us with. We had gnats in the bathroom - not tons of them but
enough to be annoying -
maybe 10 or 12 at a time. She said they were coming from the hall but nothing could be
done at that time because all
that they had was industrial strength defoggers which could not be used while we were
there, so.......
Our waiter was Gerry who was from Poland and Edwardo was our Asst. waiter from Mexico.
They were great and really
added to our meal enjoyment. My husband had expected lobster and crab, neither of which
was seen on the cruise. We
had a midnight buffet at the pool on Tuesday and a much nicer buffet in the dining room on
Wednesday. On Monday
and Thursday, hor derves and desserts were passed through the various night clubs. The
pool buffet was really
another full meal. I had wanted more cheeses, shrimp, coctail type foods. This seemed to
be the case on Wednesday
night. In spite of that, if you went away hungry, it was your own fault.
We had intended to snorkel at CoCo Cay and got up on Wed. morning to see the tender
bobbing up and down next to
our ship. When we were having breakfast I commented to my husband that I thought we were
moving. The water was
too rough for us to go ashore so we were heading out to sea. This was a disappointment.
There were free drinks that
afternoon and I decided to play bingo. I felt that it was expensive for what you got. A
pack was $20 and there were
additional items that would include you in the raffle. I took the basic pack and 1
additional and it cost $38. We played
only 5 games and there were 3 raffles (each was for a $50 print, shirt and cap). I thought
it would have been a little
longer so I was not pleased with that. As everyone knows, the pictures are pricy but the
choice is yours and they do not
push them. Most of us bought at least a few.
We were given the option of adding tours at Key West. I had purchased the conch train tour
but would have liked to add
the snorkeling tour. I was unable to do so because the 2 conflicted. As it was, Key West
is a great City and I'm glad we
had time to explore after we got off the train. I had talked with the cruise person who
works as liason with the shops
regarding the jewelry as my husband was concerned about purchasing quality jewelry at a
place we weren't familiar
with. A travel consultant I met in the hot tub told me about her wonderful experience with
Colombian Emerald's which
she purchased a watch and the cruise lector was very helpful. When we got to the city we
went to Colombian Emerald's
where we shopped and ran into the cruise lector. We were thrilled with our purchases.
The entertainment was really enjoyable and the Captain' s gala was very nice. In general,
we felt that if people were
bored or didn't have a good time, it was their own fault.
The debarkation process was smooth. The luggage no longer sits in a large warehouse (which
I was told was the case
before) but circulates on conveyors like at the airport. I had attached neon bows to each
piece of luggage to facilitate
finding it quickly. We moved through customs with no problems and the bus took us directly
to a check in area at the
airport where we had ample time to catch our plane.
We are still on a 'high' from our trip and are already talking about the next cruise we
would like to take.
Name: Pete Grosso
Email: Gro2222@aol.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Pediatrician
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 12-13-99
Itinerary: Nassau,CocoCay,Key West
Cabin: 8032 F
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 93
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 91
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 91
CabinSteward: 93
ShoreExcVariety: 93
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService: 91
ShoreExcValue: 92
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 92
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 88
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 91
EmbarkDisembark: 88
DiscoNightclubs: 91
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 92
ShopsOnBoard: 93
SpaceRatio: 91
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Dec 1999
Time: 12:56:10
Remote Name: spider-wm054.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
My wife and I took our third cruise,our 2nd with Royal Caribbean(the first was on the
Nordic Empress),and
this one was the best yet!We went with some friends on the SOTS,and the cruise was
outstanding!We
have found Royal Caribbean to be an excellent cruise company and recommend RCL without
reservation
to anyone considering a cruise. On the day of departure we had a very early
flight,courtesy of their air-sea
package,and getting up at 0400 for a 0600 flight was a pain.However,it paid off when we
arrived at the port
at the very start of boarding.We highly recommend arriving early,as the time it took us
from getting off the
bus at the terminal to the time we entered our cabin on board was 20-25 minutes,which is
very good.There
is always something to do while waiting for the ship to pull out of port,so arrive early.
