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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Richard Humphreys
Email: Screwbit@aol.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Sales Manager
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 5/27/98
Itinerary: Nassau,Coco Cay,Key West
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Oct 1998
Time: 20:21:51
Remote Name: 152.163.197.61
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise with RCCL, and if the Sovereign is indicative of the rest of the
line, it will not be our last! For its status as one of the older
ships in RC's fleet, the Sovereign wears her years very well.The ship is extremely clean,
and has a staff that seems to take great pride in her.The
cabins are on the smallish side, but on such a relatively short cruise, that is of little
concern.Our steward did a very good job of getting the cabin
made up promptly, and handled special requests efficiently. We did have a plumbing problem
in the cabin, but maintenance handled that
quickly.The food was fairly middle-of-the-road, but of decent variety and presentation.
Buffets were average. Our dining room service was truly
OUTSTANDING. Perhaps the best entertainment on the ship came from the wait staff at
dinner-truly a unique treat. The lounges were very good,
with excellent service. Shore excursions were pretty typical. The Dolphin Experience in
Nassau was a once-in-a-lifetime event which we will never
forget. Coco Cay is an enjoyable way to spend a "beach day", with plenty of
activities for all ages- try a "Coco Loco" - or 3 !! :-o . For a 2000+
passenger vessel, we never felt crowded. The Captain was involved with his guests, and was
a joy to converse with and listen to- a great sense of
humor. We can't wait to try one of RCCL's other ships, if they are anything like the
Sovereign. ENJOY!!!
Name: Rita Gallagher
Email: rmgallagher@statestreet.com
Age: 54
Occupation: Business Service Manager
NumberOfCruises: 16
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: October 16, l998
Itinerary: Nassau - Coco Cay
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 65
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 97
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Oct 1998
Time: 15:48:22
Remote Name: 205.181.240.22
Remote User:
Comments
We arrived at the cruise terminal at approximately 11:30 on Friday, having driven from
another
part of Florida. We had no trouble parking the car ($30 for a 3 day cruise) and proceeded
to the
cruise terminal. There was quite a crowd, but due to the fact that they asked us not to
arrive
before 12, we can't complain about the wait. They opened the desk about noon time, and
started
boarding at 12:30. We were aboard by 12:45, and after dropping our carry on bags in our
cabin,
headed for the Windjammer Cafe and lunch. Lunch was a typical buffet,fried chicken,
kielbasa (or
sausage or some type), certainly nothing spectacular or even excellent! Our luggage was
delivered, and we were unpacked by 4 pm.
Our cabin was #5000 - as far forward as you could go on deck 5. This made for very noisy
times
when arriving and leaving port. I don't know if it was the bow thrusters, anchors, or
ropes, but
sometimes you thought it was going to come right through the window. We had booked this
cruise on a guaranteed category basis, and were supposed to get the best cabin available
at the
time. I would not recommend anyone taking a cabin this far forward (outside). The noise
was
very loud and could be a real nuisance if you like to sleep in. Our room steward was
excellent -
our room was always spotless and the bathroom immaculate and supplied with the necessary
shampoos and conditioners. I do think that RCI could put hairdryers in their cabins. I
understand
their new Eagle class ships will have hairdryers. It really is about time! Our cabin was
also very
very small, even for RCI. We are experienced cruisers, having last sailed in May on
Rhapsody in
Hawaii, and we had a verandah cabin. That cabin was much roomier than I expected it to be,
but
this cabin on Sovereign was about 7 x 9 excluding the closet and bath. If you ever get the
chance to take a verandah cabin, do so, it is really worth the extra money.
We are platinum members of RCI's Viking Crown Club, but didn't get any of the perks on
this
cruise (i.e, robes in cabin, etc.) Maybe they don't feel it's worth doing for a 3 night
cruise.
The food and dining room service were much better than we expected. All our meals arrived
hot,
and were very tasty. Our waiter worked very hard to satisfy us, but everything was great.
We
had a table for 8, and only 6 people showed up for dinner every night, but our dinner
companions
were a lot of fun. We had a thoroughly enjoyable experience at every meal.
