You can’t beat the Southern Caribbean for natural beauty. Just to have a “ride” to visit these special gems would make this cruise worthwhile. If you’ve never cruised, you will probably love this ship. If you’ve sailed Oasis or Quantum (I haven’t yet), you’ll probably be disappointed.
RC gets high marks for staff and service, all the way up to the Captain. The corporate aspect gets low marks for grossly overselling everything.. overpriced drinks, art, watches, food upgrades, even ship tours.. and poor food quality/dining options. The kids all agreed that Golden Corral has much better quality (though they don’t serve lobster or lamb;).
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
I was VERY disappointed with the food quality. I’ve sailed RC and Carnival both many times and have always thought RC was hands down better.. until this trip. Food was over cooked, not very fresh at times, cold on arrival to table. The service was good, but it seems management is cutting corners on product. Everything is an upsell. I mean when they charge your kid $26 at Johnny Rockets (misleading them) for fast food bc you don’t like what they’re serving in the main dining hall, you have a problem. It’s so bad, they now put a $17 upcharge option on menu to get a decent filet from their steakhouse. The standard menu option for steak is like roadkill. Bacon tasted weird. Pastries bland and not fresh. They couldn’t even get eggs right. Eggs.
After pumping the kids up about the amazing food (first timers on RC), I had to eat crow. Not sure if this is bc the ship is older (quality correlating to price paid)? Bc it originated in Puerto Rico (catering to Latin palette or limited access to fresh ingredients)? Or if this simply is the new standard for RC, but it was really unacceptable.
On a positive note, Sorrento’s pizza is good and readily available. The lamb was very good. They did still serve a tasty lobster tail on formal night. But please bring back the Molten lava cake as a nightly menu option!
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The ship is a need of a makeover, but still boasts a good array of sports activities.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Older ship means B level talent and limited shows. Girls really liked the ice show. I appreciated the throwback to rock’n’roll show. The poolside “host” had a great personality and energy throughout. Could easily have his own tv show.
Children's Programs
4 out of 5
Seven year old actually asked to keep going back. Friendly staff. Blessing - Thank you!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
RC gets it right here. Staff is consistent and on point. (With the exception of Sorrento’s who are more like fast food workers in theStates.)
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Given the age of the ship, it’s still an incredible testament to man’s capabilities! Can only imagine how awesome the Oasis class ships must be in comparison.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Room smallish as you come to expect, but always prepped and ready day and night by our awesome cabin steward, Deshwin (sp?). Balcony was great - Falling asleep to a full moon reflected off the water and ocean breeze very memorable.
Ship tip
Go to the front of deck 5 through the exit door on the right of the show lounge to access the bow of the ship. Great secret spot to see the sunset and have your own “Titanic moment.”
El Yunque Rainforest if you have time to rent a car is amazing. Parts are still closed due to Hurricane Maria, but still very worth the 40-min trip out.
Old San Juan/El Morrow fort are great and very close to port.
Most commercialized and populated of the stops. Rented a car and explored. Swimming with sea turtles literally feet off the beach at Baby Beach was the highlight of the day!
We have been on Allure twice and really loved its service and entertainment. Freedom of the Seas is still our favorite: food is excellent, entertainment is excellent with no entrance lines, and the service is both excellent and personal. The ship is well-maintained and clean with excellent Wi-Fi so the age doesn't mean anything to us. We will be on FOS 5th time this year.
Sorry the food didn't meet your expectations. I typically love the food on RC ships. I was on Freedom in April and loved it. A trip can be spoiled if the food is bad.
Johnny Rockets is around $12 for adults when they add gratuity & half that price for children. You should have disputed that while onboard because it surely doesn’t cost $26.
Well I did Harmony when she came across pond and I and lots of other passengers (even a few diamond ) complained the food was bad so I ha e higher hopes for FOS lol
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