We missed being on a ship so we definitely enjoyed our time on board. We felt well taken care of throughout the week and called a a passenger. We got to see boozy Suzy and her hubby and that's always a good time. Can't wait to get on our next sailing in February on Vision of the Seas
Embarkation
4 out of 5
We had to show our vaccination card and negative covid test to get in the security line, before actually going through the security screening and one last time at the check in desk. At the check in desk, they gave us a wristband that we showed before getting on board the ship. Everything still went smoothly and we were on the ship about 20 minutes after dropping our bags with a drink in hand.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food and drinks were great as usual. We really liked the crew serving in the Windjammer and hope it continues going forward. We didn't eat at any specialty restaurants so can't comment on that area.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Obviously things were a little different but there were still things available but on a limited schedule. With less people on the ship, there were no real lines so it actually seemed better.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The ice show was much better than we remembered. We also saw the preview to Saturday Night Fever, they did a great job and there were minor changes so it was a little better than we remembered and the wife agreed when I stated that the three blonde performers were pretty hot.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
We have always appreciated the service on Royal and we weren't disappointed. They were all very excited to be back at work and to have passengers back. We felt that everyone went above and beyond on this sailing and we really enjoyed the experience. We had Prescila and Godfrey in the main dining room and Raj took care of our room. We also really enjoyed chatting with Gavin up in the Diamond Lounge.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We always felt that Royal did a great job with cleanliness and were wondering how they were going to improve. They did a fantastic job keeping all the common areas clean and disinfected.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We get the same cabin when we cruise on Liberty so it was like coming home. Room was clean and everything we expected. Raj took great care of us.
Ship tip
They have signage where you have to wear a mask and where you can remove it so it's really not that bad. Just remember how happy we are to be back cruising and don't make the crew manage your feelings about whether the masks are necessary or not.
We did a short excursion which was not bad. Salsa and Margarita's is a short bus ride from the port area. You make guacamole and two salsas , enjoy some margaritas, taste some tequila from a small, local distillery and learn a few salsa dance steps. We tried to buy some tequila but they couldn't get our cards to work. Everything seemed a little rushed but other than that it was a nice way to spend the morning.
We didn't do an excursion and just got off the ship to walk around the port area. They are doing construction and there isn't a much to do but the people were friendly enough and happy to have ships visiting again.
Kudos to Galveston and the addition of facial recognition! We used to hate how long it took to get off the ship there compared to other ports. This time it took a whopping 20 minutes to get from our cabin to our seats on the bus. Never had to take our passports out or anything.
Wakinsupra - you're almost always going to miss something because of dinner. We scheduled our dinners early based on which days we were in Port and so we could see the main show that evening. But, we did have to miss Love and Marriage one night which we always enjoy. The good news is with less people on board now, you should be able to reschedule dinner after you see the schedule.
Do you think just schedule dinners then shows? We have ultimate dining package and it seems a little overwhelming at the moment to get it all scheduled and organized so we don’t miss our favorite shows, always seems we miss something to dinner.
"...don't make the crew manage your feelings of whether the masks are necessary or not." That might just be the best quote I've heard all year (and a half). Wise words for on and off the ship. Thanks for sharing your experience and glad you had a great time!!
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