We had planned on staying on board in Nassau, as we have been there a number of times.
However, we did leave the ship and were pleasantly surprised. Nassau has cleaned up its
pier
area, and has cracked down on over zealous merchants hawking their wares and hair
braiding,
and a simple 'no thank you' was sufficient. We went to Atlantis at Paradise Island and
walked
through the shark tanks. If you go to Nassau, that is a must. It's free, but even if they
charged
it would be worth it. It's fascinating to walk and have sharks and fish on both sides and
over your
head. A great experience!
Entertainment on board was very good, as usual, even though it was typical cruise show
entertainment and silly games. Some people will say anything in front of an audience, but
it made
for a lot of laughter.
Just a note to anyone taking a cruise and booking deck 5 - our steward told us that decks
5 and
9 were the only decks where the outside rooms did not have window shades or curtains that
closed. Morning sun came in very strong, and at night there was only a sheer curtain
between
you and outside. If you need privacy, book decks other than 5 or 9.
Debarkation was fairly smooth, except for those few people who refuse to report to the
Pursers
office to pay their Sign and Sail, but there are always a few of those idiots. We were off
the ship
by 9:45, and on our way by 10:00.
I must say that this was just a grand experience, far above what we expected. We had read
so
many negative comments on this board that we did not have very high expectations, but the
ship
and crew were outstanding. Perhaps attitude has something to do with it. If you think you
will
have a good time, you will, but if you have outrageous expectations, you might be
disappointed.
If you only have time for a short cruise, I would recommend this highly. It was totally
enjoyable!
One thing that does both me is the emphasis on the comment cards. I do give excellent to
waiters and room stewards, because they do their best, and I don't want to be the one to
cause
them to lose money. However, if the guests were able to assess these correctly, most would
feel
service was good or very good, same as the food. Only occasionly should excellent be given
(or
expected). Even at the finest restaurants or hotels, the service and food is most usually
good or
very good. Only outstanding things should be rated excellent, and the quality of food
available to
cruise passengers is very good, not what I would call excellent. Until RCI lets guests be
honest
about this without fear of reprisal to their employees,will they receive some honest
feedback.
Now please keep in mind that this was out 9th cruise on RCI, so we do think they do a
great job!
Name: J.P. Waddell
Email: coldspring@nac.net
Age: 32
Occupation: Account Executive
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: 10/26/98
Itinerary: Miami-Nassau-CoCo Cay-Key West
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 65
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 60
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 65
FoodMidnightBuffets: 50
CabinSteward: 45
ShoreExcVariety: 60
FoodVariety: 60
DeckService: 50
ShoreExcValue: 40
GoodForHoneymoon: 60
CasinoStaff: 65
PrivateIsland: 70
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 70
TenderService: 60
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 50
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 65
CruiseActivities: 50
Casino: 60
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 60
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Nov 1998
Time: 12:01:20
Remote Name: 199.222.78.2
Remote User:
Comments
After seeing Titanic, I fell in love with the romantic idea of a sea cruise, so I booked
the 5 day
sampler on the Sovereign of The Seas. This was our first cruise. The staff at the Miami
airport
helped us to the check-in and to the shuttle. Getting on board was easy. We boarded at 1pm
and, (like everyone else), we were starving from a long day of flights with meager little
snacks.
Unfortunately, our first dining experience at the Windjammer was not pleasant. First, when
we
arrived on the Windjammer deck, we were assaulted at the top of the stairs by a hord of
pushy
waiters wanting us to take bahama mamas. There was no way to gracefully get around them. I
thought that was rude. It was obvious they were implying the drink was complimentary, and
I
observed people taking drinks only to be stunned that they had to sign for them at
something like
$7 a pop. We stood in an eternal cafeteria line for a lunch that was no better in quality
than my
company cafeteria. Ans, if we wanted more to eat, we would have to go back to the end of
the
eternal line! I was stunned because everyone raves about the variety and quality of cruise
dining.
After lunch, I went for a dip in the pool which was very pleasant. However, being used to
swimming in clorinated pools, I swim underwater with my eyes open. I was not prepared for
the
saltwater, which stung my eyes badly and I had to keep them closed and lie down for hours.