The rooms on the
Sovreign are not large - the brochure pictures are ACTUAL SIZE (well,almost),but the beds
were
comfortable,and the room adequate for a 4 night cruise.The hot water was warm at best,and
the bathroom
quite small,but the water pressure was good.
We had an ocean-view which we considered worth the extra
cost. The service was excellent all around,which is characteristic of RCL in general.In
the dining room,our
waiter,Cengis,and our asst. waiter,Melda,were the best twosome we ever had.They were
ever-present for
anything we wanted or needed,and did everything they could to make our dining experience
unforgettable.After the first night,whenever we arrived at our table,Melda brought each of
us our drink
without our even asking - she remembered what each of us preferred.This type of attention
to detail was
characteristic of every meal.Highest kudos to both Cengis and Melda! The food,with a rare
exception,was
superb.The meat servings,whether filet mignon,sirloin steak,prime rib,or poultry were
excellent,and the
pasta dishes were uniformly very good.Everything was made to order.I even tried,a bit
hesitantly,caviar and
escargo,and both were delicious!
Don't hesitate to try new foods;if you don't like something,you can just
ask for something else-this is the time to be daring! The one weak area was that several
chocolate
desserts were too gelatinous,and the viccysoire was quite watery and thin.Except for
these,the food was
excellent.This was also true in the Windjammer Cafe and on the Lido Deck.Buon Appetite!
Our cabin
steward,Benny,was rarely ever seen,but his work was very evident,which is the sign of a
good
steward.Every time we returned to our room,whether from a meal or an excursion,our beds
were made,our
bathroom cleaned and towels changed.At night,our beds were turned down with a chocolate on
the
pillow.Anything we needed(i.e.towels,etc.)was provided readily.Benny did his job superbly.
Room service
was both prompt and accurate whenever we called them,which was mainly for a bedtime cup of
tea.We
never waited more than 5 min. for our tea.Larger orders would likely take a little longer.
The shows in the
main lounge were quite good, especially El Gaucho,a very talented and funny one-man act.He
was
hilarious!We do have one major complaint about the entertainment,however.On two of the
four nights,the
show for the late seating dinner was a pre-dinner show.The reason we chose the late
seating was so that
after a busy day in port,we could take a nap before having to get ready for dinner.
The pre-dinner show
defeats that purpose,so we ended up missing two of the four feature shows on the cruise.We
think the
pre-dinner show is a lousy idea and hope RCL scraps it.Believe me,you can come back quite
exhausted
from some of the shore excursions. Speaking of shore excursions,those offered were of a
good variety,with
varying sites and levels of activity.They were all fairly priced,with one
exception-parasailing.Parasailing is a
thrilling and unique experience,but was too short.At $65.00 per ride,they could let you
stay up longer than
5 minutes.Otherwise,we thought the excursions we went on were a good value for the buck.
In Nassau,we
went on a snorkeling trip on the Fury Catamaran,which is a new excursion,having only been
available for 3
or 4 months.The snorkeling trip that has been offered for a long time,and still is,is the
Nassau Sail and
Snorkel Excursion.The Fury was an excellent choice.The crew did a wonderful job of making
the
experience an unforgettable one.We sailed between Nassau and Paradise Island out to Athol
Island and
snorkeled there for half an hour,then we sailed a little farther out to a place called
Rose Island and
snorkeled for another half hour.Then we sailed around the front of Paradise Island back to
the pier.On the
return trip,the crew served a RRUUMM punch(i.e.they were generous with the rum),along with
soft drinks,all
complimentary.Overall,a very enjoyable excursion.
