rccl-sovereign15

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Joe Irwin
Email: irwin_j@go.com
Age: 44
Occupation: college instructor
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: June 11, 2000
Itinerary: Bahamas
Cabin: 2006/I
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Sep 2000
Time: 01:11:43
Remote Name: a010-1049.hstn.splitrock.net
Remote User:

Comments

Our family of four sailed on the Sovereign of the Seas with some family friends. We booked three
cabins. They booked an interior cabin and were on their first cruise. This was our eighth cruise,
(fourth on Royal Caribbean.) We booked two lower category cabins with an upgrade available on
the day of the cruise. Although we have booked this way other times, we were pleasantly surprised
to be upgraded, for the first time, to outside cabins. The ship is well maintained despite her age.
(12 years). An advantage of a ship this size is the variety of shopping opportunities available on
the Boutique of Centrum. There are nine shops in this shopping area. The guys in our group really
liked the basketball court. The movie theater had a good selection of recent movies and the in
room movies were also quite good.

Royal Caribbean continues to maintain high standards for service. Our dining room wait staff was
top notch. The waiter, Rao was among the best we've encountered. The assistant waiter, Mahmet
was also quite good. The headwaiter made a special effort to check up on us at every meal. We
were very pleased with the quality and selection of the food. The Windjammer also had a
reasonable selection and room service was very prompt.

The entertainment in the Follies lounge was excellent especially the Wave Review Singers and
Dancers. Their 'Rock on Broadway' production on the first night was especially good. Rick Ceisler,
the comedian and Billy Prudhomme, the juggler were both very funny. Before I left for this cruise, I
read several good reviews on cruiseopinion.com of the 'Not so Newlywed Game.' It was very funny,
especially the elderly couple who had a large family in the audience. The entertainment in the
lounges was also better than average. Tony Petra, who performed in the Viking Lounge, was a
talented pianist and vocalist. We discovered the band 'LMNOP' on the last evening in the Music
Man Lounge. They played high-energy pop music and were very good. I wish we had found them
earlier in the cruise. The cruise director, Tim Seivert, was talented and professional. He was
obviously dedicated to a positive cruise experience. I even saw him pick up some litter that one of
the cruisers left in the stairwell.

The four teenagers from our group and I went on the Scuba diving excursion in Nassau. The trip
was billed as a dive for non-certified divers but it turned out to be comparable to a scuba trip I went
on in St. Martin for certified divers. The trip involved a half-hour boat trip out to the reef. It was a
little intense for the two younger teenagers but they had fun snorkeling. The rest of us had a
wonderful time. The reef was in reasonably good shape and there was a large variety of fish. The
dive staff was very well trained and attentive. I would recommend this excursion for experienced
snorkelers and those who don't mind a boat ride in open water.

Coco Cay is a wonderful out island. There are lots of activities including snorkeling and volleyball.
Even though there were over 2,500 cruisers on the island it was still possible to find a quiet stretch
of beach to enjoy. To find the more secluded areas stroll down the beach five minutes or so. The
onshore menu was tasty if somewhat limited. We've been to the island on three different cruises
and this is the first time the tide has been out. As a result there was a noticeable sulfur smell most
of the morning. There were so many snorkelers in the snorkeling area that the water was
somewhat cloudy, although there were a large number of colorful fish.

There were only a few negative aspects about the cruise. The unique design of the ship places all
of the cabins forward and the public areas aft. This provides a much lower noise level in the cabins
compared to other ships but it caused a very inconvenient muster drill. It took thirty minutes to get
back to our cabin after the drill.

Our teen daughters participated in several of the youth activities but they preferred the youth
program on a cruise we took two years ago on the 'Legend of the Seas'.

The cabins on this ship are much smaller than the newer ships we've sailed on recently. The
plumbing is showing signs of age. Sometimes it took quite some time for the toilet to flush.

The seas between Port Canaveral and Nassau were somewhat rough for our cruising companions.
A couple of their family members experienced seasickness on the first night. Those who wish to
avoid the rough seas should sail out of Miami. The ships spend much less time on the open
Atlantic and arrive earlier in the Bahamas. Our ship arrived at 11:00 A. M. in Nassau. That is a little
late to enjoy all of the activities available on the island.

