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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Cheryl Sivula
Email: chevy5600@aol.com
Age: 43
Occupation: Accounting Specialist
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 2/14-18/00
Itinerary: Nassau, CoCo Cay & Key West
Cabin: 2577 Cat. N
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Feb 2000
Time: 16:36:18
Remote Name: spider-to041.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
Three families totalling 13 people aged 5-58 cruised, only 4 had cruised before. We felt it was a
great value for families even if the quad cabins in that category were a bit small. There was noise
overnight heard from level below, loud doors slamming all night long. But it didn't keep us from
sleeping soundly until room service knocked on the door with morning coffee. Cabin steward had a
challenge to keep rooms tidy especially room with 4 teenagers and he did a wonderful job.
Embarkment went very smoothly, no lines at all, we boarded before 1 p.m., even though our tickets
said 2 p.m. We were the first ones in the pool and eating lunch. Occasionally there were lines in the
Windjammer cafe but if you checked the other side sometimes you could get right through. We felt
the food was good in the Windjammer and excellent in the Dining room. Since the drinking age has
been changed we did think some sort of Coke card should be available for 18-20 year olds. Would
of liked to spent more time in Key West and less time in Nassau. Disembarkment was smooth until
you left the ship and were directed to large room where luggage was moving on carousels. That
took the longest and customs was a joke, no indication that anyone was stopped. Our only
dissapointment was when the cruise ended, 4 days just isn't long enough!
Name: Elizabeth Painter
Email: epainter@whitecase.com
Age: 27
Occupation: legal secretary
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 3/10/00
Itinerary: Bahamas/Coco Cay
Cabin: 2500/I
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 88
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 87
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Mar 2000
Time: 11:33:22
Remote Name: 63.orlando-07.fl.dial-access.att.net
Remote User:
Comments
My friend and I decided to treat ourselves to a little weekend getaway by taking our very first cruise on
The Sovereign of the Seas. I really didn't know what to expect and read many reviews on this board
beforehand to get some ideas. Some things were better than I expected, some things worse. Embarking
was fairly quick and simple, just remember to have all your papers filled out and proper identification. We
live in South Florida so arriving to the port was easy. It took us about 20 minutes to park and get inside
the ship. I found the service on the ship upon arrival to be pretty good. Everything was laid out, the
excursion desk was conveniently available, and the staff was at hand and helpful about answering any
questions you might have about the excursions.
I was apprehensive about entering my cabin because I heard many warnings regarding the small size,
especially the showers. I was pleasantly surprised to see that both were adequate and comfortable. Our
cabin steward, Julian, immediately introduced himself and came into our cabin and sat down with us
patiently to explain how cruising operates and how we could make the most of our trip. We requested
coffee and croissants to be delivered every morning as we woke up and without fail he arranged it
perfectly. He was really fantastic. Our room was always spotless when we returned to our cabin, we
always had a tidy bed, fresh towels, chocolates, folded laundry and itineraries neatly arranged. He was
very appreciative and modest when it came time to giving him a tip on the last day. He extended a
handshake and thanked us in a way that made us feel like it wasn't expected. We really liked him a lot.
I noticed that the staff was constantly cleaning and maintaining both the inside and outside of the ship.
Even though the ship was booked solid, I never felt cramped.
I had a completely different impression regarding the food and waiters then most other people on this
board. The food and service in the Kismet Dining Room was disappointing. However, the food and
service in the Windjammer was excellent. I found that the selection of food in the Kismet left a lot to be
desired and there wasn't much flavor in the dishes. Our waiters were o.k., nothing spectacular. We ate
dinner only on the first night and ate breakfast only on the second morning, basically, one time for each.
When we arrived for breakfast, we had to wait quite a while for a cup of coffee to even be served and
then finally, we had to hunt down our waiter to take our order because we were waiting, and waiting, and
waiting and had only about 40 minutes to eat breakfast and be downstairs for a boat excursion. The
flavor of the breakfast was bland and the pancakes were dry. I'm sure the waiters were very busy and
they can only do so much at one time, nevertheless, nothing about the Kismet impressed me.
We had a little snack in the Windjammer on Friday afternoon before our second seating in the Kismet so
we immediately had something to compare the food to. We noticed immediately that the food was fresher
and much more delicious in the Windjammer. We ate pan-fried salmon cutlets with a pesto sauce that
would blow your mind. The breakfast in the Windjammer was always hot, fresh and pleasing. I only wish
that real coffee cream was available instead of the non-dairy creamer. The lemon aid was very good, but
the ice tea was gross. All the alcoholic drinks such as the Pina Coladas, Coco Locos, and Long Island's
were outstanding. Anyway, when we ate in the Windjammer, our meals comprised of delicious salads,
shrimp, salmon, chinese, mexican, juicy cheeseburgers and yummy breakfast assortments. I can't
recommend it enough. I would recommend that you give it a try on your first day so you can compare it to
the main dining room food.
