Overall, I would definitely recommend Royal Caribbean. We have been on several ships and never had a bad experience.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
The Tampa port is small, efficient facility that was much quicker than other ports we have used in the past. We took a gamble and used the "Valet Parking" option and it paid off in spades! We were able to drop off our car and within minutes, we were inside checking into our cruise. Upon our return, we provided our ticket to the check-in desk located as you exited the terminal and within 15 minutes our car arrived ready to go. The valet option is $20 and is money well spent.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
My spouse and I have done 5 royal Caribbean (RC) cruises and 1 from another cruise line. Our next trip will be on RC and they are who we recommend when someone asks for our opinion of the best cruise line. With that being said, nothing in life is ever perfect. Here is a summary of my thoughts on RC: ships are high quality and enjoyable, the food is outstanding, customer service is never an issue, and the other quests that use RC are folks like us which makes it enjoyable. What we have also learned about RC but will not stop us from returning: the spa prices have become too high for what you receive, we will no longer per take in the spa. The shows were enjoyable, but the bands that played in the centrum were a little on the loud side, perhaps they could be toned down a bit. That area is meant to enjoy the music not for it feel like a rock concert. If you noticed, I gave the cruise 5-stars and that is because when you factor in everything that happens over the course of the cruise, well it is fun and money well spent
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Superior friendly customer service that were always there when you needed assistance.
No need to book an excursion at this port because you can walk off the ship and find plenty to do. Plus if you decide you want to see a museum, tour, etc then you can just pay as you go.
I am conflicted on my review of this port. We have been here on other cruises and loved the excursions. However on this trip, we did the Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins - CZK8. In good faith, I cannot recommend this tour to anyone. I am glad that I got to see the ruins, but the tour was rushed and we barely had any time to see them. Except for the fact that I can say that I have seen them in person, the excursion was not worth the time / money that was spent.
We did the Mayan Palaces of Cahal Pech - BE99 excursion and this was perhaps one of the best adventures we have ever done with a cruise ship. We enjoyed it because we were not rushed at the ruins, we were the only tour during our time block and it was a small group tour. It was a slow paced tour which allowed us to really enjoy the sights.
We did not do an excursion but rather took a bus ($4 per person) into the city and returned via taxi ($3 per person). The souvenirs were about the same at the shops right out side the ship as the shops in the nearby city. The advantage of going into the city is there are several off the beaten path restaurants that offer great food for very little cost. The down side is that you will need to know at least a bit of Spanish because not everyone in these places speak English.
The deck just above the Solarium Bar, either port or starboard side, ahead of the pool deck. Nice for hanging out in the afternoon with a book and great when the sun is going down. We’re going to be on Rhapsody this coming December. Oasis feels more like a big resort and less like a ship to me unless you can see the ocean. Oasis is big!
We loved Rhapsody. Sailing on Oasis this month. Anxious about the large ship, but looking forward to it. Just hoping there is a place to.kick back and watch the ocean.
Hi captek, looks like overall you enjoyed your cruise on Rhapsody. And your experience at Tampa Cruiseport sounds great. We've sailed with Royal twice and we'll be on Rhapsody in December this year, ending our cruise in Tampa. Thanks for your review, much appreciated.
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