We feel like we got an exceptional deal on the cruise, especially with the upgrade to the outside
cabins. The entire cruise industry seems to be discounting heavily. Because of the lower fares, the
cruise line must make up the difference by providing for other moneymaking activities. The bingo
and art auctions are the most intrusive. The specialty drinks and the rentals on Coco Cay also
seem overpriced.

Even with some of the negatives this cruise compares favorably with the other cruises we've taken.
Royal Caribbean does a first rate job with service and entertainment. The four days seemed to fly
by. I would recommend this ship for first-time cruisers. We had a wonderful time.

Name: Andrew & Connie Siefker
Email: siefker@apex.net
Age: 43 & 43
Occupation: Professor & nurse
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: Aug 31, 2000
Itinerary: Port Canaveral, Nassau & Coco Cay
Cabin: 5081K
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 99
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Sep 2000
Time: 20:25:19
Remote Name: 209.250.44.196
Remote User:

Comments

This was the first cruise for my husband and myself, both in our early 40s. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
On the advice of our travel agent, we arrived at the ship around 12:30 pm, even though we weren’t
due to sail until 5pm. From the moment of baggage check-in, the Royal Caribbean staff was friendly
and helpful. We quickly deposited a few items in our cabin and headed up to the Windjammer Café for
lunch. Lunch on the ship was the same everyday: hamburgers, hotdogs, deli meats for sandwiches
and a couple of hot entrees, as well as a nice salad and fruit selection, and (of course) dessert! We
enjoyed roaming the ship and finding our way around things in the afternoon – the map provided at
check-in was very helpful.

Because we were only signing up for snorkeling on Coco Cay, we delayed
turning in our shore excursion request til just before our 6pm main dining seating. Although 6pm
seemed a bit early to eat, I later saw its benefits. Dinner generally lasted 1.5 – 2.0 hours, and finishing
up at 8pm was great timing for seeing the shows and beginning our evening entertainment activities.
Dinners were very good: a nice selection of low-fat, no-sugar, vegetarian and sinfully indulgent. I
highly recommend the cold strawberry and pear soups, and found the fish to be wonderful. The
breads, salads and desserts were nice but not spectacular. Waiters were consistently attentive and
friendly. We ate all of our breakfast meals in the Windjammer so we could get in and out quickly. It was
buffet style with good coffee and a large selection. The entertainment on board included numerous
lounges with a variety of live and DJ music, shows (the Not-so-Newlywed game was hysterical!) the
casino, karaoke, dance lessons (I learned the Electric Slide and Hot, Hot, Hot Line dances!) and
exercise equipment. I was disappointed in the pool: it seemed to be closed more than it was open, so I
never got to enjoy it or the Jacuzzi.

Nassau was a gauntlet of tourist-trap shops: straw hats and bags,
island clothing, alcohol, jewelry. I’m glad I saw it, but in the future I would opt for spending all of my time
on Paradise Island. We took a taxi over (bargain for the price, 6 of us paid $3.00 each) and walked
through the lobby of the Atlantis hotel to see the free part of the aquarium. Instead of paying $25.00 to
get in to the rest of the aquarium, we headed over to the Sheraton next door for the free-access
beach. What an incredible sight our first view of the beach was! Sugary white sand, clear blue-green
water, beautiful blue sky. We swam and went parasailing. We found prices at Paradise Island for
waverunners and parasailing to be less expensive than on Coco Cay. On Day 3, we took one of the
first tenders over to the island, picked up our snorkeling equipment and spend all day enjoying the
water, the fish, the whole experience. It was our first time to snorkel, and the 20-minute lesson by the
shore staff was all we needed. We went on an ‘ID tour’ by one of the staff and had many species of
fish and coral pointed out to us.