I was very disappointed with the desserts in all the dining rooms and buffets. The only exception to this
was the chocolate lovers midnight buffet on the last night. This is a must for chocolate lovers as I had
some of the best chocolate dishes imaginable.
Our cruise director, Pablo, was adorable. His disposition is sweet and his accent is so funny. He took
everything in stride. The entertainment on the ship was really enjoyable. We spent $20 on the slot
machines and won about $150. We had so much fun at the slot machines, of course, we ended up
putting all our winnings back in the machines and walked out with nothing in our pockets. But, we had a
lot of fun playing. We played bingo which was tense but enjoyable. We loved the Newly Game, it was
hysterical. We watched a couple shows that were well choreographed. I attended the art auction hoping
to get a painting that I fell in love with for less than $100. However, the starting bid on it was $750, yes, I
said $750, so needless to say I was disappointed that I wouldn't be hanging it in my living room.
The Bahamas was fun. We went on the stingray tour and walked through the pirate museum. The
stingray tour was acceptable, however, most people were quite surprised at how chilly the water was in
the Bahamas. After a few minutes, you get used to it, but getting in is quite shocking to the body. The
only thing worth buying in the Bahamas might be the jewelry, liquor or cigars. Everything else is pretty
much junk.
Cococay was really enjoyable. The island is so quaint and cute and is packed with tons of stuff to do.
There is no way you can get bored on this island. We went snorkeling and were surprised at all the
tropical fish and sea life. When you go to this island, you have to taste a Coco Loco, delicious.
All in all, the cruising experience on this ship was a blast. Some of my most memorable moments were
walking around the ship late at night sipping a pina colada and just looking at the bright stars, feeling the
breeze and hearing the ocean. Also, waking up early in the morning before sunrise and sipping hot
coffee and sitting on a lounge chair in the back of the ship watching the sun come up in the horizon. I
actually fell asleep on the lounge chair on the back deck for about one-half hour one morning around
6:45 a.m. after the sun came up. Feeling the ocean breeze on my face while I was dozing in and out of
sleep was sublime and tranquil.
A point to remember when you cruise on this ship are that the excursions are a little pricey, so bring
about $150-$200 per person for the weekend in order to have a good time for just the excursions. With
that amount, you can swim with the dolphins in the Bahamas and do some jet skiing or parasailing in
Coco Cay. If I could go back, I would have much rather swam with the dolphins than the stingrays.
Also, take my advise about trying the food in the Windjammer, you may be pleasantly surprised at how
good the food is and how nice and relaxing it is to go at your own pace in that dining room.
I hope your cruise is as enjoyable as mine was, I will definitely take a Royal Caribbean cruise again.
Name: Dennis McWilliams
Email: ruag8tr2@aol.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Professional
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 03-20-2000
Itinerary: Nassau/Coco Cay/Key West
Cabin: 2144-I
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 10
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 70
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 75
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Mar 2000
Time: 10:42:49
Remote Name: spider-wm071.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
My wife, Lori and I went on our third cruise (Sovereign of the Seas) on March 20, 2000. The cruise was
a four night affair, leaving on a Monday and returning on the following Friday. The first two cruises we
went on were three night cruises on Carnival's Ecstasy. This passage will attempt to review the overall
cruise experience on Royal Caribbean's Sovereign of the Seas, and also draw a few contrasts and
comparisons to Carnival's Ecstasy.
Embarkation: We got off the bus that we (our group of 50) had chartered. The bus drop off is right in
front of the door to the embarkation pier. The embarkation was as painless and simple as one could
imagine. We simply walked up to the desk, presented our documents and birth certificates, and gave
them a credit card to charge our on board expenses. In a few minutes we were walking up the gangway
and into the ship's atrium area. Using a ten point scale I would rate the embarkation as a ten (10) and
report that it was exactly the same as boarding the Ecstasy. Both were good experiences and an easy
way to start a cruise vacation.
Atrium area:
As we walked onto the Sovereign we could see the difference between the two ships immediately. While
the Ecstasy was glitzy and gave one the feeling of walking into a Las Vegas casino, The Sovereign gives
one a sense of relaxation and serenity while boarding. The light mellow tones of the walls, pursers desk,
and glass elevator were beautiful. The added touch was the string quartet playing classical selections as
people boarded. I closed my eyes and relaxed for just a moment. The music was nice, but I still could not
help but compare them to the string ensemble on a certain ship that set sail in 1912. The atrium area
was impeccably clean and tastefully decorated. We were directed to our cabin (2144) by a guest
greeter. We walked down the two flights of stairs and passed the two large movie theater's to get to our
stateroom.
