Purpose of trip was to provide my adult son with autism a cruise experience. Goal Achieved! However, experienced a few RCL hiccups with luggage delivery delay, cabin prep deficiencies, and inattention to Crown & Anchor status regarding spending account charges.
Ship seemed overcrowded, particularly the main pool deck, and Windjammer Cafe. Looks like part of originally dedicated Windjammer space has been repurposed to specialty restaurants.
Bottom line, great itinerary/ship for families & first time passengers. As an older, more experienced cruiser, future cruises for me will be back in my comfort zone of smaller (3K) ships, longer itineraries, and alternate lines that pay just a little more attention to the details that matter.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Seamless and efficient!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We did not have a Soda Package, but there didn't seem to be enough of the dedicated soda machines to meet the demand, especially because at least 1 of 4 was out of order for much of the cruise; causing long lines in high traffic areas.
Also first experience with staff "policing" of regular beverage stations. Not sure if blocking passenger access to included beverage stations is a residual of Covid practices, but it seems to add unnecessary and burdensome logistics to what has perviously been a simple task.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Thankful for the less crowded pool & hot tubs in the Solarium, the main pool deck was a ZOO!
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Very talented singers, dancers and ice skaters; but the "theme" or story line of any of the shows was kind of lost on me?
Children's Programs
Uhhh, no children.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Main Dining waiter and staff was outstanding. Lower rating due to delayed arrival of luggage to cabin, miscommunication regarding sperate beds which delayed us even further in getting settled in, and lack of usual attention to detail in cabin prep.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
First time on a ship with the open multi-deck Promenade, a very cool concept.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Served the purpose for this particular short father & adult son cruise, but certainly missed the balcony cabin I typically choose. Also, this particular cabin location, a decision made based on past experiences and online reviews, was quite loud the night before return to port; I assume while luggage was being moved in the nearby service elevator.
Ship tip
Most suitable for families, first time cruisers. Back to Celebrity for me!
Cool to see Icon of the Seas (on a trial sail) docking next to us at Coco Cay, but very glad she was only carrying a reported 3K special invitation passengers (contractors, vendors etc.) Wouldn't want to experience Coco Cay with more than the 4K passengers from Mariner, imagining crowding would be a nightmare.
Outstanding coordination of taxi service at cruise terminal (by Bahamian personnel), as required to access non RCL excursion on nearby small private island.
Thanks for sharing your cruise experience. Glad you were able to enjoy your cruise. Have you looked into the Autism on the Seas program? They offer cruises on many different cruise lines for adults and families living with autism and other disabilities. I’ve been on 2 cruises that were also Autism on the Seas cruises. The program looks like a great program and option for families.
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