This was our 32nd cruise, 5th on Royal Caribbean. We have two more RCCL cruises booked in December'21 and April'22 and one on Celebrity Jan'22. We are thankful for cruising to come back and feel Royal is doing it right in limiting the capacity and having the health restrictions and protocols. Right now requirements and health information is very fluid and could change daily. We understand at the time of our disembarkation many cruise lines will be requiring a 2 day covid testing requirement before sailing. READ your e-mails and check your cruise line daily for up to date information. Be Patient and be Understanding. Happy Sailing Everyone!!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
My Husband and I are both vaccinated and had Covid tests (Neg) within 72 hours of port arrival. We completed online checkin in the couple weeks before the cruise date. Upon arrival to the port we checked our bags with the porter then proceeded to first check point where documents and negative covid test results were verified. We then proceeded to finale checkin before boarding the ship. It was a very quick and easy process. The entire time took maybe 30 minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
There is something for everyone and dining venues were plentiful. For breakfast we ate at the Windjammer which had everything you could want. We ate at the Main Dining room a couple times and found a variety of dishes and everything was yummy! We did opt to have dinner in a few Specialty Restaurants. We ate twice at 150 Central Park, Chops Grille and Jaime's Italian. The food and staff at all the venues were friendly and more than accommodating. We never left hungry. At least not until breakfast.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Although we really did not participate in the more exciting activities it was apparent those that did had a wonderful time. The gym on board is probably the largest I've seen on a cruise ship. There are plenty of hot tubs, 3 main pools and a traffic splash pad for the younger cruisers. There's a small pool and and a few hot tubs in the solarium. Wonderful weather meant high temperatures and the Solarium was a little too stuffy most of the time but what a wonderful retreat for those 16yrs and older.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The Aqua Theater show "HIRO" was fantastic! We were traveling with a couple with a 4 yr old who loved it and didn't want it to end. The stage production "Hairspray" showcased the wonderful acting and dancing talent we've enjoyed on Royal Caribbean. Hats off to The band who played from a balcony in the promenade and the DJ who spinned some great playlists. We also enjoyed the musicians scattered throughout the ship including Central Park in the evening.
Children's Programs
3 out of 5
We traveled with a couple who had a 4 yr old and they did sign him up for the kids program. Because of Covid and health protocols there was not much to do.... no toys or games and time was limited and the number of kids allowed was limited also. There was plenty around the ship to keep him interested and busy. Im sure the full program will resume as health protocols allow
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The Staff overall was very friendly and so happy to see us and be back to work. We found many had been gone for the last 18 months unable to find adequate work back home to provide for their families. So just like us, we were all so glad to be to cruising. With that said, the staff was just as I have experienced on other RCCL cruises in the past. Warm Friendly and accommodating. And I can't believe how well they remember our names - Unbelievable!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is beautiful and very well maintained. The lay out was very easy to get use to after day one-two. I loved the flow of the neighborhoods, Promenade, Central Park, The Boardwalk, Solarium, etc... The ship is the largest there is at this time but the layout seems to separate the masses of people the ship normally entertains.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our cabin was an inside cabin with a window overlooking the Promenade. Our Room Steward "Yudi" was very kind and mindful of when we came and went. The room was always spotless and clean and he was kind enough to add a couple extra towels nightly. Although there were activities going on in The Promenade we were never bother by any noise.
Ship tip
I believe this was the third sailing for the Symphony and we along with the cruise industry are very happy to get back to cruising. At the time of our sailing the ships capacity was 1648 passengers and was only about 25% full. The ship normally would have over 6200 people. We really enjoyed the opportunity to be on this sailing as it gave us a chance to really enjoy the space, shows and venues.
N/A Itinerary changed. - Costa Maya instead. We stopped in Costa Maya many years ago when all it was was a whistle stop to buy from local crafters. Although there were excursions we walked around the marketplace and enjoyed seeing flamingoes, parrots and dolphins in the bay. There was also a beach and pool available.
Changed Itinerary - Cozumel. We've been many times and did not go outside the marketplace where local venders weren't afraid to call you out as you walked buy.
How could anyone not enjoy this stop! The Thrill Park is a little pricing and not something we would enjoy but the beaches, Oasis Lagoon Pool and kids Splash areas were wonderful. There were a lot of bars and dining areas. We would have loved going here multiple days instead of the alternate cruise stops.
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