Stateroom:
What can one say here? The stateroom was exactly what I expected it to be. It was smaller than the
category six (6) inside cabin we had on the Ecstasy, but we mentioned it as we walked in and never
talked about it again. Our cabin was clean, functional and obviously well thought out. My wife has never
been one to under pack for vacation, so we had two medium sized suitcases, a garment bag, and two
small carry on bags. After unpacking everything into the cabin we did not feel any more pressed for
space than we did on the Ecstasy. The luggage easily fit under our bed and there are more little nooks
crevices designed to hold things than we found necessary. The decor was not luxurious, but not hard to
look at either. A few stains on the carpet did not detract from my experience, but then again I am not one
to let it either. Overall I would rate the Ecstasy cabin a little higher only because it was bigger. I give the
Ecstasy cabin a nine and one half (9.5) and the Sovereign cabin a nine (9.0).
Public areas and deck plans:
The Sovereign is a gigantic ship. Every time I go on a cruise I am so taken by the size of the ship. Size
does matter. I like a big ship, because I feel like I own it for the week. The bigger the better for me.
Maybe next time I will go on Voyager. Anyway, I liked the public areas of both ships. With the Sovereign
being as old as it is, one would think that it would be a tired, worn old lady. Not the case. She is clean
and well maintained for the most part. In fact, I thought that she was cleaner overall than the Ecstasy.
Maybe I am biased because I saw a guy throwing up (drunk) on the Ecstasy and know what a mess that
can create. The dining room was elegant, the Music Man disco was nice, and the Viking Crown lounge
should not be missed. What is not to like? The only detractor from this portion of the cruise is that there
is no "main drag" aboard the Sovereign. On the Ecstasy there is a main drag "City Lights Boulevard"
where everything kind of happens. On the Sovereign, I found us having to navigate through the cabin
areas to get anywhere. I liked this feature on the Ecstasy. Again, not a really big deal for us. The pool
area is also well thought out. Adequate room for many sun worshipers. The deck is broken into two
parts. The bottom area is large and has two pools (saltwater) and the top deck overlooks the pool area.
Each portion has a bar; the restroom can only be accessed in the lower area. This setup was exactly the
same as the Ecstasy, and works very well for both company's. The casino on the Sovereign is on the
fifth floor. It contains all of the regular money losing options such as Blackjack, craps, roulette,
Caribbean stud poker and slot machines. Though I am not sure about exact sizes, the casino on the
Ecstasy seemed to be a bit bigger. I was somewhat disappointed in the Sovereign because they did not
have $5.00 blackjack tables ($10.00 minimum wager), nickel slot machines (only quarter minimum), or
even slots or blackjack tournaments. The Ecstasy had all of these. I may be splitting hairs but I like
playing in the casino without feeling guilty. If I play the ten dollar tables I feel somewhat guilty when I
lose.
Food, Food service, and Room Service.
I will try to say this as plainly as I can. Without exception the dining room food on the Sovereign was
much better than the dining room food on the Ecstasy IMHO. IN the D/R we had Rana as our waiter, and
Marek as our assistant. Both of these guys were fabulous. They were polite, willing to serve, easy to talk
to, and professional in their duties. A special mention to another assistant waiter named Raul. He was
also very good. The dinner was always presentable, hot and easy to eat. The meat was tender, the fish
was flaky, and the deserts were absolutely delicious. I do not, however recommend the room service. It
sucked. We ordered pizza from the room service and could not even eat it. It was cardboard, and in no
way resembled pizza. The Windjammer dining room was strictly cafeteria food. Not bad for being mass
production stuff, but still nothing special. We ate lunch there one day and stayed away from it the rest of
the time. Breakfast in the D/R was pretty good. I like to eat eggs on occasion, and usually like them a
certain way. They were easily able to accommodate my special request. Having the late seating we were
always too full to enjoy the midnight buffet, but it looked appetizing. Maybe next time. I will say that the
Sovereign could use two items to make their food a touch better. The ship needs a pizza parlor, and an
ice cream machine. Both items are on Ecstasy, and neither is on Sovereign. Overall I would have to give
the Sovereign a nine (9) in the dining room and a five (5) in the Windjammer. As for the Ecstasy, I gave
them a seven (7) in the Dining Room and a six (6) in their Lido Deck cafeteria.
Entertainment:
My wife and I only got to go to two of the four shows. We saw the 50s show and the final night show
which was Jeff the Juggler (www.jeffthejuggler.com). Both of these shows were great. Lori thought that
the entertainment on board the Ecstasy was a notch higher, but I had to disagree. I thought they were
both really good. The performers are top notch on both ships and should be very highly praised
throughout the industry. On deck we saw the usual stuff. There was bingo, the not so newlywed game (a
personal favorite of ours) and the scavenger hunt. All of these were very well done. Every activity is well
organized, and a load of laughs for nearly everyone. I give both ships a ten (10) when it comes to
entertainment.
