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Name: Rachel Tallent
Email: randers1@hotmail.com
Age: 27
Occupation: Teacher
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Sovereign
SailingDate: July 27
Itinerary: Nassau-CocoCay-Key West
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 1100
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 97
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Aug 1998
Time: 19:23:59
Remote Name: 207.43.201.23
Remote User:
Comments
We have only cruised once before and that was on the
Leeward--needless to say, this was a whole different cruise. On
the Sovereign I hardly knew I was
on a ship in the middle of the ocean. There was a slight motion,
but nothing that made me either woozy or queasy. Another
difference with this trip was
that it was our honeymoon. Yes, this was a fantastic vacation but
only an okay honeymoon. Jack and I had been told numerous times
that the staff of RCL
really bends over backwards for honeymooners but we didn't get
any special treatment. We were invited to a honeymooners party
that was supposed to
be from 8-8:30, but it started a little late so it was barely a
party (If you can call a mimosa, a slice of cake and the macarena
a party). We were asked if
we wanted a cake at dinner (by RCL at time of booking) to
celebrate our honeymoon--we said yes but got nothing although we
anticipated it every night
at dinner. We got the Crowning Touches package which is an
EXCELLENT value, except that we had to ask for our bathrobes and
even then didn't get
them for hours and hours. We were supposed to get canapes and
desserts in our cabin every night but when they didn't show up
the first night I called,
asked why and was told they were sorry but were very busy and
we'd get it the rest of the days aboard ship.
I know it sounds like a lot of bad stuff, and it certainly did
detract from our honeymoon state of mind, but overall we had a
blast. Our waiter, Yilmaz from
Turkey, was superb, as was our stewardess CherylAnn who left us
amazed with the different pj and pillow figures she left us each
night. We didn't do
much drinking so we never really got to know the bar staff but
they seemed nice.
Nassau was a lot of fun--we did the Dolphin Encounter and had a
great time! We did a little shopping and took a taxi tour around
the island. We did this
independently of the ship and felt very safe with our driver
(plus, he only charged us $15 and let us walk around the sights)
We agree with everyone who
says 'less time in Nassau, more time in Key West.' We were back
on the ship by 6 and didn't sail again untl 3am.
CocoCay was a lot of fun (although we have dubbed it 'Sunburn
Island'--Jack wore SPF 35 and still got burnt) We did some
snorkling (great!) and rode
the banana boat which was a lot of fun but very short a ride. The
bar staff that walked around selling CocoLoco's were great and
not too pushy. The
tender service to and from the ship was a breeze--very efficient.
Key West was fantastic. We did the Old Town Trolley tour and had
a lot of fun. After that we rented bikes and biked around on our
own. We did some
shopping, went to Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium, Sloppy
Joe's for lunch, and all kinds of fun things. Time went by way
too quickly on Key West. The
rumor was that the reason the ships don't stay as long in Key
West is that it has a fantastic night life and the cruise line
doesn't want it's passengers
partying on land when they can party and spend money on board.
Don't know if it's true, but it makes sense to me.
Disembarktion was a total nightmare. Because of all the cash
paying cruisers who did not want to report to the Pursers desk to
pay, the rest of us were
held hostage on board. We went through the cruise line for our
air travel and they put us on an 11am flight out of Miami back to
Atlanta. We didn't get off
the ship to get luggage until 10 and didn't leave the pier until
10:20. We ended up missing our flight and had to get booked on a
later flight. So we sat in
the airport for hours.
I love cruising and would sail with RCL again. The cabins were
small but not claustraphobic (we had a outside cabin on deck 2),
the food and sevice were
very good and we had a great time in port. Basically we go by the
saying 'you make your own fun' and as disappointed as we were
that we didn't get the
'royal treatment' like we had been told, we still bad a fun
vacation. Let me know if I can answer any questions. Write to
randers1@hotmail.com
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