CocoCay,RCL's private island in the Bahamas(one of
the Berry Islands) is a delightful place,with much to do,or to NOT do if you just want to
lie in a hammock or
on a beach chair.There is bananaboating,waverunners,snorkeling,scuba diving,volleyball,and
parasailing,among others.The water is crystal clear and warm,just beautiful.Just be a
little careful as there
is alot of coral scattered about the surf,which can hurt a bit if you land hard on it.We
recommend CocoCay
as a great place to relax and enjoy a break. At Key West,we went on a biking tour,which we
enjoyed.It was
quite leisurely,as Key West is flat.We biked for about 5 min. then stopped at a point of
interest,then biked
another 5 min. and stopped again,etc.The tour was very interesting and
informative.Afterwards,we walked
along Duval St. to Mallory Square,and visited Margaritaville,Hog's Breath Saloon,Sloppy
Joe's
Saloon,Diamonds International,and many others.Key West is a very quaint place which we did
enjoy. The
day of disembarkation arrived much too quickly.We had a late flight,so we took a tour of
the
Everglades,which included a ride on an airboat.This was an excursion through RCL,and we
got off the ship
as a group and passed right by the rest of the passengers in line.The baggage carousels
were nearly total
chaos-there must be a better way.At Port Canaveral,Fla. the luggage was placed in groups
according to
tag color for passengers to sort through,which worked much better than the carousels at
Miami. Overall,our
cruise experience on the Sovreign of the Seas was an excellent one,and we highly recommend
it to anyone
considering a cruise,whether a first-timer or a veteran cruiser.As a 4 day cruise,it's a
great choice as a first
time sampling of cruising(warning-cruising can become addicting!),or as a way of keeping
down the cost
while enjoying a wonderful cruise experience.Bon Voyage!
Name: David & Diana Noer
Email: drdavidm@msn.com
Age: 55
Occupation: Management Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 16
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 12/29/99
Itinerary: Nassau - Freeport - Key West Cococay
Cabin: 5056
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 50
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 60
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 10
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 50
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies: 10
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 30
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 30
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 30
CruiseActivities: 30
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 50
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Jan 2000
Time: 20:10:37
Remote Name: 1cust73.tnt1.greensboro.nc.da.uu.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was a seven day millennium cruise. We took it with two of our adult children who
shared a
cabin. We are experienced cruisers and have sailed with RCL on six past occassions. Of all
of our
15 past cruises we would rank this last. The main problem was that this ship has a normal
route of
3 to 4 day cruises and when they attempted to expand the time to 7 days they didn't do it
well.
They attempted to graft a seven day cruise on a three to four day infrastructure. A small
example
was the daily trivia quiz: they stopped after four days because they only had four forms.
A bigger
example was the entertainment: it was clear that the main attraction - the Wave Review
Show - was
set up to run only twice, and that is all they ran. The rest of the entertainment seemed
sort of
thrown together at the last minute.
Overall, the ship seemed set up for three and four day trips that catered to first time
cruisers. For
the first time in 15 cruises, we ran out of things to do and were bored. The best part of
the trip was
the millennium celebration. We met other RCL ships and had a big fireworks celebration.
The only
complaint about the way the ship handled new years eave was that they gave free drinks
from 6
PM on, and many of the passengers could not handle it.
The cabins on Sovereign are small but OK. We had a very bad experience the first night.
The
cabin we were assigned had connecting doors to the next cabin. Although they were closed,
we
could hear every word and every TV program in the next cabin. We were assigned a different
cabin the next day. If you do take this ship - make sure you do not have a connecting
cabin unless
you want to share intimate moments from your neighbors.
The food was not as good as on other RCL ships, but, as always, the service was excellent.
Overall, the staff did a good job. We were easily and courteously accomodated on our cabin
change. We had requested a table for four and were put with a larger group. When we
requested
a change it took place with no hassle. As long as RCL continues to take the end of trip
evaluations
as seriously as they do - basing promotions and compensation on them - the staff will be
eager to
please.
The cruise director and staff were OK, but not exceptional. Again, there seemed to be
enough
activities to fill three or four days, but they were pretty thin on a seven day trip.
I like to play black jack and found the casino staff very service oriented. The main
problem was the
smoke. I'm a non-smoker, but I can usually handle secondary smoke. I have had no problem
in
other ships or in Las Vegas, but the smoke drove me out of the casino most nights. The one
non-smoking table was a joke because it was an island - surrounded by smoking tables.
We did not take the trip for the ports - but Key West was fun. We took a walk in Nassau -
one of
the highlights was a dead rat my wife almost steped on! Freeport was as tacky as
advertised.
