As someone who frequently sails on Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruise Line (Royal Caribbean sister company), I was looking forward to this first Royal Caribbean cruise. The Grand Suite was reserved as a special birthday treat for my partner. Multiple times pre-cruise I was asked if we are celebrating anything special and I always mentioned the birthday. I don't know why they bothered to ask; they did absolutely NOTHING to recognize the birthday! I did put a few "birthday magnets" on the cabin door to give a sense of celebration to the sailing; the kids on the ship thought it was funny to take them off and put them on other random doors over and over. Finally just got tired of trying to locate them and just kept them in the cabin.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
We had booked the Grand Suite. Nothing special about boarding; mixed in with everyone else.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Food in Windjammer (Buffet) was TERRIBLE! Everything was dried out, without taste, or lukewarm at best. This was only dining option available for lunch times.... after first-day, we decided just to do the pizza in the Promenade or make a larger meal out of breakfast. There was a Suite Lounge which was only manned 3-hours per day (5pm-8pm).
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
If you are traveling with family (i.e. kids) there are lots of things to do. If you are an adult couple, not so much. Movie selections were for kids. Most games were for kids. The pools and jacuzzis were packed with kids (even the ones "dedicated" for adults). Want to try any of the water slides or Flowrider? Stand in line behind dozens and dozens of kids.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Here we go...finally something to give a 5-Star rating to! The Ice Show was fantastic!! Talented crew of 8 skaters who were amazing! And the wonderful use of droans in the show was unique and interesting! The comedian was alright, but his late night show was, I guess, "adult" because he threw in some gratuitous d*ck and t*ts jokes (really? In 2022??). The final show night, Showgirls, was very, very good. So much talent, great voices, fantastic costumes and dancing... it made you sad that it was the one and only show of the cruise.
Children's Programs
4 out of 5
Yes....so many options for kids.
Service and Staff
2 out of 5
When we boarded, as the Suite guests, no one knew if we had a special venue, if there was a lounge for us (they sent us there... it didn't open until 5:30p!), if the lunch at Chops Grille was open for us.... two different employees had to go and find out, and then came back with no info or inaccurate info. BAD first impression!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship was clean and easy to navigate. They had two outdoor food venues (one free, one extra charge), but only 2 or 3 tables for sitting (with a ship that holds 3900 people!).
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The cabin was very large and well attended by our cabin attendant. Comfortable bed. Plenty of closet space. There is a bar, but the cruiseline gives you nothing for it (other than a coffee machine, which is in every room!). A small fridge that could only hold 2-3 cans of soda or bottles of water. Oh, and a "fruit plate" which included an orange, apple, & pear, Bathroom was HUGE! but had a deep tub that was difficult to get in and out of without slipping. I loved the space but, honestly, nothing at all special about the room; I definitely would not spend the extra money again for the Grand Suite cabin.
Ship tip
If you are sailing with children, this may be the perfect vacation for you. If you are only a couple sailing, and are looking for a relaxing vacation, this might NOT be a good option.
I'm getting the feeling most of your gripes are petty. As anyone who has cruised, for one, the mini fridges are all the same size, so I know for a fact its bigger than you're trying to convince people of. Also RCL is for families, so yes, there will be lots of kids, and to complain is nonesense, especially someone else who is planning a cruise on Disney in the future. Never had images with food on a RCL ship, so perhaps cruising isn't for you.
Time to try another Cruise Line. The purpose behind them repeatedly asking you if there was a special occasion was the opportunity for you to pay $40 - $50 for cardboard decorations to be placed in your Cabin. Good thing you didn’t bother.
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