Overall enjoyed our cruise. However, we will choose another cruise line next time we decide to go to Alaska.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was a smooth and organized process. As most cruise lines, Royal Caribbean, was not verifying arrival times so it caused a little bit of bottle neck once you were past the check-in checkpoint. The app allows you to upload all of your required information prior to arrival and even store the boarding pass in your Apple wallet which was nice and very handy. While some of my travel partners were fumbling through their phones I had all my information ready to go by utilizing my Apple wallet. The ship also had a quick turnaround so that allowed boarding to begin as early as 11:30am which was a nice touch.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Being an avid MSC cruiser I was expecting a lot more when it came to dining. People that seem to hate MSC’s food raves about Royal Caribbean’s. However, I was very disappointed in the quality and options available onboard our sailing. Much of our group had the same opinion - either skipping meals or having trouble finding something that agreed with our taste buds. The main dining room was rotated nightly besides a few classics that are there nightly. The rotated options are far from appealing and even our server was agreeing with us when we couldn’t seem to find something to be excited about. The buffet food seemed to be better than the main dining but even there the food seemed like it continued to repeat and overall quality wasn’t impressive. Between the meats tasting very “rubber like” to waiting 30 minutes for breakfast burrito our group wasn’t satisfied when it came to the dining onboard.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
There were more than enough activities to do throughout the day onboard. However, everywhere you looked there seemed to be an overabundance of trivia - like they were trying to force activities instead of having gaps. I have no problem with trivia (we loved the Disney trivia) but I would of liked to see more specialized activities during the week. We also LOVED the Zen Coloring and is a must for adults to just relax and color..just wish it was longer.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Again, not sure where people rave about Royal Caribbean’s onboard entertainment. The shows clearly lacked a story and felt very raunchy to make up for the less than spectacular audio. The musical performances were just fine and enjoyable but the stage shows were atrocious and you can tell this ship hasn’t been given the royal attention like it’s other ships. From my experience onboard Liberty of the Seas I expected more but unfortunately it fell flat. My recommendation is that Royal needs to focus on its older ships entertainment to bring up its quality like its newer ships.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service and staff onboard the ship were spectacular. There was not one negative experience with the crew. They’re honestly what made the trip more enjoyable.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship itself is clean and well maintained. However, our group wasn’t a fan of the ships layout. We felt like we consistently were weaving back and forth to the front and back of the ship. It’s different than what I’m used to so I’m not trying to be too negative but I personally didn’t enjoy the ships layout or placement of venues. I’ve never been more lost or confused than I was on this ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
My cabin was comfortable and spacious. I had more space than I really needed for only one person. I enjoyed the larger floor plan compared to many MSC ships (including the larger bathroom). Some small complaints is the shower area had slight mold growing in the shower crevices and rubber areas. Also, the balcony doors need some oil or something to reduce the squeaking when opening the handle. Lastly, the HVAC unit didn’t work very well. Would never get below 70 (can only lower to 68) so I just kept my balcony door open all day and night to keep cool.
Ship tip
Be prepared for changes - shore excursions and/or itinerary changes. Royal Caribbean was a logistical nightmare for someone that likes to plan ahead.
The port is in a odd place and dumps you in a residential area. The city center is about a 30 minute walk and on various walking surfaces. I’d recommend booking a shuttle or taxi through the ship or independently. The city is beautiful and a unique destination. We enjoyed walking around and doing some shopping and dining. Our only complaint is we didn’t have a long visit here. Only 5 hours.
Juneau was absolutely amazing (even in the pouring rain) but we wish we had a longer or overnight visit here. There is so much to see and do. We enjoyed our whale watching excursion booked through Viator.
Thoroughly enjoyed our extra time in Seattle before boarding. Enjoyed a Argos Harbor Cruise, Seattle Space Needle, MOPOP Museum, Seattle Zoo and handful of bars and restaurants.
Appreciate your feedback. Glad you enjoyed your some of your. Sorry it was not what you had hoped. Happy you have a cruise line that you enjoy and will return to.
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