Overall a good cruise. I want to maybe try a more modern royal ship with a more conventional itinerary to get a better feel for the activities and entertainment options. Loved the itinerary but not sure about doing it again on a cruise ship.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Left Cape Liberty in NJ. Walk on embarkation around 10:45 AM. Did not park at this port.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was average to mediocre on the whole. The buffet was decent with a good selection just on the salty side. Giovannis was by far the best on board. Chops was awful the food was saltier than the buffet and the waiter was insult people in spanish. Izumi was just okay edible but not worth the upcharge. We didn't want to share a table so we didn't do the main dining room. They need to expand the free froyo hours beyond 6pm.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The pools and hot tubs were nice, this ship did a good job spreading out crowds on the pool deck. Minigolf was great. Flow rider was not too crowded and fun to watch.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
We liked going to karaoke and we also enjoyed the love and marriage show. The comedian was ok I wished he focused on the pet jokes more. We absolutely loved the ice show, orchestra, and juggler. Didn't do the main song and dance shows because the audio system was too loud for my husband. The deck parties and live music was lacking. Deck parties were dead and had strange music choices, no line dances. Live music was just Latin and caribbean but no one was really into it yet they kept pushing these genres. They needed to engage the crowd better.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff were very friendly on the whole outside that one waiter in chops. They were happier than on another recent sailing I did and looked like they weren't as overworked. Bar staff on the whole were phenomenal.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Everything was super clean. We always saw staff cleaning throughout the ship especially in the buffet and staircase. No bad smells on this ship except on one rough sea day where we think someone vomited in the elevator. The ship was overcapacity but it never felt that way. Boleros and schooner could be less awkwardly placed or at least they shouldn't do trivia there. We never did trivia because it would get very full very quickly. They underutilized the main lounge a lot.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a spacious balcony. The room was very spacious and clean. The balcony was very clean with a large table we did work on and enjoy some meals and drinks. Decor was a little outdated but it didn't bother us. Bathroom was good for me, but my husband (a tall and broad man) thought the shower wasn't sufficient for his arm length and scrubbing. Bed was hard but that is par for the course for royal.
Ship tip
Do not sail to New England or Canada with kids. We are young adults and we were somewhat bored, nevermind people who can't drink.
I wish I lived here. The people are so friendly and everything is so beautiful. The food and coffee are amazing. We will come back on a sunnier day to check out the natural surroundings. Pity they are banning cruises though.
Like Portland they also have too many bees. Otherwise it was a beautiful city. The people were lovely and there was a lot to do and see. Loved the boardwalk area.
Forgot to mention but Johnny rockets was abysmal. Do not spend any money on that. I had unidentifiable hard things in my sandwich and same for my husband in his burger.
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