My overall reaction to this trip was that either RCL's standards have been eroded by price
cuts
and market pressure or my own expectations have increased. I suspect both are true. If
someone
wants a short and relatively inexpensive first time cruise experience and doesn't mind a
large ship
with small cabins and average service, I'd try this ship. For me, it will be a few years
before I try
RCL again.
Name: R. Douglas DeNardo
Email: ddenardo@city-net.com
Age: 37
Occupation: Lawyer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 2/11/00
Itinerary: 3 Day
Cabin: 2104-I
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 96
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 98
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 98
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 94
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 96
OverallPortsofCall: 94
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 94
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 97
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 94
Stabilization: 94
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Feb 2000
Time: 08:03:31
Remote Name: rssm192.rssm.com
Remote User:
Comments
It was my and my wife's first time on RC. My wife had taken several cruises on other lines with her
friends, so she had a frame of reference for comparison purposes. The taste and presentation of
the food was excellent, but the quality was below expectation. For example, when my wife was on the
Ecstacy on Carnival, the shrimp cocktail at dinner were large, meaty shrimp. On the SOTS, however,
the coctail shrimp were very, very small and you were given only five. Although you can always ask
for more, the size of the shrimp (and other portions and items) were disappointing. This was a
common comment from the other guests we talked with. On a positive note, the dining room staff
(our waiters Leo and Heri) were tremendous. They took care of your every need and would bring
you whatever you wanted. The head waiter, however, was seldom present and when he did show up
it was for a few seconds only. The deck, lounge and casino service was second to none. The
waiters had an uncanny ability to remember your name and what you wanted to drink. They were
fun and got everyone to have a great time. The entertainment was also first rate. The shows,
comedians, and other entertainers were very energetic and enthusiastic. Coco Cay - what a place.
Snorkeling was awesome !!!! Tons of fish, sting rays, devil rays and even a few baracudas swam by
us. Barbeque on the beach was first rate. Finally, getting on and off of the ship was very smooth
(compared to my wife's other cruises). No waiting and very efficient. Lastly, anyone considering
Royal Carribean should look into their hotel accomodations for the night before your cruise. We
stayed at the Raddison Airport in Miami - a wonderful hotel. The next day, they took our luggage
from outside our door, we checked-in right in the hotel lobby with only a 10 minute wait. Later we
were taken aboard luxury busses right to the ship where we boarded the ship without any further
check-in. Went straight to our room, the luggage was there already. We quickly unpacked and were
on the top deck with a drink in hand within 30 minutes of leaving the bus. This hotel option was the
greatest thing we did, and made the trip very smooth.
Name: Karen Pressley
Email: kpressley@kltymail.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Teacher
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: November 22, 1999
Itinerary: Nassau, Coco Cay, Key West
Cabin: don't recall
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Feb 2000
Time: 00:09:13
Remote Name: ppp-216-62-113-41.dialup.eulstx.swbell.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise ever. It was our 20th wedding anniversary and the travel agent
recommended this cruise line. It was a 4 night cruise which we discovered was the perfect amount of
time for us (we were exhausted by the end of it and couldn't imagine going much longer). The first
night was a little difficult because we did not receive our luggage until after 7pm. This stressed us
out a little bit. We left the Port of Miami about 2 hours past the expected time but no one seemed to
mind. The cabin was VERY small but comfortable. We could hear no external noises and slept well
in the very comfortable beds. The toilet flushing noise frightened me however. The shower was tiny
but had great pressure and very hot water. Our cabin steward was very efficient. We spent very little
time in our cabin (changing clothes and sleeping only) so the size of the cabin was not an issue. We
had late seating in the Gigi dinning room. Our table companions were wonderful and we looked
forward to seeing them and swaping stories about our day on shore.
The food was a little
disappointing. We thought it was going to be so much better because we had heard so much about
cruise food. The Windjammer in particular was a let down - hamburgers and fries along with pizza
and fresh fruit for lunch - not what we expected! Room service provided one of the most tastiest
roast beef sandwiches I had ever had. The wait staff was very good. Overall, the food was merely
'okay'. Our first port was Nassau. The weather was wonderful so we were glad we'd booked a
snorkling trip. It was truly a blast! The fish were so colorful and the staff on the boat was very
friendly. We snorkled in two different locations. The ride back was fun, they played local music and
treated us to rum punch (it really sneaks up on you). We were exhausted after this trip but took off
to the streets of Nassau on foot exploring as much as we could.
