Good but not Great....poor Mgmt and Training

     While I still remain a fan of Royal Caribbean and maintain they are the best of the cruise lines I have been on, (Princess, Celebrity, Norwegian) I came away from this latest cruise knowing RC could have done much better with only a few common sense changes.  The specialty dining restaurant food was exceptional and with the exception of 150 Central Park, the service was also great.  Coastal Kitchens was a big disappointment and not worth the extra cost.  It was haughty and the service people were cold, unfriendly and even abrasive with their comments regarding ordering coffee with my meal too early, and having too much.   It took forever to get it, and our waiter was informed three times the wait was intolerable.  (So was his lack of training)

Chops was the best dining experience, with Giovanni's a close second.  We ate at the dining room restaurant on our last night and the food and service was exceptional.

     As the ship was 100% occupied with over 6,000 passenger and 2,300 crew, the overall "service" was sorely lacking in many areas, including long lines at many areas, including bars, hot dog stand, (no chili-cheese dogs?, Guest Services, and 20 minute wait times to reach an operator on the phone.  While a rule exists of "no saving chairs"; I never saw it enforced once.  My biggest consistent complaint is bartenders who aren't aware of their surroundings and don't have a clue when a person has been waiting to be served for 30 seconds or 10 minutes.  The drinks were excellent; feeling compelled to let the bartenders know who was next was not.

     Checking in went smoothly as we were early and had Priority status.  We received a complimentary bottle of champagne after purchasing the specialty dining package of 3 meals. NIce surprise.  

     The room was a Jr. Suite with plenty of space and a balcony.  We had our Mother-In-Law with us and a curtain separated us when changing and sleeping.  Plenty of storage room and a walk in closet.  No complaints here.

     The biggest problems were related to the 100% occupancy rate.  Clearly, no change in staffing was made to compensate for this occurrence.  Having nearly 9,000 people on board without the proper people to serve them is very frustrating.  Long lines were apparent everywhere.

     Stopping at Labadee is a waste of time, unless you have a lot of money for the overpriced attractions, or enjoy being bullied and intimidated by the local vendors hawking items that look as if they were from WalMart.  As a private island, you are truly captive to an experience where laying on the beach is the main attraction.

     Falmouth Jamica began with a ride to Dr. Caves beach, a private beach with an admission fee and additional fees for towels, chairs, umbrella, snorkel gear and various vendors hawking their wares, including marijuana joints.  This is a tourist trap as it is crowded and overpriced.  ($5.00 for a towel?)  Beach access nearby is free.  We rented scooters at the Cozumel port and found a private beach that included everything for just $15/person.  Most will try to tell you they don't accept credit cards when they do if pushed.

     Finishing on a positive note, the Oasis entertainment was outstanding.  The live comedy was very popular as was the Aqua Theatre diving show and Ice Skating.  The Headliner show, featuring a variety of talent including singing, dancing, amazing acrobatics and tremendous feats of physical strength was my favorite.  The ship was amazing for its size, cleanliness, amount of activities available, and layout; including a running/walking track that was 2.4 laps to the mile.  The exercise room had plenty of room and a variety of equipment.  I definitely recommend the specialty dining packages as the extra cost is well worth the experience.

     We took 2 bottles of wine and a 12 pack of unopened Coke on board with us without a problem.