We stayed on the island for lunch since the beach barbeque was
provided, and it was more convenient than going back to the ship. Many people left by 2, so seeing all
of the sights (the submerged airplane and boat wrecks, deepwater sights, etc) was no problem. One
snorkeling tip: wear a t-shirt! Even though we put on waterproof SPF30 sunscreen several times, both
my husband and I got burned on our back and upper legs. Ouch! We found the Cruise Card to be a
convenient method of charging all those ‘extras’: shore excursions, massage, alcoholic drinks. An
itemized list was delivered after midnight the last night and one charge made to our credit card. We
had fun and tried not to worry too much about the cost of things, after all, we were on our first cruise!
An easy way to save $10 though: bring your own waterproof disposable camera. It sells for $8 at
Wal-Mart as opposed to $18 on the ship. I highly recommend a cruise vacation on Sovereign of the
Seas, for a 25th high school reunion party (as ours was) or any other good excuse you can think up!

Name: Melissa Zifzal
Email: melisdway@juno.com
Age: 26
Occupation: Copywriter
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: Sept. 10, 2000
Itinerary: Nassau & Coco Cay
Cabin: 5025/K
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 87
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 75
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies: 88
LoungeService:
TenderService: 92
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 85
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 86
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 60
ShopsOnBoard: 87
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Sep 2000
Time: 15:16:13
Remote Name: 206.244.99.162
Remote User:

Comments

To celebrate our second anniversary, my husband and I chose the four-night Bahamas cruise on
Sovereign of the Seas. We weren’t sorry. Because this was our first cruise, we were concerned about
getting seasick. Everyone we talked to said we wouldn’t feel the ship moving. They were wrong. The
first night and last nights were pretty bad. The workers were even setting up seasick bags on the
stairsteps. We took the complimentary Bonine and didn’t get sick, fortunately. We had perfect weather,
so maybe it was just a fluke. The ports of call were fun. Upon stopping in Nassau, we walked around a
little. I was constantly asked if I wanted my hair braided. We then took a water taxi to Paradise Island
($3 each way). From this website, I learned about the public beach behind the Sheraton. My husband
said that was the nicest beach he’d visited. The sand was cool, but the water was warm. I decided to sit
on the beach and read. Bad idea— one woman asked me about 25 times whether I wanted my hair
braided. I kept saying no, and went in the ocean for some privacy. Unfortunately, she stood on the
beach and yelled to ask if I wanted my hair braided. Sheesh! I never gave in, though. Also, another
woman repeatedly showed me her bracelets and necklaces for sale.

After leaving Paradise Island, we
visited the Straw Market. The women there are sure attentive to potential customers! We bought a
straw hat and four T-shirts for $10. RCCL’s private island, Coco Cay, was terrific! We really enjoyed
the all-day snorkeling ($26/person). We saw lots of fish, plus we saw a stingray glide right underneath
us. My husband got stung numerous times by the jellyfish. Apparently these stings just felt like
mosquito bites, so he was okay. We also enjoyed the time spent on the ship. We attended every
evening show. I thought that the Wave Revue Singers and Dancers' performances seemed too much
like a college production-it could have been more professional. My husband didn't like that out of
10-12 people, only four really sang, while the rest lip synched. Our favorite act was the comedian, El
Gaucho, who had us in stitches. RCCL also had a pretty good impressionist who imitated Jack
Nicholson, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, etc. The Not-So-Newlywed Game was also terrific. We also
took a swing dance class and laid out on the deck a few times.

The midnight buffets were very tasty!
They had a death-by-chocolate night, but we didn’t want to wait in line for 45 minutes. I wish they could
have set up in two different places or had it at two different times. The centrum was packed full of
chocolate lovers! The dining room service was near perfect. I’ve never felt so pampered—or so full.
Our assistant waiter, Jaroslaw, constantly brought us more water, iced tea, or soft drinks. Our main
waiter was great too, bringing us whatever we wanted. We found out early on that you need to order
two desserts; the portions are so small. My favorite dessert was the Cherries Jubilee. Our cabin
steward was very efficient as well. We were always leaving messes, and he cleaned up our rooms
three times a day. Bravo! Only once did we need to request a wake-up call. Before we were ready to
get up, the cruise director announced the day’s activities over the ship’s intercom, and a woman
announced that we had arrived in Coco Cay. I didn’t like that, because it was hard enough to fall
asleep in a strange place. I guess it was good though, because we might have slept til noon! In all, we
had a great time, and I’m looking forward to cruising again. We’re not sure if we could handle more
than a four-night cruise, but hat length was perfect for us. We booked our trip just three weeks before
departing, and I think we got a decent deal. Royal Caribbean was superb!

