The ultimate self pampering vacation

The line was long which was to be expected. Fortunately we had crossed all our Ts and dotted all our Is in regards to the Covid requirements but it was great that they offered rapid testing right at the ship's embarkation. Although we did see someone who was late enough that she missed the testing truck and therefore couldn't board.

Everything was wonderful and plentiful. There was always somewhere to go to have a meal. We were wondering how they would do their buffet style dining in the Windjammer. Buffet still existed, there were just servers for everything. There was the main dining with menu items, venues at various locations on the ship some included with the price of the cruise but also specialty restaurants that required a fee. Two places we frequented were Sorrento's pizza which stayed open til 2am and the promenade cafe open 24 hours. At Sorrentos you could have a whole pizza made to order if you liked. Between the last time that we sailed and this cruise I think one thing that may have changed about the main dining is that the food orders come with smaller portions of which I completely approve. It definitely helps you make a choice as to when to hold back and you can just order more if you decide you don't want to hold back. Also it definitely must cut down on waste so thumbs up to Royal C.

There were endless activities onboard. Whether you are the athletic active type, mildly adventurous or kind of sedentary. We try to do something we've not done before and this time it was ziplining. I got a chance to go iceskating which I haven't done in years. We also played mini golf, walked the track around the ship, spent time in the fitness center and the casino. My complaint about the casino is that smoking was allowed and it was too much. If you were attending things in the theater or Blaze nightclub, if you walked across deck 4 you had to go through the casino. I'm sure the smokers loved it but it was for me, the surprisingly strange situation onboard considering all the covid restrictions that they were doing such a good job with enforcing. It was a like a great health leap backwards. I spent time there twice. Once was to learn a table game and there were very few people there and so that was ok. The second time was to play some video poker and it was definitely bothersome to be there even though i didnt stay very long. There's so much to do onboard that you couldn't possibly get to it all. I never got to any trivia or sudoku contests even though I had been eyeing those. I didn't get to any spa related activities like the pamper party or seminars. I did get to go play bingo which I had been looking forward to but I only caught the last one. It was disappointing. I have to assume that some of the other bingos were better. We played one game...one. I don't think any bingo game should be like that. Even if you're only playing one card, a prize for regular bingo, 4 corners, some letter like an X or an L then the full card. Even if the prizes are a little less for some. Let people play and feel like they have a chance to win. I started this review rating it a 5 initially because of all there is to do onboard. Something for everyone, I had to downgrade it a little because I started thinking about the things that disappointed. I'm going to leave it at 4 but I thought about more of a 3.5 just for the smoking.

In regards to the entertainment. We attended 2 movies, the ice show, a comedy show, the stage show "Cats" and several nights at the night club. We were scheduled to see the water show but missed it unfortunately. I heard it was good. The ice skating show we enjoyed. The adult comedy show was hilarious. I can now say I've seen "Cats" but I don't get it's popularity and truthfully think the cruise line should look for some other stage plays. The movies were ok. One I had already seen the other Tenet was not my style really but this is no reflection on the cruise line. Leaving for last the DJs/Night club situation. We like to go clubbing on cruises. The two night club venues were both nice. The DJs however were a different story. It was our anniversary cruise so the 1st night at the club my husband requested a song that he knows I love to dance to. This DJ gave my husband a heard time about it, making it seem like he was sticking to his own program without requests. Then he told my husband he didn't have the song. I asked a young lady in the club if she had requested anything and she said that he had told her that people would leave the floor if he played her request. I don't always immediately feel like there is racism going on but that felt like racism. As an African American (and the young woman also) I felt he was trying to play to the inhabitants of the dance floor which was a small group of intoxicated young white people. I also feel like it was a bit of an ego trip for him like he's the DJ and in charge. At one point he even got on the dance floor with the microphone and was dancing. Up until that point I felt like everyone on the ship was bending over backward to accommodate you. Found out this guy was DJ Andrew. The next night at club Blaze we met DJ Alex. What a difference! He played everything we requested and made a point of looking for the songs. The same young lady was there and I advised her to make a request as this was a different DJ and he played her song too. DJ Alex said he didnt know if it would be him or Andrew the next night but he would pass on to him the songs we liked. Next night it was DJ Andrew and it was back to the same thing. The last night on the ship we were going to go to the club again but standing outside of Blaze I could tell it was DJ Andrew inside even though his name was on the marquis because he plays his music too fast. So we didn't go clubbing that night but I later heard from the same young lady that it had been the same old thing. We tipped DJ Alex that night he played in the club. He was in keeping with what I think of as the Royal Caribbean experience.

We don't have small children

I can't say enough about the staff and services provided on this cruise. Our room steward was excellent. Everywhere we went staff were friendly, courteous, and made you feel special. With the exception of DJ Andrew they made you feel like royalty.

The ship was always clean and is beautifully designed. We fell in love with Central Park. What a great idea. We've thought about getting a balcony overlooking Central park next time, but ocean balconies are hard to beat.

The cabin in general was comfortable and we loved having the balcony. We had a few hic ups with our TV, the balcony light, the alarm button and the shower water temp the 1st night but after these were resolved everything was great.

We couldn't believe how fast we disembarked. It was great.