NeilL

MY WIFE AND I SAILED ON THE OCTOBER 30 SAILING OF THE SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS. WE WERE EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED WITH THE CRUISE. MY WIFE AND I BOTH HAVE ARTHRITIS WHICH CAUSES PROBLEMS NEGOTIATING STAIRWAYS; I WALK WITH THE AID OF A CANE ALONG WITH BEING VISUALLY IMPAIRED (LEGALLY BLIND). WE BOARDED WITH NO PROBLEMS OR DELAYS; IN FACT EVERYTHING WENT VERY SMOOTH/. WE BROUGHT OUR CARRY ON LUGGAGE, MAINLY OUR MEDICATIONS AND MY CPAP MACHINE TO OUR VERY SMALL CABIN. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO THE WINDJAMMER FOR LUNCH. THE FOOD WAS JUST OKAY, NOTHING SPECIAL. I WENT TO THE MENS RESTROOM AND FOUND THE TOILET BOWL WAS FILLED WITH FECES. I TOLD A CREW MEMBER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HE JUST SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS. I THEN WENT TO THE MENS ROOM AT THE OTHER END OF DECK 11 TO FIND THE SAME SITUATION EXISTED. AFTER I FLUSHED ABOUT 10 TIMES THE BOWL FINALLY EMPTIED AND I WAS ABLE TO USE THE TOILET. I FOUND THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS THROUGHOUT THE SHIP, FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CRUISE TO BE EITHER OUT OF ORDER, FILTHY, AND THE FLOORS WERE WET. DINNER WAS IN THE MIRAGE DINNING ROOM AT 6PM. THE WAITER AND ASSISTANT WAITER BOTH PROVIDED EXCELLENT SERVICE FOR THE ENTIRE CRUISE. HOWEVER, THE FOOD LEFT QUITE A BIT TO BE DESIRED, IT WAS USUALLY OVERDONE AND COLD. THE STEAK SERVED ON THE LAST NIGHT WAS INEDIBLE. EVERYONE AT OUR TABLE SENT IT BACK. ON MONDAY THERE WAS ONLY ONE SHOW ON THE SHIP. THE SHOW STARTED WHILE WE WERE STILL IN THE DINNING ROOM HAVING DINNER. SO, WE MISSED THE SHOW, WHICH I WAS TOLD BY OTHER GUESTS WAS EXCELLENT. ON TUESDAY THE SHIP DOCKED AT COCCO CAY. WE STAYED ONBOARD HOPING TO USE THE POOL AND HAVE A NICE LUNCH AT THE WINDJAMMER. BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT THE WINDJAMMER WASNT GOING TO OPEN UNTIL 130PM AND WAS ONLY GOING TO SERVE A LIGHT SNACK. SINCE I WAS WEARING A BATHING SUIT I COULD ONLY EAT AT TOMMY ROCKETS WHICH IS ON DECK 12.I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO ELEVATOR SERVICE TO DECK 12. WE FOUND OUT AFTER WE GOT HOME THAT THERE IS ELEVATOR SERVICE TO DECK 12, BUT IT IS AT THE OTHER END OF THE SHIP. MY WIFE AND I BOTH MANAGED TO GET THERE WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY. WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT PIZZA AND ICE CREAM WERE AVAILABLE ONLY ON DECK 12. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAD TO PAY FOR A MEAL ON A CRUISE. THE CHARGE WAS SMALL, BUT ITS THE PRINCIPLE THE PRODUCTION SHOWS ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY WERE GOOD, BUT NOT EXCEPTIONAL. THE COMEDIAN ON WEDNESDAY WAS GREAT!!!!. WE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING SEATS CLOSE TO THE STAGE SO THAT I COULD SEE THE SHOWS. HOWEVER WHEN WE WENT TO SEE THE MISS AMERICA SHOW, WE GOT SEATS SO FAR BACK THAT I COULD JUST ABOUT SEE THE STAGE. I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION TO A GENTLEMAN WHO I BELIEVE WAS PART OF THE MISS AMERICA ORGANIZATION AND HE MOVED US TO THE THIRD ROW IN THE RESERVED SECTION. GETTING BACK TO OUR CABIN. THE CABIN WAS SMALL; IN FACT IT WAS VERY SMALL. IT SEEMED TO BE ABOUT HALF THE SIZE OF THE CABINS ON CARNIVAL. THE BEDS WERE A JOKE. IF I WERE ANY BIGGER I WOULD HAVE HAD TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR. THERE WASNT A SAFE IN THE CABIN NOR WERE THERE SHELVES IN THE CLOSET. ONE NIGHT WHEN I TRIED TO WASH UP BEFORE BED THERE WAS NO HOT WATER. THERE IS NO ELEVATOR SERVICE BETWEEN DECK 5 AND DECK 2. WE HAD TO WALK EITHER UP OR DOWN A FLIGHT TO GET AN ELEVATOR TO DECK 2.THERE ARE NO RESTROOMS ON DECK 7. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR A HANDICAPPED PERSON TO GET AROUND ON THE SOVEREIGN. WE WENT TO THE SCHOONER BAR SEVERAL EVENINGS AND ENJOYED THE PIANO PLAYERS. THEY BOTH PROVIDED EXCELLENT ENTERTAINMENT. I COULD COMPLAIN ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE IN THE BAR, WE SAT IN THE NO SMOKING SECTION, BUT I REALIZE THAT RCL HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE APPARENT RUDENESS OF THE SMOKERS IN THE BARS. FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY OTHER GUESTS THIS CRUISE WAS THE EXCEPTION TO ROYAL CARI