Liberty of the Seas - May 2015

Left from Bayonne, NJ.  The port is fairly easy to get in and out of, but get there early.  There are some construction delays on the way out, and again get an early tag to get off right after you eat.  The room stewards were great and attended to every need.  Pack as light as you can as there is not a lot of room to stow luggage in your rooms.  For those of you trying to stay connected to those you left behind...we did not take the kids on this trip, it will cost you plenty.  The WiFi service is outrageously priced.  For us, during this cruise it would have cost us $150 for the five day cruise at the outset, for 2 devices, and unlimited use.  The WiFi speeds are very slow, so using Skype or FaceTime is often sketchy.  It is only good for text messaging, but do not send photos as again it is slow or you get booted off and have to log back on.  Turn your cell data OFF during sea travel.  If you have a global plan then turn back on when in port of call and use sparingly depending on your cell provider...costs can escalate rapidly.  The shows on board were very good, but if you had to skip one, Saturday Night Fever is the one to miss.  We traveled on this ship 5 years ago and we are noticing that RCCL is charging you for amenities that were once included in the price of the cruise.  Drink/Water/Soda packages are available and very expensive.  You have to drink a ton to make it worth your while.  The singular drink prices are expensive as well but if you are not partying hard, it is cheaper than purchasing a drink package.  If you like a routine at home and want to select a "scheduled" dinner time, I would select that.  "My Time Dining" is tough.  You may be subjected to wait times and different wait staff who have already been tipped.  The attention to detail was not as sharp as when we traveled last and had dinner in the main dining rooms.  We were lucky and scheduled the same time and table every night, but that was because we made our reservations as soon as we boarded the ship and even then you might want to make your reservations on-line before you board.  If you are a "go with the flow" type person or group this may work, if you like to know what is going on and like a routine, My Time Dining is not the best option.  Overall this is still a great trip.  The ship is clean and has a lot to offer.  Just bring a light jacket as the Atlantic Ocean is still cold this time of year and the wind on the upper decks can get a bit chilly.  Photo is a panoramic of Royal Naval Dockyard from the 12th deck at port.