We happened upon some beautiful
old buildings(churches in particular). We walked for a couple hours and finally made our way back to
the ship for the evening. My husband is not a social creature so we didn't do much of the planned
on-board activities. We both really enjoyed just strolling on the Prominade Deck. The moon was
spectacular and the water was calm. Our first day was a good one! The next day we slept later than
we planned so Coco Cay was already a little crowded. We couldn't get a hammock or even a picnic
table. We walked a long way looking for a good spot to 'park'. We'd reserved the rafts and found
dragging them around to be real burden. We hauled our rafts to a spot we liked, I floated for about
10 minutes and then we were hungry for lunch (again, disappointing, BBQ or hamburgers...nothing
special!). By the time we returned to our spot, the tide had gone out and the beautiful crystal clear
emerald water was suddenly muddy and murky.
All in all I'd say Coco Cay, the private island, wasn't
a highlight. To top it off, the needles from the island trees on the path and beach actully made my
feet very sore. Moral of this story...get up early, get a hammock, wear shoes and enjoy the beauty
before the tide goes out! Our final day was in Key West. We'd been here before so we didn't want to
take any guided tours. Instead we chose the kyaking in the mangroves as our activity. This was a
good choice for us. We'd never seen anything like those mangroves. It was like being in a natural
tunnel. Our arms were sore and tired as this adventure lasted a good hour, but it was worth it. The
van driver (also part owner of the kyaking tour business) gave us an unexpected tour of the parts of
Key West we'd never seen before. This was a highlight for us. I'm torn between this and the
snorking as my choice for my favorite activity.
We were a little tired of ship food so we choose to eat
at a local spot (suggested by our van driver) called A&B Lobster House. This was not a tourist spot
and was simply some of the best seafood we'd ever had in our life! This was a great day! I was
VERY disappointed, upon reboarding from Key West late that afternoon, to see the ship's crew
already picking up the deck chairs, locking them with chains, and spraying down the deck in obvious
preparing for the next cruise. We were not going to be back in Miami until the next morning and we
very much wanted to spend our last night as we had the other nights,cuddling next to each other on
the comfortable deck chairs on our favorite deck (the Prominade), but it was not to be. We got the
distinct impression the crew was through serving us and it was now time to get ready for next group.
The final morning wasn't too pleasant either.
We had to be out of our cabin by 8am (after having to
pack everything up the night before and placing it outside our door...that really made us
uncomfortable). Our 'color' was one of the last ones called and we barely made it to the airport on
time for our flight. We stood for what seemed like an hour waiting in a massive crowd for a bus to
take us to the airport. This was possibly the lowest 'lowlight' of the entire trip! One final point, while I
NEVER noticed movement on the ship at all, I suffered from a swaying sensation for days after the
trip. It finally went away, but it was really weird! We want to do another cruise someday. We had a
wonderful time overall and consider the annoyances to be a learning experience. We'll do some
things different next time but we'd certainly go Royal Carribean again. It was our second honeymoon
and a trip like none other we'd even taken. We had a lot of fun and have a lot of great pictures to
prove it. THANKS.
Name: Traci Peters
Email: petersfam@voyager.net
Age: 33
Occupation: Customer Service Representative
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: Feb. 7, 2000
Itinerary: Miami-Nassau-Coco Cay-Key West
Cabin: 1552c
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 70
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 65
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Feb 2000
Time: 13:48:33
Remote Name: d283.as0.stpt.wi.voyager.net
Remote User:
Comments
Our experience aboard Sovereign of The Seas was overall very good. This was the second cruise
for my husband and I, and the first for my parents. (We had cruised previously on Premier lines 'The
Big Red Boat'with our children, and were 'hooked' from that point!) Needless to say, my parents
were planning their next cruise after dinner the first night!! We will probably repeat again with our
children in about 2 years. This trip was planned to introduce my parents to the cruise experience,
and also, to afford myself and my husband the chance to explore a little more without the kids, so
inevitably, we chose much higher level accomodations than we would have, had we taken our
children.(cost effectiveness!!) Our staterooms were on floor 10, and I must say, situated perfectly!!