(I
wish someone would have cautioned me about that side effect). One positive note: my blue
supercard blew away from my towel...it is really windy on deck! It was found and returned
to my
room promptly, which was very much appreciated.
The send-off from Miami was fun. The view of the Miami skyline was stunning as the sun was
shimmering across the ocean. We stood on the deck with the loud cha-cha music that was
piped
in to put everyone in that care-free party mood. It was now really starting to feel more
like a
floating wedding than the romantic sea adventure I had pictured. I opted for an excercise
workout before dinner since we had the later seating at 8:30. The gym facility was nothing
special. I tried 2 or 3 computerized step machines before I found one working properly.
The gym
was small and the equipment in my company sponsored gym is better and more varied. In the
same area, there is a spa facility. It seemed to me that the prices for spa services were
too high
and the services were antiquated. The whole area felt dated, muggy and tacky. I was hoping
to
get more gym and spa time, but the atmosphere was depressing so I did not return.
My traveling companion immediately got a bad case of the mal-de-mar, so I was forced to
attend
the first dinner on my own. I had requested a small table of people about my own age. To
my
dismay, I was seated in the GiGi dining room at a table for 12 with an average age of 60.
I am a
pretty amicable person, so I decided to just relax and enjoy the company. The couple
sitting next
to me were veteran cruisers with some very interesting sea stories to tell, but both were
extremely hard of hearing. I had to shout at them through the whole meal. On the plus
side, the
waiters were charming and impeccable in their service. Again, despite what I have always
heard
about the dining, the food was nothing special...nothing you can't get at any decent
Ground
Round or similar ordinary restaurant. Unfortunately, with this type of seating
arrangement, the
dinner conversation never has the opportunity to rise above the mundane polite chit-chat
among
people who really don't know each other. This might be fine for one night, but by the
third or
fourth meal, I could see this taking its toll on me as well as my fellow tablemates. More
and more
couples were missing meals or just tuning out altogether. Oddly, after each dinner, the
waiters
will put on a show with singing and dancing, sometimes with odd flaming things like cakes
and
bottles on their heads. This was amusing because the waiters were so adorable, but I
realized all
the while that these campy chorus lines were just more shameless begging for tips. It also
bothered me that the head captain, (or whatever he is called) made only one or two rare,
and
over-the-top appearances at the table to make some ingratiating gestures about taking care
of
any or all desires we might have. The dining experience overall felt way too much like we
were
trapped in a floating senior citizen's center, needing to be humored and talked to like
children.
The icing on the cake was this guy comes around dressed like a pirate and they force you
to take
a picture with him pretending to slice your throat. They seem to be constantly stopping
you to
make you pose for pictures which they display in this huge photo gallery later. Then, they
hope
you will buy these photos at rip-off prices...about $7 a pop.
After dinner, I checked out the various night clubs to see where the action was. Once
again, the
options were not all that appealing. I first went to something called the Night of the
Stars in the
Follies Theater. The theater was very beautiful and impressive. The headlining comic was
not all
that funny, and it was a little depressing to see all the seniors nodding off during the
show. Soon,
I headed for the Music Man lounge. The band was called Splash and they were really pretty
good,
and very cute. I spent about an hour here, then I capped off the night by going up to the
deck
to see the night sky. By the time I returned to my room, my buddy was over his sea
sickness, so
I was glad that they had a midnight buffet so I could get hime something to eat. However,
after
all the ooh-ing and aah-ing I'd heard about midnight buffets all these years, I was
expecting a
grand and wonderous display of all manner and variety of gourmet foodstuffs. Friends had
been
trumpeting these cruise ship midnight buffets as the next best thing to half-off, half-off
at
Filene's Basement. I had visions of silver trays holding copious amounts of jumbo shrimps,
crab
claws, lobster tails, and flaming baked alaskas and endless hors d'ouvres. Instead, I was
under-whelmed by the standard fashion show luncheon rolls, commercial cold cuts, cold
pasta
salads, chicken crouquets...you get the picture. I've had better buffets at the rotary
hall.