Overall Service:
The Sovereign once again came ahead on this category. The service people were all friendly, willing to
sacrifice for the guest, and professional. I will say that on both ships the bar personnel were a little
pushy and sometimes curt to passengers. I think that it might have something to do with the automatic
fifteen (15%) percent tip added to the bar bills. Our cabin Steward (Andre) was very good. We almost
never saw him, but always had fresh ice and clean towels. He, of course turned our bed down every
night, and even took to folding my wife's lingerie into cute shapes. I like the touch. On Ecstasy, the
stewards fold the towels into sea creatures. Again, the two were very close, but I would have to give the
Sovereign a nine and one half (9.5) and the Ecstasy a nine (9) for the service category.
Ports of call:
Nassau is not the charm of the Caribbean. It is dirty, and hard to walk around. On both ships I went to
Nassau. I keep trying to talk myself into staying on the ship for that day but haven't yet. Next time I will.
We didn't do much in Nassau except souvenir shopping for our son (who stayed home this year but went
with us last year). When one goes to Nassau, the best thing to do (IMHO) is to grab a decent shore
excursion. Going it on your own can become a little boring, and even dangerous at night. Coco Cay was
awesome. We went snorkeling. It comes highly recommended and is well worth the $26.00 per person.
There is a sunken ship, and a downed plane that serve as excellent places to view the tropical fish. The
water is pretty, and there are plenty of lifeguards to watch people. The lunch at Cocoa Cay was also
pretty good. They make BBQ chicken and other typical outdoor fare. Again, don't bother with the pizza. It
really sucked. Key West was also really great. We paid to rent the motor scooters in Key West. I would
highly recommend renting them there (instead of Nassau) because it is easier to drive (right side of
road) them, they are cheaper, and also much newer. We rode around all day on the motor scooters
acting like some twisted jr. motorcycle gang. We even rode in a few different formations. The shopping is
good there, and Sloppy Joes is a good place for lunch. Do not miss the sunset while leaving Key West.
We were drinking (not soda) and got several people on deck to break into a clouded version of America
the Beautiful. It was truly gorgeous though. I cannot compare the two ships in this area because the
Ecstasy only went to Nassau. That would be sort of like the NY Knicks playing the local high school in
basketball.
Overall experience:
Great on both ships. Would go on either one again and not even think twice about the other one.
Overall I would have to say that the Sovereign is just a smidge better. I really liked the D/R food and
what I would consider a better caliber of overall service on board. I give the Sovereign of the Seas a
solid nine (9) and the Ecstasy a solid eight (8). Cruising is awesome. When do we go again?
Any questions, feel free to email me.
Name: Jo Ramirez
Email: KATSJR @aol.com
Age: 40+
Occupation: teacher
NumberOfCruises: 20+
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: March 31,2000
Itinerary: Bahamas
Cabin: 3518, category K
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: n/a
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: n/a
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: n/a
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: n/a
BeautySalonStaff: n/a
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: n/a
ExerciseFacilities: n/a
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: n/a
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: n/a
MedicalFacilities: n/a
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Apr 2000
Time: 11:58:45
Remote Name: spider-tj023.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
A springbreak getaway for a very tired teacher- that was the goal and Soverign of the Seas was the
answer. My husband and I have cruised the Caribbean yearly, living in South Florida that's easy to do. A
weekend is all the time I had. Embarkation is a delight on R.C.I. No long cattle drives like on Carnival. It
was roomy and fast moving. The cabin was big enough for two, it really was a quad, four people would of
had a challenge. Closet and shelf space was good, the bathroom a bit on the small size. Good for a
weekend, a week difficult. We first sailed on this ship in 1992, a seven night when the ship was fairly
new. It's been quite a few years and while not that shiny and new it was in good shape. Only on the last
night did I hear my neighbors' television-faint noise. The food in the dining room was good. Portions not
huge. Shrimp, prime rib, steak,the usual...food was served hot and quickly. Windjammer had a same
selection every morning- the truly adventurous should of gone down to the dining room. Room service
was surprisingly fast. Cold sandwiches and warm hot dogs come in handy when you've missed lunch.
However the pizza left alot to be desired for- they better run over and check out Carnival's pizza it's one
of the two things they have going for themselves, the other being their smoke-free ship. The casino staff
was friendly. The machines fun and generous. We took the Harbor and Atlantis tour and were delighted
to find our guides extremely knowledgeable. It's a shame Atlantis won't allow usage of their water parks.
Debarkation was soooo easy the other ships should be embarrassed. We were off the ship by 8:00. The
new procedure to get your luggage from a moving carrousel sure beats finding your bags in puddles of
rain water...A delightful weekend, stress-free. Royal Caribbean International can even make a weekend
seem special.
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