Overall Enjoyable Taste of the Mediterranean on an Older Ship
Rhapsody of the Seas Cruise Review to Europe - Eastern Mediterranean
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 45
7 Night Greek & Adriatic (Athens To Venice)
Sail date: July 25, 2022
Ship: Rhapsody of the Seas
Cabin number: 7600
Traveled as: Singles/Friends
Reviewed: 2 years ago
Review summary
Overall nice experience. I had expected more in terms of quality for food and entertainment. But ultimately for this particular cruise, you're constantly on and off the ship anyways. Some of the ports are underwhelming but it's nice to have plenty of options for things to do on ship as well. Staff is incredibly friendly and overall everything felt pretty well organized and efficient.Embarkation
Very impressed with the speed and organization of embarkation! Friendly staff at Athens port and on ship. Quick and smooth!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Food was just okay overall. Much of it tastes just like what it is - mass produced food (like at a wedding or catered event). Desserts always look gorgeous but are dried out - but the free soft serve ice cream machine was enjoyed often! The breakfast spread in Windjammer was incredible and catered to many cultures. There's enough variety that everyone will find something. Specialty restaurants were underwhelming and overpriced. Snack bar was a bit disappointing. Drinks are outrageously priced and very weak - as expected since that's likely how they make much of their money. Better off taking the week to detox from alcohol and save your money!
Onboard Activities
They definitely pack in the activities so there's always something to do. Trivia, movies, games, meetups, etc. I appreciated that they were inclusive in having meetups for LGBTQ, solo travelers, etc. I was surprised at how small the two pools were. There's no real opportunity for any actual swimming since they are always packed with people. But in the heat, it's good to at least have something to sit in.
Some of the game shows are a bit tacky as they are primarily designed to humiliate participants and are a bit tone deaf/outdated/sexist (sexiest man contest, belly flop contest, singing and dancing contests, men vs. women contests, etc.). The main entertainment director became the star of every game show (which was entertaining to a point and then just became a bit self-indulgent after a while).
Entertainment
I was very unimpressed with the quality of performances and musical talent on the ship. I really expected better. There was decent variety in the main shows (circus, magician, impersonators) but they were underwhelming. The worst was the ship's own production of a revue "honoring" the great piano men (Elton, Billy, Ray, Stevie, etc.). It felt like a high school musical you'd see in the whitest suburbs of Indiana. And the ship's actual talented pianist sat in the middle of the stage stone faced and looking annoyed to be there. Musical direction for the ship needs an overhaul. They only had one main band playing 4 - 5 sets each day at the pool. While they were okay - it got very old, very quickly listening to the same band for seven days straight. The other musical groups indoors were also just okay, but repetitive.
Service and Staff
Staff was incredibly friendly!!! I was very impressed with how nice everyone was. Every time you pass by someone in the hall - no matter who they are - they acknowledge you, smile, ask how you're doing, etc. They work very hard, nonstop, and still greet you with a smile. The service staff stood out way more than the entertainment staff who were a little less friendly.
The only time where it became a little overwhelming was during meals. There are so many staff members there filling your glasses after each sip and constantly coming around to clear plates or offer drinks that it can feel a little hover-y. But overall they are SO nice and work SO hard to make your experience amazing.
Ship Quality
It was my first cruise, so I don't have anything to compare it to - but I thought it was fine overall. The Rhapsody is definitely dated so the decor feels very early 90's and you can see the wear. But it was clean and served its purpose.
Cabin / Stateroom
I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the cabin and the amount of storage space! We were two sisters sharing this cabin and didn't even use most of the storage available. I did bring magnet hooks which was good for hanging wet clothes to dry. The balcony is worth every extra penny! Again, the cabin is very outdated with visible wear and tear - but the room attendant was constantly tidying it up, replacing sheets/towels throughout the day so it was wonderful! Cabin 7600 is centrally located next to the elevator bank which was nice - but you could definitely hear the late-night music in the centrum.
Ship tip
Can't imagine not having a balcony room. Absolutely worth it.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
Get off the ship early!!! The port area at 7am is quiet but a few cafes are open. It's lovely enjoying a coffee at the port before the hoards arrive.
This was the only excursion we booked directly with Royal Caribbean and may have been our worst. We did the Beach Break. Had to wait in the auditorium for almost an hour while they organized all of the groups, took a crowded bus to an underwhelming, overcrowded beach area. There were no shops nearby. Only one restaurant - which was actually very good. The return buses didn't arrive on time so two buses full of hot, irritated people were all waiting in the hot sun. It wasn't worth the $50+ per person.
We booked all of our other excursions through United Cruises which ended up being very small groups (2 - 4 people) or ended up being private. The tours meet you right at the ports. The only challenge could be accessing a tender ticket that gets you off the boat in time because if you book an independent tour - Royal Caribbean does not help you at all. However, we paid the $20 per day/per person "The Key" option which got us wifi and priority departures! So, in this case we were able to head down to disembark at any time without having to get tender tickets.
Disembarkation
Overall, it was good. There was lack of clarity for people with "The Key." Mixed messages on when to have your bags in the hallway the night before, and non-specific directions for where to go and when for disembarkation. All of the accessible, excess staff was all of a sudden just gone on disembarkation morning so we had trouble finding someone to ask for assistance. The Ravenna shuttle to Venice option was only communicated halfway through the cruise. So it was a little frustrating not being able to make transportation arrangements. Ravenna is quite far from Venice (which was how the cruise is marketed). But ultimately we were able to get on a coach bus for about $50 per person that took us to Venice city center in about 2.5 hours.