I must say it was a bit disappointing. Many people had told me that RC is a step above Carnival cruiseline and in my honest opinion, I did not find this to be the case...at least not on this particular cruise.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation went very smoothly...no issues there.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
I must say that the food was not as good as Carnival cruiseline.....quality nor variety.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
The pool was a kiddy pool. That's it. Could not believe how small it was. Trivia was okay, but not hosted by very knowledgeable crew members.
Entertainment
1 out of 5
Not impressed. Carnival cruiseline has excellent broadway type musicals that are exceptional.
Children's Programs
No children with us.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Our waiters and room stewards were great....no issues there.
The guest services internet attendant gave us wrong information....causing us more money for service we didn't ask for....corrected by other personnel later.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The ship was very clean. The layout of the rooms under the lounge area where the music was ridiculously loud until 2:15am....even after complaining 4 times to guest services was inexcusable......should be soundproofed.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin was comfortable and clean and an acceptable size. The only complaint about the cabin is as stated above....should be soundproofed due to the loud music coming from the lounge/DJ above.
Ship tip
Do not stay in a cabin below the lounge and if you're going to Cuba....go on the classic cars tour, but not through the RC excursion for $275 per car....get off the ship and take a private tour with a local guide for two hours and better experience for less than 1/4 the price ($20 per person for two hours!) several people did this and felt safe and had a wonderful experience.
We purchased the Key West Town Trolley tour through RC for $25 each...got off the cruise ship and could have purchased it for $5 less for each person.....THEN, it was an extremely hot and busy day for the trolley and we were passed up 3 different times as 3 different stops because it was full. Yet, we saw 2-3 empty trolleys just sitting there at the main square. Very frustrating. RC did refund us in full when we complained about not receiving the service we paid for.
We found Cuba to be very interesting .....the history was wonderful. The architecture of the buildings was beautiful. The shore excursion with the classic cars through shoreexcursions.com was NOT worth the $267 we paid for three of us, when we found out later we could have gone on a better tour for less than 1/4 the price. Live and learn.
We went in the Mayan Ruins and island overview tour with the chocolate making demonstration. It was worth the $59. Alex the tour guide was knowledgeable and funny.....personable. The A/C bus ride was pleasant on an extremely hot day.
You did pick their smallest and oldest ship. But I bet the price was right! I'd keep an open mind with RC. You might need to spend a little more next time, but worth it if you did. Empress met the needs of its itinerary and pricing very well. But I would agree the amenities on board were limited. But we really weren't on the ship all that much. Try a Freedom if the Seas next time! Mid size full energy!
well the room service on carnival is free all night, royal was not free from 12-6 I believe, there is more entertainment on carnival then rc, more things to do for the younger ones, I have a 17 and 20 year old and they were bored on rc.
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