Our first day in port was Nassau. We opted to spend the day at the new Atlantis resort and
casino, even though the construction was not quite completed. We relaxed and swam and
returned to the ship for lunch. We spent the rest of the afternoon on deck relaxing by the
pool.
Before dinner we checked out the Casino. The casino was a fun diversion. Don't expect
Atlantic
City odds though. The gambling on the ship is just for fun, not for winning big money. The
second
night is formal night, and it was just incredible to see everyone all dressed up in
tuxedos and
gowns. We had jackets but decided to skip the formalities and eat in the Windjammer. I am
sorry
we did because the windjammer was pretty depressing and the service was far inferior than
in
the main dining room. After dinner I went into Nassau with some fellow passengers. We had
a
pretty good time at the disco and local pub. We managed to get back to ship by 2 pm for
the 3
pm sailing.
The second port of call was the private island of COCO CAY. Thanks to reading other
cruisers
experiences from Cruise Opinion, I knew that I didn't want to stand in the eternal line
for the ride
over with the 2,000 other passengers. I also knew that the island BBQ could be missed, so
we
opted to spend the morning at the pool and had lunch on board ship. We headed over after
lunch
and had great time swimming in the beautiful waters. I actually regretted that I didn't
sign ahead
for the jet skiing because that looked like a blast.
Finally, we arrived at Key West during the Fantasy Fest carnival celebrations. We had a
great
time in Key West and we both wished the ship would spent more time in this port so we
could
party in this great party town.
All in all, I would say the cruise had good points and bad. It wasn't really for me, but I
would not
hesitate to plan a family reunion on a cruise. As far as vacations go, it offers an
affordable value
and the type of seating for meals lends itself nicely to a family gathering. Plus, the
activities are
geared to seniors and children, so for a family gathering, this would be ideal. In fact we
met some
folks from Tennessee - a family gathering of 14 that was a real treat to see. Some of the
follies
lounge act humor would not be appropriate for young children, even though I saw many
people
with little ones as young as 4 or 5 watching the show. Also, people seemed to take the
kids into
the bars, casino and into the midnight buffets - I was surprised by that, but to each his
own.
The next cruise I take will be with my entire family.
Name: Pam Darnell
Email: pdarnell@cruiseone.com
Age: 49
Occupation: Travel agent
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: November 23-27, 1998
Itinerary: Bahamas
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 88
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies: 88
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 88
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Nov 1998
Time: 21:09:53
Remote Name: 207.220.172.60
Remote User:
Comments
The Sovereign is one proud lady! Now 10 years old, she continues to offer great value,
lots of open deck space and vistas, and more activities than
you can handle in 4 days. We were fortunate to go through embarkation at the Royal
Caribbean desk in the Miami airport, a nice feature that saved us
a lot of time in line at the terminal. We were impressed with the efficiency of the whole
operation, especially on disembarkation. With an early flight out
of Miami on the final day, we were in the first group to disembark, and from the time our
red tags were called to our check-in at the airport, only 1 hour
went by. Baggage was sorted nicely in the terminal hangar, and we found it easily. None of
the expected headaches of disembarking. Just find a seat
in a lounge, order a cup of coffee from the bartender, and think about all the great
memories you're taking home. Service on the Sovereign is
wonderful, especially the waiters and our cabin attendant Karmen. The crew works hard to
make sure you have a good time, and the singing waiters in
the Gigi Dining Room were an unexpected pleasure. Each dinner on the four day Bahamas
cruise has a different theme, which is carried out in the
menu, decor, music and waiters' uniforms. We had a table of 6, which was nice for
conversation. Our waiters were unobtrusive yet attentive. In fact, on
the last night, we practically had to flag them down to give them their tip envelopes! We
had heard that on some ships the crew seem to have their
hands out, but not on the Sovereign! They were polite, respectful and seemed very
grateful. Our waiter Casey even signed a menu for us with a
personal message to take home! We enjoyed dining room events so much we never bothered
with alternative dining in the Windjammer Cafe at dinner.
