Our experience was okay. The weather was great and the size of the Junior Suite was perfect for the 3 of us. Staff and service was good and Cozumel was beautiful. There are many things this ship left to be desired though. The Radiance of the Seas was our first experience on Royal Caribbean and if we weren't so excited about the Icon of the Seas, it would likely be our last.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
It's been a while since we've cruised and we really appreciated the new muster drill procedures. It was very easy. I liked how easy it was to drop off our luggage, then park and walk through the terminal to board.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food onboard in dining areas lacked flavor. I think the tastiest item they had on the menu was the Indian food. There is room for improvement with respect to flavor and spices & herbs in all other cuisines. Even my 9yr old only ordered spaghetti once because the sauce was so bland.
Drinks were good.
The only specialty restaurant we tried was Samba and it was fantastic! But we love the Brazilian Steakhouses.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I think, for the size of ship and the low capacity due to the season, that the activities were sufficient. However, I'm not sure that it would've been enough had the ship been at full capacity.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The music from the Lobby near Guest Relations was absurdly loud some nights and having conversations with Guest Relations or "Next Cruise" booking office left us yelling just to talk. The game shows, trivia and karaoke nights were a blast.
Children's Programs
3 out of 5
While my kid loved the children's club, we were a bit annoyed that the club operated in "sessions" (9am-12, 2-5pm, 7-10pm). This prevented us from attending some of the adult focused activities such as the Art Auctions.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff and service were great. Sometimes it seemed as though the staff in the main dining area tried a little too hard.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
For the most part, no issues, however having rooms (especially Suites) underneath the main dining areas and restaurants (in this case, Izumi) is extreme disturbing to sleep through
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The size of the Junior Suite was great for us 3. My child did not complain about the sofa bed. The most glaring issue we had with our ship was that our room was right under the Windjammer and Izumi restaurant and we heard noises all night long. This is not a good location for any cabin. When we complained to Guest Services, the only thing they offered was "Call guest services when it happens and we'll tell them to stop." We thought that calling them at 2, 3, 4 am would be futile as they are still conducting food prep and cleaning.
Ship tip
One of the funniest experiences about cruising is dining with other guests. In the main dining area, we were limited to a small table only for us 3. The maître d' later explained that we could've requested to be at a different table with other people, but that was the last night of dining before we knew we had a choice.
We may have enjoyed this port more if we had taken an excursion but we didn't know what to expect here. Instead we jumped in a cab, that took us through the run-down streets and to a crowded beach, crappy food and boats so close it smelled like exhaust. Next time, we'll try an excursion or just stay on the boat.
It's been over a decade since our last visit to Cozumel and it has definitely changed for the better. The town was nice and clean and pleasant to walk through. We will definitely look into excursions on our next visit.
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