Take the bad with the good

You have to take the bad with the good on this trip. These are amazing cities and to see them all in one trip is truly unbelievable. You don't have to worry about luggage, train tickets, hotel reservations, dinner, etc etc. For a trek across the Mediterranean I don't think I would have went any other way. 

Then there's the bad... where to begin. Please read as I hope this helps you in your planning. My experience booking I believe had more to do with than with Royal Caribbean BUT it all went hand in hand. You called RC to figure something out and instead they made you call (or whatever travel agent you booked through) and they had to call RC to get an answer... so you had to sit on hold to be told the same thing you could have been told the 1st phone call. We were not allowed to upgrade our plane tickets to business class without cancelling and repurchasing for an additional $6k. We went in to update our seats in economy and they had been cancelled twice losing our previously picked seats and our meal requests. told us that this was how RC did things and that you couldn't pick your seats. We called back and were told they were re-ticketing and to check back in 48 hrs. Nothing... we called Delta directly and had things updated through their system. 

We tried to upgrade our cabin to a balcony because we found a lower rate and were told that this was only for new customers even though we didnt want the lower rate, just an upgraded room. They then told us we could do it after a minute and would lose our credit... after another minute she then told us again we couldnt do it and to try on board (they always have upgrades available) Guess what!? No they didnt.. and the staff on board (unhelpful and slightly rude) told us that we didnt get it before hand because they didnt have any rooms available. Well... we had one on hold and were looking at 10 more available at the time.... 

One would think the trip would get better from there but the ship didnt really deliver. Formal nights were unknown and a random "white night" was added in on the same night as a seemingly Italian themed dinner menu ... yay red sauce and white clothes. The entertainment was mediocre at best and scheduled at strange hours with no real late show. Didn't seem to be any adult entertainment. One of the days at sea was incredibly windy and sitting by the pool was not an option... there was NOTHING else to do! We did a trivia game with dated questions (created before the London Olympics) and then that was it.. unless you wanted to learn origami. 

Food was ok.. windjammer was awful. Dining staff was amazing though! 

We booked 3 RC excursions and they were "ok" Seemed to be more of a look how this is made .. and then oh look the shop sells it too... let's stop here for a moment and look around type of thing. I'm there for the city not the stuff you find on every other cart. 

The ship apparently is being sold next year and perhaps that is why there was a lack of detail to the little things that really make a trip special, but honestly I would spend a little extra and go with Celebrity or Princess. This was echoed by most of the people we met on the ship had sailed before.