Name: Stacy Grabill
Email: sg_3611@yahoo.com
Age: 21
Occupation: Asst. Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 9/10/00
Itinerary: Nassau-CoCo Cay
Cabin: 4528-G
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 97
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 99
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 91
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Sep 2000
Time: 22:40:20
Remote Name: dyn1-tnt1-4.dayton.oh.ameritech.net
Remote User:

Comments

This is the first cruise that I have went on. I went with my son, one of my friends, and myself. Overall we
had a great time. When we got to the cruise terminal we had planned on waiting awhile in a line to
check-in but there wasn't no line what so ever. When we entered the boat it was beautiful. The first thing
that we did was go and try to find out where are stateroom was. It didn't take to long. When we got to the
room our bags where already waiting for us. That was nice.

The first night at dinner was great. I have to give two thumbs up to Cliff and Warren they were excellent.
All of the dining room staff was very friendly. They all took time to stop and talk to my son. Which I thought
was very kind of them. The first night our tablemates weren't at dinner. Which was alright. We meet them
the second night. They were great to talk with. They were from El Savador(I hope I spelled that right). All
of the the food was great especially the strawberry ice cream that I had everytime I ate in the dining room.
I took the edvice that someone wrote to order whatever you want. I had two deserts everynight at dinner.

The next thing I want to mention is my cabin stewart Erick. He was wonderful. He kept everything nice and
clean. He even made the top bunk bed everytime we left the room. My son demanded that he had to sit
up there. He is only 4 so it was something different to him. I wish that I could of took Erick home with me.

CoCo Cay is wonderful. I wish that we could of had more time on that island and less on Nassau. The one
thing that didn't happen was we didn't get asked a million times to get our hair braided which I was
prepared for that to happen. Both of the island were great but I liked CoCo Cay alot better.

This was my first cruise and it won't be my last. The one thing that I did learn was that you could for sure
feel the boat move. Especially on the first and last day. I will also cruise with RCCL again. If you have any
questions please feel free to email me.

Name: Rebecca McKenzie
Email: marcandrebecca@mindspring.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Executive Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: September 28, 2000
Itinerary: 3 night-Bahamas, Cocoa Cay
Cabin: 6529 K
FoodDiningRoom: 79
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 89
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 79
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 98
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 97
DiscoNightclubs: 98
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Oct 2000
Time: 17:56:13
Remote Name: pool-63.49.52.195.tmpa.grid.net
Remote User:

Comments

Just got back from the best cruise experience I have ever had. Even though it was a quickie cruise, it was
a blast.

In late August I got 26 people together from work to cruise with me on SOS. We had an age range from
24-65 and each person enjoyed themselves to the fullest!

Since we all live in Orlando, we arranged for a private bus to pick us up from work at noon on Thursday
and take us to Port Canaveral. This was so relaxing, no worries about parking, etc..plus we were able to
enjoy a few champagne toasts on the way there.

After a quick 45 minute ride, we were dropped off at the terminal. We all just had carry-on luggage and
did not need to check anything. We arrived at about 1pm and went straight into the terminal and got in
line to check in. After a two-minute wait I was called to the counter to be processed with my birth
certificate and credit card and by 1:15 all 26 of us were on the ship.

24 of us had opted for assigned inside cabins, while 2 in our party took a chance and went with an
outside guarantee. So while we got category K, they got so lucky and got a cat. C. Now, a cat. C is 1 cat.
below a suite and it was nice! We were all jealous and tried to upgrade but the ship was sold out. They
only paid $50 pp more than we did! AND it was their very first cruise! Next time I am going with the outside
guarantee!

Next, we all met at the Windjammer Cafe for the welcome aboard buffet. It wasn't that bad at all compared
to what I had heard about it in previous reviews.