The second seating for dinner leaves you pretty full, and we did not do the midnight
buffet even once! Looked at it a few times, and it was lavish,
especially the night it was on the pool deck. Each evening as we left a port was magical,
with music, beautiful sunsets and the anticipation of the next
day's adventure. CocoCay, the private island, was OK, but if you're not into water sports
it's just a day at the beach. Get there early for a deck chair, as
they become scarce around noon. Also, the lines for the beach barbeque were long when it
first opened at 11:30. If you can wait until 1 pm to eat, it is
much quicker. Tender service to the island was fast and efficient. The island drink
special, the Coco Loco, is yummy but expensive, $5.95 for the drink
and its plastic sipping glass. All in all, the Sovereign is a great experience, especially
for first time cruisers. For questions or more information, feel free
to e-mail me at: pdarnell@cruiseone.com
Name: Carrie Lubiniecki
Email: Clubinie@hollinet.lib.de.us
Age: 32
Occupation: Asst. Library Director
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: December 4-7 1998
Itinerary: Nassau, CocoCay, Miami
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 100
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Dec 1998
Time: 15:56:04
Remote Name: 138.123.94.102
Remote User:
Comments
Our first cruise experience was an excellent one. We have never had a more enjoyable
vacation. The air/sea package was
handled better than I could have ever imagined. We first flew out of Salisbury, MD on
UsAir and transfered into Philidelphia, PA
then onto Miami. Our bags were taken from Salisbury and we never saw them again until we
got them in our rooms that
afternoon; no long claim lines or tranferring of bags.
We landed in Miami and a Rep. from RCCL met us at the terminal. They told us to go
downstairs and check in at the RCCL
desk. We got temporary boarding passes and got on a bus that took us to the ship. From
that moment on we were in heaven.
The staff went out of there way to help us any way they could. The only thing that I
didn't like was the pushing of drinks when you
reached the pool deck. Watch out, they are 6.95 and really sweet. Our waiter was Yilmez
from Turkey and he was a joy to see
every night he missed you if he didn't see you. He also called you by name, so I always
remembered his and it made his day.
Our cabin steward was nice but we had no neat animals made out of our clothes at bedtime.
The cabin was always neat and we
always had fresh ice.
I want to mention a special person who made our trip extra special. If you visit the
Schooner bar say 'hi' to Julia. She is from
Jamaica and a great lady. She introduced me to a drink called 'The Star Clipper' Apricot
brandy, Rum, Creme of Banana and
Pineapple juice. Don't drink to many because the ship is already moving, you don't need
the room to spin as well. The pools are
neat, they are filled with salt water. Room service was alright but we only ordered one
night and it was pizza and hotdogs for the
kids. You are really cheating yourself if you don't eat in the dining room. The service is
well worth the time. I was very
disappointed with the midnight buffets. I was told they are not great because our cruise
was for three nights and the better buffets
are on the longer cruises. The food was alright but mostly cold cuts and salads. Beautiful
Butter sculptures, but no ice ones.
Please check and then double check your bills the last morning of your cruise. We were
charged twice for our roses. One bill
appeared at the top and the second one at the bottom. I would recommend keeping all your
slips in the key envelope you get the
first day and put every receipt in there. If something looks strange you change check it
against the slips. The shows were great.
Kenny James, Singer and the Comedian Juggler where the best. Louanne our cruise director
was very funny. The not- so-
newlywed game was a gas. The shops were very reasonable. I wish I had bought some Kalua,
it was very cheap. Check your
local liquior store for your price, then check it against the store on board. Nassau was
really nice but CocoCay was a paradise
island. Make sure to rent a floating mat and watch out for the coral on the beach. The
ship was very clean and beautiful. Pictures
do not do it justice. Make sure to take pictures of the sunsets and sunrises. If you have
any questions about this ship please
contact me. There is so much more I would love to tell you but space is limited. I will
say this, a three night cruise is far to short
and we are now planning our next cruise for 11 days. Hope to hear from you.
