All in all, this was a good getaway cruise for us. After 20 months landlocked, locked down, poked, prodded and just sitting around, it was terrific to get going again. The ship was only half booked by design and it made the week better because of less crowding. It is clear there are some bugs that RCCL has to work out, particularly in the dining room. I think that if they opened the Windjammer up for supper, it would go a long way to solving the problems in the MDR. Out of everything, the evening meal was the only thing that was problematic. Food quality will improve as will service as the crew works together more and they get good feedback from people who cruise.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very smooth and fast. Probably quickest of all.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was just mediocre. Main dining room was in chaos, seating was problematic every evening because the Windjammer was closed for the evening meal and that pushed everyone into the MDR. Even though the cruise was only half booked, the management of the MDR couldn't seem to get it right. Their computers showed tables occupied but when you got in, there were a lot of open tables. Long lines waiting for tables. Re-set seemed slow, too. The food in the Windjammer was not as good as in previous cruises. Selections were not as good, either. The bright spot for us was Johnny Rockets. You have to pay extra for it, but the burgers are well worth it. Chops did their usual good job, although it was working out some problems, too.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Did some sunning and swimming, hit the shows and in general, had a very relaxing time onboard.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The Ice Skating Show was exceptionally good. The skaters were awesome and really gave it their all. Very entertaining and fun to watch.
Children's Programs
No children with us.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Raj was our room steward. Out of a dozen or so cruises, he was the absolute best. Kept everything up to snuff, learned our pattern and just terrific.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
As usual, LOTS was great. Sailed on her before, nice design and just the right size for us.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This was the most enjoyable cabin we have had on any ship. Great size. Had a walk-in closet, large balcony and a really comfortable bed. Location was quite but close to elevators and stairs.
Ship tip
For the rest of 2021, if you are going on any cruise, be patient with the crew. They have been shut down for 20 months and have not had much time together to get coordination down. They try hard, but the shutdown hit them hard. They will eventually get back to 100%, but it will take a few months.
This appears to be the distant suburban ghetto area of Cozumel. Not worth getting off the ship. Go sit by the pool, have a few drinks and catch some rays. Save your money and time.
Covid may have hit these guys pretty hard, but it is an island governed by Honduras and that presents a bit of a problem in itself. Without cruises for the past 20 months, it seems to have deteriorated a bit. Even areas that used to be nice look a bit run down.
I agree with your tip to be patient with the staff. They are doing their best after a long hiatus. It makes me angry to see passengers fussing at staff and crew!!
Great review specially the part about been understanding the crews works very hard specially under this situations and there’s a lot of Karen’s out there
Great review. I imagine that the Pandemic staffing issues and supply chain disruptions contributed greatly to your MDR experience as well as lack of food diversity. As you mentioned, this should improve as time goes on.
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