Fantastic Voyage

Item: Rhapsody of the Seas
Rating: 4.3
Author: Shezadiva

Rhapsody of the Seas Cruise Review

Shezadiva

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 4

Helpful Votes: 139

Overall rating:

4.3 out of 5

7 Night Western Caribbean (Tampa Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 15, 2020

Ship: Rhapsody of the Seas

Cabin type: Oceanview

Cabin number: 3110

Traveled as: Family (young children)

Reviewed: 4 years ago

Review summary

Enjoyed that this wasn’t a party cruise or floating amusement park. Very laid back ship, perfect for relaxation. Food is a highlight here. Beds suck, so either book a massage or get one in port. I’d definitely choose this ship again.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Super duper easy. Got to the port 45 min before my 1pm boarding time and was on the ship by 12:30. No lines, friendly staff. Loved it.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Food is outstanding. Real eggs (not powdered), colossal shrimp (not the small petite shrimp balls), handmade chicken nuggets for the little ones, lobster tail on select nights included within your main dining room experience. Food always delivered hot. Every desert was delicious - creme brûlée, key lime pie, coconut cake, apple pie, molten lava cake and more. Plenty of gluten and sugar free desert options. I didn’t try those, but if that applies to you, the choice is there.

Giovanni's Table

5 out of 5

The view from Giovannj’s was great! The chef came out to ask us if we enjoyed the food, which was fantastic. Steak was a bit overcooked, but flavorful. Tiramisu was outstanding.

Chop's Grille

5 out of 5

My steak was overcooked (medium well vs medium), but I just ate it. I noticed this was a theme throughout the ship and heard others say the same. The food was amazing, nonetheless.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Activities were limited. Rock climbing (limited hours), planned family games and kids club. Adventure Ocean was great - my 9 year old daughter loved it. I was not at all bothered by what others have cited as limited activities, nor by the fact that because of this, there were not a lot of kids on the boat (!!!). Real talk, fellow parents...we need the break. Pool was a good size. 2 whirlpools next to the main pool. Solarium pool was also large with an accompanying whirlpool. The gym was well equipped and clean. I didn’t use it...just walked in to check it out.

Entertainment

4 out of 5

Shows: “Piano Man” exceeded my expectations. Plenty of costume changes, lots of props, great singing and dancing. “A Night With Adele” performance is not to be missed. Bill - Cruise Director. So regal. Definitely added a level of sophistication to this cruise that I appreciated greatly. Renardo - Asst Cruise Director - so much fun! Enjoyed his games and sense of humor! Esteban - Cruise Director Staff - so energetic! Such a compliment to the entire staff! I literally wanted to party with him every time I saw him! 70’s disco party was a real treat!

Children's Programs

5 out of 5

Adventure Ocean was great - my 9 year old daughter loved it. Staff were always a friendly. Sign in and out process takes time, but they are thorough, which takes time.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Iwayan - super friendly steward! Saw his friendly face daily. Did a great job with our room and placing my daughters stuffed animals strategically around the room for comfort. We adored him. Wai - Such a great waiter!! So kind and ensures we had everything we needed at all times. Sanjeev - Absolutely amazing! He was so attentive to my 9 year old daughter! He showed her a “magic” trick that has her so enthused and even had to redo for another table who saw it! He was the highlight of my trip! So friendly and delivered truly outstanding service! I really miss him already! Lucian - Head Waitstaff Manager. So attentive! He made a point to say hello every night. It was a treat seeing his friendly face.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Very clean ship. Staff takes great care of it.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Perfect for 2 people on a 7 night crew. I can’t imagine fitting any more, considering the closet space. Very nice to have a sit down vanity. The channels in the room were just fine for me - the essentials like MSNBC, ESPN, several kids channels and about 20 others served their purpose. The bed was HARD. Some might say firm, but it was rock solid to me and not comfortable. My bed was fitted with 2 mattress pads and that still didn’t help. Pillows, sheets and blankets are soft, though.

Ship tip

They up sell at every corner on this cruise. You can’t escape it, so if there’s something you want, haggle with them. I negotiated a great 2 night dining package at Giovanni’s and Chops and my daughter ate free. Also, don’t buy the wine they sell on the last day by the bottle...was told a $70 bottle was selling for $20 when that bottle is available at my local Walmart for $10. Don’t get muscled. Other than that, great ship.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Key West, Florida

5 out of 5

You can get around Key West 100% free on the Duval Loop bus. Look it up. We visited the Butterfly Museum because Adventure Ocean (kids club) gave me a free ticket for my daughter and $2 of my entrance. It was $13 and it was beautiful! Key West is a beauty. Be sure to try the Key Lime Pie and Sangria on the island.

Thumbs Up 3

Cozumel, Mexico

5 out of 5

The port is like an outdoor mall. Tons of vendors, all vowing for your attention. Saw someone describe it like running through a gauntlet - facts. Once you clear this, though, there are lots to do at the port. Massages, shopping. I took a cab (all marked in uniforms with badges $20 each way) to Iberostar Resort, as I purchased a day pass (outside of the cruise). 5 stars across the board for this resort. It was spectacular.

Thumbs Up 1

George Town, Grand Cayman

3 out of 5

This was an early port - 7 am. Booked the Stingray City & Starfish Island excursion, which came highly recommended. Booked the night before and asked the lady at the excursion desk which one gave me the most bang for my buck. Don’t be afraid to ask about them...they are a lot of money, so you want to ensure you’ll have a good time. This tour was ok. The other folks on it made it great. Our main tour operator was kind of meh. I saw other tour operators in the water giving historical context and answering questions. So I might buy spend the extra money on the more expensive excursions...there are 4 stingray excursions through the ship.

Thumbs Up 1

Disembarkation

4 out of 5

Smooth. Porters are super pushy, though. Lots of yelling and carrying on about going with them to avoid the line to customs, when the line itself moves very quickly. They were a huge distraction. If you have lots of bags, they might be helpful, though. They just need to calm down.

Traveler Photos

The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory

4 Comments

cruisereckoning 4 years ago

Thank you for the nice review

Thumbs Up 1

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Belgarion69 4 years ago

Loved cruising on the Rhapsody, my favorite ship so far. Thanks for your review. In the future, you can always send your steak back. They are really good about taking good care of you and making sure you have the best possible experience. Chops even told my wife if she didn't like her entree she could get a replacement from either their or Giovanni's menu

Thumbs Up 1

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Cruiserike0322 4 years ago

Very cool, thanks for your review

Thumbs Up 1

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TITAN12 4 years ago

Very informative review

Thumbs Up 1

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Other reviews of this sailing

Small but Adequate Ship

Western Caribbean Feb 15-22

Great experience but disappointed in pool/daily activities and movie selections