We were just one stateroom away from the central elevator and stairs, and one deck below the
pool/Windjammer Cafe, and just down the hall was the fitness center.
Our room was very spacious,
with lots of little nooks and drawers to store things. I was surprised also, at the quietness of our
room, however, my parents' room was right below the area where the band played on the pool deck
above, and they were annoyed at times by the music late at night. As expected, our cabin steward
did an outstanding job of keeping our room neat, and our supplies re-stocked. The dining room is
always a wonderful experience, and ours was no exception. The menu selections were very good,
and the service was top-notch!!! My father was very impressed, after ordering a drink from our bar
server on the first night, that, on the second night, she asked if he would again like 'his special
drink'(she remembered!). He said, 'of course' and she brought it right away. The ports were very
interesting.
Our first stop was Nassau, and we were the first off the ship in the morning. We shopped
for a while, then took a bus to the Cable Beach Resort/Crystal Palace to check out the casino and
the beach. It was a beautiful resort, and the casino was very nice. Our driver on the return trip
offered a very good narrative while we rode, and we learned alot about the island. The shopping in
Nassau was about what I expected, but our return later in the evening (after dinner) was very
enlightening. We heard a wonderful guitar/piano duo playing on a balcony above the main street,
some vendors were still open and selling their wares, and the street was very quiet and warm. This
was the most beautiful that Nassau was for us. On our return back to our ship, we decided to walk
along the pier to see the other ships docked with us.
What a beautiful sight to see all of these other
ships (Carnival, Disney, and Premier Oceanic), along with SOS all lit up and docked together in
port!! We had some rough seas on our 3rd day, and couldn't make our stop at Coco Cay. I assume
this is common, since we saw several disclaimers about shore excursions at this island. Since the
passengers must be tendered to the island, weather must be pretty close to ideal before the cruise
line will take this chance on compromising the safety of the passengers. We were somewhat
disappointed, but spending a day at sea is fun, in its own way. Even though, this one day did seem
very crowded on the ship. Deck chairs were in short supply!! Key West was our favorite stop. The
cute little trolleys that transported us from and back to the ship were very clean, and the driver on
our return trip offered us the best entertainment we had during the entire cruise!! The town was
beautiful, and very welcoming.
Pretty good shopping, lots of history, drinks and food, memorable
sights, and I was told by my husband and father, good cigars!! The Conch Train Tour Station has
some wonderful unique souveneirs!!! The shows on board the ship were excellent quality. One in
particular that was a favorite was the broadway show revue. Excellent calliber performers!!! We had
stopped in after the show began, planning to watch for a few minutes, but we just couldn't leave!!
Our only complaint about this trip was the scheduling of our flights. We had opted for the air/sea
package thinking that the cruise line would be best suited to arranging our air travel to correspond
with our ship's itinerary. Our flights to Miami were pretty good, but we had a stop in Chicago with
hardly enough time to get to our next gate. Don't get me wrong, I only want to be in O'Hare airport
as long as I need to be, but our flight to Chicago was delayed, and so we had to hurry, more than
we would have liked. We also would have preferred earlier flights, so we could have boarded the
ship earlier.(we didn't board until 3:30 pm).
Our flight home was the worst. We were hurried off the
ship, and back to the Miami airport by 8:30 am, and our flight didn't leave until 1:45 pm!! This is
much too long to spend in an airport that has no public lounge!! This was a lesson to us: book
shore excursions in Miami!! Had we known we would be off the ship so early, we would have made
arrangements to keep busy for 4 hours!! Also, our seat assignments were not made in advance for
our return trip, (we were told by our travel agent that the cruise line doesn't routinely make these,
for some reason), and my husband and I ended up 5 rows apart. Luckily, I was able to trade seats,
so we could sit together. I would think that, booking our cruise 11 months in advance would have
assured us seats together. All in all, I would definately recomend this cruise line to others, and we
will definately cruise with Royal Caribbean in the future!!
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