Right after lunch everyone did their own thing until dinner. I went to my cabin to unpack and the cabin
steward, Donald, introduced himself and asked if I needed anything to let him know. He proceeded to go
down the hall and do the same with all the cabins he was in charge of.

I have to say, I wasn't prepared for the size of the cabins. I heard they were small, but I laughed so hard
when I saw how tiny it was. Actually, when you come right down to it, they were comfortable and neither
myself or my roomie had any complaints. Now for a 7-day cruise it might be a little tight!

Next I went and got in line to switch our seating from late to early as I originally requested. That went
smooothly and we were assigned tables 172,176 and 180 in the Gigi dining room. Our waiter, Warren,
had just been promoted and was exceptional. His assistant, Maurice was wonderful too. Service was quick
and very attentive.

On a negative note....I thought the food was mediocre at best.The soups were bland and all dishes were
lukewarm.The filet mignon was good though, I had two of them (small portions) that night.Don't look for
lobster on RCI, you won't get it and the shrimp wasn't fresh. Each night we were brought all the desserts
to try. Most of my friends thought the food was just okay too. I guess I was spoiled from my last cruise 5
months ago on Holland America's Veendam! Now that was some great food. I need to get around to
writing a review on that ship soon.

Jaydee, the Head Waiter was hysterical and always came by to see how we were doing and make jokes
with us. I didn't drink wine, but the wine steward was good, but it seemed he was kept very busy and
sometimes my friends had to wait for him for a while.

I made all the shows and thought they were good. I esp. enjoyed the Newlywed, not so Newlywed game.
Later El Gaucho who is an incredible performer came on at 11pm. You never knew what to expect him to
do next. Bill Fellows, the comedian on the last night was a hoot! All in all the shows were entertaining.

One of my friends won $250 in the casino and another won bingo on the last night. I didn't indulge in
either, since I don't know when to stop. I spent most of my time in the Music Man Disco and we always
closed it down at 3am. The cocktail servers never neglected us even when the disco was packed.

Everyday I went to the Viking Crown Lounge for a drink to enjoy the view. Service was okay up there.
Always seemed to get the same lady witing on us and she wasn't as friendly and outgoing as everyone
else. I later learned that she had been sick for a few days and then I understood why. After a drink or two
there, it was off to my favorite lounge on the whole ship, THE CHAMPAGNE BAR! Very elegant and never
crowded. I think hardly anyone knew about this bar. It is kind of hidden by the library. The daily
champagne cocktails were $3.25 each and I always enjoyed a Bellini or a Kir.Yolanda was the bartender
there and was quite friendly.

As for Nassau, I have been there alot and had no interest to get off the ship. However my friends went to
Atlantis and had a good time. I wanted to see a movie, but always seemed to miss the showtimes. They
have 2 cinemas and very good films showing.

Now for Cocoa Cay. I was not impressed at all. First of all I am from the Florida Keys and I was not thrilled
with the island like alot of people from cold weather climates were. It was too small for my tastes. BUT, I
am comparing it to Holland America's private island that was incredible! We walked to the end by Coconut
Willy's (?) and camped out there with chairs and hammocks. I rented a float for $8 and that was nice.
Water was great and clear. Enjoyed quite a few Coco Loco drinks and boy, were they good. Finished up
with 8 of us going on the Banana Boat ride and I have to say that was a highlight of the cruise. Only $8
for a 10 minute ride and we never stopped laughing!

One thing about this ship is that the way it is designed, you never feel crowded in the public areas and we
never had to wait in line for anything.Everything is clean and shiny and all the staff always greets you with
a smile!

Disembarking was not fun. None of us had checked luggage and we were still 2nd to last group allowed
off the ship. I didn't care for this part, I was ready to get off and go home and go to bed! You have to be
out of your room no later than 8:00am. We were not off the ship until after 10:00. This is the only downer
onthe cruise.

All in all, you couldn't beat the service. It made up for the mediocre food. The ship was in great shape for
being 12 years old. Compared to other cruises I have taken on Carnival, Holland America, Costa, I can
honestly say the Sovereign of the Seas was the most fun. We are already making plans for another
cruise in Jan/Feb and may go on SOS again!

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