Happy Sailing!!!! Carrie
Name: Robin Jackson
Email: MOMSPACE@worldnet.att.et
Age: 43
Occupation: homemaker
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: October 5 thru October 9, 1998
Itinerary: Nassau, CocoCay, Key West
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 96
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 94
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 98
CasinoStaff: 94
PrivateIsland: 98
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService: 94
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 94
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 96
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 96
CruiseActivities: 96
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 65
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 94
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Dec 1998
Time: 21:11:38
Remote Name: 12.69.0.83
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise. My new husband and myself did not know what to expect, but we
were surprised to find that this ship
was more than we could have hoped for. Initially, this was a pleasure cruise, but ended up
being a honeymoon, as we were
married 6 weeks before our trip. Our travel arrangements were made through the cruise line
and the air travel was very orderly
without problems. Upon arrival, we were able to by-pass the longer lines and boarded
without a hitch. Coming onto the ship was
not difficult, however we were surprised to find that the ship had changed our original
stateroom to another floor, which was fine
with us, as we were on a higher floor of the ship, but unfortunately, our baggage was sent
to the original stateroom. After some
time later, however, we received our luggage and proceeded to the Windjammer Cafe for some
dinner. We found the wait staff of
the Windjammer to be most courteous and the food was tastefully prepared. The room was
quiet and the seating was most
comfortable. We enjoyed our meal and proceeded onto the upper deck. The night air was most
delightful and after a short time,
we returned to our cabin. The cabin was small, but this was fine with us, as we did not
plan to spend a great deal of time there
(there was too much to enjoy throughout the ship). The bathroom was compact, but provided
the necessary means. We had a
fantastic cabin steward, who within minutes had changed our 2 twin beds into a king sized
bed that was most comfortable. Each
time we left our cabin, we returned to fresh towels, a newly-made bed and a filled ice
bucket and cans of soda.
Our shore excursions were fun. The first day, we were in Nassau, where we took a lovely
horse and carriage ride through the
business district of Nassau. Our driver directed us to points-of-interest, and we took
many pictures in the early morning breeze.
Following our carriage ride, we took time to visit the many shops that were easily
accessed within the shopping district. There
were numerous jewelry stores, with some of the most captivating wares. We found both gold
and silver were available and the
prices were most reasonable. If jewelry is your thing, this is the place to shop! When we
returned to the ship, outside on the
dock were small booths where souvenirs could be purchased. We picked up a few trinkets and
boarded the ship for our lunch.
Lunch lines were not much of a problem, as the majority of the guests were still off on
the excursions. The ship serveed a nice
variety of food and they were quick to replenish any empty serving trays. Dinner was the
most heavenly experience. Our waiter,
Moustafa, was most attentive. He seated us and provided our menus in no time. The servings
were generous and most
delectable and the assortment of foods was vast. We were lucky enough to be seated with
people who were most open and
dinner conversation was enjoyable and engaging. Following dinner, there is your pick of
activities, or you can return to your cabin
to watch new theatrical releases on your cabin's color TV.
Our itinerary was slated for a stop in Key West, but due to the hurricane, we were
re-routed to visit Freeport. I really liked being
in Freeport! We took a taxi, which was waiting outside of the dock area, and we rode to
the shopping district. Once we arrived,
we were glad to find so many different shops and an outside bar for island drinks served
in a coconut shell. There was a large
gazebo in the middle of the shopping arena with an islander playing a steel drum. The
music was really nice and the air was
crisp and fresh. We found several island women doing hair braiding and there were small
outdoor booths selling souvenirs and
tee-shirts. Here, there are a fine assortment of leather goods, jewelry, clothing and
small restaurants.
If I had to make one complaint, it would be the disembarking. While the cruise line was
great at picking up our luggage for us, the
disemarking experience is a nightmare! We had to wait for what seemed like hours getting
through customs and then once we
left the ship, finding our own luggage amoung the many hundreds of suitcases that were
pretty much placed together at the
dock. Although the baggage was tagged with color coordinated luggage tags, there were just
too many of the same colors
grouped together and the stresss of finding the luggage before your bus left to take you
to your airport was a bit unnerving! In our
rush to retrive our bags, we misplaced a piece of luggage(which was returned to us a few
days later without incident). Still, if we
had it to do again, I would most surely take a cruise with Royal Carribean again and look
forward to our next planned trip with
them.
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