This was our 18th cruise and overall, it was a great experience. Royal just needs to work on the food some more. Go back to the old dining room menus. They also need to understand that we are there on vacation to have fun, not be lectured on politics and social issues. We get enough of that on the news at home.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Unbelievably fast and efficient.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The new menu and food in the main dining room left much to be desired. The waiters spent as much time begging for positive reviews as they did waiting on tables.
Day 1) Had southern fried chicken in the dining room. Tasteless and soggy.
Day 2) Had Chicken Cordon Bleu in the dining room. Best I ever had in my life.
Day 3) Pan-Seared Fillet of Sole in dining room. The fish was mushy and tasteless.
Day 4) Garlic-Herb Buttered Tiger Shrimp in dining room. The waiter added a steak to it. The
shrimp was good, the steak was medium well and very thin but tasted good.
Day 5) Didn't like the menu items in the dining room so we ate in the Windjammer.
Day 6) Ordered two main courses in the dining room. Lobster was larger than past cruises and
was very good. New York Strip Steak cooked medium was tough and chewy.
Day 7) Didn't like the menu items so we ate in the Windjammer.
Sorrento's pizza was great every day. We ate breakfast most days in the solarium and twice in the Windjammer. If you are going to eat in the solarium you need to get there when it opens at 8:00 am or you find yourself waiting in a long line for a table to open up. Breakfast was great except I just wish Royal would learn from Carnival how to make an omelet.
Finally, you need more than two soft serve ice cream machines with limited hours for 6,100 people.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
So much to do. This is one place where this ship excels.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
This is the reason we book Royal over other cruise lines. All entertainment shows and venues were excellent except for Hairspray. I thought it would be like Grease but was I wrong. I didn't need to watch a show that focused on our painful history of racism. I also didn't like the man in drag playing a woman. I go on vacation to get away from politics and social issues for just a week. I want to have fun, not a lecture. And I wasn't the only one that felt this way.
Children's Programs
No kids.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
They all worked very hard. Please, just stop begging for positive reviews and tips. Royal puts $16 per person per day on your account for tips. We also left additional tips for our room attendant and two dining room waiters because they earned them.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Always cleaning and painting. Great job.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We are people watchers, so we love the Boardwalk balconies. Not for you if you sleep lightly. Can be a little noisy until things settle down for the night.
Ship tip
Eat breakfast in the solarium but get there at 8:00 am or you will stand in line waiting for a table to open up.
Even faster than getting on. Our departure time was 8:50 am but we were off by 8:00 am. You don't even need to show your passport. They use facial recognition and pass you through without any questions asked.
Hairspray is not Royal stating anything. That is the play and has been like that since its inception. By the way, you chose to go see the play, no one forced you.
Thanks for sharing your cruise experience. Looks like you enjoyed most of your cruise. Just to let you know- the part of Edna in Hairspray has always been played by a man in every major production since the original in the 1980’s. John Travolta even played Edna in the remake in 2007.
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